Bluey has been selected from Maria Samuela's collection Beats of the Pa’u published by Te Herenga Waka University Press. Maria was born in Wellington and her writing is predominantly centred on the Cook Island diaspora. Her stories have appeared in numerous anthologies and Beats of the Pa’u (THWUP) is her first collection. Her story Bluey was shortlisted for the prestigious Commonwealth Short Story Prize in 2019, with a second story, Peach Tree, was longlisted in 2022, and We'll meet again was shortlisted in 2025.

Mele Toli is a dynamic actor of Cook Islander, Māori, Tongan, and Italian heritage, best known for her breakout role as Hiona Mohi in Hyperspace, and her compelling performance as the Bride in Cold Feet. A 2023 graduate of The Actors' Program, Mele brings rich cultural depth, versatility, and authenticity to every role she inhabits. 

This episode contains strong language so listener discretion is advised.

Curated by Bridget van der Zijpp, recorded live at Ockham Collective’s The Nix in Auckland, and recorded, edited and mastered by Depot Sound in Devonport. The Live events were supported by Auckland Council and the Creative Communities Scheme.

The Baddest Toroa in Town is selected from the Airini Beautrais' prize winning collection Bug Week which was published by Te Herenga Waka University Press. Airini  won the Best First Book of Poetry in the Montana New Zealand Book Awards in 2007 for Secret Heart. Her subsequent books include Western Line, Dear Neil Roberts, Flow: Whanganui River Poems and in 2021, she won the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction for her short story collection, Bug Week. Subsequently essay collection, The Beautiful Afternoon, was longlisted for the Ockhams General Non-Fiction Prize in 2025.

 Millen Baird is a multi-talented actor, comedian and producer, and a ubiquitous screen presence in NZ - best known for M3GAN, Auckland Daze, and his sketch comedy The Millen Baird Show.

This episode contains strong language so listener discretion is advised.

Curated by Bridget van der Zijpp, recorded live at Ockham Collective’s The Nix in Auckland, and recorded, edited and mastered by Depot Sound in Devonport. The Live events were supported by Auckland Council and the Creative Communities Scheme.

Emergency Procedures by Amy Head has been selected from the stunning collection Signs of Life, published by Te Herenga Waka University Press - which is set amidst the rubble of post-quake Christchurch. Amy is also the author of the novel Rotorua and the collection Tough, which won the Best First Book of Fiction at the NZ Book Awards. 

Donna Brookbanks is an actor, comedian, writer and improviser. She has appeared on Madam, 7 Days, Creamerie and co-founded cult hit improv show, Snort. 

Curated by Bridget van der Zijpp, recorded live at Ockham Collective’s The Nix in Auckland, and recorded, edited and mastered by Depot Sound in Devonport. The Live events were supported by Auckland Council and the Creative Communities Scheme.

Keri Hulme's story Hooks and Feelers won the 1975 BNZ Katherine Mansfield prize and set her on the writing path that led to her becoming our first ever Booker Prize winner with The Bone People. Selected from the anthology Oh, to be a writer, a real writer with the kind permission of Te Herenga Waka University Press. 

 Rutene Spooner (Ngāti Porou, Ngāruahine, Ngāti Kahungunu) is a musician, theatre artist, creative producer, kaihaka, and dad. He has lent his voice to Disney Reo Māori films such as Frozen, Coco, Encanto, and most recently as Kele in Moana 2. The New Zealand Herald has dubbed him “a mainstay of the Auckland cabaret scene,” and in 2023 he was recognised with the Grant Tilly Actor of the Year Award at the esteemed Wellington Theatre Awards.
 
 

Curated by Bridget van der Zijpp, recorded live at Ockham Collective’s The Nix in Auckland, and recorded, edited and mastered by Depot Sound in Devonport. The Live events were supported by Auckland Council and the Creative Communities Scheme.

Babydoll by Catherine Chidgey was first published on ReadingRoom. Catherine Chidgey is currently experiencing world-wide acclaim with her most recent novel The Book of Guilt, her ninth novel. Her previous two, The Axeman’s Carnival and Pet, were both longlisted for 2024 International Dublin Literary Award, and The Axeman’s Carnival won the Jan Medlicott prize at the Ockham NZ Book Awards.  

