Bad Diaries Podcast is back … talking about good diaries, writing, and the creative process

Mōrena Beautiful morning at Careys Bay, Ōtākou

The eve of publication for this beauty, WONDERLAND Turns out the text on the cover matches my 1st + last notebooks for this novel 📕 📒 From 1st notebook: “1.1.16 Where to start?…It may be that there are *3* sisters…3 is a good fairytale number, a prime” Been a long ride getting here #pukapuka

Beginning week 2 (of 6!) of my residency at Robert Lord Writers Cottage in Ōtepoti Dunedin. What a treat to have such a chunk of writing time in this house, this city. In my down-time I’m immersed in Robert Lord Diaries – delighting in reading it here, in his place. Now, back to work… #pukapuka

Today is a Wonderland day Here’s the beautiful cover of my new novel, WONDERLAND, published next month by The Cuba Press I’ve spent a fab summer editing with @drsian.bsky.social, working with TCP to bring it to the page. Can’t wait for it to be released into the wild @nzsa.bsky.social #pukapuka

“The only weapons I have to use against the disturbing things I see happening in the world at the moment are my words; my stories.” #pukapuka

Something I think isn’t really obvious to non-researchers is that the vast, vast majority of NZ government science spending already goes to funds which are targeted at direct economic outcomes. The Marsden Fund was the last, inadequate bastion of fundamental research funding. 🧪

Huzzah!

godDAMN this stupid milkloving piece of shit dumbass mean spirited sale at briscoes racist sexist 40% off deck furniture piss country #MarsdenSchmarsden

My full comments on the cuts to the Marsden Fund of the @royalsocietynz.bsky.social are now up here:

Some Marsdens announced last month, 🧵 1. Whiria te tangata: Understanding the importance of traditional clothing making as a vital contributor to mental, spiritual & cultural wellbeing eg by transmitting knowledge, preserving traditions & fostering connection. Focussed on women. Hinekura Smith.

“In some ways it's complex, in other ways it's simple: art and creativity are a public good”

It’s @baddiariessalon.bsky.social time! Our last live salon for 2024 – be there, people of Pōneke (though there is so much good stuff on at LitCrawl you will, like me, want to be everywhere all at once) #pukapuka

Looking forward to a wild, wild time next week, talking with Janis Freegard about her brilliant new short story collection Wild, Wild Women, published by AT THE BAY | I TE KOKORU 12.30pm Tue 1 Oct at Unity Wellington #kikorangi #pukapuka #booksky

Such a delight to chat with @clairemabey.bsky.social this month for the poddie – we talked about her fab book, diaries and writing, and making a life work in the arts

La di dah, I’m going to try to ease gently back in to social media. My gleanings from the beach yesterday make a face that shows you how this makes me feel 🙀

Happy 100th Birthday to Janet Frame 🎂 Join us & Katherine Mansfield House at Wellington Writers Studio for an informal gathering with snacks & readings of her work. There will be readers but bring along your favourite Frame poem to read and share. Wed 28th Aug 5.30 - 6.30 Info in the images.

Wrote something! #pukapuka #kidlit #kidlituk #middlegrade thespinoff.co.nz/books/24-06-...

. A Clerihew Christopher Luxon Hardly ever mucks in. He looks a bit sinister But he’s actually the New Zealand Prime Minister. .

I am honestly so grateful that nobody died, and that we can actually joke all day about this

"Brown said the Government was committed to a resilient Cook Strait service" you don't get to have it both ways Simeon, both you and Nicola have tots fucked up for no discernable reason other than arrogance #nzpol

Yay, @eloquentsonia.bsky.social Writing the story of Taeko Braid: ‘My mum was a five-foot-nothing pocket rocket’ www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-t...

Well, some of them are built so they don't run aground at all

“…too little read, not quite respected” Lovely long read – @tricialockwood.bsky.social on A.S. Byatt

Indescribably delighted to have won this marvellous award, which means The Cuba Press will publish my third novel, WONDERLAND, in 2025 #pukapuka

Minister of Transport to New Zealanders. And all for what? www.beehive.govt.nz/release/gove...

New episode of Bad Diaries Podcast – S2E3 out now! In our first guest interview for 2024, Jenny Ackland chats with Jock Serong about diaries, rituals, the writing life, and what Jock does with his old Blundstones 🌊 ✍️ 🎧 + extra show notes on the website👇 🎧 wherever good pods are found

Delighted to be taking part in 'Raise the Roof for Randell Cottage: Letters Live', a fundraising event for Randell Cottage, in Wellington on 15 July, featuring Emily Perkins, Ngahuia Te Awekotuku, Hinemoana Baker, Anna Fifield and other letter readers. authors.org.nz/raise-the-ro...

Here's Shane Jones' response to yesterday's protest. www.beehive.govt.nz/release/gove...

Manawatū sky

Ecotest are also good quality, rated highly sensitive by the Australian TGA. Worth stashing a few boxes!

There's a lot of respiratory disease out there at the moment - some of it is Covid (orange), a lot of it is other viruses. It's likely we are close to winter Covid peak whereas flu will probably peak later in the winter. Not too late to get your Covid + flu vaccines!

Imagine calling it the Pothole Prevention Fund but using it to fix potholes rather than prevent them by getting people and freight off of roads

$4billion for “pothole prevention” but this govt still can’t manage to announce the funding and availability of the cancer drugs they campaigned on.

PSA for Wellington #kikorangi peeps struggling to source free RATs – they’re in stock and available (lunchtime today, at least) at 8 Kelvin Grove (around the corner from Southern Cross, ~top of Cuba St) ngā mihi to whoever blueskied about this last week

In our latest interview, Anne Kennedy talks about her poems, what she’s reading, and her advice to writers starting out ❤️🤍🖤 www.takahe.org.nz/anne-kennedy/ 📚🇳🇿

Yet another example of research cuts which are very small amounts in terms of the Budget as a whole, but staggering in terms of the work itself. This is where we've got to with research in AoNZ, so underfunded that every cut hits bone. www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...

Ok, spread the word: we've added an extra week to the last minute, just to make sure we get applications from all of you emerging Pasifika writers who have been too busy with life admin/earning a living/protesting this week: deadline extended to 7 June! And it's a long weekend, so...

I offer you this gathering, a slow weekend gathering, so that you too may pause and listen. nzpoetryshelf.com/2024/05/31/p...

Looks like a nice day to express my opposition to recent government actions, not by striking, but by lawfully (and ethically) attending a protest in my own lawful and legal time. #NotJustWeekends

Check what is happening in your area and turn up if you can. We need to send a message to this government by supporting this kaupapa. You don't need to be Māori or a supporter of Te Pāti Māori. I am neither but I will be there. www.maoriparty.org.nz/toitu_te_tir...

Done my submission – both the ActionStation template and the Spinoff article were, as @lauriewinkless.bsky.social says, super helpful (ngā mihi nui to all who posted reminders here and got me motivated!) #toitutetiriti

I cannot stress this enough .. Go to transact.nzta.govt.nz/transactions... to remove your info from unauthorized access by anyone like these pricks, or private parking bandits

"Some conclusions seem to be clear: 1) support your local book festival... 2) buy books locally (use BookHub)... 3) get emotional about books and bookshops – remember how much they bring to the quality of your life and your community..." #pukapuka thespinoff.co.nz/books/24-05-...

Lunchtime today! A conversation with two terrific creative nonfiction writers about finding home and freedom in their writing and their lives. 1230 at Unity Books Wellington.