It’s exciting to know that families all over the world are enjoying reading together about the fun and adventures we’ve enjoyed as a family on our piece of land, living in our barn.
When we first moved to Whangarei, New Zealand and bought 11 acres of farm land, complete with an old barn, I never dreamed that the next two years would hold so much fun and so many memorable moments. I love cooking on our woodburning Homewood stove, tending the vegetable garden, and enjoying the constant challenges that go hand in hand with a small block.
And I have loved re-living all the special moments as I’ve written this book!
When I was a child, my parents and siblings lived in Papua New Guinea for three years. That was the most thrilling time in my childhood. I’m sure it set me up for thriving on a challenge and enjoying having to ‘rough it’. When I first laid eyes on the ancient barn, all I could think was, ‘We could live here!’
In the first six months, we survived two ‘one hundred year’ storms. The barn creaked and shook and groaned, but outlasted the onslaught. Those were exciting, nerve wracking days and nights of gale force winds, rain so loud on the tin roof that we couldn’t hear ourselves shout, rescuing animals and anxiously watching to see if the barn roof would lift off.
Milly, the main character in the story, is my strong willed, feisty 12 year old. She is full of life and action, and is passionately fond of any sort of animal. Over the two years we have been here, she has gathered quite a menagerie of pets – chickens, Indian Runner ducks, a pony and a milking cow to name a few. But more of that in the book!
You may be wondering about the title of my book, given that there are no wild lions in New Zealand! The first night we spent in the barn was an exciting one. We all lay on mattresses on the loft floor, complete with mosquito nets. It was to be a very wakeful night for some of us – strange noises, worries about rats, loud water pumps, and then… the eerie sound of lions roaring. I couldn’t believe it at first. But Chris assured me that it was indeed lions. Just north of the barn and over a few hills is Zion Wildlife Gardens home to a large number of lions and tigers. And when the wind blows the right way, we hear their roaring. A spine tingling sound in the middle of the night! The sound somehow encapsulated the exciting start to our new adventure and seemed to be a fitting title when I came to write the book.
My hope is that Where Lions Roar at Night will cause people to reflect on the joy and wonder of family. I hope that the adults who read this book will re-capture some of the wonder of childhood. And of course I hope that all the children who enjoy the adventures in the book will be inspired to make the most of their own childhood and enjoy many similar adventures with their own family. ~ Rosie
