Peter Hills
Author of Me and Dad Buy the Tractor Illustrated by Gary Gibbs Publisher: Me and Dad Kids Books |
About the author
Peter, a former police officer of many years, grew up on a farm before heading to Australia as a young lad, where he spent several years working cattle stations on horseback. He became interested in riding the rodeo circuit and performed as a rodeo clown, which he continued to do in New Zealand. Peter can fix most things, hand string a tennis racquet, is an accomplished race car driver, and has driven wheat harvesters and everything in between. He has just reached retirement age and showing no signs of slowing down, he continues to work on his dry stock farm and still occasionally drives a milk tanker! A real character with a ‘kiwi’ can do attitude and a ‘Barry Crump’ like sense of humor. He always wanted to write kid’s books, based on his varied life experiences. He finally put pen to paper and people who knew him were almost in a state of shock as it was the last thing that they ever expected him to do. However, people have appreciated that these books are real life kiwi stories about kids just being kids. While he keeps getting the positive feedback he reckons there are many more stories to be told. About Me and Dad Buy the Tractor Dad had been out feeding the cows on the old tractor and had come home soaking wet. While it was always Dads intention to buy a new tractor, he was waiting for the Field Days to come around before he did it. As usual with kids they were excited to be going to see a new tractor but Dad was taking his time and that just added to the excitement too. At the end of the day Dad had made his decision but had not told the kids. It was a big surprise when the truck arrived with the big red tractor. It was the very same one that Mum and Dad had sat in at the Field Days. How the idea for the book came about I have been on or around farms most of my life so ideas for stories pop up every day. If you go to Field days and just watch kids climbing up onto or into tractors and listen to them yelling out to Dad, “we should get this one Dad”. It’s not too difficult to put a story together around those encounters. This book had been written a few years prior to its publication but just needed a little more added to the story. We had wanted to upgrade our own old tractor with no cab because the winters seemed to be getting longer, wetter and colder. Finally, when we could afford a new one with a cab, it just happened to be a red one. It also happened to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the iconic red Fergie tractor in New Zealand and the book was launched. |
The writing process
Every day, real life things we did with our parents, grandparents or our kids growing up are what my stories are based on and most people relate to these premises in one form or another. What I have tried to do is write the stories through the eyes of the reader. Everything a child does with a parent is an adventure in their eyes. It may be something as simple as the grocery shopping. To a child getting ready to go shopping with Mum and then walking about in shops, helping Mum load a shopping trolley can be an exciting time. If you turn the clocks back and think of the things you did with your parents that to you at the time were so exciting.
At the same time I am putting Mum’s and Dad’s up there in the child’s eyes as the heroes in every book. Kids need heroes and there is no better than their own Mum or Dad. People who know me are no longer surprised if their name crops up in a book. For instance my good mate, Peter Mac features in the tractor book, and yes he really is a tractor salesman! I like to use real people I have encountered and in most of the books this is the case. Always a story behind the story so to speak!
By popular demand I am bowing to a little pressure from the grandparent brigade. Me and Nana, Me and Grandad books; they are not too far away either. As we all know, Grandparents spoil grandchildren and if Nana or Grandad say something it must be true in the eyes of a child. I have suffered at the hands of the politically correct and the grammar police about the titles of the books. These are just titles and I will leave it at that. The whole idea is to produce a book that gets a child to read and at the same time gets a parent to spend five minutes reading to a child.
The books are written to a length that a parent can read the story to the child and not get bored doing so and at the same time the child’s interest in the story is held to the end. The ideas for new titles are endless and I receive suggestions for new books wherever I go. I can write a book in my head in no time at all, getting it on to the computer takes a little longer. That’s the easy part.
When it comes time to actually get a book to completion, it gets a bit harder. However, I am very fortunate to have a great team behind me. I have great faith in my editor, Nikki Crutchley, who has done a fantastic job with all of the books. As with the tractor book, she certainly lets me know when it doesn’t quite flow and suggests other options.
My illustrator Gary Gibson, who in the whole time has been illustrating for me, we have met once for ten minutes. This is because he is so easy to deal with and we always seem to be on the same wave length. He uses bright pictures that really do enhance the story and hits the nail on the head every time. For instance I can mention something like a ‘Donald’s ‘wool press or a Fergie tractor and he knows exactly what I am talking about and how to draw it. A very clever man indeed!
Since day one my printer Smith Print in Wellington have selected quality paper and used a font size to produce a quality book. I am so appreciative of this and proud to say they are 100% NZ made. By far though, my biggest supporter is my dear partner Shelly, who is just as passionate with the whole process and helps me deal with the inevitable setbacks and stay on track. Finally, it’s all the positive feedback from my little readers, parents, grandparents and forward thinking teachers everywhere that really keep me motivated to write.
Every day, real life things we did with our parents, grandparents or our kids growing up are what my stories are based on and most people relate to these premises in one form or another. What I have tried to do is write the stories through the eyes of the reader. Everything a child does with a parent is an adventure in their eyes. It may be something as simple as the grocery shopping. To a child getting ready to go shopping with Mum and then walking about in shops, helping Mum load a shopping trolley can be an exciting time. If you turn the clocks back and think of the things you did with your parents that to you at the time were so exciting.
At the same time I am putting Mum’s and Dad’s up there in the child’s eyes as the heroes in every book. Kids need heroes and there is no better than their own Mum or Dad. People who know me are no longer surprised if their name crops up in a book. For instance my good mate, Peter Mac features in the tractor book, and yes he really is a tractor salesman! I like to use real people I have encountered and in most of the books this is the case. Always a story behind the story so to speak!
By popular demand I am bowing to a little pressure from the grandparent brigade. Me and Nana, Me and Grandad books; they are not too far away either. As we all know, Grandparents spoil grandchildren and if Nana or Grandad say something it must be true in the eyes of a child. I have suffered at the hands of the politically correct and the grammar police about the titles of the books. These are just titles and I will leave it at that. The whole idea is to produce a book that gets a child to read and at the same time gets a parent to spend five minutes reading to a child.
The books are written to a length that a parent can read the story to the child and not get bored doing so and at the same time the child’s interest in the story is held to the end. The ideas for new titles are endless and I receive suggestions for new books wherever I go. I can write a book in my head in no time at all, getting it on to the computer takes a little longer. That’s the easy part.
When it comes time to actually get a book to completion, it gets a bit harder. However, I am very fortunate to have a great team behind me. I have great faith in my editor, Nikki Crutchley, who has done a fantastic job with all of the books. As with the tractor book, she certainly lets me know when it doesn’t quite flow and suggests other options.
My illustrator Gary Gibson, who in the whole time has been illustrating for me, we have met once for ten minutes. This is because he is so easy to deal with and we always seem to be on the same wave length. He uses bright pictures that really do enhance the story and hits the nail on the head every time. For instance I can mention something like a ‘Donald’s ‘wool press or a Fergie tractor and he knows exactly what I am talking about and how to draw it. A very clever man indeed!
Since day one my printer Smith Print in Wellington have selected quality paper and used a font size to produce a quality book. I am so appreciative of this and proud to say they are 100% NZ made. By far though, my biggest supporter is my dear partner Shelly, who is just as passionate with the whole process and helps me deal with the inevitable setbacks and stay on track. Finally, it’s all the positive feedback from my little readers, parents, grandparents and forward thinking teachers everywhere that really keep me motivated to write.