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Brian Falkner

As a child

I was born on the North Shore of Auckland, New Zealand. My childhood consisted of summers running around on the beaches of Auckland, and winters playing football. I was an avid reader from an early age, and no doubt that love of reading influenced me later in life. I played football for the Takapuna Soccer Club, but never advanced very far.

As an adult

I went to Auckland University to study computers as I did not believe I would be able to earn a living out of writing (and I was almost certainly right!). During this time I was very involved in the university radio station, and my interest in the media eventually led to a change. I gave up computers and studied journalism, earning a Diploma of Journalism from the prestigious ATI (now AUT) school of Journalism. This led to a job as a radio journalist, and that in turn to a career change into radio copywriting. Copywriting is the creative side of radio, so I guess unwittingly I was gravitating towards my first love, fiction writing. When my first book was published I thought my life would change, and it has, but not overnight. It has taken many years to become a full time writer, and this was only possible because of my books being published in countries like the US, Canada and the UK. I doubt that anyone could earn a living as a writer if their books were only published in New Zealand.

Things you didn't know about Brian Falkner

  1. He was once a carryover champion on TV’s Wheel of Fortune.
  2. On stage he has played the Wizard in the Wizard of Oz, and the Fiddler in Fiddler on the Roof.
  3. He is a qualified SCUBA diver.
  4. Both his hands just have a single line across the palm (sometimes known as the Simian Crease) a rare quirk that he shares with former British PM Tony Blair.
  5. He has two dogs. Molly and Chester.
  6. His favourite TV show of all time is “The Professionals”.
  7. His favourite move is “The Matrix".
  8. Once, while dressed as a burglar, playing a part in a television show, he was nearly arrested until the police realised what was going on.
  9. He was good at maths at school, and once memorised pi to 80 decimal places. (He can still remember 32!).
  10. If he could have any super-power, he would like to be able to fly.

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