Author Kōrero Friday 18 October: Climate Fiction and Non-fiction, Springing To Life?

One of the most important issues currently facing the planet is how we react to climate change, both as individuals and as a global community. One aspect of this is how our creative and scientific communities convey the issue.

To that end, we have gathered together four esteemed authors and scientists, who have directly connected to the subject in their published work, for a very special panel discussion at Ngā Puna Waiora | Newtown Library.

Tim Jones

Tim Jones was born in England, grew up in Southland and lives in Te Whanganui-a-Tara / Wellington. He was awarded the NZSA Peter & Dianne Beatson Fellowship in 2022. His recent books include poetry collection New Sea Land (Mākaro Press, 2016) and climate fiction novel Emergency Weather (The Cuba Press, 2023). His poem "All the Summer" is included in Koe: An Aotearoa Ecopoetry Anthology, edited by Janet Newman and Robert Sullivan (Otago University Press, 2024).

Mandy Hager

Mandy Hager is a multi-award winning author. In 2019 she received the Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal, for life-time achievement and a distinguished contribution to NZ’s literature for young people. Her latest book, Strays and Waifs, is the first in an adult thriller series set on the Kapiti Coast.

Erick Brenstrum

Meteorologist Erick Brenstrum worked for the New Zealand Meteorological Service for 43 years as a forecaster and educator. He has written about weather and climate for a number of newspapers and magazines including a column in New Zealand Geographic for 27 years. He is the author of The New Zealand Weather Book and Thalassa, a book of poems. He has lectured on meteorology at Victoria University and been a regular contributor on Radio New Zealand's Nights program.

Frances Mountier

Frances Mountier (Tangata Tiriti) is a climate justice activist and writer living in Newtown with her partner and children. Her writing has appeared in Turbine Kapohau, Sport, Takahē, JAAM, Hue & Cry, and Renegade House. This year, she is the Loxley Award recipient, asking "Is it time for a Climate Justice Union for Aotearoa?" She is working on a series of personal essays exploring parenthood, the housing crisis, climate justice, and possibilities for organising.

You can borrow the books from various panel members by following the links below.

• Emergency weather / Jones, Tim
• New Sea Land / Jones, Tim
• Koe : an Aotearoa ecopoetry anthology
• The New Zealand weather book / Brenstrum, Erick
• Thalassa : poems 1971-1981 / Brenstrum, Erick
• Strays & waifs / Hager, Mandy
• Heloise / Hager, Mandy
• Singing home the whale / Hager, Mandy
• Dear Vincent / Hager, Mandy
• Smashed / Hager, Mandy
• Gracehopper / Hager, Mandy
• Protest! : shaping Aotearoa / Hager, Mandy
• Resurrection / Hager, Mandy (Libby eBook)