Anthony Lapwood
@antzlapwood.bsky.social
Fiction writer. He / him. Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Whakaue, Pākehā. Winner of the Hubert Church Prize for Fiction, for my story collection Home Theatre. Views my own.
www.anthonylapwood.com
www.anthonylapwood.com
Pinned
Chuffed to have a new short story, "Crossed With the Cat", out via NZ Listener 😺
The title comes from a Mark Twain quote: "If man could be crossed with the cat, it would improve man, but it would deteriorate the cat."
The title comes from a Mark Twain quote: "If man could be crossed with the cat, it would improve man, but it would deteriorate the cat."
Reposted by Anthony Lapwood
life ending and infrastructure destroying floods are now an annual occurrence in new zealand. there is no political recognition of this new reality, and thus there is no resourcing for its prevention. we are not ready
January 22, 2026 at 8:26 AM
life ending and infrastructure destroying floods are now an annual occurrence in new zealand. there is no political recognition of this new reality, and thus there is no resourcing for its prevention. we are not ready
Reposted by Anthony Lapwood
DELIGHTED to be included as a summer fiction writer for NZ Listener 🥳🙏 A wonderful way to start 2026, and in such fine company, esp @antzlapwood.bsky.social 🥂🥰
January 7, 2026 at 9:38 PM
DELIGHTED to be included as a summer fiction writer for NZ Listener 🥳🙏 A wonderful way to start 2026, and in such fine company, esp @antzlapwood.bsky.social 🥂🥰
Chuffed to have a new short story, "Crossed With the Cat", out via NZ Listener 😺
The title comes from a Mark Twain quote: "If man could be crossed with the cat, it would improve man, but it would deteriorate the cat."
The title comes from a Mark Twain quote: "If man could be crossed with the cat, it would improve man, but it would deteriorate the cat."
January 5, 2026 at 2:45 AM
Chuffed to have a new short story, "Crossed With the Cat", out via NZ Listener 😺
The title comes from a Mark Twain quote: "If man could be crossed with the cat, it would improve man, but it would deteriorate the cat."
The title comes from a Mark Twain quote: "If man could be crossed with the cat, it would improve man, but it would deteriorate the cat."
Reposted by Anthony Lapwood
Huge congratulations to our Pushcart Prize 2026 nominees! 🎉 We’re cheering loudly and wishing you all the luck.
www.takahe.org.nz/nominations/
www.takahe.org.nz/nominations/
December 30, 2025 at 12:57 AM
Huge congratulations to our Pushcart Prize 2026 nominees! 🎉 We’re cheering loudly and wishing you all the luck.
www.takahe.org.nz/nominations/
www.takahe.org.nz/nominations/
My year in books (apologies for the awkward cutoffs). Loved many, disliked very few. Hope you found plenty of great reading too 📚💚 1/2
December 27, 2025 at 7:58 AM
My year in books (apologies for the awkward cutoffs). Loved many, disliked very few. Hope you found plenty of great reading too 📚💚 1/2
Three #pukapuka recs from me, in the annual @modernletters.bsky.social newsletter:
👁️🗨️ The Penguin Book of the Modern American Short Story, edited by John Freeman.
🌊 Our Wives Under the Sea, by Julia Armfield.
🐷 Animalia, by Jean-Baptiste Del Amo (translated from the French by Frank Wynne).
👁️🗨️ The Penguin Book of the Modern American Short Story, edited by John Freeman.
🌊 Our Wives Under the Sea, by Julia Armfield.
🐷 Animalia, by Jean-Baptiste Del Amo (translated from the French by Frank Wynne).
December 18, 2025 at 10:33 PM
Three #pukapuka recs from me, in the annual @modernletters.bsky.social newsletter:
👁️🗨️ The Penguin Book of the Modern American Short Story, edited by John Freeman.
🌊 Our Wives Under the Sea, by Julia Armfield.
🐷 Animalia, by Jean-Baptiste Del Amo (translated from the French by Frank Wynne).
👁️🗨️ The Penguin Book of the Modern American Short Story, edited by John Freeman.
🌊 Our Wives Under the Sea, by Julia Armfield.
🐷 Animalia, by Jean-Baptiste Del Amo (translated from the French by Frank Wynne).
Reposted by Anthony Lapwood
‘It says almost nothing about how the arts, humanities and social sciences (AHSS) will contribute, despite the fact that the strategy’s objectives cannot be met without them.’
