Sea cave at low tide at Bethells Beach, West Auckland, New Zealand. The floor of the cave is covered in white sand just like Sam’s cave in The Medallion of Auratus.
Wanted to share this photograph I took on May 16 at Bethalls Beach on the West Coast of New Zealand. The perspective is from inside a sea cave with a sand floor that has been carved out by the waves. I couldn’t believe it when two boys who looked like Sam and Jackson in The Medallion Auratus came in to explore the cave when I was there. Here’s photo of them exiting the cave.
Visited the Aotearoa Fantastical Art Exhibition brought to the NZ Academy of Fine Arts, Wellington by Paul Tobin of White Cloud Worlds. This is one of Paul’s incredible artworks which I think is an amazing likeness of his beautiful wife Claire. Paul also illustrated the cover of The Medallion of Auratus!
I thought I’d share another real time snap of the world of Sam and Jackson in The Medallion of Auratus. I took this photograph on the walk to Tutukaka Lighthouse over Easter weekend. The cliff, rock pools and coastline riddled with caves made me feel like I was stepping into my own book. Of course it was the magical coastal areas of New Zealand like this one, that I grew up with and spent many happy holidays, that ignited the fires of my imagination.
Mermaid Pools – Take a peek into part of Sam’s world in The Medallion Auratus. I took these magical images this weekend in a beautiful part of New Zealand that I had never visited before, yet are typical of the rocky beach landscape that inspired me when writing this book. The large Mermaid Pools at Matapouri simply take your breath away when you first see them and are magical to swim in. I must admit they are the largest rock pools I’ve ever seen!
Spent a day in Raglan recently, stood on this mosaic star and took a picture of this view. New Zealand is a wonderful country to feel inspired in. This sun dial also reminded me of the Sun Medallion and the solarium. Don’t know what I’m talking about and keen to escape into a fantasy adventure for a while? Go to www.amazon.com and download a copy of The Medallion of Auratus or buy a hard copy of the book. I’d love to hear your review.
Massive congratulations to Paul Tobin (the talented illustrator of The Medallion of Auratus book cover) and his new wife Claire Hackett! The couple were married at the Wellesley Boutique Hotel in Wellington on Saturday. Here they’re cutting the cake with sword, Orcrist, which Paul designed for The Hobbit which was just brilliant. There was a strong Weta Workshop contingent at the wedding including Weta founders Sir Richard Taylor and Tania Rodger.
Jumping for Joy
It wasn’t until I completed the second re-write of my children’s novel The Medallion of Auratus that I truly understood the term ‘jumping for joy’. I was on my own at the seaside bach (cottage) that I’d rented at Paekakariki where I’d spent the past three weeks writing full time. As I wrote the last line a wave of joy sweep through me and I was filled with immense satisfaction that filled every part of my being from my fingers to my toes. Before I knew it I was spontaneously jumping and dancing around the cottage. I let out a few 'whoops’ of excitement too. I was so happy with the rewrite, and that I’d done it! It was such an amazing moment that I truly hope everyone can experience this kind of joy by following their own bliss, whatever that may be.
This photo was taken on the beach in front of the cottage. That’s Kapiti Island behind me. Many thanks to Helen Ward for taking the photograph.
Every good book has gone through a few re-writes, The Medallion of Auratus included. This is me hard at work in 2009 in the midst of one of these. I took three weeks annual leave and shut myself away in a bach that I hired in Paekakariki by the ocean. I spent the first two days in total angst because I didn’t know where to start. After two very ‘straight up’ conversations with my brother Blake and artist Paul Tobin I slashed 30,000 words, killed several characters and created new ones. It was an intense few weeks as I had imposed a three-week deadline on myself. I also shut out most of the world as I needed to be immersed in Sam’s world. I did not have internet access and told people I was not contactable by phone. I had three visitors drop in over that time. My dear friend Helen Ward was one of them and took this photo of me.
