Pirate Profile #4: Mr. Flynn

Every Captain needs a right hand man. Enter Mr. Flynn. He wields the dashing good looks of a matinee idol as well as a sharp rapier wit. Plus he can smoothly swing across the starboard on a rope in a pinch. So there is no one better to help Captain Redlocks manage the mayhem on the good ship Cutlass.

Mr. Flynn is actually the first real pirate that Baltazar lays eyes on. Shaken from his evening slumber, the boy is surprised to see this debonair scoundrel by his bedside. But soon enough our young hero helps the Corsairs - he supplies the missing piece to Mr. Flynn's treasure map and suggests where the long lost booty may actually be found.

Naturally Redlocks entrusts Mr. Flynn with the responsibility of storming the amusement park Treasure Isle and scouring it for the loot. Cue over the top chaos and laughs a minute...

Pirate Profile #3

With her flowing mane of crimson curls, this is definitely some lady in red. Startling in both her beauty and her firm command, Redlocks is the Captain of the Cutlass, the fastest ship in the skies! Succeeding the AWOL Greybeard, she seized the leadership of his rowdy crew, and agreed to direct them on a wild hunt to find his hidden booty.

Unfortunately for these pirates, they enjoyed little success and saw the clock turning against them. However in their meandering travels (to be told in a tall tale in a later date), they discovered the mythic Fountain of Youth. These lucky souls now could search for Greybeard's lost treasure to their hearts' content without fearing the ravages of time.

All hands on deck respect Captain Redlocks for her fairness. A woman who has broken through the wooden ceiling, she leads by example and is both brave and bold. Soon Baltazar will have the ride of his life as he helps Redlocks in her crew's ultimate quest.

Pirate Profile #2

Well, speak of the devil himself. Greybeard was a legend in his own time and still in the mind of impressionable Baltazar. It makes perfect sense, since they share a lust for adventure and a vibrant blood line. But the boy has little inkling of the latter until a bunch of pirates who have survived time and space pay a visit upon him.

Greybeard scared sailors up and down the eastern seaboard and all around the Caribbean. Much more fearsome than his distant cousin Ol' Blackbeard, Grey also took time out to infuriate his crew the Corsairs. Together they piloted the magnificent ship the Cutlass to hoard booty up the wazoo.

But for some reason, Greybeard decided to hide the king's ransom, his personal treasure chest, and not inform his erstwhile colleagues in crime. That would drive them batty! Plus, later he disappeared without any explanation. That would fuel the Corsairs desire to find those shimmering jewels and glittering gold coins, and search the ends of the earth in that pursuit.

Pirate Profile #1

The book has arrived in the New World! So naturally let's introduce the hero of our tale Baltazar and the Flying Pirates.

Baltazar loves listening to the wild pirate tales that his grandpa tells. But does he really believe the far-fetched rumor that he is distantly related to the infamous scalawag Greybeard, the scourge of peaceful sailors and the plunderer of valuable fortunes?

Well, he's about to find out! Now the characters from old yarns come to life, as the legendary pirates known as the Corsairs decide to pay Baltazar a midnight visit. Led by their beautiful Captain Redlocks, this crew makes the flying galleon known as the Cutlass ship-shape. But can this boy make the grade and help these brigands find Greybeard's long lost treasure chest?

Find out!

Bringing the Show to Sonoma on September 19th

We've decided to attend the Sonoma County Book Festival on September 19th, from 10 am to 4 pm at Old Courthouse Square. This will be our first foray into the wine & dine country for this annual California fair. We haven't done many events in the north country before, so we hope to meet new readers and make them into fans.

We haven't gotten our booth number yet (or location) but we're confident that people (estimated 6-7K) will find us well enough. We'll bring our new table, chairs, and displays, the combination of which is an evolving booth presence.

Given the state of the economy, we know it is important to reach out and tell the public who we are and what we do. There is no substitute for our showing our own books when stores don't do so. Wherever we display, our book covers grab people's eyes and attention. We know the stories and art inside are even better, so we owe it to our adventures to share them as often as we can.

So if you're in Sonoma in September, feel free to stop by. We'll be in the town square, showcasing Baltazar and the Flying Pirates for the first time! Get an autographed copy for your little swashbucklers.

Displaying at Bay to Barkers

This Sunday, August 2nd, we rejoin the 12th annual celebration Bay to Barkers, sponsored by the Berkeley East Bay Humane Society. This year, dog owners from around the Bay will convene at the parking lot of the Golden Gate Fields horse racing track in Albany, CA. There they will walk with their pooches a mile (or more) to raise money on behalf of the good work of the BEBHS.

We first learned of this event back in 2006 when Immedium published The Year of the Dog, the first book in our Tales from the Chinese Zodiac series. We thought dog owners would appreciate our hero Daniel the dog - and we were right! Now that we have another dozen children's books under our belt, we're glad to share them with these animal lovers. Naturally proceeds from our book sales at the event benefit the BEBHS!

We'll be at table #52/53 (on the bay side of the rectangular event area), near the concession booth. Registration starts at 8:30 am and the event is from 10 am to 1 pm. Come out and enjoy (hopefully) a warm and sunny day by the bay and some friendly barking as well.

A Sunny Day in Carmel

Today, we stretched the outer limits of our day tripping, and headed south to scenic Carmel, CA, to teach another "how to make your own comics class" to interested youth.

Before arriving, we did some sightseeing and visited the Point Lobos State Reserve a little south of the town. Armed with a basic AAA map, it is easy to follow a few hiking paths through the forest to the undulating shore. There lie rocks streaked with webs of tidepools interspersed with pebbly beaches tucked into tiny coves. In the light mid-morning fog, there were a surprising number of travelers who scurried up and down the craggy coastline like the little crabs they were searching for. An impromptu picnic was in order, as seals barked from mysterious hideouts nearby.

Soon the haze would burn off, and yield a picture perfect postcard day, ideal for the bustling tourist trade in shopper friendly Carmel. The librarians were appreciative and prepared hosts who kindly saved a primo parking spot and called the police to watch our car on our behalf - most essential as street parking is now "electronically" monitored with a new $70,000 GPS enabled system where meter maids can take photos of your license plate and time you as your 2 hour limit expires. This branch is a cute nook dedicated to youth and a little oasis of the imagination amidst the galleries and restaurants. The kids (younger and older) were game as well, ready to draw and write and create their own fantastic tales before their various weekend and vacation plans. Next time, we hope to enjoy a long weekend in this little slice of heaven.