Born Patricia Frances Gunson, Patricia Grace was born in Wellington, New Zealand on August 17, 1937. Grace is of Ngati Toa, Ngati Raukawa and Te Ati Awa descent by her Maori father. Irish is what she claims from her mother's side. Her husband is of the Ngati Porou, so she is Ngati Porou by marriage. At a young age, Patricia was the only Maori student attending her primary school. Because of her heritage, her teachers expected very little from her. St. Anne's School was the beginning of her education career. Followed by St. Mary's College, Wellington Teachers' Training College, ending with Victoria University. Victoria University is where she would obtain her Diploma in Teaching English as a Second Language.
             In 1957 Grace moved with her husband Karehi Waiariki Grace to the North Island, where she taught English as a second language in remote schools. It was here that she began to contribute short stories to journals and magazines, including the bilingual quarterly Te Ao Hou, published by the Maori Affairs Department. Her writing began at age 25. At this point she was still teaching in North Auckland.(New Zealand Book Council) Not only did she raise a family of seven children while writing but continued to teach as well. She now lives in Plimmerton, not too far away from her hometown, Wellington. She began publishing her stories after she joined a writing club. After 20 years of working as a teacher, it was 1984 when Grace quit her job as a teacher and dedicated her life to writing. Over these 20 years, she taught in primary and secondary schools in Kind Country, Northland and Porirua. In the beginning her intentions were never to become a writer, although she did enjoy it. Books by Patricia Grace are well known throughout New Zealand and have also been published in the United States, United Kingdom, Holland, Spain, Italy and Germany. Patricia's writing has been published into many languages, including the notab...