Soul Enchilada.com

I was shocked! shocked! when I realize three weeks have passed since the last post. What’ve I been doing? It would be great to say that it was a terrific new project that I kept under wraps. Sadly, I’ve only been working through a revision (it’s done and is marinating before it goes out) and starting up my annual summer school courses.. While I wasn’t looking, though, people have been posting about Soul Enchilada:

Matthew Holm of Baby Mouse fame, in support of the Bridget Zinn Auction, is posting about overlooked gems on auction. He posted about my donation of the audiobook of Soul Enchilada. The current bid is $35.00. This is a great cause, so I’d like to spice up the pot: If the winning bid passes $50, I’ll throw in a signed copy or Soul Enchilada in addition to the audiobook.

AARP adds Soul Enchilada to its shortlist of books grandparents can buy for teens.

SPPL Teens: “Soul Enchilada is a death defying gut-buster! (aka: funny)

Cincinnati Public Library: “Readers who don’t mind the occasional bout of gross-out humor will be in for a fun ride here.”

Bettendorf Public Library: “This is a very funny book filled with madcap adventures.”

Ever had the odd experience of *knowing* you’ve made a post, but when you look back, it’s not there? That’s the case with my post last week chronicling the second day of the WonderTwins Mini-Tour. Although I wrote the post, somehow my blogging client software didn’t follow my command to post it. What good is software if it doesn’t follow your commands?

The original post is below.  But first, a couple of words from out sponsors: Soul Enchilada has been nominated for BBYA, Best Books for Young Adults, a honor presented by ALA. Nomination is only the first step in a very deliberate process, but it’s nice to be mentioned.

Also, David Lubar mentions his recent purchase of Soul Enchilada and writerross beats me to a most excellent pun.

The Wonder Twins Tour Part B

Holland Boys & Girls Club

For someone who once toyed with doing open-mic stand-up, the venue at the Holland Boys & Girls Club was perfect. Espresso bar, pool and ping-pong tables, computer lab, and small gym, plus a stage, lights, a mic, and a stool. Who could ask for more. But wait! There is more. Add an uber energetic youth programs director named JJ and a group full of smart, funny, engaging teens as an audience. They hadn’t read the book, but I didn’t mind–I taught high school English, so I;m used to leading discussion where no one has read the material.

A sign that I was in the right place.

Boys & Girls of Holland

JJ and friend

Asked EXCELLENT questions.

The whole crew. Thanks guys!

BrillianceAudio studio tour:

The third day of the trip, I had the delightful experience of touring the production and engineering studios of Brilliance Audio, the audiobook publishers of Soul Enchilada. It’s a humbling experience listening to professional readers work their magic from inside a sound proof cubicle with nothing but a book, a reading light, and the sound of their voices. The geek in me loved watching the engineers work through "punches" or mistakes in the readings, and then clean up the recording for any page noises, missed words, hiccups, sighs, or tummy rumblings.

Another sign that I’m in the right place.

This is where they record.

This is where they fix the recordings (note happy engineers).

And this is how they decorate the conference room (turn your head to the right).

Reviews and interviews, plus a hunt for luggage:

1. Alethea Kontis interviews me for Ingram Book Company

2. Jia on the Dear Author blog says nice things about Soul Enchilada.

3. The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books says this: “Bug finds that she is a key tool in Beals’ plan to overthrow Lucifer as head of the underworld, and that gives her just the amount of leverage she needs to pit the two baddies against each other in irresistible competition in the fields of competitive pizza delivery and basketball. This plays into the same spirit of Southern blues mythology that ignited Charlie Daniels’ fiddle but credibly renders it specific to the time and characters. Bug’s urban slang and feisty, streetwise attitude make her endearing.”

4. The Bookends Bloggers of Booklist Lynn Rutan and Cindy Dobrez reviewed Soul, as well. They also included a post about my recent visit to Grand Haven and Holland.

