Braefern (the farm name) is an ideal place for writing. I love the quiet, the views and the space, yet we are close enough to the city to not feel isolated - unless the river floods. Even this is part of our wonderful lifestyle and usually only closes the road for a few hours. The history of the land around me has had a big influence in my writing and at the moment I'm working on a novel set in the local hills.

Puhipuhi is now a farming and forestry district but in the early 1890s it was set to be a boom town with the discovery of silver. Locals still explore the old shafts. Covered in over a hundred years of re-growth the mines are a fascinating and dangerous place - great setting for a novel.

Spending my time between my family, NorthTec, and my writing keeps me busy and makes for a rich and rewarding lifestyle.