JOSH BERK

MasterMITCH Theatre!

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 23:59:44 GMT

In today's guest-reader episode of MasterBerk Theatre we have the amazingly super-talented author Saundra Mitchell. She was a screenwriter before writing YA & she has this super-awesome animation program that can turn people into cartoons. I've always wanted to be a cartoon and so it's a dream come true. Her reading is also hilarious; I could listen to Saundra speak French all day and not get tired of it. Thanks, Saundra! Enjoy, everyone!

Oh, I think it makes the most sense if you watch this one first:

And it makes the super-most sense if you're a little drunk or just not thinking too hard.

(Also, I'm really pleased that the 'related videos' are about DJ Mixmaster Mitch.)

Link if above embed isn't working: http://youtu.be/LktqwUgO_qg

MasterDERT Theatre: Guy Langman, Crime Scene Procrastinator as read by Kimberly Derting

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 18:30:00 GMT

Hi Everyone! Remember MasterBerk Theatre, where I pretentiously read from my friends' books? Sure you do. You love it. Well now I have flipped the script. Literally. Okay, not literally, because if I flipped the script literally it would be hard to read. Annnnnyway, what I did was ask some friends to read MY book as guests on MBT! Which is why this week we have MasterDERT Theatre, where Kim Derting reads from GUY LANGMAN, CRIME SCENE PROCRASTINATOR! It came out so great. Kim is so awesome. She even wears an ascot! That's dedication, friends. And awesomeness. Enjoy!

(Here's the link if the above embed be not embedded: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flT8ATY8xDM )

anthologized.

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 00:30:32 GMT

While we all wait breathlessly for next month's release of GUY LANGMAN, CRIME SCENE PROCRASTINATOR (you are all waiting breathlessly, right? No breathing! Stop it!) we can also talk about some fun anthologies I'm going to be part of. By "some" I mean "two." The one to come out first is a collection of short fiction called 'Cornered: 15 Stories of Bullying and Defiance' and is edited by Rhoda Belleza who was ridiculously fun to work with. She brought out a lot of humor in the dark subject and the story ended up being both pretty freaking funny and, if I do say so myself (and I do) pretty emotionally intense. I decided to make it from the point of view of a kid who was neither exactly the bully nor the bullied, but part of a crowd that made a girl's life miserable in elementary school. They meet up about ten years later and sparks fly. So do spoons. Spoons fly? Yes. You will have to read the book to find out why. That sounded like a fifth grader's elementary school report. One more thing about this is that the girl in the story is inspired by Kimya Dawson, and yes, there is a scene where she sings and plays guitar. I even wrote a song that appears with chords & everything at the end of the story so you can play along at home. Oh, and if you're not sure who Kimya Dawson is, she is this lady.

Oh and if you want to pre-order the book, here is a place you can do that: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780762444281

The second anthology comes out in Fall 2013 and is edited by Luke Reynolds who is a teacher and an inspiration and an amazing dude. It's a collection of essays called 'Break These Rules.' The contributors are an amazing group of authors, some of whom are friends and some of whom are heroes and some of whom are both. (Am I using "whom" right in that sentence? I sure am using it a lot.) Here is some more info on this wonderful project that I'm thrilled to be a part of on Luke's blog. My piece in there is part essay and part Whitmaneque poem. It was such a fun topic, to encourage kids to think critically about social norms and, when need be, break some freaking rules.

Happy New Year!

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 17:18:02 GMT

Hi Everyone! Let me be the first to wish you a happy new year! What? I'm not the first? You've been wished happy new year like 9 million times already? Oh well. Let me be the nine million and first then. LET ME.

I love New Year's, specifically because I love making resolutions, and even more specifically because I love breaking resolutions. I'm way better at that. Also I'm excited about this New Year because 2012 is the year my new book comes out! It's been two years since my first book and yes, that is a long time between books. It's a long story with a lots of ins, outs, and what-have-yous. But the important thing is that GUY LANGMAN: CRIME SCENE PROCRASTINATOR comes out in just a few months (March 13, 2012). I'm updating the appearances page over on joshberkbooks.com with a few things now, and many more to come I'm sure! If you live in eastern Pennsylvania there is a good chance I will be in your library/bookstore/living room talking about GUY. And what's this? There is an event OUTSIDE of PA scheduled on there already? Why yes! Exciting.

Oh, and speaking of the holidays here is a 'happy holidays' video card from me & like 90 of my YA author friends. I play guitar! You are impressed. Maggie Stiefvater plays bagpipes! Now you are less impressed with me. Anywho.

