Sunday, October 18, 2009

Number nine...number nine...number nine...


Hooray! "The Runaway Mummy" hits #9 on The New York Times Bestseller List on 10/25. Thanks to everyone who has made this happen!---Mike

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Hello Again

Has it really been over a month? I've been very busy doing a few things...on September 8 I started my fourth year teaching ceramics at Lehman High School. At night, and on weekends I've been wrapping up my next book, "Furious George Goes Bananas." Two nights a week I attend Grad School, and I've been out doing signings and readings on the weekends.
Busy isn't the word.

And for no real reason, he's a quick little drawing of some zombie kids.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Drawing in the car


Back from a week in the Catskills where I did very little drawing but did manage to get some writing done. Flipping through an old sketchbook I saw this one and really liked it. This was done while sitting in my car in the driveway while I let the boys nap a bit. They had fallen asleep during a long drive, and I knew that trying to move them from the car to their beds would be wake them, so I drew instead. These little car naps can be very productive if you're prepared!

Thursday, August 20, 2009

THE RUNAWAY MUMMY-In Stores Today


My 2009 title, "The Runaway Mummy: A Petrifying Parody" officially hits retail today. I'm very happy with this one, and hope that it can capture the same audience that embraced "Goodnight Goon."

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Watercolor astronaut


Again, more of my pen and ink/watercolor experiments. I think that this was the first one that I drew. Perhaps the under-drawing is too strong in this one, but I like the line, and the energy. It's a good direction, and once I complete my next project, I hope to persue this style and make it work.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Just to be fair...


Here's a nice picture of Gavin, my younger son. For no good reason at all.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Happy Graduation!


My son Declan graduated from Pre-School today. He'll be going to Kindergarten in September. We're proud of you, buddy!

Thursday, August 13, 2009

More Caveman Stuff


Here's another of my loose pen and ink/watercolor drawings. Again, I'm very happy with this one, but wonder if others will see it as free and spirited, or rushed and sloppy. It's a fine line to walk, but I feel that I'm getting there. Click to see it bigger!

Monday, August 10, 2009

Sketchbook Monsters


Here's a pair that made me laugh. Click on them to see them more closely.

Sunday, August 9, 2009

BookTowne, NJ!





A big Thank You to everyone at BookTowne in Manasquan NJ. It was a beautiful day, and a great way to launch "The Runaway Mummy!" And thanks for everyone who stopped by to buy a book, or just to say hello.

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Book Signing, Manasquan NJ


I will be at the wonderful Booktowne book store in Manasquan NJ, on Saturday Aug. 8, from 12:00-2:00. Feel free to come on down and say hello. I'm hoping they will have copies of The Runaway Mummy for sale, even though it's not officially out until Aug. 20.---Mike

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

The Runaway Mummy-Review


I recieved a very good review in the current issue of Publisher's Weekly. They really understood what we were going for with this book.

PW Review

Sunday, August 2, 2009

More watercolor work


As I mentioned in an earlier post, I'd really like to change the way I complete my drawings. On one hand, I'd like to go all digital, like the robot drawing from last week. On the other hand, I'd like to stop using the computer all together. I have nothing against it, I'm just looking for a more immediate, hands-on style. Here's a drawing of a boy and a little monster doing a dance. The monster is too dark. I was using Dr. Martin's concentrated water colors, and man, they are rich. Next time I'll thin it out a bit. I'm pretty happy with the line, and I even like the pencil line visable underneath. There's a sense of process there that gets lost in digital work.

Friday, July 31, 2009

Food Fun


Here's a face that was made at dinner by the boys with some help from me and mommy. Mixed media; asparagus, bottle caps, grapes, tortilla.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Caveman, Part 2


Thinking the caveman idea through, it dawned upon me that the title might be the character's name. In this case, the caveman is called Peaches. Because he loves peaches. And it's absolutely the wrong thing to call a caveman. I'm finally writing this now, and think that it might be solid enough to move forward with and pitch to an editor.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Ideas and Covers


People often ask about how I get my ideas. I'm not too sure, they seem to come in all different ways. However, one thing I like to do is create covers for titles that I come up with. Many times I have a title for years before I am able to match a story to it. I like drawing cavemen, and have wanted to do a caveman book for a while. This title was rolling around in my head, trying to get put on some paper, so I decided to do a little sketch for it. It made me chuckle, and I'd love to see it on a bookshelf. Since I drew this, the idea has taken off in a different direction. I'll post that tom'w.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Goodnight Goon/The Runaway Mummy


Here's my two latest on view at the San Diego Comic-Con. Right down there to the left, under that Star Wars thingy...I kinda feel like I've got Yoda watching out for me.

What's Funnier, Part 2


So I re-drew the doctor image and added piles of research materials, made the man's condition worse (his hair!), and added a window with a dark sky to show that brave Dr. Ralph will work all night if he has to! I like them both, and both have their strong points, but I've never been able to figure out which one was funnier.

Monday, July 27, 2009

What's Funnier?


Today I'm going to post a drawing from a book that I never got off the ground. The idea is that this little dog, Ralph, can do anything. In this picture, he is a doctor, and trying to figure out this man's strange disease. After I drew this, I thought that I didn't go far enough, so I redrew it again. I will post that tom'w.

Friday, July 24, 2009

For Tim...


In honor of my editor Tim running around in San Diego at ComiCon, while I'm here in NY trying to get a book done for him, I am posting an all digital Cantina Band Member from Star Wars.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

My boys like blocks...


So much for keeping this just about my work...We've been building block towers lately, and the boys were very proud of this one. In fact, it stayed up for two day, as opposed to the usual two hours. It was right in front of the couch, and made watching tv very difficult. Declan is on the left, he'll be five in October, and Gavin turned three in May.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Sketchbook...


Here's a small sketch of the house across the street from mine. I've been carrying a small sketchbook with me everyday for the last year, and have found it great fro my writing. The drawings aren't always fantastic, but I like this one. Quick and to the point.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Digital Art


Over the years, I've been messing around with all digital art. I'm happy with most results, I just don't always have a project that fits the style. One of these days I'll either go all digital, or scrap the computer all together. All I know is that after my 2010 title, I want to change my style drastically. The little moon is a scanned in tortilla.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Goodnight Goon


As "Goodnight Goon" approaches its 1st birthday, I'd like to thank everybody for making the book such a hit. It spent nine weeks on the NY Times Bestseller's List, eventually hitting #1 for two weeks. Thanks to the booksellers, everyone at Putnam, fans, friends, and family.---Mike

New Project


I turned in sketches today for an Eve Bunting book that I'm illustrating called "My Dog Jack is Fat." Here's Jack, trying to get some exercise.

Article on Children's Parodies


Publishers Weekly wrote an interesting article on children's book parodies. "The Runaway Mummy," which comes out August 20, is featured.

PW ARTICLE

It's odd to think that I may have created a genre.

Not So Evil Empire


This was taken at Book Expo America (BEA) on May 30. I took the picture, I am not one of the troopers.

1,300 Signed Books


On June 29, I signed 650 copies of "Goodnight Goon," and 650 copies of "The Runaway Mummy." These will be sold exclusively at Toys R Us. On July 10, I was able to use my hand again.

Welcome

Hello. Just a quick post to get this rolling. See you soon.---Mike