I’m writing this post, spurred by Speculative Fiction Writers of New Zealand (which just recently launched) and New Zealand Spec Fic Blogging Week. I was casting about thinking about what I could contribute- then I realised it was staring me in the face.
You see, this past week I submitted a synopsis and three chapters of Weather Child, for my agent to start pitching. I made some contacts at WorldCon that expressed an interest in it, and to say that possibility excited me would be a massive understatement.
Weather Child, if you are not aware, is my alternative history fantasy novel, set in New Zealand between the two World Wars. I podcast the first draft of the novel back in 2009, and it met with some fairly rabid appreciation from overseas listeners. It even got nominated for a Sir Julius Vogel Award.
In my third print novel, Digital Magic at least half the story was set in Wellington.
And in Ministry of Peculiar Occurence: Phoenix Rising (co-written with Tee Morris and coming in May 2011 from Harper Voyager) Eliza D Braun, a secret agent is a kiwi girl all the way. The national anthem and culture are all over the book- and a real part of what makes Eliza special.
Including and drawing on my New Zealandness has been a very clear conscious decision – after all we are often told ‘write what you know’. Also, it is a reaction against the New Zealand I grew up in- where to be a kiwi was to be vaguely apologetic about it. In the 1970s and 1980s there was the feeling that being a kiwi was almost embarrassing. These were the days when even our TV presenters sounded plummy and British, you had very little choice in kiwi music on the radio, and fashion came from New York or London.
Yep, when people tell you they pine for the good ole days they’re not telling you the whole story. The only New Zealand author who was making it overseas back then was Hugh Cook. One person.
That’s why I find things like the Speculative Fiction Writers of New Zealand so damn cheering. Finally we are producing authors that not only make it big here, but also overseas.
Now all we need to do, is write about our beautiful home.
It is my firm opinion that these days we have nothing to be ashamed of. New Zealand is an awesome country, and I am proud to have come from here. From my podcasting experience overseas listeners and readers are intrigued and we should absolutely be using that to our advantage.
After all fantasy readers are used to reading about worlds of all shapes and sizes- so Aotearoa isn’t that far fetched.
We sometimes tend to forget New Zealand has a lot to offer the world, and fantasy writing; a unique perspective, mythology, culture. And what a source of inspiration it is! When I was writing Weather Child I got so much pleasure out of being able to share the stories of my family and their experiences in this country (OK, maybe not the ones about being magicians… as far as I know no Ballantines can shoot fireballs or summon lightning)
So I have never thought about being from New Zealand as a disadvantage. In fact now I think it is a positive advantage.
So that and a good healthy measure of pride are the reasons I love writing about New Zealand. I hope plenty of other people that live here will feel the same.