New Zealand authors share their favourite winter reads and rituals

Winter joy is a bowl of curry balanced on my knees as my family gathers around the fire to watch a favourite show; a crisp dawn walk as the sky slowly lightens in changing pastel hues; a midwinter dip in the ocean followed by a piping-hot shower; and picking handfuls of parsley and dill from beneath a lemon tree dotted with sunshine-yellow fruit.

A novel to admire

If I could claim any novel as my own, it would be Ann Patchett’s Tom Lake because it is near-perfect from the opening sentence to the end. I’m looking forward to reading Main Characters by Bobby Palmer, The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances by Glenn Dixon and Lily King’s short story collection Five Tuesdays in Winter.

After living in Singapore for a few years, where it was always hot, I like nothing more than rugging up for a walk in cold, crisp, invigorating air, and then heading indoors to thaw. Mulled wine, a blanket and a good book is my ultimate happy place.

The book that changed my life

In my late twenties, I had an accident that left me bedridden for months. I was given A Fortune-Teller Told Me by Italian journalist Tiziano Terzani, a foreign correspondent in Asia. A fortune-teller warned him that flying in 1993 would put his life at risk, so he spent the year travelling overland instead. The idea was that something seen as a curse could prove to be an opportunity and in a roundabout way, my accident led me towards my dream job.

Winter brings light that is sharp and accentuates everything around me. The shadows are longer, if there has not been heavy rain, the water is clearer, the poplars are without leaves, and stand as a kind of promise that there will be a renewal of energy and another kind of beauty.

Books that carried me through

Two books carried me through difficult times. The first is The Night in Lisbon by Erich Maria Remarque about a man trying to escape Europe during World War II. He met another refugee who offered him freedom if he listened to his story. What struck me was the idea that one person would listen closely to the life story of another with compassion at the same time as being preoccupied by the need to escape.

The second book is Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl, who was incarcerated in a concentration camp during World War II. It is a reminder that no matter how dark the night, there is a light within each one of us that can show the way if we allow it to.

One of the beautiful things about winter is direct flights to a warm place! In early July, my wife flew to Rarotonga with the Autism Cook Islands team. She needed help to carry the bags, so our nine-year-old and I hunted out some cheap flights and joined her for a week. The temperature was in the twenties and there was pawpaw for breakfast.

Looking ahead to spring

There’s a lot to like about winter, but on breath-fogging mornings when I can’t feel my fingers, my favourite thing is that spring is just around the corner. I recently reread The Hunger Games as it’s my son’s favourite series. I’d read it when it first came out and I was once again impressed with how quickly the reader is immersed in the layered dystopian world Suzanne Collins has created.

There are two things I look forward to most in winter: first, seeing the sky on my walk to work, which is always blazing with red-orange-pink-purple colour above the twinkling diamond-mine lights of Ōtepoti [Dunedin]. Second, book club at the pub! A pint, a pizza and an hour of reading with my friends.

The book that made me feel seen

The book that shaped me most was Anne Rice’s The Vampire Lestat. Is it a children’s book? Absolutely not. But as a little girl, I felt I had these huge, ineffable feelings inside me – I felt furious, passionate, lonely, confused. The Vampire Lestat is so full of extremes that I felt relief at seeing parts of myself that I couldn’t describe reflected on the page. Outwardly, I was busily doing my homework and piano practice – inwardly, I could sink into a world where people die for love, kill for revenge, give their lives for justice and come back to life for desire. That series made me feel less lonely and gave me an enduring love for the gothic.

I’m buzzing for the third Impossible Creatures book by Katherine Rundell. I’ve just finished The Grimmelings by Rachael King and got a hold on Song of the Saltings at the library. I’ve started Vanya and the Wild Hunt by Sangu Mandanna, and just finished binge-reading the Morrigan Crow series by Jessica Townsend.

Winter slows me down – or at least it should! I enjoy combining crisp morning walks with my wife and dog, with having my adult-ish kids home for dinner and a board game. I also love winter trail runs. Colder months feel like permission to pause and enjoy quiet moments, but also to get into my body and generate some internal fire.

The book that shaped my childhood

A book that shaped my childhood was James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl. I loved its sense of wonder and adventure. As a child, it made the world feel bigger, stranger and more interesting, and I think that curiosity has stayed with me ever since.

