The Resumé
Education:
Graduate Diploma in Journalism Studies, Massey University
Bachelor of Education degree with Auckland University
Diploma of Teaching with Auckland College of Education
Work Experience:
Primary Teacher at Intermediate and Primary levels
Editor of Kiwi Write4Kidz newsletter
Co-ordinator of Kiwi Wrte4Kidz workshops
Speaker at REALM Conference, Palmerston North 2013
Panel Speaker at Golden Yarns Conference, Christchurch 2013
Panel Speaker at SCBWI conference, Sydney, 2012
Lecturer and tutor, Massey University Summer programme 'Writing for Children'
Writing workshops for adults: Ashton Wylie, Storylines, Kiwi Write4Kidz
Writing workshops for children in schools
Writer in school with New Zealand Book Council, Getting Kids into Books speaker agency, Speakers Ink
Panel Speaker at SCBWI conference, Sydney, 2012 and 2016
Writing Experience:
Trade Books
'FInd Out: Volcanoes' (Dorling Kindersley, 2016) worldwide''
'ANZAC Heroes' illustrated by Marco Ivancic (Scholastic, 2016) Australia and New Zealand
'New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame' (New Holland, 2014)
'The Last of the Maui's dolphins' (New Holland, 2014)
'Running Our Country: A look inside New Zealand's Government' (New Holland, 2013)
'Eruption! Discovering New Zealand Volcanoes' (New Holland, 2012)
'The Call of the Kokako' (New Holland, 2011)
'New Zealand's Hall of Fame: 50 Remarkable Kiwis' (New Holland, 2011)
'Rangitoto' (Penguin Books, 2009)
'Save Our Seas' (New Holland, 2009)
'Eco-agents mission: Save our Planet' (New Holland, 2009)
'Dogs on the Job' to be (Reed, 2008)
'Operation Nest Egg' (Reed, 2007)
'Bird's-eye View' (Penguin Books, 2006)
'Homework Powerpack' (Zenith Publishing, 2005)
Digital Books
'Operation Nest Egg Chick' (Pixel Books, 2013)
'The Rock Standing in the Ocean' (Pixel Books, 2013)
Long White Cloud Books imprint
'Rangitoto' (distributed by South Pacific Books, 2014)
'Operation Nest Egg Chick' (distributed by South Pacific Books, 2014)
Educational Books
'The Ancient City of Ur'
(Learning Media, 2012) America
'The Inventive Lewis Latimer' (Learning
Media, 2012) America
'Changing Landscapes' (Learning
Media, 2012) America
'A Microscopic World' (Learning
Media, 2012) America
'The Power of a Team' (Learning
Media, 2012) America
'Save this Space' (Learning Media,
2012) America
'Local Leaders: Pass It On' (Learning
Media, 2010) America
'Digging Up a Story: Water Across the Land' (Learning
Media, 2010) America
'The Shape of the Land: Saving the Salmon' (Learning
Media, 2010) America
'Growing Up: Savannah' (Learning
Media, 2010) America
'Science at Play: Try this at Home' (Learning
Media, 2010) America
'Inventions: Inventions Take Time' (Learning
Media, 2010) America
'Inventions: Science Meets Fiction' (Learning
Media, 2010) America
'What a Mess' (South
Pacific Press, 2010)
'Earth's Core' (South
Pacific Press, 2008) America
'Water: An Amazing Substance' (South
Pacific Press, 2008) America
'Making Pancakes' (Red
Rockets, 2007) worldwide
'Volcanoes' (South
Pacific Press, 2008) America
'Clever Camouflage' (Red
Rockets, 2006) worldwide
Educational Units
'Critical Essay Writing across the Curriculum' Essential Resources (2014)
'Non-fiction in the Classroom' Books 1 & 2, Essential Resources (2013)
'Talk it Up!' Oral Language Activities for the Classroom' Books 1 & 2, Essential Resources (2013)
'Sustainable Living: A cross-curricular approach' Books 1 & 2, Essential Resources (2012)
'Care for our River Amazon' commissioned by Sir Peter Blake Trust (2011)
'Care for our Coast Antarctica' commissioned by Sir Peter Blake Trust (2010)
'Leadership' unit commissioned by Sir Peter Blake Trust (2010)
Sir Peter Blake teaching resource for Maritime Museum, Auckland (2010)
'Caring for our Coast' commissioned by Sir Peter Blake Trust (2008)
Grade 3, 4, 7, 8 lesson plans commissioned by South Pacific Press (2007)
'Big Book of Journal' Units 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
Articles and Short Stories
'What now for Rena' Connected Magazine Level 4, 2016, (Lift Education)
'After the Spill' article in Connected Magazine Level 4, 2013, (Lift Education)
'Six Days' short story in School Journal Level 4, March 2012, Learning Media
'No More Tea Parties' short story in School Journal Part 3, #1 2010, Learning Media
'Flight of the Albatross' short story in School Journal Part 3, #2 2009, Learning Media
'Dog Operation' story 'Claws & Jaws' Anthology, ( Random House, 2004)
'Cat Attack' story 'Claws & Jaws' Anthology, ( Random House, 2004)
Articles published by Kids Life Magazine, Matakana Matters, Organic New Zealand, DANZ Magazine, Magpie Magazine, NZ Author
Competitions and Awards:
'Anzac Heroes' won the NZ Book Awards Elsie Locke (non-fiction) Award (2016)
