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New Captain's Blog!
Master Mariner Chard Pawley is blogging his way across the high seas. Check out his nautical news and maritime musings over on his dedicated Captain's Log.
4 days ago


Chard Pawley's Media Debut
Chard has launched his book's publicity campaign with his first interview with Kathryn on Nine to Noon on RNZ! Follow the link below to listen to the podcast recording of the interview, and learn a little more about Chard's work and inspiration for his book. Sea captain's book imagines NZ 60 years after devastating war
Apr 9


WANTED: Recruits for a time-travelling mythical animal rescue agency!
It was just like any other day at school – and then Ellie Hapstead found a lost baby unicorn behind her classroom! Recruited by a time-travelling animal rescue agency, 12-year-old Ellie steps through a glowing portal into the year 2361. Here she learns the truth about mythological animals from all over the world: Bigfoot, unicorns, flying monkeys and more – they’re all real! But they aren’t supposed to be… and the STARR Agents must sneak into the past to rescue as many as cre
Oct 31, 2025


Captain's Log 001: Chard Pawley
I joined the merchant navy at seventeen. By twenty-nine, I had my captain's stripes. I've circled the globe. I've crossed the Suez and Panama Canals. I've stood watch in pirate-infected waters. I've towed offshore platform sections across hostile seas. For two decades I've made a living staring at the horizon. Somewhere out there, between night watches and long transits, a story began forming. What happens when the land can't sustain us anymore? What do we build offshore? Who
Sep 30, 2025


Arid Earth 1: The Knowledge Keeper has launched!
Nearly a decade after I had the first spark of an idea for the story, The Knowledge Keeper has launched online! Now available in paperback and Kindle ebook exclusively on Amazon. For New Zealand and Australian customers, please click here. For US customers, please click here. For UK customers, please click here. For all other Amazon store territories, please search "The Knowledge Keeper Arid Earth" and let me know if it doesn't pop up! For the full back story of the series, s
Jan 30, 2023


J L Pawley on Tour with Storylines
Thanks to Storylines for taking J L Pawley on tour round the Thames/Coromandel/Hauraki area with fantastic fellow authors Glyn Harper, Sandra Morris, and Elaine Bickell, 21-25 October 2019. For more peeks at J L Pawley's last tour for 2019, check out the Storylines Children's Literature Charitable Trust's Facebook page. #schoolvisits #tour #GenerationIcarus #publicappearance
Oct 25, 2019


"Take Flight" named in top 10 YA books of 2019
Generation Icarus #2: Take Flight has won a Notable Book Award from the Storylines Children's Literature Charitable Trust, identifying it as one of the 10 best books published for teenagers in NZ in 2018. Congratulations to the other worthy winners! #TakeFlight #review #award
Jun 1, 2019


New Twists on Old Tales - Interview with Massey University, Classics Dept.
Jess sat down with one of Massey University's Greek experts to talk old masters and new wings. #video #QA #Interview #GenerationIcarus
May 13, 2019


J L Pawley on Tour with Duffy Books in Homes
#charity #duffybooks #schoolvisits #tour #wings
Apr 12, 2019


J L Pawley talks YA books on Radio NZ
J L Pawley was invited back to Radio New Zealand to chat to Jesse Mulligan about YA books, how to define and identify them, and how the grey areas can challenge teen readers and adults alike. Listen to the full 10 minute chat online now! #publicappearance #Booktalk #onlinemedia #radio #Interview
Jun 26, 2018


Russian translation of Air Born, "Рожденные летать", earns top ratings
The Russian edition of Air Born, released earlier in 2018 by Arkadia, is currently averaging ratings more than 9 stars out of 10 on Russian book selling websites! Click the screenshot below to see the listing for yourself! Screenshot taken 21 June 2018. #GenerationIcarus #AirBorn #internationaleditions #Russiantranslation
Jun 21, 2018


"High-flying author wings her way to Howick College" - Botany & Ormiston and Howick &a
Following the great success of J L Pawley's visit to Howick College, a wonderful article was published about it in the Botany & Ormiston Times and the Howick & Pakuranga Times in East Auckland. "Geraldine Jamieson, English teacher and supporter of the school’s creative writing group, said it was a school trip to the recent Auckland Writers Festival that spurred her to set up the visit. 'The students were so intrigued by Pawley’s presentation (and her wings of course) that w
Jun 17, 2018


Howick College welcomes J L Pawley
Jessica was thrilled to visit Auckland high school Howick College in May, not only sharing her inspirational story from childhood writer to published author, but also taking an intensive creative writing workshop with a dedicated writing club. Photos courtesy of the staff at Howick College. #Booktalk #schoolvisits #wings #writingworkshops
May 30, 2018


J L Pawley appears at Auckland Writers Festival 2018
On 16 & 17 May, Jessica featured during the Auckland Writers Festival Schools programme. Presenting on stage at the Aotea Centre in central Auckland, Jessica took the audience on her journey from her first rejection letter, aged 12, to the latest news regarding the release of her second book in the Generation Icarus series, Take Flight. Photo of the first session in the ASB Theatre, courtesy of the staff at Howick College. #publicappearance #Auckland #Booktalk #cosplay #Ge
May 19, 2018


J L Pawley vlogs her tour around Northland for charity Duffy Books
CLICK HERE FOR FULL VLOG PLAYLIST (Youtube link) English subtitles available under YouTube CC settings. Day 1, Monday 9 April 2018:...
May 2, 2018


Magpies Magazine reviews Air Born
Thank you to Magpies Magazine for reviewing Air Born! "The premise is enticing, the writing solid, the characters engaging, the plot moves swiftly, there is plenty of action as well as necessary introspection. The original novels gained a wide online following and these new, revised editions are sure to find a very enthusiastic audience. Recommend it to fans of Rachael Craw’s Spark trilogy." - Bill Nagelkerke, Christchurch Full review on page 7 of Vol. 33, No. 1, March 2018
Apr 18, 2018


Generation Icarus book 2 cover & title announcement
J L Pawley and Steam Press are thrilled to announce the title and cover for Air Born's sequel: The Flight will be launching again in Auckland during August 2018. #news #GenerationIcarus #mediarelease #TakeFlight
Mar 19, 2018


Booksellers NZ review Air Born
"Adrenalin-fueled and engaging, this is an action-adventure that should appeal to fans of the CHERUBS series, and James Patterson’s Maximum Ride. Flying is no easy feat, and Pawley has put a lot of thought into the biology of her icarian race. Whilst the story is fast-paced, and the characterisation strong – I particularly liked the character of Tui, a bold and out-spoken girl from New Zealand – there are perhaps not as many questions answered as I would have liked; there is
Jan 11, 2018


Review of Air Born from award winning author, W J Scott
“I totally connected with the pre-flight suspense, and heart-stopping opening sequences of Air Born. ... The story flows well with appropriate pace, and includes: entertaining banter, teenage angst, and crushes. ... If you’ve ever wished you could fly, then I strongly recommend you read ‘Air Born’.” Read the full review here, by WJ Scott, Award Winning Children’s Author #review #GenerationIcarus #AirBorn
Nov 30, 2017


Jessica as guest book critic on the Jesse Mulligan Show
Listen to J L Pawley championing New Zealand young adult books live on Radio New Zealand ! #radio #Booktalk #Review
Nov 28, 2017
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