A Wanganui painter has turned her hand to creativity of a different kind.
Jean McDavitt's first book, a collection of 15 short stories and two poems, called An Itchy Hand, will be released on September 6 at 3pm, at Paige's Book Gallery.
Ms McDavitt has been painting all her life, and has taken part in numerous exhibitions, as well as Artist Open Studios Whanganui, but this is her first foray into writing.
Taking up writing was no spur-of-the-moment decision, however.
"The collection was written over a period of 20 years. I used to move around a lot and my painting gear was packed away, so I started writing.