The author, Howard James Pietersie, is a South-African-born Australian citizen who has lived and worked in Western Australia since emigrating in 1986 at the age of 38 with his wife, Gail; son, Robin; and daughter, Anneline. After serving an apprenticeship, he pursued a career as a marine engineer before meeting the love of his life, Gail Vincent, while on leave in Durban. After marrying, Gail and Howard lived and worked in various places around South Africa - Gail as a top flight legal secretary and Howard in various engineering positions - until moving to Australia. The family settled in suburban Perth and ran a successful business, manufacturing display fittings until moving to Northam in the West Australian Wheatbelt where Gail and Howard reside to the present day. The author has had a passion for British cars for most of his adult life, having owned several Rovers, Minis and Cortinas. But his greatest ambition was to build a car from 'scratch', so to speak. The Story of Curvy Kate is the final realisation of that dream. Howard James Pietersie has also written several short stories and the light-hearted and fast-moving fiction adventure novel Mechanical Mayhem, which features the larger-than-life Jack Frost who is a vintage car wheeler dealer, among other things.
