A Walk in the Forest

Our house is nestled against a small patch of native forest. On a hot day like today, the woods are lovely, light and deep—and deliciously cool.

The trees and ferns here are very similar to the bush in the valley where Amy, Lizzie, and now Daisy have grown up. The dominant species are rimu and totara, both podocarps, with tree ferns in lighter spaces and a lush undergrowth of ferns and shrubs.

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40 Comments


  1. I love, love, love your books. I have read and reread the series. Just found the latest ” after the roses. Bought it immediately. Thank you.

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    1. Thanks so much, Pam! That’s lovely to hear.

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  2. Dear Shayne,

    I came across your books quite by chance while perusing Book Bub one day. I am so glad I found them! I just finished the fourth book, Second Chance, this weekend and was somewhat forlorn, missing Amy and all the folks of Ruatane…thinking there were no more books to be found. I thought to look up your name and see if you had a website and was thrilled to find “two more books”! I see I will have to absorb them rather slowly to make them last. What shall I do when they are finished. You are such a gifted writer. Please don’t stop writing….ever! AND don’t fall into the trap of writing future books that are just shadows of the four books I have read. (Many authors do that and it is SO disappointing.) The depth of character that you develop in your writing is breathtaking. Amy, Lizzie, and Frank are such friends now. I will read everything you write for the rest of my life. You are a treasure! Much love, Patty Davidson.

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    1. What a lovely comment, Patty! Thanks so much for your kind words. I certainly do intend to go on writing – I want to know what happens to these characters, and the only way to find out is to write it! I’m very fond of (almost) all of them, and very caught up in their lives.

      Amy is now enjoyed a much-deserved quieter life, but she is still very much a presence. The focus, however, has shifted to Daisy and her generation. I hope you enjoy getting to know them – I certainly have.

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      1. Oh such utter pain having to be wait for the next book on Amy, Daisy and Eddie! I was fortunate to come across the first book, Sentence of Marriage, and have read them all back to back till now…..sigh. I know this next book is going to be good!

        Thank you Shayne for your wonderful talented writing! Huge fan!

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        1. I sometimes say that following my work is an exercise in patience, Tanya. 🙂 Thanks so much for your kind words.

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    2. I personally have read the series more than once and still get new pleasure out of it. Am hoping there will be more to family story.

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      1. That’s great to hear, April! Yes, there will be more – I want to follow Daisy further along her journey.

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  3. Dear Shayne

    I just finished the four book series and I must say that I miss these people, like friends I can’t visit any longer –
    You are now one of my favorite authors and am telling all my real friends about you.
    Our Beyond the Cover book club will read Sentence of Marriage in March.

    Thank you for sharing your talent with all of us who don’t write but love to read.

    Many blessings,
    diana

    Reply

    1. Oh, that’s wonderful to hear, Diana! Thanks so much.

      I do hope your fellow book club members enjoy “Sentence of Marriage”!

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  4. I just finished your book “After the Rose” and are really looking forward to the follow-up! I joined kindle only recently and downloaded “Sentence to marriage” for free, after I read it I couldn’t stop reading your books! Your books really have substance!

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    1. Thanks so much, Ena! It’s so good to hear how caught up you’ve been in my books.

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  5. I’ve read all of your books one after another almost without looking up. Very engrossing in the characters and history and natural history. New Zealand is a totally new world to me and I want as many more books about the family as possible. What happens to Tom and George? To the other cousins? Can Daisy and Eddie ever find another to love after their most un-sibling like relationship? I associate with Lucy, my name sake and also closest to my (somewhat annoying) personality. Haha. I have also been, for 43 years, a piano tuner. So the details about the pianos were fascinating and I can attest, quite accurate. Thanks, may you live long and write many. Try to stay under $4 per book.

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    1. How lovely to hear from another Lucy! I’m glad you enjoy your namesake. 🙂 Also wonderful to hear from a piano expert – the pianos do have quite an important role, as you’ve obviously noticed.

      I’ve been very pleased with the number of readers who ask after Tom and George, as I have plans to give them a book of their own. I know their stories in some detail now – it’s “just” a matter of writing it!

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  6. I am so glad I found these books. I don’t know if any others have held me captivated as these have and I love to read. I can’t wait to read whats next!

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  7. I came across your site when I was ‘googling’ for resources for a New Zealand historical novel I am attempting to write. Your books look great and I will certainly try to read as many of them as I can lay my hands on.

