Message From the Past

About the Book

Marty Ellis has been haunted most of her life by a recurring dream about a pioneer woman who lives in a distinctive stone house. She sets out on a quest to find the house in her dreams, which she believes is a real place. Quite by chance Marty finds The House in a backcountry settlement on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand, buys it and moves in, determined to find out the history of The House. She learns there was a mystery about the wife of the original owner of her house, but no one seems to know what this mystery is. She makes friends and becomes a part of a thriving back-blocks community, and also meets Giorgio, a teacher from Wellington who spends his holidays researching the nearby site of an old Mission House. He helps with her quest for information about the builders of The House, and their friendship develops into something more … This story is a reflection of life in many remote New Zealand communities, and is filled with memorable characters. I grew up in places similar to the setting for this novel, and know firsthand how people are always there for each other through good times and bad.

About the Author

Maureen was born in a similar area to Marty’s home, the second of four children, and the only girl. Her father was a farm labourer, and the family moved home often over the years, mostly in similar areas, but occasionally in places closer to ‘civilisation’. Maureen was home-schooled by her mother until she was 8 years old, when she first attended a public school. Because she was home with her mother while her elder brother boarded with grandparents in town, and her next brother was a toddler, Maureen lived a lonely life in some ways, and became a voracious reader, often acting out the stories that resonated with her. Maureen began writing as soon as she ‘could string words together’ and it has been her passion all her life. In her workroom she has several large folders full of short stories written over the past 30 years as a member of various Writing Groups. She is the current Convener of the local Writing Group. Maureen has had a few articles published and has also won a few minor prizes in local writing competitions. She is a trained Proof Reader and Copy Editor.