If you see Family Fun's October issue on newsstands, thumb through to see their nice shout-out to Annie Was Warned and other great Halloween titles. Thank you, Family Fun!!!
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Annie Was Warned in Family Fun
If you see Family Fun's October issue on newsstands, thumb through to see their nice shout-out to Annie Was Warned and other great Halloween titles. Thank you, Family Fun!!!
getting the perfect author photo
Punk Farm on Tour is in stores 4 weeks from today! I'll finally be able to talk about the production of the book here on the ol' blog. And since I still don't want to spill too many beans, I'd like to talk about the author photo. With Punk Farm, I asked my buddy John McNeil to take the picture (my friends like having their names in the back of the books) and we spent a few hours in a petting zoo with some very uncooperative sheep and goats. But in the end, we got this really funny picture of me trying to look tough, holding a guitar with some farm animals. Perfect - it's Punk Farm!
So now - Punk Farm on Tour - I'm thinking BIGGER! So I start to ask around..."Does anyone have any cows I could use?" Sure enough, my sister Maura works for a farm stand and our father knows the owner. So they both check in and sure enough, they say, "Yeah, we have cows you can use!" Awesome! So now it's my friend Milmoe's turn to get his name in the back of the book. (You may know him as "the boyfriend" from Page by Page.) For whatever reason, Milmoe has decided to grow a full-out mustache. No offense to those out there who are mustached, but there's something odd about a mustache on a 25 year old guy. He is also wearing these ridiculous jeans that have a big rip on the back, upper leg. Milmoe has no shame. I should also mention that Milmoe took it upon himself to bring a fake sword and other odd props in case they were needed.
We turn up to the farm, Milmoe with his sword and mustache, me with my brother's guitar...and we knock on the door. No one answers, but from what I understand, they were told we'd be by...to take pictures with their cows. We're looking around and can't figure out how to get to where the cows were. That's when an old farmer approaches us.
"Can I help you boys?" he asks. (I remember this as him having a shot gun, even though that wasn't the case.)
"Uh...hi! Yeah, we're uhm....here to take pictures with your cows...."
Blank stare.
"My father said he had called..."
More blank staring...
"You see...I write children's books...and I have this book with farm animals who play music..."
"Oh, I see. Maybe yer father talked to my son. That's OK then. 'Cuz I was looking out the window and I said to myself, 'There are two guys walkin' around the back yard, one has a sword, one's carryin' a fiddle...something just ain't right about this...' But it's OK, go around that fence down there and walk down the path, you'll find some cows. Just don't approach them too quickly, they're shy."
Phew! Milmoe and I make our way down this path. And then a pasture - full of cows. The promise land!
Something we learned that day - cows are not cooperative. Another thing, no matter how hard I try to look tough, it just comes across as Zoolanderish. Here's how the rest of the day went...
First the cows were weirded out by us and wouldn't go anywhere near us. They hadn't accepted us yet as one of their own. We would need to be all Gorillas-in-the-midst...
When we did get close enough to one of them...
They would bolt! Cows can run fast!
I got a little carried away...
This guy scared the crap out of me. I had a tree picked out that I would run to and climb up if he decided to come charging...
For whatever reason, I always feel that jumping will make a cool picture...
Cows began to trust us...and then...
We got the perfect photo... here it is the Punk Farm on Tour author photo.
Big thanks to Mr. Christopher Milmoe for his photography skills and a great morning acclimating to cow culture.
And a HUGE thanks to Carter and Stevens Farm for letting us use their cows!
So now - Punk Farm on Tour - I'm thinking BIGGER! So I start to ask around..."Does anyone have any cows I could use?" Sure enough, my sister Maura works for a farm stand and our father knows the owner. So they both check in and sure enough, they say, "Yeah, we have cows you can use!" Awesome! So now it's my friend Milmoe's turn to get his name in the back of the book. (You may know him as "the boyfriend" from Page by Page.) For whatever reason, Milmoe has decided to grow a full-out mustache. No offense to those out there who are mustached, but there's something odd about a mustache on a 25 year old guy. He is also wearing these ridiculous jeans that have a big rip on the back, upper leg. Milmoe has no shame. I should also mention that Milmoe took it upon himself to bring a fake sword and other odd props in case they were needed.
