Renee was born grumpy (Ngati Kahungunu/Scot) and nothing has changed. She is an avid and faithful reader, who enjoys cooking and gardening. Everyone, she says, should grow leafy greens.

Renee always thought she would die at forty-two but for some reason this didn’t happen. Instead, at fifty she started to write plays and novels and at eighty-eight considers herself very lucky to still have most of her marbles.

She has written eight novels and over twenty plays, with Wednesday To Come perhaps her most loved work.