LoveReading4Kids Says
Josh Walker is a boy who likes a list. Top of his ‘things to do this year’ is: commence upper-body-related action with girlfriend Becky; form a band (death metal preferably); and get a tattoo. By the end of the book he’ll have achieved two of those – not bad going! This is J. A. Buckle’s second novel about Josh, and it’s that rare thing, a novel for younger teens that manages to be genuinely funny, a bit silly – there’s a wonderful cast of slightly eccentric but recognisable characters – but also full of reassurance about life and coping with the various things it might throw at readers, whether that’s lack of confidence, your parents’ marriage breaking down, or even your mum getting cancer. The important messages are skilfully and lightly done, and it had me laughing out loud more than once. ~ Andrea Reece
Jackie Buckle has teamed up with Young Minds, the charity for young people’s mental health, to donate a percentage of her royalties to the charity. Young Minds will support and promote publication of the book.
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My Smoky Bacon Crisp Obsession Synopsis
16 year old Josh is starting 6th form college and is determined to form a band, get a lot closer with his girlfriend Bekcy and , hopefully, pass the odd A level. A few days in and he has already embarrassed himself in front of a class ... he'll need all the help his ferret, a little witchcraft and a lot of smoky bacon crisps can give.
My Smoky Bacon Crisp Obsession by Jackie Buckle is the sequel to the successful first instalment of metal-head Josh Walker’s diary, Half My Facebook Friends Are Ferrets, and it’s set to find a new readership of teenagers charmed by the book’s balance of wit and deeper issues. Buckle takes 16 year old Josh and his crowd of bloke mates to the next level, exploring the dynamics of a male pier group and the intensity of their formulating years. The group battle and deal with mental health issues like depression, anxiety and eating disorders, but Buckle’s light touch ensures the book retains its characteristic wit and charm. It’s not all about crisps, despite what the title may say – this time Josh Walker continues his rock ‘n’ roll dreams, but his mum won’t even let him grow his hair long, his friends are either geeks or nerds (they haven’t decided yet) and he’s had precisely zero Valentine’s Day cards. Will he ever live up to the cool, tough dad he’s never known?
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781782023203 |
| Publication date: |
9th April 2015 |
| Author: |
J. A. Buckle |
| Publisher: |
Curious Fox |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
192 pages |
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J. A. Buckle Press Reviews
Critical Acclaim for the author's debut, Half My Facebook Friends Are Ferrets:
“Half My Facebook Friends Are Ferrets is a little gem of a book that I’m glad I got the chance to read.” Wondrous Reads Blog
“An hilarious insight in to the mind of a teenage misfit.” Julia Eccleshare, Lovereading4Kids
“…a really excellent find for the YA reader in your life. It’s a witty look at the world through Josh’s eyes, a narrator with more than a little in common with the great Adrian Mole…Top
read!” Stranger Than Fiction Blog
About J. A. Buckle
Jackie Buckle has been writing for years, since reading The Accidental Tourist by Anne Taylor, the book she says, that made her want to write. Half My Facebook Friends are Ferrets was discovered in the slush pile by a Curious Fox editor who immediately recognised it’s irresistible mix of humour, music and the digital world.
Buckle writes around her day job as the website manager for a leading drug charity. She has two daughters who spent their recent teenage years dragging their mother to heavy metal concerts, so much so that Buckle is now a metalhead herself! She has seen Children of Bodom, My Chemical Romance, Fin Troll, AC/DC, Trivium and more. Her favourite music comes from Finland, where there’s a big metal scene producing some of the most innovative and popular bands.
Jackie is also passionate about animal rights, travel, playing the acoustic guitar and walking her Finnish lapphund. She lives in Reigate, Surrey.
LoveReading4Kids Q&A
Describe your book in one sentence? How does it follow on from the first book – is it more of the same or different in tone?
Josh Walker – metal-head and ferret-owner – has just started college and he’s got all kinds of problems already, including a best mate with panic attacks and a boy scout who wants him dead! It’s more of the same, though Josh has grown up a bit – only a bit mind!
What inspired you to write your book?
A few people had asked if I’d write a sequel to Half my Facebook Friends are Ferrets and I did really want to find out how Josh, Davey and co would get on at college.
Favourite character in your book? I think Davey. He’s a lovable loser, although maybe not for much longer...
Favourite sentence or line in your book?
That’s a tough one. How about: It’s a bit naff rescuing kamikaze snails but at least Becky understands; she once had a pet woodlouse!
Describe yourself in three words?
A bit odd
Shakespeare or Dickens?
Dickens
Your favourite author?
Terry Pratchett
Favourite character from a book?
DEATH from the Discworld novels by Terry Pratchett
If you weren’t an author, you would be…
I am a web designer but I’d like to go around the world studying animals and helping conserve them
Favourite place/setting to read a book?
In bed. Preferably a bed in a nice hotel somewhere interesting, but if not, at home
If you had a dinner party what three authors or characters from literature would you invite?
Probably not DEATH, but maybe Rincewind the wizard, Frodo and Puss in Boots
Where do you get your ideas from?
My daughters
Do you base your characters on people you know?
Yes, with a little bit of exaggeration here and there!
More About J. A. Buckle
