Sue Orr (born 1962) is a fiction writer, journalist and creative writing teacher from New Zealand.

Background

Orr was born 1962 in

Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after th ...

and spent her childhood on the

Hauraki Plains The Hauraki Plains are a geographical area located in the northern North Island of New Zealand, at the lower (northern) end of the Thames Valley, New Zealand, Thames Valley. They are located 75 kilometres south-east of Auckland, at the foot of ...

. She has a BA in History and French from the

University of Waikato The University of Waikato (), established in 1964, is a Public university, public research university located in Hamilton, New Zealand, Hamilton, New Zealand. An additional campus is located in Tauranga. The university performs research in nume ...

, a Diploma in Journalism from Auckland Technical Institute, and an MA and PhD in Creative Writing at

Victoria University of Wellington Victoria University of Wellington (), also known by its shorter names "VUW" or "Vic", is a public university, public research university in Wellington, New Zealand. It was established in 1897 by Act of New Zealand Parliament, Parliament, and w ...

. She currently lives in Wellington, and teaches creative writing at Rimutaka and Arohata prisons, and in women's refuges in the region.

Career

Orr has worked as a journalist in New Zealand (in Tokoroa, Tauranga, Wellington), the UK, and France. Since completing her MA in 2006, Orr has been writing fiction and teaching creative writing at

Manukau Institute of Technology Established in 1970, Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) () is a Category One Institute of technology in Auckland, New Zealand. Category One is the highest possible educational rating as evaluated by the New Zealand Qualifications Authorit ...

and

Massey University Massey University () is a Public university, public research university in New Zealand that provides internal and distance education. The university has campuses in Auckland, Palmerston North, and Wellington. Data from Universities New Zealand ...

. Orr has published four works of fiction: * ''Etiquette for a Dinner Party: Short Stories'' (2008, Random House) * ''From Under the Overcoat'' (2011, Random House) * ''Recreation'' (2013, Random House) * ''The Party Line'' (2015, Random House) *''Loop Tracks'' (2021, Victoria University Press) ''Loop Tracks'' was inspired by a friend who used Sisters Overseas Service in the late 1970s to obtain an abortion. Set in Wellington, it covers many issues: abortion, adoption, euthanasia, family relationships and the Covid 19 lockdown. Short stories by Orr have also appeared a number of anthologies including ''Best New Zealand Fiction 4'', ''Lost in Translation: New Zealand Short Stories'', and ''The Penguin Book of Contemporary New Zealand Short Stories''. She has also been published in ''Sport 35'', ''Turbine'', and the

New Zealand Listener The ''New Zealand Listener'' is a weekly New Zealand magazine that covers the political, cultural and literary life of New Zealand by featuring a variety of topics, including current events, politics, social issues, health, technology, arts, f ...

Awards

In 2008 ''Etiquette for a Dinner Party: Short Stories'' was long listed for the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award and won the Lilian Ida Smith Award in 2007. It was also listed in the Top 100 Books of 2008 by the New Zealand Listener. At the 2012

New Zealand Post Book Awards The Ockham New Zealand Book Awards are literary awards presented annually in New Zealand. The awards began in 1996 as the merger of two literary awards events: the New Zealand Book Awards, which ran from 1976 to 1995, and the Goodman Fielder Wa ...

, ''From Under the Overcoat'' won the People's Choice Award. In 2011 she received the Grimshaw Sargeson Fellowship with Mark Broatch.

Personal life

Orr is married to economist Adrian Orr. They have three children.

External links

*
Sue Orr: looping together truth and fiction for new novel.
' Interview with RNZ, 10 July 2021

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Orr, Sue Living people 1962 births People from Thames, New Zealand People from North Shore, New Zealand University of Waikato alumni Auckland University of Technology alumni International Institute of Modern Letters alumni Academic staff of Massey University New Zealand fiction writers New Zealand women novelists New Zealand women short story writers