Stephan Pastis's Blog, page 4

On This, the 12th Anniversary of Pearls Before Swine, A How-To-Guide to Collecting Every Single Pearls Strip

I am often asked by readers for the easiest way to collect all the published Pearls Before Swine strips going back to the very first strip, which was published 12 years ago today, on December 31, 2001.  And I have to admit, it can get confusing.

After all, there have been 14 collections (the small books), 6 treasuries (the big books), 2 gift books (the hardcover books), and even one Pearls kids book (yes, I did a Pearls kids book).

So let me simplify things.  The quickest (and cheapest) way to collect every single strip from the very beginning is to just buy the 6 treasuries.  They are, in order of publication date:

Sgt. Piggy’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (published 2004)

Lions and Tigers and Crocs, Oh My! (published 2006)

The Crass Menagerie (published 2008)

Pearls Sells Out (published 2009)

Pearls Blows Up (published 2011)

Pearls Freaks the #$%# Out (published 2012)

And if you’re a think-ahead kind of person, you can even pre-order the seventh treasury, which comes out in March, called Pearls Falls Fast (sneak peek below).

As an added bonus, each of these seven treasuries contains my commentary below many of the strips, which some people say is funnier than the strips (a compliment?  not a compliment?  I never know).

I’m also asked what the difference is between a “collection” and a “treasury.”  In short, a Pearls collection contains 9 months worth of strips.  A treasury contains 18 months worth of strips.  So a treasury is simply two collections put together.  Thus, there are twice as many Pearls collections (14) as treasuries (7).

So another way to collect every single Pearls strips is to just buy all 14 collections, and skip the treasuries altogether.  Either way, I get your money.  And that’s what’s important.

So if you want to go that route, here is a listing (and Amazon link to) every single collection, in order of publication:

BLTs Taste So Darn Good (published 2003)

This Little Piggy Stayed Home (published 2004)

Nighthogs (published 2005)

The Ratvolution Will Not Be Televised (published 2006)

Da Brudderhood of Zeeba Zeeba Eata (published 2007)

The Sopratos (published 2007)

Macho Macho Animals (published 2008)

The Saturday Evening Pearls (published 2009)

50,000,000 Pearls Fans Can’t Be Wrong (published 2010)

When Pigs Fly (published 2010)

Larry in Wonderland (published 2011)

Because Sometimes You Just Gotta Draw a Cover With Your Left Hand (published 2012)

Unsportsmanlike Conduct (published 2013)

Rat’s Wars (published 2013)

And now I am going off to celebrate Pearls 12th anniversary as any cartoonist would.

By drawing more strips.

Lock Up Your Valuables — I’m Coming To Your Town (UPDATED)

The Timmy Failure/Pearls tour is just around the corner!  Including my first trips ever to the states of Indiana, Michigan, and Florida.

See dates and locations below!

Saturday, 3/1/14, 2 p.m. – Andersons Bookshop, 123 West Jefferson, Naperville, IL 60540

http://www.andersonsbookshop.com/

Sunday, 3/2/14, 2 p.m. – Indianapolis Central Library, 40 E St Clair St, Indianapolis, IN  with Kids Ink Bookstore

http://www.imcpl.org/

Thursday, 3/6/14, 7 p.m. – Nicola’s Bookstore, 2513 Jackson Ave Ann Arbor, MI 48103

http://www.nicolasbooks.com/

Saturday, 3/15/14, 2:45 p.m. – Southwest Florida Reading Festival, Harborside Event Center & Centennial Park, Fort Myers River District, Fort Myers, FL

http://readfest.org/

Sunday, 3/16/14, 2 p.m. – Books & Books, 265 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables, FL

www.booksandbooks.com

So come on out and meet me, and see if I’m as annoying as you’d assume.  And bring beer (although I’m not supposed to tell you that, because my kids book publisher gets mad when I do).  So hush hush on the beer.

And wear clothes.

Sincerely,

Stephan “Soon to be Sleeping on Your Couch” Pastis

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Lock Up Your Valuables — I’m Coming To Your Town

The Stephan tour begins again!  Including my first trips ever to the states of Indiana, Michigan, and Florida.

See dates and locations below!

Saturday, 3/1/14, 2 p.m. – Andersons Bookshop, 123 West Jefferson, Naperville, IL 60540

http://www.andersonsbookshop.com/

Sunday, 3/2/14, 2 p.m. – Indianapolis Central Library, 40 E St Clair St, Indianapolis, IN  with Kids Ink Bookstore

http://www.imcpl.org/

Thursday, 3/6/14, 7 p.m. – Nicola’s Bookstore, 2513 Jackson Ave Ann Arbor, MI 48103

http://www.nicolasbooks.com/

Saturday, 3/15/14 – Southwest Florida Reading Festival, Harborside Event Center & Centennial Park, Fort Myers River District, Fort Myers, FL

http://readfest.org/

Sunday, 3/16/14, 2 p.m. – Books & Books, 265 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables, FL

www.booksandbooks.com

So come on out and meet me, and see if I’m as annoying as you’d assume.  And bring beer (although I’m not supposed to tell you that, because my kids book publisher gets mad when I do).  So hush hush on the beer.

