new posts in all blogs
Viewing Blog: David Michael Slater's Blog, Most Recent at Top
Results 1 - 25 of 312
David Michael Slater was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He teaches high school in Portland, Oregon, where he lives with his wife and son. David writes for children, teens and adults.
Statistics for David Michael Slater's Blog
Number of Readers that added this blog to their MyJacketFlap: 7
Pre-sales now live for the 11/17 release!
The 1980’s: it’s the time of Dungeons & Dragons, banana clips, and Atari. Jonathan Schwartz is growing up in a family like no other. His sisters, Nadia, the dark genius, and Olivia, the gorgeous tease and temptress, manipulate Jon and his friends for their own entertainment. And his Holocaust survivor grandparents? Their coping techniques are beyond embarrassing. A disastrous visit to Jon’s class by his grandmother unhinges his famous father, setting off a chain of events that threatens to send the dysfunctional Schwartz clan up in flames once and for all. Fun & Games is a heartbreaking and hilarious story of faith, family secrets, betrayal, and loss—but it’s also a tale of friendship, love, and side-splitting shenanigans.
Cover reveal! Another brilliant effort by Italian artist, Mauro Sorghienti. The Book of All Things (Forbidden Books 5) — coming Aug. 25!
What if you could hold all of time and space in the palm of your hand?
The deadly creature arrives on black winds, and its bite has unleashed a plague capable of killing every man, woman, and child in the world. The government believes that Dexter and Daphna Wax have the information they need to stop the disease from spreading, but the twins have learned to trust no one. They are running for their lives, searching for answers on their own. Their quest will uncover secrets about the monster, but also about themselves—secrets an even more powerful organization is willing to sacrifice anything, and anyone, to bury.
As a result of the generous RNR article this morning (https://www.newsreview.com/…/cool-enough-for-school/content…), I've been asked already several times about the infamous "Rejection Notebooks" I've been keeping for almost 20 years. Originally, I kept them as a way to keep organized about to whom I'd already submitted, but soon after lugging them to a few school visits, I realized that they have incredible power to illustrate just how much persistence is required for authors who hope to be published. Or for that matter for anyone pursuing a dream. I'll soon hit 30 books in print, but there are at least 1,000 rejections here. And I stopped filing them a few years ago when I began exclusively submitting via email--so I probably have another notebook's-worth in digital form. I also stopped because there's no need to risk hernia, even for an author visit :)
Many thanks to Matt Bieker and the Reno News & Review for this generous spotlight.
A local middle school teacher is also an author. Two of his dozens of books are on their second release.
Here is the first (and EXTREMELY early) review for the November release of FUN & GAMES, from the San Diego Jewish Times...
SAN DIEGO –Jonathan Schwartz has a common Jewish name and, one might think, a not uncommon adolescence as he and his friends binge drink and talk about hoped-for sexual encounters with hot girls.
But all is not what it seems in this novel exploring how people of all ages grapple with their identities.
For example, Jonathan’s father, a well-known author, rejects religion in favor of rationalism. But his doubts take him to study with an Orthodox group in Israel.
Two of Jonathan’s friends wonder about their sexuality, while one of his sisters tries to become a virgin porn star. An older sister feigns disdain for her family, but separation from them is the last thing she wants.
A grandmother, who survived the Holocaust, makes obscene “jokes” about the fate of the Jews under Hitler.
Through it all, Jonathan seems to be the only one without any internal conflicts. As the world goes crazy around him, he is a rock of stability. Girls find his lack of inner turmoil attractive, and just by being his uncomplicated self, he gains a popularity he never seeks.
Humor glues this tale together. It begins with an uproarious scene when the gentle Rabbi Glickman comes to visit the Schwartz household amid the tumult of his sisters’ growing awareness of their sexuality, along with the appearance on the sidewalk outside the Schwartz home of a star-struck fan who believes Jonathan’s author father is the messiah.
Sexual and alcoholic escapades of teenagers, we are led to believe, are diversions—acts of procrastination, if you will—enabling them to put off, at least temporarily, the painful process of finding out who they really are.
*
Donald Harrison is editor of
San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via
[email protected].
The Book of Maps (Forbidden Books 4) now available! The Book of All Things (Forbidden Books 5 — August 25!)
A map to all corners of the world, and—if they're right—the next.
A year later, what happened in the caves at Eden’s edge still haunts Dexter and Daphna’s nightmares: falling through the darkness, the stench, the flapping wings—that maniacal laughter. Back in Portland, they've built a new life with their new mother, but now, the night before they were officially to open a new chapter in their lives, they learn the awful truth: When they came back from those dreadful caves, something came with them—something older than time and capable of unleashing a devastating plague.
Once again, the twins are on the run, not only from the terrifying creature, but also from the authorities who think Dex and Daphna have answers—and from other powerful interests who want to know what secrets they possess. Their newest secret, a book of miraculous maps, is their best hope of survival. If they can unlock its secrets, it might lead them beyond their nightmares—and perhaps even beyond their wildest dreams.
Thanks to Suzanne Morgan Williams for organizing another terrific Northern Nevada SCBWI/Artown event. Packed house for "speed dating" author panels and book sales to boot!
Cover Reveal!!
THE BOOK OF MAPS
Forbidden Books 4
Coming July 7
Thanks for the shout out, This is Reno!
