posted on April 18, 2013 by Justin in Blatant plugs
The idea for this e-book started out as a joke. My daughter (Sophie) and I were bored, so decided to think up ridiculous things. Once finished, she took the story to school and her class loved it, as did the teacher who passed it on to other classes. A few tweaks later we had a story. A few beers later I had an illustrator. And now you have the finished product.
posted on April 15, 2013 by Justin in Blatant plugs
No hoops to jump through. No questions to answer. No race to win. Just click on the cover (above) and my new junior novel (for 8-12 year olds) could be all yours. And I’ll even sign it for the special one in your household. Good luck. (PS. Only got till April 17th.)
posted on April 12, 2013 by Justin in Random Style
This week I spoke at Birkenhead Primary School as part of their annual book week. What a cool bunch of kids. They even made me a throne.
As usual, the best part of these talks are the questions the author receives once their spiel is complete. In my case, reading from my new junior novel (Shot, Boom, Score!), performing some magic tricks and harassing them for liking One Direction. Or Beiber. Or Selena Gomez.
‘Any questions?’ I asked.
‘Yep. Would you rather be a duck or a goose?’
‘Um, a goose I think. They’re funnier.’
‘No! It’s a duck. Cos you can eat them!’
‘Ooo…kay. Any other questions?’
‘Have you ever thought of doing a book about a talking pie?’
(Should be noted this question came directly after I read them my soon-to-be-released e-book ‘The Dog That Ate The Bathroom.’)
‘Um, no I haven’t. Though that is an interesting idea.’
The kids lined up at the end to get something signed (mostly homework books) and I asked one of the boys what he might like to write about next.
‘A story about a pigeon with rabies and a dead man with jelly falling out of him.’
Damn, I thought when I drove off. Why didn’t I think of that?
posted on April 2, 2013 by Justin in Blatant plugs
Huh? You did! I said not to.
Ah well, seeing as you’re here you may as well have a look at some early reviews coming through for my junior novel ‘Shot, Boom, Score!’
The first is from School Library magazine (NZ Book Council). Buzzwords magazine encapsulate the plot perfectly, and here’s yours truly being interviewed in the New Zealand Woman’s Weekly. (Yes, that’s my writing room and yes, that’s E.T – waving not drowning – in the background.) Oh, and in case you’re wondering, here is the last page of the internet.