BILL'S LATEST BOOKS

A Straight Line to My Heart

School is over, not just for the year, but forever. Tiff and Kayla are free, which is what
they've always wanted, but now summer is nearly at an end and that means life decisions. Tiff is hoping her job at the local paper will lead to something more... But 'The Shark' soon puts her straight on what it takes to become a hard-nosed reporter like him. At home, Reggie - the only granddad she's ever known - has quit the smokes and diagnosed himself as cactus. Then Kayla hits her with some big news. And into all this stumbles Davey, the first boy who has ever really wanted to know her.

Tiff is smart with words and rarely does tears, but in one short week she discovers that words don't always get you there; they don't let you say all the stuff from deep in your heart.'

This compelling, honest and heart-warming book explores love and relationships, old and new, in a 'family' related only by love.' CBCA judge's report.

in 2012 A Straight Line To My Heart was awarded an Honour Book in the CBCA Awards. It was also on the shortlist for the Prime Minister's Literary Awards.

Rock and Roll Elephants

Rock and Roll Elephants is a trunk full of verses that is sure to tickle the funny bones of poetry lovers young and old. This is a book laden with wit and word play, lively rhymes and lopsided logic that will make you think and feel, and most definitely, will make you smile.

"This makes everything I've written seem second-rate. I'm a failure!"
William Shakespeare.

"Rock and Roll Elephants is a work of incredible genius! I am stunned and amazed, but I probably shouldn't be, as the author does have wonderful genes."
Bill Condon's mum.

Confessions of a Liar, Thief and Sex God

"I have this annoying problem that gives me a lot of trouble: a conscience."

Neil Bridges attends a Catholic boys’ school in which teachers rule with iron fists and thick leather straps. Some crumble under the pressure but Neil toughs it out, just as his Vietnam-bound older brother has done before him. He has to be a man, after all. But at sixteen, how can he be sure of himself when he’s not sure of anything else? He loses a friend and finds another, falls in love and unwittingly treads a path that leads to revenge and possibly murder . . .

In 2010 Confessions of a Liar, Thief and Failed Sex God won the inaugural Prime Minister's Literary Award for young adult fiction.
The short, chiselled chapters ensure that not a word is wasted. Condon is a writer of considerable craft who eschews the flamboyant in search of deeper truths.
-Judges' comments.

Give Me Truth

"I'm an ocean cliff. He's erosion. I feel a large part of me crumbling into the sea,
yet somehow I don't mind at all."

Caitlin and David have much in common. They're the same age, they go to the same school, they're both in the school play. And each of them is watching their family fall apart. It's a violent situation, but violence isn't always physical. Caitlin and David are in it together, but separate. And somewhere, somehow, inevitably, it all has to come to a head.

Dare Devils

Teenager Thorns may have only a short time to live, but he’s determined to make
every second count. And that’s where Jack comes in. Safe and quiet, he’s going to
help the high-spirited Thorns fulfil his wish list. Challenging, touching and funny, Daredevils is a YA novel about friendship, courage, the pursuit of dreams and the
joy of living.

“...Thought-provoking... a page-turner” (Bookseller+Publisher)

The Grass is Greener

What comes to mind when you think of the colour green? In this anthology, you
will find fascinating insights into subjects such as the environment, jealousy, Ireland, Greenland and bushwalking. Ideal for the primary or secondary English classroom, The Grass is Greener incorporates a wide range of text types as it explores themes such as history, science, sport, imaginative and real-life experiences. Contributors include Robert Leeson, Dianne Bates, Steven Herrick, J R R Tolkein, Chris McTrustry and David Hill.

No Worries

Brian Talbot: Seventeen. Virgin. High School Dropout. Nightshift Worker. In Love.

Both humorous and confronting, No Worries is a gripping urban tale of
life, death, love, joy, and family. It reminds us all to hold on to the
important things, however difficult that might be.

Mack the Quack

This is a play about Mack the Quack.
Mack is a duck without any luck.
Too big. Too strange.
He doesn't fit in.
He enters the Duck Show - doesn't win.
He's a frown duck, a down duck -
A beaten to the ground duck ...
But before another feather flies,
Mack is quacking with surprise!

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Albert Ironstain.

Young inventor Albert is hard at work on his greatest challenge
yet - a robot twin, called Elvis! Albert is sure the robot will allow
him to escape the terrible tortures of cleaning his room and eating
yucky green vegetables. But unfortunately, Elvis turns out to be a
robot with a mind of his own ...

From Hero to Zero

When it comes to using his imagination, Wayne's no slouch. Especially
when he needs an excuse to get him out of trouble. Things heat up when
he stumbles across a bank robbery while on work experience for his local
paper. Wayne's sure he's got a scoop. So how come nobody believes him?

The Boomerang Elves

Read this play and you shall learn -
Boomerang Elves always return.
They come back happy and eager to please.
But if you're not careful,
They come back as fleas!

Sandy the shoemaker knows this now,
As he studies a fleabite as big as a cow!

There's lots of wordplay and fun in this wacky re-telling of a favourite fairy tale.

100 Things You Really Need To Know

Did you know?

* Sharks cannot swim backwards
* Gorillas beat their chests when they are nervous
* Fish can get seasick if kept on board a ship.

This is essential information for an inquisitive mind.

Handsome and Petal

is a play based on the famous fairy tale Hansel and Gretel. However, where that story was grim and gloomy, this courtroom drama is full of laughs. There's not much order in this court but it's sure to have great appeal. Come along and witness the fun!