I’ve mentioned my first story a few times on this website and on my blog: “The Toad Who Told Lies,” which I wrote and illustrated at age six and later lost in a flood. I’ve now re-created and re-imagined it. Read it with a sentimental introduction, or just jump into the story. Since it’s all graphical I also have a text-only version.
In promoting the Facebook page for The Tanglewood Terror, I promised to do something “rash,” which, upon further coaxing, I also promised would be thoughtful and measured, and impulsively generous. Here’s what I came up with.
I’m offering a free school visit to a class in the Twin Cities. Just send me an email (kurtis at kurtisscaletta.com) if you are a teacher and would like an author to come talk to kids about writing, chasing their dreams, looking both ways before they cross the street, etc., just send an email to kurtis [at] kurtisscaletta.com. I’m also available for Skype visits if you’re outside the Twincy.
My usual policy is that kids have to have read one of my books, but that’s not a requirement this time — I’ll wing it. Also, I’ve always met with 4th through 7th graders; that seems to be the ideal range for the kind of stuff I write and talk about.
Dear Readers,
My buddy and occasional inspiration Michael Nothrop cut a deal with weather witches this winter and dumped unprecedented amounts of snow across the country just as his novel of snow terror, Trapped, hit the shelves. The book was an instant hit. [image by Chris Schoenbohm]
So I released a cobra (couldn’t find a mamba) to push Mamba Point, and while the serpentine escapee was big news, some guy on Twitter stole all my thunder and the book didn’t get nearly the carryover publicity I was hoping for. [image by Quantum Butterfly]
But I’m not giving up. The Tanglewood Terror is out in a little over five months, which is plenty of time to mount a giant campaign of fungal terror. I have the best mycologists, publicists, and spore spreaders working on this. And while I don’t want to ruin the surprise, if you have allergies to molds and mildews and things of that nature, you might want to book a long vacation very far away from September through November.
Yours in April Foolishness,
The Author