Hello UK friends! I’m delighted to say that my novel Song of the Saltings is now out in your country at all good bookshops! Pubbed by the wonderful folk at Guppy Books. Please spread the word! If you liked The Grimmelings I hope you’ll like this. #ukkidlit #kidlituk guppybooks.co.uk/book/song-of...

Super pleased that the excellent @ladyhorrors.bsky.social will be giving a free talk at Tūranga next month. Book online if you're horror-curious! events.humanitix.com/how-to-watch...

futurism.com/future-socie... lol

because you need a smile te ata nei

This is the best news of the week! Hooray @pipadam.bsky.social

Not one single news outlet has covered this.

I'm part of the very specific fragment of the population for whom this image is the best joke of the week.

RIP Mark Rothko. You would have loved how the hydrogen peroxide bleach is only turning the Reflecting Pool blue around the perimeter

Oh yes I should also mention that my new book is out in the UK next month! guppybooks.co.uk/book/song-of...

I’m speaking at the Edinburgh Book Festival (to schools only unfortunately! But looking forward to meeting some Scottish teens) and will be there from 26 -30 August if there is anyone about? www.edbookfest.co.uk

Grinding my gears today: excessively performative crafting on Instagram. Well done you’re making a zine, we don’t need three rapidly cut shots of you removing the cellophane from a fresh box of staples.

I really enjoyed this interview with Morrin Rout (she’s such a pro) where I got to talk about the ideas and setting behind Song of the Saltings — surprisingly in-depth for such a short slot. So good to talk to someone who has clearly read the book properly. plains.org.nz/episode/2fde...

Another stelllar read by @rachaelking70.bsky.social I love a rich and action-filled fantasy with deeper themes. This one should be on every human’s booklist. More like this please! #nzauthor #readforyourlife #booksky

Fee reports back from Treachery at Tūranga my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/blogs/post/n... Chch crime buffs had a real treat listening to Wendy Parkins, Jeffrey Buchanan, Marie Connolly, Judy Mohr, and Rachael King @rachaelking70.bsky.social. ^DR #pukapuka #booksky

Enjoying this very much. Especially the line I just read which made me chuckle: “The bird hopped closer to the window and peered in like someone with doubts about a restaurant.” Night Waking by Sarah Moss, set on an island loosely based on Hirta/St Kilda.

Where does one get one’s ears pierced these days? You used to just pop into the chemist but I’m sure that is how they do it now.

Very clear-eyed commentary from lawyer (and my cousin) Nicola Hoobin. www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/3610...

A lovely tribute to Keely O’Shannessy who will be sorely missed. I last saw her at a party in February - not so long ago - where I showed her my latest book covers and she passed (favourable) judgement (though thought my name should be bigger!). 💔 newsroom.co.nz/2026/06/10/k...

Still shooting important aspects of Black Sheeps …

🌈 TODAY!!!!! Every dollar donated to Sweat with Pride will be doubled thanks to 2degrees, AA Insurance, ASB &Auckland Council- up to $50,000! 🌈 www.sweatwithpride.com/fundraisers/...

One of my students is conducting a survey about the reading habits of children from the perspective of adults, be it parents, teachers etc. If you read to children, or have children who read, and are up for a short survey, that would be great. And do please spread the word if you can. Thank you!

Holy shit I’ve been bingeing Widow’s Bay and there are so many similarities in the Island and its past to the island of Brack in my novel.

Close reading and Creative writing: Revisit the awesomeness of RF Kuang in conversation with Rachael King @rachaelking70.bsky.social at a sold-out WORD Christchurch event. my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/blogs/post/c... ^DR #WORDChristchurch #pukapuka #booksky

I dipped my toe into mainstream popular culture and it did not go well.

Right on cue, Christchurch’s dreariest month weather-wise has arrived in true form. Dreary.

Proud to see my sister @rachaelking70.bsky.social competing in the new season of The Traitors NZ – not least for speaking out (“Rachael’s very outspoken!”) at the VERY gendered / abled first brawn-based challenge (where the burliest get immunity from elimination and the ‘weakest’ just don’t. Soz!).

