What a week! Relief is the underlying emotion that ‘A Flame Flickers in the Darkness,’ a historical fiction novel or book set during the New Zealand or Maori Wars, is now launched! I am so stoked and now the fun part begins, getting out and about and selling copies to bookstores et al. Any ideas, just shoot! A couple of newspaper articles are coming up soon as well so watch this space. Also check out the link below to the Oxford University Rugby Club Website – back in the carefree days of the golden locks.

Former OURFC Player Has Book Published

It has been great hearing from lots of people I haven’t heard from in ages this week and I look forward to a catch up soon. It has been a long time coming catching up with a lot of people in New Zealand after 5 years overseas, 3 in the Qatar desert.

The Westlake Boys High School 50th Jubilee is coming up in August and the Otago University U21 Blues Dunedin Champion Team (10-12 year reunion) is long overdue. Can’t wait to have a brew and share a yarn.

Re the book, the feedback from everybody has been really supportive. It is a bit of an unblokeish thing to do, throw a book out there for everybody to read, so cheers for the good luck messages. I look forward to hearing from you once you have read it – I hope you enjoy it.

On that note, I would love to give you all a copy, to share with you what a fascinating bunch of people lived in New Zealand during the 1860s New Zealand or Maori Wars and some of the pretty unbelievable historic events that occurred. Unfortunately, I can’t – it has taken a bit of capital to get the book out there so while I would love to, that is the scoop. Sorry!

To respond to a couple of queries:

Yes, ‘A Flame Flickers in the Darkness’ can be ordered online from the PublishMe online bookstore by people both inside New Zealand and also outside New Zealand – so the crew in the UK , UAE and Qatar – no “wuckin furries,” it’s available.

I also had some great news today that my local bookshop, The Village Bookshop, in Matakana, New Zealand, is now selling ‘A Flame Flickers in the Darkness.’ Those of you in the Mahurangi region can grab a copy from there and it’s not all that far now with the new motorway extension for the crew in Auckland to head up for a look and have a wine or a coffee in Matakana Valley or a fish or a surf at the local beaches while you are at it.
Check it out at: The Village Bookshop

In other news, I entered a surfing contest over Easter, Mangawhai Boardriders v Aotea Boardriders, held in Auckland at St Heliers ;). It was a great day, a big swell was running and good fun was had by all. Standout performers were Sid West of Aotea Boardriders, who won, and Heath Worsfold of Mangawhai who pushed the progressive surfing envelope all day.

Congrats also to my sister, Alex Cowie, who this week won the Kaiwaka Sportswoman of the Year Award for top Netball and Triathlon performances. Well done Al!

Congrats also to the Doha Rugby Club 1st XV who won the West Asian Club Championship last week for the first time in the club’s 38 year old history. More to follow on this – there is a very good yarn to share.

Have a rad weekend – until next time.

Cheers

Winston Cowie (Winnie)

This is my first blog and I’ve got to say, it is not something a Kiwi bloke is prone to do. It’s not part of our humble psyche, to let everybody know what we are up to. To use a rugby analogy, we are used to scoring a try and running back to the half way line with the head down, embarrassed to celebrate success. I feel this way as well, even now as I write my first blog. The purpose of this blog however, is to promote my first novel, ‘A Flame Flickers in the Darkness’ and let you all know developments, like where it is being sold and when ‘Meet the Author’ events are on. It is also, to be honest, for the more cynical among you, to regularly use key words associated with my book, so my website, http://www.winstoncowie.com, is picked up by Google indexing. Key words like:

“New Zealand or Maori Wars; New Zealand Historical Fiction Novel or Book; 1860s; Author Winston Cowie; and A Flame Flickers in the Darkness.”

Hence this blog. ;) I will make it interesting and post photos of not only ‘A Flame Flickers in the Darkness’ events, but everything else interesting Kiwiana, the likes of; Marine Science facts and photos that I come across in my work as a Senior Aquatic Scientist and Legal Consultant working for global professional services company GHD in Auckland; to stories of fishing trips, both rod and spear; to interesting rugby insights; to surfing trips; to ways to catch and cook scallops and crayfish; to tramping and hunting trips; to Underwater Heritage wrecks, to ski and snowboard trips; to the mullet boat, Tuatara’s, latest sailing adventure. And there’ll be a fair few. I’ll keep most family stuff private though, as that’s personal. I’m sure you can respect that.

Great, that’s the end of my first blog. If you liked it, like it, if you enjoyed reading ‘A Flame Flickers in the Darkness,’ share it or Tweet it (something I’m not yet into – I don’t have a fancy phone), and hopefully the novel and this blog will grow into something that all Kiwis read.

Until next time.

Cheers

Winston Cowie (Winnie)

Author; ‘A Flame Flickers in the Darkness’

Genre: “New Zealand or Maori Wars; New Zealand Historical Fiction Novel or Book; 1860s; Author Winston Cowie & Winnie Cowie; and A Flame Flickers in the Darkness.”

Blog Topics: New Zealand, Marine Science and Policy, Fishing (rod and spear), Surfing, Seafood Recipes, Diving, Rugby, Underwater Heritage, Tramping, Skiing and Snowboarding, Tuatara the mullet boat, Winston Cowie.