And wear clothes.

Sincerely,

Stephan “Soon to be Sleeping on Your Couch” Pastis

 

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Dilbert Creator Scott Adams and Me Go Head-to-Head, and It Does Not End Well for One of Us

As some of you might know, I owe my whole career to Dilbert creator Scott Adams, who way back in 2000 told all of his fans to go read Pearls.  It was at that point that Pearls took off.

So when Scott called a few weeks ago and asked if I’d film a video with him, I jumped at the chance.  I got to spend the entire day at his house filming, and afterwards, I drank every bottle of vodka he had.  So it was a win-win for me.  Plus, I got to say, “F#ck you, Scott” in the video.

Behold, the result of that fine day:

 

Your Christmas Just Got Brighter, or Perhaps Dimmer

Just in time for your Christmas needs….

I just signed a whole bunch of Pearls books and drew a character in each at my local Copperfield’s Books in Petaluma, California. Included in the bunch are some of the newest book, Rat’s Wars.

To order one, call (707) 762-0563 and they will ship them to you.  But call now because they tend to go fast. 

 

Ohio! California! And I Know, I Know, I Don’t Blog Enough

All apologies for my lack of blogging.  The time I used to have for it has been eaten up by my writing of the Timmy Failure book series, which is now in its 23rd week on the NY Times bestsellers list and extended bestsellers list (alright, a little boastful, but I’m giddy).

The other thing that has been taking up all my time is the constant travel, as I now tour for Timmy and Pearls about four weeks a year.

But the good news is that I will hopefully be coming to your town soon (or perhaps that’s the bad news).  So look to this space, where I’ll be posting a whole bunch of 2014 tour dates soon.

Along those lines, I have two final appearance dates in 2013.

The first is here in Northern California!  I’ll be appearing in my hometown of Santa Rosa, California, at Santa Rosa High School (1235 Mendocino Ave.) on Wednesday, November 6, at 7 pm.  The event is free, and I will be signing books after.  The audience will be invited to ask embarrassing questions.  And that’s an opportunity you can’t pass up.

AND, I will be appearing at Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday, November 16 at 2 pm.  If you want to go to that event, tickets go on sale HERE tomorrow (Nov. 1) at 10 am EST.  So if you live in Ohio and want to go, you need to call right at 10 am tomorrow, because there are very few tickets still available.  (I’m sorry!)

Clothing required for all events.

Thanks,

Stephan

Ooooooooklahoma, Where The Stephan Comes Signing All His Books

I am making my first trip ever to Oklahoma, where I’ll be speaking and signing books along with Diary of a Wimpy Kid creator Jeff Kinney, Captain Underpants creator Dav Pilkey, and Big Nate creator Lincoln Peirce.  All proceeds will benefit the libraries damaged in the May, 2013 tornadoes.

I’ll be in Tulsa on September 27, and Norman on September 28!

For more info, click HERE.

 

http://www.drawntogetherbenefit.org/

More Signed Timmy Books

In honor of my new kids book Timmy Failure spending its sixth week on the New York Times Bestsellers list, I just went to my local independent bookstore, Copperfield’s Books, and signed a whole bunch MORE Timmy books (and drew Timmy or Total in each of them). To get a signed book, just call 707 578-8938.

And remember:  When I die, they’ll be worth serious cash.

Signed Timmy Books (with drawings in each)

In honor of my new kids book Timmy Failure rising to No. 2 on the National Indie Bestseller List, I just went to my local independent bookstore, Copperfield’s Books, and signed a whole bunch of Timmy books (and drew Timmy in each of them). To get a signed book, just call 707 578-8938.

But call soon, as they always seem to run out.

 

California Dreaming: More Timmy/Pearls Tour Dates

Just got a list of more Timmy/Pearls tour dates.

The good news:  I may be coming to your town!

The bad news:  Only if that town is in California!

Hey, it’s only fair.  Because for reasons unknown, I have shorted my own home state when it comes to touring.

But no more.

So behold!  Four more Timmy tour dates for San Diego, Los Angeles, San Jose, and Petaluma (and yes, they will be selling Pearls books at each stop as well, which I will also be signing!):

 

Wednesday, April 17,  7:00 pm

Warwick’s, 7812 Girard Avenue, La Jolla, California

 

Saturday, April 20, 11:00 am

Los Angeles Times Book Festival, University of Southern California campus

 

Sunday, April 21, 2:00 pm

Hicklebee’s Bookstore, 1378 Lincoln Ave., San Jose, California

 

Friday, May 3, 7:00 pm

Copperfield’s Books, 140 Kentucky Street, Petaluma, California

 

And if I haven’t yet come to your town, don’t lose faith.  Because there are more Timmy and Pearls tours to come! (And I only get more attractive with age.)