Intermission...Monstermission?

[UPDATE] For some reason, I'm having a hard time hosting the KTNR image, here it is at a smaller size--or just link over to KTNR to see it. Also, hope you snagged one, because the $6 RAPUNZELs are gone, baby, gone.

Time for a break, everyone! A Monstermission. A Frankerlude? No, Monsterlude, Frankermission...? A break. I've been crunching some numbers. I think we can still end the book on Halloween, even if we take one day off.

I have some announcements and tidbits you may enjoy.

First, the good folks at KTNR (Kids Need to Read) have unveiled the cover art for the official KTNR 2012 Calendar! And guess who did it? It was me! Here's the link to KTNR's unveiling, and here is the artwork:

It is a "Book-Mo-Bot!" Bringing reading material to the post-apocalyptic countryside. I'll let everyone know when these calendars become available. There are a lot of great artists involved. I haven't seen any of the other images yet and I'm dying to. Head over to KTNR (linked above) for all kinds of cool stuff.

This Saturday is the Teen Book Fest at the Provo Library. If you've been to the Children's Book Fest, then you'll know how this should go. This is the first Teen Book Fest. There will be a whole bunch of Utah authors (you know 'em, you love 'em) and Special Guest, Scott Westerfeld, author of LEVIATHAN and UGLIES. I am going to be there doing an interactive, everyone-joins-in, large-sized, graphic novel thing. So come and join in. It should be very cool (and maybe not as noisy as the Kids Book Fest. Maybe.) So, Oct. 30th, Provo Library from 12-4. Scott's keynote will start at 12:00. I'm told author Jessica Day George will be in attendance dressed as the Tooth Fairy (I'm hoping she means dressed as Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson from that horrible movie The Tooth Fairy.)

The elusive $6 RAPUNZEL'S REVENGE paperback is back on Amazon. You can get a copy AND a nice hardcover of THE TWELVE BOTS OF CHRISTMAS for only $16! Then make with the robo-reviews. The Bots are geared up and ready to get seriously jolly--buy them! Bring them to the Teen Fest!

FRANKENSTEIN cover

{UPDATE} The story FRANKENSTEIN has been removed, for reasons which will be announced soon! Don't worry, it's good news!

Here is the cover for the new story.

This story is written by Rick Walton (nicknamed Ludworst Bemonster on the cover.)

The Hallosaurus and the Devil You Know

Here is a picture of the Hallosaurus with his hero, The Devil You Know. They are out to cause some serious Halloween mayhem. Felonies, misdemeanors, pranks, you name it, they are going to do it. Watch out.

A new story starts next week. But while we're here in between stories, let me ask all of you for some favors. I could use your help out here on the internet. If you have bought any of my books, please leave a review. THE TWELVE BOTS OF CHRISTMAS is headed into the holiday season, and right now it has zero reviews on Amazon! If you've read the book, please help me out and post your thoughts on it. Same with ANIMAL HOUSE--heck even CALAMITY JACK has only 15 reviews! Take a second, it doesn't need to be a book report, just a few lines, I'd REALLY appreciate it.

There was a terrifying article in the New York Times last week about the DEATH of picture book publishing. Supposedly parents are jumping their young children straight into chapter books and skipping the pictures. Now, my guess is that the article was written by somebody who has had bad luck getting their own book published, and it was a slow news day. But it was a scary read for everyone involved with picture books. So, prove them wrong and buy PICTURE BOOKS this holiday (preferably mine.) (oh...and then leave a review.) (4 stars or higher please.) (oh, and mail me some cookies afterwards...) (chocolate with those butterscotch chips, a dusting of powdered sugar on top.) (that ought to do it.)

As Smokey the Bear says, "Only YOU can prevent the death of the picture book industry."

The Hallosaurus

I'll start the Rick Walton collaboration story next week--I like to start new stories on Mondays. So for today, here's the Halloween Allosaurus--the Hallosaurus. He's dressed as his favorite picture book character, The Devil You Know.

What kinds of Tricks or Treats does the Hallosaurus want?

Sgt. Snookums: Patrol Cat part 35, the end

A Skipped Day at the Very End? How Could You?

Sorry gang, no cartoon today. But I think you'll enjoy the reason. Tonight I finished all 120 sketch pages of the secret project I hinted at a while back. I've been working on it for roughly the same amount of time I've been doing the Sgt. Snookums story, at a pace of about four pages a day.

I can tell you a little about it, it's a non-fiction graphic novel, based on U.S. History. If you guessed Lewis and Clark, you were right. Although, this one isn't Lewis and Clark, it is a different historical event. I got this project on the strength of my "Bottle of Thunder" story, so I have L and C to thank, but the 120 pages I just sketched didn't involve them. This book won't come out until 2012, but, there will be two of them at launch. That's right, it's a series!

So if you can imagine true stories from history, told in the goofy, "Bottle of Thunder" style, 120 pages each, you'll have a pretty good idea of what I'm doing right now. It's been very exciting, I'm buried under U.S. History research and having a lot of fun!

I'll post more info in the future. But I don't want to dwell too much on it while I'm still deep in the process. Plus, I don't want to hype something that is still TWO YEARS AWAY.

Back tomorrow.

Sgt. Snookums: Patrol Cat part 34

Sgt. Snookums: Patrol Cat part 33

I thought I could finish Sgt. Snookums this week, but it looks like I'll need at least two more days to wrap this story up. So we aren't finished yet...

See you next week!

Sgt. Snookums: Patrol Cat part 32

Sgt. Snookums: Patrol Cat part 31

Sgt. Snookums: Patrol Cat part 30

Sgt. Snookums: Patrol Cat part 29

Happy October everyone! There's one week left in the Sgt. Snookums story, then we'll move into the October material.

If you remember, last Halloween, I had special guest/RAPUNZEL author Dean Hale in a scary Yellowbelly interview (so scary!) I thought maybe I'd have Dean come back this year--but Dean became the father of twins yesterday! Congratulations Shannon and Dean! Double babies, all the way! I vote their names should be Jack and Rapunzel even though they are both girls.

I will have another October guest, though, Rick Walton (author of 6,000 stories, including our own DINO JOKES blog sequence) will be writing two Halloween picture book parodies (also twins?) which I'll be illustrating and posting here. Stay tuned.