Mike Hart

Mike grew up in the Banks Peninsula port of Lyttelton. The magnificent harbour, Te Whakaraupō, and the ever-changing myriad of shipping and passengers from around the world are the inspiration for his creative writing. Graduating from Canterbury University, he worked the summer holidays in the bustling port and still enjoys walking the crater rim tracks of the ancient volcanic hills. Mike has an enduring connection with our land and people through his work at Toitū Te Whenua. With a background in technical writing, he is now enjoying more time as a creative writer. Mike's first novel, The Journey of the Guardian Stone, is inspired by the men and women in his family who served their country at home and overseas during the two World Wars of the Twentieth Century.


Genre:

  • Adult Fiction
  • History

Skills:

  • Corporate Writing
  • Technical Writing

Branch:

Canterbury

Location:

Publications:


The Journey of the Guardian Stone

1914, the waters of Whakaraupō ripple with tension of soldiers leaving for war…

Jean Fraser, a nurse at the Lyttelton Casualty Ward and Kaito Nimura, an idealistic navy Lieutenant, meet by chance. Caught up in the romance and patriotic fervour, Kaito promises enduring love with his most precious possession, a guardian stone made by his beloved grandfather. While the battle for Gallipoli rages, their son Rory is born.

Spanning the vast Pacific Ocean and the chaos of two World Wars, The Journey of the Guardian Stone is a story of hope and resilience in the face of prejudice, deceit and lost love. Risking death, Jean, Kaito and Rory never give up on their search for the truth. The guardian stone unites them - and holds the secret to their fate…