I have various degrees of affiliation with the characters of the books I write. The experience of being the character, occupying their bodies, mind, and spirit is not a unique experience unto me. Many, if not most writers of novels, short stories are granted this gift when they scribe the narratives of their stories. However, for me, this experience …
My whakapapa on my father’s father’s side of the family goes back to Opunake, Te Atiawa (Taranaki Maori Iwi/tribe). I’ve felt that connection flowing through my veins like a persistent warmth for my entire existence in my body, but not as strong as when I came back to Te Ika a Maui in late 2002 from Vancouver, …
In 2008 I was told by spirit to make book trailers when such forms of media and marketing were non-existent, or in their fledgling status. The concept of visualising a book synopsis felt more like creating a showreel for feature films or television series. With the help of Preston McNeil at Executive Beige and sound engineer James Jackson, I conceptualised, created, produced, directed, …
Setting very strong boundaries has been an issue for me my entire life experience in this body. I grew up in a home where violence was a daily occurrence. My father was verbally and physically abusive, his raging anger and alcoholism had a better marriage than both his other two marital contracts ever did. As a consequence of this, …