Welcome!
I write with honesty and a belief in the power of healing threaded throughout my books and the posts in this section.
These posts are snippets of the hard and the beautiful bits of my life. I hope you find something here that speaks to you, lifts your spirit, or simply makes you feel less alone.
I email these snippets out every two weeks. Join the newsletter here to have them delivered straight to your inbox.
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Congratulations and Spring in Winter?
Dear Reader Congratulations! I am humbled and cheered by the evidence I see all around me of the resilience and strength people display during the struggles facing us all as we navigate our way through life. Sometimes, though, I look at someone’s success and cheerfulness in their triumph and forget that there’s no such thing…
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Wisdom shared from a Canadian Grandma given 60 years ago
Dear Reader A Reader’s Story I love to hear your stories! And I was thrilled to be given permission to share this grandmother’s story shared by a fellow creative at our Book Club last Thursday. Below is a photo of her grandmother. Grandma Gillin Grandma Gillin was a pioneer of the Women’s Institute in Bruntwood,…
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Conversations – another C Word
Dear Reader A Conversation between us Just when I think I’ve thought of all the “C Words” to share with you, I come across an article that strikes a chord in my soul and briefly uses a C word in a way that has so much meaning for me I just have to discuss it…
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Courage and connection come unexpectedly
Attending an author event can be scary. I learned that connecting with readers and other authors is fun and an important part of my life as an author.
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Taking one step at a time
Dear Reader Taking baby steps … And bit by bit, making progress! I’m so excited to share this with you! If you’ve spent some time around me, you’ve probably heard me say “I want to live to 140!” It’s a goal I’ve had for a long long time. You might also have heard me tell…
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The joy of finding Courage
Dear Reader An Easter Adventure Neil and I share a passion for volunteering at the Waitakaruru Sculpture Park and Arboretum near our city of Hamilton. Every couple of weeks we spend a few hours in the Rock Garden, weeding, tidying and making sure the cactus plants are safe for visitors to walk beside. The Park…
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A Book Review
Dear Reader A book review Today I’d like to devote this newsletter to reviewing a book that I think we all will have need of sometime in our lives. It’s Grief is Love, a book by Michelle Blythen which tells of her ongoing journey after the tragic loss of her only child, her son Zane…
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Why C Words?
Dear Reader Why “C” Words? I was asked why I choose words starting with C. It’s made me reflect on events of the past few years and brought in floods of gratitude for members of the Whanau Group who engulfed me with their love and taught me how to get back in touch with the…
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Overcoming the fear
A “C” Word I’m grateful for. Dear Reader A Brief Comment It’s a long discussion about my choice of C word for this newsletter. I debated whether to make it even longer! Fear is so inhibiting and I mention two – my fears of drowning and of heights. My discussion centres on the drowning one.…
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Of Adventures and building memories
An Adventureand a favourite “C” Word Dear Reader A long awaited adventure Waikato River runs through Hamilton For my birthday last September, Neil gave me the gift of a Hot Air Balloon ride. Weather and other events intervened and the adventure never made it to the calendar. I’d nearly forgotten about it when Neil suggested…