Southerly by David Haywood

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Southerly: When Otters Get Famous

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  • Anna I,

    Proud owner of lucky number four - although i have to wait until Christmas for my parents to bring it over with them, so please no plot spoilers! I've had the book dedicated to me - I'm sure there is nothing wrong with a 29yr old getting a children's book inscribed for them...

    London • Since Jul 2008 • 5 posts Report Reply

  • Ben Austin,

    Dammit, I got the email but couldn't remember my paypal details at the time (well, I was on a train in Croydon and that is pretty distracting) and now I seem to have missed the first edition boat.

    London • Since Nov 2006 • 1027 posts Report Reply

  • Peter Adamson,

    And Peter Adamson - beautiful drawings - you're using oil pastel? Crayon? Whatever, your work is wonderful, and will get a whole lot of wider exposure. Cheers!

    It's watercolour, with a secret ingredient! Not my ideal medium, but one I thought quite apt.

    Thanks again, Islander!

    Wellingtown • Since Nov 2010 • 3 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Seeing only these samples, Peter, I can imagine you in gouache

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Bart Janssen,

    sign-o-rama or inscript-o-rama

    I've been shopping for art (birthday soon) and this sounds very much like what we've seen lately. It turns out shopping for art isn't easy, who knew?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • Jolisa,

    As an Indian food-related aside...

    Has anyone here tried a chicken tarka?

    It's like a chicken tikka, but a little 'otter.

    Groan. Cue Mrs Stephen Fry: "We've ordered the C.S Lewis set meal from our local indian takeaway. It's like the regular set meal, only naanier."

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report Reply

  • Rich Lock,

    Can we say goodbye to all these Narnia jokes now, please?

    Na-na-na-na, Na-na-na-na, Narnia, goo-oodbye!

    Ah, thankyou, my coat.

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report Reply

  • philipmatthews,

    Ah, thankyou, my coat.

    You'll find it in the wardrobe in the spare room.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2007 • 656 posts Report Reply

  • Jolisa,

    You'll find it in the wardrobe in the spare room.

    He's not lyin'. But which wardrobe?

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report Reply

  • Jolisa,

    That Dr Haywood, as well as being an unrepentant flatterer, is extraordinarily well-connected.

    He's gotten Dave Dobbyn to write a poignant theme song for the forthcoming sequel, in which Albert tires of royal wedded bliss and develops a wandering eye, much to the princess's anguish.

    I refer of course to "Shouldn't You, Otter, Be in Love?"

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    Has Chris Trotter commented on the betrayal of the working class by Albert Otter?

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    more platy-cheweds...

    monotreme obscenity

    won't someone think of the echidnas...


    Elric the Axolotl...
    mexicans with good cell coverage?
    talking about my re-re-regeneration...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Jolisa,

    It's watercolour, with a secret ingredient! Not my ideal medium, but one I thought quite apt.

    Sourced directly from the otters at the zoo? Or are we talking river water? Enquiring artistic minds...

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report Reply

  • sally jones,

    For what it's worth, I have an axolotyl.

    It's worth a great deal, I can assure you.

    I won't pretend not to know what an axolotyl is but nor will I pretend to know. That way I will remain equivocal and mysterious. I do like the idea of a tank, it enables me to narrow the options somewhat.

    .You do *not* want to know the Adventures of An Asexual Axolotyl-

    Do I not?

    I'll trust your judgement in these matters, of course. But I will just say that unlike some people, I find asexuality inherently fascinating.

    *all axolotyls are asexual until a naturally - or otherwise- induced change occurs. And, their adventures - in a tank anyway- are exceedingly boring. Non-existent actually-)

    Is it the change what renders them dull or are they that way to begin with?

    threadhijacking beyond the point of any desirability.

    Horses are always relevant.