We turn up to the farm, Milmoe with his sword and mustache, me with my brother's guitar...and we knock on the door. No one answers, but from what I understand, they were told we'd be by...to take pictures with their cows. We're looking around and can't figure out how to get to where the cows were. That's when an old farmer approaches us.
"Can I help you boys?" he asks. (I remember this as him having a shot gun, even though that wasn't the case.)
"Uh...hi! Yeah, we're uhm....here to take pictures with your cows...."
Blank stare.
"My father said he had called..."
More blank staring...
"You see...I write children's books...and I have this book with farm animals who play music..."
"Oh, I see. Maybe yer father talked to my son. That's OK then. 'Cuz I was looking out the window and I said to myself, 'There are two guys walkin' around the back yard, one has a sword, one's carryin' a fiddle...something just ain't right about this...' But it's OK, go around that fence down there and walk down the path, you'll find some cows. Just don't approach them too quickly, they're shy."
Phew! Milmoe and I make our way down this path. And then a pasture - full of cows. The promise land!
Something we learned that day - cows are not cooperative. Another thing, no matter how hard I try to look tough, it just comes across as Zoolanderish. Here's how the rest of the day went...
First the cows were weirded out by us and wouldn't go anywhere near us. They hadn't accepted us yet as one of their own. We would need to be all Gorillas-in-the-midst...When we did get close enough to one of them...They would bolt! Cows can run fast!I got a little carried away...This guy scared the crap out of me. I had a tree picked out that I would run to and climb up if he decided to come charging...For whatever reason, I always feel that jumping will make a cool picture...Cows began to trust us...and then...We got the perfect photo... here it is the Punk Farm on Tour author photo.Big thanks to Mr. Christopher Milmoe for his photography skills and a great morning acclimating to cow culture.
And a HUGE thanks to Carter and Stevens Farm for letting us use their cows!
Friday, September 07, 2007
spotty posting
Hey gang- Sorry I've been MIA lately. The wedding is FAST approaching (3 weeks from tomorrow!) and life is just getting hectic. I've been busy these days working on my next literary offering and preparing for the release of Punk Farm on Tour, which will be out SOON (1 month and 2 days!) I stopped by my pal Mark Lynch's radio show Inquiry a few days ago (look for that interview in the near future) and recorded a podcast with the good people over at Bright Horizons for their ultra-cool Virtual BookFair that is coming up.
Expect info soon on a full out Punk Farm on Tour Tour. For now, save these dates-
****please note revised dates***
Tuesday Oct. 23 6 PM Worcester, MA - B&N Lincoln Sq
Thursday Oct. 25 Natick, MA - Natick Organic Community Farm via Wellesley BookSmith
Saturday Nov. 3. Delaware Book Festival
And while the wedding is on my mind, I leave you with this...
...let's hope this doesn't happen to us!
Expect info soon on a full out Punk Farm on Tour Tour. For now, save these dates-
****please note revised dates***
Tuesday Oct. 23 6 PM Worcester, MA - B&N Lincoln Sq
Thursday Oct. 25 Natick, MA - Natick Organic Community Farm via Wellesley BookSmith
Saturday Nov. 3. Delaware Book Festival
And while the wedding is on my mind, I leave you with this...
...let's hope this doesn't happen to us!
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Studio JJK has a MySpace
Hello to all of you out there on the MySpace. I just started a page for Studio JJK. I created a page for Punk Farm back in early '05 (www.myspace.com/punkfarm) to promote that book to the non-children's book world and since then, the children's book world is all over MySpace. So I figured it was high time that I create an author page for myself.
