Donna Blaber
Donna holds a Masters Degree in Creative Writing and has authored books for publishers in NZ, Australia and the UK. She's also published a few of her own. In the past she's written articles for magazines, and held editor and editor-in-chief positions. These days she writes novels, blogs, reads a lot, and when she's not working on her own creations, offers a freelance editing service.
She is an experienced journalist, magazine editor and author. Donna’s first book, New Zealand Driving Holidays, was published in 2004 and since then she has produced more than 40 titles.
She also visits schools through READ NZ Te Pou Muramura and runs creative writing workshops.
Genre:
- Adult Non-Fiction
- Children's Fiction
- Children's Non-Fiction
- E-Book
- Fantasy
- Feature Articles
- Fiction
- Flash Fiction
- Freelance Writer
- Journalism
- Lifestyle
- Non-Fiction
- Short Stories
- Web Writing
- Young Adult
Skills:
- Competition Judging
- Editing
- Freelance Writing
- Journalism
- Manuscript Assessment
- Mentoring
- Novelist
- Print Media Writing (magazines/newspapers)
- Proofreading
- Readings
- Readings (adults)
- Research
- Reviews
- Short Story Writing
- Workshops (children/schools)
Branch:
Northland
Location:
Whangarei
Publications:
Just Remember
Em Rogers life changes forever when she gets her first after-school detention. If she'd known Dad would die in an accident on the way to pick her up, and Mum would have a nervous breakdown, she never would have talked in class that day. Was it all her fault? After losing friends, confidence, and hope, Em moves up north to Nan's and finds a future with the help of new friends, a mermaid, and a magic rock.
For readers aged 10-14.
Just End It
Jessie wants it to stop. She’s been dumped by her best friend, and bullied by the new girl. The school year has only just begun! Jessie blames a rock she found at Whale Bay. It has special cultural significance, and too late she discovers that if it’s take without permission, it brings bad luck. It may even explain the strange dreams she’s been having. Things get worse when she’s bullied online. The whole school sees. Jessie must fix everything but she needs help. Who can she trust? Will anything ever be the same again?
For readers aged 10-14.
Just Keep Going
Becky always loved visiting her dad in New Zealand until she returns during the pandemic.
Now he’s got a baby with her new stepmum and everything has changed. Worse still, her windsurfer hasn’t arrived yet, so there’s nothing for her to do but wait for Mum who is stuck overseas.
Then Becky finds a strange stone at Whale Bay and her luck changes. She makes new friends, joins an environmental group, borrows a windsurfer, and has several close encounters with a bottlenose dolphin who simply won’t leave her alone.
What is wrong with the dolphin? Is it trying to tell her something? And who are the people poaching fish from the marine reserve? How is it all connected? Becky must find a way to solve it all.
Just Keep Going is a story of blended families, new friendships, marine pollution, a magical stone, a persistent dolphin, and a young girl with a strong will to succeed, adapting to life in a new country.
For readers aged 10-14.
Sylvie's Big Adventure
Sylvie loves to explore. More than anything else in the world she wants to go on a big adventure. When Sylvie discovers her neighbours Ben and Kate are going on holiday, she wants to go too! She hides inside Ben's favourite toy truck. But the world's a big place. Things go horribly wrong. Will Sylvie make it home again?
For readers aged 7-9 years.
The Kiwi Critters
For children aged 2-5 years.
