Hi Marie-ann, I have just finished reading your book and I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed the read. I loved the Irish accents of the characters, the descriptions of the voyage and early New Zealand....you must have done so much research, and of course the passages about midwifery, Bedelia's lack of confidence and the situations she faced brought back so many memories of myself as I began my midwifery journey sixty years ago.Thank you for including me in your "cartel of followers".
Good luck with your next book.
Warm regards, Jan
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I finished reading Emerald to Pounamu yesterday evening. I was very fortunate to receive it on the day before the release. Wow ! It is a compulsive read. Thoroughly recommended . I love that it is well researched and based on real events. It made me think of my great great grandmother who was a midwife, but died in a horse and cart accident on the way to a birth. The adaptions and positive input from the multi national settlers is perfectly depicted. This book is a gratifying celebration of the Whakapapa of many New Zealanders .
Congratulations Marie ann.
Kaylene (former Practice Midwifery Partner).
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I finished Emerald to Pounamu (an inspiring title) in the weekend and loved every word of it.
Not having any hands-on midwifery experience I was fascinated by the historical detail of this most honourable profession. The experience of pushing my three best achievements into the world relatively drama free gave me no idea of the intricacies of the procedure or the very real opportunity for things to get complicated. Poor Bedelia, she discovered that!
What I loved most about the book was your characters; all so relatable. Especially the sisters Bedelia and Veronica. The use of their own language was delightful. It was so nice to use a family name for your main character.
Your research is inspiring; your work indeed authentic.
What was truly exciting for me was literally re-reading my own Great-Grandmother's journey through the eyes of the sisters; ship life and early NZ settlement. Fanny's story (1854-1930) formed a large part of my research for a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature at Waikato University which I undertook when I was sixty; completed when I was sixty-five. I called her The Immigrant Cinderella in a biographical assignment of 2000-3000 words for a paper entitled Creative Non-fiction.
Congratulations Marie-ann; well done! You are an author now; please allow me to continue to be a part of the 'cartel of followers' for your next project.
Happy days,
JANET
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Well I am a slow reader mainly because I'm always busy doing "stuff" but I have just finished your book and I want more!!!! Your writing was so captivating, I was there living with them all. Thank you xxx Leanne
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RuthJust a note to say how much I enjoyed "Emerald to Pounamu.” Thank you very much.
I really liked the size and length of your book.
I find that big / thick books are too cumbersome to hold up while lying down in bed, and often can be full of padding or unnecessary twists and turns in the plot.
In fact it is rare that I read one like that all the way through, I usually end up going to the last chapter., impatiently.
My reading time is in bed, before sleep and I am usually quite tired so don’t get through much.
However, if the book is good, that gives me impetus to get to bed - as there is something to look forward to, which I certainly did with your book.
The adventures and development of the two sisters and life in early Nelson, and the perils of childbirth.
As you rightly say giving birth is perilous, and your novel does give reality about hard times.
I love to see a heroine succeeding even with hardships, because of her dedication and stamina.
A really good read , I really commend you. So well done.
Thankyou for bringing me along
Arohanui and appreciation, Xo Lilly
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