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 Rachel from Cupcakes Take the Cake/flickr


These Elvis Cupcakes are especially for David Lubar, King of Pork!

He's the only person we know who's makin' the bacon (and really bringing it home). Apparently, he's quite good with Weenies, too. A thousand OINKS in honor of David!!

"Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon." ~ Doug Larson

"I've long said that if I were about to be executed and were given a choice of my last meal, it would be bacon and eggs. There are few sights that appeal to me more than the streaks of lean and fat in a good side of bacon, or the lovely round of pinkish meat framed in delicate white fat that is Canadian bacon. Nothing is quite as intoxicating as the smell of bacon frying in the morning, save perhaps the smell of coffee brewing." ~ James Beard

More Cuppie-o-Grams here.


Don't forget: September 4th is International Bacon Day!

*Homer from Doug Mota's flickr photostream.

Copyright © 2010 Jama Rattigan of jama rattigan's alphabet soup. All rights reserved.

NATHAN ABERCROMBIE, ACCIDENTAL ZOMBIE, by David Lubar (Starscape/Tor 2009, 2010, etc.). In this ongoing series (currently at three books), fifth grader Nathan Abercrombie is accidentally doused with a chemical bath that leaves him partially zombie-fied...

In Book 1, MY ROTTEN LIFE, we are introduced to Nathan, the second skinniest kid in school, and the tribulations resulting therefrom. When he's doused with the chemical, he must rely on his friends, the brilliant Abigail and the occasionally-pungent Mookie, to attempt to find a cure.

In Book 2, DEAD GUY SPY, Nathan meets up with operatives of the Bureau of Useful Misadventures (BUM), a secretive organization dedicated to promoting freedom throughout the world, who attempt to recruit him due to his unique, undead abilities.

In Book 3, GOOP SOUP, Nathan and his friends must thwart the designs of an evil organization that wants to poison the water supply with fungal waste products.

In NATHAN ABERCROMBIE, Lubar has created a terrific character and series, both funny and gross (sometimes simultaneously), and always smart. Readers will be dying to hold of the next books in the series. Heh.

and Other Warped and Creepy Talesby David LubarTom Doherty / 2007Why have I waited two years to review this book? I think it was because it got lost in one of the many piles of books, later to be hidden during moving. But part of me wonders if I didn't deliberately and subconsciously hide this book away. Because I was embarrassed? Because I was offended? Insulted? None of these.It's because

Hot diggety dog!!

Have I got a book for you.

Put on your flame retardant jumpsuit and sombrero, then let out a big OLÉ, for the master of the macabre and undisputed King of the Weenies, David Lubar, on the official release today of The Battle of the Red Hot Pepper Weenies (Starscape, 2009)!!

    
     THE BATTLE OF THE RED HOT PEPPER WEENIES
       by David Lubar (Starscape, 2009),
       Ages 9-12, 192 pages.

Ay Carumba!!

Si, it's time for a brand new collection of 35 short stories -- strange, weirdo, bizarre little gems that'll make you laugh and creep you out at the same time. There's the girl who doesn't have a date for the school dance, until her father makes her one in his lab. The family who's enjoying a nice Thanksgiving dinner, until a torrent of turkeys seek revenge. A princess who must face a pea-brained suitor. And, *wait for it*, a scorching battle between two red hot pepper weenies that ends in flames!

  
    Call the fire department!

That David. He'll do anything for a good story. Yes, this man has a rare, ointment-laced, demented mind. Case in point: three previous collections of wildly popular Weenie stories -- In the Land of the Lawn Weenies, Invasion of the Road Weenies, and The Curse of the Campfire Weenies. These books were gobbled up by middle grade readers and left them begging for more. The Battle of the Red Hot Pepper Weenies, which includes a Reader's Guide and David's comments about what inspired the stories, looks like a sure-fire, made-to-order feast on a bun that will satisfy any craving.


Legions of Lubar fans waiting for him to cut the mustard.
(photo by KS Girl)

Hungry yet?

Sometimes we all need a little freaky fare, and David always delivers. So, grab your biggest spoon, slather yourself with hot sauce, and dive into this bowl of celebration soup (seasoned liberally with red pepper flakes), especially for our favorite book weenie. Come on, all together now: "Señor David, Congratulacion!!"


Today's Special: Hot Tamale Tomato with a Side of Bourbon
(don't worry about the fly -- he won't eat much).

To learn more about David and his books, including Hidden Talents (ALA Best Book for Young Adults), visit his website and Live Journal blog , Gadfly in the Ointment (bring your own swatter).

