fighter + writer + teacher
I was raised in Taranaki and grew up a reluctant reader. At school, I got into a lot of trouble but endured until my final year, leaving to pursue my passion for becoming a professional MMA fighter. Ultimately, I won six national championships across four different sports, finishing all my MMA fights, except the one I lost, in the first or second round.
It wasn’t until I put down the gloves that I discovered books could hit just as hard.
Today, I write best-selling stories rooted in Aotearoa New Zealand. My work ranges from gritty literary fiction to playful storytelling for young readers, with a consistent focus on those living at the margins and finding their way through adversity.
My long-term goal is to write ten books over ten years, creating a cohesive yet evolving experience for readers. Each project will build upon the last, deepening core themes and expanding this world of stories.
books
The Bone Tree (2023)
A dark, gritty reimagining of Hunt for the Wilderpeople set on a farm just outside an unnamed large town in Taranaki.
When his father dies suddenly, Black conspires to keep his younger brother, Kauri, out of the hands of child welfare, fearing separation second only to one thing - growing to be his father.
The Bone Tree topped New Zealand’s fiction charts for 11 weeks.
Pātea Boys (2024)
A playful, two-way bilingual collection for young adults, reading in English one direction and in te reo Māori the other. Imagine Malcolm in the Middle and Home Alone set in small-town New Zealand.
Turi and his sister Hine fill their days with shenanigans - cheating at cross-country, doing bombs when the lifeguard isn’t looking, and generally testing the patience of their long-suffering grandmother.
Pātea Boys was written to help people learn and engage with te reo Māori.
The Last Living Cannibal (2025)
A historical novel with comedic undertones, set in Taranaki during World War II, when many Māori refused conscription. We’ve had many books on the Māori Batallion, this is the story of those who stayed home.
Koko, a veteran of the New Zealand Wars, struggles to protect his whānau - from the war, from the encroachment of another iwi, and from themselves most of all.
The Last Living Cannibal topped New Zealand’s fiction charts for three weeks.
The Comeback Kid (2026)
A middle-grade novel that’s funny and fast-paced with lots of kick.
Charlie Boy looks like a strand of spaghetti. He and his best friend, Rocky the Lower Hutt Chief, are good at getting into trouble together. But when Charlie and Rocky get into a bit too much trouble, Charlie is sent to live with his dad in Pātea. There's not much to do in a small town ... unless your dad happens to be a retired MMA fighter.
