Many folks have asked me how I got my book deal. Basically, a literary agent came out of nowhere after seeing my art on Facebook, asked if she could represent me, pretty much wrote the proposal, and pitched it to a bunch of big New York publishers in person. I know. If ever there was a "must be nice," this is it. And it's completely unhelpful for anyone looking to land a book deal of their own. But that's not really the full story. The real story is a bit longer and a lot more useful. It starts about ten years ago during Kim's lunch break when she was still teaching kindergarten. She …
Archives for January 2015
Where’s Your Secret Hideout?
Superman has his Fortress of Solitude. Batman has the Batcave. For my wife, it's the bathtub. My dad's is his workshop. Mine is my studio. Or Barnes & Noble. Yours might look like a nature preserve, a scrapbooking nook, or a fishing boat. I'm talking about secret hideouts. A secret hideout is a place you go to recharge, reflect, or just disappear for a little bit. It's where you can refill your Kool-Aid. Wonder. Dream. Decompress. Everyone needs a secret hideout. Especially if you want to do super things. Like be a great parent, spouse, friend, or you know, change the world. So, …
Saturday Morning Sprinkles: Turning Vegetables Into Spaceships Edition
Kids these days are so lucky. It's like DIY Mr. Potato Head for the 3d-printing generation. (via Colossal) • This Super Bowl trash talk interchange between Captain America and Star Lord is just too good. (Thanks, Jenna!) • Love Oliver Jeffers so much. This tutorial about how to draw a penguin deepened that love. • Have some enemies? Want to ruin their week? Ship them glitter. Finally, some posts from around here you may have missed: • The Penny Date • Escape Lab Begins …
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7 Escape Lab Highlights…So Far
The first Escape Lab is almost halfway done, and I am blown away by the response so far. When Kim and I brainstormed this late last year, we thought we might be on to something special, but you just never know. Well, this has exceeded all expectations! Last night we took a first step at Escape Lab LIVE, which is basically a party on Facebook in real time. Through our special members-only group, we took questions, posted some of our own, and gave out door prizes. The discussion was fast and lively, with topics ranging from figuring out our superhero names and sharing our favorite black & …
Facebook is the New Christmas Letter
Some people love Facebook. Others hate it. I find myself switching between those two emotions on a regular basis. I've read people lament that social media is not authentic, that people only post the stuff that makes them look successful and happy. Well, duh. I don't know about you, but our household saw a sharp drop in Christmas letters received this year. I've come to believe it's because Facebook has become the new Christmas letter. In Christmas letters, people share some of the life-changing low lights, but for the most part, we celebrate the accomplishments and happy …
Saturday Morning Sprinkles: Lego Wheelchair for a Tortoise Edition
• Tortoise Fitted with LEGO Wheelchair to Help Him Move Around. So much to love about this. • This is what escaping adulthood can look like, especially if you're just brave enough. • This made me laugh: When Panorama Photography Goes Wrong • A Simple Trick That Makes Batting Around Balloons More Fun. Brilliant, just brilliant: Finally, some posts from around here you may have missed: • Thou shalt listen to critics • No. …
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A Sneak Peek at Penguins Can’t Fly
Omigosh. I just got the Advance Reader Copy in the mail for my new book with St. Martin's Press, Penguin's Can't Fly. Even though it's softcover and black and white inside (the final version will be hardcover and in technicolor), it's starting to feel more like a real book. So excited! P.S. We're scheduled to start taking next month on my birthday! …
Escape Lab Begins!
Our first ever Escape Lab kicked off in earnest yesterday. Kim and I are so excited about the potential of this idea. In some ways, it’s difficult explaining what an Escape Lab is... It’s not JUST a list of ridiculously fun ideas to do with friends and family. It’s not JUST a box of awesome stuff, tailored to surprise and delight your inner child. It’s not JUST an empowering curriculum of inspiring content and practical ideas for living with less stress and more fun. It’s not JUST an invitation to an amazing community of cool people as serious about beating Adultitis as …
The Penny Date
When you have a map to anywhere and GPS in your pocket, it’s really hard to get lost. I think that’s too bad, because sometimes getting lost can lead to great adventures. Someone shared the idea of a “Penny Date” with me, and I wanted to pass it along. The first rule is to get dressed to out and grab a penny. Get in the car and let your partner choose a number between 10 and 20. This will be the number of times you flip the penny. Pull out of the driveway and begin your adventure. Heads is right, Tails is left. Every time you come to an intersection, flip the penny and turn the …
Thou Shalt Listen to Critics
With three kids six and under, it's rare that Kim and I have the time to watch an actual feature-length movie. So when the stars align and I'm in charge of finding something to see, I pay quite a bit of attention to the reviews. I don’t want to waste our time, so if the Rotten Tomatoes rating is less than 60, I'm likely to move on. But sometimes I stumble across a movie I've seen before, one I really loved, and it has a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 21. Humpf. Sometimes it makes me wonder if something's wrong with me, and sometimes I wonder if I'm spending too much time considering what …