RED CEDAR AWARDS

Nothing makes a writer feel more like a WRITER than a labeled chair and 700 kids thrilled to be part of something incredible. POND SCUM was one of the nominated books in this year's Red Cedar Awards, which took place this past weekend just outside Vancouver.

The annual event brings kids from all around the area who take part in reading all of the nominated books and then voting for their favorite (both non-fiction and fiction). Now THAT is my kind of event - because the kids who take part are taking part out of total enthusiasm! And as you can imagine when you (well, when I) walk into a gymnasium filled with enthusiastic readers....it takes more than a chair to contain this fiction author!

Apart from the workshops we gave - there were the 2 ceremonies to announce the winners. The cool part was that the nominated authors got to walk into the ceremony in a procession fit for royalty! Each author was accompanied by kids holding a banner for their "author".

my wonderful sign holders

the hysterical Richard Scrimger

But WAIT! That's not all - instead of each nominated book simply being announced - the kids did a SKIT that introduced each book to the other kids in the audience. Some skits enacted something from the book, some read excerpts - but all of them were done by the kids who'd read the books and felt strongly about them.

Here's a picture of my great group - enacting a scene from my book that embraces the whole theme of the story. It was so perfect - and done with the kind of excitement that makes everything (and I do mean EVERYTHING) seem worthwhile.

Just look at them! So amazing!

Okay, so Pond Scum didn't win the fiction award. That honor went to THE CRAZY MAN, a beautiful book written by the amazing Pamela Porter (Congrats again, Pam!). But you don't need awards when you get to have the gift of a weekend filled with kids, other writers and the most lovely organizers you can imagine.

And for a guy who spends most days talking only to his dog and staring at a computer screen - it was great to meet some other authors and hpend time hearing about their own crazy lives living on the edge of sanity and silence!

Nominees Ken Oppel, Vicki Grant, moi

So - thank you to all the kids, teachers, librarians and organizers who took part in making and this year's Red Cedar Awards such a fantastic experience - and thanks to everyone who stopped by to say "hi"! It was a great weekend!

IT'S FOREIGN TO ME

It's been a cool day. The envelope from my agent contained a new book - MY book.
In German.

It's like publication day all over again! Seeing a book jacket is always a buzz. I'm thrilled my book got this foreign sale, and ever since knowing it was being translated - I've been wicked excited to find out how they were going to translate the title, POND SCUM?

You have to know one thing: I love my title. In fact, the title POND SCUM was the first thing I had before even knowing what my story was. The title dictated to me what kind of story I had to write. It was a gift from the sky (more to the point, a gift from my friend's pond where leeches started sucking on my legs and he said, "Watch out for the pond scum.")

Up until this morning I had no idea what the title would be. I didn't want to know. I love surprises...as long as I can control them!

And you know what? I'm fine that the 2 word simplicity of "POND" and "SCUM" have now become the multi-syllabic "Oliver und die Verschworung im Schilf". A bit less easy on the tongue - but hey, so is wiener-schnitzel!

After much speculation by my family and I over what exactly the title meant, my trusty translator spelled it out for me (or so I think): "Oliver and the Conspiracy in the Weeds", which certainly gives a plot-descriptive heads up to the reader, without conveying the "Eoww, gross" I so love.

But I'm not complaining. I'm thrilled. So break out the black forest cake and raise a glass.

Oliver und die Verschworung im Schilf has arrived....in Germany.

WRITE WHEN YOU GET WORK....

I realized a long time ago that aside from licking mailing labels and washing dishes at several of New England's finer eateries - my manual labor skill set could not compete with the sizzle of my brain, which was light years away from anything that involved soapy water and burned popover pans.

Being "creative" is a label we writers wear on our sleeves, or if it's summer, someplace that hopefully shows more skin. We creatives are branded and in today's marketplace we all know a brand is a good thing so perhaps we should work harder to exploit this Writer Brand and all get permanent WRITER TATTOOS to set us apart from the normal world. It would be like the scarlet "A", only it would be a "W" which would clearly mean to everyone we meet: "Watch out while I say something clever."

I have had many non-creative jobs and many more creative ones - and I guess the point is, I can't NOT be a writer because there really is nothing else my brain lets me be...except lazy, which I'm actually trying to perfect as my next "brand".

I write because I have to...Because I want to...Because I can't wash dishes very well or drive a school bus. Of course I can write about that school bus driver, who is also writer...who might just be a guy like me with a monster in his brain who devours any thoughts of mundane employment!

And on that note: Time to go write!

THURBER HOUSE PICKS ME!

I've been sitting on this news for a month now - keeping my promise not to blab until it was time to tell... Well my friends - that time is NOW!

(FANFARE) Alan Silberberg (that would be me) has been selected as this year's James Thurber House Children's Author in Residence. YAY!!!!!

You can read about the residency program and see the nice things the Thurber House folks say about me on their site, which now means I'll be showering them all with chocolate-type gifts when I arrive in Columbus, Ohio this summer.

I look forward to sharing all of the great details with you - but for anyone who has ever planned a bar mitzvah (insert wedding, anniversary dinner, huge party) - I am swamped in my own lovely chaos of prepping for this wonderful event (Saturday -eek!).

So for now - to see how I really feel - just CLICK ON THE HOUSE that I get to call home for four weeks this summer!

