August 31st 2021: New book ...

The book process is an intense one. It starts out as an amazing idea where anything is possible and everything is awesome. Meeting amazing people. Gathering their incredible stories and marvelling at their lives and homes. Does life get any better? I don't think so.

Then there is the collating it all bit, which is a lot of time in front of a computer – like at least five times as much time as you think it will be ... for me anyway. Each chapter demands its rightful treatment and days turn to nights and back into days again. Before you know it a season has come and gone. The hazy grind would carry on in perpetuity if there wasn't an almighty scythe about to put an end to it all: the dreaded deadline. It inches nearer everyday, but seems to accelerate the closer you get to it. It deals out sleepless nights and delivers pit of your stomach moments of sheer terror.

Then the deadline arrives and, as if by some miracle, the last words pop out and the chapters bind into something you know is quite special.

For my most recent book, Living the Dream, which is due to hit the shelves on November 2, that process is completed when my advanced copy arrives from my publishing team at Penguin Random House. Opening that courier package is terrifying at first and then replaced with excitement. Yes, the photos are on the correct pages, the words are in the same order we left them, phew.

Living The Dream is about the lives of people who live by and who are emotionally connected to the water around New Zealand. They open their homes and baches to us and share their inspiring, moving, happy, always passionate stories with us. Like my previous book Surf Dreams, I know my Box of Light community will love it. So, I'm offering you the chance to pre-order Living the Dream right now ... and I'll sign your book for you (let me know if you want a special message or want me to sign it for someone other than yourself). Place your order and Living The Dream will be couriered out to you on November 2, 2021.

Thank-you! Stay safe, stay inspired.

See you at the beach ... Derek

PS We've just launched a whole new shop engine on our Box of Light website. Now you can order our books, t-shirts and gift cards right from the new store. Check it out and send us your feedback. You can still find our gallery of prints and framed artwork right here.