Keys - a childhood dream realised

12 December 2014

Keys - a childhood dream realised

New author Sacha Cotter has had a dream come true.

Her first book Keys, along with the te reo Māori version Ngā Kī, was launched at the Wellington City Library last Thursday, to an enthusiastic audience of children from local Kōhanga Reo and Kindergarten.

For Sacha, the launch was ‘the climax to a whole year that has been a dream come true for me. The night before I barely slept a wink. Huia Publishers made the event so very special, it’s something that I will remember for the rest of my life.’

She was also able to meet the illustrator for the book, Josh Morgan, for the first time. ‘I finally got to meet Josh and tell him face to face how much I adore his illustrations. Since then I haven’t been able to thank him enough. I love his style and the way he breathes something quite magical into his work.’

Following the launch presentation and karakia, Sacha was able to read her first book to an excited group of children.

‘It was the first time that I had ever read a story of mine to a group of children – it was really quite surreal. But right from the very first page they were engaged. They helped me spot the mischievous cat and they joined in to help me make the keys “sing”. One little boy was completely taken by the “space noodles”. I kept hearing him say “space noodles, space noodles” when we were looking at the pictures on that page.’

Sacha has always wanted to write stories. ‘When I was seven years old I had an amazing teacher at Kawerau South School. Her name was Mrs Coles and it was in her class and with her encouragement that I discovered the magic of writing stories. When Huia Publishers decided to take on Keys / Ngā Kī, it felt like that childhood dream had finally been realised. I felt like I had won lotto.’

‘Even more, the story that would be my first published book, was a story based on my earliest childhood memory of my Dad arriving home and his keys jangling in the door. Every time I read Keys I get to relive that feeling; the excitement I felt to see my Dad and the way I thought he was so clever and strong, like he could do anything!’

Sacha is currently a librarian at Victoria University and will be spending part of her Christmas break performing a special reading to more excited children back home at the Kawerau Library.

Keys / Ngā Kī is now available in all good bookshops.

HUIA is an award-winning independent New Zealand book publisher producing wonderful and provocative books with a uniquely Māori or Pacific perspective. www.huia.co.nz

ENDS

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