Braefern (the farm name) is an ideal place for writing. I love the quiet, the views and the space, yet we are close enough to the city to not feel isolated - unless the river floods. Even this is part of our wonderful lifestyle and usually only closes the road for a few hours. The history of the land around me has had a big influence in my writing and at the moment I'm working on a novel set in the local hills.

Puhipuhi is now a farming and forestry district but in the early 1890s it was set to be a boom town with the discovery of silver. Locals still explore the old shafts. Covered in over a hundred years of re-growth the mines are a fascinating and dangerous place - great setting for a novel.

I still write the occasional short story and article and am also in the process or redesigning the Hukerenui book for a new edition. This will be released later in the year and available through this website.

Spending my time between my family, NorthTec, and my writing keeps me busy and makes for a rich and rewarding lifestyle.