A Progression of cover treatments... The Gabriel Book of World Records!

I personally have always enjoyed a good back story. Almost as much as the story itself. I have read many author biographies to glean their inspirations and to see their processes. Thus, I thought some of you might be interested in seeing this.

For my upcoming book, the new series illustrator/designer (the magnificent David Schiedt) was kind enough to ask my opinion of what the cover should "say". Having worked with Mr. Schiedt before on our collaborated picture book, Drinking Fountain Joe, I knew David painstakingly sketches and sketches and sketches until he finds the character he wants. I trust him and when he sends me really, really rough sketches I try hard to envision the end "product". No matter how hard I try, I never see it as good as he does it! This challenge for Mr. Schiedt was particularly difficult because he had never illustrated a chapter book before and he was taking the series over mid-stream. He wanted it to have his own individual stamp and look nothing like the previously illustrated works of Gabe. That is what I wanted too. It was time to introduce Gabe to the world in a newly minted way. Gabe himself was taking over the reigns. The books would be from his perspective not only in the writing style, but illustrations "taken from his sketchbooks".

I thought of a cover where Gabe is central and six to eight items from the action within were surrounding him in bubbles. Mr. Schiedt gave it a try and although it was 100% better than anything I could have done, it wasn't quite right. Fortunately for me Mr. Schiedt is a very nice and patient man.

He drew some sketches and some cover treatments that neither of us were totally wild about, then we asked the opinion of some kids and teachers and librarians who are familiar with the character Gabriel Peter and his stories in the previous two books and they weren't wild about them either. DEADLINES and COMMITMENTS looming, what were we to do?

Back to the drawing board (while I was crazily editing my work too and wanting to make this the very best book possible.The cover below was sent to me after a discussion about the element of action and trying to get into the famous Guinness World Book of Records.

I liked it a lot, but after a conversation Mr. Scheidt was still not totally satisfied that it conveyed Gabe correctly in the scene.

Then he sent this one. I was in love with the cover and the idea.

After deliberation about incorporating action and something that indicates what is within the covers of the book we came upon this idea. The main idea was to capture attention, particularly by the reluctant chapter book reader. What would do it? What is popular and stays true to the series?

SO many questions. My answers were, comics, sketchy drawing style and TONS OF ACTION! What do you think of how the cover looks now?

PLEASE CLICK ON COVER TO SEE THE ENTIRE THING! THANKS!

MY BOOKS on the back of my business cards.

Nitwittles book is coming!

I am SO tired of hearing half conversations EVERYWHERE I go. Thus, I wrote about it... CLICK TO ENLARGE

Contest at my fanpage on Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1016679907#!/pages/The-Works-of-Justin-Matott/213624096290?ref=mf

There is a contest just announced on my Facebook fan page. Please forward this to EVERYONE you know. It is a bit of a scavenger hunt! Have fun! Thanks, J. M.

RAP IT UP!

Sometimes poetry comes "rapped" in a package with a good disguise. Often when I visit schools I hear the kiddoes saying things like, "I don't like poems!" "Poetry is boring!" and other such things.

I have them do an exercise: Take your favorite song and write out the lyrics. Or tell us several lines from a song you like. Suddenly as they begin to recite the lyrics from a song it becomes apparent that they are rhyming and basically speaking a poem... Ah, the light goes on.

Most music is nothing more than rhyming lines or quadrants set to a beat. Then the assignment is to write a song rather than a poem and the stigma disappears...

Gabe rides again!

The Gabriel Book of World Records is on its way! First signing, Tattered Cover... stay tuned!

Best show ever!

via The Insider

A SAD POEM FROM THE UPCOMING BOOK NITWITTLES

PLEASE CLICK ON POEM TO ENLARGE

I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT WHEN DISCUSSING STORIES AND POETRY THAT A YOUNGSTER UNDERSTANDS THAT A WRITER IS SIMPLY HUMAN AND DEALS WITH THE EMOTIONAL ASPECTS OF BEING ONE IN THE WAY WE KNOW BEST... WRITING IT OUT.