And now that the you know the news stay tuned for lots more about what it means to receive this incredible honor...and live in a house with ghosts!!

The BIG Question

That's just one reason why I do it.
Why do YOU write?

FIVE THINGS re. "ME"

Thanks to old pal Sully - I've been tagged with the "5 Things" meme thang. CLICK the image to see it BIG - or squint along with the rest!

And now the"tag, you're it" goes to 5 others - who hopefully have not yet fulfilled this enlightened task - and also will not hate me for it!
Comedic genius and peepster, Lisa Yee
Adrienne at "What Adrienne Thinks About That"
Gregory K. of "Gotta Book"
Crazed librarians, Carl and Bill of "Boys Read-Boys Rule!"
Illustrator and Montreal-bookmate, Susan Mitchell

WINTER OF DISCONTENT...AGAIN

It's snowing. Again. Which is on top of the "it's snowing again...and again...and again" that has become the mantra of this 2008 season of woe (or "whoa!" which is what I want to yell at the sky...again!)

It's not that I don't like Winter. Okay, that's exactly what it is. I hate Winter - and it certainly hates me. The sheer effort of the layers and sneezing and blankets and hot drinks that burn my tongue so that it doesn't regain taste until sometime around late April or early May - around the time ice cream is palatable again - thank you very much.

Winter drags on. Writing suffers. Exercise suffers. My family suffers (listening to me talk about Florida or Honduras or any number of desirably warmer locales than this one.)

And because I live in Montreal - Winter may be on the wane - but it's not even March and the promise of being able to wear less layers is months away. If we're lucky.

It's snowing again. I have things to get done. Shoveling is one of them. Looking for warm socks is another. Googling the temperatures of cities warmer than mine - that's just too depressing. But I might just take a peek anyway. Because anyplace warmer than here must be a happy place to live...minus any political- economic- social negatives, that is.

It's snowing again. And it will snow again after this. And you know what? I'll still be looking for warmer socks and burning my tongue on hot tea...and if I'm lucky it will be an early spring anyway...like mid-May - so I might as well quit complaining and get back to work - and take the dog for a walk in the beautiful new snowfall.

...Again.

BOYS READING POND SCUM

What's up with the cheeseburger? You'll have to go visit this amazingly awesome site to find out:
BOYS RULE! BOY'S READ!

BR-BR (as I refer to it) is run by two whacked out librarians at the Charlotte/Mecklenburg, NC public library. (if you don't believe me check out the photos of Carl and Bill found on their blog page!)

Their mission: "A place for boys to find terrific books and tell other boys about great reading."

And you know - anyone who holds high the task of getting GUYS to read - holds a high spot on my reading list.


Carl and Bill (who I met via JacketFlap - and if you haven't joined yet, why not?) seem dedicated and nutty - a perfect combination when it comes to dealing with any reader-population, but especially boys.

So - check out their site, spread the word, see why I like cheeseburgers better than pizza. I double dare ya!

AND WHAT'S YOUR PROCESS?

(click on image for full size!)

IS IT JUST ME?

THIS BOY'S LIFE

Confession: I never was a Boy Scout (though I do have a vague memory of being a Cub Scout - or maybe that's confused with tagging along with my sisters' Brownie Troop to go to the Wonder Bread factory that made your whole soul smell like hot, sweet dough!) I am thrilled to announce I have been asked by BOY'S LIFE magazine to write a short story for them.

The significance is two-fold: A) They asked me out of the blue (which is way better than sending hundreds of SASE submissions and keeping your fingers crossed) and B) it gives me a great mid-winter push to jump into the creative water with a "small" idea, something I can have a blast writing without the heavy baggage of hundreds of pages and plot details*!

(*this is not to diminish the difficulties of writing short fiction - which I know is no picnic and I have nothing but praise for anyone who can master telling a great story in mere pages)

So now I get to let my mind wander into strange and funny territory and then pitch a few ideas to the editor...I'm thinking something with Giant Bugs.....

I'll keep ya posted.

And in a totally unrelated burp: I just LOVE this animated video of the They Might Be Giants song "The Mesopotamians" - ya gotta love these guys!!! And a major shout-out to DRAWN for giving me the link to the animated genius of David Cowles.

KILLER TOFU

The thing about being a writer - and I'm pretty sure I'm not alone here - we want to create something meaningful; something that "says something"; something that leaves a low carbon footprint on the world that conveniently has our name on it!

Thanks to my pal Sulli (who once shared an office with me when we were but lads) I have been reminded of my lingering immortality through the above tee-shirt design that was linked to me this morning.

See, one of my early writing jobs in TV was working on the Nickelodeon cartoon DOUG. I knew the show's creator (Jim Jinkins) from when I interned my very first job - and after I found out he'd created this quirky toon I immediately got back in touch and was lucky to get hired to write a bunch of scripts.

Handed the task of writing the script that introduced Doug's favorite band, THE BEETS - I knew there should be a song in the episode and because the band was strange came up with a song called KILLER TOFU. Little did I know that this ode to junk food by way of alien bean curd would become one of the signature hits for the fictional band.

Thanks to Sulli's t-shirt link I did a quick search and found countless music videos by kids lip syncing, a few rock bands doing actual covers, a music video with a huge cardboard "killer tofu" and believe it or not - some kids have customized Guitar Hero with the song!

