19-20 September 2026 | Kerikeri
This September, Upsurge Bay of Islands Arts Festival Trust is delighted to welcome internationally acclaimed novelist Elizabeth Knox for a special weekend of conversation, creativity and inspiration.
Whether you’re an aspiring writer, a devoted reader or simply love great books, this is a rare opportunity to spend time with one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most celebrated literary voices.
Choose one event or experience the full weekend.
Memoir Writing Workshop
Saturday 19 September
3.00-4.30 pm
“Writing a memoir is best thought of as an exercise in considered subjectivity.”
— Elizabeth Knox
What does that mean? And how do we achieve it?
Join Elizabeth for an inspiring workshop exploring memory, truth and voice, and discover how lived experience can become compelling writing.
Where:
Cornerstone Church,
144 Kerikeri Road
Tickets:
Adults $40 | Students $25
Places are strictly limited, so early booking is recommended.
In Conversation with
Lynn Jenner
Sunday 20 September
2.00-3.30 pm
Join Elizabeth Knox in conversation with award-winning
poet Lynn Jenner for an afternoon of stories, ideas and
insight.
Elizabeth will reflect on her remarkable literary career spanning more than three decades, the stories behind
some of her best-loved novels, her creative process, and
the inspiration behind her acclaimed new novel, Night, Ma.
Whether you’re a long-time reader, an aspiring writer,
or simply enjoy hearing great authors talk about books
and the writing life, this is an afternoon not to be missed.
About Elizabeth Knox
Elizabeth Knox is the bestselling author of fourteen novels, including The Vintner’s Luck, Dreamhunter, Dreamquake, Mortal Fire, The Absolute Book and, most recently, Night, Ma. She is also the author of three autobiographical novellas and the essay collection The Love School.
An Arts Foundation Laureate, Elizabeth received the Prime Minister’s Award for Literary Achievement (Fiction) in 2019, was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) in 2020, and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Literature from Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.
