Marina was born in 1969 to a Dutch father and a New Zealand mother, beginning her life in Sydney, Australia. For her father, Australia was an adopted homeland shaped by displacement and trauma. Tasmania was where his family settled in 1950 after returning to Holland following liberation from Japanese concentration camps.

In 1970, her family settled in New Zealand, where Marina was raised in Wellington and on the Kapiti Coast. From an early age, she was aware her family’s past held stories and intended to capture the full story one day.

Her academic journey took her south, studying at both the University of Otago and the University of Canterbury. Drawn to psychology, Marina sought not only to understand people, but to make sense of the deeper currents within her own family story. After graduating, she met and married a sheep farmer, moving to the Hurunui region where they raised their three children.

By profession, Marina is the Director of a professional coaching organisation, working in the field of human development and connection.

The Golden Lotus Necklace is her first work of historical fiction, inspired by her family’s experiences and a deeply personal journey to uncover the past. Through her writing, Marina brings to life the intersection of war, love, and family, revealing how the stories we inherit continue to shape who we become. Golden Lotus Necklace is the first book in a trilogy spanning three generations, and three continents. 

Interview with The Golden Lotus Necklace editor Grant Mangin.  What a journey we have been on together.  Grant has been deeply involved in the make up of the story and has spent the last six months helping to get it ready for publication.  I owe Grant so much for his support along this journey.

Photos in this carousel are of the concentration camps in Ambarawa, taken in August 2024. 

The image of Marina is taken on the verandah where her father, uncle and aunt slept during their time under Japanese occupation.  

Contact the Author

Marina de Vries (Shearer)

Phone: +64 027 591 6555

Email: MarinadeVriesnz@gmail.com

Instagram: @marina.devries.author