Maxine Beneba Clarke is a prize-winning Australian writer, essayist and slam-poetry champ of Afro-Caribbean descent with a newly released poetry collection Carrying The World, and an upcoming memoir The Hate Race. Tusiata Avia is a leading Pacific poet who has travelled the world with her one woman show Wild Dogs Under My Skirt, and launches her new collectionFale Aitu | Spirit House in Festival week. These two formidable talents discuss their lives, their drives and cultural amalgamations.

Auckland Writers Festival podcasts are also available via itunes so you can download and listen on the go.