Exercise The Right To Read!

The energetic author of the Sammy Keyes and Shredderman children's book series, Wendelin Van Draanen, wants to help school libraries buy new books in spite of most school budgets favoring technology and site enhancements. Her mission? Make this campaign a marathon -- a reading and exercising marathon.

From October 1st to November 4th, 2007, she invites your local schools to have their students read 26 minutes per day, and walk or run 1 mile per day for 26 days. What's that number 26? The number of miles in a marathon. And Van Draanen and her husband will run in the 2007 New York City marathon to highlight their effort and attract sponsors. If you're feeling tired just thinking about all that activity, don't give up! You can support this great effort by donating to the charity collaborating with Exercise the Right to Read, namely First Read, which buys and distributes books to the poorer schools around the country. If you want to learn more, a great TV report on the Exercise the Right to Read with interviews of Van Draanen, her husband and teachers, explains the program. And if that's not enough, you can keep up with the campaign progress at Van Draanen's blog (which contains lot of golden nuggets on being a children's book writer too!).

Dining at the Rebels' Media Headquarters

When time allows, which is rare (!), I have been writing the script for Boston 1775, an all-ages adventure-heavy graphic novel of historical fiction. Piecing the story together took about ten years of research in books, journals, websites, libraries, museums; ten years of taking notes, photos, sketches, videos; and two trips to Boston to see first hand the backdrop locations of Boston 1775, such as the Boston Commons, Paul Revere House, the Lexington Green, and so much more!


On both trips, I had dinner at the Union Oyster House (great food!). Leading up to the Revolution, this building housed printer Isaiah Thomas's quarters. On the second floor (now one of the dining rooms), Thomas printed the Massachusetts Spy, a patriot newspaper brash in its support of the rebels's cause, which often included engravings by Paul Revere. Yet, Thomas and his various printshops have another lesser-known connection to American children's book publishing. He was one of America's first children's book publishers, having printed several editions of the popular 18th century New England Primer!

Gotta Run! Got A Second Act To Grind!

Heading to the 2007 Comic-Con

News came in last week that I will attend the San Diego Comic-Con under the Kameleo Comics banner! FUN!!