Fiona Kidman’s French Tour Autumn 2024 – Paris and Angoulême
We are delighted to share these photos of Dame Fiona’s successful ‘Tour de France’.
Letters read live in support of historic writer’s cottage
The lost art of letter writing and reading will be reignited at Live Letters, a special fundraising event on July 15.
Annual Report of the Friends of Randell Cottage
The Annual General Meeting of the Friends of Randell Cottage was held on 29 April. Dame Fiona Kidman, Friends’ President, provided her report on the 2023/24 year, together with the approved Minutes of the 2023 AGM.
Passing of Sir Vincent O’Sullivan
The Randell Cottage Writers Trust deeply mourns the passing of our much-loved and respected Patron Sir Vincent O’Sullivan. Our Trustee Emerita, and long-time friend and literary colleague of Sir Vincent, Dame Fiona Kidman, gives this tribute on the Trust’s behalf.
Julien Blanc-Gras’ new novel, Bungalow, will be released 2 May
Bungalow, the new novel by Julien Blanc-Gras, is due to be published on May 2.
Published by French publishing house Stock, Bungalow, is about a French family leaving Paris to travel to South-East Asia, in order to escape professional burn-out, digital madness and Western depression.
History and myth intersect in Peter Walker’s Hard by the Cloud House
In his latest book, Peter Walker, Randell Cottage writer in residence in 2011, explores the history of Haast’s Eagle, Te Hokioi.
Friends of the Randell Cottage Writers Trust AGM
You are invited to the Annual General Meeting of Friends of the Randell Cottage Writers Trust to be held on Monday 29 April, 2024, at 11.30 am in Room 3 of the Alliance Franҫaise, Level 3, Dominion Bldg, Victoria St.
Applications open for 2025 French residency
Applications are invited for next year’s French residency at Randell Cottage, with a closing date of 30 April.
Julien features at the Alliance Française
Julien Blanc-Gras addressed a large French-speaking audience in Wellington on the evening of 22 March, as part of ‘Le Mois de la Francophonie’ hosted by the Alliance Française. His talk reflected the wry, humorous and insightful style that he brings to his published works.
Friends of Randell Cottage Newsletter March 2024
Plenty has been going on at the Cottage and amongst the Friends since our Open Day in October last year. So, grab a cuppa, or a wine, polish your glasses and settle in for a bit of a read.
A shortlisting and longlisting for Randell Cottage writer Stephen Daisley
Randell Cottage resident in 2017, Stephen Daisley, has been shortlisted for the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction in the 2024 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards for his book A Better Place.
Julien Blanc-Gras features in ‘Le Mois de la Francophonie’ in Wellington
During the month of March, the Alliance Française is hosting a range of different events, designed to showcase French-speaking countries and cultures, and the diversity of the French language. Two of these feature Randell Cottage resident, Julien Blanc-Gras.
New French writer meets Randell Cottage supporters
On a perfect Wellington evening, Friends and Trustees of the Randell Cottage Writers Trust, along with French Embassy representatives, gathered at the home of Pip and Simon Murdoch to meet Julien Blanc-Gras and his wife Aurore.
Do You Still Have Time for Chaos?
The latest book by Lynn Davidson, Randell Cottage resident in 2021, was launched on 13 February at Unity Books in Wellington.
Invitation to Lynn Davidson’s book launch on 13 February
We are thrilled that Lynn Davidson is about to launch the memoir she worked on while a resident at Randell Cottage. All are welcome to the launch of Do You Still Have Time for Chaos? at Unity Books on 13 February.
From snowy Paris to sunny Wellington
The 2024 French laureate has just taken up residence in Randell Cottage. Julien Blanc-Gras and his son were welcomed at Wellington Airport by representatives of the Randell Cottage Writers Trust and the Embassy of France.