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I've been involved with books and writing all my life. When I was at primary school I often won the class Thrift Essay prize - and I began to realise I was quite good at writing. I started submitting stories and poems to the Children's Pages in the Auckland Star newspaper - and won a few more competitions. It was the best feeling in the world to see my stories printed in the newspaper.
When I grew up it was inevitable that I should become a librarian. A few years later I got married and had children. While I was at home looking after my preschoolers, I started writing lots of short stories and trying to get them published. The School Journal accepted two of my stories for children - and I immediately decided I wanted to become a children's author.
The School Journal accepted another five stories from me, and I also started getting short stories published in other magazines. However I didn't try writing a novel till many years later. I went back to work as a librarian, specialising in children's books. During that time I became a reviewer of children's books, did lots of volunteer work relating to books and reading, and set up the first version of this website to promote good-quality children's literature.
When I left fulltime library work I started trying to write books. I was lucky enough to be accepted for the New Zealand Society of Authors mentorship scheme and my chosen mentor was Tessa Duder. Tessa and I worked hard on a novel for teenagers - and the result was Cross Tides, published by Longacre in 2004.
After that several little stories were accepted for the Kiwi Bites series - and my career as an author had begun. So far I've had nine books published, and also co-edited an anthology of short stories. I'm certainly not an overnight success story – it took me well over 25 years to get a book published.
I am still writing and hope to continue. Currently I'm working on my third teenage novel which is set in the remote coalmining communities of the West Coast of the South Island.
The working title of this novel is Touchstone. Like Cross Tides, it will include a historical plotline, set during the Depression when life was even harder than usual for the coalmining families, and a contemporary plotline which focuses on a teenage girl who is desperate to uncover some long-buried family secrets. She also becomes involved with a group of protesters who are fighting the establishment of a new open-cast coal mine.
My husband comes from a West Coast coalmining family, so I have been able to interview people who have experienced life on the coal plateau.
When I grew up it was inevitable that I should become a librarian. A few years later I got married and had children. While I was at home looking after my preschoolers, I started writing lots of short stories and trying to get them published. The School Journal accepted two of my stories for children - and I immediately decided I wanted to become a children's author.
The School Journal accepted another five stories from me, and I also started getting short stories published in other magazines. However I didn't try writing a novel till many years later. I went back to work as a librarian, specialising in children's books. During that time I became a reviewer of children's books, did lots of volunteer work relating to books and reading, and set up the first version of this website to promote good-quality children's literature.
When I left fulltime library work I started trying to write books. I was lucky enough to be accepted for the New Zealand Society of Authors mentorship scheme and my chosen mentor was Tessa Duder. Tessa and I worked hard on a novel for teenagers - and the result was Cross Tides, published by Longacre in 2004.
After that several little stories were accepted for the Kiwi Bites series - and my career as an author had begun. So far I've had nine books published, and also co-edited an anthology of short stories. I'm certainly not an overnight success story – it took me well over 25 years to get a book published.
I am still writing and hope to continue. Currently I'm working on my third teenage novel which is set in the remote coalmining communities of the West Coast of the South Island.
The working title of this novel is Touchstone. Like Cross Tides, it will include a historical plotline, set during the Depression when life was even harder than usual for the coalmining families, and a contemporary plotline which focuses on a teenage girl who is desperate to uncover some long-buried family secrets. She also becomes involved with a group of protesters who are fighting the establishment of a new open-cast coal mine.
My husband comes from a West Coast coalmining family, so I have been able to interview people who have experienced life on the coal plateau.
Lorraine Orman
Children's Author
How many children do you have?
Two grownup sons. I also have two little grandsons.
Do you have any pets?
I live with a very neurotic cat called Cleo.
Do you have any hobbies?
I find that reading, researching, reviewing and writing take up all my spare time.
Do you visit schools?
Yes, visits can be arranged through the NZ Book Council Writers in Schools scheme, or through Kiwi Write4Kidz.
Which is your favourite of all your books?
I like them all, but I have a soft spot for Kev and Borax, because I had so much fun writing it.
How do you think up your stories?
I get one little idea, and add another idea to that, and another – like a jigsaw puzzle – and if I’m lucky I end up with a story.
Do you like the illustrations in your Bites books?
I like some more than others. I think the illustrations by Mitch Vane for Kev and Borax are the funniest.
What advice would you give to young writers?
Read heaps, write heaps, get your work published on the internet, enter competitions.
Children's Author
How many children do you have?
Two grownup sons. I also have two little grandsons.
Do you have any pets?
I live with a very neurotic cat called Cleo.
Do you have any hobbies?
I find that reading, researching, reviewing and writing take up all my spare time.
Do you visit schools?
Yes, visits can be arranged through the NZ Book Council Writers in Schools scheme, or through Kiwi Write4Kidz.
Which is your favourite of all your books?
I like them all, but I have a soft spot for Kev and Borax, because I had so much fun writing it.
How do you think up your stories?
I get one little idea, and add another idea to that, and another – like a jigsaw puzzle – and if I’m lucky I end up with a story.
Do you like the illustrations in your Bites books?
I like some more than others. I think the illustrations by Mitch Vane for Kev and Borax are the funniest.
What advice would you give to young writers?
Read heaps, write heaps, get your work published on the internet, enter competitions.
