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Wednesday, May 30, 2012

An Interview with Jason

I'd love to see photos or hand drawn pics of Jason Anderson. You know who he is? We've interviewed him for you today. Here goes -

Jason, can you describe yourself for our readers, please?

Sure, dude. I'm red headed, green eyes, not too tall, pretty thin because the Bees didn't feed me well after that first experience with the roast rat. 

Roast rat, Jason?

Well, yeah. It was in the alien SpaceHive after Zibb captured me.

Oh, I see. You were captured by an alien?

Yeah, buddy. It was awesome.

How did you get away?

Music on my ZipPAD here. The Wasps and Bees started to dance and they danced me right out of the SpaceHive ship to the plains of India.

Fascinating. Where were your parents during all this action, Jason?

My dad was in Antarctica working in a lab and my mom was in an underground bunker in Kamloops. It was the end of the world, after all, dude.

And you saved the world?

Me and my buddy Aadab. We saved the world all right. Want to read about it?

You read my mind. Read SpaceHive, kids, coming out soon with Imajin Books right here in Edmonton, Alberta.

Apocalyptic.

Friday, May 25, 2012

Harry Potter anyone? A blog for middle readers

Can you top Harry Potter's adventures? They come from old Welsh tales, I've been told, which are well known to kids in Wales, the country where witches and wizards ruled.

Let's make a list of Harry Potter questions.

  1. Harry Potter is about a young wizard. Would you rather read about a witch?
  2. What do A.J. Rowling's friends call her? 
  3. What is her first name?
  4. Did you think she was a man? Why?
  5. Would you like to go to a school like that?
  6. Who is your favorite Harry Potter character?
  7. Why?
  8. Do you think Witch & Wizard by James Patterson is as good as Harry Potter?
I've written a Pixar-like book about giant alien wasps and bees invading Earth, and a boy who defeats them with music and technology. It's a hi-tech tale of magic and science.

What do you think about a book like that? Would you be willing to read it on ebook or print? Which do you prefer?

Yes, it's like a video game. I've talked about a video game on a previous blog. Do you want to go back and comment? Some games aren't recommended for those under 17. But...
Jason with his ZipPAD

This book is for YOU. SpaceHive, it'll have your friends buzzing.



Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Paraprosdokian (Churchill loved these)

I'll be in beautiful sunny Vancouver when you read this, taking a long overdue vacation. I'll be back on Thursday, May 24th. 


High five.

In the meantime, enjoy and think about the following:

A paraprosdokian is a phrase or sentence that leads us down the garden path 
to an unexpected ending. "Where there's a will, I want to be in it," is a 
paraprosdokian. Winston Churchill loved them. 

1. Do not argue with an idiot. 
He will drag you down to his level 
and beat you with experience. 

2. The last thing I want to do is hurt you. 
But it's still on my list. 

3. Light travels faster than sound. 
This is why some people appear 
bright until you hear them speak. 

4. If I agreed with you, we'd both be wrong. 

5. We never really grow up, we only learn how to act in public. 

6. War does not determine who is right - only who is left. 

7. Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. 
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad. 

8. Evening news is where they begin with 'Good Evening,' 
and then proceed to tell you why it isn't. 

9. To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism. 
To steal ideas from many is research. 

10. A bus station is where a bus stops. 
A train station is where a train stops. 
On my desk, I have a work station. 

11. I thought I wanted a career. 
Turns out I just wanted paychecks. 

12. Whenever I fill out an application, in the part that says, 
'In case of emergency, notify:' I put 'DOCTOR.' 

13. I didn't say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you. 

14. A clear conscience is the sign of a fuzzy memory. 

17. You do not need a parachute to skydive. 
You only need a parachute to skydive twice. 

18. Money can't buy happiness, 
but it sure makes misery easier to live with. 

19. There's a fine line between cuddling 
and holding someone down so they can't get away. 

20. I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not so sure. 

21. You're never too old to learn something stupid. 

22. To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first 
and call whatever you hit the target. 

23. Nostalgia isn't what it used to be. 

24. Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine. 

25. Going to church doesn't make you a Christian 
any more than standing in a garage makes you a car. 

26. Where there's a will, there are relatives.

 
Friday, May 11, 2012

Name the Black Watch Spaceship

Ready for another contest?

You will win a $5 Amazon.com gift card if you name the giant alien wasps' (Black Watch) spaceship.

The last contest generated lots of neat names for the book, and an awesome Greek label for their home planet. Buzz on over and win your FREE Amazon.com gift card now for an equally great name for the SpaceHive, my choice. See if you can change my mind.

The title of the book is SpaceHive, like their ship.

If you can change my mind about the ship you might change the title, too. No promises, but see what perhaps a sequel would be called, and come up with some ideas for the cover page, too, if you like.

A hideous wasp looking toward Earth? Bipp, Banter and Zibb dancing to Jason's music on the plains of India?

Not a lot of time, the book is in its last edits!

Please comment here, but the winner also must email me (via my profile page) so I can gift him/her.


Give me the latest buzz. Groan.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Beta Battlefield 3 SpaceHive Action YA Book

For all those over 17, Beta Battlefield 3 was a huge multiplayer action game hit in 2011. Want to see more action on a spaceship from only 8 light years away and awesome for YOU? Read SPACEHIVE, the intense soon-to-be Best in Show middle grade/young adult action story out this summer in ebook and print. Jason, a 12-year-old human boy, sets out to save the Earth from a sudden and vicious attack of giant killer wasps and bees from the planet Jive Hive. How will he do this? Will he use his awesome Personal Audio Device (PAD) and music? What ever happened to iPhone 5, what does that have to do with Jason's ZipPAD, and what is that strange glow in the midnight sky around Creston, B.C.?

What music would YOU choose to save the world?

Read the SpaceHive action and plot to knock your gaunchies off and learn what Jason chose. 

Stay tuned, there's more. Comments welcome.


Sunday, May 6, 2012

Awesome Guitar and the Black Strat

I dropped a purple Slushee on my black strat one day. Ha, no I didn't. I do own a blue Art Luthier dreadnought acoustic guitar, though.

Want to play awesome guitar? You can do it with 3 or 4 chords. Look on-line. Or take lessons from a pro.

First learn tabs or notes.

Build up those calluses on the tips of your fingers. The fingers will hurt at first. How fast you build up the calluses depends on how much you practice. Practice a lot and it won't be long before you don't feel the pain.

Practice a minimum of 1/2 hour each day for 5 days of each week.

A cartoon kid who played a toy piano was asked how he could play so well when the black keys were just painted on?

He said. "Practice."

Back to the Black Strat and David Gilmour in concert. Heard of Pink Floyd? I own their CD, "The Dark Side of the Moon." David Gilmour is their lead guitarist and the voice of Pink Floyd.

Pick a musician you admire and try to play like him or her. If you can play better in two weeks pick another hero.

Have fun.
Thursday, May 3, 2012

Hymenoptera and the Contest


The contest is almost over. Hymenoptera is the latest (brilliant) suggestion, from ancient Greek. I'm not a Classicist and had to look it up. It means "membraned wing" and is a class of insects including wasps, bees, ants and others (see my comment in the previous post). The term was first coined by Karl Linnaeus in the 1700s, I think. 

I've had many excellent suggestions for a better title than SpaceHive or a title for a sequel to SpaceHive. More are welcome.

Please ensure I have your email addie so I can send you the small prize.