For a start, the Dumb tour will now incorporate stops all across Missouri, Chicago, and Seattle. I’ll post details as soon as they’re sorted out.

But that’s not all . . .

Today I mailed my editor (the extraordinarily talented Liz Waniewski) the first draft of my next novel, entitled The Hallelujah Book Tour. I know, I know, Dumb hasn’t even come out yet, but that’s how publishing works. Hallelujah (as we refer to it) is already scheduled for a spring 2012 release, believe it or not. Anyway, in my opinion it’s funny and chaotic and touching, and I hope Liz (and everyone else, eventually) will like it!

So now I can get on with yet another new project, which is so top secret I can’t even talk about it here. At least . . . not yet.

©2010 Antony John. All Rights Reserved.

They’ve chosen FIVE FLAVORS OF DUMB as their Staff Pick of the Week! It’s right there on their homepage, along with a picture of the cover.

The reviewer, Penelope B., says “This is one of the most heartfelt, hilarious books I’ve ever read.”

Whoa.

©2010 Antony John. All Rights Reserved.

Well, she did . . . and then some! In fact, she gave a blurb for the cover: “No glittery teen novel here, thank heavens. Five Flavors of Dumb is raw, fresh, funny, and authentic. Piper is my hero.” I’d comment on this if there was anything to add, but really, how do you top that?

What’s more, Kristin Smith, cover designer extraordinaire, has finalized the jacket. And because it is 100% certifiably awesome, I’ve decided to show the whole thing:

I know, I know. Normally authors just reproduce the cover, because that’s what everyone cares about the most, right? (And maybe because that’s all that’ll fit onto a blog without spilling over the edges!) But IMHO, this whole jacket is about as close to perfect as you can get. And I can totally get away with saying that because I had nothing to do with it. Seriously. That author bio? Written by the good folks at Penguin HQ (and more to-the-point than I can ever be). That flap copy? Not a word of it was written by me (but believe me, I wish I’d come up with a summary half as enticing). And Kristin’s cover? Oh, man, that cover . . .

I’ve been noticing several bloggers including DUMB on their “Waiting for Wednesday” posts (where YA fans discuss the releases they’re most looking forward to), and at this point, I think 99% of that has to do with the cover. Don’t believe me? Look here, and here, and here. When the comments say things like “how cool is that cover?” and “the cover looks more like a movie poster than a book cover” and “the cover of the book is gorgeous, I love her boots and sunglasses” well, any self-respecting author should admit that it might have rather more to do with the cover than the contents.

So far, anyway!

©2010 Antony John. All Rights Reserved.

I read a comment by Sherman Alexie about the difference between the children’s and adult’s book worlds (I can’t find the actual quote, of course, because I’m useless) and it was something like: people involved in children’s books are nicer. I’m sure his answer was way smarter and well-worded, but the sentiment was pretty clear. For all the debates raging in children’s lit today, the folks who produce books — from authors to agents to editors to publicists and marketers to booksellers — are a thoroughly lovely bunch. I’ve noticed the same thing with pediatricians. There’s something about working with (and for) kids and young adults that brings out the best in us, I guess.

Anyway, I was reminded of this a couple of times in the past week . . .

On Monday, I popped along to my local Left Bank Books to see Lauren Myracle. Apparently the rest of St. Louis didn’t get the memo about her appearance, because the group was, um . . . intimate, to say the least. But Lauren was awesome. She constantly asked questions. She gushed about writing and reading. She learned everyone’s names. (Yes, seriously.) And in the spirit of general craziness, she let ME do the reading for her, and proceeded to let ME sign her books.

We’re talking about a New York Times bestselling author here, the one who wrote TTYL and RHYMES WITH WITCHES. How many bestselling authors of adult lit are that fun and, well . . . crazy? This wasn’t a book signing — it was a party where we all got presents. Lauren showed us that it’s okay to go to book events and just BE SILLY. What’s not to like?

Here we are with two of her (younger) fans, and with me signing THIRTEEN PLUS ONE (which I suspect will never happen again):

And that’s not all . . .

Last Thursday I visited Pudd’nHead Books in nearby Webster Groves, MO, for an event with James Dashner, uber-talented author of THE MAZE RUNNER and THE 13TH REALITY series. We shared stories, talked shop, and laughed about flying transcontinental with kids. He’s thoroughly lovely, engaging, and completely unassuming. And like Lauren, so openly grateful to be writing books for a living.

Now I just need to get them to come back to St. Louis again soon . . .

©2010 Antony John. All Rights Reserved.

“I read FIVE FLAVORS OF DUMB by Antony John this week:

And OMG: AWESOME. I didnt expect it to be so emotional! Holy crap, I got choked up like, every other chapter.  Yet not in a depressing way at all– in that hopeful, rooting for a character you love kind of way. I’ll review it in full when it hits shelves this fall.”

My only question is: how did she find time to read it while fielding offers for her clients’ novels, writing her own (she’s under contract for, like, 287 novels herself), and bracing for the launch of YOU WISH on August 5th? Seriously, I’m completely in awe.

