Win a copy of My Elephant is Blue ...

I was meaning to write this blog post and then found myself reading an essay by Rebecca Chace about her poet mother Jean Valentine, and then writing a poem in response instead. Go figure. 

Sorry I have been so absent. It has been a busy old time. I have had lots of things to write and do and organise although sadly, (for me) not so much creative writing of my own stories. I have a general policy of saying yes to things. Book adjacent events are an unpredictable thing so I know there will be plenty of quiet times down the track to balance out the busy times happening right now. If people are keen to have me visit their school or take part in a library event, or talk at length about writing/reading/books, I am IN! And sometimes all the invites come at once. This is how it goes and I am here for it. But when I am invited to do things, it's not just about doing the event. It also means preparing what I am going to say and sometimes creating material (handouts, powerpoints, exercises) to go with it. I take all these events very seriously. I want to do a good job. So I have been beavering away on lots of book adjacent things. And the occasional accidental poem. 

My latest picture book My Elephant is Blue is now out. Before it was even printed this wee story was wooing publishers overseas and it will be coming out in Germany, Italy, and China, and Spanish language rights have also just been sold. I have not had a book this translated before and it is très exciting. Fly little elephant, fly! 

Some lovely reviews have been coming in too (you can read one here or here ), and this Sunday we are officially launching the book at Time Out Bookshop in Mount Eden. Look at the lovely shop window they have created (swoon).

If you read this before Sunday and you want to come along - please DO! Here is the invite

And because I still have a bunch of book adjacent things to do I am going to run away and leave you with a competition to win a copy of My Elephant is Blue. To win a copy tell me in the comments (here on the blog, or on this post on facebook, or on twitter) which language you think the book should be translated into and I will pick my favourite answer. Entries close June 4th. 

Competition results! Did anyone win a book??...

The competition to win a signed copy of Time Machine & Other Stories closed on Sunday and I have been unsure of the next step to take because no one correctly guessed my personal favourite story from the collection, or my 2nd and 3rd faves either. It is a difficult challenge. So, I am leaving the competition open until the day of the launch - August 29th. If you have already entered, you get another go. If you have not entered previously you get one go as you can check out the comments that have already been left to eliminate those stories. If no one guesses correctly by August 29th I think I will just randomly pick a winner. And if someone writes an interesting reason for their guesses I might deliberately pick that entry to win. Have a go. Free book up for grabs. And I like to think it's pretty good.

And the competition is now open to everyone, whether you live in NZ or not. Make sure you check out the rules in the previous post here on the blog.

Launch and competition - Time Machine & Other Stories

My latest book, Time Machine & Other Stories, is due out this month. It is a while since my last book came out (Fuzzy Doodle, 2016) and I had forgotten how it all works. The thrill of having the physical book in my hands, and the relief, of seeing coherent prose on the pages when you glance inside, and a cover which looks even better than you imagined. I'd forgotten that weirdly free-floating (scarily untethered), limbo phase between the cogs of publicity and launching slowly winding up, and the book being seen and read and maybe reviewed and hopefully purchased. The nerves of waiting for people to say what they think about your book. There is a fight inside me between excitement and terror and who knows which one will win. Is it like the two wolves tale (one good, one bad) where the one that wins is the one you feed? From the outside looking in, the birth of a book is such a joyous occasion, but every parent has fears and worries about their child's survival and success. Go well, new baby!!

The book is in bookstores from August 11th. And I will be wetting the newborn's head and celebrating its arrival on Thursday August 29th at Time Out Bookstore, 5-30pm. It would be lovely to see you there!!

And here is a competition to win a free copy (for NZ readers only). I have a favourite story in this collection. Below is a list of the titles of all the stories included in the book (in the order they appear in print). Comment here on this blog post with which story you think I like best, and I will pick a correct entry to receive a copy of the book, hot off the press. Remember to identify yourself in some way so I can name you if you win (a pseudonym is fine). Competition closes August 10th. Up to three guesses per person allowed. I also have second and third favourites, and if anyone picks all three correctly there will be a bonus prize.

Now's Good

Rush

Drawing Horses

Holding My Breath

Smart Soup

Time Machine

A Winter's Day in 1939

Crocodile Dreaming

Time Machine II

The Monster Under My Bed

The Gift

Rich Pickings

My Mother is an Alien

The Man with the Dog Eye

Dog's Best Friend

A Passport to Friends

Last Summer

Time Machine III

Pirate Eye: a novella

Win a book - Fuzzy Doodle Competition....

Exciting times people, exciting times!! June is but a blink away and with it will come the new book. To that end I think IT IS TIME FOR A COMPETITION!!!

Are you ready? Really? Are you sure? Okay. Quite sure? Just testing. No, no, I can tell you're sure.

Oh

By the way...

I got asked to run a workshop on writing picture books. I'm doing it soon at Selwyn College Community Education. It's a day long course 10am to 4pm on Sunday June 19. The fee is $120 inc GST. I'm going to tell people everything I know. Plus some extra stuff. All on picture books. They're so hot right now.

You can find details here.

It'll be fun.

I promise.

Well then.

Till next time.

Oh...

Sorry, what?

I forgot something?

I forgot to tell you how to win the competition?

The competition.

Right.

So. To win a signed copy of Fuzzy Doodle:

One of my favourite first lines is from Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz - 'When the doorbell rings at 3 in the morning, it's never good news.'  I want you to tell me your favourite opening line in a book and why you think it's the best. Post it in the comments here on the blog. I will pick the one I like the best. Competition closes on Friday June 3rd at 5pm.

Your chance to win a copy of my new book 'The Song of Kauri'...

NZ Booksellers recently held their annual conference. You can read a bit about it here. As mentioned last year, sales are declining (bad), although the rate of descent is slowing (good). And again, sales of children's books are doing better than most (great). I would love to know what actual numbers we are talking about here, and whether NZ children's literature is forming a reasonable percentage of those children's book sales. And if they are, what sort of push might be made by all those involved (from publishers, through to booksellers, and international trade folk) to make the most of this. How do our NZ children's literature sales numbers relate to total NZ lit sales and book sales overall? NZ literature has been getting some good overseas exposure recently through our guest of honour position at the Frankfurt Book Fair a few years back, our special Festival in the UK last month, and through Eleanor Catton's spectacular Man Booker Prize win. Yay! This is all great news. I am hoping at some point this wonderful spotlight will widen on our local children's literature. We work hard to write great books and help them sell, but I think we could do with some extra help to get a bit more attention overseas. If our books garner more interest, this benefits booksellers as well as authors and illustrators.

I went on some wonderful school visits this week, with an all day session on Tuesday at Kowhai Intermediate in Auckland and a shorter one at Balmacewen Intermediate in Dunedin yesterday. We talked about plot essentials, character development, the importance of names and of editing, and about books we love amongst other things. I tip my hat to the wonderful teachers and librarians who devote themselves to sparking a love of reading in their students, who continually look for new ways to interest and engage them, and encourage and support their reading and writing skills. They are real heroes in my book!

And now folks, it's time for a competition! My new picture book The Song of Kauri is out July 1st and I have just received my author copies. I have one hardback copy and one softback Maori translation to give away. In the comments below tell me your all-time-favourite character name, and why you love it. Some personal favourites of mine are Elizabeth Bennett, Frodo Baggins and Finnick Odair.  Also say whether you want the Te Reo or English version of the book. The competition will close on July 4th. And.......go!