You can connect with me and my books over at www.myspace.com/studiojjk.
You can connect with me and my books over at www.myspace.com/studiojjk.
CWIM
Hey gang-
The latest edition of Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market just came out. If you get a chance to pick it up, look for my article. I wrote an entry on effectively promoting your work on the web and I talk about my experience with my own website's evolution over the years. There are a ton of great articles (like the one by my pal Justina Chen Headley) and interviews (like the ones with my homies Mo Willems and Matt Phelan) in the '08 book.
The latest edition of Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market just came out. If you get a chance to pick it up, look for my article. I wrote an entry on effectively promoting your work on the web and I talk about my experience with my own website's evolution over the years. There are a ton of great articles (like the one by my pal Justina Chen Headley) and interviews (like the ones with my homies Mo Willems and Matt Phelan) in the '08 book.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Keene State Owl Project
This has been on my list of things to do for quite some time now. Keene State holds a great Children's Literature Festival every year. They also house an impressive amount of original artwork from picture books. In support of that, they asked picture book artists to create an original piece on an owl, the school's mascot. Here is my entry:
Friday, August 17, 2007
Robert's Snow '07
Robert's Snow is back and before you know it, there will be exhibits of the snowflakes and eBay bidding wars! The Dana Farber has the reigns now and it feels a bit odd not meeting with Grace and the gang to plan the parties and details, but it's great to know that the project is able to soldier on! I just finished my snowflake, the paint has just dried. I'll post the front now, but I'm going to wait to reveal the back of the snowflake until Punk Farm on Tour's on sale date gets closer! Here it is - my 2007 Robert's Snow snowflake. Start telling your friends, spread the word and let's make a ton of money for the Dana Farber Cancer Research Institute this year!
The Society of Illustrators
I just got word that Punk Farm on Tour will be included in the Society of Illustarors' "The Original Art" exhibit. This is a huge honor. Especially because - I have been rejected from this show every year that I have had a book published. And some years, I had two books up for consideration!
Every previous year, I waited anxiously to hear about my inclusion in the show, only to find out that others had already heard back weeks earlier. But this year, it completely slipped my mind and I was really taken by surprise when the phone call came in that Punk Farm on Tour made it into the show. With all that has been going on with me (wedding in 6 weeks, moving, deadlines, stress in general) I had completely forgotten about the show.
I've made it to a few of the openings before and I'll look forward to the end of October to make it into the city to see this year's show. And if you're wondering what that's like, imagine all of your favorite illustrators, their friends and family members, editors, art directors, designers and agents in a room about the size of a large hallway, all cramming in to see the art, well at least to hob knob amongst the art.
I am so excited that my work will be there this year and I really can't wait for all of you to see the art in this new book of mine, be it in person at the show or printed in the book!
Every previous year, I waited anxiously to hear about my inclusion in the show, only to find out that others had already heard back weeks earlier. But this year, it completely slipped my mind and I was really taken by surprise when the phone call came in that Punk Farm on Tour made it into the show. With all that has been going on with me (wedding in 6 weeks, moving, deadlines, stress in general) I had completely forgotten about the show.
I've made it to a few of the openings before and I'll look forward to the end of October to make it into the city to see this year's show. And if you're wondering what that's like, imagine all of your favorite illustrators, their friends and family members, editors, art directors, designers and agents in a room about the size of a large hallway, all cramming in to see the art, well at least to hob knob amongst the art.
I am so excited that my work will be there this year and I really can't wait for all of you to see the art in this new book of mine, be it in person at the show or printed in the book!
Monday, August 06, 2007
Punk Farm interview on Bottom Shelf Books
Hey everyone-
I decided to let the press speak to Punk Farm. (This could be dangerous - they are loose cannons!) They have a new book coming out, plus a new single, and I thought it high time they get out and do some interviews. They spoke with Cluck Roosterman over at the Bottom Shelf Books Blog. Check it out here - http://bottomshelfbooks.blogspot.com.
