About

I’m a writer, living in the Kaipara in New Zealand.  My main loves are poetry and children’s writing, but  I feel pretty strongly about social justice so there’s always a few comments on that coming through.  I love beaches, children, dogs, rocks, and seldom go for walks without picking up bits of rock, interesting driftwood or a few shells.   Christchurch is my home town but I’ve lived in most parts of New Zealand.  Small towns suit me better than cities as I like the peace and slower pace of the countryside.  My children’s picture book is now published – but that doesn’t mean the hard work is over!  Most of my poetry and photography is free to use but please ask first.

I want to introduce my partner in this page.  Rod is a retired Air Force engineer who enjoys photography and shell collecting.  Some of my photographs have been taken by him, and enhanced by me, and we are enjoying working together – but he only likes poetry that rhymes…

Time I updated this – now living in Whanganui, New Zealand, and dabbling in a bit of watercolour painting.  Have published two children’s picture books and two poetry books, and don’t plan on any more…

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154 thoughts on “About”

  1. Thank you for your positive comments…. I hope you checked out my website too as there are many more images on the site than the blog.. and good luck with your Children’s book!
    kind regards
    Ian

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    • I love the words that you add to your beautiful photos… So congratulations! I have nominated you for a Liebster Blog Award.
      Here are the Liebster Blog Award (entirely optional) rules:
      1. Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog (that’s me).
      2. Link back to the blogger who presented the award to you (that’s my site).
      3. Answer the questions posted for you in my blog.
      3. Copy and paste the blog award on your blog.
      4. Present the Liebster Blog Award to three blogs with 200 followers or less who you feel deserve to be noticed.
      5. Let them know they have been chosen by leaving a comment on their blog.

      Hugs, Teagan

      Reply

  5. Thank you for the follow. I hope I will write something you will find interesting. Comments & thoughts always welcomed. Take Care.

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    • Just a standard digi camera with no frills. A Fujifilm FinePix S3000. It does a pretty good job but I’m hanging out for a DSLR – when I can afford it. Hi to Jazz also

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  9. Does your Fine Pix have a strong zoom then? Your photo of the Keruru seems very close up.
    I am yearning for a digital camera with a much better zoom than the current Fine Pix Point n Shoot so I can capture birds more readily.

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  10. Snap. The Fuji Finepix A600 – I’ve just checked that- which I use has 6x zoom too. Most local Keruru hunker down in very tall leafy trees so that makes a clear shot very tricky. I am just delighted that they are living amongst us here in suburbia, albeit in bushy, wooded areas. We can thank conservation efforts, pest eradication and the two bird sanctuaries for seeing them out and about more and more.

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  11. I am soooo jealous!! You live a beautiful country, and hopefully someday I will make it there! In the meantime, I look forward to following your blog and ‘living’ there through them. Thanks for stopping by my blog and liking my recent post in the Word of the Week Challenge – Clouds! Your support is appreciated!

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  13. One of my photos in my Precious Metal post looks distorted when I view it outside my editing page. Are all the photos of the plaques clear to you. Would you mind telling me? I have tried to replace the photo but it still isn’t right when I view it as a published post. Thanks.

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  14. Congrats on your book Maureen. I’ve started a Writers and Illustrators group on Facebook (Karen Lane Auckland). We share lots of useful information if you’d like to join.

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      • No worries. I was nominated for one, and said ‘yes’ and so now I am typing a blog entry with seven blogs that I think are wonderful. When I finish my blog entry, it will have a link to your blog (with an explanation as to why I love your blog), and the other 6 ‘beautiful’ blogs, a picture of the award, and a link to the blog that nominated me. I hope to have the blog entry done in the next few days, so you can take a look at it soon. I love your blog, and am listing it as my first nomination.

  19. I don’t know if you have time to look at the Christchurch City library blog, but the last two posts may interest you. One is about a poetry competition and the other is to do with submissions for NZ Book Month. I thought about a book review you did recently that might fit in quite well for NZ Book Month reviews. I can’t work out how to do anything properly on my son’s laptop so can’t link you.

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  23. Hi Maureen. I have just published a blog review of Fearless Fred. Hope it’s okay with you. If there is anything that you are not happy with or if I shouldn’t put the image with the post, let me know so I can edit appropriately. Cheers and thanks.

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  24. You are nominated for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award. I find your blog inspirational and Love Your Photos and Stories. I enjoy them a great deal. Find the rules at my blog for accepting at BrooklynBystander http://brooklynbystander.wordpress.com
    Thank you for your inspiration and support and. CONGRATULATIONS!

    Reply

  27. Pingback: Cactus with hug factor and Sweet Blogger Award | Elementary Posters

  29. Lucky fish, living in New Zealand. Always wanted to go to NZ and Australia. Hahaha I also pick up rocks and stones wherever I go.I used to collect semi-precious stones. always had a knack for finding crystals in my mother’s flowerbeds…much to her dismay, me tramping through them. What is the differences between NZ and Australia the non obvious ones? check me out – a newbie to blogging. insidewriting.wordpress. Nicole.

