New Zealand Writers
COLQUHOUN, Glenn
About belonging, discovering a place to stand, finding what it means to be Pakeha, and what it means to be human.
COLQUHOUN, Glenn (1964 - ) is a doctor, poet and children's writer. His first collection of poetry, The Art of Walking Upright (1999), is "about belonging, discovering a place to stand, finding what it means to be Pakeha, and what it means to be human."
The collection also contains photographs taken by the author, many of members of the Te Tii community in the Bay of Islands. Colquhoun spent a year in Te Tii, and this time provided the inspiration for the collection.
The Art of Walking Upright won the Jessie Mackay NZSA Best First Book of Poetry Award in the 2000 Montana New Zealand Book Awards.
An explanation of poetry to my father (2000) is Colquhoun's second collection of poetry.
Colquhoun's picture book, Uncle Glenn and Me (1999), illustrated by Kevin Wildman, tells the story of a boy and his uncle, a much-admired role model who "talks with his mouth full, prays for lollies and burps after drinking coke."
(KC.)
Updated Information
Playing God was published in December 2002 and won the Poetry Category of the Montana New Zealand Book Awards 2003.
Glenn Colquhoun received the coveted 2003 Montana Readers' Choice Award for his collection of poetry, Playing God. After earlier winning the Montana poetry section, Colquhoun is the first poet to be awarded the Readers' Choice Award in a readers' vote. In October 2006, Playing God went Platinum with Booksellers New Zealand, making its way onto their Premier New Zealand Bestsellers' list. It is the only poetry collection in New Zealand to make it to Platinum, meaning more than 5,000 copies of the book have been sold.
Colquhoun was the convenor of the 2004 New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.
In 2004, Glenn Colquhoun received the country’s largest literary award, the Prize in Modern Letters, for $60,000. The other shortlisted authors were William Brandt, Kate Camp and Geoff Cush.
Jumping Ship (2004) is one of twelve titles in the Montana Estates essay series published by Four Winds Press. The press was established by Lloyd Jones to encourage and develop the essay genre in New Zealand. In his essay, Colquhoun describes his time living in the Te Tii community in the Bay of Islands.
Uncle Glenn and Me Too (Reed, 2004) is the sequel to Uncle Glenn and Me. Follow Uncle Glenn and his niece into their wonderful worlds of make-believe and reality, Glenn sometimes mixing it up, sometimes getting it all wrong! Delightfully illustrated by Kevin Wildman, who illustrated Uncle Glenn and Me.
Mr Short, Mr Thin, Mr Bald and Mr Dog (2005) was published by Steele Roberts.
How we fell: A Love Story (Steele Roberts, 2006) tells the story of Colquhoun's 10-year relationship with his former wife.
Amazing tales of Aotearoa (Raupo, 2008) is a retelling of several Maori myths, told by Colquhoun and illustrated by Ali Teo.
KAPAI: Kids' Authors' Pictures and Information
Some Questions for Glenn Colquhoun
General Questions
Where do you live?
I live in a small village by the sea called Te Tii, it is about 15 minutes north of Kerikeri in the Bay of Islands.
What books to you read?
All sorts really but especially poetry books and books of non-fiction, like history and biography. I like reading about why things happen to people.
Who is your favourite author?
I have lots of favourite authors but I especially like Hone Tuwhare and Dr. Seuss.
How do you think up your ideas?
Usually the idea leads to another like a game of Scrabble (I hate Scrabble!). I start working on an idea and then find something else to write about while I’m working on that. Sometimes I think I’ll never finish anything.
What is the best thing about being an author?
I get to walk down the road and take notice of everything – because I might get to use it in a poem or a story one day. Nothing seems ordinary anymore.
Questions from Primary School Students
What sort of pets do you have?
I don’t have any pets! My partner wants a pig so we can throw out old food – I say give it to me and I’ll eat it.
What is your favourite colour?
Blue
What is your favourite food?
Ice cream and toast.
What is your favourite movie?
Don’t have a favourite one.
What is your favourite game?
Rugby.
What is the most fun thing about being an author?
I get to play with my imagination so when I walk down the street something might be an old man’s tongue or a piece of liquorice or a snake lying awake in the jungle!
How do you make books?
Like a sandwich – take 2 covers and put something in the middle!
Where do you go for your holidays?
I go home. I live by the sea and it's like being on holiday all the time! That’s why I live there.
What was the naughtiest thing you ever did at school?
I cheated! I copied a platypus out of a book while the teacher wasn’t looking, because I forgot what they look like. It was a test – so don’t tell anyone!
Questions from Secondary School Students
How did you get started?
I got an empty exercise book and told myself I would write a poem a week no matter what. I filled up 5 exercise books before I got anything published!
Who inspired you when you were getting started?
Hone Tuwhare, J.K. Baxter as writers, but mainly the people around me who I thought had neat stories to tell.
What advice would you give an aspiring young writer?
Find an idea you believe in and just write. Read the sort of stuff you want to write, but in the end you have to put in the hard yards. If you want to write poems – go and write 100 of them and then you’ll have an idea of where you are heading.
Is it difficult to make a living as a writer in New Zealand?
It's not easy! As a poet you would make a living from writing outside of poetry! Writing things like reviews or freelance articles or working at a university. I work as a doctor which makes it a bit easier I think!
What were you like as a teenager?
You better ask my mum. Actually I feel like I’m still a bit of a teenager at times. The secret to getting older is that it doesn’t always feel like you are!
Is there anything else you would like to tell us?
I have all my fingers and my toes. Proof that I usually got out of mowing the lawn.
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