James Carrick is an award-winning playwright and actor who lives in Narrow Neck with his fiancée, Liz, who he says has the unenviable task of editing his writing! Originally from Brighton, England, James has lived in New Zealand since 2007. Previously a stand-up comedian, and still an actor and musician of many talents, he has more recently honed his writing skills to include full-length and one-act stage plays, including Welcome to Hellansville, Call Girls, Fall Out and Shaving Ewe.
Channel Mag: What book made you fall in love with reading? Why did it leave such a lasting impression?
James Carrick: I can absolutely say that I fell in love with reading at a young age. I can't recall one particular book, but collectively, books were fuel for my imagination, an absolute necessity to me! I was amazed at an author's ability to carry me away, without knowing a thing about me or my life. I was and still am a lover of listening, particularly to radio, audiobooks and podcasts. The power of storytelling via the spoken word is an incredibly powerful medium that I more often than not revert to.
What’s the most memorable book you’ve read in the last year? What made it stand out?
Dead Cat Bounce by Damien Owens. It's a very funny book, cleverly written about the trials and tribulations of a young Irishman called Joe. Useless at love, life and being a good son to an overbearing mother. It was laugh-out-loud funny. My most recent audiobook was A Fine Line Between Stupid and Clever - the story of Spinal Tap. It combined my love of music and comedy - a perfect match!
Do you have any writing rituals or habits?
My plays are character and dialogue-driven, and I like to think they are quite funny. As I construct the plays I write, my habit is to record my characters as they play out their interactions in my head. I hear their voices - I'm a fly on the wall of my imagination. I just listen to the conversations I hear and write them down. Hopefully, they make sense. Occasionally, they don't! That's when the long process of editing begins!
Where do you get your inspiration for writing from?
My inspiration comes from the people I meet, the conversations I listen to, and the occasional bit of eavesdropping. Call Girls, a play about four senior ladies desperate to save their home from developers, was based on actual people that I'd met through the job I did. It has been so rewarding to hear from audiences, telling me that my plays and, more so, the characters in them, are so relatable - people profess to actually know these characters! It's always a humbling experience to know I am reaching and entertaining people, and they love the characters I create, who are brought to life on stage.
Recommend one book every local should read at least once, and why?
Everyone should read Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible. It's the absorbing, fascinating story of a 1960s American pastor and his family, who move to Congo, in an attempt to save the population from the sins they didn't know they were committing. The whole story is narrated by his wife and four daughters. I found it compelling in an 'I can't put this down' kind of way.
Do you have a favourite theatre that you would recommend and why?
My favourite place on the Shore is the PumpHouse Theatre - a beautiful old building on the banks of Lake Pupuke. I love it so much, I'm getting married there later this year! It's home to many creatives, and, particularly for me, home to Phoenix Theatre, a wonderful community theatre group I belong to. They stage superb shows - I thoroughly recommend them! Check out phoenixtheatre.co.nz or pumphouse.co.nz for details on their next stage play, the 50th anniversary production of Sir Roger Hall's Glide Time, coming up this September. A little closer is the inaugural Shore Shorts season, which is an exciting one-act play collaboration between Phoenix Theatre and Shoreside Theatre, playing at the PumpHouse this month.
To find out more about James's plays, visit thatitheatre.co and playmarket.org.nz/playwrights/james-carrick
Local author Gillian Scott combines her passion for travel and writing with her series of travel romance/comedy novels. After travelling Europe in a combi van for three months, Gillian spent the rest of her 20s working for a major youth tour company (Contiki). After returning to New Zealand in 1999, she continued to lead the odd tour over the years to Europe, Australia and the US and Canada, and around 2012, Gillian and her husband took their two children (nine and six) out of school to backpack around the world for eight months. The children are now grown, one is living in London following her own travel dream, and the other is in his last year at Lincoln University. Gillian talks about her love of writing, reading and travel.
Channel Mag: What book made you fall in love with reading? Why did it leave such a lasting impression?
