Listen to British poet Hollie McNish and Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes’ session, chaired by Catherine Robertson and featuring fellow novelist Brannavan Gnanalingam, from WORD Christchurch
The sold-out session at WORD Christchurch “Motherhood” featured British poet Hollie McNish, known for her poetry and writings on mothering, sex, pregnancy, and birth. Her book Nobody Told Me chronicles her pregnancy and the first few years of her daughter’s life. She was joined by author and Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes, who has recently launched her second book, a collection of parenting stories called Is It Bedtime Yet?
Author of seven novels (the latest being Gabriel’s Bay) and mother of two Catherine Robertson chaired the session which covered topics ranging from parenting styles and prolapses to sex after pregnancy and activism. Hollie read her poem, Megatron, inspired by a date-night with her partner to the film Transformers. She considers the mother as the ultimate transformer. Brannavan Gnanalingam read his essay included in Emily’s book Is it Bedtime yet? Brannavan is the author of five novels, his latest Sodden Downstream was shortlisted for the 2018 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards.