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.

Professional rat art

Robot Hugs is one of my favourite web comic artists. One day on Twitter they offered to draw some sketches of people’s pets, so I sent in a photo of my pet rat Valentina and they drew me this. I LOVE IT.

Valentina, by Robot Hugs. CC BY-NC 4.0

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.