Rachael King

These are the sorts of things you can do if you're serious about art, creativity, and growing an economy

Beautiful photo! 💙

Thank you! It’s coming to your neck of the woods too.

Is there anything nicer than first proofs? (Coming May 2026)

Man will burn out in three weeks.

I got on my soapbox to talk about the serious business of funny books:

www.scholastic.co.uk/blog/The-Ser...

Emerging Māori Writer in Residence | Te Pūtahi Tuhi Auaha o Te Ao / International Institute of Modern Letters | Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington Apply for the Emerging Māori Writer in Residence—$15,000 stipend, mentorship, and writing space.

Māori writers, it's time to apply for the 2026 Emerging Māori Writer in Residence — a $15,000 stipend, mentorship, and writing space at the IIML could be yours if you apply by 31 October!
www.wgtn.ac.nz/modernletter...

The shame | dismay | horror

Benjamin speaking at Flag Waving on Friday giving an update on a statement received from MFaT regarding the three New Zealanders abducted by Israel

Information is coming out now from the activists who have been released that they weren’t treated well

#NZPol

Yes! And as an adult.

It's so good to revisit when I have a deadline and I'm needing a reminder of why I'm doing this. And to just get back into my head and rummage around for a bit instead of the onslaught of the outside world.

Vote. Them. Out.

“I feel that the only possible limitation in writing in this sphere is the necessity to write within the framework of the reader’s understanding, but as this is as wide [Alan Garner] or narrow [Enid Blyton] as the writer cares to make it, it is scarcely to be thought of as limiting.”

Dipping back into this for my sanity. From 1975. A book of extremely intelligent essays. KM Peyton’s one is titled ‘On Not Writing a Proper Book’ — brilliant. 1/2

Well that's just made me realise it's a hard book to sum up well in such a short space!

Shiny book on wooden table, black horse leaping across top of cover, seal wearing golden crown at bottom, wave of seawater curving between them. Title in green foil, centred between the horse and the seal: Celtic Folk and Fairy Tales, Magical Stories from Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, the Isle of Man and Brittany. Two names in yellow at the bottom of the cover: Lari Don and Elise Carmichael

I've never taken so long to research and write a book (due to #longcovid) so I've never been so delighted to hold a new book in my hands! I can't wait to share these #CelticTales, and @elisecillustration.com's stunning illustrations, with everyone! I don't have to wait long, it's published on 16 Oct

I had the pleasure of interviewing the wonderful Jessica Townsend (Nevermoor) at the Melbourne Writers Festival earlier this year. Now you can listen to it as a podcast! It was a fast-paced, joyous conversation about creativity and process and world-building. #mglit #kidlit omny.fm/shows/melbou...

Any NZ writers wondering about the Anthropocic AI piracy case, there is now a list of works you can search. It’s different from the one The Atlantic published. It’s only books that have been registered with US copyright office. I found one of mine. www.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com

500 a year a room of one’s own, perhaps.

Exactly!

I saw this video about Ireland’s artist basic income and did some of my own calculation. Not that I think art should have to return a profit in order to be valued, but if this is the language the powers that be understand, then it still stands up. www.instagram.com/reel/DPDkX8f...

Bleak

Wikimedians in and around Ōtautahi Christchurch — fancy a Saturday of editing in Lyttelton? 🛥️

Our 2025 Wikipedian at Large is running an edit-a-thon to improve Wikipedia coverage of this historic area on 11 October.
More info ➡️ w.wiki/FUpR

📸: Lyttleton Harbour 1967 by Wilford Peloquin, CC BY 2.0

Really? I managed to do an entire English Lit degree without engaging in Shakespeare (which I regret now). I suppose if it’s watching Romeo & Juliet or 10 Things I Hate About You he’ll cope.

Oh. How confusing. I guess we can be thankful that our year 11 kid got to do music English this year and study Scribe’s lyrics rather than the Bard’s. There is no way he will engage with Shakespeare.

I thought I saw a new prescribed reading list that had Māori and Pasifika writers on it? Is that not the case any more?

83k seems acceptable for YA fantasy though?

Yes exactly!

I always forget the hashtags! #spookyMG #kidlit #middlegrade

A slip of paper with the writing: “Oh glory: A horse book that is also a beautifully written, deliciously creepy supernatural mystery, The Grimmelings weaves myths and monstrosity into a deeply human story of family love and salvation. A perfect read for kids and people who used to be kids. I couldn’t put it down.” – Laini Taylor, New York Times bestselling author of Daughter of Smoke & Bone

Cover of The Grimmelings by Rachael King shows a menacing black horse behind a girl clutching a book.

Hello North America! My middle grade horse girl folk horror is out in less than a month. Some people have said some very nice things about it which I’m going to start sharing here to see if I can convince you to read it. 🐎 😱 @lainitaylor.bsky.social www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Gr...