And without further ado... we announce Ann Patchett - winner of the PEN/Faulkner award, indie bookshop hero and one of TIME magazine’s '100 most influential people in the world'. She’ll be in conversation with her friend and fellow author Meg Mason #AWF24

Celeste Ng Celeste Ng the author of breakout hit Little Fires Everywhere will be talking to Jenna Wee about her NYT bestselling novels, and her latest Our Missing Hearts. Celeste will also be part of panels about writing Asian female rage and dystopian writing #AWF24

Japanese author 川口俊和's million-copy selling Before the Coffee Gets Cold series asks: if you could travel back in time to have one final conversation with someone, who would you choose and what would you say? he'll join Maggie Tweedie at #AWF24

For Fantasy fans, don’t miss Samantha Shannon (Updates Only) author of #TheBoneSeason and #RootsOfChaos series. She’ll be in conversation with NYT bestselling local fantasy writer Nalini Singh Nalini Singh. #AWF24

Acclaimed Indian author, politician, diplomat and public intellectual Shashi Tharoor joins Linda Clark in a broad-ranging conversation on his work and a crucial year for India #AWF24

We are thrilled to announce trailblazing author, and a true figurehead of modern NZ literature Patricia Grace, will be joining us this year. Grace’s new collection Bird Child and Other Stories NZ Penguin released in Jan has been #1 in the NZ charts since then #AWF24

Viet Thanh Nguyen @hachettenz @littlebrownuk Vietnamese-American professor and novelist, and one of the US' foremost writers and public intellectuals will join Rosabel Tan in conversation about his esteemed career and his newest work A Man of Two Faces. #AWF24

We’ll also be paying tribute to the great Janet Frame in her centenary year with a panel featuring Meg Mason, esteemed cultural historian Peter Simpson, and Janet Frame’s niece Pamela Gordon hosted by Kim Hill. #AWF24

Our second @thebookerpize winner on the bill this year, Richard Flanagan will discuss his lauded memoir, Question 7 @penguinbooks_nz which has been hailed by many as one of the most significant pieces of Australian art in the last 100 years. #AWF24

When the Festival begins we will be 6 months into the new government and The Spin Off (Leeds) 's Gone by Lunchtime will be here to survey their first half a year in power with a live version of their podcast Toby Manhire Hui Hopper Ben Thomas #AWF24

We’ve trebled our family programme offer with a new look to PukaPuka Adventures. Lvl 5 of the Aotea Centre will be bursting with interactive activities for the whole whānau including illustrator battles, a mini rave, a kids’ open mic, zine-making, reading caves & more... #AWF24

Professor of Global History at @uniofoxford and hailed one of "The World's Top 50 Thinkers" by @Prospect_UK and "rock-star don" by the BBC, this will be Peter Frankopan 1st time on a NZ stage discussing bestsellers The Earth Transformed & The Silk Road #AWF24 Bloomsbury Australia

One of the lovely international reunions we are hosting this year sees Granta Books Best Young British Novelist K Patrick reunite with NZ novelist Catherine Chidgey to discuss their novels featuring young women falling under the spell of charismatic school leaders #AWF24

Get your head in the game! We have the one and only Dan Carter talking about his new book #TheArtofWinning with Duncan Grieve about leadership under pressure and his journey so far #AWF24

Having @katyhessel in town is a real coup for Art lovers. She has brought a whole new audience to art through her @thegreatwomenartists IG & will be in conversation with curator Julia Waite from Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki Penguin Books NZ #AWF24

Hold on to your hats! Sam Neill will be joining Robyn Malcolm in conversation about his No.1 bestselling memoir Did I Ever Tell You This? Sam Neill Text Publishing #AWF24

That's just a TINY taster so far of what's to come. AD Lyndsey Fineran likens the Festival to a "great bookshop brought to life" so grab a cup of tea and have a stroll through the imaginary shelves at the link in bio (and don't forget to hold onto your Sam Neill!)

Thanks so much Auckland Writers Festival for an awesome programme which I am stoked to be part of. writersfestival.co.nz