INTERROGATION!!! (And a giveaway)

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 18:38:32 GMT

This week I faced the bright glare of the Sleuths, Spies & Alibis Interrogation Room spotlights. Ahhhhh! Actually they are super-nice. SS&A is the group blog of seven middle-grade and young adult authors whose debut novels will be published in 2012 and 2013. One of said seven, Elisa Ludwig, asked me questions about writing and really it wasn't like an interrogation at all. It was fun! She's very nice. And from Philadelphia. Go Philly! And go check out the article:

http://sleuthsspiesandalibis.blogspot.com/2011/11/interrogation-room-suspect-5-josh-berk.html

And leave a comment there because you could win a signed copy of THE DARK DAYS OF HAMBURGER HALPIN. Here are the rules: To enter the contest, simply comment on any of the Sleuths Spies and Alibis posts between Wednesday, November 16 and Monday, November 21. Contest closes November 21 at midnight, EST. The winner will be announced on Friday, November 25. One comment = one entry in our drawing; limit one per day.

Blurb blurb blurb!

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:35:42 GMT

Have I mentioned before how much I love the word "blurb?" Yes, like 9 million times. Well today I can share that I have received one! Or rather, GUY LANGMAN has. Blurbs are those little bits of praise from another author you see on book covers. Asking for them involves a lot of begging and bribery and tsoris. Just kidding, it's pretty painless -- after the book is written but before it comes out you just ask nicely and send an ARC, manuscript, or these days a digital file for an e-reader. Then you cross your fingers. Most every author is super-nice about it. Sometimes they're too busy, or sometimes they don't connect to the book and they pass, or sometimes they come through with a sweet thing to say! The first person I thought to ask for a blurb for GUY was my friend and award-winning author A.S. King. I'm happy to report that she enjoyed reading GUY and was kind enough to say some nice blurbage. Check it out!

"Berk delivers his signature mix of humor and mystery in Guy Langman: Crime Scene Procrastinator. I laughed all the way to the last sentence. A hilarious, intriguing and touching journey." -- A.S. King, Printz Honor-winning author of Please Ignore Vera Dietz

I'm so flattered! It's pretty much exactly what I want readers to know about GUY -- it's a mystery, but also a funny book, and also pretty emotional. She sums it all up in just a few words. That's why she wins the awards, people. (Also because her books are awesome.) Here's what it looks like on the actual book. Huzzah!

"

Milestones

Sun, 23 Oct 2011 12:52:12 GMT

So I was talking about book-type milestones with my friend Trish Doller, on the exciting day she received her ISBN number. She's had a possibly even crazier path to publication than most, plus she is a professional bookseller, so she really got psyched! She was probably joking about getting her book's ISBN as a tattoo, but let's hope she was TOTALLY SERIOUS because that would rule. (If you're not way into books, you may not know that the ISBN is the official unique code each book gets & the way people in bookstores & libraries often look up books. It just feels soooo official that it's super exciting to new authors.)

This got me thinking about another really exciting milestone, which is the first time you see your book in a library catalog. This is of course extra thrilling if you are a librarian like me and just generally get pumped about things like subject headings and MARC records and such. Back when my first book was coming out, I (and my family) stalked the Library of Congress catalog because that's the first place where book records show up. It was so fun to see the book when it was finally added, and we all enjoyed staring at it in its library-format glory. But I have totally forgotten to stalk the LoC for book two! Thankfully, the ISBN discussion reminded me to go check it out and there it is! GUY LANGMAN, CRIME SCENE PROCRASTINATOR at the LoC!

The summary came out really cool (I'm still not quite sure who writes those) and I just love the list of subject headings:

Forensic sciences--
Fathers and sons--
Death--
Grief--
New Jersey--
Humorous stories.
Mystery and detective stories

The way this book's subjects are both 'grief' and 'humorous stories' really sort of captures the project. Also: New Jersey. Pretty sweet!

Also, an update I know you're dying for: Grapes of Wrath is really good! It took me a while to start reading because I've been engrossed as all get out in the new young adult book CATCH AND RELEASE by my fellow 10er/friend/hero Blythe Woolston. It's actually not out yet, but Blythe convinced me to join NetGalley to get an advanced copy & I did so. It is not like I needed much arm-twisting because I loved Blythe's first book (THE FREAK OBSERVER) so much, but I was confused by the whole digital ARC thing & honestly much prefer books made of paper. Anywho, I will say more later, but here's what I have to say about CATCH AND RELEASE at the moment: This book could be 1,000 pages long and I'd still be sad when it ended. I'll let the LoC say the rest:

The subject headings for CATCH AND RELEASE:

Disfigured persons--
Automobile travel--
Fishing--
Trout--
Communicable diseases--

What I'm (Not) Reading

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 13:46:59 GMT

Hey yo, I'm blogging over at Teen Fiction Cafe, on the topic of "What I'm Reading." I also talk about what I'm NOT reading & reveal some classics I've never tackled. William Faulkner judges me harshly, there's audience participation, and really you should just go check it out (please) -
http://teenfictioncafe.blogspot.com/2011/10/what-im-not-reading.html

Berk, you disgust me.

