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'''Rebecca K Reilly''' (born 1991) is a New Zealand author. Her debut novel ''Greta & Valdin'' (2021) received the 2019 [[Adam Foundation Prize in Creative Writing]]. At the 2022 [[Ockham New Zealand Book Awards]], it was shortlisted for the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction and received the Hubert Church prize for the best first book of fiction.
'''Rebecca K Reilly''' (born 1991) is a New Zealand author. Her debut novel ''Greta & Valdin'' (2021) received the 2019 [[Adam Foundation Prize in Creative Writing]]. At the 2022 [[Ockham New Zealand Book Awards]], it was shortlisted for the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction and received the Hubert Church prize for the best first book of fiction.


==Early life and education==
⚫
==Career==
Reilly completed a Master of Arts in Creative Writing at the [[International Institute of Modern Letters]] at [[Victoria University of Wellington]], where she was the 2019 recipient of the [[Adam Foundation Prize in Creative Writing]] for her debut novel, then titled ''Vines''. It was subsequently renamed ''Greta & Valdin''.<ref name="Dazzling">{{cite news |date=11 December 2019 |title="Dazzling" comic novel wins VUW creative writing prize |url=https://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=124541 |access-date=4 October 2021 |work=Wellington Scoop}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Greta and Valdin |url=https://vup.victoria.ac.nz/greta-and-valdin/ |website=Victoria University Press |access-date=20 November 2021}}</ref> The novel took her a year and a half to write, although she had been collecting material for 14 years.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gessler |first1=Julia |title=People Of The Year: The Gleaming World Of Author Rebecca K. Reilly |url=https://www.viva.co.nz/article/culture-travel/rebecca-k-reilly-greta-and-valdin/ |access-date=11 February 2022 |work=Viva |date=16 December 2021}}</ref>
Reilly grew up in [[Waitākere City]], West Auckland.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Reilly |first1=Rebecca K. |title=The Sunday Essay: In memory of Waitākere City (1989-2010) |url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/the-sunday-essay/10-07-2022/the-sunday-essay-in-memory-of-waitakere-city-1989-2010 |access-date=30 January 2024 |work=The Spinoff |date=10 July 2022 |language=en}}</ref> She completed a Master of Arts in Creative Writing at the [[International Institute of Modern Letters]] at [[Victoria University of Wellington]], where she was the 2019 recipient of the [[Adam Foundation Prize in Creative Writing]] for her debut novel, then titled ''Vines''. It was subsequently renamed ''Greta & Valdin''.<ref name="Dazzling">{{cite news |date=11 December 2019 |title="Dazzling" comic novel wins VUW creative writing prize |url=https://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=124541 |access-date=4 October 2021 |work=Wellington Scoop}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Greta and Valdin |url=https://vup.victoria.ac.nz/greta-and-valdin/ |website=Victoria University Press |access-date=20 November 2021}}</ref> The novel took her a year and a half to write, although she had been collecting material for 14 years.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gessler |first1=Julia |title=People Of The Year: The Gleaming World Of Author Rebecca K. Reilly |url=https://www.viva.co.nz/article/culture-travel/rebecca-k-reilly-greta-and-valdin/ |access-date=11 February 2022 |work=Viva |date=16 December 2021}}</ref>


