Linley EDmeades

I am a grandmother, gardener and dreamer. Even during my student days and working life as a physiotherapist, I always had a compulsion to write, and I have written diaries, poems and stories for my own enjoyment.

I now write children’s and junior fiction, poetry and short stories. Some of this writing has been for my mokopuna.

I love to write about the natural world, Te ao māori, spiritual dimensions of life and political insights!

Writing brings me joy and peace living in this confusing world.

Putting my writing into the public forum began when I won a Short Story award years ago in 1989. Recently I have self-published a series (Junior fiction) titled “Zephyr and Redstar”
Book one “Zephyr follows the stars”, Book two “Zephyr and the wind wizard”, Book three “Zephyr follows her heart”, published by Amazon, 2022, Book four “Zephyr and the fallen star” 2023
I have also had some poems printed in various Aotearoa NZ publications over the last ten years.

What authors did you dislike at first but grew into?

I can’t remember disliking any author really, I am an avid reader and will read almost anything.

I guess modern popular fiction is perhaps something I would not choose first, however my children often recommend new authors to me, and I’ll give them all a go.

Do you try more to be original, or to deliver to readers what they want?

I am a woman with years of life and work-experience, and I have always written because I find it hard to not write. So, anything I write starts with a deep need to just discover a world or a character and let them tell the story. I have attempted in the past few years to write for an audience, but these pieces often fail to get beyond a notebook

What is it about your chosen genre that you love?

I absolutely love children’s books and stories. I love reading them aloud to my family and my partner, who is my age, reads a children’s book to me every night before we sleep. I love the variety, the illustrations, the worlds of imagination and freedom. I love seeing a funny situation or hearing about something that has happened to someone and then imagining what a delightful story might be told from these things.

How do you select the names of your characters?

This is difficult because I actually like to use names of the folk who are around me. However, I often try a name in a story for a while and then ask my close team of helpful critics (i.e. my family) for their advice. And I always read the piece out loud to test the rhythm of the names.

What was the first book that made you cry?

Many books over the years have made me cry, but the first was a wonderful book by Paul Gallico called “Thomasina”. “The Snow Goose” was a close second!

If you had to do something differently as a child or teenager to become a better writer as an adult, what would you do?

Write more, lots and lots, be brave and share my writing with others.

Have you Googled yourself? Did you find out anything interesting?

Yes and no, nothing too interesting.

Are there any secrets in your books that only a few people will find? Can you tell us one? Or give us any hints?

Mrs McTilley is actually a family member. But only family and close friends will recognise her.

Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym? Why?

No, I am proud of my name, and I feel that too many years have passed with me only writing for myself and now it’s time for me to be out there!

How did publishing your first book change your writing process?

Editing, punctuation, taking care with the patterns and rhythms. And having to communicate with an illustrator, that was a new experience and lots of fun.

How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?

I have a folder of poetry (children’s and adult) a folder of short stories, about five children’s books half finished, and I am working on a novel. It is not really even born yet.

What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters of the opposite sex?

Good question. Nothing, I just imagine from life I guess (having a son, nephews, son in laws, partner and of course my memories of father, grandfathers and so on).

Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?

I have never had a book review. I’m not sure how I’d deal with a bad review, but at least I’d know someone had read it!