Tuesday, April 5, 2011

PROFESSOR BINGO PRESENTS: CLINK-AUTHOR INTERVIEW, PREVIEW, AND GIVEAWAY

WELCOME TO BOOKIN' WITH BINGO'S
"PROFESSOR BINGO  PRESENTS DAY" 
I'M EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THIS TUESDAY'S
"PROFESSOR BINGO PRESENTS DAY" IS...
 GIVEAWAY ENDED
CLINK
BY KELLY DiPUCCHIO
ILLUSTRATED BY MATTHEW MYERS

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Clink was a state-of-the-art robot with the dazzling ability to make toast and play music at the same time. But that was many years ago.

Now kids want snazzier robots who do things like play baseball and bake cookies. So day after day, Clink sits on a shelf and sadly watches as his friends leave with their new owners. He almost gives up on ever finding a home—until the day Clink spies a boy who just might be able to be the right one for him.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Kelly DiPucchio and new talent Matthew Myers comes a funny and heartwarming story that lovers of Corduroy will adore.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kelly DiPucchio is the author of numerous children's books, including the New York Times bestselling Grace for President. She also wrote Dinosnores, What's the Magic Word?, and Bed Hogs. Kelly lives in southeastern Michigan with her husband and three children.
Visit Kelly at her website HERE! (http://www.kellydipucchio.com/home.html) 

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR:
Matthew Myers was created in rural Oregon. After being programmed in fine arts and graphic arts at the Museum Art School in Portland, he functioned quite satisfactorily for twenty years as an advertising art director. He now paints and illustrates in Brooklyn, New York. You can visit Matthew at his website HERE!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW:
1. Welcome, and thank you for agreeing to an interview for BOOKIN‘ WITH BINGO. Is there any personal information you would like to start out with today?

Hello Karen and Bookin’ With Bingo fans!
Thank you for sharing your space with me today.
I invite your readers to visit my website for more information about me and my other books.
www.kellydipucchio.com

2. Where did you get the inspiration or idea for this book?

About 3 years ago I received an email from an illustrator who wrote to compliment me on a picture book of poetry I wrote called SIPPING SPIDERS THROUGH A STRAW. In his note, the illustrator also inquired about my agent, Steven Malk, and invited me to check out his website. I get solicited by writers and illustrators quite a bit. Most people are sincere, but I also receive a fair amount of inquiries from people who are looking for some kind of short-cut that will allow them to bypass all of the hard work that it takes to get a publishing contract. Unsure of what I’d find, I went to the illustrator’s website with little or no expectations.

Boy, was I surprised! The illustrator’s online portfolio was amazing! His art was quirky and ironic and I could immediately tell his style was perfect for children’s books. The more I poked around his website, the more I discovered that this artist was far from a beginner. He had been a successful advertising art director for over 20 years. Clearly, he was not looking for any short-cuts. In fact, he had taken the long and winding road.

To make a short story, long, I noticed the illustrator had a lot of cool robots on his website and in his artwork. There was one particular painting that caught my eye. It was a picture of an old robot sitting on a bench in a subway station. The robot looked very sad and dejected. I wondered why. I knew he had a story to tell. So, I wrote it.

If you haven’t guessed by now, the artist who wrote to me that day was Matthew Myers, the illustrator of CLINK. After I checked out Matt’s portfolio I immediately forwarded his website to my agent, who immediately saw what I saw, and welcomed him into the fold. Several months later, Matt and I both had contracts with HarperCollins for CLINK. Now before people get the wrong idea, I have to say that this kind of thing almost never happens! This is one of those extremely rare Cinderella stories, even more so because our Cinderella has a toaster for a head.

Wow, that was a long answer. I promise to keep my other answers short to make up for that one!

3. How did the title of your book come about?

Clink was Clink right from the start. I never considered naming the book or the robot anything else. I liked that his name was a form of onomatopoeia. Clink just sounds like a robot who’s falling apart.

4. Do you see yourself in your characters? Which characters are easiest or more difficult to write?

I think it’s pretty hard for writers not to put a little piece of themselves into every character they create. I certainly don’t do it intentionally. I’m more likely to intentionally exploit the characteristics, quirks, and foibles of my odd-ball family members and friends.

5. What books would you say have made the biggest impression on you, especially starting out? What are you currently reading?

Picture books by Jon Scieszka really made the biggest impression on me when I was starting out. I remember reading THE TRUE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS to my kids over 15 years ago. I immediately fell in love with the narrative voice of Alexander T. Wolf. I really admired Jon’s sarcasm and multi-layered humor. Today, I’m still in awe of Jon’s writing and I routinely pinch myself whenever I remember that he and I share the same literary agent.