If you'd like the scoop on all the Weenies, click here for "A Guide for the Perplexed" (fully downloadable)!

The Battle of the Red Hot Pepper Weenies can be ordered through IndieBound or any of the usual suspects. Relish it! 


Shame on you! Don't even go there!
(photo by grizzly_lightning)


              

  
        

Here are some random tidbits for your picnic basket:

First, thank you thank you thank you to Tarie of Into the Wardrobe for awarding alphabet soup a 2008 Brilliante Weblog Premio! I am humbled and honored to be mentioned in the same list as Just One More Book, Brooklyn Arden, and Bloomabilities.

Have you read Marjorie Coughlan's fabulous interview with Jen Robinson over at papertigers.org? Lots of insight and inspiration, with Jen explaining why books, reading, and literacy mean so much to her and what she hopes to accomplish with her fabulous blog, Jen Robinson's Book Page. I am totally blown away by her commitment and dedication.

Make sure to read this post about writing YA by tadmack at Finding Wonderland. You probably know there is a lot of discussion going on in the kidlit blogosphere right now about the stigma YA literature seems to carry in the publishing world. Many bloggers are responding to a recent New York Times article by Margo Rabb, "I'm Y.A., and I'm O.K.," including LJ's Little Willow (slayground) and David Lubar (davidlubar).

Colleen Mondor is rounding up other reactions and opinions at Chasing Ray. She has also designated this week as a time for everyone to post about any issues or concerns they have about children's and young adult publishing, so check back every day for updates.

Interesting discussion about verse novels in the comments of this recent Poetry Friday post by Sara Lewis Holmes (Read*Write*Believe). I especially liked David Elzey's comment, written from the POV of a 13-year-old boy. 

Have a great week!

 So, my (almost) 10-year-old son came home this week with his first school library book of the year:


I was pleased to see something besides SpongeBob for once. I mean, I'll take whatever he reads as a positive sign, as Son has never been "into" reading. Hubby and I, on the other hand, often read one another long passages of books, swap them, borrow them, and have more shelves full of them than we know what to do with. You'd think that a boy who has been surrounded by books since before he was born or thought of would take to them naturally, but not so. We started him off gumming on books the second he was old enough to grasp them, just like all good, well-read parents do with their kids...but nope! We've been reading the Harry Potter books as a family for months now. Hubby does a mean impersonation of Professer Umbridge...but nope. His own bookshelves overflow with my many attempts to grab his attention. And, he'll occasionally read the articles in the magazines to which his grandparents have given him subscriptions, but no books. Nothing longer than a preschooler might read.
Son enjoys watching us enjoy books, but had never really picked up a book for pleasure reading without being prompted. I have noticed that lately he's started flipping through Hubby's comic collection. He also enjoyed the signed Bruce Coville books I brought home from Chautauqua for him. I didn't dare get my hopes up, though...until:


What does this mean? This exploration of something that is mostly made up of words? 
Well, the other day, I actually caught him READING it! 
And laughing!

This is good. This is very good.

And, there are more of them...these appetizing books:

And even more here. 

So, thank you, David Lubar!
Thank you for putting your expertise and humor to work and creating something that Son will actually read and enjoy!
Are you sure you can't add a visit to your book tour that's a little closer to our desert? We have mountains and cool animals and stuff.

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..... Read the rest of this post

If you write for young people, consider this LJ post a big, fat thank you note (virtual chocolates and ice cream, too). I just finished reading my 7th graders' final exams. I ask them to write an essay reflecting on how they've grown as readers, writers, and human beings this year. Here's a quote from K...

"In the beginning of the year, I didn't like to read at all. But then my teacher showed me all these books that were for me, and I couldn't stop reading."

Books that were for her.  Written just for her.  Or at least it felt that way.  She went on to talk about Sonya Sones, Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Nancy Werlin -- voices that spoke to her over the past ten months. 

And K wasn't the only one who named names as she reflected on books that made a difference this year.  My kids talked about finding themselves in the characters of Pete Hautman, Janet Tashjian, Jack Gantos, Laurie Halse Anderson, Lisa Yee, Sharon Creech, Jerry Spinelli, Wendelin Van Draanen, David Lubar, Cynthia Kadohata, Mal Peet, and Walter Dean Myers.  They wrote about being challenged by M.T. Anderson, Richard Preston, and Markus Zusak.  They wrote fondly about escaping into the worlds of Margaret Peterson Haddix, Christopher Paolini, and JK Rowling.  And they reflected on walking a mile in someone else's shoes as they read Gene Luen Yang, Cynthia Lord, Will Hobbs, Jennifer Roy, and Joseph Bruchac.

