Kete Cooks: Christmas at the Castle
A second venture into the Kete kitchen delivers on sesame and miso prawns from CHRISTMAS AT THE CASTLE but fails on festive jumpers.
6 December 2024
Ngā UiuiInterviews
Kete talks to authors, illustrators, creatives and book lovers across the motu.
Ka kōrero a Kete ki ngā kaituhi, ngā ringa tā, ngā ringa auaha me te hunga ngākaunui ki te pānui pukapuka puta noa i te motu.
Literary festivals, stereotypes upended, travel: Simon Rowe
Tell All Thursday is our new interview series, and for the first we talk to Simon Rowe, author of MAMI SUZUKI, which was nominated for the 2024 Ngaio Marsh Award.
5 December 2024
Now and Then: Four Questions with Adrienne Jansen of Landing Press
Adrienne Jansen talks to Kete about Landing Press's new anthology, NOW AND THEN, where 92 writers from across Aotearoa write on the theme of generations.
15 November 2024
Kete cooks – lemon cream pie from Tasty by Chelsea Winter
Two citizen cooks take on Chelsea Winter’s lemon cream pie – a plant based recipe from Tasty.
25 October 2024
What I’m most looking forward to this Bookshop Day
Helen Wadsworth, co-owner of the Dorothy Butler Children’s Bookshop, chats to Kete about the special activities going on in bookshops all around the motu this Saturday, how readers can get involved, and what makes bookshops so special!
7 October 2024
Watch: Shilo Kino discusses her bestselling novel All That We Know
Shilo Kino talks about her main character Māreikura, what makes Māreikura tick, and the significance of Tāmaki as a setting.
27 September 2024
Interview: Queens of Crime Charity Norman and Vanda Symon
Charity Norman and Vanda Symon, masters of crime writing in Aotearoa, discuss their latest books, how they write, and their cat companions...
11 September 2024
Interview: Meet Aotearoa's Reading Warrior
David Riley, the writer and teacher behind the Reading Warrior books, visits schools around the country, helping young people find their voice and write their own stories.
6 September 2024
Interview: Jeff Szusterman, author of 'Duffy and the Bullies'
Duffy and the Bullies, written by Jeff Szusterman and illustrated by Ant Sang, is a graphic novel based on one of Duffy Books in Homes' popular theatre shows for children. Duffy Books in Homes, providing thousands of books a year to children, is thirty years old in 2024. We caught up with Jeff to find out more.
5 September 2024
"You can lose yourself in the telling"
Angelique Kasmara, author of the award-winning novel ISOBAR PRECINCT, interviews actor and audiobook narrator Eva Seymour on what is good narration, how she became a narrator, and what she loves about the job.
28 August 2024
Watch: J.P. Pomare on the lengths he's gone to in the name of research
How far would J.P. Pomare go to research details for his books?
7 August 2024
Interview: Four questions with Kate Preece
Kete speaks to Kate Preece, author of Ten Nosey Weka, about her aims for the book, the journey of her family with ta rē Moriori, and what she intends to write next.
5 August 2024
Growing audiobooks in Aotearoa with Libro.fm's Nick Johnson
Libro.fm founder Nick Johnson talks about increasing the visibility of New Zealand audiobooks, working with local bookshops, authors and publishers, and what's on his NZ audio must-listen list.
2 August 2024
WORD Christchurch: walking with Aotearoa's authors
'I love offering punters an experience'. Kete takes a casual stroll through some of the author-led walks featured on this year's WORD Christchurch programme, guided by festival Programme Director Kiran Dass.
29 July 2024
Solo Stories: all about Rere Takitahi Flying Solo Anthology
Solo Stories: RERE TAKITAHI FLYING SOLO ANTHOLOGY provides a window into the lives of solo parents
26 July 2024
Interview: Rex Letoa Paget, author of Manuali’i
'Manuali'i - Bird of the Gods - is an anchor to ancestors and to self. These poems are reminders of who you come from and who you are...'
