Nicky Pellegrino Author of Tiny Pieces Of Us
Nicky Pellegrino has an Italian father, grew up in England and now lives in New Zealand. Her childhood summer holidays were spent in Italy and those days continue to serve as an inspiration for her writing.
Pellegrino started her first novel while working as the editor of New Zealand Women’s Weekly. “I had always wanted to write a book,” she says, “but thought I didn’t have the time ... Then I had one of those ‘seize the day moments’. I was at work and received an email that said a woman I knew quite well had been diagnosed with a brain tumour and didn’t have long to live. That woke me up. I realised none of us know what’s round the corner ... so if you really want to do something you have to get on with it now. I went home that night and began writing my first novel Delicious.”
Tiny Pieces Of Us, Pellegrino’s 12th novel, was inspired by a similar notion. “I was intrigued by the idea of getting a second chance at life. What would you do with it? There is a whole amazing journey that organ recipients go through. Their lives are saved but they are also changed.” Pellegrino continues to juggle writing fiction for publications like Listener and Women’s Weekly with freelance journalism.
She lives in Auckland with husband Carne and a menagerie of dogs and horses.
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