Posts tagged author
June 7, 2012 · Filed under Authors, Books, Children, History, New Zealand, Star Author · Tagged Adventure, author, June 2012 Star Author, Star Author, Susan Brocker, The Drover's Quest
Hi again after some wet and blustery days up here in the North.
I thought some of you might be interested in a few of the fascinating facts I learnt about our history while researching The Drover’s Quest. For example, did you know that during the heady West Coast gold rush days of the 1860s, Hokitika was one of NZ’s biggest towns? It was chock-full of pubs (at one count 84 hotels lined Revell Street), dancing halls, and gambling dens and home to colourful characters like Fenian Jenny who liked to dance in emerald green petticoats, and diggers with funny names like Johnny the Rat and Alex the Greek.
The road through Arthur’s Pass had only just been completed, linking the goldfields to Christchurch. About a thousand men had hacked out a route through the rock and thick bush, using only pickaxes and shovels. It was a hair-raising journey across that early road. In those days, Cobb and Co was King, with many people travelling by coach across the treacherous Pass to get to the wild West Coast. I read amazing stories of runaway coaches and horses hooning down steep mountainsides, or else crossing raging rivers like the Waimakariri in flood, or the Taramakau, nicknamed the Terrible Cow. Exciting days!
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March 20, 2012 · Filed under Authors, Books, Star Author, writers, Young Adults · Tagged author, David Gatward, horror, March 2012 Star Author, The Damned
The Damned was a terrifying experience. But before I explain why, this is the blurb: “It’s not just the Dead who want to return to the Land of the Living, but the creatures of Hell itself. And only Lazarus, Stone, Keeper of the Dead, can stop them. But he’s on an insane rescue mission to save his best mate and his dad, with only the help of an undead priest and an angel with an alcohol problem. This isn’t just about saving the world, this is personal…”
So why so terrifying? Well, The Damned was the first time I’d ever experienced characters taking on a life of their own, controlling the story, and telling me what was going to happen next, where they were going to go, rather than the other way round. It was a bit disconcerting. I’m big on planning my books out. To me, it’s a bit like how I’d approach a piece of art (were I an artist, which I’m not, trust me!) First, I’d sketch it out, until I was happy with what I was doing, and then I’d add in the detail, the colour. And that’s much how I work – plan it out first, get happy with the structure of the story, then colour it in! However, half way through The Damned, the characters had other ideas as to what was going to happen. And I just had to hold on tight and hope they knew what they were doing, which it turns out they did!
The Damned is an epic conclusion to a crazy, dark, hellish journey. It draws on a lot of my love of horror movies and fiction, with plenty of nods to everything from Lovecraft to Fulci. The characters are still with me, the story still haunts me, and I hope that, once you survive your time with the Dead/Dark/Damned, you’ll be a little bit haunted by it, too!
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March 10, 2012 · Filed under Authors, Books, Ghosts, New Zealand, Scary · Tagged author, competition, Derek Landy, horror, New Zealand tour, Skulduggery Pleasant
If you answered yes to the question above you just might have the chance to meet Derek Landy, the creator of Skulduggery Pleasant, when he comes to New Zealand for his 2012 Down Under Tour in August. If that isn’t enough, you’ll also get a complete set of Skulduggery books, signed by Derek. All you have to do to have the chance to meet Derek Landy is go to his website and answer these two questions:
- Gordon Edgley is, amongst other things, a horror writer and uncle. He is also dead. Stephanie, his beloved niece, is saddened by this unexpected event. In the first Skulduggery Pleasant Book you are introduced to the rest of Gordon’s family. Name the other family members who make an appearance in the sample chapter on the website.
- Tell them in 25 words or less why it should be you meeting Derek Down Under.
What are you waiting for? Go to www.skulduggerypleasant.co.uk to enter. You can also listen to a FREE audio book of the very first Skulduggery Pleasant book on his website.
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March 5, 2012 · Filed under Authors, Books, Children, Star Author, writers · Tagged author, David Gatward, David Gatward The Dead The Dark The Damned Doom Rider www.davidgatward.com, horror, March 2012 Star Author
I’ve been writing, writing, writing, for years and years and years. And in all that time, I’ve written in all kinds of places. I once wrote a whole novel (70,000 words!) on the train to and from work over a period of about five weeks. I was surrounded by commuters, squashed into a little seat, yet somehow I managed (and got lots of very odd looks!) I’ve written in airport lounges, cafes, front rooms, dining rooms, libraries, under trees, in churches…
The thing I’m wondering is, does where you write affect what you write? I think it’s a bit of both. As writers, and as people, we’re affected utterly by our surroundings. After all, much of where I get my ideas from lies in all that I see/do/hear/smell/read/watch/experience (etc). When I look back at all those different places I’ve scribbled in, each one has only really been possible because I’ve managed to shut myself away, often with music and headphones.