Gillian Scott: One book and one author stand out in my memory. Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel was one of the first chapter books I read as a child. The protagonist's journey of survival and growth really struck me. Later, I devoured everything Marian Keyes wrote. I love her sense of humour and the characters she creates.
What’s the most memorable book you’ve read in the last year? What made it stand out?
The Housemaid by Freida McFadden. I hadn't read any psychological thrillers for a while, so it was great to turn to the dark side. I found it a real page turner with a twist I didn't see coming.
Do you have any writing rituals or habits?
I need a lot of time and space for my brain to switch into creative mode. Long walks along our beautiful local beaches, or in an exotic overseas location, help me overcome any periods of writer's block.
Where do you get your inspiration for writing from?
My inspiration comes largely from my own experiences leading groups of 18-35s through Europe in the 1990s, which is the time period in which my books are set. Also, from the antics that my colleagues got up to, some of which are so crazy that people might not believe them, even as fiction!
Recommend one book every local should read at least once, and why?
The War Photographers by another local author, S. L. Beaumont. The book spans two significant historical periods, WWII and the Cold War, with a dual timeline. It's brilliantly researched and well written.
Do you have a favourite local library that you would recommend, and why?
The Devonport Library, upstairs overlooking Windsor Reserve and the beach. It's a stunning space, comfortable and with a great view.
Find Gillian’s books at gillianscottcreative.com
Joan MacKenzie is the book manager for retailer Whitcoulls. She says she has been lucky enough to spend her entire career working with books, alongside bringing up four boys and reading voraciously in every spare moment.
Channel Mag: What book made you fall in love with reading? Why did it leave such a lasting impression?
Joan MacKenzie: Reading has always just been a part of me; throughout my life, there’s almost nothing else I would rather do. I can’t recall any specific titles which made me fall in love with it, though I do have very fond recollections of Black Beauty, Heidi and the Sue Barton nurse series. I think it’s that thing about being transported to other lives and worlds... it really is true.
What’s the most memorable book you’ve read in the last year? What made it stand out?
With so many to choose from, it’s hard to pick a favourite, but I adored The Lack of Light by Nino Harataschwili which is set in Georgia after independence from the USSR and the resulting Civil War. It's about four friends growing up together, one of whom becomes a celebrated photographer. The other three attend a retrospective of her work after her death, which takes them back to their childhood.
Do you have any good reading rituals or habits?
I don’t know about ‘good’ rituals; it’s more about an obsession! Definitely every night before going to sleep, but also at any other time I can fit it in, evenings, weekends, holidays. I watch very little television, as reading always takes preference.
Recommend one book every local should read at least once, and why?
Plumb by Maurice Gee (and the two further books in the trilogy which follow it). It was published in 1979 and remains one of the best books I’ve ever read, from an extraordinary and prolific New Zealand writer who made me realise that our homegrown books are as good as anything from international publishing. It really opened my eyes.
Is there a new release or upcoming book that Whitcoulls is getting that you are looking forward to reading, and why?
Look What You Made Me Do by John Lanchester (due out on 17 March). The premise of the story is that every marriage has its own language, which is meaningless to anyone else, but when a Netflix show called Cheating quotes the words and phrases unique to Kate and Jack, she questions everything about her marriage and how the scriptwriter could have possibly known their secret language. It sounds great. John Lanchester is a terrific writer and is always one to watch.
Are there any local events coming up or anything of note that you want to share with our local readers?
The big event in the Auckland calendar is the Writers and Readers Festival (12-17 May), which is always an astonishing collection of talented, fascinating writers and which I’d encourage everyone to attend at least once. The buzz, goodwill and rooms full of profound respect are something very special to be a part of.
Find your local Whitcoulls retailer at whitcoulls.co.nz
Michelle Bennett is an avid reader, former teacher and Benefitz owner (Channel publisher). She has been part of the same book club for 30 years and says she fell in love with reading at a very young age. She has four grandchildren under six and enjoys passing on her passion for books to them and supporting independent, local retailers as much as possible.
Channel Mag: What book made you fall in love with reading? Why did it leave such a lasting impression?
