Tim Saunders author page

Tim Saunders biography

Tim Saunders is a New Zealand writer and farmer whose work spans poetry, short fiction, memoir and children’s books. He has published widely in journals and anthologies and brings practical farming knowledge to his writing for younger and older readers alike.

His first two books were adult non-fiction: This Farming Life (Allen & Unwin, 2020), a portrait of day-to-day agriculture, and Under a Big Sky: Facing the Elements on a New Zealand Farm (Allen & Unwin, 2022). His short fiction and poetry have appeared in outlets including Landfall, Poetry NZ Yearbook, Takahē, Flash Frontier and Best Small Fictions. Recognition includes shortlisting for the 2021 Commonwealth Short Story Prize for “Carved” and joint first place in the Caselberg Trust International Poetry Prize in 2023.

Saunders made his picture-book debut with The Tractor Has a Wobbly Wheel (Allen & Unwin Children’s NZ, March 2025), illustrated by Carla Martell. The 24-page rhyming story follows farm animals offering inventive fixes for a troublesome tractor, and is listed in multiple territories and formats.

Alongside publication, Saunders gives readings and interviews about writing and rural life. His bibliography highlights a consistent interest in how language, rhythm and hands-on experience can shape stories for different audiences.

Selected works: This Farming Life (Allen & Unwin, 2020); Under a Big Sky: Facing the Elements on a New Zealand Farm (Allen & Unwin, 2022); The Tractor Has a Wobbly Wheel (Allen & Unwin Children’s NZ, 2025), illus. Carla Martell; prize-listed story “Carved” (Commonwealth Short Story Prize shortlist, 2021).