Ink Stains: Nine authors with more than 25 published books between them offer countless insights...

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 14:56:27 GMT

Hey, did I ever blog about this? I forget if I did. Pardon me if I did. If I didn't, check it out! I'm part of a cool e-book called "Ink Stains." It was edited by Lara Zielin, who is an author & fabulous youtuber & super cool lady.

Here is the description:

Nine authors with more than 25 published books between them offer countless insights to help your writing leave a mark. These candid author interviews speak to overcoming self doubt, triumphing over writer's block, mastering the editing process, learning to trust those quiet literary instincts, and more. The raw authenticity will encourage and inspire other writers. If they can do it, so can you.

It was really fun to be a part of it. My chapter is about the pressures of writing a second book & such things. (Admit it - when you read the description's mention of "self doubt," you guessed that was my chapter.) My part is called "My Manuscript is Trying to Kill Me! Okay, not really. But it did scare me for a long time until I figured out how to kick its butt." I like long titles. Also I quote Yoda. Or the Dalai Lama. One of those dudes. Anyway, here are some places you can buy it for your electronic reading pleasures. It's $2.99:
http://www.amazon.com/Ink-Stains-ebook/dp/B005ED3C1C/
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ink-stains-lara-zielin/1104471663

Here is a nice comment from a reader: "You get the feeling that this is what writers REALLY talk about when they talk to other writers. I'm glad that Ms. Zielin let us listen in on the conversation. " And I'm glad she let me be part of it!

A DDoHH contest at Whatcha' Reading Now?

Sun, 18 Sep 2011 01:23:24 GMT

Hello, I am coming to you quickly to suggest that you visit Whatcha' Reading Now? to enter to win a contest wherein you can win a DARK DAYS OF HAMBURGER HALPIN paperback or one of some other fine books. Get to it, bro!
http://whatchareadingnow.wordpress.com/2011/09/13/a-vampire-like-no-other/

Author interview with A-Starms! (Aaron Starmer, author of the great new book The Only Ones!)

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 16:19:28 GMT

Hello! Today I am interviewing fellow Druid Aaron Starmer. No, we aren't magical Celtics (or Boston Celtics), we went to Drew University! Together! At the same time! In the late '90s. But we didn't know each other back then even though Drew is a really small school. There is a whole article about this -- "We Meet at Last" in the Drew Magazine. (Sing it with me.)

So even though we didn't know each other then, we have become friends now, both ending up writing for similar audiences at the same publisher. And as it turns out I really love his books. DWEEB is a very funny and very fun and very exciting book about "five awesome nerds figuring out how to save the world." (That's me quoting me!)

His new book, THE ONLY ONES, just published this week, is somewhat darker. There are some truly hilarious quips, but it's an intense story about a kid named Martin Maple who lives on an island cut off from all civilization because of his nutty father. Or IS he nutty?! Perhaps he is wise, because something very strange is about to happen to civilization... One afternoon (The Day) everyone on earth seems to disappear, except for Martin and a group of kids he finds living adult-free in a village called Xibalba.

From there is gets magical and wonderful and I truly love it. The ending is making me weepy. STARMER!!!! *shakes fist*

AS: Awww...thanks. I really do appreciate it. So few people have read the book that I still don't know how it will be received.

JB: It will be received awesomely because it is awesome. Timeless yet totally now, you know? I think it will be loved for years and years and years. NOW ON WITH THE Qs. Let's start with the back of the book. You acknowledge a Jamie Wyeth painting as inspiration for The Only Ones. Care to share which painting and the story behind that? Is it this one? That would be weird. Is being inspired by a painting something that happens often for you?

AS: Well I'm a weird guy, Mr. Berk, and that Pumpkinhead is actually one of my favorites and it's part of the series that inspired the book. Every summer, I go to a family cabin in Maine, which is on a tiny island just offshore. Andrew Wyeth (Jamie's father) had a house on the mainland that we can see from our porch and we used to look out and wonder if he or Jamie was sitting there, looking back at us and painting our house. In 2009, I was looking at that house and thumbing through a book of Wyeth art and I came across Jamie's series of paintings of Orca Bates. I hadn't looked at them in a long time, but I remembered how much they haunted me as a kid.

