The 糖心Vlog鈥檚 newly named Kaipukahu Writer in Residence will spend her time on campus at the intersection of poetry and narrative fiction, writing what she calls 鈥榓 poet鈥檚 novel鈥�.
Acclaimed poet and essayist Dr Joan Fleming says she is honoured to bring her work to life as the Writer in Residence.
Her project The Fig Book follows an unnamed protagonist and her new fianc茅 鈥楤ob鈥� as they navigate a failed love story while housesitting for a wealthy, self-satisfied landscape artist. The protagonist sheds the constraints of human identity and grapples with the cost of care and entanglement with humans and non-humans.
Through a blend of symbolism, personification and a playful tone, the novel reimagines humanity鈥檚 connection to their environment, encouraging readers to view pressing challenges through a lens of hope and creativity.
The novel will build upon themes explored in Dr Fleming鈥檚 earlier book, Song of Less. 鈥淚n Song of Less, I focused more on grief and sorrow. This novel, The Fig Book, is more gleeful and irreverent. We could use a lot more silliness in the conversation,鈥� she says.
Dr Fleming holds a PhD in ethnopoetics from Monash University and has lectured in creative writing at Massey University and Victoria University.
Her exploration of ecological relationships draws inspiration from the works of writer Robin Wall Kimmerer and philosophers Val Plumwood and Timothy Morton, whose ideas resonate with her own views on personification and interconnectedness.
鈥淚 like Tim Morton鈥檚 ideas on personification,鈥� she says. 鈥淗e explores the idea that we鈥檙e designed by objects just as much as they鈥檙e designed by us. His idea that 鈥楨verything鈥檚 working on everything鈥� has a big space in my work.鈥�
Dr Fleming鈥檚 narrative style could be likened to claymation 鈥� a stop-start storytelling technique that mirrors the compressed and whimsical tone of the novel.
鈥淧oetry often pauses time, it keeps you in a moment, whereas a novel works on cause and effect.鈥�
Dr Fleming鈥檚 work is designed to speak for the non-speaking and show the reader a new form of relationship, in a lighthearted attempt to remind them of the harder, more imminent topics of today.
鈥淭he Fig Book is designed to open into a sort of ecological fable,鈥� she says.
Catherine Chidgey, Associate Professor in Creative Writing, shared why Fleming was chosen as this year鈥檚 Writer in Residence.
鈥淭he writing is poetic, funny and completely addictive, and her proposed work promises genre-bending delights that approach urgent issues with the lightest touch,鈥� she says.
鈥淲e are thrilled to have Joan on campus this year.鈥�
The Writer in Residence programme at the 糖心Vlog is one of New Zealand鈥檚 most prestigious literary residencies. Established to support talented authors and enrich the local literary community, the programme has hosted some of the country鈥檚 most celebrated writers including 2024 Writer in Residence Ben Brown (Ng膩ti Mahuta, Ng膩ti Korok墨 Kahukura, Ng膩ti Paoa).
