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I’m late posting this (though I did do a ridiculous victory dance on Twitter when it was first announced. But I’m happy to say that Will in Scarlet is in very good company. Just in time for the holidays, too . . . .

The schedule has been posted, the streets of Charleston cordoned off, and locals are hiding their cookie jars because the authors are coming to town!

Here’s the schedule for this weekend’s festivities, but I’ll point out a few things I’ll be involved in below (The Storyball will be particularly nuts):

SATURDAY NOV. 9TH PANELS

1PM

CMH: THE MIDDLE GRADE STORYBALL Pseudonymous Bosch, Adam Gidwitz, Lisi Harrison, Alexander London, Lisa McMann, Barnabas Miller, Lauren Oliver, Carrie Ryan, Natalie Standiford, JE Thompson, Sean Williams (All Middle Grade Authors will be on stage!) Moderator: Matthew Cody

4PM

BALLROOM: WRITING FOR KIDS Matthew Cody, Adam Gidwitz, Lisa McMann, Carrie Ryan,, C. Alexander London Moderator: Pseudonymous Bosch

6PM

CMH: YA Smackdown SOLD OUT

I’m currently in lovely Saratoga Springs visiting the equally lovely Northshire Bookstore, but I wanted to take a moment from the road and share this very nice review from The Bulletin. They say so many nice things I’m going all blushy.

SUPER is finally out in stores and to make sure you all buy at least three copies a piece (one to give, one to read, and one to enclose in a hermetically-sealed case for all time) I will be hitting the road this October and November!

October 14th:  New York Comic Con - Panel Discussion and signing.

October 18th: Anderson’s Bookshop, Naperville, IL

October 19th: The Book Stall, Winnetka, IL

October 20th: Illinois School Library Media Association 2012 Conference

October 23rd: Harleysville Books, Harleysville, PA

Nov. 4th: McNally Jackson Books w/ Gotham Writers Workshop, New York, NY

Nov. 15th: RJ Julia Booksellers, Madison CT

Keep checking this site because there are more appearances to come!

Hey, do you know what comes out in just two weeks? Guess? Okay, here’s a hint – SUPER, the sequel to my award-winning novel POWERLESS! (subtle, I’m not)

You can pre-order at your favorite local bookstore, or by following any of the bookstore links on the book page.

And don’t forget, Halloween is right around the corner, and that means millions of trick-or-treaters going from door to door asking you to fill their bags with copies of my books . . .
Don’t ruin a great American tradition!

A big thank you to the Pennsylvania School Librarians Association for nominating POWERLESS for the state’s Young Reader’s Choice Award! It looks to be in very good company (ie: stiff competition)

I hope I get the chance to meet as many of the Pennsylvanian young readers as I can! Especially those young readers in Noble’s Green, PA!

Some terrific news for POWERLESS! My little-book-that-could has won the 2012 Rebecca Caudill Young Reader’s Book Award!

As a Caudill nominee, I’ve spent a lot of time over the last year talking with the teachers, librarians and students who make this award possible and it’s truly an honor to be chosen as this year’s winner, especially measured up against the rest of the awesome nominees!  Check out all of the them here: 2012MasterList

I understand that I’ll get a plaque with my name on it, which I will undoubtedly mount upon a helmet for all to see, but until then this post will serve!

Thanks all! And to Rebecca Caudill, whose memory has inspired such a great tradition!

I hinted at this a few weeks ago, but in today’s issue of Booklist there’s a very nice review for The Dead Gentleman. I particularly like the (very accurate) list of homages towards the end! Here’s the full text of the review:

The Dead Gentleman.
Cody, Matthew (Author)
Nov 2011. 288 p. Knopf, hardcover, $15.99. (9780375855962). Knopf, library edition, $18.99.
(9780375955969).
Two young New Yorkers from different eras unite to save the world from an invasion of zombies led by an elegant, corpse-wearing darkling. Shuttling among worlds, times, and points of view, Cody chronicles the recruitment of Tommy, a street urchin from 1901, into a wormhole-traveling Explorer’s Society menaced by the powerful and mysterious Dead Gentleman. Guided by a device that can peer through time, Tommy contacts 12-year-old Jezebel a century into his future and tasks her with protecting an enigmatic clockwork bird that holds the key to the Gentleman’s ability to conquer our planet. Despite all the quick changes and fortuitous coincidences, readers will enjoy watching the two quarreling protagonists take on zombies and other creepy-crawlies on the way to a fiery, if inconclusive, air battle over the Hudson River. Chucking in elements of steampunk, Jules Verne, and Edgar Rice Burroughs along with vampires, three-armed aliens, inscrutable monks, closet monsters, and even dinosaurs, Cody pays tribute to classic adventure authors and genres here as he dishes up an exciting time-travel tale.
— John Peters

I owe a BIG shout of thanks to the Independent Bookstores of St. Louis for making The Dead Gentleman an Riverfront Times bestseller!

Powerless popped up on the list a few weeks ago, and if that wasn’t cool enough now both of my books have had that honor.

Makes me a bit homesick, I cannot lie . . .

A few weeks ago we got the nice news that The Dead Gentleman had been chosen by Amazon as a Book of the Month. A very nice honor and I’m grateful.

But THIS week I learned that the American Booksellers Association is including my little book on this Winter’s Indie Next List - and that’s just totally awesome! The Indie Next List is put together by the front lines, the many, many wonderful independent bookstores across the country and therefore it has special meaning to me (it should also help sell a few books)

Here’s my favorite line from the review written by Ellen Klein of Hooray for Books!

“This fantastic time-travel tale with a scary twist is great for reading with a flashlight under your bedcovers!”

That’s exactly how I picture readers with my book!

So please, please, please – take the time to do some holiday shopping at your local independent bookstore this year.

Oh, and buy The Dead Gentleman while you’re there.  It’s good.

Nice news to behind the lovely month of November and chase away the post-Halloween blues – The Dead Gentleman has been chosen as a Best Book of the Month by Amazon!

This means, I can only assume, that the book giant will be hand delivering a golden bottle of champagne borne upon the backs of faeries singing Ode to The Dead Gentleman whilst I indulge in my award – a treasure bath.

While I wait, I think they’ve discounted the book as well.

I’m teaching a FREE (yes, that’s right) class on Writing for Children at the wonderful McNally Jackson Bookstore here in NYC this Sunday October 2, at 6pm! This event is sponsored by Gotham Writer’s Workshop and, did I mention, FREE?

Of course, you could bring a few bucks for book. Say, Powerless? Or I’m sure the good folks at McNally Jackson would be happy to pre-order a shiny new copy of The Dead Gentleman. Hmm?

Click here for event details!

It’s no secret that I harbor a long-time love of superhero comic books. I still remember my first number one issue – Devil Dinosaur! Something about a red tyrannosaurus and his monkey-boy sidekick. Man, that’s a killer concept!

So it was a real dream come true this week to see my name in my first honest-to-goodness funnybook

JSA 80-Page Giant 2011 is an anthology of short stories spotlighting the various members of the Justice Society of America. My story featured Citizen Steel (him on the cover!) and Jay Garrick (the golden age Flash, you whippersnapper!) with art by the super-talented Tim Seeley. (It is rated Teen-Plus, however, so don’t give it to your little brother. Tell him to go find some age-appropriate comics. Might I recommend Devil Dinosaur?)

I had a blast working on this, and I’m happy to say you’ll be seeing some more comics-related stuff coming from me this year, though I can’t announce any of it just yet. But between the novels (The Dead Gentleman, Powerless Sequel) and the comics work, it’ll be a busy 2011-2012!

ps- If any of my editors are reading this I have a Devil Dinosaur pitch ready that will knock your socks off! C’mon, the fans demand it! (or this fan at least)

Just a quick note to say that if anyone who reads this blog is also a reviewer or interviewer or perhaps OPRAH (are you there, Oprah? I’m sorry I never call you anymore. I’m really busy… but you understand, right?) I’d be delighted to chat with you and tell  you juicy secrets, or have an ARC sent your way, or whatev…

Just let me know!