Such a provocative title. And one chosen in collaboration with ReadingRooms editor for maximum furore. I often feel as though stories written in New Zealand about our ‘elite’ don’t quite ring true to me. The conversation, the way in which they live, it’s often missing layers of nuance. There’s a multifaceted reality to wealth in NZ, and this is what I attempt to portray in my work - it’s why I started writing stories about these rich fuckers myself. And yes, I get the irony. Many would consider me to be one. I don’t see myself that way at all. But wealth means different things to different people. And just because you have financial means doesn’t mean you’re a fuckwit. I know many fuckwits, they tend to belong in every socioeconomic category. But, unlikeable characters are so much more fun to write about.
Many of these stories were written during the post Covid boom times here in NZ. And this particular story was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Prize. Read my story here at ReadingRoom: The Ruling Class
