Tag: Author talk

On the Couch with Lars Mytting

Interveiw with Lars Mitting at Featherston Book Town Festival

Interviewing Lars Mytting at the Featherston Book Town Festival in May this year was a real treat. I’m a big fan, have read all his books, love the mix of engineering precision and intimate family saga in his writing, and so I jumped at the offer of being “on the couch” with Norway’s most famous literary woodsman, hoping he would be as interesting as his books. And he so was! The man is a joy to talk with and an absolute honey.

We talked about growing up in Norway and deer shooting in Featherston, old stories hidden beneath the new, things underground, and a bit of dark rural gothic, woodpiles, fame, herding cows, Saxon feet and old Norwegian ways to drink coffee. We talked about his character Kai Sweigaard realising that the future will judge us, and the truth behind the co-joined twins. I asked about his latest book, set in Norway during WWII and he was extraordinarily open about the evolution of shared histories between Germany and Norway and the pain of the misappropriation of legends and symbols that powered the Nazi regime. Just wow.

Continue reading “On the Couch with Lars Mytting”

Turning History into Fiction

Talking in Ōkiwi Bay

It was a real honour to be invited to speak at the Eastbourne Historical Society’s 2024 AGM, held yesterday. This is a very active society full of researchers, historians and writers whose lives revolve around the eastern bays of Port Nicholson, and yes, I felt a decided frisson in the meeting being held on the edge of what was Ōkiwi Bay, the stomping ground of my man, Ōkiwi Brown, himself. Or their man Ōkiwi Brown, I should say. They were a delightful audience, many bought a copy of my book and I do hope they jump right into the text and start arguing with it. I’ve already had one great lead to follow up – ‘who shot Burke’s wife?’ was a question from the floor I couldn’t answer (love those) but has me buzzing now. I’ve posted a transcript of the talk, here: Turning History into Fiction.

Continue reading “Turning History into Fiction”