So here's the thing - yeah, thanks to POND SCUM I got my name in the Library of Congress. But it's Killer Tofu that's got me rockin' on forever!

Ah-Ee-Ooo....Killer Tofu!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

HOLIDAY BOOK-TOON!

This is the YouTube version of my new HOLIDAY BOOK-TOON. 

(and if you like it - link it!)

For a "crisper" viewing experience - GO HERE!

FINISH LINES

I disappeared this fall and even my semi-random posting became near extinct.The reason for my "now you see me - now you don't" blogging? That guy you're looking at - MILO.

After two failed (for now) starts on second books - I began something in August that soon turned into something else; a novel with my cartoons that is a journey of exploration and humor that helped me unlock doors and draw new connections to my own life through the fictitious one of someone else, MILO.

I gave myself a goal, a deadline on the end of the year to finish this funny book - and though the going was rough due to some of the unexpected emotional road blocks that pop up from re-experiencing the memory of what was - I was on track to meet my deadline (shock!).

The sudden learning that my wonderful agent Jill Grinberg was having a second baby - soon - pushed me into an even higher gear so that she could give my own baby the attention I need before her own new one is due.

And yesterday - MILO was sent off for his first read (after my wife of course) and I am proud and fulfilled to have told his story, while being able to liberate my own.

The cartoons add humor and emotion and will be scattered throughout. I'm very excited about that part - and holding my breath, counting backwards from a million, doing laundry, cleaning my office - trying not to think about when I'll hear back from Jill.

More on MILO soon....

GREAT SCHOOLS - GREAT KIDS

Traveling from school to school here in the CyFair school district of Houston I was thrilled to steal a relaxing minute in the cozy reading tub at the Matzke Elementary Library.

The same wonderful room also had a faux front porch complete with comfy chairs and plenty of books casually scattered within a small hand's easy reach.

Because back home I spend way too much time sitting at my desk talking to the monkeys - these last two weeks have been such a fun, eye-opening journey where I've gotten a chance to be inside wonderful school libraries, meet terrific - inspiring librarians and the kids - WOW - such amazing, bright, creative attentive kids.

I've been starting my workshops by illustrating what my brain was like as a kid - and then I use POND SCUM to help me swirl through creative blasts of writing tips using my cartoon-doodles and lots of kid-interactivity!

So here I am - watching Game Two of the Red Sox World series, feeling already wistful that after 18 schools and 36 presentations - I am left with tomorrow, the last day of my wonderful trip (just 4 presentations to go).

Tonight it's baseball and the satisfaction of having reached countless kids and being able to laugh every day while letting creativity run loopy with doodles, reading, and lots of my own Pond Scum. (speaking of which - I have never signed so many books!)



It just doesn't get much better than this!

POND SCUM AND THE BOOK DIVAS

When I arrived in Houston on Sunday - Paula Morgan knew exactly how to make sure she picked up the right person at the airport. (I can only imagine what the other travelers at baggage claim were thinking!) Paula is the librarian at Sampson Elementary School and the woman who coordinated my 10 day/20 school Pond Scum blitz.

Starting Monday (bright and early) I immediately learned that the CyFair Independent School District is a unique fantastic system of schools with librarians filled with joy and excitement, which makes an author-type feel like a million bucks. I also learned that not only was I being hosted by amazing educators - but I was mingling with Librarian Royalty because these CyFairians are none other than the BOOK DIVAS of TLA and ALA synchronized book cart fame! (I know many of you have had the pleasure of seeing them in book cart action)

I am sure the video below does not do them justice - but I have seen the official Book Divas Calendar in one or two offices - and maybe I can get one as a parting gift of my author visit! Check them out - then imagine these fantastic folks are my hosts!!!



I visit 2 schools a day and do 2 presentations at each. After 4 full days I can tell you that these kids are fantastic (mostly 4th and 5th) and so full of energy and eagerness. I'm trying some new ideas and it's all been going very well (so far) and I'm having a great time integrating my cartooning and Pond Scum in a fun, interactive talk about writing and creativity.


I've got lots more to talk about - but I have to gear up for the Red Sox's last hurrah (oh, how I've been here before).

I'll post more over the weekend and report on the great food I've been eating, some more about the Horned Toad Tales list and my dinner with my Rhinestone Reader pen-pal (tomorrow night).

POND SCUM TEXAS TOUR

Monday begins my two week voyage through the Cypress Fairbanks Independent School District.

4 presentations/ 2 schools a day for 10 days! I am incredibly psyched and already fielding great emails from the kids I'm about to meet!

Tomorrow I get picked up at the Houston airport by the amazing Paula Morgan (from Sampson Elementary), who has informed me I'll be signing books late into the night in my hotel room to get ready for Day 1 of the "Pond Scum Texas Tour". (sadly it's an off-day for the Red Sox/Indians so I imagine I'll have to settle for the National League playoffs.)

A note on AUTHORS AND SELF-PROMOTION. The topic is always a hot button and the discussions go on and on. But I thought I'd share how this trip came about.

Last spring I discovered (in other words - Googled) that Pond Scum was one of 12 books to be selected for the Horned Toad Tales List. Google pointed me to the Cypress Fairbanks Independent School District outside of Houston and by digging around (ie. reading the press release) I found the name of one of the media specialists involved and called her to just say, "Thanks!"

