When Jack Leith died in 1899, his bequest to Tom and George, the children of his second marriage, was five hundred pounds and an understanding that they would always take care of their mother. The money was to be shared equally between the two of them; responsibility for their mother Tom took entirely upon his own shoulders. Tom: determined to honour his father's legacy, and willing to set aside his own wishes as he does his best to please a demanding mother. George: strong-willed to the point of obstinacy, and equally determined to go wherever his ambitions lead. George seeks adventure, while Tom asks for little more than a tranquil household. Though the brothers' affection for each other never wavers, they follow increasingly divergent paths as each in his own way strives for a life that may hold more than mere contentment.

I write historical fiction set in New Zealand, starting in the 1880s and continuing through to the 1920s. I'm fascinated by social history, particularly that of my own country.

I live in a state of barely-controlled chaos; fortunately I share my life with an invariably calm and endlessly optimistic husband. I divide my time between an apartment in the city, in reach of good espresso, and a few acres in the country, where the rank grass in the orchard is kept under control by a small mob of sheep (and where we have our own espresso machine).

When I'm not writing, reading, or engaged in mundane activities, I play the piano rather badly.