Shonagh Koea

Koea was born in Taranaki, New Zealand, in 1939, and grew up in Hastings, Hawke's Bay.[2][3][4] She became a journalist and began working at the Taranaki Herald newspaper in New Plymouth. There she met and married a fellow journalist, George Koea of Te Āti Awa.[5][6] She wrote novels as a pastime; however none were published.[7] In her late 20s Koea stopped writing fiction, disillusioned with her lack of success. However, ten years later, in 1981, she submitted a story to New Zealand's leading literary contest of the time (the Air New Zealand Short Story Competition) and won.[7] Her stories began to be published in magazines such as The Listener.

Koea's husband died in 1987, and in 1990 she moved to Auckland.[3] Since then, she has been a full-time writer; she has received a number of literary grants and fellowships, and produced novels, short stories and memoirs.[3]

Recurring themes in Koea's writing are personal relationships and their difficulties, and men's and women's roles in the family. Male characters are often oppressive, and females initially helpless; after a period, however, the women eventually take charge of their own destiny.[3] Her narratives have been likened to those of fellow New Zealand writers Katherine Mansfield and Frank Sargeson, which also centred on familiar characters and situations.[3]

Koea's main publisher is Random House.

• Interview with Shonagh Koea by the Cultural Icons project
• Shonagh Koea in the 2001 TV documentary The Big Art Trip