About
Since launching in 2014, Mayhem Literary Journal has become a feature of Aotearoa New Zealand’s literary scene, and a place for new and established literary presences to explore and establish their voices.
Our editorial team in the past has included Renée Boyer, Erin Doyle, Rachael Elliott, Karl Guethert, essa may ranapiri, Jeanie Richards, D.A. Taylor, and Melody May.
Guest editors in the past have included Michael Steven (2020), Mark Prisco and Stephanie Christie (2021), and Elizabeth Morton and Dadon Rowell (2022).
Meet the team
Guest Co-Editor 2022: Elizabeth Morton
Elizabeth Morton is an Auckland writer, with three collections of poetry, the latest being Naming the Beasts (Otago University Press, 2022). She holds an MLitt from the University of Glasgow, and is completing an MSc at Kings College London. Her yarns and poems have appeared in journals and anthologies in Canada, Australia, the USA, the UK, Ireland, Italy and Jamaica. She likes to write about broken things and things with teeth.
Guest Co-Editor 2022: Dadon Rowell
Dadon Rowell is a Kirikiriroa-based poet & short fiction writer. Her work has featured in multiple journals and anthologies including Mayhem, Poetry NZ, Sweet Mammalian, Starling, Overcommunicate Magazine, Aotearotica & No Other Place to Stand: An Anthology of Climate Change Poetry from Aotearoa New Zealand. Most recently she was shortlisted in Flash Frontier’s Micro Madness competition.
Editor in Chief: Dr Tracey Slaughter
Tracey Slaughter is the author of Devil's Trumpet (published by Victoria University Press, 2021). Her previous books include Conventional Weapons (2019) and deleted scenes for lovers (2016) which was published to acclaim. In 2018 she won second place in the international Peter Porter Poetry Prize, and second place in The Moth Short Story Award. She teaches creative writing at Waikato University.
Guest Co-Editor 2023: Dr Aimee-Jane Anderson-O'Connor
Aimee-Jane Anderson-O’Connor was the featured poet in Poetry New Zealand 2021, and was awarded the 2018 Charles Brasch Young Writers’ Essay Competition, and the 2017 Monash Prize for Emerging Writers. Her words have appeared in Starling, Mayhem, Brief, Poetry New Zealand, Landfall, Turbine, Mimicry, Min-a-rets, Sweet Mammalian, Sport and Verge, as well as The Journal of Commonwealth Literature. Most recently, her work was included in No Other Place to Stand: An Anthology of Climate Change Poetry from Aotearoa New Zealand. She is a keen zinester and collage maker, and believes in the power of community and collaboration.
Guest Co-Editor 2023: Liam Hinton
Liam Hinton is a writer and theatremaker based out of Kirikiriroa whose written work can be found in Poetry New Zealand, Starling, and Mayhem Literary Journal. He also co-founded the local company One Question Theatre and has served as co-director, actor, and producer on all projects.
