THE SUMMER OF MYSTERY - COMING VERY SOON!

The other day I was a judge in a poetry slam at a Middle School. A great experience, but the icing on the cake for me was when a seventh grade boy approached me afterwards to tell me how much he enjoyed my GP series and couldn't wait for the next book to come out. When I told him the next book was coming within the next month he started gyrating and jumping around like it was Christmas! Man Oh Man did that make my day, week and month. I cannot wait to hear from him after he has read the next book!

SO, I am TOTALLY excited to tell you about my new book coming within the next month! I think you will be too! Each chapter begins with a WANTED poster, featuring the main theme of the chapter, brilliantly rendered by my great friend and awesome illustrator David Schiedt!

Kids at the schools I visit always ask me what my favorite of all the books I have published are. I have to say THIS BOOK is my favorite for many reasons: Mystery, Summer, Buddies and THE MOST WANTED POSTERS are just a few of the reasons for me. I had as much fun writing this book as I think my readers will have reading it!

I finally wrote THE BOOK that I would have wanted to read badly as a boy!

SO. If you haven't read the first three in the series, it's time to catch up!

There is an awesome deal at my website right now - BUY 3 BOOKS - GET A 4th FOR FREE! www.justinmatott.com 

Simply add a note if you want the books signed and or personalized for the reader who will receive them.

With book four coming what could be a better way to go? Not just that, but I will make sure you get a 4th book signed by myself AND David Scheidt, the illustrator!

What a way to start your readers out for the summer. The new book is titled THE SUMMER OF MYSTERY - Book 4 in the GP series.

Here is a sample chapter (click on the image to make it larger). Mr. Lattimore was a villian in book three and he will make another appearance in book four as Gabe and his gang try to unravel the mystery behind him. Many other mysteries need to be solved and they are up to the task.

Under a full moon, around a fire where s'mores are being built Mr. Patchett will divulge many answers to the mysteries you've read about in the past. Revealing the back story to many of the mysteries surrounding the neighborhood, those mysteries that comprise the majority of questions I get from the readers of books 1-3.

 

Denver Chalk Art Festival

It rained on Saturday, but that didn't bother most of the chalk artists in downtown Denver. They went back at it to reconstruct their "temporary" works of art.  A hazard of this type of endeavor, to be sure.  

http://www.denverchalkart.org/festival_info/index.php

 

It was fun to see the original artwork on an 8 x 12 piece of paper being transformed into a much larger piece that brought smiles, curious looks and general fun to the crowd gathered on Market Street.  From the classic portrait style that you might otherwise find in an art gallery to sublime pieces  nods to Star Trek, the Avengers and much more.

 

 I've stood in the Louvre looking at the original, but this version put a bigger smile on my face and was a lot bigger than the famous Mona Lisa!

    More than any other, we wanted to see the finished piece, after all it was Where's Waldo and they hadn't put him in when we were there.   

 

 

 This was my favorite.  I got the artist's card after she told me illustrating children's books is her dream.  She went on to tell me "words don't matter, it is the images"... careful now... if we end up working together we might have to happily disagree.

Some seemed to have simply walked away, leaving smeared squares of chalk, but many were at work in the evening bringing their previous day's work back to life.  


Others covered it up to ensure the hours and hours and hours of work were protected and the detail in this one was literally spectacular.  I wanted to talk to her, but the line was too long.  Simply artistic genius!

My party agreed this wonderful blue fox was an overall favorite. 

     I really wanted to stary to see how this would turn out.  The use  of black and white was awesome!

         

Mother Mary 

holding baby John Elway? 

    

I was disappointed to have missed seeing the Gargoyle my latest novel is based on washed out.  I'd really like to see what he looked like before the rain took him. 

     Best story of the night.  This man was recreating a picture of his grandfather during WW1, with his head coming out of the airplane he flew in the war.  A picture was found in an attic that told the story he grandfather never spoke of.  A true American hero.  The artist bragged, "His friends called him Curly. I have his curly hair!"  A huge smile crossed his face and ours too!.  Thank you for your service Curly!

I LOVE "kid art"!

I think it would be great to have a bunch of kids illustrate a book, each page representing an different view, different angle of the story.  What do you think about that?

Upcoming book SUMMER 2012!

http://www.justinmatott.com/JUSTIN_MATOTT_AUTHOR/COMING_SOON%21.html

Just announced on my website, my new book due out this summer! 


The GP series is in FULL swing, books 1-3 illustrated and designed by David Schiedt and I am DONE writing book FOUR!  


Looking forward to the entire six book series!


What would YOU like to see happen in books five and six?

From sketch to finish...

Recently during my school visits I have been doing workshops where more and more kids are telling me they like to express themselves with drawing and art in collaboration with other students who can write well.  Lot's of dynamic-duos are creating comic strips, small books and stories and ideas.  I thought it would be fun to see a little process here.  When I write a story, it is generally chock full of details, illustrative ideas, which a talented illustrator is then able to translate into pictures to make my words come alive.  The sketches below, on the left are actually quite finished, but generally an illustrator does numerous revisions to get to that point.  THEN, on the right, the color is added and the images come alive! 

