I've just joined your wonderful forum as a trial member! May I introduce myself?
I'm in the process of finishing my first book. It's a memoir, and most easily described as a New Zealand-based "Year in Provence".

My wife and I, and a small menagerie, moved to the very North of New Zealand 6 years ago, swapping a high stress lifestyle in the city centre of Glasgow for 22 acres of rural idyll in the sub tropics. I work (as a dentist) part-time; as a Farmer and as a writer, a career in which I am hoping to make a living into my dotage.

I'm in the process of searching for a UK-based agent with high hopes that they will help me find a publisher. So far, and I've only been searching for the last 2 months, I've had no success, but I appreciate that this is early days, and I think I have a fairly pragmatic view of my chances. I know that only a small percentage of even the best writers manage to make a living from their chosen craft, and, on the one hand, I'm aware that this might mean hours and years of work for no reward, but, on the other, someone has to get published, so, with the right work and the right contacts, why not me?

I'm keen to chat to fellow writers, listen to advice, even heed it sometimes, and hope that this forum will enhance that odd and solitary life that is that of the wordsmith.

So hello all! Here I am!

Hello outer rower, and welcome to WW. Your life sounds wonderful. What sort of animals do you keep?

Hi outer rower, and welcome to WriteWords

If oyu need any help navigating the site just give us a shout.

- NaomiM

Lovely to have you on board! Whereabouts in NZ are you? I've only been there once, but did a tour of the Northland (from Auckland up to Pahia, Russel etc and back down the west coast). Absolutely stunning place - I much preferred it to Australia, I have to admit....


Sounds as though you're thoroughly realistic about the chances of getting published and the ups and downs of everyday writing life. But I'm sure you already know that writing is its own reward, and you'll find lots of company for your journey here on WW

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and I'm well aware that I've probably spelt those place names wrong!

Hello outer rower, and welcome to WW. What an amazing swap - must be a fund of good stories.

Emma

Many thanks for the swift and welcoming messages!

To answer your questions, in no particular order, we live in the far north of NZ about 15min drive inland from the Bay of Islands. It's an amazing spot, surrounded on all sides by the cones of extinct volcanoes, now turned green by millennia of vegetation and decades of farming. When it came to selecting a new place to settle, we were almost arbitrary in our method; I saw an aerial view of the Bay of Islands in a picture book of New Zealand, and I was captivated. My wife had no objections!

We pretend to farm; we have 9 steers that we are fattening for the market, but beyond them, we have 4 Highland cattle, 2 donkeys, 3 alpacas, 12 chickens, 3 ducks, 3 dogs and 3 cats!

It is a constant source of amazement to me that we shed our old, obsolete (to us) life so swiftly and completely, and my wife, who had never wielded a trowel in anger in her life, is now a skilled and dedicated gardener. I'd post a link to her blog for photos and more detail, but I suspect that this might contravene the etiquette of the forum?

In any case, thank you for being so welcoming. I shall find my way around the boards and start asking questions!

All the best! OR

That is so cool! I think you can post the link - no reason not to that I know of? Commercial advertisements are different, there's a commercial noticeboard section for those. But we post links all the time.

Hello! Welcome. I am very envious of your life revamp. Do post the link if you want, we can live vicariously through you...

Gosh, it's been a few days since I posted; here's the link to Laura, my wife's blog:


I will post again soon!

OR

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edited to say:

Where did the link go?

Try again...
http://ourweefarm.blogspot.com/

Looks wonderful. Now you've made me really jealous.

I want an alpaca!

Two months searching for an agent doesn't sound too long - it sounds a great proposition for a book, so best of luck with it.