I think Orca lives in Brooklyn now, but he was a guy who grew up on Monhegan Island in Maine, a famous colony of artists and lobstermen. Jamie painted Orca as if he were a wild child who never journeyed away from the island. I used that notion as a jumping off point for my book. The one painting that really struck me was The Mainland, which shows Orca standing on the coast, looking to the sea. That's sort of how The Only Ones begins.

Of course, inspiration comes from any number of places. Actually, just right now I'm inspired to write a story about an interviewer named Jon Bork, who's intimidatingly handsome, but who has a deep dark secret. Any ideas where that story should go?

JB: Oh, I have ideas alright.

JB: Lots of writers are distance runners (myself included!). Any correlation you can identify between the two, besides the obvious connection that both activities sometimes make your nipples bleed?

AS: First off, a bit of advice. Body Glide (http://www.bodyglide.com/): There Won't Be Blood (don't even try to steal that, I'm copyrighting it). But to answer your question, I definitely think there's a correlation. Running is obviously a great release after sitting at a computer all day. But I think distance running appeals to novelists because it's about setting small goals to achieve big things. I take that approach when I start a book. I don't sit down and say, "how do I get to the last page of the story?" I think about how to get to the end of the chapter, or to a moment, or a bit of dialogue on the first page. If I run ten miles, it's nearly impossible to do in a straight line to the finish. To make it bearable and enjoyable, I have to look forward to twists and turns and landmarks along the way.

Haruki Murakami wrote an interesting book that covers writing and running called What I Talk About When I Talk About Running. Running writers—and writing runners and people who enjoy Raymond Carver puns—should check it out.

JB: I'm totally all those things! And I've read that book. It rules.

JB: Some craft-type Qs: Your books are very well-plotted and finely crafted. If I had to guess, I'd say you are a careful pre-writer. The twists are well-thought out, the plotting and pacing are airtight. Do you do tons of pre-writing? Big outliner, are you? Notecards and giant diagrams? Scrivener or some other software you recommend? Or do things take shape as you write? Don't tell me you don't plot any of this stuff out in advance because then I will throw something at you.

AS: I appreciate you thinking that, but warm up your pitching arm, because I'm not much of a pre-writer. I usually know the beginning, the end, and some scenes and characters that I'd like to include, but not much more than that. And all that stuff is always in my head. No notes. No diagrams. No outlines. No fancy programs (is MS Word 2004 fancy?).

When I start writing, what I definitely don't do is write a lot at a time. I write little bits, and then revise. I'm always going back to the beginning and tweaking what I've already written. Dozens of times. When I'm halfway done with the book, I might do a synopsis of where it's going, but those details have already been worked out in my head, usually while jogging or lying in bed. If I don't know it backwards and forwards in my head, then it's not going make much sense to the reader.

When I finally finish the entire thing, it's hard to call it a first draft. I do go back and do a couple big revisions, but maybe not as many as others. Form is very important to me. It's always at the front of my mind.

JB *throws a stapler* *Agrees that MS Word 2004 is the fanciest!*

JB: Do you have a favorite character in each of your books? I totally have a favorite from each, but I won't tell you who they are. OK, fine, I'll tell you, but you have to guess first.

AS: No, Mr. Berk, you first. I got nowhere to be. Can do this all day

*After 15 hours of staring at each other*

AS: Fine! You win! I'll tell you my favorite character from The Only Ones! It's Darla. Are you happy? Of course you aren't. You want to know why, don't you? You'll keep staring at me with those steely eyes until I tell you everything. *whimpers* It's because she can be awful and endearing in the exact same moment. Sort of like you, Berk...sort of like you... *buries face in hands*

Darla's my fav too!

JB: I have a theory that every YA author had an unhappy adolescence while every children's author had a happy childhood. I'm not sure why this is, but maybe those of us who write about high school do so because our high school years were in some way difficult and we need to work through the baggage. Whereas those who write for younger children are sad that childhood ended and want to relive it in some way. Is this true and did you have a happy childhood? (No pressure. Feel free to mess up my theory. Your books are sort of on the MG/YA cusp so maybe you had a "complicated" childhood. Also feel free to pass answering on the grounds of this question being "too Freudian" or simply "not making any sense-ish.")

