Mary-anne Scott writes youth fiction, and has been shortlisted for the Children's Book Awards three times. Photo / Supplied
Mary-anne Scott writes youth fiction, and has been shortlisted for the Children's Book Awards three times. Photo / Supplied
A lifelong love affair with Mahia has led respected author Mary-Anne Scott to base her latest book at the seaside settlement.
Scott writes youth fiction, and has been shortlisted for the Children's Book Awards three times.
Her fourth novel Spearo, aimed at children aged 9 and up, tells the tale of a Zimbabwean boy called Sean, who is brought to New Zealand to live by his mother, after the death of his father.
Struggling with homesickness and grief, he befriends a Kiwi kid who loves to spearfish – entering a competition with his new mate.
But there's an accident and Sean, who has little experience with the water, is thrust into the front line of the tournament.
The Mahia Boating and Fishing Club is where a portion of the action is set, and many other Hawke's Bay landscapes and landmarks feature in the action.
"I guess I write what I know," the 59-year-old said, who first stepped onto Mahia's golden sand at the age of 11 – one of nine children born to her parents Kevin and Joy Watson.
"Mum and Dad, who first met at a dance at the Mokotahi Hall, started bringing us to Mahia for holidays and weekends.
"Dad eventually bought a place, and we spent all our free time here – he'd make us get up early to swim every morning, and we'd all muck in collecting firewood or putting the cray pots down."
When Scott had her own family of four boys, the tradition continued.
"I've tried to convince the family to holiday somewhere else," she says, "but without success. They won't have it."
Mary-anne Scott's son Tom, 28, even stars on the cover, showcasing a mighty kingfish he speared off Whaakari White Island. Photo / Supplied
Scott, whose 2018 book Sticking with Pigs introduced young readers to the adventure of hunting, says the idea of writing a youth novel about spearfishing came easily to her, despite having never spearfished herself.
"No, I'm too short-sighted!" she laughs.
All four of her sons – now adults – enjoyed the sport as teens and Mahia was the perfect place to try it out.
"There's a guy up there who helped get them all spearfishing," the Havelock North-based author tells.
"He's an amazing man who had them all in the water as kids and taught them how to wrap their legs around a kingfish.
"I think you get a better catch when you spearfish," she said.
"The boys now call fishing rods 'wishing sticks' because you hold them there and hope something gets on, whereas with spearfishing, you get into the sea yourself and find what you want."
The book's themes of bravery, resilience, and risk-taking resonate with all of her children, who have each had a hand in helping craft the book in some way.
Her son Tom, 28, even stars on the cover, showcasing a mighty kingfish he speared off Whaakari White Island.
Scott says her greatest hope is that kids who read Spearo will become intoxicated by the undersea world of spearfishing, and that their parents will encourage them to try it.
"Children don't have as many opportunities as my generation did to push themselves into a bit of danger and get themselves out again," she said.
"It's good to feel that you've done something scary and really been brave. I think it's really important to teach our young New Zealanders that they can survive when the chips are down."
