Archive for the 'Ramp Rats' Category

Trailers, awards, meltdowns & food fights

Published on August 23, 2009 in Food Fight, Media Meltdown, Ramp Rats, Soccer Sabotage and Wild Ride. 0 Comments

With Media Meltdown hitting bookstores in a few weeks, I thought it was high time to get you caught up on other GGA news and give you a sneak peak at what’s next after Mike and I have melted the media (don’t worry we’ll put it back together.)

Soccer Sabotage scores a trailer

Soccer Sabotage, Book 3 in the Graphic Guide Adventures series, continues to win readers across the country. To help spread the goals and the news, the great folks at Orca put together a trailer for the book. Check out the Soccer Sabotage Trailer and share it with your friends!

Ramp Rats lands Shuster Nomination

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Ramp Rats, the Book 2 in the Graphic Guide Adventure series has picked up some new fans over the summer months. Although Bounce and Pema’s biker gang-busting grindfest has been out for a few years, the comic aficionados at the Joe Shuster Awards have nominated Ramp Rats for their 2009 Comics for Kids award. Mike Deas and I are in with some great company, so thanks to the Joe Shuster folks and good luck to everyone nominated.

While Ramp Rats is winning friends and Soccer Sabotage is climbing the charts over at youtube, the Book 5 in the Graphic Guide Adventure series is getting ready to take on the net itself!

Media Meltdown on its way

Media Meltdown beams its way to bookstores in October 2009 and it’s set to change the way you look at your TV, game system and even the streets around you.

med-mltdwn-thumbCombining more fast-paced adventure and mystery while uncovering the inner-workings of modern media, Media Meltdown is perfect for gamers, writers, readers and jammers everywhere.

To celebrate the launch of the book, we’re putting together a Media Meltdown website at http://mediameltdown.net/ filled with games, drawing tips, avatars and wallpapers to download and ways for you make a difference in your media-packed world.

Once again, illustrator extraordinaire Mike Deas has brought my words to life with his amazing artwork. Check out Mike’s post at the Graphic Guide Adventures website for a sneak peak at some of the illustrations and stay tuned here for news when mediameltdown.net goes live in a few weeks.

But wait! There’s more  . . .

But is that all for the Graphic Guide Adventure series?

No way!

I’ve spent the last few months scribbiling away at Book 5 in the series: Food Fight. Due out in Spring 2010, Food Fight reunites readers with Devin and Nadia, as they stumble into a fresh mystery about not-so fresh food. As they track down clues and chase suspects, the kids learn the truth behind the food we all eat. Can’t say much more, but I’m very excited for this one too. Food Fight is now in Mike’s hands and he’s working his magic. Will reveal all when the time is right.

In the meantime, keep reading and enjoy the final weeks of summer!

Ramp Rats makes Best of ‘08 List

Published on February 22, 2009 in Ramp Rats. 2 Comments

rrcovthumg2This just in: Ramp Rats named to the Resource Links Best of List for 2008! This is very cool news for a couple of reasons. First, it’s always nice to have your work linked with the word “best” and second, it’s another sign that educators and book people are welcoming graphic novels into the realm of “stuff that is good for young readers.” Included in the list are some really good titles from fantastic Canadian authors. I’m honoured to included.

I say it’s another sign, because the first book in the Graphic Guide Adventure series, Wild Ride, is nominated for the 2009 Hackmatack Children’s Choice Award. This isn’t new news, but it is to my knowledge the first time a graphic novel has been nominated for one of the “Tree Awards” (Silver Birch in Ontario and more varieties in other provinces.) Sequential art FTW!

Ramping Up the Rats for the Holidays

Published on December 13, 2008 in Ramp Rats. 0 Comments

rrcovthumg2Apologies for the lame post title and for the long silence of updates around here. My new career as a an elementary teacher is keeping me busier than ever. But that’s not stopping word getting around about the latest book in the Graphic Guide Adventure series: Ramp Rats.

Published in October, it’s receiving great reviews from places like Canadian Materials Magazine who have this to say:

Ramp Rats is a fun graphic novel with a unique storyline which incorporates many attractive features for many types of readers. The characters are believable and well-developed, while the situations are so common that most readers will be able to identify with many of them. Combined with a lot of useful information about skating, as well as helpful guidance about bullying, Ramp Rats is a worthwhile read for young readers.

The September 15 issue of ALA Booklist also thought Ramp Rats was a winner:

Aside from the action-packed story, great characters, and colorful artwork, this graphic novel adventure includes an array of practical skateboarding tips for beginners. The story also delivers a deft message about standing up to bullies as it depicts Benny’s growing determination and self-confidence.

Very happy that Marcus and the Ramp Rats crew are being welcomed onto the kids book scene both in Canada and the US. All the Graphic Guide Adventure books are available at your local book store or online at the Orca Book Publisher website.

Writer emerges from Azeroth with news

Published on July 21, 2008 in Ramp Rats and Wild Ride. 0 Comments

029384[via feedingchange] Ok, so here’s how it goes: Writer announces that he’s delving into World of Warcraft, purely for research purposes ;) and doesn’t blog for nearly a month. A classic case of gamer widowhood? Not really (honest!) I have been busy and there is much to report. For instance:

Wild Ride has gone into its second printing AND has been picked up by the Scholastic Book Club for the 2008/09 school year. Very cool. This is first time any of my books have gone into a second printing and it’s completely due to my fantastic publisher, Orca Book Publishers, and their even more fantastic connections in the USA.

Read the rest of the news at my blog: feedingchange.