Upstart Press

📚 Out Now! 📚

They are people who didn’t want to come back to New Zealand, generally had family and lives in Australia that they wanted to continue. Some were hardened criminals, some were people who simply associated with the wrong people, but what they had in common was that they were reluctant returnees.

How did they get to where they were, what happened on their return, and could NZ have done a better job of integrating them back into NZ society?

'501s: The Reluctant Returnees' is the story of the 501s, in their own words.

In stores now – get your copy of '501s' today!

Blenheim!

Join us for the launch of '501s: The Reluctant Returnees' at Paper Plus Blenheim on Wednesday the 15th of July at 5.30pm 📚

Don't miss your chance to hear from author Angus Gillies and local returnee Lee Tepuia.

This is a free event – everyone is welcome to attend

We can't wait! New Paul Cleave this year!

Howdy folks!

Today marks the 20th anniversary of me being a published writer. It's crazy to think that 20 years ago today, The Cleaner came out here in New Zealand. I still remember taking a bunch of friends out for breakfast that first weekend, then doing a book signing at Boarders. Man I was nervous. Not about the breakfast, about the book signing.

Since then I've gone from being a man in my young 30s with a house full of cats, to being an old man in my 50s with a house with no cats. And, of course, there are books - fourteen of them, with number fifteen on the horizon - and what better time than show you the cover :-)

'Somebody Always Comes Looking' goes to print soon, and will come out here in NZ later this year. I don't have an exact date, nor can I say at this stage about other countries or translations - but for now I really wanted to share the cover, which I think is very cool (of course we'll throw some author quotes on there down the line)- and to say thanks again to the team at Upstart Press for all the hard work.

So - what's it about? Well - I still have to write the blurb for it, and when I do, you'll be the first to know, but for now, let me leave you with the one line...

𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘢 𝘣𝘢𝘨 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘩 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘱, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘓𝘶𝘤𝘢 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳?

👀🤫

I didn't have any books scheduled for the rest of the year ... and then I was doodling away and was once again was struck by inspiration to write a whole new series. It's cracking on at a furious pace ... sketchbooks filling up and beloved Blackwing pencils wearing out!

You'll be seeing a lot more of this new project in the coming months – it incorporates all the things I love – set in the unique NZ environment, with action and adventures, humour, and a bit of history. I'm really excited to be merging my passion for picture books and chapter books in this new project which will be an early reader mix between a picture book and a chapter book in full colour. Like if my Māui and Flying Furballs books were mashed together! COOL!

Must crack on! There's a tremendous amount of work to get done!

Upstart Press

Happy Mother's Day! 💐

From the team here at Upstart Press, we hope you all have a lovely day today!