After graduating from the University of Canterbury, Jenny Abrahamson worked as a scientist at the DSIR for 7 years, before spending time at home raising 3 children. She then worked at the University of Canterbury library for over 20 years.

Martin Brenstrum was born in New Plymouth in 1946, grew up in Wellington, and then spent his working life in Hawkes Bay and the Taihape district, initially as a primary school teacher from 1969-1997, and then as a possum control contractor from 1997–2009.

Through the period 1972–1996 he hunted red and sika deer in the Ruahines, Kawekas, Kaimanawas and Ahimanawas, in part to supplement his income and latterly entirely for recreation. Photographing deer also became an interest and in time he involved his family in many of his hunting experiences.

Nathalie Brown has been a bookseller, broadcaster, publicist, oral history compiler and freelance writer.

Since 1982 her arts, travel,heritage, business and life-style features have appeared in newspapers and magazines in Australia, New Zealand and the USA. Her documentaries have been broadcast on ABC National Radio and Radio New Zealand National Programme.

She won REINZ awards for Excellence in Property Journalism in 2003, 2004 and 2006 for portfolios of features carried in NZ House & Garden.

Joe Charles was born in Timaru, his parents both from Central Otago pioneer families. He wrote his first ballad at the age of ten and submitted it to his Correspondence School teacher, who expressed a wish that he put as much effort into his school work as into rhyming ramblings. Fortunately he took little notice of this initial discouragement and went on to be one of New Zealand’s best known ballad writers.

Amanda Cropp is an award winning Christchurch journalist who began writing a diary about life post-quake for the Australian Women’s Weekly. When it was published overwhelmingly positive reader feedback inspired her to keep the diary going and turn it into a book.

Olga was born in Japanese occupied Shanghai in 1942, the daughter of Russian émigrés who had escaped from the Bolsheviks. In 1948 she, her sister and widowed mother, Sonechka, fled to the USA just before Shanghai fell to the Communists. Olga lived her early life in Shanghai’s French Concession where her father worked as an interpreter. Olga met and married John in 1962 in Paris. He was a young New Zealand doctor and both were working at the American Hospital of Paris. Their book is based on her mother’s memoirs and stories of Sonechka’s escape from Russia in 1924 and also the stories she told Olga of her father, a St Petersburg aristocrat. Olga and John lived in the south east of England for many years where John was a consultant rheumatologist. In 2002 they retired to Christchurch, New Zealand, John’s home town. In Russian At Heart, Olga and her history-buff husband, John, have skillfully woven a remarkable personal story into the momentous historical events of the 20th century.

To learn more, visit the author's website: http://www.olgahawkes.co.nz.

Born in Cambridge in the Waikato, Geoff Haworth taught English and history in four North Island secondary schools before training for ordained ministry in the Anglican Church. He has also spent a year as travelling New Zealand lecturer at the Commonwealth Institute, based in London, and visiting schools throughout England and Wales. Geoff is now Associate Ministry Adviser for the Diocese of Christchurch, a canon of Christchurch Cathedral, Archdeacon of Mid-Canterbury, and enabler to three ministry units. Until recently, he was vicar of St Paul’s, Papanui, in Christchurch, and has also served in the Diocese of Auckland.

Jenny Haworth is novelist, non-fiction writer and journalist. She has written for international book publishers, for many New Zealand and international magazines and for most major newspapers throughout New Zealand. She has a life-long love of history and the arts and has an MA in history. Over the years she has specialised in writing about the history of the New Zealand fishing industry as well as novels that tell the story of New Zealand’s past. Art history is another specialty. Wily Publications was set up by Jenny Haworth in an attempt to help newer writers gain publication.

Les Hill, a retired school teacher, lives in Hokitika, on the South Island’s wild West Coast. Les has had a passion for trout fishing for more than sixty years and during the last four decades has become a well-respected angling author and photographer. He has been a regular contributor to Fish and Game Magazine and to other magazines, in both New Zealand and abroad. He has also either authored or co-authored seven books on trout fishing.

