Award-winning novelist Laurence Fearnley is coming back to Central Otago next month to take a workshop for aspiring writers.

Organised by the Creative Writers Circle in conjunction with the Central Otago Arts Trust, Laurence was the last artist-in-residence at the Henderson House between December 2024 and January 2025.

Creative Writers Circle president Dr Roger Browne first started discussions with Laurence about holding a workshop in Alexandra several years ago, and now finally it has come to fruition.

“She’s been very enthusiastic about having one,” he said.

Already there has been a huge amount of interest right across the district, and for the first hour she will talk about the process of writing novels. 

The second hour will be devoted to questions presented by attendees and she will give insights into the publishing industry - which can be challenging amidst recent changes.

Based in Dunedin, Laurence’s novel The Hut Builder won the fiction category of the 2011 NZ Post Book Awards and in 2014 her novel Reach was long listed for the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards.

In 2008, Edwin and Matilda was runner-up in the fiction category of the Montana New Zealand Book Awards. 

Her second novel, Room, was shortlisted for the 2001 Montana New Zealand Book Awards and In 2004 she was awarded the Artists to Antarctica Fellowship.

She also wrote Hawea mountaineer Lydia Bradey’s autobiography ‘Going Up Is Easy,’ after she was the first woman to climb Mt Everest without oxygen.

Dr Roger Browne - trustee of the Central Otago Arts Trust and president of the Creative Writers Circle in Alexandra. Image: supplied

Roger is also an enthusiastic writer, having published a novel and anthology of short stories, and is already 35,000 words into his next one.

The Creative Writers Circle currently has about 35 members and recently published a book of its combined creative works as well.

The group started 15 years ago “and there was an early flush of enthusiasm and then we got it going again,” he said.

They meet regularly to read extracts of their work and discuss the challenges they are having, encouraging constructive criticism.

A former senior lecturer at Massey University, Roger retired in 2007 and has a PhD in physics and electronic engineering. Prior to writing fiction he had 60 works published during his academic years.

The former Vincent Community Board deputy chair was involved in 10 different committees and boards up until last year, when he took a step back at the age of 81.

More information on Laurence Fearnley’s workshop on March 21 at Alexandra Community House can be found on our What’s on section.

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