I’m (one of two) inaugural Verb Wellington Home Based Residency recipients!

Today some news, rather than a musing…I’m very excited to share with you that…

The other recipient is the wonderful Henrietta Bollinger.

This residency is aimed at writers who can’t, for personal reasons, go away to multi-month/year-long residencies, or overseas residencies.

I think it is so wonderful that Verb Wellington has created a residency with this kaupapa.

Over the last couple of years, I’ve had raw and deep conversations with fellow-Taranaki writer Cassie Hart (who also finds it hard to get away from home) about how most residencies leave out writers who have health issues or care loads that prevent them from accessing the usual style of residency. We chatted about what our ideal residency would look like…and we agreed it would look like a financial stipend and no need to go anywhere!

I thought about lobbying CNZ to try to make something like this happen but I never got around to it, because: care load …

…and then Verb Wellington created one which looked just like what Cassie and I had talked about!

It means SO MUCH to me to be selected for this residency. I have been writing poems and essays this year and the residency will assist in getting those closer to publication.

Thank you so much, Verb Wellington!