Looking for the ultimate reading list? Hear from our line-up of interesting and lively guests - Pattie Pegler, Heather McQuillan, Sarah Mankelow, Elly Rydge and *Lana Law - in this special International Women's Day edition facilitated by Anne Mortimer. They'll talk about the top 3 reads they'd each pack as desert island companions, and why. Make a sensational start to Autumn with 'Aotearoa Island Reads' presented by the Friends of the Library. A fun event not to be missed!
*Regrettably Lana Law will now no longer be able to join us, apologies for the change in programming.
Aotearoa Island Reads - International Women's Day edition
Monday 9 March, 6-7pm
Tautoru / TSB Space, Hapori | Community, Level 1, Tūranga
Free, get your tickets here
Heather McQuillan
For a long time, Heather was a teacher who wrote – now she is a writer who teaches – the two roles keep getting tangled. Heather writes for young people as well as short stories, flash fiction and poetry. She has a Master’s in Creative Writing with distinction from Massey University. In 2021 Heather was the Otago University College of Education/ Creative New Zealand Writer in Residence. When she’s not writing in her studio at the top of a spiral staircase, Heather can be found as the Director and a tutor with Write On School for Young Writers in Christchurch.
Sarah Mankelow is Katiaki Tangata/ Community Partnerships Ranger for the Christchurch City Council ‘s red zone parks team working with communites to encourage people to connect with their environment.
She is also a storyteller for Humans of Christchurch Ōtautahi, a Charitable Trust who share the stories of our people in a celebration of our community to encourage social cohesion and community collaboration. In both fields, Sarah is motivated in using story-telling to connect people with their community be that people, place or nature
Lana Law first picked up the baritone sax at age 13. Following her passion, she went on to complete her Bachelor of Music (BMus) Degree in Jazz Performance at Massey University before touring the world as a professional musician. Lana loves music education and is an itinerant music teacher and Band Director in schools. Lana is the co-founder and Music Director of NZ’s first all-female big band The All-Girl Big Band. Lana has been the Music Director of the Christchurch Youth Jazz Orchestra (CYJO) since 2021. Lana plays in various musical groups and as a session musician, both locally in Christchurch and nationally.
Elly Rydge is a Christchurch-based performer and music educator with over 15 years of experience in the New Zealand music industry. She is a graduate of Ara Institute of Canterbury’s Bachelor of Music Arts programme and performs regularly solo or with her band, Black & Gold. She has trained to perform a wide range of genres including Jazz, RnB, Rock and Blues from the 1930s to today. Elly is also an experienced tutor at Ara.
Pattie Pegler journalist and editor at Essence lifestyle magazine. She has also written for Avenues, Latitude the Spinoff and Stuff. Pattie also owns and operates Retro Reads
which grew from a passion of finding and promoting classic, out of print and forgotten memoirs, prize-winners and bestsellers to new readers. She is passionate about reading and sharing her love of books with others.
Anne Mortimer originally from Newcastle Upon Tyne has a background as a Museum Manager, Curator and Literature Development Officer (established the annual York Literature Festival in 2007) emigrated to New Zealand in 2008 where she became one part of the Ōtautahi Story Collective which champions the oral storytelling tradition. She has a background in Women’s History and despite many attempts to join a book group, this still proves to be beyond her. Anne is currently Associate Team Leader at the FingerTip Library.
