Calamity Jack, Set Your Gift-cards to "Purchase"

As you know, CALAMITY JACK (sequel to the Eisner-Nominated RAPUNZEL REVENGE, in case you forgot) is coming out January 5th. Now, I've been cranky about this release date for some time now. I thought it was a terrible time to release a book, two weeks after Christmas. But I was wrong.

Earlier this week I was hanging out with a bunch of writers (at that "Authorpalooza" thing I mentioned Tuesday.) I was told, by MAZE RUNNER author James Dashner, that two weeks after Christmas is a FANTASTIC time to release a book. (James has one coming out the same time) Can you guess why?

Gift cards.

Everybody gets gift cards at Christmas, and a very high number of them are for bookstores. So, once again, I've discovered I know very little about the ways of publishing.

So remember, if you get a bookstore gift card this Christmas, it's like getting a copy of CALAMITY JACK. Also, if you read this post, you are now required by law to buy a copy. You can't use your gift cards for anything else. Robo-Santa is watching. Even after Christmas--especially the two weeks after Christmas.

{UPDATE: I've been given a stern reprimand in the comments section, it was Jessica Day George, author of PRINCESS OF THE MIDNIGHT BALL, and the DRAGON SLIPPERS/FLIGHT/(upcoming) SPEAR series, who gave me this information, as well as James. Sorry Jessica, you are right, you told me about the gift card/week after Xmas thing. Now that I think about it, James may have just stood by and nodded. I just didn't want to get TOO carried away with the name dropping. I know Jessica Day George and James Dashner--how 'bout that?}

Author Signing Tonight!

I hate to break up the smooth, uninterrupted line of Robo-Christmas posts, but I'm doing an author signing at the West Jordan Barnes and Noble tonight (Tuesday) from 5-7. It's an AUTHORPALOOZA, so many Utah authors will be there. I'd list them, but I can't remember who's coming. You'll have to come to find out.

The Twelve Days of ROBO-CHRISTMAS begins!

Okay everybody, I promised a big, special, Christmas story and this is it! The Twelve Days of Robo-Christmas officially starts tomorrow. This is the cover, featuring Robo-Santa.

Who do you think would win in a fight between Robo-Santa and the Santasaurus from The Dinosaurs' Night before Christmas? I don't know, but I'd love to watch.

So, sit back, pour yourself a glass of Robo-Nog (that's one part egg nog, two parts motor oil) and get ready for Robo-Christmas...istmas...istmas...istmas..(that's echo.)

FEBRUARY UPDATE! The Twelve Days of Robo-Christmas was contracted for publication! So the 12 original posts from this story have been taken down, they will be viewable soon in book form!

Interview Question #5

I hope you've all enjoyed the big interview. Great questions from a gigantic 9-year-old.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Be sure to check in tomorrow and Sunday, my official Christmas themed blog story starts tomorrow, it's so BIG it flows over into the weekend! So be sure to check back every day until Christmas (all twelve--hint hint!)

Interview Question #4

Interview Question #3

I'm not kidding about the fortune cookie--that's a complex shape. Try drawing one without having one to look at. Also, I've never been able to get licensed characters right, they always look off. I was once up for a job illustrating OLIVIA spin-off books. I tried and tried to match that pig--she always ended up looking like a flip-top garbage can. Needless to say, I didn't get that job.

Interview Question #2

Speaking of Calamity Jack, I've put a PRE-ORDER link in my book section. Click on it, it'll pop you over to Amazon.

And hey, I just noticed, it's my birthday today! I'm 33!

Interview Question #1

Saturday Bonus Post

Name this animal:

I never post about the jobs I'm working on. I've heard too many horror stories about illustrators getting in trouble for posting publicly about projects they are doing for clients.

I'll blog about a big book project (picture book/graphic novel) from time to time, but never my regular, bill-paying, freelance jobs. It's the text books, book covers, and interior spot illustrations that keep me in food and LEGO bricks--not the picture books, believe or not. Anyone who thinks picture books are easy money makers is so-o-o-o-orly mistaken.

Sorry, got off on a little tangent there.

Anyway, this poster is for an upcoming sci-fi and fantasy symposium, "Life, the Universe, and Everything" at a nearby university. I did it for fun (free!) so I feel I can post it here for you to enjoy.

The guy in front is based loosely on my video game character from Demon's Souls, he's got the Halberd, Heater Shield and Gloom Armor (minus the spiky "hand" shoulder pads.) Nerd. I never liked the Halberd, I'm all about the Blueblood Sword now. (I realize this is total nonsense, but I can't seem to stop typing...)

