My novel on full display!
And the Last Kids on Earth!
Today (April 26th), all fourteen oil paintings I created for my novel, The Mystery of A Nubbins, are on display at the Crosswalk Gallery during the Lewisburg Arts Fest in Pennsylvania. Check them out:
If you’re in the area between 9am-4pm, come in for a closer look. The Arts Fest is always a good time. I’ll probably be there chowing down on fest food (Carmella’s Italian Pastries, I’m especially looking at you).
Regardless of your location, I invite you to sign up for my new book today by following this link: https://tinyurl.com/ANubbins. It’s an illustrated middle-grade novel for kids of all ages! If you haven’t signed up yet, get in before May 1st so you’ll receive this set of trading cards free when you back any tier.
Last weekend, I borrowed The Last Kids on Earth and the Zombie Parade from a little library in Mifflinburg, PA. Despite being book 2 in the series, I decided to jump right in and read it. Honestly, I’m a soft touch for kids fighting zombies and monsters. This book delivers nonstop action from beginning to end, with solid character work along the way. I found the themes of found family, self-sacrifice, and trust compelling.
What truly captivated me was how the novel seamlessly integrates illustrations and sequential art into the text. The art doesn't just illustrate a scene, it reveals a dramatic moment or a pay-off for a joke set up in the narrative. It’s a masterful blend of art and story. My heartfelt compliments to author Max Brallier and illustrator Douglas Holgate for creating such a seamless experience. It’s a magic trick I will study as I make my next book, Puddle Jumper.
Another fun discovery this week was finding that The Last Kids On Earth series is also a Netflix cartoon series. Having not read the first book, I opted to watch the first episode instead, and it was a blast. It captures all the energy of the book while keeping the characterizations intact as well.
By the way, if my word isn't enough to get you to seek out this series, Jeff Kinney, author of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, recommends it too, saying, "Terrifying fun! Max Brallier's The Last Kids on Earth delivers big thrills and even bigger laughs." (I mention Jeff Kinney, because I picked up another of his Wimpy Kid books last weekend, Cabin Fever, and was reminded again what a comic genius he is).
Until next time, Always Be Creating (and finding time to laugh)!
—Bill