So many books, so little time...


 From the latest Creative Newsletter

Catriona (pronounced Katrina) Ferguson joined the Auckland office as Literature Adviser in December covering parental leave.

On being Catriona Ferguson:
It’s always been books and more books really. After working in a few bookshops in London, I became a Literature Development Officer in Cambridgeshire, UK. That involved working with all sorts of people and organisations - libraries, art centres, prisons, country parks, traveller sites - on all sorts of things, including children’s book festivals, poetry workshops and storytelling festivals. After that I worked for Northern Arts based in Newcastle, UK where I was involved with funding literature organisations and then it was on to London where I spent a number of years working as Literature Officer for the British Council. Since moving to New Zealand about 7 years ago I have been freelancing – mainly writing, editing and reviewing.

On my role at Creative New Zealand:
I offer help and advice to individuals and organisations applying for literature contestable funding. I also assess applications, advise on author career development, publishing priorities, am involved in special opportunities for writers such as the Michael King Fellowship and Prime Minister's Awards and liaise with our external assessors to ensure that we’re all working off the same page. I also foster links to other organisations and advise the sector on alternative funding options. Equally important in my role is to get out and about as much as possible to readings and events, and see what’s going on in the big wide world of literature. 

On the motivations behind the role:
I love working in an organisation which helps – amongst other things - writers to write, publishers to publish, festivals to present great events and an all round thriving literary culture to exist.

On the future:
It’s an interesting time for books – who knows if this time next year we’ll all be reading our favourite novel on some kind of e-device that can make cups of tea and walk the dog at the same time? Whatever happens I am sure that the quality and diversity of writing by New Zealanders is here to stay.

On the books I live life by:
So many books, so little time… Literary heroes include Virginia Woolf, Katherine Mansfield & Thomas Hardy but when they get a bit gloomy there’s nothing like some frivolous crime fiction (Sarah Paretsky & PD James especially) to lighten the pace a bit. Other recent very enjoyable reads include Emily Perkins – Novel About My Wife, Kate De Goldi, The 10pm Question and Alexander McCall Smith, 44 Scotland Street. And as for poetry, you can’t beat a bit of EE Cummings or Emily Dickinson.