Jenny Argante
 Jenny Argante is the Bay of Plenty’s very own ‘Word Wizard’ with decades of experience as a writer, editor, creative writing tutor, manuscript mentor and independent publisher in the UK and New Zealand. Jenny is Editor-in-Chief at Oceanbooks, and responsible for managing the process of reviewing manuscripts through our editorial panel. She keeps writers focused on meeting publishing deadlines. Get it down, get it done – get it out!
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Angie Belcher
 Once an adrenaline addict writing children’s books based around her own adventures, you are more likely to find Angie with a cup of tea, delving into the lives of others. In 2008 she took leave to concentrate on writing, and found herself living in the house of her great aunt who had emigrated from Italy in 1913. There she discovered her great aunt's personal belongings and a fascinating insight into her own Italian ancestry.
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Paul Bennett
 Paul Bennett was a top New Zealand surfer. He was also a hardcore drug addict with fringe gang association. In 2005 Paul released the first version of his book Walking with the Taniwha and in 2011 a completely revised edition focused on mental health awareness and addiction was released. Since 2001 Paul has been working in the areas of health promotion. He also looks after his mother in Mt. Maunganui.
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Merle-Anne Braithwaite
 Merle began writing, with a view to publication, in 1984. At first, she dabbled in magazine fiction, and then embarked on novels for teenagers, Three Against the Big Boys and City Kids, both published by Via Afrika (RSA). Several short stories followed, published by Heinemann (UK), and Shortland (NZ). In 2000 Merle began writing educational resources for teachers of ESOL, and these have proved very popular.
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Alison Brown
 After a decade of writing features and news stories, truncating press releases and proofreading and editing for a community newspaper, Alison Brown cut loose to commemorate her septuagenarian status. Now, as a freelance writer of creative non-fiction, proofreading, editing, rewriting and contributing earn her bread-and-butter, while her cream-cake rewards come when ageless characters in their golden years allow her to rake through their memories and chronicle their tales.
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Ian Clarke
 Ian Clarke was born and brought up in India and went to sea in the British Merchant Navy. After coming ashore he worked as a marine systems engineer, lecturer in Nautical Studies and ship surveyor. He and his wife Monica came to New Zealand in 1982. Ian has written fiction set in India and New Zealand. He holds a Master Mariner’s certificate, a Bachelor degree in Nautical Studies and a Masters degree in Mathematics.
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Des Hunt
 Des lives at Matarangi on the Coromandel Peninsula. In recent years he has made the transition from writing textbooks for secondary students to novels for younger learners. A widely respected figure in New Zealand educational circles, Des has been the Visiting Teaching Fellow at Auckland University and the recipient of the Woolf Fisher Memorial Award for services to education and the New Zealand Institute of Physics Award for outstanding service to Physics Education.
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Lee Murray
 Lee Murray used to be a scientist, but now writes fiction for adults and children. Her junior title, Battle of the Birds (available here as an ebook) won the 2012 Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best Youth Novel, while her adult title A Dash of Reality combines running, romance and reality TV. She is proud to be co-editor of Write Off Line 2012 and Beyond This Age, writing by New Zealand students.
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Celine Murray
 Céline Murray is a Yr 13 student at Tauranga’s Otumoetai College. She loves to read, compose music, and wear a cat-ear headband. She hates exercise, mushrooms and working to deadlines. Céline’s mum made her write her first story, A Note to the Queen, while holidaying with her grandparents. Winning a cheque for the heady amount of $100 encouraged Céline to keep writing. Seven to Seventeen is her first book.
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Janice Giles
 Janice Giles is a counsellor, group facilitator, gardener, painter, dreamer, and member of Tauranga Writers Inc. Her stories, poems and academic works have been published in New Zealand and internationally.
Janice is an avid reader of all genres, although she prefers to write poetry. She also has an experience as a draft editor and an illustrator. Janice has a Masters degree in Health Science.
