Otago University Press

17/06/2026

‘Four years post-cancer, my son’s necklace is a physical reminder of each treatment he endured. The days and nights spent in hospital. The hours on chemo drips. The minutes in waiting rooms. The seconds with eyes squeezed shut while needles were inserted. It is also a reminder of the work the parent of a sick child does.’

From ‘499 Beads’ by Lisa Dick – on childhood cancer and the labour and love of caregiving.

Read the full piece here:
https://corpus.nz/499-beads/

And that brings our 10th-anniversary series to a close. A huge thank you to all the writers who have shared their stories with Corpus over the years! We look forward to bringing you many more conversations about medicine and life in the years ahead.

If you have a story you’d like to share, please get in touch: [email protected]

15/06/2026

‘Years ago, I met a pianist who was nearly 105. She didn’t play on that occasion, as she was getting over shingles, but Mrs Shepherd was extremely personable and a great conversationalist. She was still driving and painting at 100, and “summed herself up” (according to friends) by playing “Oh What a Beautiful Morning” at her birthday celebrations.’

From ‘Encounters with Musical Centenarians’ by William Green – on music, ageing and lives richly lived.

Read the full piece here:
https://corpus.nz/encounters-with-musical-centenarians/

And if you have a story you’d like to share, please get in touch: [email protected]

12/06/2026

‘People with a life-threatening illness go through many traumas as they adjust to the new reality but the human spirit is commonly a powerful force. Through the painful adjustment phase individuals re-set their values and priorities to give more meaning to their remaining life. This change is encapsulated in the concept of spirituality or growth in the human spirit which is now recognised as an important component of the illness experience.’

From ‘A career in medical oncology (ii)’ by Dr David Perez – on illness, resilience and the search for meaning in the face of mortality.

Read the full piece here:
https://corpus.nz/career-medical-oncology-ii/

And if you have a story you’d like to share, please get in touch: [email protected]

12/06/2026

'Given Morrow's careful and compelling analysis of Dallas's life and art, it would be difficult not to crave the entire back catalogue. Happily, instant gratification is guaranteed by the simultaneous publication of This Moment, Every Moment.'

Emma Gattey reviews two recent Otago University Press books devoted to the life and work of Ruth Dallas.

Read Beautiful, Partial Songs in The Landfall Tauraka Review: https://landfallreview.com/beautiful-partial-songs/
❤️

Emma Gattey reviews Ruth Dallas: A writer’s life by Diana Morrow and This Moment, Every Moment: Ruth Dallas collected poems edited by Nicola Cummins

09/06/2026

‘It would be a lie to say writing doesn’t sometimes still make me want to bang my head against a wall. I often feel just as mediocre as I did as a teenager. However, these days, the self-doubt seems increasingly irrelevant when faced with the fact that nothing fulfils me half as much as writing, and that it’s therefore in my best interests to keep doing it.’

From ‘To Write or Not to Write’ by Ruby Appleby – on self-doubt, creativity and the compulsion to keep writing.

Read the full piece here:
https://corpus.nz/to-write-or-not-to-write/

And if you have a story you’d like to share, please get in touch: [email protected]

08/06/2026

‘Little hands were all over his face and back, but he seemed not to mind. I was amazed how calm he was. And the joy on the children’s faces when they saw a “doggie” in the hospital! Sick children respond strongly to the touch of a warm, furry dog. They have their own soft toys, but to have the real animal to cuddle and pat brings smiles and laughter.’
From ‘Therapy dog: Jack and the SPCA Dog Squad’ by Joanne O’Carroll-McKellar – on therapy dogs, care and companionship in hospital settings.

Read the full piece here:
https://corpus.nz/therapy-dog-jack-spca-dog-squad/

And if you have a story you’d like to share, please get in touch: [email protected]

08/06/2026

‘… eyes full of unshed tears and mouth pulled tight, he offered us his vacuum cleaner.’

Read a poem from Lynn Jenner's new collection The Gum Trees of Kerikeri on Newsroom.

Lines on our lives as domestic appliances

05/06/2026

‘When I visited her in the rest home, Lesley never wanted me to leave. She never said, “Don’t go.” She would just look at me like an animal in a trap, and I knew what she meant. When her tea-time approached, or when the sun was setting, or when I just couldn’t stand being there any longer, I would tell her I had to pick up my partner from the train … and I would drive to the railway station where I would sit in the car until my partner’s train arrived. Sometimes that was an hour.’

From ‘The Suitcases (Part Two)’ by Lynn Jenner – on dementia, memory and caring for those we love.

Read the full piece here:
https://corpus.nz/the-suitcases-part-two/

And if you have a story you’d like to share, please get in touch: [email protected]

04/06/2026

🌿 ‘Think place. Think belonging. Think aroha. Think wisdom.’

NZ Poetry Shelf has published a wonderful feature on Ariana Tikao’s Pepeha Portal, combining Paula Green’s thoughtful review of the collection with recordings of Ariana reading a selection of poems.

Listen and read here:

Pepeha Portal, Ariana Tikaocover image: Kate Stevens West (Kāi Tahu), Kurawaka/Tender Ties Kohikohi, 2021University of Otago Press, 2026 To read Pepeha Portal is uplifting. The poetry offers an exp…

03/06/2026

✍️ Calling essay writers in Aotearoa!

The Landfall Tauraka Essay Prize 2026 is open for entries.

We’re looking for essays that are vivid, original, thoughtful, provocative, creative or contentious – writing that engages deeply with the world around us.

First prize: $3,000 plus a one-year Landfall Tauraka subscription
Publication: the winning essay will appear in Landfall Tauraka 252
Entries close: 31 July 2026

Find full details and enter here: https://oup.nz/competitions/