Trina descends from Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Koata, Ngāti Whawhaakia and Pākeha whakapapa. She grew up in Kirikiriroa and has lived in Tamaki Mākarau, London and Geneva. She has been a Primary School Teacher, Bookseller, Autism Coach, and in 2025 c

Cassie (Kāi Tahu/Pākehā) is an award winning author, editor, and mentor living under the watchful gaze of Taranaki Maunga. She writes primarily adult speculative fiction and personal essays, but loves stories for all ages. Working as a youth libraria

Emma, (Kāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe, Waitaha) is a writer living and working in Taranaki. Her first book of short fiction, Ruin, was published in 2023 with Te Herenga Waka University Press and won the Hubert Church Best First Book of Fiction at the 2024 Ockh

Jacquie McRae (Tainui and Ngāti Koata) is working on a project that is a fictional novel based on facts about the colourful history of the campaigns for the prohibition of alcohol in New Zealand, and the resulting illicit trade of home brewed whisky.Jacquie says, ‘I have chosen to transport the re

Bradford Haami was selected for the first ever Māori residency at the centre, for eight weeks from May. Based in Waitakere, Bradford Haami has written extensively about Māori history and culture, as well as being a documentary and drama writer, a director and producer, and a researcher at Te Papa in

Ben Brown was awarded the Māori Writer’s Residency at the Michael King Writers’ Centre for 2011 (eight weeks from mid-May). He is known for his poetry, children’s books, non-fiction and for his short stories. Since 1992 he has collaborated with his wife, illustrator Helen Taylor, on numerous publica

Whiti Hereaka, from Wellington, held the 2012 Summer Residency at the Michael King Writers Centre, from January to mid-March.Whiti is a playwright, novelist and screenwriter who has won many awards even though she is at an early stage of her career. She has been admitted as a barrister and solicit

Tongariro, Ruapehu, Aoraki nga MaungaWhanganui, Rangatikei, Waitaki, nga AwaTaupo, Waihora nga RotoNgati Tuwharetoa, Te Ati Haunui A Paparangi, Ngati Hauiti ki RataRapuwai, Waitaha, Ngati Mamoe, Ngai Tahu nga IwiPaimarireTe Awhina Arahanga comes from Christchurch and has had extensive ex

Whiti Hereaka (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Arawa) will take up the Māori Writer’s Residency to work on the final draft of a new novel for adults Kurangaituku which retells the story of Hatupatu from the bird woman’s point of view.Whiti holds a Masters in Creative Writing (Script writing) from the Interna

Briar Grace-Smith descends from Ngā Puhi and is an award-winning writer of plays, screenplays and short stories.Her first play Ngā Pou Wāhine won the 1995 Bruce Mason Playwriting Award and Purapurawhetū won Best New Zealand Play at the 1997 Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards. Her other plays include Whe

Mere Whaanga is a writer, illustrator, historian and academic. She is of Ngāti Rongomaiwahine and Ngāti Kahungunu descent. Raised on an isolated sheep station near Gisborne, she was inspired by her father’s dedication to the land and his love of Māori history and mythology.She has written several

Kelly Ana Morey has written four novels and three social histories, and a childhood memoir, as well as poems, short stories, criticism and journalism.Born of Pakeha and Ngati Kuri descent in New Zealand’s Far North in 1968, she had a peripatetic childhood in Papua New Guinea, which she has describ

Judith Bryers Holloway has Ngapuhi, French, Norwegian and Irish/English ancestry, was brought up in King Country and Whanganui. She has lived most of adult life in Wellington but now lives in Levin.Judith trained as a teacher and has taught, off and on, all age groups from 5 year-olds to polytech