Neil Gaiman’s latest fantasy is an attempt to restore to fairy tales some of the danger the Grimm brothers removed. Gaby Wood reports.

"Short stories don't sell," is the current mantra of publishers everywhere, as a way of refusing to look at proffered manuscripts in case they love them and are sorely tempted.

Some Luck is the first volume of Pulitzer Prize-winner Jane Smiley’s trilogy set in the Iowa badlands. Boyd Tonkin reports.

Kiwi comic creator Dylan Horrocks' love of the medium was beaten to a pulp by Batgirl, but was sparked back into life through a trip into his own imaginary landscape.

'I have had my character and credibility questioned at every turn,' said Dunham of her sexual assault claim.

Actress Lena Dunham will reportedly make an amendment to her memoir after the identity of an alleged rapist was revealed.

British author JK Rowling will publish new Harry Potter material every day from December 12 to 23 on her website Pottermore.com as a gift to fans.

The end of the year has brought a flood of rock biographies. Russell Baillie thumbs through a small pile of them.

Changing fortunes in Tudor times have ring of reality.

PD James, the acclaimed crime writer who died this week, aged 94, was planning one final detective novel.

INTERACTIVE: Our annual guide to the best books to give and receive this Christmas. Guess which ones made the list.

Stephen Jewell had the pleasure of speaking to author P.D James. The crime queen died today, aged 94. Here's the story he wrote after their chat.

I loved The Hunger Games books, but that doesn't mean I want to see two hours of Katniss whining, writes Rachel Bache. Can we not just cut out the pages that you likely skipped anyway and make a movie that is more than just okay?

In an extract from a new book of photographs by Andris Apse, which pays tribute to the South Island, former All Black captain Anton Oliver tells how the Central Otago landscape reduced him to tears.

New Zealand’s own spice girls of cuisine tell Greg Dixon about eating their way around india, visa hassles and sharing bunks in a train.

Coming out, being rich, feeling broody, getting drunk, dating when you’re famous and why a dog is better than a boyfriend.

Each year American novelist Richard Ford heads to Ireland to shoot woodcock. Robert McCrum joins him on the Irish coast.

Winnie the Pooh has been banned from a Polish playground because of his "dubious sexuality" and "inappropriate" dress.

A New Zealand scriptwriter has told of an epic 10-year struggle to get a movie based on the life of Stephen Hawking made.