Residency Alumni

Trevor was educated at the Auckland and Waikato Universities and has a special interest in researching, teaching and writing about the interaction of Māori and…

Karyn Hay is an award-winning novelist and broadcaster: her debut novel Emerald Budgies won the New Zealand Society of Authors Hubert Church Best First Book…

Kelly Joseph (Ngāti Maniapoto) is a writer and artist currently living in Westland with her two daughters and husband. She has previously had stories published…

Chris Price plans to complete a new collection of poems, The Blind Singer, and lay the groundwork for another major project – a full-length work of…

Ian Wedde is a distinguished Wellington poet, novelist and critic. He has published a large number of poetry collections and novels, and his poems appear…

Vincent O’Sullivan has published an extensive range of poetry, fiction and drama, as well as academic books. He was at the centre between February and…

David Eggleton is a poet and writer who lives in Dunedin. He is a popular and dynamic performance poet, has written books and been selected…

William (Bill) Direen is a writer and a well-known figure in New Zealand music circles. Originally from Christchurch and Dunedin, Direen has recently been living…

Rachel Barrowman worked at the centre for eight weeks from early 2010. She is a Wellington-based writer and historian. She is the author of a…

Martin Edmond held an eight-week residency from mid-March to May, also offered with the support of Creative New Zealand. Edmond was born in Ohakune and…

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…

Nelson Wattie was awarded the Autumn Residency (mid-March to mid-May) to work on a literary biography of Kapiti poet, novelist and playwright Alistair Te Ariki…

Michelanne Forster is a playwright, scriptwriter, fiction writer and editor who moved to New Zealand in 1972 from her native California. She is a graduate of…

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…

Arthur Meek was awarded the eight-week Summer Residency, from January to mid-March 2011. Arthur Meek, who lives in Auckland, has written for stage, screen and radio,…

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…

Tongariro, Ruapehu, Aoraki nga Maunga Whanganui, Rangatikei, Waitaki, nga Awa Taupo, Waihora nga Roto Ngati Tuwharetoa, Te Ati Haunui A Paparangi, Ngati Hauiti ki Rata…

Eleanor Catton, winner of the 2013 Man Booker Prize for Literature, held the 2012 University of Auckland Residency at the Michael King Writers’ Centre. She…

Chris Else has had more than eight books published: six novels, and two collections of short fiction. His work appears in many anthologies and magazines,…

The Michael King Writers’ Centre is delighted to welcome back novelist and graphic artist Sarah Laing for her second residency at the centre. This year…

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…

Don McGlashan is one of New Zealand’s most popular and celebrated songwriters and performers, whose music provides the soundtrack to our most significant national occasions…

Deborah Shepard has written a blog about her residency at the Michael King Writers’ Centre. Deborah Shepard held the Autumn Residency at the Michael King Writers’ Centre.…

Peter Wells is a distinguished writer and film-maker. As a writer, he won the 1992 NZ Book Award for Fiction for his first book of…

Victor holds the University of Auckland Residency which he started on the 19th of February and is our fourth residency for the year. He will…

Our second residency for the year is held by Rosetta and she is working on her second novel. Rosetta spent her formative writing years developing…

Lawrence holds our third residency for the year and is working on a literary novel of communities in turmoil, set on a future Kāpiti Coast.…

Helen Waaka (Ngāti Whaatua, Ngā Puhi) has joined us for the fifth residency of the year. Helen completed a Graduate Diploma in Creative Writing at…

Nadine Hura is of Ngāti Hine, Ngāpuhi and Pākehā whakapapa. She grew up in South Auckland but has spent much of her adult life living…

Allan is our first writer in residence for 2018 and is working on some contemporary short fiction. Allan recently completed his PhD in creative writing…

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…

Anthony Byrt is a regular writer for Metro, a contributing editor to Paperboy, and the New Zealand correspondent for Artforum International. In 2013 he was…

The six-month University of Auckland Residency at the MKWC was awarded to Frankie McMillan for a book of small narrative forms, mainly prose poetry and…

Anna has written and edited a number of academic books on topics ranging from Gothic children’s fiction to verse biography in Australia, Canada and New…

Hannah August is a writer, editor and researcher based in Wellington. She has written for publications such as the Times Literary Supplement and Metro. She has a PhD…

Elspeth has published eight novels, two collections of short stories and written numerous plays for radio (RNZ and BBC) and television. Her stage plays have…

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…

Vivienne Plumb graduated from Victoria Universityof Wellington, with a B.A. in English and Art History (1997) and an M.A. in Creative Writing (2001). She then…

Roger Horrocks was founder and head of the Department of Film, Television and Media Studies at Auckland University, the largest department of its kind in…

Rochelle Bright is an exciting voice in New Zealand theatre. She works in crossover drama, which blurs the boundaries between plays, music, cabaret and opera.…

Philip Braithwaite has been writing plays since 1999. In 2000 he won the New Zealand Young Playwrights’ Award. Amongst his other credits are the BBC World…

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…

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…

Anne Kennedy, who holds the 2014 University of Auckland residency at the Michael King Writers’ Centre, is a poet, fiction writer and scriptwriter. She holds the…

Alice Miller, who is a poet, fiction writer, essayist and playwright, has been awarded the Summer Residency 2014 to work on her new novel called The…

Sarah Laing, from Auckland, will use her residency to complete her latest work, a novel which explores aspects of cultural identity. Titled Dead People’s Music, it will…

Professor Richard Corballis from Palmerston North,  researched and wrote a major biography of leading New Zealand playwright, Bruce Mason while in residence at the Michael…

Margaret Hayward was the 2007 resident at the Michael King Writers’ Centre. During her period in residence, she worked on her book on Prime Ministerial leadership in New…

Gerry Evans is the author of Where Giants Dwell (1999), Good Morning USA (2004) and Shipping Out (2006) and was the Resident for seven months in 2006. Born in west…

Geoff Chapple O.N.Z.M  was the first resident at the centre when it opened in 2005. His play Hatch, written at the house, was a major success…

Dunedin novelist, poet and memoirist, Dianne Brown wrote Here Comes Another Vital Moment while she was a Resident at the Centre for three months in 2005. Born…