James's blog

  • Getting your kids reading this summer

    Getting your kids reading this summer

    For some kids, the thought of a long summer swinging gently in hammocks, lying under trees or baking on a beach reading book after wonderful book is the very definition of bliss. For other kids, it’s a nightmare. No sooner does a longed-for holiday arrive than parents go and spoil it by insisting that their children read books. For me, my heart swells when...
  • on Breaking Art - The Podcast

    on Breaking Art - The Podcast

    Jason Naylor, a photographer from Wellington, has kicked off Breaking Art - a podcast about the "alchemy of creativity and commerce." He showed up in his Combi van and we cruised out to the Otuataua Stonefields to take this photo and do the interview. It was a lot of fun. Listen to it at http://breakingart.net/childrens-book-author-james-russell/
  • The Dragon Defenders is #1!

    The Dragon Defenders is #1!

    OK, so it's not a real gold medal. It may have been borrowed for the occasion. But it is official. The Dragon Defenders is the top-selling children's novel by a Kiwi author, according to the Neilson Bestsellers List. To say we're chuffed is an understatement. When you write a book, commission some incredible illustrations and animations, make the decision to self-publish it, and instruct...
  • The Dragon Defenders goes to press!

    The Dragon Defenders goes to press!

    It took just two weeks to write, then months to re-write, edit, proof-read, illustrate, animate (more to come on that - stay tuned!) and design. I'm proud to say that my first children's novel The Dragon Defenders (7-12-year-old readers as a rough guide) is finished. It picks up the story three years on from The Dragon Riders – the final book in the Dragon Brothers Trilogy....

Louise Ward

Wardini Books and RNZ critic

"The plot is thrilling, the setting at once idyllic and dangerous. Readers will be inspired to leave their devices and see what they can see from the top of a tree, to go outside, look for dragons, and have adventures as breathtaking as Paddy, Flynn and Briar."

Adele Broadbent

whatbooknext.com

"Part 3 in this heart-pounding adventure is sure to please Dragon Defenders fans. An Unfamiliar Place pounds the young brothers with new challenges, but with their feathered accomplice (Lightning the falcon) along for the ride, they battle through and never give up! The story stands on its own but the digital side of this great Kiwi series is a wonderful bonus. Loved it!"

Charlotte McKay

Judge, NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults

"Told at a rip-roaring pace with feats of incredible daring, masterful guile, and heart-stopping action. This is the book the fans have been waiting for!"

Eileen Merriman

award-winning author of A Trio of Sophies and Pieces of You

"A fast-paced action adventure that will have readers hanging on until the last page."

Tom E. Moffatt

award-winning author of Barking Mad and Mind-Swapping Madness

"An earth-shattering adventure of seismic proportions. You might need to feign sickness so you can finish it in one sitting."

Jenna Todd

NZ Book Awards Judge, Time Out Books manager

"I had so much fun reading this. It’s a rollicking adventure with a loveable cast of brave heroes."
You have successfully subscribed!