This will be the first of many - the gang will be heading out on a full out blog tour this October.
I decided to let the press speak to Punk Farm. (This could be dangerous - they are loose cannons!) They have a new book coming out, plus a new single, and I thought it high time they get out and do some interviews. They spoke with Cluck Roosterman over at the Bottom Shelf Books Blog. Check it out here - http://bottomshelfbooks.blogspot.com.
This will be the first of many - the gang will be heading out on a full out blog tour this October.
Goodbye, Pac-Man
2002-2007After some good old fashioned Craigslist bartering, Mr. Pac-Man was put on a pick up truck and taken away. It all happened in slow motion, while Boyz II Men's "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" played loftily in the background. A montage of power pellets, cherries, Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde...fade to black...and then.....this sound.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
My Buddy, Mayor Menino
I had the pleasure of meeting Boston's Mayor Menino last week and the honor of receiving a pretty nifty crystal bowl in honor of My Buddy, Slug's win for Best Read Aloud Book by the ReadBoston program.
Here are some pictures from the day:
It's not everyday that you get to read your children's book as an elected official reads along!
To readers in Boston: keep your eyes open for the Slug Reading Van. I donated this painting to the ReadBoston program and he'll be making the rounds all across the city this summer!
Here are some pictures from the day:
It's not everyday that you get to read your children's book as an elected official reads along!To readers in Boston: keep your eyes open for the Slug Reading Van. I donated this painting to the ReadBoston program and he'll be making the rounds all across the city this summer!
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Own Original Art from JJK Books
Have you ever wanted to own an original painting from Baghead or Annie Was Warned? Well, now may be your chance. For the first time, I am opening up a limited amount of original works from my books for sale.
To inquire on a specific painting (page from a book), please contact Gina at gina at studiojjk dot com for information on availability and price.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
ReadBoston Award presentation
Hey Bostonians - If you are around this Thursday at 11 AM, come by the TADpole playground. I'll be presented the ReadBoston Award by Mayor Menino himself and be giving a reading of My Buddy, Slug.
And maybe...maybe I'll have a copy of Punk Farm on Tour to read as well...
And maybe...maybe I'll have a copy of Punk Farm on Tour to read as well...
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Mr. DiTerlizzi blogs!
My good pal Tony DiTerlizzi is blogging!!! www.diterlizzi.com/blog
In his inaugural post, he talks about the birth of his beautiful daughter Sophia. It is a must read! T also has posts on books that inspired him as a kid and he's posted some childhood drawings.
So bookmark it and go back again and again! I'm excited to see what posts will come.
And while I'm on the subject of Mr. DiTerlizzi, check out the teaser trailer for The Spiderwick Chronicles movie!!!! Be prepared.... you will need to pick up your jaw off the floor once you have watched!
http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809761950/video/3298719
In his inaugural post, he talks about the birth of his beautiful daughter Sophia. It is a must read! T also has posts on books that inspired him as a kid and he's posted some childhood drawings.
So bookmark it and go back again and again! I'm excited to see what posts will come.
And while I'm on the subject of Mr. DiTerlizzi, check out the teaser trailer for The Spiderwick Chronicles movie!!!! Be prepared.... you will need to pick up your jaw off the floor once you have watched!
http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809761950/video/3298719
Shenandoah was a blast
A long delayed thank you to all of the educators who came out to the Shenandoah University Children's Literature Festival a few weeks back. I had a great time there and it was a top notch operation! They blasted music from Punk Farm (complete with impromptu strobe lights) and even had a giant pink monkey recreating scenes from Good Night, Monkey Boy for a very dramatic introduction. My speech could only bring everything downhill from there...
And check out this banner. It was made by a kid! Incredible, huh? They had a banner for each speaker, all made by kids. I think I'll be out of a job soon...
And check out this banner. It was made by a kid! Incredible, huh? They had a banner for each speaker, all made by kids. I think I'll be out of a job soon...
