For the last few months I have been involved in Nelson's STEM Writing Group - STEM standing for Second Tuesday of Every Month (which has, in fact, extended now to the second and fourth Tuesday of Every Month (SFTEM???)). This Wednesday at the Honest Lawyer Country Pub we will be launching our second Lunch Books collection of writings from the group. Each book is designed to introduce or feature four different writers from the previous collection who are a part of the group, and I was fortunate enough to be allowed to contribute four of my stories to this collection. The collection has a wide range of topics, from exploring the worlds of different cultures, to war-time conflicts, from private investigator mysteries, to exploring space and time. It is bound to be a collection that all readers will find something enjoyable in. 

We have a fabulous woman who runs the group, but because she has a very busy schedule and couldn't commit full-time to the collating and production this time around, I offered my services and helped to edit and get it ready before sending it to the printers. One of the writers also contributed her own painting for the cover. And keeping with all things local, it was printed by Copy Press who reside in Tahunanui and do many publications.

All are welcome to the event which starts at 5:30 and will feature a special guest who  has come up from Christchurch to open the launch for us (so secret that not even I know who it is!!).

• 5.30, Wednesday November 23rd
  The Honest Lawyer Country Pub, end of Songer Street, Monaco (Nelson, New Zealand)
  

Bring your friends. There will be food and books!

Kaituhi Rāwhiti Two is the new collection of writings from the East Coast of New Zealand's North Island and will be launched on the 16th of December at the Waikanae Surf Lifesaving Club, Gisborne.

One short-story and two poems written by myself were graciously accepted and are included. It makes me very proud to have my writings accepted by my fellow Gizzy Authors, and included in amongst other writers from the region.

I was born in Tūranganui-a-Kiwa and grew up on some of the surrounding farmlands - Te Karaka, Tiniroto, Waingake - and moved into town at 11 years of age. I remember writing my first story at about the age of 9 or 10, and continued on from there, self-publishing my first and second novels on Amazon, and designing and producing my first collection of poetry and prose The Tasman Journey myself, financing, printing and distributing the book to numerous Paper Plus and independent book stores throughout the North Island from my car.

Although I have lived elsewhere throughout Aotearoa, and have currently returned to The Tasman District, it is, without doubt, Te Tairāwhiti where I feel most at home: it is the place I grew into my teenage years, it is the place I always returned to as an adult, and throughout my poetry, stories, and many other pieces of writing, Tūranganui-a-Kiwa is never far from my thoughts. 

Many thanks to Regina de Wolf-Ngarimu for the support and encouragement; to the editors and staff who worked on the book, and Gillian Moon and Aaron Compton.