Yes, I can send autographed bookplates. Just PM me.
I’m a bit tapped out right now on events! Seriously, the next month promises to be exhausting. However, I will hope to get invited to a baseball booth or two as the summer wears on.
My book has already been picked by Midwestern independent booksellers as part of a special promotional package, so I’ll definitely angle for any state or regional awards… thanks for the link.
Also, re: bookplates. I got a batch and asked my wife, “where do I put them?” She said, “that’s the lovely part. It’s not your problem.”
The cat’s out of the bag on this one anyway, 
but cricetus, don’t feel like you have to hide any of the details about your book. The mods are fine with it and we try to support Doper author and artists. Good luck!
Cool. Red Balloon Bookshop on Grand Ave. in St. Paul. Saturday the 28th. 2:00 PM. Meet the author. Get a book signed.
I have a pre-publication, reader’s copy thing. I’m holding onto it. If he blows up and gets famous, I’m going to get paid. Especially if he dies.
This is the first book I’ve ever read by an author who I’ve personally beaten up.
OK, I am missing something. Are you two brothers? Childhood friends? Is DtC just a thug? 
We are brothers, but I think the constant beatings he suffered caused long term memory lapses.
Cricetus is my little brother. I used to make him eat snow. He’ll probably try to deny it.
I never knew that and congrats cricetus.
What age range would you say your book is for? My son is in 3rd and loves baseball. Should he wait a few years or is he ready for it?
Thanks! It wasn’t there when I looked a few hours ago. I swear it wasn’t. 
I’m in.
It’s age banded 9-12, and while I think there’s buffer room on either side of that three is awfully young. You can certainly wait for the paperback.
(I actually just sent one of the last remaining softbound review copies to a 2-year-old, but I don’t expect him to actually read it for seven or eight years… long story.)
Do you have any publicity stop in the Chicago area?
Nope, sorry. All local right now.
I meant 3rd grade. He is 8 and will be 9 next month. I think I’ll order it for him. That will give me a chance to order another book I wanted to pick up.
I’ve got two fourth graders, so this book is now on my wish list. This means I’ll probably purchase it in the next month.
Good luck to you!
Oops, sorry for my careless reading, in 3rd should have been clear… and thanks very much.
Did you have to simplify some vocabulary or add exposition to bring the book down to grade-school from YA or is that a purely marketing distinction?
I loved the excerpt; Amazon is smart to publish the first page. Now I want to read the rest.
Thanks very much, Erdo. I mainly made the characters younger. There were a handful of vocabulary changes I made for voice, because my editor thought they sounded “old” (not because they were hard, just not how kids talk.) She may have changed those if it was YA, too. The book comes in at a third grade level, and I didn’t even try. I guess I just naturally write at a third grade level.
Oh wow.
How cool.
I admit to being just a bit insanely jealous.
Me too. You approached ten agents and ended up with two offers to take your book forward? Lucky stiff. May it sell a million. 