Monday, June 18, 2007
deadlines, working on projects, etc
Hey all-
I apologize for the lack of posting lately. I have been working on rough drafts and deadlines for new projects and preparations for the publication of this fall's Punk Farm on Tour. I'll be heading out on the road in November to give readings and signings up and down the Eastern seaboard - yes, it will be the Punk Farm on Tour Tour.
I have also been working on settling in to my new studio and home. Once the new studio is fully operational, I will be giving this blog much more attention.
ATTN: schools: G and I are planning school visits for the 07-08 school season. If you're interested in finding out more about what goes down in a JJK school visit, please click here for information and click here for pictures. To schedule a visit, you can e-mail Gina here - gina at studiojjk dot com. (That's internet jargon to protect her e-mail inbox from getting flooded with spam.)
Over and out for now!
Jarrett
I apologize for the lack of posting lately. I have been working on rough drafts and deadlines for new projects and preparations for the publication of this fall's Punk Farm on Tour. I'll be heading out on the road in November to give readings and signings up and down the Eastern seaboard - yes, it will be the Punk Farm on Tour Tour.
I have also been working on settling in to my new studio and home. Once the new studio is fully operational, I will be giving this blog much more attention.
ATTN: schools: G and I are planning school visits for the 07-08 school season. If you're interested in finding out more about what goes down in a JJK school visit, please click here for information and click here for pictures. To schedule a visit, you can e-mail Gina here - gina at studiojjk dot com. (That's internet jargon to protect her e-mail inbox from getting flooded with spam.)
Over and out for now!
Jarrett
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Indie Kids Rock - interview
Hey gang,
Yosi over at Indie Kids Rock just did a nice little interview with me about Punk Farm and some other topics. Check it out here.
And while you're there, check out the other cool interviews he has with artists who are creating cool stuff for cool kids.
Thanks Yosi!
Yosi over at Indie Kids Rock just did a nice little interview with me about Punk Farm and some other topics. Check it out here.
And while you're there, check out the other cool interviews he has with artists who are creating cool stuff for cool kids.
Thanks Yosi!
Chicago Tribune Printer's Row Book Fair
G and I had a great time out in Chicago last weekend at the Chicago Tribune Printer's Row Book Fair. There were books for miles! As far as the eye could see! After I read, Justin Roberts & the Not Ready for Naptime Players took the stage and rocked out. If you're looking for cool kids' music, definitely check them out!
Here's a pic of my reading-
Thank you to everyone who came out to the Book Fair!
Here's a pic of my reading-
Thank you to everyone who came out to the Book Fair!
Sunday, June 03, 2007
BEA recap
I had a great time at the Book Expo America conference. Thank you to everyone who came by to get an autographed copy of Punk Farm on Tour. It just got me pumped for the release of the book and now I need to wait another 4 months before that happens!
Too many shout-outs to too many people that I saw, spoke to and hung out with to list here. There were lots of familiar faces from book tours past, author/illustrator pals both old and new, editorial/publishing peeps and librarian/blogger friends for as as far as the eye could see.
I only wish that I could have stayed longer. And when I was at JFK airport for a 9 hour flight delay - I really wished that I had been able to stick around longer! Yes, a 9 hour delay for a 30 minute flight for a drive that takes about 4 hours. Good old Boston weather kept us at bay!
Oh well. I returned home safely and am now back in the studio working on my next top secret project...
Too many shout-outs to too many people that I saw, spoke to and hung out with to list here. There were lots of familiar faces from book tours past, author/illustrator pals both old and new, editorial/publishing peeps and librarian/blogger friends for as as far as the eye could see.
I only wish that I could have stayed longer. And when I was at JFK airport for a 9 hour flight delay - I really wished that I had been able to stick around longer! Yes, a 9 hour delay for a 30 minute flight for a drive that takes about 4 hours. Good old Boston weather kept us at bay!
Oh well. I returned home safely and am now back in the studio working on my next top secret project...
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