Here are two things I think people will never say about me:
1. Drew is perky, bubbly, and excitable.
2. Drew's current novel is too much like another novel we already have on our list.
Um.
How was your NaNo?
Mine was good. I have not written anything new at all since October. That has been nice for my brain.
In October, I finished writing the strangest, most twisted thing I have ever written.
It is not like anything on anyone's list. Probably.
Nobody knows anything about it.
I am going to New York next week. If I run into Roger Sutton, I will high five him for reading my book, Stick.
I am going to get to see all the great people I work with in the Flatiron Building, at Feiwel and Friends; and also the great people I work with at Rock Center, at Simon and Schuster. I'm also going to hang out with Joe Lunievicz, the author of one of my favorite books that was not written by me, Open Wounds. I'm kind of hoping Joe arranges a pickup rugby game in Central Park. I will play.
Joe is also a rugger, and he has read Winger, which is about kids who play rugby. Winger is my first book coming out from Simon and Schuster.
But I wanted to say something about my next book that is coming out from Feiwel and Friends.
You know.
It is called Passenger, and it is the sequel to The Marbury Lens.
Almost nobody knows anything about Passenger.
I haven't even let my son read it, although I did let him read the very twisted and deranged 105,000-word novel I finished writing in October.
He liked it.
But, and I don't really like to use the term "favorite," but the guy who wrote my favorite book that came out last year and was not written by me did get to read Passenger.
I will not tell you what he told me about Passenger.
I will tell you eventually.
But I will say what my favorite book of the past year that was not written by me is: Rotters, by Daniel Kraus.
When Rotters came out, Daniel sent me a grave-robbing kit that included gummy body parts.
When Passenger comes out, I am going to send out black gummy worms.
You will see.
8 comments:
Well, there ya have it.
This is too much for me, but I will say this:
When you told me about your favorite book last year, it was Joe's, and hearing that from you sparked two great friendships for me (one with Joe and the other with his book, well, actually all his writing). So there is that.
Now I to read Rotters. Can someone go to work for me so I find time to finish the three books I'm reading?
I'm just wondering, but did he make the grave-robbing kit (with gummy body parts) himself, or is it possible to buy one somewhere?
And I am still eagerly awaiting Passenger and many other books.
Funny story, Charles. I received a box from UPS, and inside it was a note from Daniel about how much he enjoyed The Marbury Lens, and he included a copy of his amazing book Rotters (which I recommended to you), and some gravedigging tools: a small plastic shovel and rake, with a bag of dirt that had (wrapped) gummy-candy body parts in the dirt. It was one of the coolest surprise gifts I've ever gotten in my life. I still have the stuff, and I've loaned my copy of his book out to so many kids, all of whom come back with the same reaction: they want more books like this.
This post makes me beam. I am jealous that you get to hang out with Joe Lunievicz, and I hope that you get to play rugby. I hope I get to meet Joe some day, because Open Wounds is one of the best books I have ever read and my students love it. And he Does Good in a big way.
I adored Rotters. Daniel K. is in my personal pantheon now.
I, along with my second period class, have developed an ongoing obsession with all things Rat King.
Oh, and I owe you lots of thanks for recommending Joe L. and Daniel K. and G.Neri.
I will buy you a whisky and we will toast Good Books.
On Goodreads.com, Drew, STICK is a suggested read when one looks up Open Wounds.
Thought you should know.
The Flatiron is one of the coolest buildings in NYC and one block from where I work on 6th and 23rd. I go by it every day and stare at it from the point of its triangle and wonder how the hell it could have been built.
Unfortunately rugby season's over in NYC as of last week with the big 7's tournament the Saturday after Turkey day in Central Park. But if you come back in the spring or fall we'll take in a game together and I'll bring my cleats. A friend of mine still plays some with the village Lions and they're always hungry for players.
See you soon.
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