He has given us Maxx Rumble, Dog Wars and The Undys (the book, not the garment) and can’t stick brussel sprouts. Here’s more about Michael Wagner.
I hate to admit it, but I’m a Collingwood supporter! I finally settled on Collingwood when I was about ten years of age. Sometimes I wish I’d chosen Hawthorn or Essendon (they’ve won more flags than the Pies in my lifetime), but once you’ve started barracking for a team it’s really hard to change. And, even though they’ve caused me some heartache over the years, I just can’t help but love the mighty Pies.
My favourite piece of new technology is…The iPod. I love my iPod so much that my poor wife gets a bit jealous sometimes.
I like books that…make me laugh and/or make the hair on my neck stand on end and/or bring a tear to my eye and/or open my mind to new possibilities.
My dream car is…any car that doesn’t make me stand by the side of the road waiting for the RACV to arrive. I could get excited about having some sort of electric car that’s full of gadgets and has a place for my iPod.
Favourite TV program…in 2007 has been Summer Heights High. But I also like Thank God You’re Here, Spicks and Specks, and anything to do with footy.
The best thing about reading is…feeling like you’re not alone in the world, because the characters in a book think so much like you. And, I like the way you learn all sorts of new things without even realising you are because the book is so fantastically entertaining.
I have never been able to…get a plateful of brussel sprouts down. In fact, I was so confident that no human being could eat a plate of brussel sprouts I offered my kids $20 each if they could eat 5 of them in one sitting. (NB it was an all-or-nothing deal. They had to eat all five to get any money at all – and they weren’t allowed any tasty sauces or drinks to help get them down). My daughter couldn’t do it, but my son did! He deserved every cent I reckon.
I began writing…when I was about 14 and wrote a poem for the school magazine. When I was a bit older, I wrote songs. Then I wrote comedy and radio scripts and TV scripts and all sorts of other things. Then, finally, I wrote a children’s book and knew what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.
My latest book is the fourth book in the Undys series. It’s about…Josh and Phil Undy going camping for the very first time. They go with Amy, Phil’s new girlfriend (Phil is the dad), and Aunty Faber, and Summer and Daniel (two new friends from their flats). They spend the long-weekend inventing and playing all sorts of new games, including their own very exciting style of paddleboat races, a tasty treasure hunt, a series of battles that take place on a greasy pole, and a big game of beach volleyball against some bullies they know.
The best thing about being a writer is…spending whole days trying to come up with funny or exciting story ideas. It’s very enjoyable giggling away to yourself for hours on end. And it’s very exciting when you think you’ve captured an interesting or thrilling moment.
The biggest myth about being a writer is…that great writers must use interesting, colourful language – and very big words. Some of the best books I have ever read have also been the easiest to read. I reckon if the story is good enough, and the language is clear and simple, the book can still be incredibly powerful. Think of books like Holes and To Kill a Mocking Bird, they are easy reads, but unforgettable stories.
My all-time favourite film is…Ferris Beuller’s Day Off, which is funny, sad and uplifting all at the same time.
My Life as a Dog, which felt like my childhood captured on film.
And One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, which I found amazingly moving.
My teenage years were …exciting, because I was on the way to becoming an adult. I found the idea of being able to do my own thing, without having to ask for my parents’ permission, really thrilling.
For more about Michael, visit his website, or you can send him a message below.
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