Flett, Ethel Snelson Biography 1991

FLETT, Ethel Snelson (Essie)
Novelist
Born Christchurch, 24 July 1912, daughter of Edwin Summers and Ethel (née Snelson); married Reverend William Nugent Flett, son of Henry Crawford and Mary Ellen Flett, 1940 (d 1984); one son one daughter
Education: Linwood North School, Christchurch; Christchurch Technical College, Home Science course 1925-1926.
Shop Assistant, Christchurch, 1927-1038; Costing Clerk, Christchurch, 1938-1940; wrote verse, short stories, later articles from age 8 years; first poem published in Australian Woman’s Mirror, 1930; first short story, Dairy Exporter 1932, followed by flow of poems, short stories, articles in those magazines and NZ Woman’s Weekly, NZ Mirror, NZ Home Journal, Weekly News (Auckland), Christchurch Star, Good Housekeeping (UK), The Scots Magazine, English Woman’s Weekly; weekly column, Timaru Herald, sometimes reprinted Hawke’s Bay Herald-Tribune, 1949-1954; first novel published by Mills and Boon (UK), 1957; wrote 52 Mills and Boon novels, 1957-1987 (15 novels serialised first with English Woman’s Weekly; 2 romance serials in Australian Woman’s Mirror became 22nd and 23rd novels; books translated into 18 languages including Japanese, Arabic; books also produced in large print); all novels have strong NZ backgrounds; wrote The Essie Summers Story (autobiography), 1974; now writing family history.  Always heavily involved in parish work (husband was Baptist, later Presbyterian minister); contributed publicity vol basis 4 months each year late 1950s, early 1960s for Freedom from Hunger campaign to 13 Sough Island newspapers.
Recreations: gardening, swimming, family, cryptic crosswords, reading especially whodunnits, biography.
Address: Jesmond Cottage, 32A Tom Parker Avenue, Napier.