AS: How dare you ask such a question to Jungian! Actually, I think it's an interesting idea, but I'll call myself an exception to the rule. You can read some writing I did as a teen here and read about my teenage fumblings here, but honestly, high school was a bit of a blur to me. Not because I lived it Rock and Roll High School-style, but because I was so tied up in sports and academics and just trying to be a nice guy that I didn't have much time to do much hell-raising or brooding.

Middle school was a different story. I have many vivid memories from that time of pain and adventure and confusion and discovery and mistakes. And I guess that's why my characters tend to skew towards the 11-13 age. I remember the first R-rated movie I saw in the movie theater was Stand by Me. I was probably 10 years old and I was amazed that someone finally got things right. This was how my friends talked! This was how the older kids acted! It's a foul-mouthed tale, but it's also a lot more weepy and self-conscious than almost all boy-approved fare out there. I'm a "suburban romanticist" (copyright pending) and I guess I want to capture those raw and exciting and weepy moments that arise when kids are let out into the grassy world without parental supervision. The Only Ones is that taken to the extreme.

Thanks, A-Starms! Until we meet again!

Go read the book everyone. DO IT.

I had to turn off commenting b/c of stupid LiveJournal spam so if you're reading this on LJ and want to leave a comment, I do not think you can, but I appreciate your kindness.

Cover Story / PAYA

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 22:57:17 GMT

Here are two interviews I've recently done, both of which were super-fun!

(1) Authoress (I'm bringing it back) Melissa Walker profiles my book for a record-setting second time on "Cover Stories!" I'm not really sure if it's a record, but it's probably not too common. A while ago I told the tale of the hardcover jacket & now I'm back. Paperback.
http://www.melissacwalker.com/cover-stories-the-dark-days-of-hamburger-halpin-paperback/

(2) Another authoress (told you I'm bringing it back), Sarah Darer Littman & I interviewed each other about Pennsylvania, books, and other random things. It's over on the PAYA blog and is hilarious. Sarah is incredibly freaking funny. Check it!
http://bringya2pa.wordpress.com/2011/08/17/why-you-should-come-to-paya-josh-berk-and-sarah-darer-littman/

And speaking of PAYA, you should totally come to PAYA! It's this Saturday!
Info here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/PAYA-Bringing-YA-to-PA/135556373131694

WriteOn Con! (Make Friends With the Fear)

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 01:07:14 GMT

Hey, it's WriteOnCon time again! WriteOn is an online writing conference all about writing for young people. There's lots of YA authors, agents, children's authors, editors, and other kidlit sorts who contribute videos & seminars & critiques and it's just like a real conference, only you can attend in your bathrobe! Or, maybe give a keynote address in your bathrobe. Which I did. It was really fun! Paulie Walnuts appears. Check it out:

http://writeoncon.com/2011/08/welcome-to-writeoncon-2011-keynote-by-author-josh-berk/

At the end there's some info on how to win a book if you're into that sort of thing. Write on!

EDIT: Some kind souls asked for the text of the poem I read as part of my speech. It's now below. Enjoy! Feel free to share widely and/or print to hang on your wall next to a picture of Paulie Walnuts.

Make Friends With the Fear.

The Fear is a insatiable beast, feeding on your tears and self-doubt
The Fear is a sly fellow, a sneaky fox who pops up into your heart, your mind, your manuscript, your life, at precisely the moment you need him the least.
The Fear is a cynical bastard,
An unwanted house guest,
A congenital condition,
An endless itch.
The Fear is kind of an {expletive}.

I have learned to live with The Fear.
I have not killed The Fear.
I have not vanquished The Fear.
I have not triumphed on The Fear and crushed his skull with my booted heel.
I have simply learned to live with The Fear.

They say the greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist.*
Similarly, the greatest trick the Fear ever pulled was to convince you that the only way not to fail is not to try.
This is a sly trick, Fear, you miserable {expletive}.
You almost convinced me not to try.
So that I may not fail.
But if I listened to you,
I would have certainly failed.
Because the only certain path to failure
Is not to try.
And the only certain path to success
Is to try like hell.

The Fear is strong
But I am stronger
The Fear is tough
But I am tougher
The Fear is determined
But I am moreso
And The Fear
Will never win.
I know you will never go away
And that’s fine,
But if you would,
Please go sit over there and leave me alone.
Because I have a book to write.

(*By “they” I either mean “the Bible” of Kevin Spacey. It’s early and I don’t feel like checking my sources.)

Audiobook!

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 19:06:18 GMT

THE DARK DAYS OF HAMBURGER HALPIN is out on audiobook today! You can get it for download or on CD and it's really fun to hear a great reader reading it!

