Author Background: “Salt of Our Blood”.

I sold over fourteen million dollars worth of berths for a new Auckland-based marina, late last century. And enjoyed many a glass of the finest champers! Extraordinary tales of our sailing past, and the larger-than-life America's Cup characters I met (Sir Peter Blake, Ted Turner, Neville Crichton, etc) convinced me to start writing. Plus, my international clients loved our unique country and wanted to know more about Maori.

At the time, I also noticed a dearth of strong female New Zealand heroines in fiction, particularly those who dared to challenge New Zealand's 1980s traditional male bastions, such as the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron's “Cobweb Corner”.

Fascinated by the history and skulduggery of The America's Cup, the world's second oldest sporting/sailing race, (Auckland's Anniversary Day Regatta is older) I created Martina-Ace, a flawed, gutsy protagonist who plays men at their own game. History, facts and fiction are combined to create a rollicking tale of the sea and New Zealand, underpinned by my passion for maritime history, Te Reo, Tikanga sensibilities. I also wanted to share with my readers, particularly those overseas, the glory of our maritime environment, and to impart an understanding of the lure of the briny deep and flapping sails. Jilly Cooper

My title, “Salt of Our Blood” is from J. F. Kennedy's 1962 Newport speech to the America's Cup Crews where he stated that both sea water and our blood have the same proportion of salt.

“SOOB”, my novel, an 80,000-word thesis, and 10,000-word exegesis which explores on themes of dislocation and post-colonial issues, was completed at AUT's Master of Creative Writing (Hons) under the tutelage of James George.

“Matt” (an excerpt of “SOOB”) won The NZ Society Of Authors's Inaugural Short Story Award judged by Dr Judith White. I have won and been short-listed in various short story competitions (details available) and published in JAAM magazine. I revised my two hand-books (co-authored) “Going To Live in New Zealand” and “Going To Live in Australia” for the fourth reprint in 2007. Publisher: “How To Books”.

I was successful in the BBC's Talent quest for a presenter (my own script and theme) after being selected from 20,000 applicants throughout the United Kingdom.

Curtis Brown gave me good feedback on “SOOB” before their takeover. The 2021 Bridport Short Story Competition acknowledged my short-listed entry. I am currently working on a small book of poetry and a memoir of 1970-80's domestic disharmony, control and conflict as a child's drug addiction becomes obvious, through to my time (aged fifty years plus) working and living with the aristocracy and wealthy who engaged me as a nanny and cook. (One of the young boys I nannied is today a baritone opera singer of note.)

 

 

 

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