Eileen Merriman

Eileen Merriman is an award-winning novelist, short story and flash fiction writer from New Zealand.

Several of her young adult novels have been finalists in the NZ Children’s and Young Adult Book Awards, and also Storylines Notable Books. Her first adult novel, Moonlight Sonata, was released in 2019, and was longlisted for the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction. Her fourth YA novel, A Trio of Sophies, was released in Australia, New Zealand  and Germany in  2020 and was a finalist in the Ngaio Marsh Crime Awards. Her fourth adult novel, The Night She Fell, is due for release in March 2024. Three of her young adult novels have been optioned for TV or film, including Catch Me When You Fall, for which the prequel, Catch A Falling Star, was released in 2023.

Other awards include second place in the 2015 Bath Flash Fiction Award, second place in the 2018 Sunday Star Times Short Story competition, and runner-up in the Sunday Star Times Short Story competition.

Eileen completed a 30 week Fiction Writing Course through Creative Hub in 2013.

38 thoughts on “Eileen Merriman”

  1. Clever lady!
    How goes the family?
    I think we are leaving Canterbury and moving back to kerikeri but I’ll let you know when things are confirmed….
    Much love

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  4. I just finished Pieces Of You… WOW such a moving book. I was feeling every emotion that the characters were, it was amazing. The book was incredible and I would recommend it to anyone!

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  5. I finished pieces of you – such a good book I honestly deeply love the characters. Why did Cory have to die? I guess all good things have to come to an end. I’m dying to read you next book, it’s too long.

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  6. Hi Eileen.
    I have just finished reading ‘Pieces of You’ and thoroughly enjoyed it. As a mature and avid reader, I felt you captured the spirit of the youth of today. I found the characters well developed, and the book had a nice pace of intrigue about it. Look forward to your next book.
    Regards
    Nick

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  9. I’m a young romantic and love love love your two books pieces of you and catch me when you fall 💘 they are both amazing and sad. I can’t wait for your next book.

    Regards, rory

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  10. whoah this weblog is magnificent i love studyin yoour articles.
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  11. I recently bought both of your books and couldn’t put either of them down! They were honestly so incredible and amazing! I have struggled with mental health for a long time and reading your books made me feel as if I was not alone! You have an amazing gift and I am looking forward to reading your future work! Thank you for sharing your talent with the world 😊😊

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    1. Hi Ashleigh – thanks so much for letting me know! I’m glad the books felt genuine – it was a subject close to my heart. Hope you like the next one just as much 🙂
      Best wishes,
      Eileen

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  12. Hi Eileen,

    I just finished ‘Catch me when you fall’ some weeks ago and I loved, loved, loved it! It made me laugh, think, smile and cry, I just couldn’t put it down until I finished it. I just love your style of writing and the whole plot was amazing. What I love the most is the Kiwi-Spirit of the book, because I am only for six months in NZ and going back home to Germany soon, I loved reading about Christchurch, typical Kiwi habits and for sure, the Sheppards Pie! 😀
    I really can’t wait to read ‘Pieces of you’ next and I am already looking forward to the new book in March 2019. (Even though its still a while 😉 )

    Best wishes,
    Marie

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    1. Hi Marie
      Thanks so much for letting me know – I’m glad you enjoyed it and hope you enjoy Pieces of You too. I love Germany by the way – really enjoyed my previous visits to Bavaria and Berlin.
      Best wishes,
      Eileen

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  13. Oh my gosh. Pieces of you is officially my new favourite book. Reading has always been a passion of mine – despite the fact that I’m a teenager and I don’t know many other people my age who read books – but I read your book from start to finish without putting it down, it took me two hours to finish the whole thing haha. My next thing to do is buy your next book.

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    1. Thanks for letting me know! I hope you enjoy the next one just as much, and it’s great you have found reading. There is a whole world of books out there waiting for you! Best wishes, Eileen

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  14. Dear Eileen,
    I‘m a German woman in the age of 54, just traveling through NZ. In the beginning I found your book “catch me if I fall” and I couldn’t stop reading. It was so good to brush up my English! So I bought the other one -peaces of you- which I just finished. I couldn’t stop reading as well! Thanks for writing!
    I hope it’s possible to buy the next one in Germany- we have to leave this wonderful country after 10 weeks:-).
    Best regards!
    Silke Zacharias

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  15. Your short story “I Dare You” came up on my radar through an assignment in my MFA program. I wanted to drop a note and say that I enjoyed the story very much and among other things I thought it was both an interesting take on a difficult subject and a nice study in suspense. Good luck with your writing and best wishes.

    Ann Wycoff

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  16. I read ‘Catch Me When You Fall’ and it was breathtaking! The characters are so beautifully built up and the story-line is captivating from the very beginning. Eileen seems super hard working and very genuinely kind. So thank you for all that you do Eileen, your books mean so much to me!

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  17. Love your books after the new one now Regards Jill Te Kauru Pat Shepherds side kick !! keep it up hope alls well with you and yours .My family are ok thanx …

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  18. Hi Dr Merriman,
    Thank you so very much for your beautiful book Silence of Snow. It is the most accurate and realistic depiction that I have read of the stress, feeling of isolation and self doubt that junior doctors are faced with when starting in our profession. I know colleagues who have not been supported when they have experience patient complaints, poor outcomes and had their judgement come in question. Reading your book has made me think of so many ways we could better support one another and the importance of making sure our colleagues and friends really are ok. I will be recommending it far and wide! Please write more stories about our world!

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  19. I am sitting on a boat at Great Barrier and I have been reading The Silence of Snow all day. I’ve just finished at 10.41 pm and it’s totally quiet outside except for the moreporks. I’m feeling sad I’ve finished it and sad for the very real people in the book whose lives echo what has happened to friends of mine. But I’m also so very glad to have read your book- it was an accelerating emotional roller coaster that I didn’t want to get off. Thank you. Thank you.

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  20. Thank you so much for writing Invisibly Breathing! I think you must be a very understanding person, it felt like Felix and Bailey wrote it themselves because of how accurate the book was!

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