The Randell Cottage Writers Trustees, in conjunction with the Embassy of France in New Zealand, are delighted to announce that our next French writer-in-residence will be Katia Astafieff. Travel writer, novelist and children’s author, she has a particular interest in botanical history and popularising scientific subjects. Her wide-ranging publications include the best-seller How to travel alone when one is petite, blonde, and adventurous.

For her special project during the residency, Katia plans to explore the story of Marianne North, an Englishwoman who travelled to Australia and New Zealand in 1880 on the advice of Charles Darwin, and painted remarkable illustrations of indigenous flora. Marianne is recognised for the scientific accuracy with which she documented plant life before photography was a practical option. Katia hopes to draw inspiration from Marianne’s life for a work supported by research and observations during her stay in New Zealand. We look forward to welcoming her in January 2026.

Our most recent laureate, Titaua Peu, has returned home to Tahiti and sent a report detailing her experiences. She confirmed that she had been able to explore the themes of her forthcoming novel, Disruptive, including the exploration of the great Polynesian migrations, the references to characters such as Kupe, as well as the journeys back and forth between Aotearoa and Hawaiki nui.

In appreciation of her stay at Randell Cottage, Titaua wrote, ‘This residency gave me the opportunity to progress my writing project. In fact, the atmosphere of the Cottage, the time I was able to dedicate to writing on a daily basis, the geographical setting, the people I was able to meet and the places I was able to visit (even on an unofficial basis) provided me with the material I needed to write a part of this forthcoming novel.’

Titaua’s report in the original French, and the English translation courtesy of trustee Jean Anderson, are available at Titaua Peu – 2025 – Randell Cottage Writers Trust