Lying in front of the fire makes winter all the more special. However, because I have an “all-weather dog”, I typically have to go outdoors no matter what before I’m permitted to relax. I prefer every season other than summer because I can’t sweat or regulate my temperature properly. Winter is my jam. Another top-tier part of winter is mulled wine, obviously.

Finding hope in hard times

A book that changed how I see the world is Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins. I read that when I was truly going through the worst of everything post-eruption, and there’s nothing quite like some perspective and a mindset shift to get you back on track. I was so desperate for help – in any form – that his book helped make something click. There’s something comforting and reassuring hearing how someone got through their worst days. It gives you hope that you can get through yours.

This winter, I’ll be curled up with The Forever Dog by Karen Shaw Becker and Rodney Habib, and a stack of thrillers.

I prefer winter to summer. I love bundling up in my coat and heading to the beach where the stormy waves crash, or to the boardwalk on the estuary near my house, with its wading birds and tall skeletal trees against a gunmetal sky. I can walk for miles without getting too hot! Our garden is neglected at this time of year, but the backyard citrus is prolific. Indoors, everything is cosy – perfect for reading, writing and baking.

The stories that sparked my imagination

My childhood was filled with books and stories, but a standout series is The Moomintroll books by Finnish author Tove Jansson. The quirky characters are delightful and deeply human – without being human –and the various settings intrigued me so much, firing my imagination. If I could have written any novel, it would be Eowyn Ivey’s To the Bright Edge of the World. It is beautifully written using exquisite language and imagery, and evokes such depth of emotion. I would love to be able to conjure scenes that are this strong. I’m in awe!

As a Wellingtonian, I love the south wind. So cold! But it’s fresh and smells of snow. A bright, freezing walk along the beach when the south wind is blowing always clears away the cobwebs. I wish I’d written The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. It’s a wonderful book, so perfectly playful. And, of course, if I’d written it, I’d be terribly wealthy while also bringing joy to millions of children all around the world.

The book that made me want to write

What’s not to love? The book that changed the way I see the world is On Writing by Stephen King. Such a perfectly simple instruction manual on how to be a writer, perfectly interwoven with the story of his life. He’s a master storyteller. This book somehow made me feel like becoming a writer was completely within reach.

I love winter in New Zealand. Its wild skies and fierce, poetic seas speak to me in a way no other season does. I get simple but heartfelt joy from wrapping up in a cosy cardigan, drinking hot tea, and watching rain fall like old magic over the hills, forests and my own small garden. New Zealand is beautiful all year round, but I always think that winter reveals its deepest spirit.

The book that feels like home

Patricia A. McKillip’s Riddle-Master of Hed trilogy is my dearest companion whenever I’m having a tough time or need comfort. I first read it in my final year of high school, and developed a deep connection to the lyrical prose and beautiful world Patricia created. For me, it feels like a lovely corner of home.

My fireside reading list this winter includes Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changeling series. I’ve loved these books for so many years, and yet they always seem fresh and new on rereading them. In particular, Heart of Obsidian is a book that I find just perfect for winter evenings, ensconced in cosy blankets beside the fire, losing oneself in the story of Kaleb Krychek, who is one of my favourite book characters of all time. I’m also reading and enjoying The Unicorn Hunters, Katherine Arden’s latest historical fantasy novel.

Spending time at my uncle and auntie’s batch down in Bull Creek, Otago, always fills me with joy in the winter. There’s nothing better than sitting around the fire with family, sharing good food or having a cup of tea while looking out over the wild, rough ocean as the waves crash below.
A book that shaped my childhood was Legend. Author David Gemmell had many great characters, but easily my favourite was the ageing warrior Druss the Legend. He had his flaws, but he lived with a code of honour. He didn’t seek glory or war, but would not stand by when innocent people needed protection. He was a heroic, tough leader, and this book and others by Gemmell impacted me as a teenager.

My fireside reading list

My fireside reading list for the next few months includes View from the Second Row by Sam Whitelock, Eric Liddell: Pure Gold by David McCasland, Mud, Sweat and Tears by Bear Grylls, and You Haven’t Taught Until They Have Learned: John Wooden’s Teaching Principles and Practices by Swen Nater and Ronald Gallimore.