Swamp Press

06/10/2025

An excerpt from Hard-Case Heroes in Newsroom ⬇️

The incredible story of the good Kiwi joker who blew up his bach rather than let the authorities take it.

02/10/2025

Hard-Case Heroes is officially launched. We kicked off in September at the Māpua Literary Festival and then at Motueka Library, both with a capacity crowd. Some pics of both events. Next up: Tākaka Library, Tue 7 Oct, 1pm - a daytime talk with Gerard Hindmarsh. Our community libraries are absolute gems; please support them.

02/10/2025

Newsroom's Steve Braunias' review of Hard-Case Heroes, calling the book a "wildly entertaining collection of stories".

Stories of good Kiwi jokers in paradise.

26/09/2025

Great news to hear Hard-Case Heroes is sitting at number 3 of Nielsen's Indie Top 10. Thanks everyone for your support 🥂

16/09/2025

As well as launching Hard-Case Heroes on the weekend, Gerard attended two of the last performances from Martine Baanvinger of DramaLab's latest tour, who masterfully adapted his book Angelina into a moving one-woman play Red Heavens, which still gave him jitters up his spine. It was her second year touring 40 venues around the country. Gerard says Martine made his book take wings and fly. Angelina's story seems to be one that will not die.

16/09/2025

Listen to Gerard Hindmarsh on RNZs Sunday Morning discussing Hard-Case Heroes with Jim Mora

Gerard's latest book Hard-Case Heroes focuses on the social history of the Abel Tasman and the stories of quirky characters who lived there.

15/09/2025

Gerard launched his new book full of stories about quirky and largely untold characters associated with the Abel Tasman coast and uplands over the weekend. It is now available for purchase on swamppress.co.nz and bookstores around the motu

12/09/2025

Order your copy today from our website, or through selected stockists: Paper Plus stores around the region, Page & Blackmore, Unity Books, Langford Store, Wow Nelson, and Living Arts Tukurua.

Gerard Hindmarsh will be launching his latest book at the Mapua Literary Festival this Saturday.

Building on the success of his acclaimed Kahurangi trilogy, Gerard’s new work, Hard-Case Heroes: Stories from the Abel Tasman, shines a light on quirky and largely untold characters connected to the Abel Tasman coast and its uplands. Within its pages you’ll meet early settlers and park rangers, an island hermit and defiant squatters, graziers and even a limestone miner.

Hard-Case Heroes is a highly readable and engaging exploration of a remarkable corner of New Zealand, told by a local writer with a deep love for the land and a keen eye for a story. These gritty and colourful tales from our social history will intrigue anyone who has explored Abel Tasman National Park - New Zealand’s smallest, most visited, and arguably most beautiful national park