About the Author

At the worst time of his life, Mark Holloway stumbled by accident on how to have a back and forth conversation with God. Desperate and at the end of himself, Mark screamed at God and to his amazement, God answered. Confused and unbelieving, Mark struggled - was this really happening? Does God actually converse with mere humans, particularly messed up ones like him, or was he just finally going mad? Criticism from the religious soon threw him and he almost gave up. But then, at the eleventh hour, leading Christian figures, many of them outside of church, encouraged Mark, telling him he was definitely hearing God. Still unsure Mark published some of his conversations with God as blogs. Readers lives were changed, demand grew and a book followed, The Freedom Diaries. At the same time Mark reunited with his wife Miriam after five years apart. The book quickly became a New Zealand best seller, with thousands selling in the US and the UK. More books followed, in his latest, Cry the Wounded Land - conversations with God about Maori, Pakeha and the Land, Mark discovers to his horror that God wants to talk about the bloody history of New Zealand. The book is already a hot seller with demand growing daily. If you're unhappy with the religious view of God you're in luck. Mark's books will change your life forever. His down to earth approach to a back and forth, and completely unreligious friendship with God, is endorsed by leading authors and speakers around the world. Author. Publisher. Expert Consultant Matauranga Maori. Originally from Whakatane, Bradford Haami graduated from the Maori journalism course at the Waiariki Institute of Technology in Rotorua (then Waiariki Polytechnic) in the mid-80s. Haami began his television career as a journalist with the Maori programmes department at Television New Zealand. As well as working on shows such as Koha, Marae, Waka Huia and the inaugural Maori Sports Awards, he was one of the original creators and directors of TVNZ's popular youth culture show Mai Time. Haami was co-writer, co-creator, and co-producer with Carey Carter of award-winning anthology series Mataku, which first debuted in 2001. Hosted by Temuera Morrison, the show was described as a "Maori Twilight Zone", and dealt with Maori experience of the "unexplained". In 2001 Haami co-wrote and directed (with Ngamaru Raerino) relationship tale He Poraruraru, as part of the Aroha anthology series. He was also involved in the development of drama series Waimarie, for Maori Television, and was a director/ writer for TV3 youth show Pacific Beat Street. He contributed story-lines to satirical show Spin Doctors, and was a Maori advisor and associate producer on 2006 Maori documentary-drama series Taonga. Haami's freelance work includes involvement in a range of screen productions, including many documentaries. Among them, he was writer of a high-rating 2002 documentary on Maori humour, Pukukata: The Last Laugh. He directed one-hour Nga Tokotoru, and was writer and reporter for this 2002 documentary on legendary entertainer Dalvanius Prime. Haami has been a script consultant and editor to many TV and movie scripts with Maori content, including Shortland Street, Mercy Peak, Kaitangata Twitch, Matariki, and Rena Owen project Behind the Tattooed Face, as well as co-productions Tracker and telemovie The Man Who Lost His Head. In 2007, Haami researched and wrote document 'Urutahi Koataata Maori: Working with Maori in Film and Television' for Nga Aho Whakaari - the national representative body for Maori working in film, video and television in New Zealand. This pioneering text explores the challenges and benefits of making film and television according to Maori ethical protocol. Based in Waitakere, Haami is a researcher and university lecturer in Maori studies. He has written extensively about Maori history and culture with a string of books, articles and papers to his credit. These include the biography of ex-Mongrel boss Mob boss Tuhoe Isaac, True Red (who acted in 2010 short film Day Trip). In May 2010, Haami was selected for the first Maori residency at the Michael King Writers' Centre, writing a book on the whale traditions of the Maori people. He also lectures on the subject of Maori storytelling in film. Haami is co-director of Tauihu Media (alongside veteran producer Tui Ruwhiu). The multimedia company was responsible for the Tauihu Shorts project. Haami, Ruwhiu and writer/director Poata Eruera (Mananui) made up the Tauihu Shorts team, responsible for executive producing four short films for the NZ Film Commission's 'Premiere' short filmmaking scheme in 2011/12. Previously Haami was a co-director with Ngamaru Raerino of Purakau Productions - a Maori storytelling consultancy - and with Pio Terei of production company 4 Winds Films Limited. From https: //www.nzonscreen.com/person/bradford-haami/biography

Reviews

The conversations with God in Cry the Wounded Land are precious and important insights into his heart; for us as individuals, for our families, for our nation; for all nations! And woven throughout is the heart of God for the restoration of a conversational relationship with us. A conversation that has the ability to heal, mould and change us. - Libby Huirua. Author. Songwriter. Teacher.Mark's unique talks with God in The Freedom Diaries, became a series of conversational exchanges well worth listening to. Cry the Wounded Land is an even more searching talk at an even more significant time. - Winkie Pratney. Author, International Bible Teacher.Mark's writings come to him as direct revelations. That's what makes Cry the Wounded Land so intriguing - he knows very little of our Maori history and doesn't pretend to have all the answers. Yet he's a genuine bloke, and a mate, and now he's using his gift to bring understanding. It may help to reveal to our beautiful Pakeha Whanau, the perspective that some of us Maori have, of the predominantly Pakeha style of Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand today. - Norm McLeod. Maori. Founding pastor, House of Breakthrough.I am excited about the pages of this book being read throughout our beautiful little nation. I believe it will stir an awareness, and value, for the song the land is singing. May we all discover the joy of falling in love with each other and with the very land we walk on. As it reads in the pages of this book, the very land is alive, and we have an opportunity which will change the course of history for generations to come! - Josh Klinkenberg. Christian Recording Artist. Author.There is a huge gulf between religious performance, and the face to face intimacy of the kind Mark enjoys in Cry the Wounded Land. Like any relationship there is passion, fire, raw emotion and sometimes tears. And just as most of the wounds discussed in these pages have come through relationship, so too will their healing. I commend Mark for his courage in sharing such intimate communication and invite you to join him in the wild adventure of conversation with God. - Daniel Walker. Author - God in a Brothel. Our only hope to heal the wounds in our nations, our lands and our hearts, is to hear God's voice. Mark is listening. I encourage you to read his conversations about Maori and Pakeha with an open mind and then, most importantly, go have a conversation with God yourself. We need supernatural insight on the explosive subject of race relations and it is essential that we hear God's heart. We must have Heaven's perspective, and that is exactly what Mark offers in this book. - Dr. Charity Virkler Kayembe. Author - Hearing God Through Your Dreams.I so identify with Mark in this book. He questions, doubts and drags his heels, while God gently but repeatedly encourages him to see and understand the reasons He brought both of us, Maori and Pakeha, to New Zealand. This book touches my spirit. It is a conversation [with God] of poetic power and insight. It traces the potential of two peoples who can become a united warrior force that overturns darkness, and demonstrates the wisdom of God to the nations. - Graham Braddock. Renown New Zealand artist and Church Elder.