My favourite winter read would be The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. It’s a coming of age story of a girl, stuck in her parents’ turbulent relationship. The whole book leads toward winter in Alaska in the 1970’s, foreshadowing the trapped and dark days to come. It is not a very festive book though, on …
It’s hot here in New Zealand at Christmastime. Well, it is meant to be. So this is kind of a funny topic for me to host. I am part of a group of book bloggers who share recommendations. In December, I’m taking part in the Holiday Hop, a series of articles with a Christmas theme. …
This is like choosing my favourite child! I’ve had another year of reading fantastic books, but unfortunately it is time to sort the naughty from the nice. Any of my top five would make a great read. Join me on Goodreads to see the full list of books I have devoured. This year, I’ve included …
The New Zealand writing competitions are listed by deadline. Scroll to the bottom for more paying markets. This site is updated often so please subscribe to keep up to date with opportunities. From the number of people looking at this site for writing contests, I can see there are lots of other kiwis looking for creative opportunities. …
My son has reached that reading level where he can recommend books for me to read, if he thinks I’ll enjoy them. He is almost 11 but reading at about a 15-year level. He has read every Percy Jackson book and raves about the book Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow, which he tells me …
If you haven’t read Part 1, you can find it here. The third time I felt Death’s cold touch was the 22nd of February, 2011 when the city around me trembled and collapsed. 155 people, who were going about their business as normal, lost their lives in the Christchurch earthquake. It was a magnitude 6.3 …
Jimmy decided not to jump, that is all he knew for sure. He had stepped back from the edge. He would stop drinking this time. Now, he shivered at the top of the cliff. The ledge was only a metre of crumbling clay below his feet. Don’t look down. He wrenched himself up over the …
Anyone who knows me knows that I am slightly obsessed by all things Outlander (or Cross Stitch as the books were called here). In fact, the detail and mood of the writing inspired me to write in the first place. I have read a lot of novels trying to find the high of Diana Gabaldon’s …
Have you written a short story that you think will resonate with women? Maybe you like scribbling flash fiction. Try one of these women’s writing competitions. Sorry lads, these are just for the ladies. Listed in order of deadline Open to international authors unless listed otherwise. Also check out my list of writing competitions open …
Ladies only – Short Fiction Contests 2018 – 2019 Read More »
What if you knew the date of your death? How would that affect how you lived? This is the central question posed to the reader in the novel, The Immortalists. The four siblings of the Gold family go to a fortune-teller in New York, 1969. She gives each child a date and the story follows …