We didn’t think we would top the reaction to Trent Dalton’s first AWF appearance in 2024, which he described as “one of the greatest moments of my writing life”.

The entranced, 2000-strong audience and book signing that went on late into the night at AWF25 proved us (happily) wrong.

“A magical night of all the feels”; “we died and went to heaven” and “wow, just wow” were only a handful of the comments from Festival-goers, as Trent shared his uplifting, inspiring and achingly honest take on love, literature and the small moments of life that become the big.

It’s rare that we invite an author back to our stages so soon, but for authors this beloved by readers, we’re happy to break the rules.

Don’t miss Trent as he makes a special return to the city for an exclusive NZ conversation on his major new novel, Gravity Let Me Go. Self-described as “a big marriage story set inside a murder story”, it’s a conversation bound to cover all of life’s beautiful, messy and extraordinary parts.

Whether you’re completing your Trent Dalton Triple, or catching him for the very first time, be prepared for a moving and remarkable.