In the course of the conversation that made both of our days - Paula asked if I do school visits. I said, yes. She asked if I thought I might do a "few" schools in her district. I said, yes. And the next day I was booked for my 20 school book tour.

All this is to say - I always thank the teachers, media specialists, librarians who suggest Pond Scum to students - and I have been booked numerous times simply for saying "thank you". It's not the reason I reach out - it's just a natural reaction.

So reach out and say "Thanks". It's a nice thing - and sometimes results in your eating real Texas Barbecue for lunch on Monday.

THANKS CyFair ISD!

CASTING and COMIX CLIPS

DADNAPPED has a star!

And I couldn't be happier about it. Emily Osment, who plays Lilly on Disney Channel's "Hannah Montana" is going to play Melissa, the main character in my movie. She is such the perfect choice for this role of a smart, head-strong teen, who wants to connect with her father.


In DADNAPPED, Melissa has to compete for her father's attention with Tripp Zoome, a fictional teen character who is the "star" of her dad's action/spy books. Once a bunch of teen fans take her father as a goof - it's up to Melissa to find a way to get him back.

I can totally see Emily playing the part and am so glad about her choice to "be" Melissa.


In other news: I've had lots of requests for links to these two animations - so here ya go!

DADNAPPED IN PRE-PRODUCTION

As I sit staring at my backyard where several leaves have the nerve to change colors already - I have good news.

My Disney Channel movie (no, not High School Musical: The Musical) is in pre-production, which for any non-film folks out there means the director and his minions of hard-working crew folk are on location in Utah gearing up for the actual shoot which will happen starting mid-October.

WOW! I'm very excited that this idea I had over 10 years ago is now (numerous rewrites later) actually getting made. Sadly, the title DADNAPPED has to change and I'm resigned to it, though have no good alternative title yet.

They might still need extras - so if you're in Utah, check it out!

On the writing front: I've just sent my amazing agent Jill Grinberg five chapters of something "new" and top secret! I value her input and hope to be able to tell everyone about it soon.

And - I'm gearing up for my big Texas trip, which is also scheduled for mid-October. I'll be visiting the CyFair school district for two solid weeks of author-silliness, and with the exception of missing my family, it promises to be a blast!

More on that later...

RHINESTONE READERS ROCK

When someone who reads your book reaches out to say "hi" it's always a wonderful feeling. When that person writes to tell you that she and her friends are part of a summer reading contest called "Name That Book" and that she wants POND SCUM to be the first book that her club is going to read - well, then you go crazy and want to know exactly how the meeting was, etc.

Kendall asked my permission to hand out a "biography" of me at the meeting and she worked hard to write a wonderful piece. Not only did I hear that the first meeting was great (and apparently included quality pool time) But Kendall's mom served dirt cake and gummy worms to go with the book - and they sent me this picture of the whole bunch reading the book. And as a writer - these little connections matter so much and I'll tell you - it doesn't get better than this!

The Rhinestone Readers (pictured above!) have made my summer! Thanks girls!

A bonus to the whole thing: when I found out in what part of the country the girls lived I realized I am already visiting the Rhinestone Reader's school district this fall - and you know what? Whether their school is on my tour or not - I told Kendall I want to meet her - and I've been in touch with her mom and guess who's coming to dinner? Me!

And thanks to this wonderful photo - I have absolute proof that Pond Scum isn't just a "boy's book" and that it's waterproof!

HOGWARTS SQUARE

It is now Monday morning and not being the voracious speed-reader that my son is (who finished the book late Saturday afternoon and handed it to me with a sly but sad grin) I am only 160 or so pages in. Savoring is my style and so as I trek Southern California on a business/crazy Comic-Con adventure - I am reading and smiling at my own pace.

But FRIDAY NIGHT...ah, what a magical evening my family and I had. Being in Boston we had many choices to make and I had a list of parties to attend, all cross-referenced by time, location and "what if it rains"?

Turns out the evening was beautiful and cool and the choice of where to go was then easy - to Cambridge and their Hogwarts Square party. Yes, the Harvard Yard itself was taken over by muggles, magicians, wizards and curious onlookers. The very spot where even I attended a graduation was decorated in a swirl of twinkled lights and a stage where DRACO AND THE MALFOYS then HARRY AND THE POTTERS played to an enthusiastic, singing dancing fan base.



My 13 yr old son, dressed in Death Eater robes had a blast - singing outloud and even "dancing" (slightly). We didn't know the songs - but it seemed everyone around us did - and all those "Save Ginny Weasly" t-shirts were so cool.

My own favorite song-lette that was repeated often: "Hagrid is fun to hug/ Hagrid is full of love/ Just don't get stuck in Hagrid's beard!"

I know they played all the songs everyone who knows them would want o hear - and the last song had people jumpng up and down and cell phones glowing in the air - the excitement was surreal and wonderful!

10pm then off to get ready for the book release. The Harvard COOP was offering the huge discount - and the line-up was massive. Harvard Square had many great options of booksellers (CURIOUS GEORGE, NEWBERY COMICS, et al) and I mean no slight to any of them by saying we chose the HARVARD BOOK SHOP (I wanted to go independant and our choice couldn't have been better.)



Costumes were everywhere: two of my faves, the Snitch Girl and the giuy who was "Hogwarts".