    Auckland • Since Sep 2010 • 179 posts Report Reply

  • Islander,

    An axolotyl (I've spelt it that way ever since my nephew -who knew how to say it - wanted to know how it was spelt. So I wrote down 'axolotl' and he maintained no-one could pronouce that. So I stuck a y in, and made him happy) does very little except eat. And rest. And grow, a little. (When Jaws was little, it had a tank-mate. Until it started eating the tank-mate, one foot at a time. This is not so bad for axolotyls, as they happily regenerate limbs, &gill-fronds. The tank-mate was removed to another tank, in another house.)

    Just every so often, an unwise spider or moth will land in the uncovered portion and this black Thing-From-The-Deep will surge up and gulp them, noisily.

    Other than that, very dull. When Jaws swims, it is sinuously beautiful tho'.

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • dyan campbell,

    Albert Otter is my new hero, David H. Otters have a special resonance with me as I am from Vancouver and they are a common sight off Vancouver's sea wall, as I believe their conservatory of music is nearby.

    A young musician having a snack, urban Vancouver style.

    auckland • Since Dec 2006 • 595 posts Report Reply

  • sally jones,

    ... horse on suburban section...

    Please don't waste...Sally.

    David. That's all I've got on the horse. I could string it out for you - no doubt - but I'm writing a different piece at the moment that isn't bad, I hope. Touring the Aussie outback with the ballet company. Fully aboriginal audiences in some places. Never seen anything so white (there is nothing as white as ballet..).
    It's not quite ready. Today the garden needs me. Monday looks good (from here).

    PS: Nothing is ever wasted on your blog. Ill come back to the horse.

    Auckland • Since Sep 2010 • 179 posts Report Reply

  • sally jones,

    Islander: I'm in love with your oddly spelt axolotyl! I'm afraid I wouldn't have recognised himher either way, such was the extent of my ignorance.

    does very little except eat. And rest. And grow, a little.

    I thought you meant your nephew, but you meant your axolotyl. Right.

    this black Thing-From-The-Deep will surge up and gulp them

    How deep is deep...?

    Auckland • Since Sep 2010 • 179 posts Report Reply

  • Islander,

    O, it's only about 40cm...but then Jaws is only about 18cm long. It lurks down on the dark bottom, waiting-

    My nephew does quite a lot, eats heaps, and has grown heaps (he's now 6'4, a big ginga who goes check on Jaws first thing, every time he visits.)

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • sally jones,

    If Janet frame had had (cringe) a son he might look like your nephew.

    I guess I thought you were implying Jaws is a deep sea creature, which of course everybody knows isn't so...

    Auckland • Since Sep 2010 • 179 posts Report Reply

  • Islander,

    Ur, probably not: Matt has straight hair, and Janet's was always curly...
    my mother, who had beautiful auburn hair when she went to school with Janet's younger sister, says that curls ran in the family. Matt's mother, my sister, has lovely wavy ginga hair but his father is a blond.
    When the kid was little he was extremely skinny (spent first 6 months on oxygen having been a premie) and extremely blond. We used to call him "the whitest Kai Tahu evah.Even his bones shine through."

    It's so nice to know the excellent young man he has grown into.

    Anyway, after The Axolotyl Threadjack, back to otters - sea otters are wonderful animals dyan! Had the deep pleasure of seeing several while in Vancouver.

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark,

    I have just been informed, via email, that the kindergarten's copy of your fabulous book has been dispatched. I am so excited about getting this book to read to the kids. Mostly just so that I can say that I know the person who wrote it! It will be very edumacational also, because I don't think any of my kids will know what an otter actually is - unless K knows, but K knows lots of things about lots of things. His knowledge never ceases to amaze me. I mean, did you know that only big bubbles have the power to elicit the reaction of "Holy Shit!" from a four year old? No? Exactly.

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • sally jones,

    Even his bones shine through."

    Them's some lovely bones. :)

    Auckland • Since Sep 2010 • 179 posts Report Reply

  • Jolisa,

    Baby otters learning to swim. With rubber duckies. Caution: near-fatal levels of cute!

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report Reply

  • Ross Mason,

    edumacational

    Jeez. Wot sort of techer is we leetig lose in our skools?

    Upper Hutt • Since Jun 2007 • 1590 posts Report Reply

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