Currently I’m reading a new novel by Jennifer Donnelly called REVOLUTION. Two of my new favorite picture books this spring are DEAR TABBY by Carolyn Crimi and SPINSTER GOOSE by Lisa Wheeler.

6. What is the next or current book/project you are working on?

I’m currently working on a new picture book idea that was inspired by a Youtube video. Seriously.

That’s all I can say right now because like most writers, I am superstitious. Characters have a strange way of evaporating into the ether if you discuss them before they are fully formed.

7. What is something about you that you would want people to know about you that we probably don’t know?

I accept bribes.

8. Do you own an eReader of any kind and how do you feel about their impact on books, as well as you as an author?

No, I do not own an eReader. I don’t consider myself a pessimist, but I do believe eReaders are going to do some serious and lasting damage to the printed book. Younger generations of readers don’t have the same love affair with books like older generations do. I love the smell of new books. I get excited by pristine book jackets and interesting covers. I swoon over bins of old books and the dog-eared pages of beloved classics. Teenagers today are completely comfortable getting all of their information and entertainment in electronic form. In fact, they expect to get it that way. It won’t be very long before these same kids will be having children of their own. Will they take their kids to the library for storytime? Will they cozy up with their child at bedtime and anticipate the page turns of a picture book together? Or will they download a thousand different stories on an eReader and allow IT to read to them? It makes me sad to think about the future of books. I hope I’m wrong.

9. What is your advice to anyone, including young people, who want to be writers?
Read!

MY THOUGHTS/REVIEW:  DUE TO PROBLEMS SECURING A REVIEW COPY, I AM UNABLE TO SUBMIT MY REVIEW PRIOR TO CLOSE OF THE GIVEAWAY. I HOPE TO SOMEDAY IN THE FUTURE...SORRY BUT IT WAS BEYOND MY CONTROL!
Rather than make this too long...and because I LOVE this book and want to read it a second time before reviewing, I will post my review in a few days and you can read it and gain BONUS ENTRIES for the giveaway when you do. So watch for it soon!...or if you can't wait, it comes out today. Check out my link to buy it TODAY in the right hand column!
GIVEAWAY

THANKS TO KELLY AND THE KIND
PEOPLE AT HARPER COLLINS, I HAVE
TWO COPIES OF THIS WONDERFUL
CHILDREN'S BOOK TO GIVE AWAY

--U.S. AND CANADIAN RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES
---INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
IN CASE YOU WIN!
--ALL COMMENTS MUST BE SEPARATE TO
COUNT AS MORE THAN ONE!

HOW TO ENTER:

+1 ENTRY:
COMMENT ON WHAT YOU LIKE ABOUT CLINK AND WHY YOU WOULD WANT TO WIN THIS

+1 MORE ENTRY: BLOG OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND COME BACK AND LEAVE A LINK THAT I CAN FOLLOW

+1 (or MORE) ENTRIES: COMMENT ON ONE OTHER CURRENT GIVEAWAY OF MINE YOU HAVE ENTERED. FOR EACH ONE YOU HAVE ENTERED, YOU MAY COMMENT SEPARATELY AND THEY WILL EACH COUNT AS ANOTHER ENTRY

GIVEAWAY ENDS AT
6 PM, EST, APRIL 23!
GOOD LUCK!

55 comments:

debbie said...

This sounds like a really cute story. I bet kids would love to read it.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com

debbie said...

I entered the satori giveaway.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com

debbie said...

I entered the pop bakery giveaway.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com

Steve Capell said...

I agree that “Clink” is a great name and I also agree that is fitting if in deed the name is onomatopoeia to this character. I found Matthew Myers art work to be really exceptional. The crisp colors and imagination really are great for young readers and also some of us older readers as well. LOL

I totally agree with Kelly’s assessment of the eReaders. I think there will be paradigm shift in the way the next generation will read books. This shift is already happening. Barnes and Nobel and Borders have both declared bankruptcy. This same paradigm shift occurred in the music industry with the invention of downloadable music. Music stores across this nation become extinct. I somehow enjoyed going to the music store when I was teenager and picking up my favorite album. I wonder how long it will be when libraries are also forced to shut their doors. I’m not sure eReaders are a good thing.

steven(dot)capell(at)gmail(dot)com

Karen B said...

I love how the author and illustrator got together and that the story idea came from art work!
kpbarnett1941[at]aol[dot]com

Karen B said...

I entered HARVEST MOON.
kpbarnett1941[at]aol[dot]com

Karen B said...

I entered SATORI.
kpbarnett1941[at]aol[dot]com

Karen B said...

I enteredthe triple play for 3 kids books giveaway.
kpbarnett1941[at]aol[dot]com

Karen B said...