Francesca Horsley has a Master of Creative and Performing Arts (Dance) (Hons) and is senior lecturer in Communication and Writing, Manukau Institute of Technology, Auckland.

Peter R. Jackson, who is now in his nineties, served with the Suffolk Regiment in World War II. He wrote this memoir for his second wife, Aileen, to show her what had happened in his life. He arrived in New Zealand in the 1950s as an employee of Fletcher’s and has lived here ever since. He has always written but this is his first published book.

Allan Marriott has an extensive background in education, community development and primary health.

John La Roche, MNZM, BE (Civil), FIPENZ, graduated from Auckland University in 1962 and worked in London for Ove Arup and Partners before returning to New Zealand where he was involved in the design and supervision of engineering projects around Auckland. In 1968 he joined the water treatment company, Paterson Candy International, being involved in the design and commissioning of new water treatment projects including large plants for Hamilton and New Plymouth cities. In 1975 he moved to the bulk water department of the Auckland Regional Authority where he became responsible for the design of water treatment plants.

In 1988 he and others established the voluntary charity Water for Survival, raising funds for water supply and sanitation in developing countries. John took early retirement in 1992 and managed the charity with his wife, providing assistance to over 500,000 under-privileged people. Water for Survival joined Oxfam in 2003 leaving John with time to join the IPENZ Auckland Engineering Heritage committee where he became Chairman in 2007.

Tom H. Percy was born, raised and lived in Toronto, Canada until he emigrated to New Zealand in 2003. He has spent over forty years writing in various genres including song-writing, business writing, sub-editing, website content and feature writing.

Since shifting to Marlborough in 2006, he has contributed many articles and features to the Marlborough Express, and also does freelance writing for other Marlborough businesses.

Dagmar Simon (PhD) completed her doctorate in Dance Studies at The University of Auckland and has published articles and book chapters about her dance research internationally.

Author Martin Sims (a maternal grandson of West-Watson) has carried out extensive research into West-Watson’s life and work, aided by a treasure trove of personal diaries and correspondence gathered from around the world. In addition he has carried out research in many church and secular archives in New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Australia. His original research into West-Watson’s life led to the award of a Master of Philosophy degree from Macquarie University in Sydney in 2010.

Martin lives in Australia and is a frequent visitor to New Zealand where several West-Watson grand-children and their families still live.

Raewyn Thorburn has choreographed for dance companies including Movement Theatre, Limbs, Footnote, Touch Compass and Curve. Her teaching has included UNITEC, ACE and University of Auckland programmes. She co-founded Dance and the Child International (NZ) and initiated the Auckland Dance Educators Network (ADEN).

Pat Unger was born in the Waikato and shifted south to Christchurch with her family in 1967. In 1975-76 she was a student at Christchurch Polytech and after completing the two-year full time Graphic Design course, attended the University of Canterbury, gaining a Diploma of Fine Arts (Painting) in 1979. Since then she has exhibited in solo, group, invited and travelling shows.

From 1986 to 1993, Pat was art critic (and senior art critic) for The Press, art commentator for Art New Zealand and Preview, journal of the Canterbury Society of Arts, CSA, now the Centre of Contemporary Art, CoCA, Christchurch.

Wellington author, Rosemary Wildblood, worked for the Arts Council, currently known as Creative New Zealand, for many years, and now sits on the boards of various literary bodies. She has published poetry and fiction in journals and anthologies, and one novel, Joybird (David Ling, 2004), which reached No 4 on the Booksellers New Zealand Bestseller list. Her awards include the Lillian Ida Smith Award, the ITC Award for Communication, the NZSA/Readers Digest/Stout Fellowship and the Bravado International Poetry Award.

Since February 2007, Karen Zelas has been Fiction Editor of Takahe literary magazine. Previous editorial experience includes terms as Consulting Editor of the NZ Family Law Journal, and a member of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Child Abuse and Neglect.

Her poetry and short stories have been published in a variety of New Zealand literary magazines and anthologies and read on air. She was a Guest Reader at the Canterbury Poets’ Collective Autumn Readings 2008.

For more about Karen Zelas, visit her website: http://www.karenzelas.com.