Authors

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Bridget Hackshaw is the daughter of James Hackshaw. Before her father's death in 1999, she interviewed him about this body of work and has researched and photographed the buildings and artworks resulting from his collaboration with Colin McCahon and Paul Dibble. Bridget previously worked as an English teacher then as an advisor and lecturer in teacher education. She has a Master of Arts from the University of London and in 2019 she completed a course in architectural photography at the London College of Communication. She is the producer of a film directed by Christopher Dudman about the Hackshaw, McCahon and Dibble collaboration.

Sara Haddon was born in Wanganui and spent her childhood as an only child. With no siblings to squabble with, she gained a family of brothers and sisters while learning drama and acting in shows. In her teens, her focus switched to long days and after-school hours riding her pony. Born to a loved and dedicated school caretaker for nearly 40 years and an entrepreneurial and successful mother, she worked hard for the experiences that she created. Gaining an Education Degree in Palmerston North, and meeting her now husband, they relocated to Auckland. Here Sara gained an LLB (Hons) at Auckland University and worked for a small time as a commercial and property lawyer. Seeking more creative outlets, roles as an event manager and photographer followed. Together with her husband, they purchased rights to establish a new daycare for nearly eighty children from its infancy. Sara an active ‘Mumager’ to both sons and their many sports and interests, has involved coaching sports, driving teams, organising, PTA work and hours of painting murals. Sara now enjoys teaching in several schools and pursuing her creative outlets.

Swapna Haddow (1982 – ) is a London-born, Dunedin-based author of books for children. Her Dave Pigeon series has won a number of awards, and is currently four books long. Little Rabbit’s Big Surprise (2019) has been translated into Polish and Russian. As well as writing picture books and junior fiction titles, she has contributed to a number of anthologies. Biographic information courtesy of Read Te Pou Murmur Writer's Files

Annemarie van Haeringen was born in 1959 and has illustrated many children’s books. She has won the top Dutch prize for illustrators three times.

Mandy Hager has an astonishing collection of awards including winning the Margaret Mahy Book of the Year at the NZCYP annual children's for Singing Home the Whale, the Katherine Mansfield Menton Fellowship, and has been awarded the Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal. She is the author of two One Tree House NZ history titles: 'Hindsight: Pivotal Moments in New Zealand's History' and 'Protest! Shaping Aotearoa', and she has published many award-winning novels for young adults. In 2024 The Cuba Press Mandy is publishing the first two books in an adult supernatural thriller series: Chasing Ghosts. Mandy Hager is a multi-award-winning writer of fiction for young adults. In 2019 she was awarded the Margaret Mahy Medal for life-time achievement and a distinguished contribution to New Zealand's literature for young people. She has won the LIANZA Book Awards for Young Adult fiction 3 times ('Smashed' 2008, 'The Nature of Ash' 2013, 'Dear Vincent' 2014), the NZ Post Children's Book Awards for YA fiction ('The Crossing' 2010), an Honour Award in the 1996 AIM Children's Book Awards ('Tom's Story'), Golden Wings Excellence Award ('Juno Lucina,' 2002), Golden Wings Award ('Run For The Trees', 2003) and six Notable Book Awards. She has also been awarded the 2012 Beatson Fellowship, the 2014 Katherine Mansfield Menton Fellowship and the 2015 Waikato University Writer in Residence. In 2015 her novel 'Singing Home the Whale' was awarded the Margaret Mahy Book of the Year award, and the Best Young Adult fiction Award from the NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. It has also been named a 2016 IBBY Honour Book, an international award. In May 2017 her historical novel for adults, Heloise, was published by Penguin NZ. It tells the life story of Heloise d'Argenteuil, famed lover of 12th century French philosopher Peter Abelard. It was longlisted for the 2018 Ockham Book Awards. She is a trained teacher, with an Advanced Diploma in Fine Arts (Whitireia) and an MA in Creative Writing for Victoria University. She also writes adult fiction, short stories, non-fiction, educational resources, blogs and articles, and tutored the Novel Course for Whitireia's Creative Writing Programme for 10 years. From 2019 to 2022, she was President of The New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa (PEN NZ) Inc. Photo courtesy of Read NZ.