A Kiwi Coming-of-Age Collection of Short Stories.

Through the dynamic interplay between memory and imagination, Stephen J. Groak explores his colourful childhood in 1970s West Auckland, New Zealand, in a collection of twenty-seven stand-alone short stories. With Nigel Sorenson as an alter ego, the author experiments with POV in a hodgepodge mixture of voices and tales that chronologically gel together like the English-style breakfast bubble and squeak—a meal traditionally made on a Sunday morning from the leftovers of the previous evening’s roast dinner. From childhood loss, terrifying visits to the primary school murder house, Huckleberry Finn-type adventures with sister-mate Helen, discoveries of American fast food, the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, and women, Bubble ‘n’ Squeak offers a poignant and humorous portrait of a Kiwi country boy’s coming-of-age Down Under.

Stephen J. Groak follows up on his first book, Christmas Yve: A Kiwi elf’s dream to join Santa, with a poignant and humorous exploration of his colourful childhood in West Auckland, New Zealand, through a collection of short stories. Stephen currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife and family.