Turkeys

There are at least 12 turkeys in the yard right now. I couldn't fit all of them into the picture because some were farther away from this main group. I told them they weren't too bright because Thanksgiving isn't THAT far away, and here they are, hanging around the neighborhood.

Humpty Dumpty Hardboiled Detective REVIEW

Humpty Dumpty Jr: Hardboiled Detective
THE CASE OF THE FIENDISH FLAPJACK FLOP – 120 pages
THE MYSTERY OF MERLIN AND THE GRUESOME GHOST – 120 pages
Nate Evans – Paul Hindman – Vince Evans
Published by: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

An effective approach for an author is to take an existing character, who everyone knows, and give it a twist.

Nate & Vince Evans, and Paul Hindman didn’t just give Humpty Dumpty a twist, they scrambled it, and served up something entirely new for young readers. These two books should attract even the most reluctant reader.

In addition to a new twist on an old, familiar character, I was also struck with the artwork. It took me back to the humor publications like Mad Magazine and Cracked…how appropriate.

I grew up as a reluctant reader, and now write action-adventures & mysteries especially for tween boys. So I was interested in these books which are designed to draw in readers as well.

It's impossible to list the never ending, play-on-words related to eggs, but I can say that they are delightful. I can envision the authors, sitting in a room, in a brainstorming session, holding their stomachs while tears of laughter stream down their cheeks.

These books are fast reads, filled with illustrations on nearly every page.

Parents may want to preview the books to make sure they are appropriate for their children, which is good because adults will enjoy them too.

Very entertaining!

Max Elliot Anderson
Author - Adventures & Mysteries for Tweens
http://booksandboys.blogspot.com/
http://www.maxbooks.9k.com/
http://maxbookreviews.blogspot.com/

Interview at Kidlit Central News

I have a new interview that might interest you, at Kidlit Central News.
Here's the link: http://community.livejournal.com/kidlit_central/27559.html

Review: Lay Ups and Long Shots

You can find a nice review, by Wayne Walker, for "Lay Ups and Long Shots," if you follow this link to Barnes and Noble

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Lay-ups-and-Long-Shots/David-Lubar/e/9781581960785/?tabname=custreview

Nominate for 101 Best Web Sites

Writer’s Digest 101 Best Websites is now accepting nominations for nextyear’s list. If you've found Books for Boys http://booksandboys.blogspot.com/
helpful in the past year, please send your nomination to writersdig@fwpubs.com .
Put "101 Websites" in the subject line. Please do it now. Jan 1, 2009, is the deadline.

Thank you

Struggling School-Age Boys

Interesting article as it relates to books for boys, and reading

Newsweek - Struggling School-Age Boys

http://www.newsweek.com/id/157898

Lay Ups & Long Shots - a Junior Library Guild selection

It is my distinct pleasure to have a short story, BIG FOOT, included in the new book, LAY UPS and LONG SHOTS, published by Darby Creek Publishing. The book has been selected by the Junior Library Guild.

You can read more about the Junior Library Guild at http://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/about/
The Guild is made up of 17,000 librarians.

My short story shares the pages with children's authors Joseph Bruchac, Terry Trueman, David Lubar, Dorian Cirrone, CS Perryess, Jamie McEwan, and Peggy Duffy.

Max Elliot Anderson

NEWSPAPER CAPER, TERROR AT WOLF LAKE, NORTH WOODS POACHERS, MOUNTAIN CABIN MYSTERY, BIG RIG RUSTLERS, SECRET OF ABBOTT'S CAVE, & LEGEND OF THE WHITE WOLF are compared by readers and reviewers to Tom Sawyer, The Hardy Boys, Huck Finn, Nancy Drew, Harry Potter, Tom Swift, Scooby-Doo, Lemony Snicket, and adventure author Jack London.

When I'm Not Writing Books For Boys

Those who follow this blog know that, in addition to writing books for boys, I am also the producer / director / writer of video productions for clients http://www.maxbooks.9k.com/about.html

Yesterday I had the opportunity to shoot video in a facility that is the largest company in America that recycles the glass from electronics and computers. The men who own this company, built the machines that separate and break up the glass, themselves.

Electronic products and computers are torn apart. The plastics are sold to one vendor while the electronics and circuit boards are sold to another. The glass fragments are then shipped to companies that melt it down and produce new glass.

I was impressed by how much of the material is able to find new life, rather than to be dumped into a landfill where it would simply sit for all time.

It was almost overwhelming to see the gigantic volume of items that come to this company in truckload after truckload. Right now they only receive materials from corporations, but laws will likely change soon so that old, worn out electronic items from homes will be recycled too.

Some of the video footage that was shot, showing how the glass is processed, will be on a CBS program or on CBS news soon.

It was an interesting day.

How my work in dramatic films has had an effect on my books for boys.

Before videocassettes, and now DVDs, were available, people either went to the theatre, or watched television in order to see films. A few producers made 16mm films for rental to churches. I worked for two companies that did that.

During my years in production, I learned that girls would watch films about boys’ adventures, but boys would not watch a girl’s story. That is why I have charted a course to write books for boys first. It is because I know that girls will also read books for boys and enjoy the stories.

To the left are pictures from two of those films, THE GREAT BANANA PIE CAPER and THE MYSTERY OF WILLOUGHBY CASTLE.

The more information I read, and through my ongoing research, I find that there continues to be an outcry from teachers and parents for more books for boys. Publishers are still hesitant to take the plunge into releasing books for boys, but I believe it is going to change.

I have 28 additional manuscripts that are ready to go. These books for boys are the same kinds of exciting action-adventures and mysteries just like those that have already been published.

If you are in a position to do so, I hope you will let others know how important you believe books for boys are.

A new book, LAY-UPS and LONG SHOTS, has just been released.

A new book, LAY-UPS and LONG SHOTS, has just been released.

It contains my short story, BIG FOOT, which shares the pages with fellow children’s authors Joseph Bruchac, Terry Trueman, David Lubar, Dorian Cirrone, CS Perryess, Jamie McEwan, and Peggy Duffy.

This is a beautiful hardcover book. When the dust jacket is removed, a laminated cover, with the same artwork is revealed.

The inside flap promo copy for my story reads, “Max Elliot Anderson puts his best foot forward with a story about the new kid in town with an unusual ability.”

The back cover copy also reads, “Sometimes in life, success is a long shot – other times it’s as easy as a lay-up. Nine contemporary children’s authors bring their A game to the pages of Lay-Ups and Long Shots – an action-filled anthology that depicts the obstacles and hurdles that all athletes must overcome to achieve success in a sport. With tales of basketball, football, soccer, running, surfing, BMX racing, and even Ping-Pong, you are sure to find a short story that will inspire the athlete within.”

If you have a sports junkie in your family, classroom, or circle of friends, LAY-UPS and LONG SHOTS is sure to pull them in…even reluctant readers.

Max Elliot Anderson
Published by Darby Creek Publishers