The author of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is in New Zealand for Auckland's Writers Festival promoting his new book My Brother's Name is Jessica.
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas tells the story of a friendship between a German boy and a Jewish boy during the holocaust.
John Boyne's new book explores what it is to be transgender. He told TVNZ1's Breakfast a lot of his writing is around discovering identity.
"Quite a bit is [inspired by my own experience]. I think growing up in Ireland in the 80s and 90s where I was gay, well it was illegal. So naturally as a writer it is one of the things that feeds into the writing that you do.
"Gender politics and sexual politics seems to have come increasingly into my work in the last seven or eight years."
The festival runs from the 13-19 May.
Watch the full interview above.
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