Inside, my son found a comfy spot to read -


Activitives inside included drawing your own petronus, tarot reading and lots of wonderful store employees with stacks of trivia cards, who seemed to spot groups of bored people and swoop in with questions.



It was orderly (Okay, there was almost one fist fight with some dude who was drunk - but that was it). They had people pre-pay and then as midnight got closer, we were seperated by groups to different locations. Our goodfortune (M-Z) was to have the line outside the store at their "Platform 13 and a half" which meant it was fun to just be able to watch everyone and enjoy the cool air. It was a wonderful, perfect, outdoor magical evening; exactly the memory I wanted to savor and one I hope my son will always remember.

It is a special time growing up with these books - and at the stroke of midnite (well, about half an hour later for us) he eagerly received his piece of History (that's his arm) - then opened the book and started to read.

It could not have been better!

NEVER GIVE UP - NEVER SURRENDER

Do you ever feel like you'll never be able to write a cohesive creative sentence again? Or that it was a fluke - a HUGE mistake that some editor or agent actually liked your work (and maybe even published it!)

Been having a few of those days this week - ready to toss in the towel and see about going into something safe and stable - as soon as my application at Dunkin' Donuts goes through.

So - I'm away from Montreal - in Boston, visiting my wife, who has a summer job here. My son is with me and we enrolled him in a cool cybercamp thing where he's learning FLASH animation and me, I drive him there then sit in Starbucks, or in the wonderful Wellesly town library and fret about being a hack!

This morning I was in Starbucks, actually making a little progress - headphones on, listening to the Garden State soundtrack (again). But two women are talking at a table next to me and the spiteful beast in me wishes they would go away! Go talk somewhere appropriate - not in a coffee shop!

But as soon as the soundtrack ends - I eavesdrop (duh!) - and they are talking children's books. And then I see it - a paperback copy of POND SCUM is on the table. Now, this is too weird, I think. I must say hello to these two perfect people.

Hello, I say. That book there. Pond Scum...I wrote that.

The woman to my right jumps up and says, "I'm Kit Blundo!" (Kit Blundo is the Manager of Individual Giving of REACH OUT AND READ - the organization I donated 300 books to last spring and a person I have never met, but corresponded with. )

A delightful conversation ensued - reminding me that some higher power out there (or up there or in there) wants me to write. I signed the copy of my book to the other woman's son and hugs were shared all around.

If ever I needed a boost - today was that day - and it came so simply and with such humor that I have been smiling all day long.

Note to Higher Power: Thanks for the lift - next time I see you, iced lattes are on me.

BACK TO WORK - A GOOD THING!

That's our dog, Zeus staring out at the view I got to have for seven incredible days... but that was then and now...

I'm home!

I'll admit - its' nice to be back and if I get to post twice this month I will far exceed my expectations! It's Summer and it's Book Two's turn for my as much of my attention as I can give it. In Maine I was able to sit staring at the ocean and feel the cool morning breezes while turning out pages every day! Every day! I love when that happens, when the book takes more than a few tinny baby steps and begins to show off a little leg!

I am dodging bullets in the way of freelance jobs that threaten to bring my crawling book to a halt. But what can we do? Bills need payin' and I do enjoy to eat a meal now and again.

Hey - how many of you zip over to JacketFlap just to see who was "recently on"? Come on? Fess up. I've now added that click to my frequent Amazon, and Google procrastinating clicks. Try it - it's fun. Easy. And then you can go back to work, I promise! And if you haven't signed up - rush right over now and become part of the publishing network.

Speaking of which - I was just over there on JacketFlap and the blog being highlighted at the moment (how come it's never my blog when I click over?) was David Lubar's "Gadfly in the Ointment". He's so funny and his observations...well, very David Lubar.

Last week he linked to a post that all kid writers MUST read - it's from Kate Messner's blog and it's a real pick-me-up from a 7th grade teacher and writer. Go look!

In related news: I got me a new laptop!!! Yay! The black macbook is my companion for my upcoming LA trip. It's so sleek and fun. Apple you have my heart once again.....

HOLD MY CALLS

Tomorrow I'm off for a week of Writing and Wresting (everyone join in:...."ahhhh!"). All "job" projects are on hold - and it's me, my son, our dog and my new Macbook - and a week at our favorite cabin on the coast of Maine.

I'm already picturing the porch that overlooks the water and my setup, where I'll write everyday! BOOK TWO calls loud and clear and I am forging forward with ideas that seem disjointed and odd - but I secretly know they'll all tie together. (or maybe there's that job at McDonalds....)

Above is a Brain-Doodle that wanted to jump out and become part of the BOOK TWO story....
I think he'll fit in perfectly!

A MESSAGE FROM ME TO YOU

Two words:
Markus.
Zusak.

Man, I wish I had a name like that. Mine has all those bouncing syllables and stuff. His...simple bookends. Now we all know Mr. Zusak's THE BOOK THIEF - which was a wonderful read and I enjoyed it for all the praise-worthy reasons.

BUT - having just finished I AM THE MESSENGER I have to stand up and cheer - and hand out recommendations to anyone looking for a mysteryious, thoughtful, deeply funny first person narrative. I don't pretend to be a "reviewer" so I'll keep my horn-tootin' to this:

Read it. All the way to the last words that gave me chills.

