Oink: My Life With Mini-pigs

An unforgettable, slapstick story of what happens when two tiny porkers move in on family life.

Paris Hilton carries one around like a Chihuahua, while Posh and Becks own a pair. The mini-pig, for reasons unknown, has become the latest celebrity accessory, but what’s it really like to invite little livestock into the living room?

Matt Whyman, a successful novelist, enjoys a quiet writer’s life in the English countryside … until his career wife, Emma, discovers the existence of a pig said to fit inside a handbag. She believes not one but two would be a perfect addition to the already diverse Whyman clan, which includes one wolf-like dog, a freaked-out feline, their wild bunch of ex-battery chickens as well as four challenging children. In reality, nobody could anticipate the trials and misadventures two riotous, raucous little piglets could bring. From turning Whyman’s office into a literal pigsty, stealing his spot on the family sofa to trashing his neighbour’s garden while drunk on fermented apples, Butch and Roxi swiftly establish themselves as “animals of mass distraction.”

Funny, touching and endlessly entertaining, Oink charts the battle of hearts, snouts and minds between a family man and two mini-pigs. Will Butch and Roxi ever settle down, or could their growing presence put the squeeze on Whyman in ways he never thought possible?

Matt Whyman is a distinctive contemporary voice in children’s and adult writing. After graduating from the University of East Anglia’s MA in Creative Writing, Matt’s career as a writer has taken him from Agony Uncle columns (Bliss magazine and AOL) and teen self-help guides to the cutting edge of both adult and children’s fiction. His critically acclaimed young adult novel Boy Kills Man was short-listed for several awards, including the 2004 Teenage Book Prize, and praised by Melvin Burgess: ‘Bold, chilling and beautifully written’. It is currently in development as a feature film with the producers of the cult film Kidulthood. Matt is married with four children (and an enormous dog) and lives in West Sussex, England.