5. I’m on the hunt for the perfect luggage–22 inch carryon with slot for laptop, outer pocket for toiletries, wheels, and a handle. Suggestions?

Cindy Pon’s extraordinary debut novel, Silver Phoenix, is on sale today. All launch buzz hyperbole aside, this is one of my favorite novels of the last year. Cindy is gifted writer with a great eye for sensory detail, but it’s the voice of the main character, Ai Lang, that carries the story. I read a lot of books. This one is a keeper.

And remember, Buy Indie! 

The official description: No one wanted Ai Ling. And deep down she is relieved—despite the dishonor she has brought upon her family—to be unbetrothed and free, not some stranger’s subservient bride banished to the inner quarters.

But now, something is after her. Something terrifying—a force she cannot comprehend. And as pieces of the puzzle start to fit together, Ai Ling begins to understand that her journey to the Palace of Fragrant Dreams isn’t only a quest to find her beloved father but a venture with stakes larger than she could have imagined.

Bravery, intelligence, the will to fight and fight hard . . . she will need all of these things. Just as she will need the new and mysterious power growing within her. She will also need help.

It is Chen Yong who finds her partly submerged and barely breathing at the edge of a deep lake. There is something of unspeakable evil trying to drag her under. On a quest of his own, Chen Yong offers that help . . . and perhaps more.

About the Author: Cindy Pon was born in Taipei, Taiwan, and her family immigrated to California in 1980, settling in the suburbs of Los Angeles. She began writing stories before she was officially declared English proficient. She received her bachelor’s from the University of California, San Diego, and also earned a master’s from New York University. The author is a student of Chinese brush painting, and her love for the art is reflected in her storytelling. Cindy Pon lives with her husband and two small children in San Diego, California.

Last week, I flew to snowy Western Michigan to do a couple of short but glorious site visits with Wonder Twins librarians Cindy Dobrez and Lynn Rutan, as well as touring the offices of my audiobook publisher, Brilliance Audio (more about that later).  Of course, my flights were delayed–never fly with me–due to mechanical problems, weather, and someone who got caught in the jetway. Eventually, I made it to Grand Rapids then drove across to Grand Haven, which is on the shores of Lake Michigan:

I stayed  in this beautiful B&B below, the Harbor House Inn. The room had a great view of the river, and the breakfast was yummy.

So were the table fowl. Bring on the chikins!

With some free time and Google Maps on my phone, I ventured into nearby Holland, where they grow lots of tulips. I was a couple of weeks early for the Spring blooming, so I found a reasonable facsimile.

Eventually,I located the bookstore that was sponsoring my talk with the Boys & Girls Club later in the day.

I was intrigued by the Famous Nutty Paddle Pops. Alas, I didn’t get the chance to try one.

And then…

On to Harbor Lights Middle School to meet with Cindy Dobrez, Lynn Rutan, and the BBYA Reading Group. My name in lights! W00t!

Here’s one half of them….

And the other half….

This sculpture was too fun to let escape photoless.

They made me a cake! My name in lights AND a cake?

Let them eat cake!  And drink pop! (You know Southerners don’t call it pop, right?)

The BBYA Club kept me on my toes with a string of great questions. I managed to answer them all–I think. Way too quickly, I had to move on to the next event…

…but not before getting a pic of Cindy’s Printz Award Chikin.

Next up: The Boys & Girls Club of Holland!

In yet another debut, I will make my first radio appearance EVAH on WUNC North Carolina Public Radio (except for the time I won a I Heart Chattanooga t-shirt that was two sizes too small). I’ll be a guest on "The State of Things" hosted by Frank Stasio. This is a live program, and if you’re really, really looking for something to listen to while eating lunch (or brunch, for you West Coasters), you can tune in via the WUNC web site at noon on Friday, April 17. I think I’m supposed to talk about Soul Enchilada, but Lord only knows what will come out of my mouth.

WUNC is available via a variety of formats, including podcast, iTunes, etc. For more info, go here: http://wunc.org/about/online-streams-mobile-podcasting/listen