Pooch Progress Please?

In my recent travels to school events, library events and teacher events, I have been asked what the current situation with the mixed-up dog book is.

The Aliens - All Mixed Up book, with it's 1728 different Flipping opportunities http://www.amazon.com/ALIENS-All-Mixed-Justin-Matott/dp/1889191221/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254409730&sr=8-1 has been a ton of fun for kids of all ages, including the illustrator Laurie McAdam http://www.lauriemcadam.com/ and me.

I am VERY excited to announce officially that the Pooches - All Mixed Up book is making progress, getting us closer to another 1728 combination book and one step closer to the DINOS- ALL MIXED UP book that is in the works as well!

Here is a sample of some of the pooches underway. There is not detailed background yet, but the pooches are turning out quite well me thinks. I would love to hear YOUR opinion either as a comment here or email me at justin@justinmatott.com.

On a related side note, I suffer from something called Coulrophobia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coulrophobia which is the fear of clowns. Could have been watching Blinky The Clown on television as a child or the Clown Jack In The Box my brother tormented me with as a small kiddo or most likely the time my mom forced me to go the the circus and somehow ended up in the front row, where a clown plucked me from the crowd and before I could even get to the center ring there was a center ring on my trousers from where I, being so scared of the clown, wet my pants in front of a mere two million people crowded into the big top???

Where was the internet and this link when I needed it? http://phobias.about.com/od/introductiontophobias/qt/circusclown.htm What do you think, do I have a right to my phobia?



My office is full of all kinds of weird stuff! Much of it donated and much just accumulated. I have two large shelves stuffed with tchotchkes |ˈ ch ä ch kə| (also tsatske) noun informal - a small object that is decorative rather than strictly functional; a trinket. from my travels and I have a real affection for Santa and all things Christmas. Laurie McAdam, having been to my house and knowing me, and my weird collection, decided to send me a gift.

As you can see, he is a cigar chomping, circus clown dog.

FOR THE RECORD I AM NOT AFRAID OF IT. THE REASON I LOCK IT UP IN MY CIGAR HUMIDOR AT NIGHT? YOU ASK.

SIMPLE, TO KEEP HIS CIGAR FRESH, NOT BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN TOO MANY TWILIGHT ZONES AND OUTER LIMITS WHERE THESE KIND OF tchotchkes COME TO LIFE AT NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NO REALLY!


SO, all this to say that I vowed NEVER to have a clown in ANY of my books unless it was something Stephen Kingish like IT (which is the one SK book I haven't/won't/can't read).

If you look closely at the dogs above, I allowed for a funny dog clown, because I love DOGS and perhaps it is my own form of therapy.... (a chill just went up my spine thinking of the mean tchotchkes my brothers might send me upon reading this blog. Oh well, I'll just get a bigger humidor).

Thanks for watching my website and blog... I do it for YOU! (even putting a clown dog in my book)!