Sea Change is a novel is set in the present time in a small coastal New Zealand settlement An earthquake followed by a large tsunami has devastated the small community. Mandated retreat is announced. This government decision has been manipulated by Adrian Stokes, a wealthy and powerful businessman who has designs on the mandated settlement... Continue Reading →

Naming places can be a very important way of claiming ownership. The New Zealand Company when they arrived in Port Nicholson in 1840 busily set about naming every bay, hill, beach and rise. When it seemed the town which is now Wellington was going to be settled at Petone (Pito One in those days, the... Continue Reading →

There were many lovely texts and emails in to Radio New Zealand during my interview with Kim Hill last Saturday. Thank you for your memories of old times and far places. I got to read most of them. If you missed the interview and are interested, you can listen here. Harbouring seems to be tracking... Continue Reading →

Harbouring is being rolled out now and should be available everywhere by 5th April. Harbouring is in some ways similar and in others different from my earlier work. It is historical and set in Wellington – my home town - between 1839 and 1844. This is earlier than I have explored or tried to imagine... Continue Reading →

Well it seems as if there won’t be a book launch, in the form that we know it, for Harbouring. In covid times it’s too uncertain for bookshops and publishers to prepare and market a launch. Understandable. Our launches have been family events where a song was specially written ( by Laughton and me) and... Continue Reading →