I am the events that have shaped me, the people who have influenced me, the sum of the tastes that attract me and the culture that defines me. I am the causes I feel passionate about and the people I will fight for. I am the darkness inside me, woken by the light that finds me.
Born and raised in Rotorua, Aotearoa (New Zealand), geothermal gateway to the centre of the earth, my childhood was a juxtaposition of harsh realities and beautiful fantasy. My adulthood has been entirely London, city of colour and culture, history and darkness, where I’ve learned that words are tools we can carve and twist to shape worlds in the imagination of those around us.
This blog is a collection of creative short stories and poetry, and my reflections on life and the world from what I hope is an inspirational and gothic standpoint.
But I don’t just create shorts. I write for online magazines, reviewing a wide range of alternative, cultural and music events, and I write novels. Recently one of the manuscripts I have been working on, “Loretta of the Lamp”, was shortlisted and placed as a finalist in Hollywood’s Tracking Board global Launch Pad Manuscript Competition, in partnership with Ridley Scott’s production company Scott Free, which is kind of cool!
Following the successful reviews of Loretta of the Lamp, my urban gothic fantasy, Emmeline, was published.
Emmeline’s world is torn apart by the disappearance of her last living relative, which leads her to an encounter with the Ferryman of the Dead, and the start of a journey to finding out who she really is.
‘Emmeline’ is set on the streets of London, my favourite city in the whole wide world. You can follow Emmeline’s story here
But, BACK TO THE BLOG…
I know a blog can sometimes be confusing to look through for a specific starting point, so if you are new to this tale and want to catch my favourite pieces of writing first, here is a current selection of my top favourites….







This list will probably change from time to time, and I’m always keen to hear your thoughts and feedback as to your own favourites!
With love, from this side of darkness, JR Manawa xxx
Nice to have met you at the Barrus x Rolls Royce party. Do you have an email address?
Hi Michael! You can contact me at jrmanawa@gmail.com
You really have a creative mind! Congratulations on all the genres you delve into. 💐 Smiles, Robin
Thanks beautiful ^_^ I think we all have creative minds, it’s just learning to use them, right?!