In some cases with these examples, I turned in hundreds of descriptive words to go with the rhyming text and then was able to throw my words away when the pictures depicted them so well.

These pictures, drawn by the wonderfully talented Mark Ludy were drawn with a bic pen and scanned, then colored on a computer in InDesign.  Very cool process and quite different from other illustrator's techniques in some of my other books.

Illustrator Laurie McAdam demonstrates our iPad App

http://videos.modbee.com/vmix_hosted_apps/p/media?id=58504531&item_index=9&all=1&sort=NULL

This video is from the Modesto Bee. Laurie McAdam, UBERtalented illustrator demonstrates our new iPad App.

Cheers to you Laurie!

If only for one child...

Hello my friends,

We've all heard about the butterfly who flaps her wings, which over space and time creates the tsunami and how the ocean is simply an accumulation of single droplets of water and without each individual there wouldn't the lapping waves...

As a writer this is so empowering.

One person influenced by a book of hope can go on to end Apartheid.

One girl influenced by a book called A Tree Grows In Brooklyn can grow up to be a television host who motivates millions to pick up a book and read.

One author who reads Where The Red Fern Grows as a child remembers how that book created complete escape, wonderment and adventure and the burning desire to do so for someone else enables him to carve out characters, places and wonder to transport readers in the same manner.

I originally set out to provide what I'd hoped would be hours and hours of laughter and the simple entertaining mysteries of childhood on the printed page, illustrated just enough that the reader would get a sense of place. I think I have accomplished that according to the feedback I get, particularly from teachers and youngsters.

BUT, when you visit as many schools as I do to entertain, you become increasingly aware of the fact that childhood is not all fun and games and some serious matters NEED to be addressed by safe adults. I have been privy to some heart-renching stories about the kids who put a brave face on the pain. Kids need a vent. Kids need to know they are not alone. Literature is one of the best devices to deliver the message. I feel compelled to do be a part of that!

I wanted to share some new developments in the GP (Gabriel Peters) world. Go Ask Mom - Stories From the Upper Bunk was originally published in 2006 and is presently SOLD OUT and temporarily out of print with the exception of online sites such as amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/GO-ASK-MOM-Stories-upper/dp/1889191175/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1296657180&sr=8-1, because it is the plan to have my agent sell my entire series (as well as the upcoming comic book spin-off to a larger publisher) which is very gratifying to me because I always envisioned my career going toward the middle grade chapter book.

My series is popular primarily with 3-8 graders, which in this category is a wide range. Presently The World According to Gabe - Stories From the Upper Bunk is doing very well (especially in the middle school category) and particularly with boys who "don't like reading" as is The Gabriel Book of World Records - Stories From The Tree house. I'd be happy to personalize a book to your reader http://justinmatott.com/books.htm

Gabe begins his adventures in my series as a kid who is bullied by brother and some boys at school. He is able to overcome his adversities using his brain when in the shadow of brawn. (The chapter included here is the newly designed and illustrated book, which hasn't been see out there yet.)

Once Gabe finds his confidence, the series then follows the adventures of a clan of boys (soon girls) who experience many things, both good and bad, just like all of us. Interestingly enough the chapter I am including herein (newly illustrated by the AMAZINGLY talented David Schiedt) deals with some very heavy things in the midst of an otherwise adventurous, fun book which I get constant teacher feedback about. I have had many teachers who have read aloud Go Ask Mom in the classroom tell me that this particular chapter has opened up understanding and dialogue which is helpful and one teacher told me there was a young girl in her class who after hearing this chapter read aloud in her classroom came to her and the school counselor and admitted to abuse in her own house and was helped as a result to get out of a bad situation. Imagine the gratification I felt, that the days and nights I wrestled with whether or not to include such a "heavy" topic in my otherwise "fun" book were ALL worth it, if only for one girl.

I need YOUR help. If you feel compelled at all to help spread my words in a way that will influence more than the current little corner of the world my work has addressed, please add your reviews to public sites, such as amazon.com, twitter my website, twitter my facebook fan page and this blog. Word of mouth is STILL the very best way to spread the news about books, music and other forms of entertainment that touch us personally. In return, if you have a message, a book, a story you are trying to get out there into the world to create your own tsunami, I will do the same for you.

I will be deeply thankful for your help and so will that one child who needs to hear a story of hope and laughter that perhaps my particular voice and style will deliver.


If you click on the page images they will open up large enough to read.

Happy reading!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

LAURIE McADAM/THE MODESTO BEE

Laurie McAdam is the illustrator of four, almost five of my books. She works in California for the Modesto Bee and does awesome editorial illustration. Laurie, Lauren McAdam is a professional in every way and a delight to work with.

She has illustrated four of my books and is working on the fifth. You may know her work with When Did I Meet You Grandma? and When Did I Meet You Grandpa? or Oliver Kringle and Aliens All Mixed Up OR you might have seen some of her work as Clay Aiken's portrait painter? Well, check out her website, she has some totally cool things to view! http://www.lauriemcadam.com/bookshelf.html