On a related note: I didn't READ it. I listened to it on a car ride my son and I took last weekend to New Hampshire and back. Both myself and my 13 year old were captivated by the story that features a 19 year old deadbeat of a main character and a coffee drinking dog and a mystery involving 12 playing cards.

I drove him to and from school all this past week so we could listen to the chapters - we drove in silence as the story continued to hold us and make us laugh and smile...and think. We finally finished the book in our driveway - and since the main character Ed is a cabdriver - there was something fitting about it.

Read it. Or listen to it, which for me was a delight because Mr. Zusac is Australian and the actor who read the book was an Aussie giving the flavor of the story with his accent. (I love an Australian accent - and this guy was great!)

And now...I mow my lawn.

CHILDHOOD DREAM FULFILLED? - CHECK!

"I still can't believe I am an author."

It hits me everyday. At every book sale or kid's letter to me, or new review (this one is my favorite of all times I think).

But what has really made me smile in that 1o year old, beaming-proudly way is this: I am part of the SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIRS. I still remember getting those wonderful newsprint sheets that get sent home so we can check the little boxes next to the books we'll get. I remember it all - the joy of choosing my own books, the anticipation... and then getting the books handed out and then rushed home to be devoured.

I'm now on that sheet of newsprint. And the kid in me can't wait to get home and tell me all about it - hoping beyond hope to check as many boxes as I want!

BRAIN DOODLES

My second book is knocking on my brain and the only way to deal with it is to write as much as I can in between the ridiculous jobs I have and other tasks that are pulling me in a zillion directions. (Alas - I do believe this is called "life" and I accept the challenge with a smile )

That said - this BOOK TWO is taking many forms - and one of my brains (for I have many) is drawn to drawing. I find I am making headway in my journey through little doodles that keep popping into this brain and then appearing on paper.

It's quite fun actually - and I marvel at the connection of mind/subconscious to the writing process. It's fascinating what happens when the brain store closes and all the employees go home. Ideas...snippets...sounds....and PICTURES.

Though posting is hard these days - I hope to keep sharing doodles as I write on!

REACH OUT AND READ - ROCKS!

Here's the picture of yours truly that ran in Publishers Weekly as a "Pic Of The Day", which made my parents finally admit that I really had a book published.

I donated a bunch of Pond Scum for Reach Out And Read to give to pediatricians, who then give them out to patients all over the U.S.

Here's what I think about ROR:

1) Great cause.

2) Amazing people (Hi Jackie!)

3) They gave me a great baseball cap - red! (not to be confused with a Red Sox cap)

4) They are headquartered in Boston!

Anyway - cool red hat or no hat - it's always nice to give something back and get books into hands of kids.

LOOK WHAT HAPPENED...

I wrote the book ...but a bunch of kids did the rest!

All I can say is, "It's a honor to be an Honour. Thanks you guys!"

HATS OFF TO GREGORY K!

Like cheering on that marathon runner who has just a few final steps to go - I raise my glass in a toast to the one and only GregoryK!

For those who don't know - (and whoever you are - how could that be?) GregoryK of GOTTABOOK has spent the last 30 days writing hysterical, original poems as part of National Poetry Month.

If you haven't had the pleasure of his silliness check out his site and read his month-long stream of poems (...and his Oddaptations are pretty darn funny too!)

And in my best rhyme-schemed way - I say:

Here's to Greg K -
Or GottaBook, as he's known.
Spent the last month
makin' up poems.

His rhymes made me laugh
In all sorts of ways -
I guess it's back to the prose
Starting on Tuesday.

Way to go Greg! It was really fun to read 'em and I imagine funner to write 'em.

BRAINSTORMIN', WRITIN', SCHMOOZIN'

Hey - just read that Sarah Mlynowski's new book, "Gimme A Call" was snapped up by Delacorte for a release sometime in 2009. Sarah is the YA author of the trilogy "Bras and Broomsticks", "Frogs and French Kisses", and the soon to be released "Spells and Sleeping Bags".

Now I don't know Sarah, but next Monday she is one of five authors participating in the Young Authors Workshop sponsored by the Montreal Jewish Library. The other authors who will be giving workshops for the 5th -6th grade kids are Eva Wiseman, Kathy Kacer, M.C. Millman, and moi.

The best part about the two days is I get to meet and schmooze with other authors. Any chance I'm given to leave the dungeon and actually converse with live beings is a plus - but when I get to chat with writers....it's PLUS X PLUS SQUARED!

I've given workshops - but never within this environment. It's a two day thing (different kids each day) and we'll be doing two workshops a day for an hour and a half. I'm having a blast brainstorming ideas to try out with the kids and hopefully no one will spitball me!

If anyone has some great writing exercises they want to share - I'm all ears!

HORNED TOAD TALES

This Saturday if you're in the Houston area, specifically the Cypress-Fairbanks burb - then you just have to drop in at this Barnes and Nobles.

The Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School System is celebrating their second annual Horned Toad Tales list by having their school librarians and media specialists read excerpts from the selected books every hour.

And what books are on this list of recommended reads for kids in 3rd - 5th grade?
Take a look!

And yes....(blush-blush) Pond Scum is hopping around with the toads (much better than sleeping with the fishes)!

Thanks Horned Toad Tales committee - and have a blast this weekend!

HELLO? SPRING...YOU OKAY?