I’m currently looking at getting myself a writing shed. This is very exciting, even though it doesn’t sound it! Imagine though, a place all to yourself to just go and sit and think and write and invent crazy new worlds and ideas and monsters and heroes and heroines and adventures. How ace is that?
So where do you go to get creative or to read or think or write or just “be”? And if you haven’t got anywhere, is there some way that you can change that?
I’ll keep you posted on the shed…
Dave
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February 8, 2011 · Filed under Authors, Books, Children, Fantasy, writers · Tagged animals, author, Brian Jacques, Fantasy, Flying Dutchman, Redwall
I was sad to learn today that the author of the Redwall series, Brian Jacques, died on 5 February 2011. Brian has written many books in the Redwall series, including Rakkety Tam, The Legend of Luke, Marlfox, and The Pearls of Lutra, as well as the fantastic Flying Dutchman series. Here are some interesting facts about Brian Jacques:
- He was caned by a teacher, who could not believe a 10-year-old could write so well, when he wrote a short story about a bird who cleaned a crocodile’s teeth.
- He left school at 15 and traveled the world as a merchant seaman.
- He wrote his first story, Redwall, for children at Royal Wavertree School for the Blind in Liverpool. Because the children were blind, he made his writing as descriptive as possible, painting pictures with words so that they could see them in their imaginations.
- He has worked as a railway fireman, a longshoreman, a long-distance truck driver, a bus driver, a boxer, a bobby (Police Constable), a postmaster, and a stand-up comic.
- He has sold over 20 million books worldwide and they have been translated into 29 languages.
We have lots of Brian’s books in the library for you to enjoy so come and borrow some to see why they are so popular.
What’s your favourite Brian Jacques book?
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November 29, 2010 · Filed under Author Interview, Authors, Children, New Zealand, Star Author, writers · Tagged author, author interview, Des Hunt, LibraryZac, New Zealand author, Star Author, Star Author November 2010
I’m a huge fan of Des Hunt’s and I was very excited to have him as one of our Star Authors. I’ve loved reading his posts about creating a setting, characters and plot and we hope that you all have too. I’ve read most of Des Hunt’s books so I had a few questions that I wanted to ask him. You can read his answers here and if you have your own questions for Des you could add a comment.
Why did you want to be a writer?
Since I was very young I’ve been fascinated by science. I ended up becoming a teacher because I wanted to help others develop a similar interest. I wrote text books, invented electronic machines, created scientific games, anything that would help others understand the world around them. Eventually I turned to fiction. My specific aim was to feature New Zealand wildlife, it’s special nature and why we should take care with the environment.
What do you like most about writing for this age group?
Their open minds, their sense of wonder at discovering new things, and their willingness to be adventurous, at least within their minds. They’re also wonderful to meet when I visit schools and discuss writing. Even those who are not so keen on reading enjoy the chemistry and biology that are part of my presentations. It’s all part of the adventure both for them and for me.
Your stories are set in different parts of New Zealand. What is your favourite part of the country?
Any place that has a small population set in a wild place. If there are caves, geothermal activity, and native bush then all the better. In no set order my favourite regions would be: Coromandel Peninsula (that’s why I live here), West Coast of the South Island, Taupo-Rotorua, Kaikoura Coast.
You’ve just released The Naughty Kids Book of Nature, a non-fiction book about New Zealand wildlife, and your books feature some of that wildlife. What is your favourite native animal and why?
This one is easy to answer: the tuatara. It is a truly unique animal as it has no close relation left anywhere in the world. It lives to be ancient and as a child, I wondered if it’s third eye helped it to see things that maybe other animals couldn’t. My second choice is the grey warbler. It is such a small bird, and yet it’s song is one of the most commonly heard around New Zealand. One of my best memories as a naturalist is watching a tiny grey warbler feed a huge shining cuckoo chick. It looked after a different species as if it was one of its own. I think there’s a message there for us humans.
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October 15, 2010 · Filed under Authors, Children, New Zealand, writers, Writing Tip of the Week · Tagged author, Brian Falkner, LibraryZac, New Zealand author, writing, Writing Tip of the Week, writing tips
This week’s writing tip comes from Brian Falkner, author of Tomorrow Code, Henry and the Flea, Brainjack, and his new book The Project.
“Writing is like learning to walk. You fall down, you get back up and try again. Little by little you learn from your mistakes. You get better and better at it, and one day it just happens and it is a magical moment.”
If you want to find out more about Brian Falkner’s books and writing, you can visit his cool website or read his Star Author posts here on the blog.
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September 15, 2010 · Filed under Authors, Children, New Zealand, Star Author, writers · Tagged author, Brian Falkner, Star Author, Star Author September 2010, stories, writing
I love writing stories, and I hope you do too!
If you’ve written a story that you’d like to have published online, just go to my website and click on “Your Stories” or you can click on this link: http://www.brianfalkner.co.nz/Stories.asp
On this page you can publish your story so that other kids can read it. I read all the stories that are published.
