Shoo Rayner

Psst! Guess who I've been talking to! Whoo? Shoo. Yes, Shoo Rayner! He's written some really funny books and a few sca - a - ry ones too!

If you've not read any of them ... well, basically you're missing out big time! Shoo also has a pretty cool website - take a look.

Is the Ginger Ninja based on a real cat?

I have a Ginger Cat called Marmaduke. You can see him in the video. I actually wrote the Ginger Ninja just before we got him. However, Marmaduke is convinced that he is the inspiration for the books. Really, I am the Ginger Ninja. The whole idea came about because I had bright red hair when I was a boy.

If you could be any super hero which would it be?

What... apart from the Ginger Ninja? I think I'd be Hazelnut Whirl Man. Tough on the outside but soft and slightly nutty on the inside!

If an evil tyrant told you that you could only do either writing or illustrating, which would you choose?

You don't mean Dark Claw, do you? I think I'd be an illustrator. Illustrators tell stories with pictures, so I'd get the best of both worlds.

Which do you prefer, producing books or things on your website?

That's tricky... I love doing things for my website, but I don't get paid for it. I'm experimenting with interactive ebooks. It's very exciting, but again, I need to find a way to get paid for it. I could happily spend all my time playing with my computer and website, but I have a wife, two children and three cats to support!

Rex Files features some 'super' sleuths - do you have a favourite fictional detective?

I really like the literary detective, Thursday Next, in the books written by Jasper Fforde. Thursday investigates inside famous books like Jane Ayre (she didn't like the ending, so she changed it!). They are really clever books and they make me laugh a lot.

What have you been working on most recently?

I'm working on some new stories about a boy called Ricky Rocket, who lives on another planet. His family are the only humans, so they find it a bit hard fitting in. Ricky has a rocket like Earth kids have a bicycle!

I've a new book coming out soon with Walker Books called, Alpha Betty. It's about a girl who wants to be a signwriter when she grows up, but nasty, Tacky Tim turns up with his nasty computer made, sticky-backed signs and threatens to put her out of business. I was a sign writer myself, a long time ago. I used to climb up ladders and paint signs outside shops.

My Scaredy Cats books should be coming out in Paperback soon. They're sort of comedy horror stories. They are based on classic horror stories, but they have cats as the heroes.

If you'd like to read one of Shoo's books you can check the titles available to borrow in my Dogalogue.

Next time I'll be chatting to Roman Mystery writer Caroline Lawrence.