Emma Hislop

Hislop, Emma (1974 – ) grew up in Totara North and Pukenui on the Aupōuri Peninsula. At age 13, her family relocated to Taranaki. In her twenties, she lived in London before returning to New Zealand in 2006. She now resides in New Plymouth with her partner and son.

Hislop completed a master's degree in creative writing at the International Institute of Modern Letters (IIML) at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington in 2013, under the supervision of Emily Perkins. During this time, she began working on the stories that would become Ruin. The collection took a decade to complete, with Hislop noting that while the stories evolved significantly, the ‘glimmer of truth always stayed the same.’

In 2021, she received the Creative New Zealand Louis Johnson New Writers' Bursary. In 2024, she was awarded the Arts Foundation of New Zealand Springboard Award, which includes a year-long mentorship with esteemed writer Patricia Grace.

Beyond her published collection, Hislop's short stories have been featured in various anthologies, literary journals and news outlets both in New Zealand and internationally. Her story ‘Scarce Objects’ was included in HIWA: Contemporary Māori Short Stories (2023). Her work has also appeared in Huia Short Stories, Action Spectacle, Sport, Newsroom, takahē and E-Tangata.