PEAK of his POWERS

Every summer brought the the threat of bushfires to Victoria. But as the days lengthened towards the end of 2020 and temperatures rose, there was Covid, too, and a seemingly endless Melbourne lockdown. After 18 years in Australia, Nic Low and his partner, Leigh Hopkinson, had had enough. With their toddler, Ahi, they headed to Christchurch, Low’s home town.

Low, of Ngāi Tahu and European descent, whakapapas to Ōraka Aparima in Southland. He’s an arts organiser, literary judge and award-winning writer of short fiction and essays, which are published on both sides of the Tasman. His short-story collection, was a Book of the Year. Low has also won the $25,000 Copyright Licensing New Zealand Writers’ Award and been shortlisted for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize, the Queensland Literary Awards and the Readings Prize