You are only good as your word.
And Kakanui author Linda Collins’ words are good.
So good, Ms Collins has been invited to be a guest writer at the prestigious Auckland Writers’ Festival this weekend.
She is speaking alongside poet and general practitioner Glenn Colquhoun who penned
Letters to Young People, a collection of poetry addressed to the young people he cared for as a doctor.
At the festival, they will speak about improving the lives of young people by talking about and reading sections of their work.
Ms Collins will read from her new book of poetry,
Sign Language for the Death of Reason. The collection is a continuation of her memoir,
‘Above all else, don’t bullshit’: Doctor-poet Glenn Colquhoun on caring, and writing, for young people
Interview
Levin GP Glenn Colquhoun talks with books editor Catherine Woulfe about his new collection of poetry, Letters to Young People.
Glenn Colquhoun is an acclaimed and accomplished poet. He has published four collections, including Playing God, in December 2002, which sold a massive 10,000 copies. He’s won a clutch of Montanas and the 2004 Prize in Modern Letters (which at $60,000 was the sweetest pot in New Zealand writing, until it stalled after just four rounds); he also writes children’s books and essays, often about medicine, occasionally for The Spinoff.
Wellington.Scoop
Two Wellingtonians have become Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit in today’s New Year Honours List:
Sue Chetwin, for services to consumer rights.
Having begun her career in journalism, Ms Chetwin was editor of the Sunday News from 1994 to 1998, the Sunday Star-Times from 1998 to 2003, and founding editor of the Herald on Sunday from 2003 to 2005. As Chief Executive of Consumer New Zealand from 2007 to 2020 she successfully campaigned for many important consumer law reforms, including prohibitions on unfair contract terms, fairness in consumer credit contracts, country of origin labelling, and controlling door knockers. She has led other successful campaigns on behalf of consumers including calling for mandatory standards for sunscreens, helping to regulate mobile truck shops, and calling out businesses on misleading claims such as greenwashing. Her commitment to consumer rights have contributed to New Zealand having a strong consumer protection ethos