Jill Harris
Born in Invercargill, raised at the head of the Rangitata River and matured in Nelson.
I went to Waimea College, worked writing advertising copy at the Nelson Mail before heading for radio as a copywriter at Radio Nelson.
After meeting Bunji and taking on his dream to go sailing, I spent eight years aboard our yacht Bloomers.
Coming back to New Zealand with our son Dan, I worked as Promotions Manager at Newstalk ZB during the Paul Holmes era and then as a sub-editor for National Business Review.
We moved back to Nelson in 1991, and I worked at Radio Fifeshire, firstly as a copywriter and then as a radio journalist.
I gained an Advanced Diploma in Journalism, but decided news was too depressing and changed career tack to freelance writing and communications.
During that time, I wrote three social histories commissioned by the Tasman District Council and one for the Ministry for the Environment and later a book called “Our Covid journey” for the Northland DHB..
In 2019 Bunji and I moved to a 22-acre farm near Matauri Bay in Northland. I have returned to writing, while learning to tackle pugging in the paddock, looking after goats and chooks and how to change a light bulb!
Do you try more to be original, or to deliver to readers what they want?
While I want readers to enjoy my writing, I don’t write to deliver what is popular or “trending right now”. Originality is key for me.
What was the first book that made you cry?
I think “To Kill a Mockingbird” was the first to do that. I have always hated injustice.
If you had to do something differently as a child or teenager to become a better writer as an adult, what would you do?
I wish I had been able to spend more time with my parents and grandparents, from the perspective of finding out how their lives were for them.
Are there any secrets in your books that only a few people will find? Can you tell us one? Or give us any hints?
When I wrote the commissioned books “A Place to Live” and “Faces and Forces”, I met many surprising people. Perhaps the biggest surprise was interviewing Gerrald Tarrant, a gamma ray physicist who worked in Lord Earnest Rutherford’s team.
Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym? Why?
I guess if I ever write a book that’s highly controversial, I might consider a pen name. With social media as it is, who wants to be bullied?!
How did publishing your first book change your writing process?
I discovered that getting disciplined over time to write does help when you have “do I really want to do this” days!