ALERT! This is important! There is a new kid's book in town, and it's AWESOME.
What happens when a little girl find a box of yarn THAT IS ALWAYS FULL?
Yeah, you want to know, right? It's pretty great. You'll love it.
And I have one to give away! Just leave me a comment below to be entered. (You know I never add commenters to my mailing list, right? That you have to do for yourself, up there in the upper right. But I do give presents from that list from time to time, too. Just sayin'.)
Because the author also lives in Oakland, I was able to drive to his house and knock on his front door until he answered (I knocked a really long time), and then, while he glared at me from his handknitted bathrobe, I asked him a few questions.*
1. First of all, where do I get a box that holds an unending supply of yarn? (No, really. WHERE?)
Oh that's easy. They're usually out in the field, just to the right of the old fence by the house with the barrel out front.
2. Do you knit?
No, but I did darn this sweater!
Interviewer's note: Nice job!
I probably should have put 20 Hipstamatic filters on that shot to make it feel cozier. I'm quite proud of my work, but to your readers that picture probably looks like one of those horrific botched plastic-surgery photos you see on gossip blogs.
3. Now that you're a New York Times bestselling author, will you take me up in your private plane?
Sure, here it is:
4. OAKLAND REPRESENT. What's your favorite thing in Oakland? (Interviewer's note: Mine is Mountain View Cemetery. No, it's not creepy! I swear! It's gorgeous! A great place to walk dogs or steal character names.)
That's a good graveyard. And it's close to Fenton's, for when all that death makes you feel like an ice cream. I think my favorite spot in Oakland is the Paramount Theater. It's a spectacular art-deco movie palace, and on certain Fridays they show classic films. Five dollars gets you an old picture, newsreel, Warner Brothers cartoon, Coming Attractions that may or may not come to the theater, and, of course, Dec-O-Win, a raffle presented by gentlemen in tuxedoes and ladies in evening gowns. My life dream is to win that raffle. I even tried bribing the staff by paying fifty bucks for a box of Red Vines. It didn't work. Those people have a lot of integrity.
So, thanks, Mac! And readers: leave a comment to be entered to win (I'll draw on Sunday morning) or just go buy the book at your favorite bookseller. You won't be disappointed.
* This is not technically true. But he does live in Oakland. Or at least he says he does. (What if he said that to all the reviewers? Yeah, I live in Tulsa/Peoria/Brooklyn. That would totally WORK.)