Michelle Bennett: I fell in love with reading at a very young age. I was lucky enough to be read to regularly as a young child and was one of those children who always had their head in a book. Going old school here and absolutely showing my age, I typically read anything by Enid Blyton - The Secret Seven, The Famous Five and The Magic Faraway Tree series. However, the series that really hooked me totally was The Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. The history, the fact that it took me away to another world so very different to what I was living, was just pure magic for a young girl.
What’s the most memorable book you’ve read in the last year? What made it stand out?
I belong to a book club that has been going for 30 years now. We meet every five weeks or so, and I get to take home four fabulous new books each time we meet. A highlight from last year for me was The Element series by John Boyne, four books titled Water, Earth, Fire and Air. I love everything this author writes. My Friends by Frederick Hackman was also a real treat. And my favourite New Zealand author, Catherine Chidgey, did not disappoint with The Book of Guilt.
Do you have any good reading rituals or habits?
I love to sit down with a book straight after completing all the afternoon chores that await me when I come home from work. It doesn’t always happen, but I love to unwind before tackling a pilates class or dinner. I always read before I sleep, and depending on wake-up time, the early morning before getting up is always a bonus. Holidays always involve a few good books! I haven’t yet got into audiobooks, as I have so many podcasts waiting for me that I never seem to get on top of them.
Recommend one book every local should read at least once, and why?
I always recommend these two books to anyone looking for a good New Zealand story. The first is After the Tampa by Abbas Nazari, a fabulous read about a young boy's journey as a refugee to New Zealand. The other one is called We Can Make a Life by Chessie Henry, a really heart-warming memoir about one family's survival following the Christchurch and Kaikoura earthquakes.
Do you have a favourite local book store or library that you would recommend, and why?
I love any independent bookstore and will seek them out wherever we go. I love the way different owners curate their stores, the displays, and the little book bios that some stores provide always encourage a purchase or two. I also get a monthly book on subscription from Bookety Book Books in Wanaka, very often a book I wouldn’t normally opt for, but they are always good. Their online store is amazing. I love taking the grandchildren to our local library. We often pop in for half an hour or so for a quick story time. Takapuna Library is close by, and I can’t wait to see how it improves with the new plans our local board has for it. Hopefully, we get a really cool facility along the same lines as Devonport has now.
Terrie Gray is the owner of the much-loved local Devonport book store, Paradox Books, becoming the store's fourth owner as it was about to close eight years ago, having been a long-time customer with her book group. Terrie says taking on Paradox meant continuing her relationship with books and beginning a relationship with the welcoming and interesting Devonport community. Terrie has lived in Devonport for 28 years, returning with her Kiwi husband and very young children after years working in Perth as a librarian in a law firm.
Channel Mag: What book made you fall in love with reading? Why did it leave such a lasting impression?
Terrie Gray: I have always loved reading, but clearly recall coming across The Secret Garden in my school library and relishing the feeling afterwards that books and their stories are treasures waiting to be found.
What’s the most memorable book you’ve read in the last year? What made it stand out?
New Zealander Catherine Chidgey’s latest novel, The Book of Guilt, is a great example of powerful storytelling. The writer has cleverly imagined a sinister, alternative England in the 1970s with memorable characters, pockets of dark humour, and a growing feeling that adults have a lot to answer for. I think Catherine Chidgey is New Zealand’s most impressive writer.
Do you have any good reading rituals or habits?
My reading is done daily as part of my walk to the shop with my dog Edie. She lies quietly at my feet while I read my paper book at my favourite local café, The Deli.
Recommend one book every local should read at least once, and why?
I think people should read any book that they are attracted to and in any form they can get it. Booksellers are pretty soon aware that no one book suits every person, otherwise, they would only stock a couple of books.
Do you have a favourite local library or community space that you would recommend, and why?
As a reader and especially a bookseller, I have a special relationship with the Devonport Library, with which I am grateful to partner regularly to run book events. Many Devonport locals and I love and use our very attractive and comfortable Ian Athfield-designed library building.
Find Paradox Books at 26 Victoria Road, Devonport, 09 446 0023, paradoxbooks.co.nz