I entered XMEN LAST STAND.
kpbarnett1941[at]aol[dot]com

Karen B said...

I entered HOCUS POCUS.
kpbarnett1941[at]aol[dot]com

Karen B said...

I entered THE SWEETEST THING.
kpbarnett1941[at]aol[dot]com

Karen B said...

+ April bonus - I LIKE BINGO ON FB.
kpbarnett1941[at]aol[dot]com

Unknown said...

My son would love to read this book. Please enter me in contest. I am a follower and email subscriber. Tore923@aol.com

traveler said...

A unique book which would be lovely. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

Entered Satori. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

Entered Pop. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

Entered Children's trilogy. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

entered Brooklyn. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

entered Pillsbury. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

Lisa Richards/alterlisa said...

http://twitter.com/#!/alterlisa/status/55569824021098496


(\___/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

alterlisa AT yahoo DOT com
http://lisaslovesbooksofcourse.blogspot.com/

Laura H. said...

What a cute video! I think every good children's book should have a positive message in its story. From what I've read it sounds as though the message is "new" is not always better and that everything has a purpose. I think this book would be enjoyed by both adults and children alike for not only the story being told but the beautiful illustrations.

BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

Laura H. said...

Tweeted giveaway: http://twitter.com/#!/MamaHendo3/status/56162587439673344

BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

Laura H. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Laura H. said...

Entered the "Satori" giveaway.

BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

Laura H. said...

Entered the "311 Pelican Court" giveaway.

BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

Laura H. said...

Entered the "X-Men" giveaway.

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Laura H. said...

Entered the "Cake Pop Cookbook" giveaway.

BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

Laura H. said...

Entered the Triple Play ARC Day giveaway.

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Laura H. said...

Entered the "Hokus Pokus" giveaway.

BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

Laura H. said...

Entered the "Toys" giveaway.

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Laura H. said...

Entered the "Sweet Valley Confidential" giveaway.

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Laura H. said...

I like Bingo on FB (Laura G. Henderson).

BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

lag123 said...

My grandson would love this. I like the fact that Clink will find that very special boy.

lag110 at mchsi dot com

lag123 said...

Tweeted: http://twitter.com/lag32583/status/56303216962445312

lag110 at mchsi dot com

lag123 said...

I entered the TRIPLE PLAY ARC DAY FOR 3 KIDS BOOKS GIVEAWAY

lag110 at mchsi dot com

lag123 said...

I entered the 311 Pelican Court giveaway.

lag110 at mchsi dot com

lag123 said...

I entered the Hokus Pokus giveaway.

lag110 at mchsi dot com

lag123 said...

I entered the Toys giveaway.

lag110 at mchsi dot com

lag123 said...

I entered the Sweetest thing giveaway

lag110 at mchsi dot com

lag123 said...

I entered the SWEET VALLEY CONFIDENTIAL AUDIO BOOK GIVEAWAY

lag110 at mchsi dot com

lag123 said...

I entered the SEASONS OF SUGARCREEK TRILOGY GIVEAWAY

lag110 at mchsi dot com

lag123 said...

I entered the Pillsbury Easy as Pie giveaway

lag110 at mchsi dot com

lag123 said...

I entered the I Would Find a Girl Walking giveaway.

lag110 at mchsi dot com

Brimful Curiosities said...

Thanks for posting the interview. It's always interesting reading how books evolve and learning where authors get their inspiration. I have a feeling my little boy would love the robot in this book.

Brimful Curiosities said...

Blogged: http://www.brimfulcuriosities.com/2011/04/full-to-brim-kids-book-giveaway-list.html

pvilletoygirl at g m a i l dot com

bison61 said...

Clink spies a boy who might be the right one for him. sounds so cute

tiramisu392 (at) yahoo.com

Laura H. said...

Entered the "Pillsbury Easy as Pie Cookbook" giveaway.

BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

Laura H. said...

Entered the "Seasons of Sugarcreek" Trilogy giveaway.

BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

Laura H. said...

Entered the "I Would Find a Girl Walking" giveaway.

BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

Laura H. said...

Entered the "Love You More" giveaway.

BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

Laura H. said...

Entered the "One Mix, 100 Muffins Cookbook" giveaway.

BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

Carole Spring said...

Clink sounds like a cute children's book, filled with wonderful illustrations. I think my granddaughter would really enjoy reading Clink. I would like to read it also :-)
blondie_31971(at)yahoo(dot)com

Carole Spring said...

entered Love You More giveaway
blondie_31971(at)yahoo(dot)com

Carole Spring said...

entered Return To Sender giveaway
blondie_31971(at)yahoo(dot)com

Laura H. said...

Entered the "Return to Sender" giveaway.

BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

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