Phew!

Hello,

For the past nine months (omg nine months!) I've been writing a new series which is coming out from Scholastic this year. It's called The Mysterious Four, and it's about a group of kids who live on the same block who decide to create a detective club. They challenge one other to solve the mysteries they encounter every day, and the reader is invited to solve the mysteries along with the characters. There are fourteen mystery stories in each book (with a bonus e-book mystery), and so far there are three books. By the time I'm done with book number 3 (which should be very soon) I'll have written 45 mysteries total. 45 mysteries in nine months. 3 books in one year. AND I work a full time job at Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

If someone told me one year ago that this would be part of my career, I would have said, "No way. I won't have time for that!"

Don't get me wrong, I'm having tons of fun with the project. I'm a working author who, in about six months, will have five books out on the shelves. Every day I come up with another idea for a project I want to work on. I'd love to have just one more day in my week to do all the things a guy has to do in order to not live like a crazy person in a big city. I don't think I've gone grocery shopping in about a month. And laundry sits in the hamper a few days too long at a time.

Am I crazy for wanting to get a dog right now? I have a feeling a little buddy will help me feel more grounded. I definitely want one that's small enough for a Brooklyn apartment, that won't bark too much, and that I can rescue from a shelter. What should I be looking for?

What's the most mysterious dog? Maybe I'll get one to inspire me to keep on truckin.

Dan

Free Books Aren't Free (from Saundra Mitchell)

Check out this article by fellow spooky author Saundra Mitchell (Shadowed Summer) about how illegal book downloads are keeping writers poor and pushing us out of the book business... I've had these thoughts for months now - after finding out that The Stone Child has been downloaded illegally a few thousand times... That's my rent money folks!

“Free” Books Aren’t Free

~Dan

Wimps

I just watched the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movie on DVD. Zoo-ee Mama, that was good. Rowley was so funny. I laughed so hard I cried a little bit. But only because I was laughing, not because I was sad or anything... I mean, I don't cry during movies. Right? Who does that? Not me, that's who.

Watch it for yourself if you get a chance. You won't be disappointed. I'll probably be watching it again soon...


This is ME as a wimp!

A Dream From My Self Proclaimed Biggest Fan

Here is a story from Sophie, who wrote to me about this really creepy dream she had the night she finished reading The Stone Child!

"I was sitting at home watching TV my mom and dad were talking in the kitchen, and all of a sudden the lights went off. I was so startled that I called for my mom and dad in the kitchen. The power always went out so it wasn't that scary. But when I called for my mom and dad there was no answer. At that moment the lights turned back on and started to flicker. The windows opened and slammed shut.

'Hello? Is anyone there?' I said The doors and windows opened again, but it looked like someone or something was holding it open. The wind started to howl and then I saw it in the corner of what used to be the kitchen.

The kitchen it morphed itself into a huge mess! In fact the whole house seemed to spin and dance, calling to me 'THEY'RE COMING THEY'RE COMING FOR YOU!'

'WHO'S COMING!?!?' I screamed at the darkness, thinking someone would answer me.

And then I woke up. And of course I had this dream the night I finished the stone child."

Whew! That was a good one, Sophie. Like something I would dream about.

Thanks for sharing!

Return to Books of Wonder

Hey there,

If you live in the New York City area, why don't you head on in to Books of Wonder on Thursday, November 11 @ 5 pm. I'm participating in a panel of fantasy/ adventure authors who are sharing our latest books and signing copies and saying 'hey' and stuff.

Here's a list of the awesome people you can meet there!

T.A. BARRON Merlin's Dragon: Ultimate Magic
DIANE ZAHLER The Thirteenth Princess
JAKE HALPERN World’s End
BARRY LYGA Archvillain
J.M. DeMATTEIS Imaginalis

and me... DAN POBLOCKI The Nightmarys

For more details, check out Books of Wonder's website:

http://www.booksofwonder.com/events111110.asp

18 W. 18th Street, NYC

Hope to see you!

~Dan

New Reads - The Monstrumologist

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Much more violent than I expected... Cringingly so. This one makes me wonder what YA genre is, exactly. I compare it to the style of The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti, which was marketed as adult, albeit not horror. I actually think teens might have a difficult time with the language in this book, but they probably deserve the challenge.

And cheers to the Printz committee for awarding this book an Honor. The story is not typical awards fare (and thank goodness for that!), but it definitely stands out for the authentic voice and beautifully written, and effectively nauseating, prose.



View all my reviews

Help Me Create the Ultimate Nightmare!

Hello Everyone,

Last October, in celebration of The Stone Child's release, I presented a contest on this blog where I wrote a ghost story a day and asked you all to guess whether it was "real" or "fiction."

THIS YEAR, to say "cheers" to The NIGHTMARYS, my newest book, I'm doing something different.

I invite you to participate in my next writing project. I want to hear about your greatest fears, nightmares, and phobias.

In the comments section of this post, leave me a little story. It can be a description of your worst nightmare. It can be an experience that totally freaked you out or something you fear might happen.

At the end of the month, on Halloween, I will read through your comments, plucking elements from each to create one huge, epic Nightmare story which I will post on this site. And I will choose at random a commenter who participates to receive a signed hardcover copy of The NIGHTMARYS.

How's that for a Halloween surprise?

A couple caveats: to win, you must follow this blog. AND, if I feel like I'm not getting enough comments from you, dear readers, the game is forfeit. SO SPREAD THE WORD. If you want to help me write my next scary story... direct your friends to this site. And tell them to scare me!

Together, we can frighten the WORLD. Mwah-hah-hah!

All best nightmares,
Dan