Blog

  • Worldbuilding, First Drafts and Fishing…

    Last week I finally got my hands on a physical copy of my latest book, Heartstone. Once again, it was a strange and exhilarating feeling. Up until that moment, even…
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  • Living in a Fantasy World: Writing in New Zealand

    I was not at all surprised to discover that Amazon Studios is following Peter Jackson’s lead by filming its new Lord of the Rings series in New Zealand. As a…
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  • Reader Reviews: The Writer’s Cheerleaders.

    The modern world seems to revolve around reviews these days, and very helpful that is too — especially when booking a hotel in a place you’ve never been. If you…
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  • Chuck your Undies at some Indies: Supporting Independent Creatives

    I’ve always associated the enthusiastic act of tossing underwear with rockstars and the 1970s: colourful and smelly festivals come to mind, with besotted, wild-eyed youngsters doing the flinging. To my…
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  • Why Write Fantasy?

    ‘So, you’re a writer?’ Insert pause of variable length. ‘What do you write?’ I think I’m getting better at handling conversations that begin this way, and, happily, after writing hundreds of…
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  • Needs More Tui: New Daily Routines

    Becoming a full-time writer and publisher means developing a whole new way of working, and different routines – ones specifically designed to help me reach my creative goals. Over the…
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  • Giving up the Day Job: From School Principal to Indie Writer

    There’s a bridge in Nelson, near where we live. Every summer, the locals go there to leap off into the pure, cold river below. It’s a long drop — and…
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