⚫
==Career==
''Greta & Valdin'' was published by [[Victoria University Press]] in 2021. It is a novel about the family and romantic relationships of two siblings, both [[queer]] and of mixed Russian and Māori descent, and set in [[Auckland]]. Reviewer Hannah Tunnicliffe for [[Stuff (website)|''Stuff'']] said Reilly "fuses socio-political commentary with humour, making ''Greta & Valdin'' both smart and funny."<ref name="Tunnicliffe">{{cite news |last1=Tunnicliffe |first1=Hannah |title=Book Review: Greta & Valdin, by Rebecca K Reilly |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/books/300340126/book-review-greta--valdin-by-rebecca-k-reilly |access-date=13 August 2021 |work=Stuff.co.nz |date=27 June 2021}}</ref> Ash Davida Jane called it "the best novel of the year".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Jane |first1=Ash Davida |title=New releases from Unity Books: Debut novel 'unfairly good' |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/books/300320909/new-releases-from-unity-books-debut-novel-unfairly-good |access-date=4 October 2021 |work=Stuff.co.nz |date=2 June 2021}}</ref> [[Becky Manawatu]] praised "the tenderness Reilly achieves through her love for these characters, which translates page by page, word by word, to a love of people".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Manawatu |first1=Becky |title=Messy and Relatable: A Review of Greta & Valdin |url=https://www.pantograph-punch.com/posts/greta-and-valdin |access-date=20 November 2021 |work=The Pantograph Punch |date=26 July 2021}}</ref> Rachel O'Connor for ''[[Landfall (journal)|Landfall]]'' noted a level of "information overload" but concluded "there is much to enjoy in ''Greta & Valdin'', and hopefully much more to come from its author, whose youthful, funny voice delivers a fresh and entertaining tour of life and love in Auckland's CBD".<ref>{{cite journal |last1=O'Connor |first1=Rachel |title=Lives in Little Pieces |journal=Landfall Review Online |date=1 August 2021 |url=https://landfallreview.com/lives-in-little-pieces/ |access-date=20 November 2021}}</ref> [[Steve Braunias]], in his list of the ten best New Zealand novels of 2021, ranked it as number one, calling it "the funniest and also the most original, enjoyable and best novel published in New Zealand in 2021".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Braunias |first1=Steve |title=Christmas: The best novels of 2021 |url=https://www.newsroom.co.nz/xmas-the-best-novels-of-2021-1 |access-date=11 February 2022 |work=Newsroom |date=16 December 2021}}</ref>
''Greta & Valdin'' was published by [[Victoria University Press]] in 2021. It is a novel about the family and romantic relationships of two siblings, both [[queer]] and of mixed Russian and Māori descent, and set in [[Auckland]]. Reviewer Hannah Tunnicliffe for [[Stuff (website)|''Stuff'']] said Reilly "fuses socio-political commentary with humour, making ''Greta & Valdin'' both smart and funny."<ref name="Tunnicliffe">{{cite news |last1=Tunnicliffe |first1=Hannah |title=Book Review: Greta & Valdin, by Rebecca K Reilly |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/books/300340126/book-review-greta--valdin-by-rebecca-k-reilly |access-date=13 August 2021 |work=Stuff.co.nz |date=27 June 2021}}</ref> Ash Davida Jane called it "the best novel of the year".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Jane |first1=Ash Davida |title=New releases from Unity Books: Debut novel 'unfairly good' |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/books/300320909/new-releases-from-unity-books-debut-novel-unfairly-good |access-date=4 October 2021 |work=Stuff.co.nz |date=2 June 2021}}</ref> [[Becky Manawatu]] praised "the tenderness Reilly achieves through her love for these characters, which translates page by page, word by word, to a love of people".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Manawatu |first1=Becky |title=Messy and Relatable: A Review of Greta & Valdin |url=https://www.pantograph-punch.com/posts/greta-and-valdin |access-date=20 November 2021 |work=The Pantograph Punch |date=26 July 2021}}</ref> Rachel O'Connor for ''[[Landfall (journal)|Landfall]]'' noted a level of "information overload" but concluded "there is much to enjoy in ''Greta & Valdin'', and hopefully much more to come from its author, whose youthful, funny voice delivers a fresh and entertaining tour of life and love in Auckland's CBD".<ref>{{cite journal |last1=O'Connor |first1=Rachel |title=Lives in Little Pieces |journal=Landfall Review Online |date=1 August 2021 |url=https://landfallreview.com/lives-in-little-pieces/ |access-date=20 November 2021}}</ref> [[Steve Braunias]], in his list of the ten best New Zealand novels of 2021, ranked it as number one, calling it "the funniest and also the most original, enjoyable and best novel published in New Zealand in 2021".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Braunias |first1=Steve |title=Christmas: The best novels of 2021 |url=https://www.newsroom.co.nz/xmas-the-best-novels-of-2021-1 |access-date=11 February 2022 |work=Newsroom |date=16 December 2021}}</ref>


Revision as of 04:36, 30 January 2024

Rebecca K Reilly
Born1991 (age 32–33)
Occupation
  • Novelist
EducationMaster of Arts, Victoria University of Wellington
Notable worksGreta & Valdin (2021)
Website
rkr.rodeo

Rebecca K Reilly (born 1991) is a New Zealand author. Her debut novel Greta & Valdin (2021) received the 2019 Adam Foundation Prize in Creative Writing. At the 2022 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards, it was shortlisted for the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction and received the Hubert Church prize for the best first book of fiction.

Early life and education

Reilly grew up in Waitākere City, West Auckland.[1] She completed a Master of Arts in Creative Writing at the International Institute of Modern Letters at Victoria University of Wellington, where she was the 2019 recipient of the Adam Foundation Prize in Creative Writing for her debut novel, then titled Vines. It was subsequently renamed Greta & Valdin.[2][3] The novel took her a year and a half to write, although she had been collecting material for 14 years.[4]

