Joan Rosier-Jones: 2010

Joan Rosier-Jones was born in Christchurch and has lived in London, Wellington and Auckland, and now lives in Wanganui. She started her working life as a teacher and after her first novel, Cast Two Shadows, was published in 1986 she combined the two loves of her life — teaching and writing — to become a tutor in creative writing. Using her teaching experience Joan has written two how-to-write books: So You Want to Write, a guide to creative writing, and Writing Your Family History. Her novel Voyagers was based on her own family history. Her other novels are Canterbury Tales (1990), Mother Tongue (1996), and Yes (2000). Joan is an active member of the New Zealand Society of Authors; from 1999-2001 she was national president and is currently the National Council delegate for Central Districts. Joan has stayed at the centre in 2008 and 2010. She said of her time there: "It was pure bliss — a comfortable room of one's own with all mod cons and the freedom to write and write and write."