ABOUT ME
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BACKGROUND
Well how I arrived here, went something like this:
After a couple of my favourite TV shows, Sons of Anarchy and Justified had finished, I thought I'd rather like to write a story. Then it was design a website and get involved in 'social media' and at my age that's quite a challenge, but here I am.
I have no background in writing, (other than writing the usual school essays and being told I was quite good at it), but I do have a background in design. My desire to do something with art came about at a very young age. I guess I was about eight and I remember waiting and waiting for Sunday night, as that was when Walt Disney's 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' was on - well part one of it, part two was to play the next Sunday. Yes, I am over 50 and in those days, believe you me it was quite something to watch a Walt Disney film for anyone lucky enough to have a TV. So my brother, sister and I sat huddled at the legs of our parents and from that day on all I drew was Snow White and the Queen. It appeared I had some ability. I remember going to my grandparents for the weekend and instead of getting the weekend treat of one ginormous ice-cream, from the friendly man at the local corner dairy, I spotted the Disney Snow White comic and as that was pretty much the same price, I got it. I treasured that comic but alas it went astray over the years but thanks to Ebay and Trade-me, I now have several versions along with a bit of a collection of the old-art of Snow White, ranging from books to cards to figurines etc.
I still love painting and the backgrounds that are painted on this site are my own, (mostly so I don't get done for breeching any copyright laws). In fact the reason I went down the self-publishing road was because I really wanted to design my own cover, as to me the cover is just as important as what's inside.
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FAMILY
I live in Auckland, New Zealand with my husband John, son Roy and daughter Hayley. We live close to the sea and only minutes from the city. My mother is still alive and is in good health at 88. My father died when he was 65 and Roy and Hayley never met him - such a shame. My husband's parents are also dead but Roy and Hayley did get to know them. I have a brother who is living in London with his wife and their two children; a sister living in Belgium with her husband; my husband's eldest sister and her husband live a few minutes from us; the second eldest sister is in Melbourne, Australia with her partner and the younger sister and her husband are in Sacramento, America. I guess you could say we are quite 'global'.
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ANIMALS
Yes we have them. Bubbles - one beautiful, slightly rotund black panther-like cat and Sparkles - one beautiful, skinny, rather neurotic, needy, but very cute (when the time is right) cat. They get on well - most of the time. Bubbles scratches the furniture and Sparkles wees on it. They're not perfect but we love them all the same - most of time. We also have fish and if lucky the occasional frog.
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LOVES
Talking about my book and how it would make a great film or TV series to anyone who will listen. Really love anyone who is still listening after I start. Especially love anyone that agrees.
ART - Favourite artist is New Zealand artist Colin McCahon.
FILMS - Favourite has to be Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Love - A Simple Plan • The Ledge • The Last of the Mohicans • No Country for Old men • The Shawshank redemption • Titanic and too many more to list.
TV SHOWS - Favourite shows are Sons of Anarchy • Justified • The Americans • Bates Motel • The Affair • Trust • Grand Designs • Masterchef, and My Kitchen Rules and if I had to pick some type of reality show it would be Million Dollar listing LA.
BOOKS - Favourite book is hard because their are many but the ones that come to mind are - Road to Paradise - Paullina Simons • Fortune's Rocks - Anita Shreve • The Slap - Christos Tsiolkas • A Simple Plan - Scott Smith
Love PAINTING (when I get the time), GARDENING and ARCHITECTURE, going to the THEATRE, (Phantom of the Opera is my favourite) or to the BALLET (Swan Lake or Giselle top the list) with Hayley, (so love the sets and the magic that is created), TRAVELLING, COOKING (especially with chilli or designing something pretty like the edible flower cheesecake for Xmas a couple of years ago) and TENNIS.
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