Interview with Rachel Klaver

Rachel Klaver is a writer and marketer who approached me about helping her publicise her latest book, Be a Spider, Build a Web. She ended up purchasing my DIY book publicity package and asking me to be on her podcast, MAP IT Marketing.

Rachel also used our interview as the basis for one of her business advice columns in Stuff. It was published on 2 August 2022 and titled “What is the best way to market your self-published book?” It’s really great to hear that she’s finding my book publicity services so useful!

Talking book design on RNZ

I had a kōrero with Jesse about the upcoming NZ book design awards, and why I think book design is important in general. I also refer to myself - truthfully - as a book nerd.

Tweeting as @WeAreDisabled

I had a lot of fun running the @WeAreDisabled rocur Twitter account for a week. I definitely recommend signing up even if, like me, you are on the fence about whether you ‘technically’ qualify as disabled. Chronic illnesses definitely count!

Talking book disposal on RNZ

Yesterday I went on Jesse Mulligan’s radio show to give some ideas about what to do with books you’ve decided to give away. Well that was what I intended to do. I ended up calling Fifty Shades of Grey the tinned tomatoes of books and outing myself as having developed a terrible crush on The English Patient live on air to the whole country, but there you go.

Talking about disabled NZ writers on RNZ

Just before my essay on disabled NZ writers was published, I went on RNZ Afternoons to talk about what I found out.

Talking summer reading on RNZ

Over the break I went onto Lynn Freeman’s Summer Times show to have a chat about summer reads, particularly what we think an ‘easy read’ is and how that might be sexist (spoiler: it’s definitely sexist).

Talking book reviewing on RNZ

Today Jesse Mulligan and I had a chat about book reviewing in Aotearoa — after getting slightly distracted by which TV show has the best theme song (clearly Jem and the Holograms).

Te Manu Rongonui o Te Tau - Bird of the Year 2018

Bird of the Year is a really important time in Aotearoa’s political calendar: someone has to hold these manu māori to account. That someone is me.

Talking NZ comics on RNZ

Today I had a yarn with Jesse Mulligan on RNZ Afternoons about ngā pakiwaituhi o Aotearoa, NZ comics.

If I’m perfectly honest it was all a ruse to have an excuse to talk about my pet rat Albus who was filmed for Tragicomic, a web comic slash web series by The Candle Wasters. Go Albus!

Talking interactive fiction on RNZ

Today I went on Jesse Mulligan’s RNZ Afternoons programme to talk about interactive fiction. As with so many things, the internet has given IF a huge boost, and there are a vast range of works to choose from — way more than the pick-a-path books you had when you were a kid!

New job!

I have now left my comms job at Creative Commons Aotearoa New Zealand after three happy years. I have just started a new job doing comms for the Human Rights Measurement Initiative at Motu 15 hours a week. I'm enjoying learning about whole new fields: human rights, and data analysis. Lots to get stuck into!

Talking fanfiction on RNZ

Today I went on Jesse Mulligan's RNZ programme in the book critic slot (Tuesdays after the 2 o'clock news) to talk about fanfiction. It was pretty nerve-wracking to speak live on air, but heaps of fun. I will get to meet Jesse in person when we're on the same LitCrawl panel next month, doing Short Story Book Club Live.

My birthday

Aw, I got this lovely birthday card from one of my editors!

I turned 37 on 28 September 2017. 37 is a prime number and I feel certain this will bring me luck, or at least cake.

(For the record, books are ALWAYS a welcome birthday gift. Sometimes people ask me whether it's ok for them to give me books. YES. YES IT IS.)

My national radio debut

I was thrilled but also terrified to be invited to speak in the book critic slot on Jesse Mulligan's programme on Radio NZ National. It was my first time speaking live on national radio and, although I was horribly nervous, once I got going I relaxed and started enjoying myself. Here I am speaking about copyright in the digital age - one of my hobby horses. Frankly they're lucky to have shut me up after only a quarter of an hour.