Elena de Roo, a children’s writer from Auckland, arrived in Dunedin on February 23 with her husband Ronald to begin a six-month writing residency.
She was awarded the University of Otago College of Education Creative New Zealand Children’s Writer in Residence Fellowship, staying at the Titan St Writer’s cottage courtesy of the Robert Lord Trust.
Mrs de Roo settled in and decided she would treat the residency like a full-time job, and go to her office in the College of Education building each day to work.
Less than a month after arriving, the country entered lockdown.
"It was surprising; I think it was surprising for the whole country really."
Mrs de Roo thought about returning home, but decided it felt right to stay in Dunedin.
"I wasn’t going to have another opportunity to do a residency and it presented a unique situation, so I decided to stay."
Mrs de Roo was working on her fellowship project — a novel for intermediate-age children called Cam and the Bird People, inspired by the works of New Zealand painter Bill Hammond — from home.
She was also writing poems for children.
"It has been challenging with the lockdown, but I’m very fortunate to have this house and this chance to do nothing but write.
"We’ve been going for walks and exploring. Dunedin is beautiful."
Mrs de Roo was part of a group of 10 children’s authors running an online writing competition for children, providing story starters for them to write from and judging the end product.
"Things like books and competitions are important for kids to have during lockdown so it’s nice to be doing something."
Mrs de Roo hoped to send the novel to publishers by the end of the residency.
"It’s certainly not an experience I’ll ever forget."
