Boot Camp and Decapitated Chickens

Last week was hec....tic. Lots of driving and speaking and a little tomfoolery as well. I revisited some old friends (the Palmers) in the Mt. Pleasant area on Thursday. If you're not familiar with Mt. Pleasant it is way out there. Past the mountains. Past the point when you stop seeing things your used to seeing and start seeing things like Captain Jack Sparrow and a whole mess of rock crabs. All seriousness, I love Mt. Pleasant. It's a haven from the bustles of life. Plus, not only did I get to present to several schools and sign at the public library (oh, we sold out of my books. Booyeah!) But I also had the privilege of hanging with my good buddy Tyler Whitesides. Tyler is the ridiculously talented author of the Janitors series. If you haven't read his debut novel, you're seriously missing out. Brilliant. That's all I can say. Oh, and he's loopy like me. I also got to rub shoulders with Robison Wells the author of Variant. He's another loopy but awesome author. I sometimes have to sit back and think, how the heck did I get so lucky to hang with such amazing writers? Did I mention I love Mt. Pleasant? Even with their decapitated chickens and mafia skunks. Sorry folks. I know I made you believe I would explain the title of this blog post, but I can't. That's an insider story for me and those fortunate enough to hear it.

On Saturday, I had yet another event at the Teen Authors Boot Camp in Orem. Brandon Mull was the keynote speaker and I was a drill sergeant. Teaching teens about writing and making them laugh is an honor. Of course, I was the low man on the totem pole when you look at the talent they brought in to teach the other classes. Brandon Mull, J. Scott Savage, Tyler Whitesides, Elizabeth Mueller, Bethany Wiggins, Elana Johnson, Kristen Chandler. Again. How did I get mixed in with that awesome group? Pure luck of the Irish. And I'm only a quarter Sicilian. True story.

It was a serious bunch, but here's one pic from the camp.

Top row from left to right: Jennifer Jenkins a member of Writers Cubed who organized the camp.  Tahsha Ford and Lois Brown, also members of Writers Cubed. Margie Jordan and Jo Seable-Schaffer rounding out the rest of the Cubies (as they like to be called.) Kristen Chandler, author of Wolves, Boys, and Other Things that Might Kill Me and Girls Don't Fly.
Bottom row from left to right: Tyler Whitesides, author of Janitors. Me. J. Scott Savage, author of the Farworld series. That's Brandon Mull, author of the #1 NY Times Bestseller, Beyonders: A World Without Heroes and the amazing Fablehaven series, holding the sign... looking chipper. Elana Johnson, author of Possession and Surrender. Bethany Wiggins, author of Shifting. And lastly, Elizabeth Mueller, author of Darkspell.

If I could teach teens all day everyday about writing and hang out with these studpuppies, I would live my life right forever. Become a vegetarian. Recycle. Take less bubble baths. The whole gambit.

Lastly, we're soooo close to revealing the cover for The Guardians of Elijah's Fire. So close. It is foolipping awesome.

Weeewerrrree. That's the sound I now make when I've completed a blog post.

Weeewerrrree.