Thursday, May 16, at 7 PM, True Stories Live—Onstage with Mika, Roger Hall, Sosonke Msimang, Chessie Henry, Jeff Tweedy, Kamila Samsie, and John Boyne for a series of seven-minute stories on the theme of “The Crossroads.” I talked about a trip to Poughkeepsie, a town whose name comes from the Native American word meaning Town with No Good Restaurants.

Saturday, May 18, at 1 PM, in conversation with Adam Dudding. Sold out! And a nice queue for the book signing that followed.

Sunday, May 19, at 4 PM, The Comma Clinic. My final event at the Auckland Writers Festival, in the Tent where we received a Maori welcome last Thursday. Can I just say that I hate those microphones that wrap around your head and bounce over your cheek? Somehow my mike ended up in front of my left eye. But otherwise all went well. Met a friend afterward, and a friend of a friend, and spoke to some lovely people. Sold out of BETWEEN YOU & ME! OK, so I bought the last copy myself.

Thank you, Auckland Writers Festival, especially Anne O’Brien and Nicola Strawbridge! Also thanks to Tom Bishop, Gemma Gracewood, Jolisa Gracewood, Claire Simcock, and Sue Spark. Touristy things we did included Waiheke Island (wine heaven!), Piha Beach, and Kitekite Falls.

Here is a picture of the black sand at Piha, which looks like oil but isn’t: