I was born on the wild West Coast of the South Island, and brought up in a book-loving, story-telling family. I live in Christchurch with my whānau of artists, inventors and tinkerers. I am the author of two previously published picture books: The Reluctant Little Flower Girl (illustrated by Jenny Cooper, published by Mallinson Rendel in 2008) and Milly Maloo and the Miracle Glue (illustrated by Sarah Nelisiwe Anderson, Scholastic NZ 2011). I was shortlisted six times for the Joy Cowley Award before winning it in 2022, published in Flash Frontier and in the Australian publication for children The School Magazine.