Opinion from Auckland University: The Govt’s boldest tertiary policy shift in years barely mentions the arts, humanities and social sciences. That’s a problem.
New tertiary plan blind to some of our most valuable assets
newsroom.co.nz
December 5, 2025 at 9:17 AM
‘It says almost nothing about how the arts, humanities and social sciences (AHSS) will contribute, despite the fact that the strategy’s objectives cannot be met without them.’
Reposted by Anthony Lapwood
This is actually quite brilliant, up to and including the final sentence 🔥
December 1, 2025 at 11:09 AM
This is actually quite brilliant, up to and including the final sentence 🔥
Reposted by Anthony Lapwood
Given the decision on puberty blockers, I do want to note an objective fact that I think has been lost:
Eight MPs voted to keep conversion practices legal.
All were National MPs.
*Every single one* of the five who remained in Parliament after the 2023 election was given a Ministerial warrant.
Eight MPs voted to keep conversion practices legal.
All were National MPs.
*Every single one* of the five who remained in Parliament after the 2023 election was given a Ministerial warrant.
December 1, 2025 at 11:58 PM
Given the decision on puberty blockers, I do want to note an objective fact that I think has been lost:
Eight MPs voted to keep conversion practices legal.
All were National MPs.
*Every single one* of the five who remained in Parliament after the 2023 election was given a Ministerial warrant.
Eight MPs voted to keep conversion practices legal.
All were National MPs.
*Every single one* of the five who remained in Parliament after the 2023 election was given a Ministerial warrant.
Reposted by Anthony Lapwood
I won a book that I have been meaning to read, so yay for me manifesting that shit.
November 30, 2025 at 5:13 AM
I won a book that I have been meaning to read, so yay for me manifesting that shit.
Xmas is just around the corner... So I'm doing a book giveaway!
Win a copy of my prize-winning story collection Home Theatre 🏠🎭
Simply reply below with a good book you read this year.
Draw closes 5pm NZST Sunday 30 November.
#pukapuka @thwupbooks.bsky.social
Win a copy of my prize-winning story collection Home Theatre 🏠🎭
Simply reply below with a good book you read this year.
Draw closes 5pm NZST Sunday 30 November.
#pukapuka @thwupbooks.bsky.social
November 29, 2025 at 4:06 AM
Xmas is just around the corner... So I'm doing a book giveaway!
Win a copy of my prize-winning story collection Home Theatre 🏠🎭
Simply reply below with a good book you read this year.
Draw closes 5pm NZST Sunday 30 November.
#pukapuka @thwupbooks.bsky.social
Win a copy of my prize-winning story collection Home Theatre 🏠🎭
Simply reply below with a good book you read this year.
Draw closes 5pm NZST Sunday 30 November.
#pukapuka @thwupbooks.bsky.social
Only a couple days left to apply!
Kick off 2026 with a short fiction fix 😎
Kick off 2026 with a short fiction fix 😎
Want to explore the art of short story writing in a series of supportive workshops with me?
Apply for CREW 254 Tri 1 intake by 1 Dec @modernletters.bsky.social ✍️
Students consistently rate the course excellent. Or to quote from a recent thank you card: "BEST EVER."
www.wgtn.ac.nz/modernletter...
Apply for CREW 254 Tri 1 intake by 1 Dec @modernletters.bsky.social ✍️
Students consistently rate the course excellent. Or to quote from a recent thank you card: "BEST EVER."
www.wgtn.ac.nz/modernletter...
How and when to apply | Te Pūtahi Tuhi Auaha o Te Ao / International Institute of Modern Letters | Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington
Information for domestic undergraduate students applying for limited entry Creative Writing courses at Victoria University of Wellington.
www.wgtn.ac.nz
November 28, 2025 at 12:04 AM
Only a couple days left to apply!
Kick off 2026 with a short fiction fix 😎
Kick off 2026 with a short fiction fix 😎
"When complex medical decisions are shaped by public polling, rather than the needs of patients and their families, healthcare is being politicised, rather than protected."
Excellent piece, cutting through the bullshit #nzpol
www.rnz.co.nz/news/on-the-...
Excellent piece, cutting through the bullshit #nzpol
www.rnz.co.nz/news/on-the-...