On this thoroughly yucky Montreal day - a few musings:

#1: The Disco Mermaids contest rocks! The prizes are the coolest - but it's the submissions of celebrity book titles that give my procrastination props! (love reading what people have come up with so far)

#2: If it doesn't stop snowing soon I'm going to go a tad nutso. It's APRIL! Flower buds and songbirds should be outside my window - not icicles and slush. IT'S JUST WRONG!

#3: Thank you to everyone who viewed my new BOOK TRAILER and linked it or shared it or did things with it that I'd rather not know about! PR is the hardest part of this job - and without the help of friends who are strangers, and the strangers who are becoming friends - book awareness can be about as futile as the spring that hasn't yet sprung!

#4: Lastly - on a real and tragic note - I am filled with sorrow and confusion over yesterday's Virginia Tech shootings. It was just last Sept. that a Montreal school was rocked by a smaller, though no less tragic shooting - my heart is full and my head filled with questions. (sigh)

POND SCUM BOOK TRAILER Part Deux

If you read my previous post you know I was a tad reticent to post this on YouTube cuz it looks a little less crisp than I like. But my inner circle has convinced me that this is the way to go so....

The Author's Self-publicity plea holds: Feel free to share this Book Trailer with anyone with eyeballs! (free cookies to the one who has the most friends)

If this one seems too scrunched up and iddy-biddy and you crave to watch it in its BIG SCREEN GLORY - take a gander here!

IF YOU LIKE IT - LINK IT!

It's no news that being an author means having to "BE" so many other things. "Researcher", "Actor", even "Guy-Who-Naps-Often" are all roles that can sometimes add bolts of electricity to the creative process (well - mine anyway).

There's one role however that just saps my juice - that's the dreaded "Publicist" role. I know, until any of us achieve the pinnacle of publishing success where books just fly off shelves while we toil at our keyboards - this is a job for us. It's Author 101 that to sell our books - we have to use the ol' DIY approach to get the word out there.

Don't get me wrong - though all-consuming, I don't mind doing this stuff (tho I write a lousy press release). I'm thrilled to bits-of-chocolate that in promoting Pond Scum I've made wonderful connections with terrific people, places and bookshelves. It's just a lot of work...time that might be devoted to actually finishing a follow-up book!

All that to say I just spent the last week having a BLAST making a BOOK TRAILER to celebrate the PAPERBACK release of my book. Yeah, BIG FUN making it....way too much wasted time trying to get a decent-looking copy onto one of the sharing sites...(YouTube, GoogleVideo, et al) they convert my tiny crisp file into mud...so at the risk of spending even more time solving this one...please view the above Quicktime movie or for an even bigger image, my WEBSITE.

And remember: IF YOU LIKE IT - LINK IT!

That's my publicist pitch anyway - and thanks in advance!

NOT JUST A FLOOR WAX...

So it was in a moment of pure brain-cell-meltdown that I took a break from Book #2 and wandered to the GOOGLE button to see what's what with that thing that we shall call Book #1.

Obviously, to me - POND SCUM is a book, a fabulous book, a book now out in paperback!

But imagine my surprise to see what else is going on with the gooey stuff:

Pond Scum a possible cure for Alzheimers!

Pond Scum the next big thing in biofuel? (note to self: order that hybrid car now...)

Pond Scum as art??? (I was surprised to see this creative force comes from Montreal!)

Pond Scum and a connection to John Water's new Court TV television series. Wow - if any director could bring my book to life...it probably wouldn't be Mr. "Hairspray" Waters - but lucky for us all the script for this episode of his new show is here to peruse!

There were plenty of other uses: many "lawyers are pond scum", "boyfriends are pond scum", and apparently to the St. Louis Cardinal fans - the NY Mets are pond scum too.

With so many useful (and abusive) applications of my title I ask YOU - if "POND SCUM" has new meaning in your life?

BECAUSE SPRING IS TAKING ITS SWEET TIME TO ARRIVE!

CLICK TO WATCH

When writing comes about as slowly as the spring that, in Montreal, arrives some time about June - I turn my WADD-(writer's-attention-defecit-disorder) to playing with Flash and making little toons that soothe my savage beast - and then drive it a bit nutso.

To shift a mood o'mine that could be a tad funky - all it takes is the opening strains of Red Clay Rambler's rendition of Spike Jones' "Pal-yat-chee" and I'm a-smilin'.

ZERO AND FINK

CLICK TO WATCH!

Two high school outcasts figuring out the world one popped-zit at a time!

HEADS UP

Medusa be damned! Writing is a multi-tasking nightmare when it comes to juggling the different heads needed to make it through each creative day. Disco Mermaid Eve wrote about her own split personality disorder re. her own writing projects - a daunting mind-altering task if ever there was one.

I too need to talk myself down from the ledge as I try and stay focussed enough to keep one of the many heads in line. Writing-The-New-Book-Head wants to delve into character work. Mr.Time-to-Look-For-Work-Head needs to write some emails to clients past, present and future. The Head-Of-A-Thousand-Naps begs to doze off for just a minute or two. And my Marketing Head of Doom knows there's no time like the present to try and get attention for POND SCUM's paperback release.

Therapy has helped. Sugar hasn't. My attempts to stay focussed work for ten or fifteen minutes until the next head begs for attention. I grew up in an anxiety-riddled world filled with early loss and later neglect - so it's no wonder I've created a work life that is just as insecure and anxiety-filled (that's what the therapist says anyway!)