Oh god the porn bots have arrived

"Larks sprang singing from the heather into the eye of the sun and in the kelpie's pool the little burn-trout leaping at the morning hatch of flies were like silver darts flicking in and out of the golden-brown water." The Kelpie's Pearl, Mollie Hunter

Song of the Saltings is coming to the UK in July with Guppy Books! Cover by James Fraser and cool trailer by @jonathanking.bsky.social (it helps to have a horror film director for a brother). More info here: www.rachael-king.com/song-of-the-... #kidlituk #ukkidlit #folkhorror #YA

I was enticed out of my reviewing hiatus by Charlotte Grimshaw’s intriguing new novel. thespinoff.co.nz/books/23-05-...

I had the pleasure of being a player on the best reality game show in the world! Am I Faithful or a Traitor? Will I be more like Hercule Poirot or Inspector Clouseau? You'll have to watch to find out. Series 3 of #TheTraitorsNZ starts Sunday May 31 on Three and ThreeNow

This morning I talked to Susie Ferguson on RNZ about folklore, The Traitors, and what put a fire under my writing. www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...

Hey our buddy @rachaelking70.bsky.social is going to be on RNZ Saturday Morning talking wild magic and Traitors with Mihi and Susie after 10.30am! www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro... Tune on in.

I was enticed out of my reviewing hiatus by Charlotte Grimshaw’s intriguing new novel. thespinoff.co.nz/books/23-05-...

A welcome #disability #reading list from the folks at the DList. I would add. My Wide White Bed by Trish Harris, & the Crash, by Sally Wenley. Exploring each others' stories is important. #books #writing #reading thedlist.co.nz/newsfeed/spo...

Call me naive but couldn’t we raise corporate tax by 2% over a certain threshold (& cut MP’s accom benefit) instead of squeezing money out of people in social housing, cutting sexual abuse prevention services, forcing schools to choose between a heat pump & a teacher aide (as per the Press today)?

The WORD Christchurch event last night with RF Kuang and @rachaelking70.bsky.social was a STUNNER! We have an event report incoming, but in the meantime here are some pics. #WORDChch #BookSky #pukapuka ^DR

Twas a pleasure to meet and chat to RF Kuang in Ōtautahi tonight for WORD Christchurch!

Today is a great day to make a donation to QTopia or similar NZ organisations today! qtopia.org.nz/donate

My YA folk horror fantasy Song of the Saltings hit the shops in US & Canada on Tuesday! To celebrate here is an abridged explainer of ‘horse girl folk horror’. For the rest visit my IG account. #YA #folkhorror #kidlit #pukapuka

"protecting women and girls" this was YESTERDAY

It’s deeply shameful for National and Act to vote for the NZF anti-trans bill tonight. Clearly they’d rather the limited resources of govt be used on this culture war nonsense that nobody wants rather than the things that New Zealanders actually need from them.

Looks like it's all on for tonight team - parliament will be debating the rights of trans people in Aotearoa New Zealand. If you hate this as much as I do, flick a message to your local MP about how stupid and ridiculous it is.

In fact the GFC, nearly 20 years ago proved decisively that countries with governments that did austerity fared much worse than those that, you know, helped people and understood that a country isn’t like a household

I don’t know how else to articulate this but just because you think you can automate everything doesn’t mean you should. Cause like, yes you could drive everywhere but sometimes you want to walk because the journey is the point, not efficiency. Productivity gods be damned.

A few pics from Ak Writers Fest — loved sharing the stage with the incomparable Michael Pedersen and the backstage with the lovely Nikita Gill, also playing punk rock to a roomful of kids and their old punk parents (not pictured but here’s my roadie, aka my old school friend Simon).

What you waiting for? My June 2026 list of "Books I really want to read" includes bad mothers, Trotsky, Alt Rock, ugly fashion, and fab new fiction from @rachaelking70.bsky.social and Kat Dunn 😍📚❤️‍🔥^DR christchurch.bibliocommons.com/v2/list/disp... #booksky #pukapuka #ReadNZ #WhatYouWaitingFor

I’m at the Auckland Writers Festival! Day 2 of schools events done, one more day to go. The kids have been amazing! So curious and excited about reading and writing. It’s so heartening. Sold out all of The Grimmelings and Secrets at Red Rocks so we’re scrambling to find more for tomorrow. Best job!

Meet the cast! thespinoff.co.nz/pop-culture/...