Stacee was born in Palmerston North, New Zealand, to a British born Merchant Navy Engineer and a New Zealand born Psychiatric, Paediatric Nurse.
Growing up in a small town by world standards, it allowed her inquisitive mind to try as many new things as possible. She was involved with dancing, sports, police service, the guiding movement, theatre and wrote for local papers. In fact, the first poem she had published was at the age of 7. She always had a love of reading. 'I was a big fan of Carolyn Keene’s, Nancy Drew'. This inspired her to began writing her own detective stories.
'I think I must have come from an abnormal background, because when most people tell their stories they tell of great hardships and rough beginnings.
I've had a wonderful upbringing with a loving, close family.'
But growing up with a family whose background was so varied meant she was destined for two things, firstly to travel and secondly to develop a strong understanding of different types of people.
Stacee's first big trip was at the age of 15 when her parents took the family to England for 3 months. The architecture and romance of English cities and villages helped to develop her interest in history. The trip also gave her the travel bug and was the beginning of many trips to come.
Still thinking of writing as more of a hobby than a job, Stacee studied Hospitality Management. Upon graduation Stacee managed a diverse range of establishments, from hotels to catering services, from fine dine to gang pubs.
'I got to meet several celebrities and VIPs, from New Zealand and all around the world. It opened my eyes to the differences in human nature, and how people react to each other within the modern-day class system.'
Finally, the pull to return to England was too much and she decided to move over in 1998. After a small stint in office work, she fell back into Hospitality and managed several West End venues, as well as those in the city and Canary Wharf and now runs a Hospitality Business Consultancy.
Stacee's other passion is travel. She started popping over to Europe, visiting France, Belgium, Spain, Hungary, Amsterdam, and Cyprus. But she felt like she wanted to go further a field She has travelled around Egypt, Jordan, Nepal, India, Australia, Vietnam and Cambodia, Bolivia, Peru, Chile and Germany. She has lived in London, Cyprus, Russia and of course New Zealand.
'I will always be a Kiwi at heart, but London is my second home. '
The story that she started writing when she first arrived in England was put aside and a new one grew, due to things that life had thrown her way. After the death of her grandfather and with the talk of so much conflict, such as the war in Iraq and other areas, she felt the need to write a War Novel. Not about the battlefield but about the society and how we generalise about certain things.
Stacee left London and did three months of volunteering in Russia, where she helped the elderly, the disabled, helped with programs at a psychiatric women's hospital and children’s hospitals. This was a real eye opener, and so inspirational. A lot of these people had been through so much and yet they had no outlet to tell people. 'I think one of the best things I did there was just to listen. Which is something I enjoy doing, very much.' Having heard some of the stories, She came back and rewrote a lot of her novel. And since then it has been edited extensively.
'I write stories that could easily be moved into a current day setting with very few changes. They are about people and how they react to society; they are spun together from my experiences with travel and what I see in my day to day life. I need to know my characters and then they tell me their story, for me to give to you.'