Claire Chitham famously played Aurora on Outrageous Fortune and was a fan favourite on Shortland Street. Her recent credits include lead roles in Fresh Eggs, Falling Inn Love, Brokenwood and Don’t Make Me Go.
 

Curated by Bridget van der Zijpp, recorded live at Ockham Collective’s The Nix in Auckland, and recorded, edited and mastered by Depot Sound in Devonport. The Live events were supported by Auckland Council and the Creative Communities Scheme.

The award-winning story Jewel’s Darl by Anne Kennedy won the 1983 BNZ Katherine Mansfield Prize, shooting the as-yet-unheard-of Anne Kennedy to instant literary fame. Later Peter Wells made an iconic short film of the story, casting a very young Georgina Beyer as Jewel. Anne Kennedy has since gone on to become one of our most revered writers, receiving the Prime Minister’s Award for Literary Achievement in Poetry in 2021. She has published five collections of poetry as well as four novels, a novella, and anthologised short stories. She is the two-time winner of the New Zealand Book Award for Poetry, and her latest collection, The Sea Walks into the Wall (AUP) was shortlisted for the 2022 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards.
 
 Harry McNaughton is an actor-turned-writer-turned-producer, and now divides his time between starring in shows (Shortland Street, Happiness) and creating them (The Pact, Madam). He co-owns KOHA Productions with his husband Koro Dickinson. 

This episode contains strong language so listener discretion is advised.

Curated by Bridget van der Zijpp, recorded live at Ockham Collective’s The Nix in Auckland, and recorded, edited and mastered by Depot Sound in Devonport. The Live events were supported by Auckland Council and the Creative Communities Scheme.

The Kiss has been selected Patricia Grace’s short story collection Small Holes In The Silence (Penguin Random House NZ), also recently republished and celebrated in Hiwa: Contemporary Māori Short Stories (AUP).

Over her prolific and highly influential writing career, Patricia Grace has accumulated many significant awards including Distinguished Companion of the NZ Order of Merit (DCNZM), an Arts Foundation icon award, the Prime Minister’s Award for Literary Achievement , the Neustadt International Prize for Literature and the Exemplary/Supreme Award at the Te Waka Toi Awards.

No stranger to NZ and Australian audiences, Miriama can be seen in the Netflix mini-series The Survivors, Australia's Darby & Joan S2,The Gone for TVNZ and leads their latest comedy series Dead Ahead. She played "Keita" in the film adaptation of the beloved Patricia Grace novel Cousins, so when Patricia suggested Miriama read for THE KISS, Miriama jumped at the chance to bring Patricia's words to life.
 
 

Curated by Bridget van der Zijpp, recorded live at Ockham Collective’s The Nix in Auckland, and recorded, edited and mastered by Depot Sound in Devonport. The Live events were supported by Auckland Council and the Creative Communities Scheme.

A Casket Made of Flax was selected from Airana Ngarewa’s short story collection Pātea Boys, published by Moa Press. Airana Ngarewa (Ngāti Ruanui, Ngā Rauru, Ngāruahine) was born and raised in Pātea, and has published three books – the novel The Bone Tree, short story collection Pātea Boys, and his new novel The Last Living Cannibal – which instantly stormed up the best-seller charts on release.

Maaka Pohatu (Ngāi Tāmanuhiri, Ngāti Apa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa) most recently starred in the television series Warren’s Vortex but is well known for his role in Wellington Paranormal as Sargeant Maaka. He is a founding member of the Modern Māori Quartet and has had iconic onscreen appearances in Happiness, The Rule of Jenny Penn, Two Little Boys, Our Flag Means Death Season 2, Poi E and many others.
 

Curated by Bridget van der Zijpp, recorded live at Ockham Collective’s The Nix in Auckland, and recorded, edited and mastered by Depot Sound in Devonport. The Live events were supported by Auckland Council and the Creative Communities Scheme.

