Writing Process Blog

BLOG 2026

September

I have been encouraged by a lot of positive feedback from my readership so far. My book is now available from Wheelers book club, supplying schools and libraries in New Zealand. You may have noticed me a bit more active on my social media pages lately - I have embraced the fact that an author must also be active online. This is quite counter-intuitive for me, having actively tried to limit my social media use over the years! At least I still have IRL (in real life) connection with my readership. I am planning a children's programme to deliver in libraries and schools starting this holidays. 

As you can imagine, I am slowly checking off items on my book publication checklist around my full time English teaching schedule and busy family life!  I hope to have my Amazon Kindle version of the book available by the end of the holidays.

July

My novel was officially released to the public at Matariki - the Māori new year. 
Thanks to Te Herenga Waka o Ōrewa Marae for inviting me as a guest speaker to a delicious breakfast feast, following a large community gathering on the beach at dawn. I loved how everyone honoured my daughter for her input into the novel, and wanted her signature too! I think I will ask her to personally sign all the copies at events in future. The magical aspects of the storyline truly came from the mind of a child. 

I will be holding further book launch celebrations in Term 3, and will be running a children's event at Ōrewa library to launch the title on the first weekend of the Term 3 school holidays: Saturday 26 September 2-3pm.

I have now created social media pages for my book!

June

The official release date is set for 10th July 2026 - Matariki and the Māori New Year!
Te Herenga Waka o Ōrewa Marae is hosting a dawn service at the Ōrewa beach, and a community breakfast at the surf club afterwards. We will be launching my book at this event, so come get an official release day copy! Thank you to all my friends and family who purchased pre-release copies, gave feedback and wrote reviews. In the first edition (revised), reworking has been done to improve flow, the 'history chapter' has been broken up throughout the the book, and a few pages have been rearranged. I've been asked for the sequel! I certainly hope to write one. 

May

I could not wipe the smile off my face all the way home today. What  a joy to open a box full of my very own novels! A little dance in the office with a colleague. Shared excitement as we held the weighty little book in our hands. I actually started writing it back when we lived in Dunedin. Four and a half years later, here it is! I LOVE the cover artwork from my son Nathan. I hope you do too. 

April

The pre-release stock is being printed! I decided to print some locally, for pre-release sales and sampling. For English teachers like me, it is wonderful to be able to put a book in the hands of our kids that not only tells a story, but educates along the way. 

I will be adding a form to place a pre-release order. If you have my details already, please drop me an email to add yours to the order!

Feb-March

Have been engaging with a process to ensure that my blindspots are covered, and that I have the appropriate green light to launch a story firmly seated in Te Ao Maori and using Te Reo Maori. Those I have consulted with have been very encouraging. I had the Paipera chapter (with history content) checked over before I put funds into a pre-release print run. It was good to be affirmed that it was written sensitively and that I could put out there confidently.

BLOG 2025

 The revised draft is finished, and after some insightful stakeholder reviews, I have rewritten the ending. My own children are my best critics while my intermediate classes are very encouraging. I am also awaiting a process for ensuring tikanga is followed, and use of Te Reo Māori is accurate.

Last year, whenever I was relief teaching in a Year 7 or 8 class, I would ask them if they wanted to hear a bit more of my novel and help me with suggestions. The children were so excited to be part of the process that they offered me many suggestions. At the tuck shop, I often get questioned, "Have you finished the novel yet Mrs Shotbolt?" "Will it be ready for us to read when we get to your year level?" What a motivator to push on!

Writing a children's novel has been a fantastic process for me as an English teacher. I don't want to ask my students to do that which I wouldn't do myself after all. It has been an learning experience for me as I have gone through the process of polishing a manuscript. It has also helped me to inspire our GATE writers to publish their own novel.