..but I’m glad they said nice things.
Billie and Macy review ‘Shot, Boom, Score!’ my junior fiction novel for 8-12 year olds.
Have a top weekend!
I did not pay these kids…
posted on November 15, 2013 by Justin in Blatant plugs
Ya flamin’ gallah!
posted on November 13, 2013 by Justin in Random Style
I’ll admit, I’ve never watched an episode of Home and Away but Ray Meagher who plays Alf Stewart joined us this morning – and he’s a flamin’ legend. Slightly hungover, maybe. Hilarious, definitely. 26 years on the show, this boy might have a future.
‘Hi-De-Who?’
posted on November 12, 2013 by Justin in Uncategorized
It was the accent that got me. Making a cuppa in the kitchen in-between songs on our radio show I heard the indecipherable voice of Sue Pollard (Peggy from Hi-de-Hi!).
Check out the frog handbag. What a happy lady. Sadly, my excitement wasn’t matched by workmates ten years my junior. ‘It’s…you know…the lady in yellow from Hi-De-Hi!’
‘Who?’
Dick Pic – Safe for Work
posted on November 11, 2013 by Justin in Random Style
Looking forward to our radio show tomorrow. Artist Dick Frizzell explains the motivations and processes that went into the creation of the New Zealand Herald’s 150th birthday wrap cover. He’s always a good laugh – and way better at scribbling than I. Regardless, for you, Mr Frizzell, a Dick Pic.
Why having nine shots in your morning coffee is a dumb thing to do
posted on November 9, 2013 by Justin in Random Style
New Zealand boxer David Tua has nine shots in his coffee every day. No harm done – you’d think. Until I tried it during our radio show. Never have I found ads I hear every day so hilarious. I was so exhausted after this episode I had to go home for a lie down.
Bucket List Adventures
posted on November 2, 2013 by Justin in Blatant plugs
I’m happy to say that two of my travel books are now available to read on your Kindle. UK on a G-string is a tale about door-to-door-busking (I only had one song) around the Motherland and trying to make enough money for a flight home. The US version is called One Man, 23 Beers and a Crazy Bet. Next on my bucket list was an attempt to play golf around the U.S with whoever featured on the front page of the newspaper. In Search of Swingers was the result: a terrifying, yet liberating, glorious failure, full of crazy characters and surprisingly, very little golf. For more info on these titles head to my website. Enjoy!
Even Roald Dahl’s first drafts were rubbish
posted on October 25, 2013 by Justin in Uncategorized
THE DOG THAT ATE THE BATHROOM (as read by author’s children – who were paid in lollies)
posted on October 25, 2013 by Justin in Blatant plugs
Recently I got my two girls (Sophie and Georgia) to read THE DOG THAT ATE THE BATHROOM. Just click on the cover to hear. I think they did a great job, though British accents weren’t part of the original plan. There were a lot of laughs. Maybe I should post the unedited version one day.
Bestseller Bowling Through India – for free. Nothing. Gratuit. Zilch.
posted on October 17, 2013 by Justin in Blatant plugs
For the next five days you can grab my travel memoir ‘Bowling Through India’ for NOTHING from Amazon. Don’t panic if you’re not into sport. Here are one reader’s comments: ‘Fantastic story of friendship male bonding and cricket. Far from your typical travel book you learn as much about the ways group of men treat each other as you will about India. Highly recommended.’
So get to it – and enjoy!
The only writing tip you’ll need from Man Booker Prize winner Eleanor Catton
posted on October 16, 2013 by Justin in Wordy advice
Huge congratulations to Kiwi Eleanor Catton for becoming the youngest person to win the Man Booker Prize. Holy hell. What an achievement. And what a humble speech. You’ll be surfing on a rainbow right about now.
Recently, when I was struggling to string a sentence together in my new children’s novel I found a great quote from Eleanor which stuck. ‘If a book starts off funny,’ a thesis supervisor once told her, ‘It has to get funnier; if it starts off weird, it has to get weirder, if it starts off sad, it has to get sadder. Like all good advice it seems pretty straightforward at first glance, but I came to realise that having to trump oneself means having to outwit oneself, and that’s actually really difficult.’