The Jolly Green Interview Kid

That's right, I'm the person getting interviewed! I told you it would be an awesome guest.

This is Stuart, he's nine. He's visiting from a friend of mine's super blog; Sophistimom. The Sophistimom herself has given me some very nice reviews on the "Well Read" section of her blog--when she contacted me to do an interview, I thought I'd do it cartoon style.

Some of you may recognize Stuart from the comments section here at the Station. He's been patiently waiting for this segment for quite a while. It was planned well over a month ago, then I had to put it off for NaNoWhatZit (still haven't finished YIPE!) So he's been chomping at the bit to get rolling with his GIANT questions. Which is what we'll do--after the weekend!

Blog Invasion! (Again?)

Although it may not look like it, this is actually the start of the promised interview. It's true! Who will it be? I promised someone awesome...

Yellowbelly can't run things. He's holidaying in Acapulco with the little devil. So the interview duties will fall to somebody new.

Back to Normal

NaNoWriMo is finished! ...wish my novel was.

Okay! NaNoWriMo is over, and my story will be too, but not in time to keep it all in the month of November. I'm close though, really close. Only 2,500 words or so from finishing my rough draft. I'll probably finish wednesday or thursday. I could do it tonight, if I stayed up for four more hours. But I don't want to force the climactic finale.

It was a GREAT experience. I loved it. I'm looking forward to doing it again. And I'm REALLY looking forward to cleaning up this story I'm working on and sharpening it up for submission. I'll keep you all posted.

I hope you enjoyed the Chester show, I thought it was pretty funny stuff. I laugh every time I draw that Uni-Beaver. I Love the Uni-Beaver! Chester's been a very enjoyable character to draw and write. Watch out, he's going to end up in his own book series, just you wait. In fact, I'm going to let this NaNo Story rough draft soak for a few months (as you're supposed to, National Editing Month is in March) and dive into some Chester the Magical Centaur story material.

As for the blog, I don't exactly know what's next. I've got the SPACE WEED, and another interview planned, but it's suddenly December...I feel as though I should be moving into the Christmas material.

One thing's for sure, I gotta clean up the banner...and my bio photo...

He's OUTTA Here!

My NaNoWriMo report card will be up tomorrow. What a month it's been!

$6 Paperback Rapunzels are back!

I noticed there weren't a lot of book-related deals on ol' Black Friday this year. Amazon--which began life as a book-seller, had only one book in their "Black Friday Lightening Deals" hootenanny. Wait, no they also had the "Twilight Collection" in there. So two book deals.

That said, they've put up the paperback of RAPUNZEL'S REVENGE for $6 again. If you remember, they did this a few months back and it didn't last long. So if you are the rare blog reader that DOESN'T have a Rapunzel, this is your chance. The paperback, which is very nice (but not nearly as awesome as the hardcover) usually retails for $15. So buy a copy for a friend--just in time for Calamity Jack, which should be creeping into stores in the next three weeks.

By the way, I'll do a custom drawing, say a blog banner or an avatar, for the first person to send me a photo of Calamity Jack on sale in a bookstore.

{UPDATE! This Thanksgiving Weekend Deal is OVER! I hope everyone who wanted one got one! THEY ARE SOLD OUT!}

"This Dumb Fleece" brought to you by Black Friday

Attack of the LEGO Turkey!

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

Chester will be back tomorrow, I believe he's still reviewing the dinosaur-sound-making book. Make sure to come back for Black Friday, I'll be offering up to 90% off selected blog posts! Such a deal!

The Greatest Book of ALL TIME

The NaNoMonster seemed to have a little too much time on his hands, so I've put him to work doing some shameless advertising. Click on my link to the right to see my "DINOSAURS a Stereobook." It's a book that makes dinosaur noises. Something not a single one of the great works of fiction can claim. Chew on that Evelyn Waugh. Do YOU have a book that makes dinosaur noises?

Side note, the publisher on this book didn't put my name on the cover. This happens a lot more with non-fiction titles, I've noticed. Somehow, scientific illustrations are considered a given, like photography. In any case, when your name's not on the cover it means you can write a glowing Amazon review of the book you worked on. I just did that. 5 stars.

So, as you are doing your holiday shopping this year. Please consider this; can your book collection be complete if it doesn't include a single volume that makes dinosaur noises?

I didn't think so.