Collateral – a futuristic story about a musician receiving an unusual sanction for his past demeanours – is selected from Michelle Duff's wonderful debut collection Surplus Women, published by Te Herenga Waka University Press.  She's received rave reviews for her stories about women in the past, present and future Aotearoa. 

Elisabeth Easther  has appeared in everything from Shortland Street to The Brokenwood Mysteries, Outrageous Fortune to Funny Girls and also her fair share of theatre. A journalist, narrator of audio books, playwright and presenter of top rating TVNZ series Islands of the Gulf, her first novel, Seed, will be published later year.

This episode contains themes of sexual assault and some strong language so listener discretion is advised.

Curated by Bridget van der Zijpp, recorded live at Ockham Collective’s The Nix in Auckland, and recorded, edited and mastered by Depot Sound in Devonport. The Live events were supported by Auckland Council and the Creative Communities Scheme.

Mr Van Gogh – a story about a boy reflecting on a man who was known as the  local eccentric – was selected from Owen Marshall’s collection The Authors Cut (Penguin Random House NZ), originally published in Mr Van Gogh And Other Stories.  Known as NZ’s pre-eminent short story stylist, Owen Marshall has written or edited over 35 books. His many awards include a Companion of the NZ Order of Merit (CNZM), the Prime Minister’s award for Literary Achievement, and the Katherine Mansfield Memorial Fellowship. Two other stories from The Authors Cut have recently been made into films – Coming Home In The Dark and The Rule Of Jenny Pen.

John Leigh has numerous credits on NZ Screens, John Leigh is familiar to many for much-loved roles in Shortland Street, Outrageous Fortune, Mercy Peak, The Lord Of The Rings, Mahana, When We Go To War, 800 Words and most recently Pike River.

Curated by Bridget van der Zijpp, recorded live at Ockham Collective’s The Nix in Auckland, and recorded, edited and mastered by Depot Sound in Devonport. The Live events were supported by Auckland Council and the Creative Communities Scheme.

School Days has been selected from the collection A Glorious Morning Comrade published by Auckland University Press in 1976, read in memory of Maurice Gee, who we lost in June this year at the age of 93. He left a profound legacy to NZ literature, and during his lifetime wrote prolifically, producing over thirty novels for adults and children. After publishing his first three novels, including In My Father’s Den, he released A Glorious Morning, Comrade in 1976. The story we have chosen is a nod to his earlier career as a teacher and school librarian.

Jennifer Te Atamira Ward-Lealand CNZM is a long-time admirer of Maurice’s work and had an opportunity to meet him when she appeared in Fracture, the film based on his novel Crime Story. She has worked extensively as an actor, director and teacher for over 40 years, and in 2019 she received a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to theatre, film and television and a Woman of Influence Award for arts and culture. In 2020 she was honoured as the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year. She was gifted the name Te Atamira (The Stage) by Sir Tīmoti Kāretu and the late Dr Te Wharehuia Milroy for her championing of te reo Māori throughout the performing arts community.

Curated by Bridget van der Zijpp, recorded live at Ockham Collective’s The Nix in Auckland, and recorded, edited and mastered by Depot Sound in Devonport. The Live events were supported by Auckland Council and the Creative Communities Scheme.

American Microphones is written by Damien Wilkins, selected from his short story collection For Everyone Concerned and Other Stories published by Te Herenga Waka University Press. He is the author of 14 books including his most recent novel, Delirious, which was the much-feted winner of the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction at the 2025 Ockham New Zealand Awards. He is the Director of the International Institute of Modern Letters and a Professor at Te Herenga Waka University.

Jamie Irvine appears in the smash-hit Kiwi movie Tinā. He also regularly appears in The Brokenwood Mysteries and has taught acting at South Seas Film and Television School.

Includes some strong language.

Curated by Bridget van der Zijpp, recorded live at Ockham Collective’s The Nix in Auckland, and recorded, edited and mastered by Depot Sound in Devonport. The Live events were supported by Auckland Council and the Creative Communities Scheme.