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    • Only trouble with Aussie and NZ is that they are so far from the rest of the world! Aussie has that huge red center, whereas in NZ you’re never very far from the sea. Look forward to you writing up your ‘about’ page.

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  34. Hello! It’s nice to visit your lovely blog! It looks so beautiful where you live. I have always wanted to visit New Zealand. I’m looking forward to checking out your writing, too!

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  35. I have nominated your blog for the “Sunshine Award”! The ‘rules’ for the award are on the post on my blog if you’d like to participate. If you don’t, I so understand, but just wanted you to be acknowledged as one who is really “shining light” in your own way in the blogging community, and I’m glad to be one of your faithful readers! Blessings, Heather

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  36. Thank you for all your hard work to share all of this with the wider world.
    Also thank you for encouraging me to keep writing. I hope you will visit again.

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  37. I feel I know Christchurch a little as I have been reading drafts of a book about one of the founders, Edward FitzGerald, by Jenifer Roberts. This will be published in New Zealand next year sometime and is a great read. Thanks for visiting my blog.

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    • Thanks for that Michael. My children’s book is only published in New Zealand right now and available in our bookstores and online. One day I want to get a poetry book out there…

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  39. Pingback: Liebster Blog Award | Teagan's Books

  42. Dearest,

    I just wanted to take a moment to thank you, warmly, for the bottom of my heart, for all your support on my website. I am thrilled you enjoy my poetry and photographs, and to be perfectly honest, it is because of readers like you that I keep going… that and language itself, visiting me daily, asking me to play.

    I also wanted to wish you a very merry Xmas and a happy new year. A lot of us bloggers deserve more than we receive. Hopefully one day we will receive the attention we’ve wished for for as long as we can remember, so that we may remain on the side of our craft, on the side of what we love, and light.

    Sincerely,
    Christos Polydorou.

    Reply

  43. Hello! I wanted to let you know that I posted your comments regarding your thoughts about Christmas, on my blog page. Please feel free to stop by and see the new blog. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and have a very, Merry Christmas my friend!!!

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  45. Maureen, your book Fearless Fred looks totally fabulous, all the very best with that. I was just admiring your photos of the Ruawai murals. I am a Ruawai person myself and am in the process of designing the Service Sheets for the combined church service for the Ruawai Centennial Celebrations. I came across your beautiful photos of the Ruawai murals and was wondering if I would be able to use your photos on the cover of the service sheet please. I have photos of the mural myself but yours are so much nicer…

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  51. Maureen.
    I’m glad you liked my Blue Hour poems(just accepted), and that you visited my web site.
    I especially love your haiku. I’m addicted to that form also. Love the photography – such
    a beautiful place to live and write. keep it up!
    Dennis Herrell

    Reply

  57. I came across your blog after noting your ‘kiwikan’ comment on From 1 A rtist 2 Another and curiosity brought me here. Also from a childhood in Christchurch (Sumner) I’m amazed that people can walk a beach and return without treasure and I really enjoyed going back, reading, enjoying the images. I’ll be back.

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  63. Hello Maureen! So nice to meet.. I worked in a library, I was not a librarian but felt like one and loved seeing all of the wonderful children’s books that I checked in and out. It inspired me. I have a few ideas but the thought is frozen, but not gone. Welcome to my blog… and we cannot go anywhere without a few rocks… getting in the car with us..

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  64. Dear Maureen,
    My name is Catherine and I am a fellow poet and Kiwi from Christchurch, and the editor of the International Poets page for the monthly Australian magazine called FreeXpresSion. This is a magazine which upholds family values and is widely read by people from young teenagers upwards. I introduce one overseas poet each month on a once-only basis. There is no catch – copyright remains with authors, there is nothing to pay, and poets receive a complimentary copy of the issue in which their work is published via email from our editor. I am therefore writing to ask if you would permit me to introduce you some time this year with a few of your lovely poems? If so, I would be delighted to hear from you on the email below. I do hope you will accept this invitation Maureen, as I’m sure our readers would enjoy your work as much as I have. Kindest regards, Catherine Lee

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  65. Dear Maureen,
    My name is Catherine and I am a fellow poet and Kiwi and the editor of the International Poets page for the monthly Australian magazine called FreeXpresSion. This is a magazine which upholds family values and is widely read by people from young teenagers upwards. I introduce one overseas poet each month on a once-only basis. There is no catch – copyright remains with authors, there is nothing to pay, and poets receive a complimentary copy of the issue in which their work is published via email from our editor. I am therefore writing to ask if you would permit me to introduce you some time with a few of your lovely poems? If so, I would be delighted to hear from you on: catherinelee40@hotmail.com. I do hope you will accept this invitation Maureen, as I’m sure our readers would enjoy your work as much as I have. Kindest regards, Catherine Lee

    Reply

  69. My dear Maureen, taking a moment to wish you and Rod a joyous and healthy season, get well soon and keep safe, I am always intrigued by your photography which is so full of feeling and beauty ! May God grant you and yours all a new year chock full of joy and gladness ! And I enjoy poetry that doesn’t rhyme but sometimes sings ! Merry Christmas, even though no one knows the exact date, hahahaha ! Much love, Claire VB

    Reply

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