Today’s topic: Surf journalism by Chad Kolcze…

ME: You were a surf journalist. How did that happen?

 DC: When I was 17 years old and still in high school, I wrote a humorous surf story about a deranged surf alien called Lash Clone who ended up Emperor of the Universe. Tracks magazine ran that story – and 83 more Clone yarns! Amazingly, my alien creation was voted the most popular article in Tracks throughout the 1980s.

After completing my degree in Sydney, I set off on a surf trip through the wild outer islands of Indonesia. Surf magazines liked my adventure stories so much, they asked if they could send me on more trips. Except this time, they would pay for my airfares and expenses and I would travel with a pro photographer and famous surfers like Kelly Slater. I shouted, ‘WOO-HOO!’

I’ve since travelled free of charge all around the world and had hundreds of surf magazine articles published in over 40 counties. Then I became a dad!

Me: What were the highlights of being a surf journalist?

 DC: Definitely the travel! I must be the best-travelled kook on the planet! I’ve pitted my stiff-legged surfing skills against many of the most famous waves in the world: Pipeline and Waimea Bay in Hawaii, Jeffey’s Bay in South Africa, Mundaka in Spain, Thurso East in Scotland; St Leu in Reunion; and most of Indonesia’s perfect reef gems, including G-Land, Desert Point and Scar Reef. I’ve also met many remarkable and groovy people – ranging from the famous to the mostly unfamous to the sometimes infamous!

Me: Why did you start writing children’s novels?

DC: Figuring I needed to stay closer to my home town to be a good dad, I wrote my first children’s novel: Erasmus James and the Galactic Zapp Machine. Many people told me I’d never get my book published, which made me all the more determined. So I made my story as polished, funny and exciting as I possibly could. I packed every page with jokes, action, mutant chooks and ninja horses and rewrote every line over and over until there were no mistakes or boring bits. When a publisher in Melbourne said they were keen to publish Erasmus as a three-book series, I danced like a kitten on red cordial!

Me: Have you had other children’s books published?

DC: I’ve since had four more children’s books published. My cheeky picture book, Three Little Surfer Pigs, helps raise money for CanTeen Australia. My novel, Stinky Squad, features the world’s grossest superheroes and is so action-packed that even boys who claim they hate reading can’t put it down! There have been two more Erasmus books, including the final one, Erasmus James and the Grat Siege, which I’m promoting at this very nano-second!

Meanwhile, my first Erasmus James novel has been turned into an e-book that can be downloaded free of charge at my website (www.dcgreenyarns.blogspot.com). Now even the poorest of students can own their very own book!!

Before I turn 100, I’m hoping to have 100 more books published!!!

Me: Which job do you prefer – surf journalism or children’s fiction writing?

DC: I definitely prefer writing children’s books. With a non-fiction article, what I can write is limited by what actually happened, by the answers to my interview questions or by who won the surf contest. With fiction writing, the only limit is my imagination! I can create my own worlds, where volcanoes extend into outer space, where characters fight imagination wars to the death and where chook-headed stock-brokers gamble entire planets! In other words, the kids’ book writing is a lot more fun! Oh, and all those things I just mentioned actually feature in Erasmus James and the Grat Siege!

Me: Is there much surfing in your children’s books?

DC: There is definitely a LOT of surfing in my picture book, Three Little Surfer Pigs. In my children’s novels, not so much. Although Erasmus James does ‘ride’ a sky river that loops kilometres through the air, and there is always plenty of adrenalin flowing! Plus I tend to use surf-related words like ‘stoked’ and ‘grommet’. Oh, and I still have my surf-based sense of humour, for better or worse! So surfers should feel right at home.

Me: Anything else you’d like to add?

DC: Yes, thanks everyone for reading this far, and thanks Chad, for hosting my visit! Please like my ‘DC Green Author’ page on facebook!  You can read all about DC Green’s fifth novel, Erasmus James and the Grat Siege, and order copies atwww.barrelbooks.com.

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Chad Kolcze poetry

Energetically prancing
as she comes into bloom.
Which will extend for many years
whilst she dances and swims under the moon.
There are many type of lily’s
but none with so much joy to share.
Tiger-lily grows strong from the inside,
unlike her free flowing hair.
She is entertaining, sanguine and fun,
my golden daughter of one.

‘Shredding and shrelping,
jibbing and jumping,
three young creatures
enjoy the snow that’s dumping

(Shredding Snow for release in 2012).
Illustration time.
Ciao

Any questions, comment to this thread.
Seasons Greetings!