Happy writing!
Brian
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September 13, 2010 · Filed under Authors, Books, Children, Fun, Humour, writers · Tagged Astrosaurs, author, author interview, Cows in Action, LibraryZac, Slime Squad, Steve Cole, writing
Astrosaurs author Steve Cole was unfortunately unable to come to Christchurch last week for the launch of the Christchurch Kids Blog. Luckily, I still got the chance to have a chat with Steve and I asked him about his books, writing, Doctor Who, and jamming with his band.
How do you keep track of the different series that you write?
“It’s a bit like going around and spending time at a friend’s house. I like to enjoy the different worlds, whether it’s Trashland with The Slime Squad, deep space with the Astrosaurs or Farmer Barmer’s farm with the Cows in Action. It’s quite good to find yourself back there and I enjoy playing with those characters. It’s always a bit scary inventing a new scene – the Slime Squad took about 3 goes to get it right. The websites that fans create also help me to keep track of the characters and what is happening.”
Why did you want to be a writer?
“You get to make things up and people give you money for it. When I was little I would make things up and get into trouble, but now I get rewarded. It’s really good fun to be able to use your imagination and create characters, places, monsters, baddies and adventures.”
What’s the best thing and the worst thing about being a writer?
“The best thing is that you don’t have to get dressed in the morning, and you can work whenever you choose. The worst thing is that it can be pretty lonely, just you and your computer or pad of paper, scribbling away frantically. That’s why I really enjoy going to festivals and schools so I can meet the children I’m writing for.”
You’ve written some of the Doctor Who book as well as your books for children. Who is your favourite Doctor?
“I really like the new one (Matt Smith) and I didn’t think that anybody could beat David Tennant. My all-time favourite is probably Tom Baker because he’s the one I grew up with.”
Read the rest of this entry »
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August 27, 2010 · Filed under Adventure, Authors, Books, Children, writers, Young Adults · Tagged author, Billionaire Trilogy, Christchurch Kids Blog launch, Emerald Casket, LibraryZac, Richard Newsome, The Billionaire's Curse, writer
Richard Newsome is another of the fantastic authors that are joining us for the launch of the Christchurch Kids Blog on Wednesday 8 September, 7pm at Central Library. Richard is an Australian author (although he was born in New Zealand) and his first book, The Billionaire’s Curse was published in 2009 when he won the Text Prize for Young Adult and Children’s Writing.
He’s had lots of different jobs before becoming a writer, including a journalist (“he chased after police cars while they chased after bad guys”) and jobs in TV and radio.
He’s written two books in The Billionaire’s Trilogy, The Billionaire’s Curse and The Emerald Casket. They are both amazingly adventurous stories and I really recommend them. You can read my review of The Billionaire’s Curse here on the blog.
If you would like to meet Richard Newsome and maybe even get his autograph, come along to the launch of the Christchurch Kids Blog on Wednesday 8 September.
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August 23, 2010 · Filed under Authors, Books, Children, Christchurch, New Zealand, writers · Tagged Archie Saves the Day, Archies Adventures, author, Christchurch, Leonie Thorpe, New Zealand author, The Sheep on the Fourth Floor, Zac
Leonie Thorpe talking about her books
Ever wanted to know how much an author gets paid for each book they sell? Well Christchurch author Leonie Thorpe can tell you, and I’m sure you’ll be very disappointed. However, as Leonie explained, being a writer is not all about the money, it’s about getting your book published and seeing it on the shelf.
Before becoming an author, Leonie worked in a hospital testing all sorts of things, including your number ones and number twos (YUCK!). She explained that there are lots of different ways that you could get your writing published, such as entering it into writing competitions and getting it in the School Journal.
Leonie Thorpe has had three books published, called Archie’s Adventures, Archie Saves the Day, and The Sheep on the Fourth Floor, which we have in the library for you to borrow. Look out for our interview with Leonie on the blog soon.
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August 12, 2010 · Filed under Authors, Books, Children, New Zealand, writers, Writing Tip of the Week · Tagged author, Joy Cowley, writing, writing tip, Zac
This week’s writing tip comes from one of New Zealand’s best-loved authors, Joy Cowley. Joy has written some fantastic books over the years, including Bow Down Shadrach, Hunter, Greedy Cat, and Snake and Lizard. In this writing tip, Joy talks about writing the end of a story.
“A story is a bit like a running race. It takes us a while to warm up but once we get going, we don’t always stop at the finishing tape, but run on. The right ending for any story is usually soon after the problem gets solved. If you don’t know where or how to end your story, stop and look back a few sentences. Chances are you’ll find the correct ending already written.”
Come and meet Joy Cowley at the Christchurch Town Hall this Sunday at the Storylines Free Family Day. You could hear her read some of her books, talk about writing, and even get one of her books signed.
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