I think it can be terribly easy to fall into the trap of feeling embarrassed or unsure about celebrating your achievements. For a long time I would laugh and say any wins on my scoreboard were a fluke, or a mistake. I would deflect the compliments and play down my hard work. I can’t even
It was a glorious, sunny day in Wellington yesterday. I had planned to spend most of it writing and editing, but common sense told me that I should make the most of the pleasant weather before it changed again. Locals may say, “You can’t beat Welly on a good day,” but equally, you don’t really
This weekend ended up being the One Where I Didn’t Do Things. I didn’t go to a social meet-up I had been planning to go to due to feeling unwell. I didn’t send off a story before a submission deadline because I realised it needed a lot more work to properly shine. I didn’t work
I woke up this morning to find I had been tagged in an awesome yet terrifying tweet — a friend of mine had included me and my anthology, “Dark Winds Over Wellington,” in a list of must-read female dark fiction writers. I’ve read all of the other books she listed and they are absolutely tremendous.
There is a sign on State Highway 2 near where I live in New Zealand aimed at motorcyclists. It says: “Even the best can get better.” Each time I drive past it, it makes me smile, because it speaks to me not as a motorcycle owner, but as an artist and writer, passionate about what
Something incredibly exciting is coming to Wellington in 2020. The international science fiction and fantasy convention, Worldcon, will take place in the capital city of New Zealand under the name of CoNZealand. Taking place over five days, from the 29th July to the 2nd August, it promises to be a veritable cornucopia of science fiction
Listen to “Heat Pump” read by Tabatha Wood. Taken from “Dark Winds Over Wellington: Chilling Tales of the Weird & the Strange” (2019). One of the best parts of being an English teacher, I always felt, was reading aloud to the class. Even the most rowdy of students could be lulled into quiet concentration with
My brain is being an asshole. I don’t mind admitting that at all. Sometimes it does this, and I know it will pass, but while I’m floundering in that deep, dark hole, everything pretty much sucks. On the positive side, I’ve used it as a catalyst for some extremely dark new stories, which I absolutely
“Be happy while you’re living, for you’re a long time dead.” My nana, a small and quiet yet resilient Scottish woman, used to regularly say this phrase to me. My mother often echoed the sentiment as she got older. I’ve been told it’s a Scottish proverb of sorts. Regardless of where it comes from, it
Inspired by the late David Bowie’s 100 Favourite Books, I’ve recently been adding to my own list of the one hundred books which have inspired me, changed me, thrilled me or simply mean a whole lot to me. I’ve finally finished it, and it’s a real mixed bag. I read a lot from a wide