shot boom score

Win an autographed copy of 'Shot, Boom, Score!'

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.)

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 think of that?

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.

Is it possible to piggyback a pig?

A few weeks ago on our radio show we asked the question, can you beat a dog in a swimming race? This morning we wondered, can you piggyback a pig?

That’s our co-host Jason in the helmet, who drew the short straw and had to undertake the challenge. (I understand the need for gloves, but a helmet?)

Jam the pig was a good sport: calm, measured and happy. That is, until we got him out of his cage, when he squealed like a hungry baby in a wet nappy. With colic. The noise coming from Jam’s chops was simply unbearable.

Jason adjusted his helmet and dropped to his knees. He was ready, but Jam wasn’t. The noise abated once we put him back in his cage, where he munched happily on an apple. He was not distressed, nor upset. His was the equivalent of a toddler’s tantrum and we all fell for it.

So, unless you have a high tolerance of high pitched squealing, it is not possible to piggyback a pig? Or even get the little guy near your shoulders. Which leaves me with two questions. Why is it called a piggyback? And, if a piggyback is out of the question, how about a 100m sprint?

If you’re thinking of traveling to New Zealand one day, it could be a wise move to watch this video first. I filmed it on the streets of Auckland. Despite sounding like an episode of ‘Flight of the Conchords,’ these sayings are used daily.

Choice, bro! She’ll be right! Sweet as!