I write for kids.  I know that some days, it feels like you're alone with your computer, and even your computer doesn't  like you very much. So I thought I'd share K's reflection on her year of reading.  We all need to realize when we write, we're writing for someone important.  Someone like K, who's waiting for a book that's just for her, just for him.  

If you write for kids, that's the work you're doing every day.  You may never get to read the end-of-the-year essays, but you should know that you make a difference, and you're appreciated.

David Lubar on David Lubar: "I write novels and short stories for anyone with a sense of humor or a sense of wonder. My hobbies include procrastination, complaining, and voting for myself on teen-choice book lists."

You last spoke to Cynsations in 2005 about your YA novel, Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie (Dutton, 2005). Could you fill us in on your writing life since that time?

I've spent the last two years working ceaselessly on developing a neuro-linguist method for responding to interview question with answers that will be so captivating and charming that they will inspire everyone who reads them to immediately buy multiple copies of all my books. (Psssst. Hey you. You need True Talents (Starscape, 2007).) Where was I? Oh, yeah... Beyond that, my writing life involves far more writing than it did when last we spoke. Back then, I was on the road way too much. I've stopped doing school visits for a while. I now have much more time to write, and a deeper appreciation of the finer aspects of poverty.

Congratulations on the publication of True Talents (Starscape, 2007)! It's a sequel to Hidden Talents (Tor, 1999)(Starscape, 2007), so let's start there! Could you tell us about Hidden Talents, and why you wanted to continue the story?

Hidden Talents, at its heart, is about the way that society is so quick to cast off kids and to slap labels on them. With Edgeview Alternative School, I created a place where the kids, the teachers, and even the building itself is a cast off. But these kids have been badly mislabled. And that's where the magic shows up. The kids aren't behavior problems. Instead, they have these amazing, unrecognized gifts.

I honestly didn't have any plans to continue the story. But there was a demand for a sequel, both from readers, and from my publisher. Kids wanted to know what happened next. My publisher wanted to build on the momentum and success of the first book.

For True Talents, what was the timeline from spark to publication, and what were the major events along the way?

The spark didn't happen until somewhere near the middle of the timeline. I started writing the book in July, 2003, and finished the first draft that October. It took up with the same narrator, Martin Anderson, as he was about to start high school. I kept working on it through October of 2004. I normally don't take that long with a book, but two things were working against me. I was traveling constantly, and I didn't like the way the book turned out. Meanwhile, my editor left Tor.

After talking with my new editor, I decided to start from scratch. I put aside the book I'd written, and began a new one focusing on a different character--Eddie "Trash" Thalmayer. The spark came when I thought about someone waking up from a drugged stupor in a research lab. When the first book ended, the guys still had a secret they were trying to keep from the world. Now, the secret was out. I had a first draft three months later. But it still didn't go into copy editing until last July.

What were the challenges (literary, research, psychological, logistical) in bringing it to life?

The biggest challenge was psychological. Hidden Talents is still growing in popularity. There was no way I was going to sully it with a crappy sequel. I think that's why I dragged my feet for so long.

As for literary challenges, I wanted immediacy, but I also wanted to show what had happened to all of the guys from the first book. I decided to combine a first-person narrative from the main character with third-person sections from the other characters. I've always loved the whole "Roshomon" aspect of showing a story through more than one set of eyes. Since the book switches viewpoints so much, I put a lot of time into arranging these sections in a way I hoped wouldn't feel awkward to the reader.

I also took a big risk with the opening. Eddie is emerging from a drugged stupor. He's hallucinating, and his mind is wandering. The scene doesn't immediately make sense. That's a big risk, and I'm still worried I'll lose a few potential readers, but it seems to have worked out. Besides, how can you resist a book that opens with: "The gorilla who clung to the ceiling was wearing a Princeton T-shirt"?

How long have you been writing with an eye toward publication?

I was collecting rejection slips back when I was in high school. I got serious about publication when I got out of college 1976. I made my first fiction sale in 1978. So I'm far closer to my expiration date than many of the current novelists.

What do you love about the writing process and why?

I love writing dialogue, especially when my characters' personalities begin to emerge. I'll have this kid who's little more than a lump of clay, and he'll say something that suddenly defines a part of him. Often, my supporting characters will take over. I'm really fond of Ellis from Flip (Starscape, 2004), and Malcolm from Dunk (Clarion, 2002)(excerpt). I'm really bad with tools, and less than marginal with a drawing pencil, so I find it extremely rewarding that I can build things out of words.

What about do you wish you could skip and why?

I'd love to skip the delay that happens before I get feedback. I wish people could take in a novel like a painting and respond immediately.