MOSTLY MY POEMS ARE SILLY, FUNNY OR WRITTEN TO CAUSE THOUGHT AND/OR DISCUSSION. THIS POEM IS DIFFERENT THAN ANY I HAVE WRITTEN BEFORE. THIS POEM WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO WRITE BECAUSE IT WAS A PURGING OF DEEP, DEEP SORROW AND LOVE LOST. THIS POEM WAS WRITTEN ABOUT OUR BELOVED FAMILY DOG WHO RECENTLY LEFT OUR HOME TO GO TO DOG HEAVEN, BUT WRITING IT BROUGHT BACK MY BEST FRIEND FROM CHILDHOOD AND SOMEHOW SO MANY YEARS LATER ALLOWED ME TO SAY GOODBYE TO A PORTION OF THE SORROW THAT I HELD ON TO BECAUSE IT WAS JUST TOO HARD TO DEAL WITH IT ALL WHEN I LOST HIM AND HAS BEEN LODGED IN MY HEART FOR ALL THESE YEARS.

THE NIGHT I WROTE THE FIRST DRAFT OF THIS POEM I HAD A VERY VIVID DREAM ABOUT FRISKY, MY BEAGLE/HUSKY MIX WHO FILLED MUCH OF THE FIRST TWO DECADES OF MY LIFE WITH FRIENDSHIP AND HAPPINESS AND THEN THE ULTIMATE SORROW. IN THE DREAM HE FINALLY DID WHAT I TRIED TO GET HIM TO DO WHEN I WAS A BOY. HE SPOKE. HE SAID GOODBYE TO ME TOO. I WAS ALL AT ONCE UPON AWAKENING VERY HAPPY AND VERY, VERY SAD, KIND OF LIKE A HARD RAINSTORM WHERE THE SUN IS STILL BEAMING DOWN THROUGH THE DARK CLOUDS.

PERHAPS IT IS BECAUSE WHERE THE RED FERN GROWS IS MY ALL TIME FAVORITE BOOK THAT I FEEL THE DEEP LOSS OF MY CANINE FRIENDS.

IF YOU ARE A DOG LOVER YOU WILL APPRECIATE THIS POEM AND HOPEFULLY EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT.

THIS BULLY - A POEM

Another poem from the upcoming book NitWittles...

Click on the pic to enlarge

The Day I got my Super Powers!

I remember the day I got my super powers. I was riding the school bus
home when I found a record album. More of the Monkeys. The bus driver told me I could keep it, I think he said, "finders keepers...".
I went home and put it on my turntable. The song Stepping Stone came on and somehow imported power into my little soul and body.

Suddenly the refrain was meant for the bully at school who wouldn't
let me swing on the big swings at recess. I made a cape with a big star (I could make great stars, snowflakes and hearts at the time. The star seemed most "super powered", just to absorb power from. I was smart enough not to wear it to school (or the matching pair of tighty-whities I had cut a star for too).

On the radio came on Bad Bad Leroy Brown. Suddenly I had a powerful anger for the bully, a cape and a resolve to change my destiny at school. I even had curled fists and it was involuntary. I could feel the super powers surging through me. I imagined the words POW, ZAP, BOOM coming to life in the air in cartoon lettering like they did on one of my favorite television shows (Batman & Robin).

I set off for school and all the way on the school bus, I just knew I wasn't going to be a chicken that day on the playground. I wasn't going to be pushed around. I was going to swing for all I was worth until I was flying through the air in my super power way for all to see.

The bully was home sick. I think it was the best day of elementary school! But, I had mustered up all of my courage for that day and somehow my super powers seemed trickle down and dissipate, replaced with that ache in the gut fear feeling.

The next day I went to school fully armed with salted nut roll, which was a bribe that worked to keep her from punching me. So, I didn't swing that day or many days. I hovered over closer to the teeter totters where the teachers gathered to talk.

But years later I showed her. I got a little less geeky (at least she thought so) and turned her down for the Sadie Hawkins dance, I thought to leave a salted nut roll in front of her locker to remind her of a super hero from a time past...

Do you have a bullying story you would like to share? I am on an anti-bullying crusade in my school visits and will be using my own and other funny, interesting, scary bullying stories to demonstrate through storytelling how to combat the problem... and maybe even soften a few bully's hearts toward their intended victims!