Jo’s first book is the diary of a ten-year-old child who emigrated from England to New Zealand during the summer of 1940/50.

From a child’s point of view, this was an adventure with many possibilities. For the parents it was an act of great courage, as they gathered their five children (the baby only three months old) for a complete change in their future, with only sixty pounds sterling left to forge a new life.

There were mixed feelings about some of the new living arrangements, starting with more than a year living in a caravan, an Army hut, and a garden shed.

The culture shock for the family required considerable adjustment to adapt to a different way of life, and a very different schooling system.

In her grown up life, once her children had set off on their own life adventures, Jo worked at Massey University, Palmerston North, North Island of New Zealand.

First as secretary to Professor Weston (in Banking and Management), then subsequently as editor of the in-house University weekly newsletter, also regularly preparing press releases for the University, and editing the Scholarships booklet.

She then travelled to California to secure the last Middle English paper necessary for her second degree.

Currently Jo holds a Certificate in Rehabilitation Studies (C.R.S.), and an MA (Hons) for literature. She continues to write and to privately mentor PhD candidates.

She lives in park-like Waikanae, New Zealand, and continues to write and edit work on a variety of subjects.

NEXT:

Adventures with horses, and anecdotes from UK and NZ experiences, are captured in her forthcoming title CAUTIONARY LETTER TO A HORSEY GIRL.

The book is engagingly written, directed to the young reader, and is literally a ‘caveat emptor ‘- a letter of caution written to address the interests of a horsey girl.

This book is suggested reading for the young person, often a girl, who longs to own and ride a horse.

Readers should also look out for the following title in 2016:

NO FIXED ABODE: Adventures on a shoestring