Behind the halls: Meet the author
Discover the storyteller behind 'The Halls' series. Learn about the journey, the inspirations, and the personal touches that bring the world of William Marsden Hall to life. Dive into the mind shaping these characters and their unforgettable New Zealand university experiences.
Beyond the keyboard: A glimpse into my world
When I’m not writing The Halls, I’m usually thinking about it anyway — building character backstories, sketching future scenes, or figuring out how different stories connect across the series. I also write a companion project under a pseudonym — Dink: Diary of a Wairoa Boy — which lets me explore the same world from a more personal, diary-style perspective. A fun little detail: I’m a bit obsessed with structure and continuity, so a lot of what happens in the books has been quietly planned far in advance. If something feels like a small throwaway moment… it probably isn’t.
From dorm room antics to published pages: The origin of 'The Halls'
The Halls actually began as a screenplay, but the idea reaches back much further. In the 1990s, during university, a small set of short stories titled Cashel 2 was created as a way to keep a group of friends amused and to laugh at themselves while living in a hall of residence. The stories were set in a different city, in a hall called William Marsden House — a name that stayed in the background for decades and eventually evolved into William Marsden Hall, or “Bill Mars,” in the current series. Those early pieces were playful, exaggerated snapshots of student life — the kind of stories that only make sense when you’ve shared kitchens, hallways, and late-night conversations with the same people. The idea never really left. Years later, it resurfaced as a screenplay about a university residence and the people living inside it. As the concept developed, it became clear that the world and its characters had more depth than a single script could hold, and the project expanded into the novel series that became The Halls. A couple of the original characters from those early stories have carried through into this universe and are now part of the official canon — a quiet link between where the idea began and where it has grown to. At its heart, The Halls still captures that same experience: the chaos, humour, and personal growth that come from living alongside others while everyone is figuring out who they are.
Aotearoa's heartbeat: New Zealand's influence on 'The Halls'
New Zealand has a strong influence on the tone, atmosphere, and everyday details of The Halls. The series draws on the rhythms of New Zealand university life — the way halls of residence function, the social dynamics, the humour, and the shared experiences that come with moving away from home for the first time. Those elements give the world its grounding and sense of authenticity. While the characters and storylines are fictional, many of the small details come from real familiarity with student life in New Zealand: the layout of halls, the open-door culture, the mix of backgrounds and identities, and the balance between independence and community that defines that environment. The setting also reflects the wider New Zealand context — its culture, language, and everyday moments — which shape how the characters interact, form relationships, and understand themselves. The result is a fictional story that feels rooted in a real place, capturing a version of New Zealand student life that is recognisable, specific, and true to its setting.
"The hope is that readers take away a sense that growth is possible, that friendships can evolve, and that belonging often comes from the people you choose to stand beside. Above all, The Halls is about connection — to place, to other people, and to yourself."
The author of The Halls