Hello my fine friends! It's finally here! The Year of the Beasts written by me and illustrated by Nate Powell is finally here!


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“…a poignant and entertaining mixture of storytelling and nightmare.”--VOYA

Every summer the trucks roll in, bringing the carnival and its infinite possibilities to town. This year Tessa and her younger sister Lulu are un-chaperoned and want to be first in line to experience the rides, the food . . . and the boys. Except this summer, jealousy will invade their relationship for the first time, setting in motion a course of events that can only end in tragedy, putting everyone's love and friendship to the test. Alternating chapters of prose and comics are interwoven in this extraordinary novel that will break your heart and crack it wide open at the same time.

Cory Doctorow reviewed it over at Boing Boing
Here is a nice interview I did with blogger Els de Clerq
I also did a playlist for it over at Large Hearted Boy

I prefer if you go to your local indiebound bookstore, but you can also get it online at Amazon and B&N where it is also available as an e-book. And remember, you can always order signed copies from Skylight Books. (of this book or any of my books!)

I'm doing a GIVE AWAY of 2 copies of The Year of the Beasts (illustrated by Nate Powell) since I received my author copies! Please draw me the picture of the mythical monster that crouches inside of you and post it in comments here. (or over at facebook or twitter @misscecil )

the book is out May 22nd. But you can always pre-order it now!
Powells B&N Amazon Indiebound

And PS. the launch party will be May 22nd at Skylight Books in Los Angeles.

Hello all!

I'm going to be at the Toronto Comic Arts Festival (TCAF) this weekend. It's at the Toronto Public Library at 789 Yonge Street and it's free! I'll be at the Librarian and Educator day on Friday for the author luncheon. Then I'm tabling with Nate Powell, the illustrator of my new novel The Year of the Beasts! We'll be on the second floor so come on by and say hello. I'll have books for sale.

My panel is on Sunday, May 6, 2012 | The Pilot 22 Cumberland Ave.

2:00 – 3:15 – Making Comics: The Process
Creators discuss how they make comics: what’s the process of writing and drawing that they go through to create individual creative projects? When a comic varies from only writing to nonfiction journalism to fantasy, how does the process change? With Mike Dawson, Adam Warren, Cecil Castellucci, and Kagan McLeod. Moderator: Tina Coleman

Attention Educators! The YARN has done a wonderful discussion guide for Little Red Riding Hood which compares the original story and the retellings by Hanna Howard and me. My retelling is here - To Grandmother's House.

Enjoy!

Have just received a few ARCs of my new hybrid graphic novel The Year of the Beasts (illustrated by Nate Powell.) Am going to give two away. Enter here, my blog or on twitter. Post your name in the comments (or at reply me @misscecil ) and Friday I will choose a winner at random.


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I've just spent the day putting together the clips for the YA Reading and Popcorn event over at The Last Bookstore this Friday night and I must say, I'm super excited!

Come join us!

Friday, January 20th at The Last Bookstore

Join YA Authors Cecil Castellucci (First Day on Earth), Carol Tanzman (Dancergirl), Janet Tashijian (My Life as A Stuntboy) and Crickett Rumley (Never Sit Down in a Hoopskirt and Other Things I Learned in Southern Belle Hell) as they read from their new novels and screen clips from films that will tickle your reading bone.



Basically, we'll be reading and showing clips from a movie that sort of goes along with our books. And there will be popcorn. I'm kind of into the whole cross media thing. Because I love stories.

I'm so excited to be starting off 2012 with a bang! The fabulous Brad Listi from the Nervous Breakdown (who I want as a guest at a Viking Dinner Party that I fantasize about having in the future. Think about it. Vikings + Dinner Party.) interviews me. over at his reallyfantastic literary podcast

I'm a subscriber and a fan and so it was a total honor to be invited to be on the show. He's always has really stellar guests like Steve Almond, Edan Lepucki, Ben Loory, Jillian Lauren, Dana Spiotta, Elissa Schappell, Adam Novy. It's probably best if you subscribe to it.

We talk about YA, and trying to live an artists life, and Star Wars, and experimental films, all art all the time and the mysterious shirt (which I still have) that always caught my eye.

Hello! My tiny holiday story FROST AND THE MAILMAN is available on Kobo, Nook and Kindle. If you are in Canada, you can download it for free on Kobo with the promo code FROST. The cover is by Jen Wang (buy her book Koko Be Good.)

Kobo
Kindle
Nook


Frost and the Mailman

A mailman, Daniel Wasserman, and one of Santas elves, Frost, try to save Christmas after its discovered that Santas mail has been forwarded to the South Pole.