“Don’t be so Bloody Stupid”, Lisa Mann
Published by Mary Egan Publishing
8 October 2026
Paperback, 264pp, RRP $40.00
ISBN: 978-1-991436-03-0
Chaos, Craic and Coming Out Alive
Warning: This book will make you laugh, cry and think.
Raised in a dysfunctional family shaped by a destructive relationship and a mother’s narcissistic tendencies, Lisa grew up believing she was stupid, useless and a failure. Behind the façade of middle-class respectability, trauma and loss quietly shaped her childhood and followed her into adult life.
Determined to find her own path, she threw herself into an extraordinary range of experiences and careers, from the Army to sailing, clowning and driving instruction in Belfast, all while hiding her sexuality and a deep sense of unworthiness.
A life-changing holiday eventually led her to New Zealand and the possibility of a fresh start. But even with love, support and a new life, the past could only stay buried for so long.
Funny, confronting and painfully honest, this memoir takes readers through the darkest periods of one woman’s life and the long, difficult journey towards healing, self-acceptance and recovery.
About the author
Lisa Mann emigrated to Aotearoa New Zealand from Northern Ireland in 2011, along with her partner and somebody else’s cat.
Before that, she spent more than twenty years relocating around the UK in search of a job, a career, and a sense of belonging. Over the years she tried everything from the military, clowning and sailing, to working as a driving instructor. Eventually, she settled in Belfast because everybody knows Guinness doesn’t travel and the craic was mighty.
It was there she met her partner, Nicky, before moving once again, this time to Portrush on the north coast of Northern Ireland, where they built a life together. Then came the holiday of a lifetime to New Zealand.
Lisa and Nicky now live on a lifestyle block at the top of the South Island, surrounded by five llamas and Super the German Shepherd. Together they started their own cycle tour business, now in its fifteenth season. When not guiding tourists, Lisa works as a youth worker in the mental health field. Any spare time is filled with bike rides, tramping, camping, and writing.
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