Info on downloading the audiobook: http://www.randomhouse.com/audio/listeninglibrary/catalog/display.php?isbn=9780307916976

Info on buying it on CD: http://library.booksontape.com/bookdetail.cfm/YA1795ACD

That is all.

Oh wait, that is not all. You can listen to a sample! Is there a button to play a sample below? There should be. If there isn't, I apologize. I know how you love buttons.

Random Acts Of Reading (win an advanced copy of GUY LANGMAN!)

Sat, 06 Aug 2011 00:28:18 GMT

Hi everyone! Today I'm visiting my friends at Random House & blogging on Random Acts Of Reading. Check it out!

http://randomactsofreading.wordpress.com/2011/08/05/meet-josh-berk-author-librarian-and-all-around-wickedly-funny-guy/

You can see that they call me a "wickedly funny guy" and also "quite possibly be the funniest librarian around" which is like being named the strongest person in your family or the best ice skater in the Sahara. Just kidding! Librarians are a funny bunch indeed & I'm flattered by all the nice things my RAOR friends said. Thanks!

Anyway, I tell a bit about getting "the call" for DDoHH & then also talk quite a bit (for the first time anywhere!) about my new book, GUY LANGMAN: CRIME SCENE PROCRASTINATOR. (Teaser: I use the word "torpor" and the phrase "macho Jew.") It was fun. Also, if you leave a comment there you can win an advanced copy of said new book from Random House. Get to it!

Note: If you're reading this on LiveJournal, you cannot leave a comment here on this post because I had to disable commenting because I was getting 90 million spam comments a day, usually in Hebrew for some weird reason. Maybe it wasn't spam & I just have a lot of Israeli fans? No: it was spam. So go comment on the RAOR page & you can be a winner! YOU ALREADY ARE A WINNER IF YOU ASK ME.

DDoHH Audiobook update

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 17:36:26 GMT

Hey, did I mention before that DARK DAYS OF HAMBURGER HALPIN is being released as an audiobook? I might have already mentioned this, as I am excited about it! Here's a bit of info on it from Books On Tape. The reader is Jim Meskimen, who has a very cool resume and a very cool voice! Go to his site and click "audiobook" to hear some samples. The first is a passage from 'Cardboard Gods: An All-American Tale Told Through Baseball Cards,' which is a book I've wanted to read for a while. Maybe I'll just listen! Jim's voice is so cool. I can't wait to hear what he does with DDoHH!

For my part, I got to go into a local studio (Dan's House Studio in Center Valley) to record an "author Q & A" for the end. It was a lot of fun! Dan is a great guy who I know from my days as a musician. He recorded my various musical projects a few times and he's a local legend for several reasons, including being the organist for the Original Sins, one of the greatest Lehigh Valley bands ever. (There are millions of videos of them you could look up, including at least one that was on MTV and such, but I like this one because it's really raw & Dan gets super-funky on the keys.) Anyway, I just heard a cut of my interview and it came out okay!

My only other role in the audiobook has been to answer emails from the producer about how to pronounce things. Mainly character names, and also street names, and advice on how to read aloud some of the made-up words & chat abbreviations/online symbols Will uses in the book. This is probably a hard book to make into an audio! LOL2BIFTLOLIS! I also had to advise on how to pronounce "halupki," a local delicacy that was unknown to the Californians working on the recording :)

So that's that! It will be out in August. Check it out. Oh, and you can get it as an unabridged audiobook download if you're into that sort of thing. Cheaper than CDs! It will be available for download from a bunch of places.

Hi, I'm Josh Berk talking about Josh Berk. Josh Berk blah blah Josh Berk is fun!

A DDoHH Giveaway!

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 19:09:32 GMT

Zoe of Zoe's Book Reviews, is hosting a DARK DAYS OF HAMBURGER HALPIN giveaway! All you have to do to win a signed copy of the spanking-new paperback DDoHH is go here:
ZOE'S BOOK REVIEWS

Fill in that little form thing and you may win! Also, while you're there, please enjoy the surveillance video I made of my paperback fighting my hardcover. Did you know that I'm really bad at spelling 'surveillance'? Spell-check keeps wanting to make it 'clairvoyance.' Anyway, go ahead and enter the contest! I'll send you a book! Signed even! Thanks, Zoe!

Release Day 2.0! Now with a more papery back! And more dancing

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 13:35:30 GMT

Hey, it’s another release day of sorts around here! Actually there are lots of books out today. But specifically, THE DARK DAYS OF HAMBURGER HALPIN is out in paperback today. It has a new cover and, um, it's not as much money to buy one, and, well, you should probably buy nine. And if you know me, you know I like to celebrate release days as any song-and-dance man does: with a musical! So I now present to you: RELEASE DAY TWO: THE METAL REMIX. I don’t want to oversell it, but it has star wipes. And the thunder? It is brought.

