Growing up from Gross-Out Books and Bathroom Humor (Reading and Talk)

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That’s what I’ll be discussing tonight at the Ridgedale Library, which must be directly on the line between Minnetonka and Hopkins, because it seems like the address is both places.

7pm Ridgedale Library
12501 Ridgedale Dr
Hopkins, MN

I’m not against either gross-out humor or jokes about bathrooms.  I’m an advocate, really.  I’ll do some reading and discussion of the evolution of boy readers (from experience, not from research as I’m not an academic like that).  I will also tell jokes about underpants. 

I’m really looking forward to the evening! 

Below, haircut for event. Flashy.

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You should come to the Nothing Special launch in St. Paul!

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On Sunday, May 6 at 2pm, I’ll be doing a reading from Nothing Special at the excellent Red Balloon Bookshop on Grand Avenue in St. Paul, MN.  This is the second of three books about Felton Reinstein, great athlete and shivering dork.  Andrew, Felton’s brother, drives the story, as he runs away instead of going to orchestra camp.  Andrew has a plan.  Felton and his pal, Gus, are left to figure it out.  The third book, right now called Sucks to be Me (yes), will complete the story next spring.

I’d love to see you at Red Balloon on Sunday.

You can even RSVP here on Facebook.

Red Balloon

Hey! Nothing Special is a real book today. @SourcebooksFire

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There’s a lot going on.  Finals week at Mankato.  School visits.  Books coming out.  Muscle cramps during runs.  Nice dinners.  Car repairs.  I want to make sure to stop for a moment and say, “Holy balls. My book just came out.”  It’s available at stores everywhere today (in the U.S.). You can find it on the New Teen table or have it overnighted from one of several reputable online dealers.

Here’s me in my St. Peter Bookfest T-shirt, sporting bed head and pillow face.  I am celebrating.

Celebration.

Texas is Big and Ready.

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I’ve now been to Texas twice in the last 6 months or so.  Before that, I’d never been in the state. Of course, I have a fairly limited view. But I like Texas, a lot. The book community, both library/school and blogger, is so energetic, ginormous, and organized. I met up with tons of librarians, signed a couple hundred books, talked with all sorts of teens from all over the state, and ate some fine food with excellent bloggers who barked out book titles like they were riding donkeys across the flaming desert (that’s symbolic language).

Before this last six months, mostly what I thought about when I thought about Texas was: George W. Bush, Ross Perot, and the movie Slacker. It didn’t make sense. Now my understanding is a little bigger. There’s a whole, huge crew of people in Texas who are so serious about books, they’re willing to fight hard, lay it all on the line.

This is a true life scene. It happened in Houston.

Jenn, me and Tillie fighting for books.

Thanks Sourcebooks for inviting me to TxLA12. That was a very good couple of days.

Final Vid: Know Thyself! (Thanks so much @figmentfiction)

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I’ve had such great time doing these craft videos for Figment.com.  If you don’t know, there are (really) thousands of deep-thinking, dedicated, talented-as-your-best-business, young writers on Figment. Being able to discuss writing with a bunch of them has been the highlight of 2012 for me.

So, it is with a crooked heart I say: Here is the last video. I’ve already read a number of the responses and they are fantastic.  Get in the game?

Here’s the post on Figment for more info!

Thanks, again, Figment.com for giving me the opportunity.

"Thanks!"

Figment Video Craft 3: Herbach acts like an idiot for scene/summary @SourcebooksFire

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Here’s the third of five Figment videos on writing craft.  In this one, I’m discussing the scene/summary thing.  Here’s the truth: I’d like me to shut my stupid pie munch while I’m “acting” out the characters.  That said, I think it’s still useful.  Here’s the link over to Figment.  Or, watch the video right here.  Woo!

Thanks Platteville Library Foundation

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I had Steve’s Pizza. Delicious. I got a Driftless bumper sticker from Bev (Platteville is in the driftless area, filled with hills, where no glacier ever plowed).  I saw lots of old friends and teachers.  Even met the department admin who worked with my dad in the early 70s.  I found out there are Amish people in buggies all around the countryside.  I found out all the yards I used to play in are much, much smaller than I remember.

I was a toddler and the yard was large

I figured out the picture window I once crashed through on my bike is very low to the ground, so the physics (which I ‘ve had a hard time figuring out) make sense.

Jumped creek, hit house, went through window.

And, I had a great time talking to members of the Platteville Library Foundation.  I’m so glad they invited me!  It’s very good to be home.

Such a Big M.