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Val Bird
 Val was designed and made in New Zealand. Her childhood years were spent in Hastings, before moving to Whakatane then finally settling in Tauranga.2001: Wednesday’s Child published by Random House..2007: The Ozzie Kingsford series accepted for publication by Random House.Five and a Bit Days in the Life of Ozzie Kingsford a finalist in N Z Post Book Awards.2012 . . . sees the arrival of Dusty Hayes and dog Digger.
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Don Leichel
 Don was born in Jakarta, Indonesia. In the 1960s he and his wife moved to Australia where Don worked as an internal auditor in the Australian oil industry and Dutch banking business. In 1984 they settled in New Zealand. Don is well travelled and multi-lingual. His interest in archaeology and ancient history, led him to examine the Books of the Bible from a scientific and Hebraic perspective.
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Linda Dawley
 Linda was, born and raised in Canada, married a Kiwi and moved to New Zealand. They live, with their two cats - one Canadian, one Kiwi - by the seaside. In her new country, Linda pursued a lifelong love of writing and studied Applied Writing with Northland Polytechnic. Learning Media’s School Journal and The Australian School Magazine are home to her first children's short stories. The Tooth Fairy’s Mistake is her debut children's story.
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Shona-Ellen Barnett
 Shona-Ellen Barnett is an emerging New Zealand writer. Born and raised in a small rural town in New Zealand, her poetry and prose reflects an indigenous perspective. She writes about the extraordinary hidden within the ordinary. Enticed by the Muse to explore alternative realities, she now has a BA in English Literature, and has travelled far but not widely. She lives beside the sea, has a fleet of canoes and is writing her next book.
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Owen Bullock
 Owen Bullock’s haiku have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies internationally, including Presence, The Heron's Nest, paper wasp, A Hundred Gourds, and Red Moon. This is his second collection of haiku, following wild camomile (2009). He is also well-known as a writer of mainstream poetry, and published his first collection sometimes the sky isn’t big enough in 2010. Owen was one of the editors of Take Five: Best Contemporary Tanka, Volume IV. http://www.owenbullock.com
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Marcel Currin
 Marcel Currin is the author of Ministry of Ideas. His writing has turned up in a range of publications including North & South, Poetry NZ and several New Zealand anthologies. He lives in Tauranga with his wife, three unstoppable boys, a piano and a surfboard. Find poetry, music and more online at www.marcelcurrin.webs.com.
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Doug Martin
 Doug was raised on his parents farm at Ngakuru. In 1969 he was selected as a Young Farmers Exchangee to the United States and Canada where he met his future wife Ruth. In 1971 Doug won the Young Farmers National Public Speaking contest. Following the death of his father they converted the family dry stock farm to dairying, winning the Best Dairy Farm Environment and Nutrient Management awards in 2002
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Piper Mejia
 Piper Mejia is the bossiest President in Tauranga Writers’ 45-year history and the best high school English teacher ever. She is currently working on a Young Adults fantasy trilogy. Students are advised to be nice to her, or they may find themselves in her book.
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Sylvia Bowden
 Sylvia has a Diploma in Counselling, and has trained as a life coach and as a budget advisor. She is a director of Silbo Systems which is dedicated to empowering families to be and stay financially well by teaching money and life skills. Sylvia has also written the books - Parents How to stop your kids from going broke! as well as the New Zealand Household Budget Kit. Read more at www.silbo.co.nz
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Garth Lawless
 My name is Garth Lawless, and I am a writer.There, testified.I love to read everything I can get my hands on. My imagination is filled with strange worlds and strange characters. Skydiving is my sport and being outdoors is my joy.I live in the sunny Bay of Plenty and love my beautiful Trish and our two "children" Moolu and Popcorn.Always look on the bright side of Life.
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Robin Lee-Robinson
 Robin Lee-Robinson is based in Opotiki. During the kiwifruit season she works in a packing factory, and at other times of the year as a part-time agency caregiver in rest homes. Her driving passion is speaking out on issues concerned with domestic abuse. Robin enjoys bush tramps, net fishing and other challenging outdoor activities that push her to the limit. She likes to meet up with friends and to mix with or talk to community groups about her experiences.
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