Authors

TOM CLARKE has a background in journalism (TV, radio and print), radio, PR, marketing and business management. Now retired, Tom continues to do the odd bit of freelance writing, sub-editing and proofreading for several publications. This is his first book. He lives in Taupō.

Catherine Clarke's ancestral heritage replete with stories of adventure, scandal, and lunacy inspired her degree in English and History. Selected for a New Zealand Society of Authors' Mentorship and manuscript assessment, The Only Living Lady Parachutist was shortlisted for the Lilian Ida Smith Award. Catherine lives in Wellington and works as a medical laboratory scientist. For the extensive research behind the real people and events in The Only Living Lady Parachutist visit catherineclarkeauthor.com

Dr Stephen Clarke is a history graduate of the University of Otago and the University of New South Wales with a longstanding interest in the social history of Aotearoa New Zealand. After two years as Historian with the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, he joined the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association in 2001. As chief executive he led the strategic transformation and rebrand of the RSA between 2008 and 2013, and later wrote 'After the War: The RSA in New Zealand'. He is an independent historian and founding director of Making History Ltd.

With a background in television and a wide variety of creative interests, Malcolm has found his niche telling heart-warming kids’ stories about the natural world. The success of his first book, Tu Meke Tūī!, showed just how powerful it is when children get to learn about the environment in a fun and accessible way. Malcolm believes that teaching children about conservation from an early age will help to prepare them to be kaitiaki (guardians) who care for their world now and in the future. He is thrilled to add Tu Meke Tuatara! to the collection of Tu Meke Tales.

As Jenny-May Coffin, the author played netball for New Zealand, and was vice-captain in 2001. She also played for the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic in the National Bank Cup between 1998 and 2004 and the Auckland Diamonds in 2007; she also played one season for the Southern Steel in the ANZ Championship in 2008, and was signed to play with the Northern Mystics in 2010.

VANESSA CLARKSON is a registered nutritionist with over 15 years’ experience, specialising in infant, child and maternal nutrition, plant-based diets, sustainability and food systems. She holds a first-class honours degree in dietetics and a masters degree with distinction in food policy. She has worked across sectors including governments, public agencies, non-profit organisations, academic institutions and food businesses to support a transition to a healthier food system that nourishes people and the planet. Vanessa’s recipes and commentary have been widely published in national media outlets in the UK and Australia, where she has advocated for the importance of traditional foods that bring us pleasure and connection, beyond nourishment. Her first book Real Food for Babies and Toddlers won the Smallish Parenting magazine award for Best Family Cookbook. She is the mother of three boys and works, writes, cooks and grows on the beautiful Mornington Peninsula in Melbourne.

Giselle Clarkson is an award-winning illustrator whose work often focuses on the natural world. She has illustrated a range of children’s books--most recently she wrote and illustrated The Observologist--and produces comics for The Sapling.

Victoria Cleal works as a writer and editor at Te Papa. She worked on the Nature | Te Taiao exhibition and several stories for the childrens TV series He Paki Taonga and its associated book. Her first book, also based on a treasure at Te Papa, and illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White, was Whiti: Colossal Squid of the Deep, winner of the Best Childrens Book at the 2021 Whitley Awards for zoological literature. Isobel Joy Te Aho-White (Ngati Kahungungu ki te Wairoa, Rongomaiwahine, Ngai Tahu, Ngati Irakehu) is a graphic artist with a diploma in Visual Arts (UCOL) and a Bachelor of Design (Hons) majoring in illustration from Massey University. She has illustrated for Huia Publishers and the School Journal (Lift Education), as well as several of the stories for the childrens TV series He Paki Taonga and its associated book.

Farrell Cleary was born in Kaikoura in 1948 to James and Hilary Cleary (nee Lovett); his siblings are Brigid, Joanna, mark and Gabrielle. Farrell has lived in Hamua, Fairlie, Oamaru, Auckland, Melbourne, Paris, London, Barcelona, Turin, Kumamoto, Aix-en-Provence and Tsu. He met Yuko Takahashi in 1982; they married in 1984 and live in Mt Eden.

Cleave, Paul (1974 - ) is an award-winning New Zealand crime writer from Christchurch. His ten internationally bestselling novels have been translated into over 18 languages. Cleave received numerous awards for his crime writing and has been shortlisted here and overseas, having won the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel a record breaking three times for Blood Men (2011), Five Minutes Alone (2015), and Trust No One (2016). He regularly appears at international and national book festivals every year. Biography and image courtesy of Read NZ.

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