CONTRIBUTORS

Behind the scenes

PAST: Bryony was born in Britain but raised in the eastern suburbs of Tāmaki Makaurau and still insists on saying yoghurt correctly. Her first attempt at crafting a magazine was a Harry Potter zine she scribbled in the back of a school notebook. She thought she’d be an actor and a writer when she grew up, deeming her Lucy Pevensie in a primary school version of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Oscar-worthy. She secretly read issues of Dolly in the library since her parents thought it far too inappropriate for a 12-year- old. When she finally left home, she filled an entire crate with magazines and left it in the garage. Bryony’s working years have been spent primarily in customer service — a highlight, she says, was being sworn at by a 14-year- old boy. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in history and English and an honour’s in history. She wrote her dissertation on Aotearoa’s drinking age change in 1999. Yes, that was the year she was born. PRESENT: In May, Bryony began working as

NZ Life & Leisure’s editorial assistant. She still pinches herself over the bowl of porridge she has at her desk every morning. When she walks back up Parnell Rise in the afternoons, she thinks about her master’s. Bryony can never do one thing at a time: her thesis is on the Rocky Horror Picture Show, so please ask her about it. She was also in a commercial. Please ask about that, too. FUTURE: Bryony hopes to finally see the world she’s only written about in essays. She already knows she’ll cry at every monument in Europe. She still wants to be a writer when she grows up, but for now, she just wants to graduate and tackle the pile of books on her bedroom floor.