More Marking Mad Humour From Rotorua Author

Drawing on his passions for science fiction and humour, Rotorua author Tom E. Moffatt has released the sequel to his award-winning debut novel, Barking Mad. The new book, A Screw Loose, appeals to readers aged eight to 12 who love books like Robo-Dog by David Walliams, Frank Einstein by Jon Scieszka and Masher by New Zealand author and illustrator Fifi Colston.

What makes A Screw Loose stand out from other titles is its fast-paced action and its perfect mix of chaos, humour, and heart. Respected children’s book reviewer Adele Broadbent from whatbooknext.com said, “If you want a book with absolutely no boring bits, A Screw Loose is for you!”

Moffatt won the 2015 Storylines Tom Fitzgibbon Award with Barking Mad, and the book was published by Scholastic NZ the following year. Since then he’s written and published 12 books under his own imprint Write Laugh, creating a loyal following of humour-lovers among Kiwi and global audiences alike. His books include the bonkers short story collections such as Mind-Swapping Madness and non-fiction, how-to joke books such as I’m Joking: 500+ Original Jokes for Kids. His 2021 release, You’re Joking: Become an Expert Joke-Teller, was shortlisted for the NZCYA Book Awards that year.

Talking about A Screw Loose, Moffatt says he always knew that there were more stories to tell about Fingers, his sister Sally, Granddad and their crazy dog, DaVinci.

“Granddad is an inventor, part genius, part bonkers, so there were many paths the story could go down. But, to me, DaVinci is the true star of the show, so a robo-dog felt like the perfect catalyst for mayhem.

“I’m a discovery writer, so I generally place my characters in a situation and see what they want to do. In this book, I introduced the robo-dog and the mind-swapping, sci-fi aspect was all Granddad’s idea. He wanted his latest invention to behave like a real dog, so he replicated DaVinci’s mind. Unfortunately for them — and fortunately for me, as the author — DaVinci wasn’t too happy about it, and chaos instantly ensued. Other mind-swapping muddles naturally followed, giving A Screw Loose a similar comedy feel to Barking Mad, but with even more action and adventure.”

Moffatt says he hated writing at school. “I hated reading too, and maths. Mostly because I just wasn’t good at them. I bumbled my way through school, and it wasn’t until university that I was diagnosed with dyslexia, which explained a few things…

“Another aspect of me barely reading anything at primary school was not being able to find anything that interested me. I read what I was told, but the only time I voluntarily picked up a book was when I could get my hands on a joke book.

“When I was 13, I plucked a science fiction book off my dad’s bookcase. It was a Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham, and from page one I was completely hooked. I think I read half of it standing beside the bookshelf. And after that, I went on to read all of John Wyndham’s books, along with many other classic sci-fi authors. I’d found my genre and I read voraciously.

“Nowadays, there are lots of sci-fi options for kids, as well as many other genres to appeal to all interests.

“A Screw Loose appeals to STEM-minded readers like the younger me, who also likes a bit of a laugh. But hidden between the technology and the giggles are themes about self-identity, responsibility for one’s actions and sibling dynamics. I would have devoured it when I was ten, and it might have triggered my love of books earlier.

“With the continued rise of AI and its overflow into robotics, A Screw Loose is very topical. When Granddad first came up with his robo-dog eight years ago, there was almost nothing like it in the real world. Nowadays, there are new robotics applications and designs rolling out weekly. Everyone wants to be the one to create the world’s first truly useful commercial robot, and there’s been more success replicating a dog’s movements than a human’s. It seems like Granddad was ahead of the game. Let’s just hope they don’t upload a disobedient dog’s mind!”

Moffatt has been working on A Screw Loose off and on since Barking Mad was published in 2012. Last year, he was able to buy the rights for Barking Mad back from Scholastic NZ and republished it under his Write Laugh imprint. A Screw Loose followed soon after.

With ten years of writing and publishing experience behind him, Moffatt says it was a lot of fun hanging out with Fingers and Sally again. “I’m writing the third Barking Mad Adventure now – which introduces Granddad’s latest invention… an invisibility collar – and hope to release it later this year.”

The paperback editions of A Screw Loose and the prequel Barking Mad are available from bookstores nationwide and online at https://tomemoffatt.com/.

Author bio

Once upon a time Tom E. Moffatt was an international primary school teacher surrounded by creative minds and interesting characters. He was bombarded with potential story ideas on a daily basis, yet there were never enough hours in the day to get anything down on paper. Now he has left teaching, Tom is able to focus his attention on his writing.

His first book, Barking Mad, won two national book awards and You’re Joking: Become an Expert Joke-Teller was shortlisted for the 2021 NZCYA Book Awards. He has published thirteen books in total, including many humorous short stories and over two thousand original jokes. He is currently juggling a number of projects, including the third book in the Barking Mad series.

Tom loves visiting schools as an author because he gets to tell tales, crack jokes and generally misbehave, something he was rarely able to do as a teacher.

Tom is originally from Uxbridge, the kind of suburban London town that makes you want to travel. As a result, Japan, Italy, the UAE and Colombia have all featured on the bottom line of his mailing address over the years. Since meeting a like-minded Kiwi girl in an airport 15 years ago, Tom has traded his backpack for a 1940s character home in Rotorua where he lives with his wife and three delightful daughters, none of whom find him very funny.

A Screw Loose
A Barking Mad Adventure
 
Author: Tom E. Moffatt
Illustrator: Paul Beavis
Publisher: Write Laugh
Distributor: Write Laugh
ISBN: 978-1-7386184-6-0
Pages: 238
Size: 127 x 203.2 mm
Published: November 2024                    
RRP: $20

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