David Lubar's Blog, page 9

Pepper Weenies kick Percy Jackson's butt in Colorado!

The Battle of the Red Hot Pepper Weenies was Runner Up for the Colorado Children's Book Award. (If the subject of this blog strikes you as hyperbole, bear in mind you can't kick butt from in front. You have to strike from behind -- unless you can perform some sort of spectacular balletic kick like Bruce Lee or Jaden Smith. Having met Rick Riordan, albeit only once and only briefly, I suspect he's more likely to be amused than offended by the headline.) I'm thrilled, because it is rare enough for a story collection to get nominated for a state award. It's wonderful to come in second. This means that a lot of kids liked the book. Here's the banner that hung from the hotel balcony during the Colorado Council IRA conference:



This nice news arrived with perfect timing for the early days of Short Fiction Appreciation Month. There'll be lots more SFAM-related news in the coming days, along with all sorts of amazing stuff I haven't thought up yet but am sure I will.

SFAM!

May is short-fiction appreciation month. I'll be posting all sorts of short-fiction related entries here, as soon as I figure out what they would be, and how to keep the whole thing from looking too much like a prolonged pitch for Attack of the Vampire Weenies and Other Warped and Creepy Tales, while still managing to do a prolonged pitch for Attack of the Vampire Weenies and Other Warped and Creepy Tales,, which happens to contain some entertaining short fiction.

I just hope I can make the content interesting enough to assure the continued participation of the Russian spammers who find my posts so useful and leave such intriguing comments.

Restraining order

Apparently, I am able to exercise far more restraint than I thought possible. I figured I'd have already made three or four devilishly clever blog posts, building up excitment and anticipation for the new book, with photos, videos, and maybe even some sort of contest. I think the truth is that my ambition is no match for my laziness. To paraphrase a famous quote, I love having written but loathe having to promote.

Barrage mechanics

We're one month away from the launch of Attack of the Vampire Weenies and Other Warped and Creepy Tales. (Actually, yesterday marked the true month-away point, but people seemed to be preoccupied with chocolate eggs and fancy hats on Sunday, so I figured I'd hold off for a bit.) This is the first book release in several years that hasn't happened while I've been traveling. It's also my only book this year. So I really should be doing all sorts of promotional stuff, using the vast power of the Internet to spread the word. Unfortuantely, I haven't really given this much thought. I'm badly unprepared. Which doesn't mean I'm not willing and eager to promote the heck out of it. I just have no idea what to do. (Happily, my publisher is much more organized. They're doing all sorts of stuff.) But, still, I feel I should be posting videos of myself parachuting from bridges, giving away pints of my blood in decorative bottles, or guest blogging at some high-visibility spots. The ideal strategy remains elusive. Suggestions are welcome.

Eight days in April

After a month filled with travel (Indiana, South Carolina, New Jersey), I am in the middle of an eight-day stretch at home. It feels strange, each evening, when I realize I don't have to pack a suitcase or program my GPS for the next morning. Coincidentally, I am also in the middle of the last eight days remaining before my next manuscript is due. Fortunately, things are in good shape. The contract is still making its way through the labyrinth, so I'll hold off on the details until everyone has signed off on it, but I'm definitely excited with what I have on hand. I test drove the title at some schools, and it met with an enthusiastic response.

This is going to be a very busy year. Looking ahead, there are a lot of potentailly awesome sequels hitting the shelves, including versions of Infamous, Prototype, Gears of War, and Uncharted. Thanks goodness the economy has maimed the school-visit business badly enough so I get to stay at home and play. (Though, if you're looking for an author, I can tear myself away from the consoles for a bit.)

Ender's Game Game?

I was just scanning through PSP releases on Metacritic, and saw Ender's Game: Battle Room, (title pending) with no release date. The developer was listed as Chair Entertainment (the folks who did Shadow Complex for XBox Live Arcade). I hope they pull it off. The battle room scenes in Ender's Game seem an ideal spine on which to build a game. I didn't check to see if there are versions for other platforms.

In other news, I'll be signing a contract this week for a couple books. I prefer not to share details until everyone has signed off, but I think my readers will be pleased.

Blog post

Apparently, I don't have much to say.

There once was a poet from Philly...

It's national poetry month. In recongition of this, I ask:

What rhymes with "April"?

Various unrelated media stuff

Books: I finished Downtown Owl. I was signing books at BEA a year or two ago, and saw that Chuck Closterman, whose Esquire columns I enjoy, was also there, just five or six lanes away from me, so I snagged a copy. Good read.

Games: Angry Birds is available on the PSP for 3 or 4 dollars. Worth the investment? (My phone is 6 years old, so I don't do apps.)

Games, part 2: Infamous 2 comes out June 7th. Squee. (Yes, I squeed. The first game was that good, and there hasn't been much out recently to get excited about, other than Tactics, Ogre. After the deep letdown of PS3 Move Heroes, I'm just hoping not to get my soul crushed again.)

Video: We have all of Nurse Jackie, Season 2, in our hands. Time for a marathon this weekend.

Blogged down

I just noticed it's been a whole week since I posted anything. I wonder if I can stretch it to two weeks? Yeah -- that's what I'll do. No posts for another week.

Wait.. Oops. I think I just blew it.