Your occupation, job title, artistic discipline (or very brief description of what you do):

I’m an adult fiction writer/author… as well as being mum to two busy children and homeschool teacher to my son. I also have a bachelor’s in speech-language therapy and have worked in both hospitals and with children with additional needs. My debut novel Hannah & Huia is in stores now.

What cities/towns have you lived in (or spent more than a few months in) beginning with the place of your birth?

Tamahere/Hamilton, Christchurch, Hamilton (again), Hastings, Auckland, and then Tauranga. I’d love to live abroad, but maybe that will come after the children leave home.

What is the most rewarding aspect of writing for you?

Creating stories that resonate with readers; bringing less-talked-about topics (such as mental illness) into the open; and the little buzz within when a reader messages to say your words have given them hope, comfort, or just a short break from reality.

 

What are the earliest stories you remember hearing? The ones that told you about the world?

I was always drawn to stories like Pollyanna, Anne of Green Gables, and The Secret Garden. They offered messages of hope, the importance of finding the positives in life, and (like most children’s stories) reassurance that everything will turn out okay in the end.

What’s your favourite Bay of Plenty landscape, park, building, location, suburb, or side street? Why?

Anywhere I can connect with the sea or the land—Kaiate Falls, Johnson Reserve, Waikareao Estuary, Ōhope Beach. The list could go on and on. The Bay of Plenty landscape was one of the reasons my husband and I moved from Auckland to start our family.

What’s an average day in your life at present?

If my alarm doesn’t wake me, my son running in at full volume to show me his latest Lego creation usually does the trick. The day is then filled with homeschooling my son, trying to get in a bit of writing during his morning tea and/or lunch breaks, and playing taxi to our two kids’ multitude of after-school activities. After the children are in bed, I try to get in a bit more writing (which is often a case of write a few sentences, delete just as many), read (mostly other New Zealand authors), and check in on my author socials (feeling a mini buzz when someone instantly hearts my post… only to retract mini buzz when I see it was hubby).

Have you ever faced writer’s block? If so, how did you overcome it?

All the time!!! I can stare at the computer screen for a whole writing session and come up with nothing. I think for me, it’s about not being overly hard on myself. Some days the words will flow, other days they won’t. Taking a break, going for a walk, or just sitting in the sun can help spark new ideas.

Looking back at your teenage self: what one sentence describes that person?

Quiet, creative, and unnecessarily hard on myself. Hmm, maybe not that much has changed…

 

What do you consider to be the most important element of a good story?

Memorable and relatable characters. Even after the plot fades from memory, you want your characters to keep lingering in the reader’s mind.

If you had to eat the same meal every day, what would it be?

Roast lamb drenched in mint sauce with crispy roasted kūmara and potatoes, followed by a bowl of fresh fruit salad… and a couple of squares of Dairy Milk chocolate, because I could never live without my not-so-secret indulgence.

Who are your favourite or most admired figures from history?

Hellen Keller would be somewhere at the top of my list. It was actually because of her story that I went on to study speech-language therapy. The messages she imparted on the world have had a huge impact on my life: perseverance and determination, empathy and compassion, resilience in the face of adversity… the list goes on.

Who are some of your favorite authors, and how have they influenced your writing?

I’m a massive fan of New Zealand authors. We have so much talent in this country that my list could go for miles. Seeing other New Zealand authors excel reminds me that, despite our country’s relatively small size, our stories are just as important, and we still have an essential place within the literary world.

In one sentence, can you define art?

Art is the expression of creativity and imagination, whether that be through words, the visual arts, performing arts, culinary arts, etc.

 

What was your first real job, second, third?

I picked mushrooms at a mushroom farm when I was in my late teens… and came home with black snot from all the spores. I worked as a support worker to allow children with additional needs to partake in school holiday programmes. Following the completion of my degree, I have worked in various hospitals as a Speech-Language Therapist (SLT). I have also worked as both an SLT and teacher aide for children with additional needs.

What word of advice would you offer an aspiring creative person?

Don’t put off starting because you think you’re not good enough or you don’t have the time. Everyone had to start somewhere and none of us are perfect—we’re still learning each and every day. Start small, even just five minutes every other day. It took me six years to write my debut novel Hannah & Huia, but if you don’t start, you can’t ever finish.

Be kind to yourself, but don’t let excuses get in the way.

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