Based in Hokitika. As a child I had a ferocious imagination and immersed myself in creating stories and poems. One birthday I begged for a chemistry set, sensing the promise of adventure from the glittering vials of copper sulphate and salt. At that time, I didn’t know I was following in the footsteps of my grandfather who had studied science in Edinburgh in 1899. A further trace back into my Scottish ancestry uncovered an ancestor known as ‘the wizard’. So I could dabble with potions too, I gained a NZ Certificate in Science (Chemistry) and worked in a variety of laboratories (salt, meat, dairy and wine) in NZ and Australia. The wine tasted the best! During my 5 years in Adelaide, Australia, I completed several writing courses at the WEA. When my partner, son (5 months), dog and I moved back to NZ we lived in a house truck for 3 years while our off-the-grid house was planned and built. During this period I wrote on a solar powered laptop and completed many correspondence courses from the AWA. I write adult fantasy and children’s novels. - NZSA