Vince Ford

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ford, Vince (1970 –) is a writer.

His first book, 2Much4U won the 1998 Tom Fitzgibbon Award for best children's fiction by a previously unpublished author. 2Much4U also won Best in Junior Fiction at the 2000 New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.

‘Small town New Zealand life is portrayed accurately and warmly. Highly recommended,’ writes a reviewer in Reading Time.

Accidentally setting alight a fertiliser spreading vehicle is the unusual source of inspiration for 2Much4U. Vince Ford has never forgotten the guilt he felt watching his vehicle — and the surrounding 20 hectares of wheat stubble — burn when he was working in Western Australia. The hero of 2Much4U is similarly guilt-stricken when he accidentally sets his mother's car alight, and the book follows his various attempts to earn enough money to replace the car.

SoMuch2Do (2002) and Possums2U (2002) are sequels to 2Much4U. SoMuch2Do follows the gang's exploits as they attempt to create their own business empires as part of a school project. In Possums2U, Davin and his friends attempt to catch 100 live possums. Things turn to custard when they find themselves trapped at the back of the farm with nothing to eat except caged possums. The Dare Club was also published in 2002.

Possums2U was listed as a 2003 Storylines Notable Junior Fiction Book.

It's A Try is another in the 'Sports Max' series, rugby and the tall poppy syndrome are themes.

Ford has worked as a video producer, a Jackaroo on a 400,000 acre Australian property, and a labourer in salt mines. Vince Ford received the 2001 Creative New Zealand Iowa Writer's Residency.

In A Handful of Blue (2003), more than an approaching cyclone hangs over Jeremy's family and their Makorori Beach home. A Handful of Blue was listed as a 2004 Storylines Notable Junior Fiction Book.

In 2004, Ford travelled to Melbourne with Read NZ's International Writer Exchange Programme.

Boyznbikes (2006), was published by Scholastic and it was shortlisted in the junior fiction category for the 2008 New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. Boyznbikes was also listed as a 2007 Storylines Notable Junior Fiction Book.

Scorched Bone (Scholastic, 2008) is the first in the 'Chronicles of Stone' trilogy. It follows the adventures of twins as they journey to discover secrets that could change their tribe forever. Vince Ford researched the series in the United States and it revolves around the adoption of spear throwers and Clovis points, technology that allowed tribes to move onto the plains and hunt mammoth and bison. It was listed as a 2009 Storylines Notable Young Adult Fiction Book, and was shortlisted for the 2009 New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.

Set in Stone and Tribal Ash complete the series. Tribal Ash (Scholastic New Zealand) was listed as a 2010 Storylines Notable Young Adult Fiction Book.

Ford's 2010 book Jonty and Choc was published by Scholastic. Jonty and Choc are best mates- one Pākehā, one Māori. The story opens with the boys on their final day of primary school, pulling pranks on their teachers.

The Scrap series was published in 2013, following the adventures of a pup with an incredible ability to control sheep. In Scrap #1, Tale of a Blond Puppy, Scrap doesn’t know who he is or where he comes from but Bill, an old huntaway, teaches him how to use his talent. He soon finds out what Bill is afraid to tell him. He’s not like everyone else. In the second and third instalments of the Scrap series, Scrap realises his talent in the paddock and at the sheep dog trials, while desperately seeking to find his parents.

In 2021 Vince wrote and published Ready 4 Learning, Ready 4 Life, a non-fiction book for parents to help them transition their children into primary school.

He’s currently researching and writing a non-fiction book for adults, exploring the connections that bring us together and spark joy in our lives.

Vince is active in Toastmasters and has reached the district finals in their International Speech Contest and their Evaluation Contest.

Vince is available for Writers in Schools and enjoys speaking and running workshops on writing fiction and non-fiction, writing for video and speechwriting.

MEDIA LINKS AND CLIPS

• Vince Ford on Christchurch Library's Interviews with NZ Children's Authors series
• Vince Ford's Facebook page