Nomadic Local Artist To Publish New Collection Of Poetry And Prose

W.F. Stubbs’ second book, due out in May 2024, is presented in snapshots of poetry, short fiction, creative non-fiction, and journal entries. Two Left Feet delves into the complex intimacies of two travellers in a close-knit relationship, living and travelling in an L300 van while exploring the landscape of Te Waipounamu.

Two Left Feet takes the reader on a literary journey from the sunny hills of Tasman, to summer rain in Central Otago, down to Invercargill and back up again to the sandfly-ridden West Coast.

Author Jackie Cook, who organises Nelson’s STEM and Motueka’s WHAM! writing groups, says:

“Stubbs has a keen eye for capturing the local. He is a writer who connects to his environment with a powerful directness and can get that feeling right inside his prose.”

Bookbinder and community services organiser Kataraina Allen QSM says:

“Two Left Feet is fabulously conceived. Stubbs has a creative intelligence that makes his writing a joy, and the reader is able to realise his exhilarations, spirit and excitement, sadness, and the peace within. Not every writer has the creative skill to give their readers this sense of harmony."

A few years ago, seeking simplicity and relief from the daily grind, Stubbs gave up living in a house and moved into his car, parking up on the side of the Motueka River. Without the distraction of house bills and destructive relationships, Stubbs was able to deal with much of the depression and feelings of suicide that had plagued him for most of his adult life.

The following months of cold river baths, long walks, and cooking over a hand-built campfire on the side of the river served as the inspiration for writing that would later be published as The Tasman Journey (2019).

As The Tasman Journey went through a second printing, Stubbs travelled and distributed the book across Te Ika-a-Māui / the North Island in his car – now his travelling home.

Two Left Feet picks up where The Tasman Journey left off, with the author discovering a new love and the two of them travelling around Te Waipounamu / the South Island together.

Stubbs continues to reside in the Tasman/Nelson district, still living happily from his car with a new riverside campfire set-up near Wakefield. He has completed a third book of combined poetry and prose, and is revising the final draft of his third novel.

Two Left Feet is due out in May 2024 and will be available from selected bookshops.

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