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THE STORY OF THE BOOK
While rewriting Silicone Stew I created a scene where two characters were watching TV and an ad came on for a kind of over-the-top action toy: 'Star Troopers'. I threw the scene away later, but kept that ad. Later I sensed a possibility in that tiny fragment (see p.50) and it all flowed from there. At that time I was heavily into re-birthing and all the attendant beliefs, and you will see all of that optimistic, affirmations-type stuff throughout the story. It's probably my most optimistic work to date!
In a private ceremony one night I 'dedicated' the book to Mother Earth, and visualised lots of positive outcomes: recommendations from peace groups, international sales, a movie. None of it happened (funny, that). However the first draft was accepted by Scholastic within months, with only minor improvements needed. Publication, though, took the usual age. I'd changed address five times in the interim!
Just before Xmas of 1990 they sent me a magnificent colour photocopy of the cover, just weeks after I'd lost a friend in the Aromoana massacre. I wrote to Scholastic, sickened, and pleaded they remove the 'AK47' from the cover. But it would have caused a huge delay in publication so I let the matter drop.
Star-Troopers has never sold well. The problem is those words: "The Final Episode". - Everyone wanted to buy the earlier episodes first! I've met librarians who've told me exactly that.
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