How about publishing? What do you love about it? What do you abhor? And again, in both cases, why?

I love they way I'm treated. Tor, especially, makes me feel like I stumbled into someone else's dream. They take me places, promote my books, and just treat me wonderfully. I love going out to dinner with my publisher because she has incredibly good taste in wine. And I love hearing from people who felt my books made a difference, because I didn't set out to change the world. I set out to entertain people. It's nice to know that my work has positive side effects.

As for things I abhor, I dislike not winning major awards, because I am pathetically needy and drink validation the way a vampire drinks blood.

How has the business changed over time, for worse and better?

It's tough for me to judge that, since my own relationship to the industry had changed over time. When I started, I was unknown. Then I became a rumor. Now, I'm vaguely familiar. The only constant change I've noticed is that more and more of the editors are the same age as my daughter.

If you could go back in time to your beginning author self, what would you tell him?

Buy Berkshire Hathaway. Stay off the Internet.

I fear the current undisputed record of 3 hours 5 minutes (held by both Lisa Yee and Brent Hartinger) will not only be crushed today, but will be pulverized into tiny tiny fragments that no longer resembles a record as much as it resembles talcum powder. Did that sentence make any sense? No matter, because it's time for our next round of Google Ping. And I have a feeling that our author today is one who Googles himself rather frequently.

Our pinged author of the day is Mr. David Lubar. David Lubar is the author of many good books, his most-recent being True Talents.



For those of you new to Google Ping, it is a game I invented where I type a children's author's name over and over on my blog to see how long it takes him or her to find me by either Googling their name or hearing through the grapevine that they have been pinged. The fastest children's author to comment on my blog and prove they are who they say they are (and not some crazed children's author impersonator) is crowned the current champion of Google Ping.

For those of you keeping track of the game, Ms. Laurie Halse Anderson answered the ping in 20 hours 16 minutes.

So here we go:

David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar, David Lubar.

And the clock has started as of 12:50 on 5/23/2007.

Congratulations to the winners of the 2006 Cybils! I'd like to send out a special cheer to previously featured winners: author Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long for An Egg Is Quiet (Chronicle)(author and illustrator interview); author-illustrator Melanie Watt for Scaredy Squirrel (Kids Can); and David Levithan (along with his co-author Rachel Cohn) for Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (Knopf)(author interview). I'd also like to say thanks to all the amazing volunteers behind this wonderful new award program. This is an amazing effort. Please do know that it is appreciated!

Don't miss this super cool video interview with author David Lubar as he talks to Expanded Books about his forthcoming True Talents (StarScape, March 2007)(excerpt). Visit here, and read a related recommendation by Greg.

Interview with Kimberly Duncan-Mooney by Jenna Glatzer from Absolute Write. Kimberly is the US editor of Barefoot Books, a small publisher established in 1993 with offices in Cambridge, Mass.; and England.

"An Unsafe Bridge" by Peter T. Chattaway from Christianity Today. Author Katherine Paterson chimes in on the film version of "Bridge to Terabithia."

Submit to the 11th Carnival of Children's Literature, sponsored by Big A, little a.

Picture Books: Plan, Polish, and Publish by Dori Chaconas. Read interviews with Dori on On A Wintry Morning (Viking, 2000) and One Little Mouse (Viking, 2002) from my web site.

Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast #6: Kelly Herold at Big A little a: an interview with one of my favorite bloggers.

Thanks to Greg at Greg LSBlog for inviting me to be a guest blogger this past week. The featured authors and illustrators from those posts will be highlighted once more here so that no one misses hearing about their wonderful books. This will result in some short-term repetition; however, I'll be sure to also include new news as we're catching up.

Huge thanks to all who've supported my guest blogging (during tech woes) and the launch of my new YA novel, Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007), including: Book Moot; Laura Bowers; Julia Durango; Alex Flinn; Carrie Jones; Cynthia Lord; Liz Garton Scanlon; Laurie Stolarz; Three Silly Chicks; Lara Zeises; April Lurie, Jo Whittemore; Shaken & Stirred; Colleen Cook; Mitali Perkins; Varian Johnson; Chris Barton; Kellye Carter Crocker; Jody Feldman; Debbi Michiko Florence; Varian Johnson; Jo Knowles; Uma Krishnaswami; Carolyn Lehman; David Lubar; Kerry Madden; Mary E. Pearson; Laura Ruby; Tanya Lee Stone; Anastasia Suen; Don Tate; Kim Winters; Sara Zarr.

Where Do Media Tie-ins Come From? with Laurie Calkhoven from the Institute of Children's Literature.