COMP CLOSED | Book Giveaway | Barefoot

A moving debut novel by a New Zealand writer, longlisted in the First Pages International Prize

Wellington, 1939. A hot summer’s day at a church picnic. Adelaide watches as a girl is rescued from the river and resolves to meet the unassuming hero of the moment. After a claustrophobic, strict childhood, John Brunner is Adelaide’s chance for a new beginning.

But trouble in Europe is brewing and Adelaide’s delight in her new married life is overshadowed by the declaration of war. John’s sense of duty sees him enlist and he sails for Egypt.

When John’s first letter arrives, a foreign, exotic world is brought to life. His letters become Adelaide’s obsession, his words carrying her through the days, turning her house from marital home to a literary shrine of love and longing.

Until the letters stop coming.

Barefoot is a moving, evocative story of two people in love: one stranded in the new reality of the local war effort, the other in the stifling deserts and desolate battlegrounds of far-off lands; lands where danger is always just around the corner and death can snatch you in the blink of an eye.

Author Note:

About the author:

R.V. Bayley was born and raised in Nelson. She studied history at the University of Otago and later completed a Master of Creative Writing at the University of Auckland. Barefoot, published by Eden St Press, is her first novel. She received a Creative New Zealand/NZSA Complete Manuscript Assessment award in 2020.

Excerpts from the novel were longlisted in the First Pages International Prize 2020 and shortlisted in the NZSA New Zealand Heritage Literary Awards 2021.

I can’t actually remember when I started writing this book – I will have to dig through boxes back home to find all my old 1B5s. I do remember scribbling some sentences during a break working at a wedding in a synagogue near Harrods in London in 2002. I had the image of a woman standing in the hallway of her empty house rubbing her hand where a wound used to be. On returning from the UK, I lived in Wellington for several years, experiencing a city that had as much personality as any character in a book.

The story has had many iterations; characters have come and gone. Sidi Rezegh was a battle I stumbled across doing research and used it simply because the dates fitted. But almost 20 years later, the story finally settled on just Adelaide and John. North Africa, like Wellington, became another character. As a history graduate, reading the soldiers’ books and diaries, seeing photos with handwritten notations on the back, holding original telegrams in my hands – it was completely addictive, and I often forgot about the actual writing; war is such a ludicrous endeavour to have such heartbreaking consequences.

As for so many others, 2020 brought a change in personal circumstances. It was hugely encouraging to be longlisted in the First Pages International Prize, so I took the opportunity to take some time out to work on finishing the novel and getting it published.

Terms and conditions

1. 1. You must be a GrownUps member and receive our newsletter to be eligible to win.
   2. Competition closes on the 18th October 2022, winners will be notified via email by 20th October 2022.
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   4. Winners are drawn at random by the GrownUps administration team.
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   8. Prize is non transferrable.
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