Shirley Wine

I have lived in New Zealands beautiful farming country all my life. After growing up in rural South Auckland I married Martin, and together weve farmed sheep, cattle, dairy cows and run a kiwifruit orchard. This rural lifestyle provides a rich source of settings and inspiration for my stories. For many years weve been based in the Waikato/Bay of Pl... enty region an area famed for productive land, generous rainfall, beautiful beaches, abundant seafood and lush verdant growth. The Bay, stretching from East Cape to the tip of the Coromandel Peninsular, was named by Captain James Cook in the 1700s when local Maori tribes provided his crew with food and hospitality, a trait that persists among its inhabitants to this day. An ardent fan of romance, I love exploring human hopes and frailties, aspirations, love and laughter. Why Romance? To me, first and last, family matters. And Romance is all about reaffirming and celebrating family values. I enjoy reading and writing about people who overcome adversity and commit to a relationship. I firmly believe there are romance heroes because I have one at home. As a mother of five, sister to six siblings, and aunt to twenty (and thats only on my side of the family) I know that the best things in life never come easy. Intimate experience of grief and anguish of lifes trials and the joy of overcoming tragedy shine through in my emotionally gripping novels. Writing has always been a major part of my life. For years I wrote a Country Comment column for The New Zealand Herald and freelanced on local and regional newspapers in the Bay. Years living in small towns with all their joys, trials and tribulations add an extra dimension to stories. How can you expect to write if you cant cry. Ling. Shirley has the normal quota of family and work commitments to balance with writing and other hobbies. She takes much pleasure in learning the craft of writing. Romance Writers of New Zealand workshops and monthly chapter meetings are very beneficial in honing writing skills. Angie, who is ...Read More