It's been a busy and exciting year for Gez Walsh, culminating in the publication of another novel.
The Huddersfield-based writer, poet and comedian unveiled Diva Dave And Fat Sue, his latest book aimed at young adults.
The novel follows the story of two friends, David Hardy and Susan Hopkins, whose only aim is to win a TV talent show. Determined to achieve stardom, David puts on women's clothes and sings, while Sue accompanies him on banjo.
But even though their pursuit of fame leads to much chaos and destruction, that does not seem to teach the two characters a lesson.
Diva Dave And Fat Sue follows the publication of Changes, a novel from the Twisted Minds series aimed at older teens and adults. Changes is now available as a free download for Kindle devices until January 31, 2014.
The first book in the Twisted Minds series, The Meeting Room, has so far been available only as a Kindle download but will appear as a paperback edition in early 2014.
Gez, a former social worker who now also has a radio chat show on Phoenix FM, first achieved popularity with his poetry for children. His poems were meant to encourage his dyslexic son, Lee, to read, but the author says: “My son is now in his 20s and still doesn’t like reading.”
Gez’s most popular children's book, The Spot On My Bum, appeared in 1997. It was published in Portuguese earlier in 2013 and negotiations are under way for the book to be published in Chinese.
The author says: “I don’t really write poetry in the conventional sense: I tend to write comedy in rhyme. I don’t try to teach young people how to write sonnets, I try to help them to love words and language.”
The writer also works with schools and recently collaborated with Elland Church of England Junior School to produce a book in just four hours and 24 minutes. The project was in aid of BBC Children in Need and publishers are now trying to get it recognised as an official world record.
Diva Dave And Fat Sue is now available at Waterstones for £7.99.
