Holding Pattern
Feb. 22nd, 2026, Blog# 6
Dear Friends and Following Filmies,
I would like to apologise for not keeping you updated on the progress of getting the book, The Reel Deal; Real Talent, Tips, and Tales - A Journey Through the New Zealand Film Industry, published.
2026-
I certainly wish you all a wonderful New Year! If you're Chinese, the wish is perfect timing, since your New Year celebrations are happening now. 2025 was a challenging year, not just for me either. Gosh, the global politics, economic fallout, and widely felt future uncertainties are enough to put a person in a head spin alone. I really hope in 2026 we all can find many moments of joy, gratitude, and good fortune amongst whatever chaos and uncertainty trails out from 2025…
End of January, I laid a blanket under a cluster of trees in my backyard, aiming to enjoy nature and refresh my mind and soul a little after spinning out over what was unfolding in Minnesota, where I lived for 10 years, and many of my dear friends live and were sharing a desperate situation. I haven't done this simple act in many years. I used to love lying under trees and looking up through the sun-speckled leaves. The more I settled my busy mind, the more I noticed the beauty and life around me. There were many birds flitting in and out of the branches, mostly fantails. Once I tuned in to the chirping of birds and the hum of jumbo bumble bees around nearby flowers, the volume made me wonder how unaware I can be as I routinely walk through the yard to and from the front door. I saw a massive brown bird directly above, watching me (perhaps a Song Thrush). Just as I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, thinking of expelling the bad thoughts and replacing them with all the good around me, the little fellow pooped on my head. Man, out of all the places for that to land, it nailed me square in the forehead. Many think a bird pooping on your head is good luck, so I am going with that. My hematologist said he had a feeling 2026 was going to be my year. I am going with that as well.
The Holding Pattern-
So, to the book news. I once again have had delays due to treatment…difficulties (which are improving now that I am off the clinical trial). I do feel like I have my brain back as the chemicals leave, so I’m trying to get back on track now. I have pitched my book to Te Papa National Museum Publishing. I believe this could be a great fit, as filmmaking is a significant part of New Zealand’s modern national identity. In my mind, the film crews are one of Aotearoa’s taonga. So, waiting to hear back, it takes months to hear back from publishers.
In the meantime, I have been very fortunate to be sponsored to do a small print run of the book. Yippie! The books were printed in China because it would have been too expensive to print locally, given that the book is full colour and 236 pages long. So, now I wait for them to arrive. They are literally on a slow boat from China. Hopefully, they will be here the first week of April. The Children’s Book Store, in Kilbirnie, not far from the Miramar studios, has agreed to host a book signing event and will carry some of the print run. They have a young adult section that they feel it will sit well in. Yippie!! All great news, but again waiting. Until I have books in hand, I can't plan dates.
I'm trying to format the book for EPUB digital distribution, aiming for a more affordable and widely available option. It's been more challenging than I expected because of the size and number of photos and graphics. Even the help I hired has struggled to produce an easily downloadable version. I'm making progress and will keep you updated when it's ready.
Finally, I’ve chosen a print-on-demand service in Europe. The book is somewhat larger than most standard print-on-demand options, even in the US. Since it’s full colour (which I insist it is) and slightly larger than standard formatting offered, finding a suitable print-on-demand provider has been tricky. There’s nothing here in NZ. Book Vault in England can print my book as is and would be more affordable to purchase and ship to that part of the world, especially since I have quite a few film friends there. Considering tariffs, shipping and such, I believe the digital book is the best choice for my friends and colleagues in the US.
My aim is to have all these options ready and available by the first part of April. I also really want to update my scenic tricks and launch the podcast section of my website, where I will further celebrate the crew. I have quite a few interesting folks lined up and want to extend past the New Zealand crew as I go along. Because, realistically, the film family is a global one. Most projects are internationally entwined on some level, and we all learn and grow together.
Health-wise, I am also in a bit of a holding pattern. It has been so nice to be off all the treatment drugs for the last couple of months. But I still have little energy and am told my blood cancer is no longer in partial remission and, in fact, is progressive. Nothing is urgent at the moment, but I am considering another form of treatment likely to start in May. I am optimistic I will find the right medications for me and will be closer to feeling better soon after the initial adjustments. Medical advancements are incredible, and I feel very fortunate that NZ just approved some novel treatments for funding here, Yay! I have May as my goal post for all of these things to happen. Being able to work on something I feel is meaningful and beneficial to others has been a blessing in itself.
Now that I am reading what I wrote here, I realise it has actually been a fairly busy “holding pattern”. Lots of little things are moving forward in a positive direction. I think, as we all move into 2026, it might be easy to focus on the big things going wrong if we let our minds doomscroll, but if we remember to notice the little things we can do to help steer things in a positive direction... well, perhaps 2026 will be our year.
Thank you for your support and interest. May we all recognise the small opportunities to experience joy-filled moments as we keep on keeping on our journeys, both expected and unexpected. - Therese Eberhard