(Note: this video makes most sense if you’re aware of this: Release Day: The Musical and the super-most-sense if you’re also aware of this: DEATH METAL BARN. But if you’re not a hardcore-devoted fan of the joshberkbooks youtube page, don’t worry about not catching the references to previous videos i.e. dancing and the death metal barn. Just enjoy the metal. METAL.

And even if you are aware of my other videos, you have no idea why I call my cameraman "Old Man Winters." Just go with it.)

If the above embed be not embedded, click here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WpO_DIJjMc

I like to support independent bookstores, so suggest you buy, if you do buy, from INDIE BOUND:

Thanks!

Tales From The Road

Wed, 25 May 2011 20:12:49 GMT

Hey, I haven't done a "tales from the road" in a while, but I have in fact been on the road, visiting schools, libraries, writing conferences, what-have-yous. Just yesterday I was part of the "week of writing" at Drexel University. It was a great time and I very much enjoyed the fact that Drexel's team mascot is the dragon. How cool is that!? There are statues of dragons around campus and stuff! OK, maybe you don't like dragons, but I do I guess. Anywho, I was at Drexel to be on on a panel discussing young adult literature with authors April Lindner, Dianne Salerni, and Cheryl McFadden, who is not an author but rather an educator who has a very interesting job at the Philly School District. It was a super fun panel and then we did some writing activities with student writers who blew me away with their awesomeness.

Also, I was recently at the Teen Book Festival in Rochester, NY, which is an amazing event. You should read Amy King's recap of the event, which saves me from having to recap & also includes a weird picture of me & Mrs. King, which is a tradition. It also includes the picture below, which I am stealing. Can you believe the turnout?? I have never spoken to a group that large before and looking at that picture of that ginormous crowd actually makes me nervous, though at the time I felt weirdly relaxed. (And if it isn't clear, that was the group of teens there for the opening of the Festival and not like a group of people just to hear me or anything, though we all did take turns talking to said ginormous crowd.)

So, what else, road-wise? I am glad you asked. July 16 is BookFestPA, which sounds like an event I should be at, and thus I shall be. It is in State College. I like State College, but what is a Nittany Lion? Not as cool as a dragon, I know that much.

And then in July I'm visiting Philly Spells for Spy Week! For real! I'm going to be a guest instructor working with some young writers and it will be super fun! Here is the description:

You’ve been recruited to go undercover with Spells Writing Lab for this special one-week Spy School. After an intensive week of training by our operatives, you’ll have the skills you need to become a secret agent. Create your cover story, gather some pocket litter, and become a master of disguise. Learn the art of cryptography so you can send and decipher encoded messages. Then write fictionalized accounts of your most mysterious adventures. Do you have what it takes to be a master spy?

Pocket litter! Awesome, right? Right. Philly Spells is a great organization & I'm excited to get to work with them. That is all.

Happy Passover! (Encounters with the Gefilte)

Sat, 23 Apr 2011 18:07:21 GMT

I'm blogging over at Teen Fiction Cafe this week, where the topic is holidays and whatnot. I chose to write about Passover. So, yes, it's mostly about food. And, also yes, there is one very inappropriate joke about matzoh balls.Check it out!

The post has nothing to do with this dog, but it came up when I googled "matzah balls" and then I laughed.

Bon Appétit!

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 18:15:32 GMT

So, I recently found myself reading the April issue of Bon Appétit magazine. No, I wasn't reading it while stuck in traffic. Why would anyone do that? Anyway, what struck me the most were the amazing titles of the articles. Consider:

An article about curing ham: "A Cure for the Common Ham"
An article about meringue: "Whip it Good"
An article about lobster rolls: "Rolls that Rock"

Aaaaand so on. So, as you can see (if you are at all like me) -- the people at Bon Appétit magazine have the best job in the world. Food puns all day and all night. I think I was born to do this job, but they haven't answered my phone calls so let's just make it a blog game. Please suggest foods, food issues, food-related topics, etc. and I will come up with a horrible pun to serve as the title of the Bon Appétit article on said topic. Got it? Go! There is no prize.

Interview!

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 23:56:46 GMT

Hey, I haven't done an interview in a little while, but I sure did one recently. It was by by Jodi Webb of the the Black Diamond Writers Network, at whose conference I will be speaking later this month. (Here is some info on registering for that, PA peeps. It's in Hazleton.)

