Narrelle M Harris: writer | editor | songwriter

Quintette of Questions: Paul Collins

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Today I’m asking Paul Collins 5 questions about his latest book!

1. What’s the name of your latest book – and how hard was it to pick a title?

James Gong: The Big Hit was initially written as The Big Hit. Then I figured I might write this character into a series. A series needs a tag line so I decided to use the character’s name.

If the publisher commissions a sequel, it’ll be James Gong: The Chinese Dragon. I’ve already written a rough draft of the sequel.

2. If you could choose anyone from any time period, who would you cast as the leads in your latest book?

Definitely Bruce Lee as James. His love interest would be Winona Ryder. His sister, perhaps the girl who plays Alaska in Looking for Alaska: Kristine Foseth.

3. What five words best describe your story?

Action. Martial arts. Plot driven.

4. Who is your favourite fictional team/couple?

Modesty Blaise and Willie Garvin.

5. What song reflects a theme, character, relationship or scene in your book?

Hugo Montenegro’s version of The Good, The Bad and the Ugly. It gets played in the martial arts film that James Gong stars in.

About James Gong: The Big Hit

James Gong is training for his black belt in taekwondo. One night a camera crew from Hollywood Productions turns up at training for an episode of My Life, only to see James at his most ornery aggressiveness. They love James’ jumping spinning sidekick, and decide to star him in a small budget flick. Trouble is, Hollywood Productions is a scam company that basically produces B grade ‘loser’ movies to offset huge tax bills.

Meanwhile, James, who likes his sister Caitlin’s best friend, Amber, thinks his sudden film career will curry favour. Not so. If anything, Amber shuns him more.

Hollywood Productions may want to lose money, but underestimates their star.

James Gong: The Big Hit book trailer.

For ages 9 to 13: teacher’s notes available online.

Buy James Gong: The Big Hit

About Paul Collins

Paul Collins has written many books for younger readers. He is best known for his fantasy and science fiction titles: The Jelindel Chronicles and The Quentaris Chronicles ─ co-edited with Michael Pryor. His trade series The Earthborn was published in America by Tor.

Paul has been short-listed for many awards and has won the Inaugural Peter McNamara A Bertram Chandler, Aurealis and William Atheling awards. He has two black belts in martial arts and was a kickboxer trained by Dana Goodson, then Heavyweight Kickboxing Champion of Australia.

Social Media

So many book launches and author talks have had to be cancelled, I’ve decided to run as many Quintettes as I can to share some great upcoming work – and let you stock up on things to read while we’re all self-isolating.

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