Still, we creative types trudge on, head(s) held high with the hope and desire that with all these disparent voices ringing always inside us - a truth shall emerge that is both satisfying to an outside world as well as a unifier inside, giving all the heads something to hold up together....for a moment or two, until it's time for a nap, a new chapter, another job, or even a blog post that gives them all something to feel good about.

Onwards and Upwards.

THE ODDBALLS

Writing my book is a blast...when I'm actually writing it! In other words, procrastination time! Who remembers High School fondly? Okay - you three people are excused from class. For everyone else (self included) I created a little toon that marches to the beat of a different accordian.

Please say hello to - THE ODDBALLS .

MY MU(SE)

Sometimes it's the little things.

In my case it's what sits at the base of my computer: three monkeys and the found object they protect. Writing is a mysterious process; one which baffles me and thwarts me at every turn. Still inside lurks this "thing" that wants out and if I listen hard enough and stop worrying voices from overtaking me, I can become quiet and remember the story I started that wants me back.

The monkeys urge me. The MU key begs me to dive without fear, trusting the words will be there to cushion the fall. It's a small step. But discovering I want to write again fills me with hope.

On your mark....get set....bye.

SHELF LIFE

Florida and I go way back. I worked there. Lived there. Vacationed there. Helped my in-laws move after the hurricanes there.

Add to that the first sighting of a certain paperback book bearing my name!

Yup. I just got back from a 10 day escape from Montreal's winter. We figure once you get past February's wicked hump - spring is only a scant 4 months away up here where it starts getting warm in June!

It was a great trip that began as a solo romp with my son - where we spent 3 exhausting days playing at my old stomping grounds of DisneyWorld (yay, Tower of Terror!) I got to have dinner with old friends (thanks again Diane for the travel mix-tape!). Then off to south Florida where my wife joined up at her folks and we gorged on fried fish and chips. While at my in-laws we took an afternoon trip to a bookstore and there I had the pleasure of discovering my PAPERBACK on the shelves of Barnes and Nobles.

I am thrilled (of course!) And after finding the book properly shelved - we immediately turned the book to show the cover, which I urge everyone to do!

"THE NEW PHONEBOOKS ARE HERE!"

Okay. Anyone who knows the Steve Martin classic "The Jerk" will recognize that enthusiastic line. And anyone who doesn't, put on your stupid hat and go rent it!

A box arrived at my door the other day - and recognizing the return address and obvious girth - I knew it was a bof o' books: namely my books. The sight of POND SCUM paperbacks filled me with that great feeling which comes to all of us insecure types, which plainly is: "I really did sell a book." I suspect that this feeling stays with us no matter how often it happens (and hopefully I'll be able to tell you that's true when next I get published).

Anyway - I'm thrilled and scared because the paperback version represents the real litmus test. Now affordable, will POND SCUM find its audience? Will stores stock it? Do new reviews even exist?

I'm truly not sure how an author writes new things when the head gets so bogged down in trying to get a book "out there". But I'm thrilled to find out!

Pond Scum (the paperback) will be in stores March 1st - so mark your calendars!

DOG WALKIN'

We have a new dog. I am the one home all day.

Put the two together and you can guess whose day gets interrupted the most around here!

In that spirit: I recently came across this 'toon I made awhile ago - way before having a dog.

I'm not sure if I'm prouder of finishing this with audio or figuring out how to embed it in blogger. What a wonderful day filled with procrastinating tasks!

WRITER RETREAT (from the cold!)

The cold has settled in, which creatively I find inspirational. Since I spend most of my time locked away inside (my house and my brain), the record-low temps appeases my guilt about never leaving the house. Add to that the constant care of our new puppy (Zeus) and I have sealed the deal on becoming house-bound forever.

This leads to creative relaxation - no pressure to roam away from my wonderful workspace (except to take Zeus out, which we've got down to a near-science). In this head space I am stumbling upon new ideas and bursts of words on new and old projects. My movie with the Disney Channel has been well-received (so far) and the new projects I am working on flow nicely.

Still, as any readers of these ramblings know, writing is a world of uncertaintity and in that I take the same kind of solice as I do with the cold weather. Trapped by choice in a career of unknowns feels oddly safe. And as I stare at the ice outside I know I am doing exactly what I am meant to do with my life: Stay nested; Stay warm; Stay creative; Walk the dog.

Not a bad life if you ask me.

NEW YEAR - OLD HABITS

Wow - are we really into a whole week of a new year and I haven't posted any sort of HUZZAH or NEW YEARS GREETING?

Yup.

My procrastination has followed me from one year's failed resolution to another and I swear I should stop trying to be the guy I'm not (that would be the one who imagines that he will post every day about the writing process with great wit and insight). Truth is: it's just ME again; the guy who wants to finish his second novel and get his movie made and make funny BOOK-TOONS and post sporadically about why he hasn't posted.

I have post traumatic stress about posting - and I'm not afraid to admit it.

On that note - I feel I've blabbed enough to constitute an actual "post".

ps: Wednesday night I'm going to the first "mixer" of Writer and Illustrator types here in Montreal that's being put together by a library person who wants to create a "network". I'll let you know how it goes after I see what kind of snacks they serve!