Puberty blockers: why politicians overriding doctors sets a dangerous precedent
Analysis: The government's ban on puberty blockers for gender-affirming care prioritises politics and ideology over decades of expert clinical guidance and patient safety evidence.
www.rnz.co.nz
November 22, 2025 at 7:31 PM
"When complex medical decisions are shaped by public polling, rather than the needs of patients and their families, healthcare is being politicised, rather than protected."
Excellent piece, cutting through the bullshit #nzpol
www.rnz.co.nz/news/on-the-...
Excellent piece, cutting through the bullshit #nzpol
www.rnz.co.nz/news/on-the-...
"Which is essentially what all novelists do," he said. "We go to a party and then tell why it was awful."
From "The Penthouse" by Andrew Holleran.
From "The Penthouse" by Andrew Holleran.
November 16, 2025 at 11:48 PM
"Which is essentially what all novelists do," he said. "We go to a party and then tell why it was awful."
From "The Penthouse" by Andrew Holleran.
From "The Penthouse" by Andrew Holleran.
Reposted by Anthony Lapwood
You can also apply for courses in Creative Nonfiction, Television and Web Series Scriptwriting, and Long-form Fiction!
Want to explore the art of short story writing in a series of supportive workshops with me?
Apply for CREW 254 Tri 1 intake by 1 Dec @modernletters.bsky.social ✍️
Students consistently rate the course excellent. Or to quote from a recent thank you card: "BEST EVER."
www.wgtn.ac.nz/modernletter...
Apply for CREW 254 Tri 1 intake by 1 Dec @modernletters.bsky.social ✍️
Students consistently rate the course excellent. Or to quote from a recent thank you card: "BEST EVER."
www.wgtn.ac.nz/modernletter...
How and when to apply | Te Pūtahi Tuhi Auaha o Te Ao / International Institute of Modern Letters | Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington
Information for domestic undergraduate students applying for limited entry Creative Writing courses at Victoria University of Wellington.
www.wgtn.ac.nz
November 16, 2025 at 9:36 PM
You can also apply for courses in Creative Nonfiction, Television and Web Series Scriptwriting, and Long-form Fiction!
A strong list to which I would add: Unsheltered by Clare Moleta and Juice by Tim Winton #pukapuka
What is ‘cli-fi’ and why is it so hot right now?
What is ‘cli-fi’ and why is it so hot right now?
A literary genre that's really heating up....
thespinoff.co.nz
November 16, 2025 at 5:57 PM
A strong list to which I would add: Unsheltered by Clare Moleta and Juice by Tim Winton #pukapuka
One of the wonders of reading, writing and teaching fiction is seeing the truth that the supply of stories is inexhaustible. It's like discovering infinity in what might seem a finite space. There is always another fold in even familiar corners of the universe.
November 7, 2025 at 8:19 PM
One of the wonders of reading, writing and teaching fiction is seeing the truth that the supply of stories is inexhaustible. It's like discovering infinity in what might seem a finite space. There is always another fold in even familiar corners of the universe.
Want to explore the art of short story writing in a series of supportive workshops with me?
Apply for CREW 254 Tri 1 intake by 1 Dec @modernletters.bsky.social ✍️
Students consistently rate the course excellent. Or to quote from a recent thank you card: "BEST EVER."
www.wgtn.ac.nz/modernletter...
Apply for CREW 254 Tri 1 intake by 1 Dec @modernletters.bsky.social ✍️
Students consistently rate the course excellent. Or to quote from a recent thank you card: "BEST EVER."
www.wgtn.ac.nz/modernletter...
How and when to apply | Te Pūtahi Tuhi Auaha o Te Ao / International Institute of Modern Letters | Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington
Information for domestic undergraduate students applying for limited entry Creative Writing courses at Victoria University of Wellington.
www.wgtn.ac.nz
November 3, 2025 at 6:50 AM
Want to explore the art of short story writing in a series of supportive workshops with me?
Apply for CREW 254 Tri 1 intake by 1 Dec @modernletters.bsky.social ✍️
Students consistently rate the course excellent. Or to quote from a recent thank you card: "BEST EVER."
www.wgtn.ac.nz/modernletter...
Apply for CREW 254 Tri 1 intake by 1 Dec @modernletters.bsky.social ✍️
Students consistently rate the course excellent. Or to quote from a recent thank you card: "BEST EVER."
www.wgtn.ac.nz/modernletter...