Career

Greta & Valdin was published by Victoria University Press in 2021. It is a novel about the family and romantic relationships of two siblings, both queer and of mixed Russian and Māori descent, and set in Auckland. Reviewer Hannah Tunnicliffe for Stuff said Reilly "fuses socio-political commentary with humour, making Greta & Valdin both smart and funny."[5] Ash Davida Jane called it "the best novel of the year".[6] Becky Manawatu praised "the tenderness Reilly achieves through her love for these characters, which translates page by page, word by word, to a love of people".[7] Rachel O'Connor for Landfall noted a level of "information overload" but concluded "there is much to enjoy in Greta & Valdin, and hopefully much more to come from its author, whose youthful, funny voice delivers a fresh and entertaining tour of life and love in Auckland's CBD".[8] Steve Braunias, in his list of the ten best New Zealand novels of 2021, ranked it as number one, calling it "the funniest and also the most original, enjoyable and best novel published in New Zealand in 2021".[9]

Greta & Valdin was shortlisted for the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction at the 2022 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards,[10] and was awarded the Hubert Church prize for the best first book of fiction.[11][12] Reilly was one of two Māori authors shortlisted for the Jann Medlicott award.[13] At the time of the shortlisting announcement it was the top book on the Nielsen best-seller books chart,[14] and The Spinoff books editor Catherine Woulfe noted that the novel "will win by miles if the judges are of a mind to nod to the national mood".[10] The book won the Aotearoa Booksellers' Choice Award at the 2022 Aotearoa Book Trade Industry Awards.[15] It was third on the list of New Zealand fiction bestsellers of 2022.[16]

In September 2022 Reilly was a judge, together with Harry Ricketts, of the Nine to Noon short story competition on Radio New Zealand.[17] In early 2023 it was reported that Greta & Valdin would be published by Hutchinson Heinemann in the UK in early 2024 and that US rights to the novel had also been sold.[18]

Greta & Valdin is due to be published in the UK and USA on 6 February 2024. In January 2024 it was listed by The New York Times as one of 17 new books due to be published in February 2024, and described as following "two queer, charmingly messy 20-something siblings in New Zealand as they tentatively step into adulthood in an ever-shifting and increasingly chaotic contemporary age".[19] It was also listed as one of the best upcoming new books of 2024 by British magazines Dazed and Marie Claire, with the latter noting that the book had been a "huge hit" in New Zealand and that "such success very much deserves repeating".[20][21]

Personal life

Reilly is of Ngāti Hine and Ngāti Wai descent.[2][22]

References

  1. ^ Reilly, Rebecca K. (10 July 2022). "The Sunday Essay: In memory of Waitākere City (1989-2010)". The Spinoff. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  2. ^ a b ""Dazzling" comic novel wins VUW creative writing prize". Wellington Scoop. 11 December 2019. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  3. ^ "Greta and Valdin". Victoria University Press. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  4. ^ Gessler, Julia (16 December 2021). "People Of The Year: The Gleaming World Of Author Rebecca K. Reilly". Viva. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  5. ^ Tunnicliffe, Hannah (27 June 2021). "Book Review: Greta & Valdin, by Rebecca K Reilly". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  6. ^ Jane, Ash Davida (2 June 2021). "New releases from Unity Books: Debut novel 'unfairly good'". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  7. ^ Manawatu, Becky (26 July 2021). "Messy and Relatable: A Review of Greta & Valdin". The Pantograph Punch. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  8. ^ O'Connor, Rachel (1 August 2021). "Lives in Little Pieces". Landfall Review Online. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  9. ^ Braunias, Steve (16 December 2021). "Christmas: The best novels of 2021". Newsroom. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  10. ^ a b "Surprises ahoy: presenting the 2022 Ockham finalists". The Spinoff. 2 March 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  11. ^ "2022 Awards". New Zealand Book Awards Trust. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  12. ^ Touma, Rafqa (11 May 2022). "Whiti Hereaka wins New Zealand's Ockham fiction prize for novel subverting Māori myth". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  13. ^ Corlett, Eva (2 March 2022). "'A really good sign': New Zealand book prize nominees distinguished by diversity". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  14. ^ Braunias, Steve (2 March 2022). "Craziest Ockham book awards ever". Newsroom. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  15. ^ Braunias, Steve (17 August 2022). "NZ's best young bookseller, 60". Newsroom. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  16. ^ Braunias, Steve (23 December 2022). "Bestselling books of 2022". Newsroom. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  17. ^ "Our Short Story Competition is back!". Radio New Zealand. 5 September 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  18. ^ Braunias, Steve (7 February 2023). "Kirsten goes to London". Newsroom. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  19. ^ "17 New Books Coming in February". The New York Times. 29 January 2024. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  20. ^ Jarvie, Catherine (27 January 2024). "We've found the best books of 2024 to curl up with". Marie Claire UK.
  21. ^ White, Jessica (28 December 2023). "10 exciting books to look out for in 2024". Dazed. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  22. ^ "About". Rebecca K Reilly. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
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