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    1. Thanks, Jeanette! Best of luck with your project.

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  8. Just finish After The Roses have read the whole series .When is the next book coming ? I can’t wait.

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    1. Thanks, Beulah. I hope you *can* wait, though. 🙂 It’ll be a while yet, I’m afraid.

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  9. Beautiful captures, Shayne! I especially like the 2nd, and the 6th.

    Best of luck with the new book – I’ll be watching my email for the announcement. 🙂

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    1. Thanks, Traci! The forest is very photogenic.

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  10. Your books are wonderful. Your description of the characters and the history of New Zealand are on point. I can’t wait to read your next book. After the roses was terrific. I loved the way you never forget a single character and always find a way to put everyone together. I love the way the children are protected. Lizzie reminds me so much of my late mother and how she was always supporting the families. Sarah is a wonderful character.

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    1. Thanks so much for your lovely comments, Michelle! I’m so pleased you enjoyed “After the Roses”, too – I really enjoyed bringing back some of the characters who’ve been there right from the first book.

      Lizzie is a wonderful character to write, so strong in herself, so loyal, and so supportive of her loved ones. I see some of the same characteristics in Sarah, despite major differences in their backgrounds and circumstances.

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  11. I received Sentence of Marriage book 1 last week and couldn’t stop reading your books until I just finished After the Roses. I just loved them and felt I was truly transported to the other side of the world to New Zealand with the Leiths, Kelly’s and Stewart’s. I have loved getting to know Amy and Daisy and all their history. You are a wonderful writer. I cannot wait to read your next books and am so glad I didn’t find them until now. It was such a joy to binge on the Parkinson series and I won’t have to wait so long until the next instalment. My sister moved from Canada to New Zealand and I can’t wait to email her about these books and am hoping to soon visit and see for myself the land my sister has adopted and my favourite characters lived.

    Reply

    1. Thanks so much, Brenda! Gosh, that’s a lot of reading to have fitted into one week – you certainly must have been caught up in the books, which is lovely to hear.

      I’m very glad to have been able to transport you to New Zealand in imagination. I hope it won’t be too long till you’re able to come here in person.

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  12. I have devoured all your books through the last as our Daisy is coming to terms with some hard truths….. Can’t wait for the next installment in their lives! Thanks for Amy and Beth and Lizzie and Davie and Eddie and Frank and the rest!😘

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    1. Thank *you*, Beth – and what a lovely name you have. 🙂

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  13. Love them love them. Thanks for sharing the magic of Ruatane. Look forward to more!

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    1. Thanks, Susy!

      As I write “Susy”, I’m half-expecting to hear a voice snap, “It’s Susannah!” 🙂

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  14. I also came across your first book “sentence of marriage” through book bub! OMG, I WAS SO HOOKED BY THESE CHARACTERS AND HAVE READ ALL THE SERIES!!! I can’t wait until your next book comes out. Thank you so much for sharing your talents as a writer and your wonderful description of New Zealand😀😀.this CANADIAN anxiously awaits the follow up to AFTER THE ROSES😫

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    1. Thanks so much, Marilyn! That’s wonderful to hear.

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  15. Love your books so much I had to have them in paper back I was so excited when I finally got them they look great added to my bookshelf!!! 🙂

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    1. Thanks so much, Brittany! E-books are great, but I do enjoy having the paperback versions on my bookshelf, too.

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  16. My husband gave me a kindle for Christmas and it opened the door to books I’d never seen. It recommended your books so I started with’sentance of Marriage” I loved it so much that in the space of two weeks I have downloaded and read everything of yours I could find. Please tell me there’s gong to be another book about Daisy and Eddie and all the rest of the family. Now I’ve finished the books I feel like I’ve lost a family of friends.

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    1. That’s great to hear, Barbara! They do feel like friends to me, too.

      Yes, there’ll definitely be more about the family. I still have many more stories to share about their lives.

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  17. I downloaded the box set to read on holiday and then couldn’t put these books down. I’ve now come to the end of After the Roses and feel lost without Daisy, Eddie, Amy and their whole families. Any idea when we can expect the next book picking up in Daisy’s journey? I can’t wait to read more!

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    1. Thanks so much, Paula!

      It won’t be very soon, I’m afraid, but there’ll definitely be more on Daisy.

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  18. Hi Shayne, I am in love with your books started with Mud and Gold and have just started Daisy’s War don’t want this series to end! Thank you !

    Reply

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