A Little Bit Booked

British artist and book cover artist Todd Atticus on his art practice, what makes a good book cover and two recent, impactful covers he designed – And How Are Things With You by Mia Farlane and The Valley by Asher Emanuel.

Books mentioned in this episode:
- The Valley: Crime And Punishment In A New Zealand City, Asher Emanuel (Bridget Williams Books)
- And How Are Things With You, Mia Farlane (Mākaro Press)
- Night, Ma, Elizabeth Knox (Te Herenga Waka University Press)
- Tess of the d'Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy
- Jude the Obscure, Thomas Hardy
- Labour: The New Zealand Labour Party 1916–2016, Peter Franks and Jim McAloon (Victoria University Press)
- Greta & Valdin, Rebecca K Reilly (Te Herenga Waka University Press)
- Bad Archive, Fiona Feltham (Te Herenga Waka University Press)
- The Rehearsal, Eleanor Catton (Te Herenga Waka University Press)
- Leather & Chains: My 1986 Diary, Kate Camp (Te Herenga Waka University Press)
- Shiver, Maggie Stiefvater (Scholastic)
- Hoods Landing, Laura Vincent (Āporo Press)
- The Starving Bride, Catherine Chidgey (Te Herenga Waka University Press)
- kluge, pip adam (Te Herenga Waka University Press)

See more about Todd at www.toddatticus.com.

Friends of Founders Treasurer and book connoisseur Peter Rigg takes us behind the scenes of the highly anticipated Founders Annual Book & Record Fair, including the best book he’s ever found and how you can volunteer.

Books mentioned in this episode:
- A History of the World in 47 Borders, John Elledge (Headline)
- The Men Who Killed the News, Eric Beecher (Scribner Australia)
- One More Kilometre and We're in the Showers, Timothy Hilton (Harper Perennial)
- The Penguin History of New Zealand, Michael King
- Pasta, Prayer & Promise: The Story of Nelson's Italian Community, 1860-2014, Karen Stade
- Wildwood Dancing, Juliet Marillier (Knopf)

The 2026 book fair is going on for a few more days! More information at the Founders website: https://www.founderspark.co.nz/new-category-page/founders-annual-book-fair/

After putting his main character, the plucky Honey Chalmers, through the wringer in “The Call,” author Gavin Strawhan is back with “Slash.” He joins to talk about dialogue, developing character and the social issues that underpin his thrillers.

Books mentioned in this episode:
- My Family and Other Animals, Gerald Durrell (Penguin Classics)
- The Covenant of Water, Abraham Verghese (Grove / Atlantic)
- Cutting for Stone, Abraham Verghese (Penguin)
- We Do Not Part, Han Kang (Penguin)
- Truth, Peter Temple
- Other People’s Bodies, Megan Nicol Reed (Allen & Unwin NZ)

Gavin’s books are:
- The Call (Allen & Unwin NZ)
- Slash (Allen & Unwin NZ)

Gavin’s upcoming talk with author Megan Nicol Reed is called “Creating compelling characters;” 4 June 2026, 5:30-6:30pm. More information at: https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/events/2026/06/creating-charismatic-characters/

Writer and poet Harold Coutts is back to read and discuss “Hoods Landing,” “Terrier, Worrier,” and “This Compulsion In Us” from the 2026 Ockham Awards shortlist ahead of the awards ceremony on 13 May. Featuring bird facts, tarot, and some meta thought on thought.

Books mentioned in this episode:
- Hoods Landing, Laura Vincent (Āporo Press)
- Terrier, Worrier: A Poem in Five Parts, Anna Jackson (Auckland University Press)
- This Compulsion In Us, Tina Makereti (Te Herenga Waka University Press)
- The Genius of Birds, Jennifer Ackerman (Scribe Publications)
- He Puāwai: A Natural History of New Zealand Flowers, Philip Garnock-Jones (Auckland University Press)
- Before the Winter Ends, Khadro Mohamed (Tender Press)
- The Book of Guilt, Catherine Chidgey (Te Herenga Waka University Press)
- Northbound, Naomi Arnold (HarperCollinsNZ)
- A Different Kind of Power, Jacinda Ardern (Penguin)

Paranormal romance writer Colette Rhodes is prolific and passionate about the value of romance (and happy endings). And she’s bringing that enthusiasm to live at her dedicated romance bookshop, The Ink Pot, in central Dunedin.

Books mentioned in this episode:
- The North Wind, Alexandria Warwick (Simon & Schuster)
- Shield of Sparrows / Rites of the Starling, Devney Perry (Entangled Publishing)
- Dreaming of You, Lisa Kleypas
- The Unlovely Bride, Alice Coldbreath (Drollery Ltd)
- Bride, Ali Hazelwood (Berkeley)
- Lux Series, Jennifer Armentrout

Find more about Colette at https://www.coletterhodes.com/.
Get involved with The Ink Pot at https://theinkpot.co.nz/ or @theinkpot_nz.

Also apologies I misspoke the URL for Litsy., it’s actually lit-sy.com.