The Book Review Corner

One Week Left of the NaNoMonster

Seven days left on the calendar. 2,000 words a day and I'll have myself a really messy rough draft! Here we go!

An Interview with the Novelist

A Peek at the Novel in Progress

The Log-O-Nater Turbo

Introducing the UNI-BEAVER

The NaNoWriMo Monster Has Taken Over!

It's true! He came sixteen days ago and started messing with the blog! The goofball "On the Floor" dream comic from last week was all his fault.

He's the National Novel Writing Month Monster! And he's consuming massive amounts of creativity! He barely leaves anything for the blog.

Thankfully, the month is halfway over and so is my novel (well, graphic novel script. More on that later...way later.)

I know you are all patiently waiting for Part 2 of the Space Weed. There was also another interview planned (I can't say who yet, somebody awesome though) but everything's on hold. We're gonna have to get through the rest of the month with this NaNoWriMo Monster in the room.

HE'S TAKEN OVER!!!!

On the Floor Part 6 The End

On the Floor Part 5 "Zap"

On the Floor Part 4 "Ploit!"

On the Floor Part 3 "Bgaank"

On the Floor Part 2 "Zzzzzhlort."

On the Floor

Yellowbelly and Dean 10--THE END

I wish I could add scary music to the last two panels. It would go like this: First Plum Panel-creepy tones, strings, slowly building, eerie. Last Plum Panel-DUH-duh-DUUUUH!

Yellowbelly and Dean 9

Yellowbelly and Dean 8

This awesome pumpkin was carved by master Jack-O-Lanternist, Laura Middleton. Many of you may remember last year's fabulous Rapunzle Pumpkin, which I call "The Rapumpkin."

Yellowbelly and Dean 7

NaNoWriMo

Hey, is anyone else out there participating in NaNoWriMo? National Novel Writing Month--it starts today and covers the month of November, the goal is to have a finished novel by the end of the month, 175 pages, 50,000 words.

If you've never heard of it, check their website here. It's a very well run program, the site is loaded with info, and you can update your daily word count to your profile. I'm going for it! I've never written anything longer than a 32 page picture book, so I'm taking the plunge. Sign up! Do it! It'll be fun. I am, you should too!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Yellowbelly and Dean Go Trick or Treating 6

Make sure to stop by tomorrow for a special HALLOWEEN saturday post.

Yellowbelly and Dean Go Trick or Treating 5

Sorry about the late post, everybody. It's just that this comic was too scary to work on at night.

Yellowbelly and Dean Go Trick or Treating 4

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT:

Yellowbelly and Dean Go Trick or Treating 3

Yellowbelly and Dean Go Trick or Treating 2

Yellowbelly and Dean Go Trick or Treating

Today's comic is a smidge late. Blogger was on the fritz last night--strange day for computers yesterday. First, I had some Photoshop issues, then my internet provider crashed, then Blogger went down--all in one day. Wacky.

In otter news (hey, that wasn't intentional, but I am SO claiming "In Otter News" as mine, a news show, starring otters. YES! I copyright that right now!) Rapunzel's Revenge won the Utah Book Award last night in the children's book category. Hooray for Utah and Hooray for Rapunzel!

Yellowbelly's Costume

It's the Clipper Announcer!

He's ba-ack!

My Idea for a Saturday Morning Cartoon 9

Before we move on to the cliffhanger finale of the story, I have something new on my bulletin board:

No, not the EXCLUSIVE MINIFIGURE postcard, the shiny certificate! CALAMITY JACK is a Junior Library Guild Selection for Fall '09! I'd like to say "Thank you," to all the Junior Librarians who chose it.

Now, on with the show:

End of Season 1.

Stay tuned for the next segment: THE SPACE WEED, coming in November!

Back tomorrow with a new guest--I mean story. I've said too much.

My Idea for a Saturday Morning Cartoon 8

Christmas Dinos on the Cheap (again)

The Dinosaurs' Night Before Christmas hardcover can be had for $9 on Amazon again--50% off the 18.99 cover price. Last time they did this it only lasted a day or two. So dinosaur up!

[UPDATE: Wow, gone already? Now it's at $12--those Amazon book-pricing elves are squirrelly!]

My Idea for a Saturday Morning Cartoon 7

My Idea for a Saturday Morning Cartoon 6

My Idea for a Saturday Morning Cartoon 5

My Idea for a Saturday Morning Cartoon 4

My Idea for a Saturday Morning Cartoon 3