Reposted by Anthony Lapwood
Been thinking it’s time to write your first book of poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction? Apply for the MA in Creative Writing at the IIML and have the support of a writing community, Deadline 1 November
www.wgtn.ac.nz/modernletter...
www.wgtn.ac.nz/modernletter...
Master of Arts in Creative Writing - Te Kohinga Auaha | Te Pūtahi Tuhi Auaha o Te Ao / International Institute of Modern Letters | Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington
Join the Creative Writing programme with a national and international reputation for developing many of New Zealand's best writers.
www.wgtn.ac.nz
October 13, 2025 at 2:10 AM
Been thinking it’s time to write your first book of poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction? Apply for the MA in Creative Writing at the IIML and have the support of a writing community, Deadline 1 November
www.wgtn.ac.nz/modernletter...
www.wgtn.ac.nz/modernletter...
What is the last contemporary novel you read that felt truly bold, surprising, daring, new? I am growing a little tired of the smooth, over-determined upmarket fiction you could set your watch to (though sure, I still admire and enjoy the strict craft of it). #aonzbooks #booksky
October 11, 2025 at 8:14 PM
What is the last contemporary novel you read that felt truly bold, surprising, daring, new? I am growing a little tired of the smooth, over-determined upmarket fiction you could set your watch to (though sure, I still admire and enjoy the strict craft of it). #aonzbooks #booksky
Reposted by Anthony Lapwood
Māori writers, it's time to apply for the 2026 Emerging Māori Writer in Residence — a $15,000 stipend, mentorship, and writing space at the IIML could be yours if you apply by 31 October!
www.wgtn.ac.nz/modernletter...
www.wgtn.ac.nz/modernletter...
Emerging Māori Writer in Residence | Te Pūtahi Tuhi Auaha o Te Ao / International Institute of Modern Letters | Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington
Apply for the Emerging Māori Writer in Residence—$15,000 stipend, mentorship, and writing space.
www.wgtn.ac.nz
October 3, 2025 at 11:12 PM
Māori writers, it's time to apply for the 2026 Emerging Māori Writer in Residence — a $15,000 stipend, mentorship, and writing space at the IIML could be yours if you apply by 31 October!
www.wgtn.ac.nz/modernletter...
www.wgtn.ac.nz/modernletter...
Reposted by Anthony Lapwood
Writers of Aotearoa, his is your reminder that Turbine | Kapohau 2025 is open for submissions of poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction until 1 November - check out the submission guidelines and send us your work!
Current Issue - TURBINE | KAPOHAU
EDITORIAL Welcome POETRY Jessica ArcusKate AschoffRebecca BallNathaniel CalhounDavid EggletonRebecca HawkesJacksonLilly KelleherBrent KininmontRata Lee 🔈Winshen LiuMargo Montes de Oca 🔈Mikaela Nyman a...
turbinekapohau.org.nz
September 19, 2025 at 2:44 AM
Writers of Aotearoa, his is your reminder that Turbine | Kapohau 2025 is open for submissions of poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction until 1 November - check out the submission guidelines and send us your work!
Reposted by Anthony Lapwood
This book is a treat, inside and out.
It exists in physical form! THE EMOTION DEALER AND OTHER STORIES is only two months away from launch! Check out how great it looks!
September 11, 2025 at 3:59 AM
This book is a treat, inside and out.
I was honoured to be the guest judge for the Mansfield Short Story Competition this year.
What a treat to read these students' work! The next generation of writers are an awesome and talented bunch ✍️😄
#pukapuka #KatherineMansfield
www.katherinemansfield.com/creative-cor...
What a treat to read these students' work! The next generation of writers are an awesome and talented bunch ✍️😄
#pukapuka #KatherineMansfield
www.katherinemansfield.com/creative-cor...
Mansfield Short Story Competition
www.katherinemansfield.com
September 10, 2025 at 2:37 AM
I was honoured to be the guest judge for the Mansfield Short Story Competition this year.
What a treat to read these students' work! The next generation of writers are an awesome and talented bunch ✍️😄
#pukapuka #KatherineMansfield
www.katherinemansfield.com/creative-cor...
What a treat to read these students' work! The next generation of writers are an awesome and talented bunch ✍️😄
#pukapuka #KatherineMansfield
www.katherinemansfield.com/creative-cor...