I guess I’m placing too much emphasis on sleep these days.

©2010 Antony John. All Rights Reserved.

And guess what: Sharon’s blogging about Piper . . . already!

I’m been an avid reader of Sharon’s blog ever since I started working on DUMB. One of things I hear a lot is: “Oh, good, you’re writing a book with a deaf character. There aren’t many of those.” But actually, that’s not true at all, something Sharon’s blog makes abundantly clear. Sure, not all the deaf characters she writes about actually NARRATE the book, but there are plenty of really great books out there that feature a deaf character prominently.

And to prove my point, here are two books that everyone should check out (yes, right now!):

THE DARK DAYS OF HAMBURGER HALPIN by Josh Berk (Knopf, 2010) tells the hilarious story of Will Halpin, an overweight deaf teen who spends his first year at a mainstream high school looking for love, failing Algebra, unraveling the school’s social scene, trying to get invited to the greatest party ever … and, oh yeah, solving a murder. Seriously, folks, this book is riotously funny, and you’ll read it in a single sitting. Trust me.

MY MOST EXCELLENT YEAR by Steve Kluger (Dial, 2008). The subtitle is “A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins, and Fenway Park.” It is all those things, and so much more. This is a simply beautiful book. I dream of being able to write like Steve Kluger.

©2010 Antony John. All Rights Reserved.

It’s great to hear that people find BUSTED so funny. Humor is a tricky thing in books–a combination of context, timing, and characterization that either works, or doesn’t. Unfortunately, it’s not always possible to know how people are going to respond until they’re actually reading it. Thanks, Jody, for the vote of confidence!

By the way, Jody’s blog is awesome, so go read it!

©2010 Antony John. All Rights Reserved.

“Read it aloud to yourself because that’s the only way to be sure the rhythms of the sentences are OK (prose rhythms are too complex and subtle to be thought out – they can be got right only by ear)” — Diana Athill

“Finish the day’s writing when you still want to continue.” — Helen Dunmore

There’s tons more, too.

As an interesting contrast, here’s Mandy Hubbard’s take on Nine Rules to Break. It’s a super cool list, and is very freeing (unlike the Guardian’s line-up of literary heavyweights, which is likely to have you throwing up your arms in surrender).

So what do I think? Well, it’s like this . . .

In a former life, I taught undergraduate music theory, including the really hardcore stuff that has its own terminology, set of symbols, and looks suspiciously like it wants to be quantum physics, only it’s not. So anyway, one day, I had everyone in my class analyze a particularly gnarly Bach chorale, and someone found hidden octaves. I know, I know! You’re thinking: “Bach had hidden octaves!? What a LOSER!” And I’d agree with you, really I would, only I couldn’t for the life of me HEAR the darn things. And the lesson of the, um . . . lesson, was that CONTEXT IS EVERYTHING.

Seriously, kill your darlings, or don’t kill your darlings. I really don’t mind. You made them up, after all, so you should be allowed to determine the precise, grisly details of their demise.

Yes, overuse of adverbs is grating after a while. So is routine avoidance of “said” in favor of “hissed” and “whispered” and “cried.” But there’s a place for all these things, and it has everything to do with context.

What Bach taught me, and what I’d have said if the Guardian had asked me to write some rules, is that rules are frequently not rules at all: they are successful techniques that have been used often enough in the past that we would be wise to take note of them now. But if Bach can break them, then I sure as heck intend to. And so should you.

Well, except for hidden octaves. You have to draw the line somewhere.

©2010 Antony John. All Rights Reserved.

She says: “Doesn’t this sound amazing? I think so! I love how Piper, the main character, is deaf because you really don’t see that often in YA. Plus, I love the title!”

Okay, so first off, I’m thrilled she likes the title. It’s a little out there, but so is the book, so it’s all good. And although there are several great YA books with deaf characters, I’m really hoping mine will appeal to deaf and hearing readers alike. It’s certainly not an “issue” book, in any case, so don’t expect anything too serious in this one!

Finally, thanks to those who weighed in with comments. It’s so cool to know people are already excited to read DUMB. YA readers rock.

©2010 Antony John. All Rights Reserved.

It’s a good question, too. I’ve never had trouble working on two projects simultaneously — it’s a necessity for authors, after all — but switching gears from YA to fantasy is a different matter entirely. Suddenly the characters and the plot aren’t the only things that change. The mood and the voice (heck, even the WORLD) changes in fantasy, and sometimes it’s kind of hard to get my head around it all. But I think I’ve managed it, even if I wasn’t aware of HOW I managed it.

Well, about ten minutes ago I moved from my YA project to my fantasy one. Instinctively I changed my iPod mix from “rock” to “classical,” and it hit me that (yet again) music is the way I access certain moods and states of mind. I’ve always been amazed at how music acts as a trigger for all sorts of things, and it’s so cool to be reminded yet again that even though I’m no longer making a living as a musician, music continues to impact everything I do.

Now I should get back to writing again, before the mix ends!

©2010 Antony John. All Rights Reserved.