Launch of And How Are Things With You

Recorded at Unity Books in Wellington on 15 October 2026, this event celebrated the launch of And How Are Things With You, a novel by author Mia Farlane, published by Mākaro Press. The recording features contributions from publisher Mary McCallum, writer Tracy Farr, Farlane’s partner Kristen Phillips and Farlane herself. Their speeches explore the novel’s engagement with suicide, mental health, language, humour and hope, alongside the creative relationships that brought the book into being. The launch attracted friends, family and members of Wellington’s literary community, with international supporters joining through a livestream.

Mary McCallum opened by describing the novel as an unusual work of New Zealand fiction. Its protagonist, Franny, is a London-based translator and occasional cat sitter whose research into suicide becomes central to the narrative. The book incorporates literary references, multiple languages, contemporary politics and real-world events. McCallum recalled initially postponing reading Farlane’s manuscript because of personal bereavement and the novel’s difficult subject matter. However, once she began reading, Franny’s distinctive voice, the writing’s intelligence and its unexpected humour proved compelling. Within a week, McCallum had offered Farlane a publishing contract.

McCallum also recounted how the publishing relationship developed. She first encountered Farlane and Phillips following a literary event at Newtown Library. Phillips subsequently published a book about dementia through McCallum’s other publishing venture, The Cuba Press. After Farlane won recognition in an RNZ short story competition, McCallum invited her to read at The Undercurrent bookshop in Wellington. The performance impressed the audience and helped establish a creative connection that eventually led to the publication of And How Are Things With You.

An important aspect of the novel’s development was its distinctive cover, created by designer Todd Atticus during a week-long live design project in the window of Unity Books. Passers-by could observe the creative process and discuss emerging designs. McCallum celebrated this public experiment as an imaginative collaboration between the designer, publisher, author, bookshop and Wellington community. She also acknowledged the editorial, proofreading, typesetting and distribution work behind the finished publication. A humorous anecdote about an artificial intelligence response to the book’s title provided a contrast with the deeply human experiences explored in the novel.

Writer Tracy Farr, author of Wonderland, formally launched the book with an appreciation of its narrative structure and literary techniques. Farr explained that the novel begins in London following the Brexit referendum, where Franny has lived for decades and is approaching her fiftieth birthday. The second half follows Franny’s return to Wellington in early 2019 after leaving her translation job and life in Britain. Despite the protagonist spending considerable time reading, researching and using digital technology, Farr described the narrative as dynamic and continually moving through everyday activities, political protests, journeys and personal encounters.

Language and communication emerged as major themes. The novel incorporates French, te reo Māori, Mandarin, Latin, Greek, braille and New Zealand Sign Language, alongside emails, text messages, emojis, hashtags and other communication systems. Farr highlighted Franny’s habit of composing messages that remain unsent, together with interrupted connections, technological failures and misunderstandings. These devices contribute to a wider exploration of loneliness, emotional distance, uncertainty and the difficulty of communicating personal experiences.

Although suicide is central to the book, Farr emphasised its underlying sense of hope. She discussed the Papageno effect, associated with portrayals of people finding alternatives to suicide, drawing on characters from Mozart’s opera The Magic Flute. Farr suggested that Farlane’s writing offers possibilities for connection and survival without minimising emotional suffering. Humour was equally important, allowing the novel to address difficult and potentially taboo subjects with intelligence, curiosity and compassion. Farr also noted that the book contains resources for people seeking support.

Kristen Phillips followed with a personal reflection on the writing process. Having encountered Franny through earlier drafts, Phillips described becoming emotionally invested in the character, sometimes laughing and sometimes needing to stop reading because of particularly affecting passages. Phillips acknowledged Farlane’s determination, vulnerability and care in tackling suicide as a recurring literary subject, praising the originality and emotional integrity of the completed novel.

Farlane concluded the speeches by acknowledging the extensive community of people who supported the writing and publication. These included fellow writers, editors, publishers, friends and family members, particularly her mother, novelist Marilyn Duckworth, and aunt, poet Fleur Adcock. Farlane mentioned influences including suicide researcher Rory O’Connor and comedian Hannah Gadsby, whose use of humour to communicate difficult experiences had been inspiring. She also acknowledged writer Sarah Waters and Fiona Kidman for their earlier encouragement.

The event ended with Farlane reading an adapted passage illustrating how actual experiences became fictional material. Visiting a secondhand Wellington bookshop while researching suicide, Farlane was repeatedly asked whether she was okay. The encounter became part of Franny’s story, exposing tensions between genuine concern, personal privacy and the assumptions surrounding suicide. This final reading captured the novel’s combination of lived observation, fictional invention, discomfort and dark humour, bringing the launch back to its central questions about human communication, compassion and hope.

This summary is created using Generative AI. Although it is based on the recording's transcription, it may contain errors or omissions. Click here to learn more about how this summary was created.

Kristen Phillips Mary McCallum Mia Farlane Tracy Farr

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