'Anzac Heroes' won the NZ Book Awards Margaret Mahy Book of the Year Award (2016)
'Anzac Heroes' shortlisted for the NZ Children's Book Awards Children's Choice Award (2016)
‘New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame’ Storylines Notable Book (2015)
‘New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame’ shortlisted for the Elsie Locke, LIANZA Children’s Book Awards (2015)
‘New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame’ shortlisted for the NZ Childrens Book Awards Children’s Choice Award (2015)
'Running the Country' Storylines Notable Book (2014)
'Eruption!' Storylines Notable Book (2013)
'Eruption!' shortlisted Elsie Locke, LIANZA Children’s Book Awards (2013)
'The Call of the Kokako' shortlisted Elsie Locke and Russell Clark, LIANZA (2012)
'New Zealand Hall of Fame' shortlisted Elsie Locke, LIANZA (2012)
'New Zealand Hall of Fame' winner Children's Choice, New Zealand Post (2012)
'The Call of the Kokako' Storylines Notable Book (2012)
'New Zealand Hall of Fame' Storylines Notable Book (2012)
'Save Our Seas' Storylines Notable Book (2010)
'Rangitoto' shortlisted New Zealand Post, non-fiction (2010)
Second in a national writing competition 'Rodney Writes' in the Premier (published authors') category
'Bird's-eye View' Storylines Notable Book (2007)
'Bird's-eye View' shortlisted Elsie Locke Award, LIANZA (2007)
Belong to these Organisations:
New
Zealand Book Council 'Writers in Schools'
Speakers Ink www.speakers-ink.com.au
Getting Kids into Books www.rosemarytisdall.com
NZSA - New Zealand Society of Authors
Storylines - Children's Literature of New
Zealand Foundation
SCWBI - Society of Children's Book Writers
& Illustrators
Forest & Bird New Zealand
Greenpeace
S.P.C.A. - Society of Protection of Cruelty to
Animals
Sponsored a World Vision child for 18 years
Volunteer:
Review children's books written by New Zealand authors -
Kids BooksNZ with
Lorraine Orman.
Spinning Tales committee, 1-3
April 2011
Editor and Coordinator of Kiwi Write4Kidz for 11 years.
Work Experience:
Primary Teacher at Intermediate and Primary levels
Editor of Kiwi Write4Kidz newsletter
Coordinator of Kiwi Wrte4Kidz workshops
Panel Speaker at SCBWI conference, Sydney, 2012
Writing workshops for adults: Ashton Wylie, Storylines, Kiwi Write4Kidz
Writing workshops for children in schools
Writer in school with New Zealand Book Council
The Personal Stuff
What has a figure skater, gypsy, gem fossicker, backpacker, dancer, secretary, grape picker, shepherdess, nanny, teacher, mother and wife all have in common? Me! I've been all these things...
- A national figure skating competitor with my brother from when I was ten until thirteen years old.
- After that we moved to the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia and travelled around in a caravan for several years. We fossicked for gemstones and fished in every river in the outback (well, it felt like that - Dad was mad keen on fishing).
- I left school when I was sixteen; and worked in an office for three years.
- I swapped the typewriter for a backpack and travelled to the U.K. After a trip around Europe, I became a nanny in England then Greece. I also had a stint as a grape picker and shepherdess in Israel before climbing the pyramids in Egypt. On the way home I called into India and traveled from Kashmir to the bottom of India sometimes on an elephant, train, camel, bus or plane.
- The travel fever hadn't left after that trip so after a short break home I travelled back to the U.K. and worked until I saved enough for a trip to China. No one spoke English in China in 1984 so I used a travel guide to help me get from Beijing to Guilen.
- When I came back home this time I decided to change my career - I went to University and Teachers College and trained to be a teacher.
- After teaching for several years, I took time off to have two children. I had Tristan and Rhiannon with my husband Rod Gill.
- We swapped the city for a life style block in 2003 and share it with 5 sheep, 4 ducks, 1 cat, 1 dog, 2 guinea fowl, a dozen chickens and 1 rooster.
- When my daughter turned three years old, I put my lifetime dream to write a book into action and began writing courses on how to write for children. In 2004, I had a book and two short stories accepted. Since then I've been fortunate enough to have 1-3 books published every year since. I now write children's books for the trade and educational markets, take on freelance writing contracts, and give workshops and attend school visits full-time.
- Ran ‘Kiwi Write4Kidz’ – a writers group for adults who write children’s books - for 11 years.
- Lorraine Orman and I review children's books by New Zealand authors -
Kids BooksNZ
- In 2016 we sold our lifestyle property and moved to a seaside village.