Soft blond-tipped curls fall down Kyle Mewburn's neck. It's the longest her hair has been since her high school days as a tall, blue-eyed boy.

"I didn't even realise I had curls," laughs Kyle as her wife, Marion, touches them affectionately.

Kyle is due for her first haircut in a year. It's a big deal for the award-winning children's writer, who just over a year ago had facial feminisation surgery and a hair transplant operation.

She kept her secret for 50 years, 25 of those married to Marion, but in 2017 she'd had enough of living a lie. She "came out" and travelled to South America where she had the surgery with Marion's support.

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JO MCKENZIE-MCLEAN/STUFF Kyle Mewburn and wife Marion live in the tiny Central Otago village of Millers Flat.

Kyle, who lives in Millers Flat in Central Otago, was scared to tell the world she was a woman. She expected trouble, but it never came.

"It's been incredibly easier than I expected. I was expecting stress, worries and trouble but nothing has eventuated yet. The support from the community has been amazing. It makes me think I should have done it earlier ... but I wasn't ready then."

For the past 10 years Kyle has been trying to stop pretending to be someone she wasn't..

"You are pretending to be someone you are not and worrying about getting caught out creates stress and you can't really enjoy your life."

JO MCKENZIE-MCLEAN/STUFF Kyle expected trouble when she came out as transgender, but it never came.

When she finally decided to be open about being female, the lies and the stress disappeared. She told Marion first, and for four years the pair kept Kyle's secret.

"Marion's health started to suffer. So we eventually decided to tell some friends. I was super-cautious because I knew the wider the circle, the more chance of leaks. That proved to be the case, too. Telling people sort of set the whole transition ball rolling. The more people who knew, the keener I was to start living my authentic life."

Just over a year ago, the couple travelled to Argentina where Kyle underwent facial feminisation surgery, as well as a hair transplant and liposuction.

JO McKENZIE-MCLEAN/STUFF The couple pictured at home just before they left for Argentina where Kyle received facial feminisation surgery.

"It's like the past 50 years have been a performance and now it's finally finished and it's good to be myself, have better friendships, be more open and more relaxed ... I currently don't intend to have any further surgery. Though gender-affirmation surgery is always on the horizon."

HAVING MORE FUN

For the most part, people have been "overwhelmingly positive" about her change.

"There's nothing more affirming than going shopping together with Marion and the assistants ask: 'Can I help you ladies?'

"On the flipside, I was performing at a writers' festival in Tasmania and when it came to question time a scowling girl in the front row piped up: 'You've been confusing me all morning. Why did you wear that outfit? (A skirt and blouse) You look like a woman but talk like a man. It's very confusing'. It was a little awkward, and the poor girl was hauled before me later to apologise, but it wasn't entirely unexpected. I knew I'd get awkward questions."

Kyle has had "loads" of encounters and interactions across the emotional spectrum over the past year

JO MCKENZIE-MCLEAN/STUFF Kyle and Marion's marriage is stronger than ever.

"I thought people would avoid me and I would be ignored and rejected ... It's been overwhelmingly positive. Unexpectedly so. I still get quite a lot of uncomfortable glances, but I hardly notice them anymore. I've discovered if I approach people with confidence and a smile, most people respond positively ... It has totally restored my faith in humanity, really."

The biggest eye-opener has been the misconceptions around gender and sexuality, she says.

"People get gender and sexuality confused. They mix them up and they think they are the same thing and think being trans is linked to who I fancy. It's not at all. It has nothing to do with it ... I am happily married and I am not interested in guys."

DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Kyle is one of New Zealand's most successful children's authors having won multiple awards for her funny and engaging books.

Kyle and Marion's marriage is now stronger than ever.

"We are having a lot more fun. We have always been close but there is now a level of extra closeness. I didn't come out hoping to lose my closest friend but that was the risk I had to take. What I have got now is better than I could have anticipated."

MARION'S CHALLENGE

Marion's journey has probably been harder, Kyle says.

JO MCKENZIE-MCLEAN/STUFF kyle had Marion's support to travel to Argentina for facial feminisation surgery.

"Marion has had a lot to struggle and deal with. Things she shouldn't have to.

"But she is a much stronger person than she was and grown as a person – which is amazing because she already was amazing when I met her."

Marion says the change was stressful initially, but life was now good and she felt privileged to be part of Kyle's journey.

"At the beginning it was all new and I didn't know what to expect. It was the first time for everybody, but the longer it went on the more fun almost it became because our relationship is better than it ever was. It's open, honest and we are growing through this. We just keep saying we are really happy."

Although some things have changed, "Kyle was still Kyle", she says.

"Her sense of humour hasn't changed, her conversation hasn't changed ... there is a little bit of stress from the outside world, from people who don't really know us. Initially that was on my mind but it has become much less relevant in my head. I think in another year, it will all be quite normal. It is already quite normal."

JO MCKENZIE-MCLEAN/STUFF Kyle gets some fashion tips from wife Marion.

To break down some barriers and debunk some myths, Kyle is writing her "transition story".

"I hope to educate as well as entertain and also include stories from other trans women who have come out earlier. Historically, coming out 20 years ago was a lot harder than it is now so I am grateful to people who were brave enough to pave the way.

"I don't claim to understand or speak for anyone else. Everyone's story is different to varying degrees."