And the beauty of having the series finished is that you only have to wait until July for
The Book of Maps: Forbidden Books 5.
Some news! Continuing my quest to conquer all genres. In August, 2017, I will have 3 short non-fiction books published, all sure upset people :) One will be on Education, one on current hot-button social/cultural issues, and the last on gender stereotypes. Stay tuned...
smile emoticon
Join us!
5/21
Reno folks: You are invited! The Reno Lit Crawl is Saturday! Here's where you can find me, should you accept the challenge:Reading: West Street Market Courtyard 5 p.m."Social Venue" (Book signing/sales): Royce, 115 Ridge St. 6:30-7:30Full Schedule of Lit Crawl events:https://www.facebook.com/events/162896314112479/166794070389370/
Do You Review? If you or someone you know has a review blog or other reviewer credentials and are interested in a review copy of any of The Forbidden Books (Book 3: The Book of Knowledge releases 5/12) please contact me at [email protected]. I will make sure you get an e-copy! Feel free to share...
I think now's the moment to share the awesome new cover for Fun & Games, which will be relaunched in November. This time going out we have requests for Advanced Readers from The New Yorker, EW, Esquire, New Republic, The Atlantic, Huffington, LA Review of Books, and others. That does not guarantee reviews, of course, but it is extremely promising. One film producer has reached out, and the package will go out to many more in November. So...we'll see!
Cover reveal!
One Word to rule them all…in the hands of thirteen-year-olds.
Abandoned and alone, Daphna and Dexter Wax face dangers from all directions. The neighborhood gang wants Dex’s head, and the local party queens have it in for Daphna. And there’s the small matter of social workers. And police. But the twins are armed with the Book of Nonsense, and when it comes to the First Tongue, knowledge is power. And that power is amazing!
Every day, the twins get better at wielding Words, and soon they’ll put an end to Adem Tarik’s plans to make his ‘Heaven on Earth’—whatever that means. Dex and Daphna can build their own paradise.
But the world was never meant to be perfect.
Coming March, 2016
The Kitlitosphere lost a bright light last night. The Slaters lost a friend. Here's to hoping The Beaverton School District, who lost a devoted leader and tireless advocate for books and literacy, establishes some sort of memorial or scholarship for Debbie Alvarez. Rest in Peace.
More news! The Boy & the Book was shortlisted for Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy 2016 CLEL Picture Book Awards. There are 5 books in the "Read" category:
Books for Me! by Sue Fliess; illustrated by Mike Laughead (Two Lions), The Boy & the Book by David Michael Slater; illustrated by Bob Kolar (Charlesbridge), Where Are My Books? by Debbie Ridpath Ohi, Duncan the Story Dragon by Amanda Driscoll (Random House), Sloth Slept On by Frann Preston-Gannon (Sterling Childrens Books)
Here's news: If you have an Amazon Prime or Unlimited account, you can now read any of these fine books for free.
The fBooks SCBWI Book Launch party begins today!
Have a look and leave a like or a note!
DETAILS THERE ON HOW TO SET UP A FREE SKYPE VISIT WITH YOURS TRULY!
#SCBWIparty
The Book of Secrets (Forbidden Books 2) released today (e-book)! Paper should be ready in a week or two!
The world was turning out to be not just a book of secrets, but a whole library full.
Dexter and Daphna Wax have learned incredible secrets. Their mother was thousands of years old and on a Council devoted to destroying the First Tongue. And there are connivers, like Asterious Rash, who would do anything to learn Words of Power. They also know the Words were hidden in the Book of Nonsense.
But now it’s out of their hands, and they may not survive long enough to get it back.
The twins might stand a chance of completing their mother's mission—if they can get on the same page—but danger looms closer to home than they ever thought possible.
And the new secrets Dex and Daphna uncover are ones they never wanted to know.
http://www.amazon.com/Book-Secrets-Forbidden-Books-ebook/dp/B018HPRQJM/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1448462596&sr=1-1&keywords=book+of+secrets+slater
Join me at this great session at this year's Reno Comic Con!
Creating Worlds and Storytelling
Sunday, November 22nd
Creators, Novelists, and Narrative Designers discuss the ins and outs of creating worlds and storytelling including their experiences and their secrets for finishing creative projects. Join Genese Davis (The Holder's Dominion) and special guest speakers for this one-of-a-kind panel.
Meet Phillip!
He is available to adorn your new favorite T-shirts, posters, mugs, and more...
Here is the start of my blog post for PiBoIdMo today. It has gotten a remarkable response
(over a hundred comments in the first two hours)!
Thrilled to reveal the cover for The Book of Secrets (Forbidden Books, Volume 2), coming this Nov!
The world was turning out to be not just a book of secrets, but a whole library full.
Dexter and Daphna Wax have learned incredible secrets. Their mother was thousands of years old and on a Council devoted to destroying the First Tongue. And there are connivers, like Asterious Rash, who would do anything to learn Words of Power. They also know the Words were hidden in the Book of Nonsense.
But now it’s out of their hands, and they may not survive long enough to get it back.
The twins might stand a chance of completing their mother's mission—if they can get on the same page—but danger looms closer to home than they ever thought possible.
And the new secrets Dex and Daphna uncover are ones they never wanted to know.
Awesome conversation via Skype about The Book of Nonsense with the teen book club
@ Sevier County Public Library in Tennessee!
View Next 25 Posts