25 July 2024
'Echoes from Hawaiki' author Jennifer Cattermole on taonga pūoro
'There are some things that you can only really experience, learn and communicate through music, through actually performing with instruments.' Jennifer Cattermole discusses her personal connection with taonga pūoro.
15 July 2024
Seven questions with Five Wee Pūteketeke illustrator Jo Pearson
How do you bring a bird so brilliant it won Bird of the Century to life on the page and what intriguing pūteketeke facts might you learn along the way? Find out from illustrator Jo Pearson.
10 July 2024
Illustrator Isobel Joy Te Aho-White on the power of children's books, and her favourite art mediums
Isobel Joy Te Aho-White (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Kahungunu ki te Wairoa) is a freelance illustrator whose work beautifully marries a representational style with layers of symbolism and visual metaphors. Barbara Uini spoke to Izzy about her mahi, creative journey, sources of inspiration, and recent projects.
27 June 2024
Witi Ihimaera and Steph Matuku discuss creativity and writing for children
The legendary Witi Ihimaera joins rising star Steph Matuku in this conversation with Kete's Erica Stretton, traversing their recently released illustrated children's books, the influence of pūrakau in their work, and the art of writing for young people.
26 June 2024
Nicolla Hemi-Moorhouse speaks to Kete about creating her new picture book and performing as Miss Nicky
Miss Nicky Says became a YouTube sensation during 2021. Nicolla Hemi-Moorhouse set out to create joy, and also to cast a 'colorful light on Māori culture for not only children but for grown ups too'. Here she elaborates on the process to the creation of 'Because I'm Māori,' her interactive picture book published in 2024.
20 June 2024
Author interview + Extract — Majella Cullinane, author of poetry collection Meantime
Majella Cullinane speaks to Kete about grief, memory and writing as catharsis in this interview, plus a bonus extract from Meantime, her new poetry collection.
30 May 2024
Designer interview — Floor van Lierop, book designer of Ans Westra: A Life in Photography
Floor van Lierop discusses her design process, what it takes to create an illustrated biography like Ans Westra a Life in Photography, and whether growing up like Ans, in the Netherlands, and her design education there, informed her choices for the book.
1 May 2024
Cover reveal interview — Lee Murray, Kim Lowe and Christine Ling on the art for Fox Spirit on a Distant Cloud
Should you judge Lee Murray’s soon-to-be-released Fox Spirit on a Distant Cloud by its cover? Take a look at our cover reveal and read what author Lee Murray, artist Kim Lowe and graphic designer Christine Ling have to say about bringing this audacious blend of biography, mythology, horror and poetry to life visually.
1 April 2024
Love is in the air: New Zealand romance writers share what makes their hearts sing
Bodice rippers, roman-tasy, streamy, hating-to-dating, fake-romance, western, Regency, dark… loved-up fiction — in its many shapes and forms — is one of the most popular genres of e-books and audiobooks internationally and in Aotearoa. Kete caught up with authors Bronwen Evans and Cheryl Phipps to discover how they made the leap into the romantic world and what makes their hearts sing when writing.
14 February 2024
Jade Kake talks holiday reads, NZ authors, T-Rexes and her next two books
To say Jade Kake is busy is an understatement. With not one, but two books published in 2023 (while also working in her day job as director and architectural and urban designer at architectural firm Matakohe and as a senior lecturer at AUT) she was in need of a summer holiday — big time.
10 January 2024
Kete questionnaire: Anne Kayes on writing the Tūī Street series - and advice for young writers.
Kete questionnaire: Anne Kayes on writing the Tūī Street series - and advice for young writers.
11 April 2023
Kete questionnaire: Bridget van der Zijpp on curating the 2023 Auckland Writers Festival
Kete questionnaire: Bridget van der Zijpp on curating the 2023 Auckland Writers Festival.
22 March 2023
Meet cartoonist, comic artist and illustrator Toby Morris
Toby Morris, author of Dad Man Walking, has some good advice for soon-to-be dads …
29 August 2021
Meet David Cameron of Scorpio Books in Christchurch
Kete speaks to David Cameron of Scorpio Books in Christchurch on the centenary of Booksellers Aotearoa New Zealand
27 July 2021