Aug 27, 2013 | writers talk
Kia ora, I first met Lynn when I was asked to take a class for a tutor who was sick. This was a first year class in script writing. Then we met again as students in a year 2 poetry class tutored byLynn Davidson. A great year and a great class. One of those special years that whenever I meet one of the seven student who was in that fabulous class we all agree, it was a great year. If you haven’t read Lynn’s book, Dear Sweet Harry, get it today and read it. Some of her poems in this book began their life in that class.
A writer of work in no clear genre is how Lynn describes herself…here’s Lynn… (more…)
Aug 20, 2013 | writers talk
Like the rest of the country and many overseas readers, I loved Denniston Rose and its sequels — and all the other novels Jenny has written. I visited Denniston Plateau last year and as I stood there, imagined what it must have been like for the women who lived on that plateau — some of whom found the trip up the incline so hideous that they never went down again and I was glad all over again that Jenny had alerted me to theirlives and their stories… (more…)
Aug 13, 2013 | writers talk
Idea — which comes first — subject, form, a line? Or other?
I try to let language lead me into a poem, rather than having an ‘idea’ to write about. Often the idea comes about anyway, but it usually has more wisdom or surprise if I can let the words lead me rather than bossing them around too much. (more…)
Jul 30, 2013 | writers talk
I’ve know and loved Dinah’s work ever since I picked up her first collection, probably at Unity Books, sometime in the 80s in Auckland. (more…)
Jul 23, 2013 | writers talk
I’ve known Elizabeth’s novels and poems for a while now and I love them. Then in 2007 when I did the year-long poetry course at Whitireia Polytechnic (Lynn Davidson the tutor), Elizabeth was my mentor and she was brilliant. It was a great and very enjoyable year and I came to the conclusion that every writer, whatever the genre, certainly every writer of plays, should do that course.
Here’s Elizabeth… (more…)
Jul 9, 2013 | writers talk
I first met Sandi when she came to a class I was teaching for Whitireia Polytechnic on nonfiction and later in a Summer Poetry Workshop run by Hinemoana Baker. That same year Sandi was part of another Whitireia class of mine where she wrote a draft of her poetry collection, Calling Down the Sky. Her poem Medusa was the first poem published on WednesdayBusk. (more…)
