In the late 1950’s Ray Grover was part of a small circle of Wellington writers that included Maurice Gee, Fleur Adcock and James K. Baxter. Shortly after publishing his first novel, ‘Another Man’s Role’ in 1967, Ray joined PEN NZ and quickly became involved in the executive. By 1974 he was President. Years later in February 2000 Ray sat down with Alison Gray to talk about those times and why, so soon after joining, he became actively involved.

Ruth Dallas was a poet and children’s author. She worked side-by-side with the famous New Zealand editor, Charles Brasch at Landfall and had a long time friendship with Janet Frame. So why, when she began writing, did she do so in solitude and secret? Michael King asked Ruth this as part of their interview in 2000.

Tony Simpson is an award-winner writer who has published seventeen books of New Zealand history. He’s a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit and was also president of PEN NZ during the turbulent 1980’s. In this interview from 2005 he opens up about his experiences with PEN NZ, being forced out of the Arts Council, fighting with Robert Muldoon and about his personal life. He has clear opinions on his contemporary writers, politicians and publishers. It’s a fascinating and moving episode.

Ian Cross began writing his first novel, ‘The God Boy’, while on a journalism fellowship at Harvard University. The book was a critical success and turn Ian into a famous kiwi author. However, his journey as a writer wasn’t all sky-high. In 2004 Sarah Gaitanos interviewed Ian about his career.

Elsie Locke was a leader and writer for the New Zealand peace movement, living through almost the whole of the violent twentieth century. Yet to most New Zealanders she is best known for her children’s writing, especially her children’s novel, ‘The Runaway Settlers’. At the age of 87 she sat down with Alison Gray to talk about her years as a writer.

Arriving in New Zealand as an orphan from the Cook Islands, Alistair Te Ariki Campbell went on to be one of New Zealand’s most important twentieth century writers, reflecting his European and Pacific heritage in his work, leading the New Zealand Society of Authors as President in 1976, and being awarded an Office of the New Zealand Order of Merit.  Alistair was probably best known for his poetry but he had success in many genres including play-writing, fiction and publishing for children at the School Journal.  He discussed all these in an interview with Sarah Gaitanos in 2004 before his death.

The NZSA Oral History Podcast Series is back from next week! We have dug through our archives to bring you New Zealand poets, playwrights, novelists and writers for children, all sharing their experiences of enduring in a writer’s life.

Christian Karlson Stead has been one of New Zealand’s greatest literary figures for many years as a novelist, literary critic, poet, essayist, lecturer and then emeritus professor of English at the University of Auckland.  Karl was deeply involved in the New Zealand Society of Authors for many years and yet is also, famously, no longer a member. Before Christmas in the year 2000 Karl sat down to discuss his NZSA history with Michael King.

Dame Christine Cole Catley was a journalist, publisher, teacher and author who was involved in PEN NZ from the 1950’s. Known for her commitment to writing and publishing in New Zealand she was also deeply committed to other writers – teaching and encouraging them and working to set up systems and organisations which protected writers rights, freedoms and incomes. Hear her in November 1999 talk with Alison Gray about PEN NZ and why, at first, she declined to be a member.

New Zealand poet and fiction writer Kevin Ireland has been honoured for his services to literature in New Zealand, receiving an OBE and a Prime Minister’s Award. Along with his writing, one of the ways Kevin advanced New Zealand literature was by spending two years as the president of PEN New Zealand. Hear him talk in June 2000 with Michael King about his life as a writer and his time as president.

Poet Bernard Brown was New Zealand Society of Authors President of Honour in 2017-18 and is a Taip?r?kau member. As a respected lawyer and law lecturer, he led the team giving advice on contracts and royalties for twenty years and also ran writing competitions for the Auckland Branch. Just before Christmas in 1999 Bernard sat down with Alison Gray and talked about the very beginning of PEN in Auckland almost thirty years earlier. Listen to the interview here.

Dame Fiona Kidman is a New Zealand writer and writing teacher who has been widely published and recognised at home and abroad. Her latest book, This Mortal Boy was released this year. As a young and newly successful author in the 1970’s, Fiona found herself at the heart of the sometimes caustic and cavalier operations of PEN New Zealand. Listen to her December 1999 interview with Alison Gray here.