Jodi is really nice and she asks great questions! I'm long-windy so it's in two parts. Please to enjoy!

(1) PART ONE

(2) PART TWO: THE STUNNING CONCLUSION

MasterBerk Theatre: THE VESPERTINE by Saundra Mitchell

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 14:31:22 GMT

I'm not one who is prone to exaggerating* but the new episode of MasterBerk Theatre is the greatest thing on the internet, perchance in all the world. (*OK, fine, I am prone to exaggerating and anyway we all know that the French cat who stands on his hind legs is the greatest thing on the internet. Mon chat se tient debout tout seul!) But the new MBT is pretty great, and that's not just me bragging all up on myself. Said greatness of said MBT is totally due to the greatness of Saundra Mitchell! She's great. She writes movies and books and she made me into a cartoon! I've always wanted to be a cartoon. DREAM ACHIEVED. It was also verrrrrrrry fun to read a passage from Saundra's amazing new book, THE VESPERTINE. (Fact: spell-check keeps wanting to make me change the name of the book to THE IMPERTINENT, which actually does have quite a ring to it. Please consider it for future projects, Saundra Mitchell.)

Anyway, I'm clearly rambling. (FACT: I have been told by editors that if I'm saying "anyway" as a transition to get back on point, I should probably go back and edit the previous paragraph to just stay on point and remove the need for the "anyway." But this isn't a book, this is my blog where I get paid to ramble. FACT: I do not get paid for this blog.)

Anyway anyway: watch the MBT! And buy the book. For it rules. Thanks, Saundra Mitchell!

If above embed is not embedded, click this heeeere: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6PxV3UiE5o

Mother and Son Book Club

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 19:17:50 GMT

Hey, here’s a fun thing: I was recently contacted by a very nice woman named Shari from Dobbs Ferry, NY telling me about her “mother and son book club.” I know! What a cool thing. What a cool mom. (Not just because they chose my book, but they totally did! We’ll get to that...) Shari started the book club with five other moms & sons many years ago to encourage her oldest son’s love of reading and to supplement the books they were doing in school. It went strong for several years and now she’s doing it again with her second son. So cool. She said it’s been so great to watch them go from squirmy nine year-olds who couldn't sit still to teenaged dudes who can really dissect a book. Inspiring!

Her younger son (Jake, now 8th grade) chose my book when it was his turn to choose for the club. He chose it because he likes "funny YA that isn’t too girly, too sad, and neither too mature nor too young." Hey, that’s sort of my perfect reader right there! It’s great that Jake found my book and I think the moms had fun with it too. Shari had nice things to say about Will and she asked me if the boys could send some questions. I said of course!

So in advance of the book club meeting, the boys emailed cool questions, which I happily answered. Mainly they wanted to know what I knew about Deafness and also why Will is so fat. They also asked where certain ideas came from, what parts of the book are autobiographical, and lots of other great questions.

So I wrote back. I showed them the site I used to learn some sign language while researching the book, I sent some autographed bookmarks, and I even advised on what food they should have with the book discussion. I probably would have showed up and helped do dishes, if Dobbs Ferry were just a bit closer*. Because I love book clubs that much! Especially this one, or any one that encourages young dudes to read. Are there others out there? I hope so! And if so, Shari offered to share her questions, which she said led to a great discussion. I’m posting them below for all to use. And as for me, I’m always available to answer questions and send autographs and so on if your book group chooses my book.

*No, I won’t really do dishes.

Thanks, Shari!

QUESTIONS:

Did Will remind you of any other characters in other books?

Do you think that being deaf was an advantage or disadvantage?

What did you think of the use of computers, texting and AIM?

If you were deaf would you want to go to a deaf school or a mainstream school?

What did you think of the teachers and other adults in the book?

What was the most realistic and the most unrealistic aspects?

Did you figure out who the killer was? What did you think about that?

Why do you think Will was wary of being friends with Devon at first and why did they become close?

Thanks, Shari!

Here's said mother & son from said mother-and-son book club! And some other dudes... (Husband & other son. What a cool fam!)

Note from a reader

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 00:54:02 GMT

I just got a really great email from a reader that I feel like sharing. Mainly because I think it would make Will really happy. And yes, I mean Will Halpin, the fictional person I wrote about. HE MIGHT BE FICTIONAL BUT HE STILL HAS FEELINGS. And he thinks this is just perfect:

I just wanted to express my thanks for giving kids with disabilities, like I was, a way to feel included that doesn't involve a perfect hero/heroine sobbing over us to show the audience how sensitive they are. It's been a long time coming.