THE SECOND BOOK'S BIRTH

I have not got an elk fetish
Well now. I can't really think where this book came from. Well I do. I've always had a fetish for elks. I mean who hasn't? I won't tell you the full story of where that fetish comes from, but all you need to know is I drew a character called Gordon the Elk throughout art school. Ever since then I have drawn elks. Haven't you? Anyway, I think maybe the title came first, but this time the character was going to be a moose. I mean otherwise it would seem like I'd got a weird elk fetish or something and I wouldn't want people to think that. I think, and I am happy to be told I'm wrong, but I think the title came from the fact I said coolio instead of cool quite regularly about work, home, play and holidays. I think I then one time said 'coolio and the moose' at a friend and then said 'that would make a good kid's book title'. And the rest as they say is history.

What came first the title or the book?
Coming up with a title first and then writing the book seems a bit silly doesn't it? Maybe it was a straight reaction to how long it took to get a title for the first book. But I think I'll stick with it. A silly/mad/interesting title is actually pretty hard to come up with when you know exactly what the story is. But if there is no story, then there are no boundaries. Walter's special egg and the magician's kipper. See? The bottomless cow and the immaculate pat. Hmm... maybe not so good. But hopefully you see what I mean.

With this book I decided to write fast as you will remember, which lends itself to simplicity and economy with words. I cut corners. When Coolio and the moose go to the park I didn't explain the walk there, or much of what they done when they arrived, or the park, or the weather, or all of those other things you explain in a novel, not a picture book. I liked writing like that. It was fun. So now, have you got it? Book one: 'The Day the World Turned White'. Book two: 'Coolio and the Moose'.