Halloween may be over, but the zombie zeitgeist shambles on. Games, TV shows, comics… they’re still just about everywhere. I’ll say this, they’re a versatile bunch of baddies. One thing I think we too often overlook is what we can learn from the impending z-pocalypse, and what the shambling horde can teach us in general.

You know, things like teamwork. Wilderness survival skills. Disaster preparedness. And, um… love of books? Well,  if Chris Conduit has his way, at least. Chris is hoping to create a series that appeals to younger kids, still has a bit of the campy  creepiness we all love, and at the same time instills a real love of  good, old fashioned paper bound books. An explanation of the plot of the first story from Chris himself:

As Zombies Ate My Homework: A Jasper Trout Adventure opens, we are immediately introduced to Jasper:  an 8 year old boy who lives a seemingly normal life in small town America. Jasper enjoys watching scary movies, reading comic books, and using his considerable imagination. He however, does not particularly enjoy school; mostly due to his rocky relationship with his homeroom teacher:  Ms. Pottyworth. She is a woman who seems to spend all her time directing her anger at her students, particularly Jasper.

From the moment Jasper wakes up on this October morning, things just aren’t right. Not only does he find that his parents are missing, but there is a less than welcomed guest in his kitchen: a hideously hungry ghoul rummaging through his backpack. Our hero runs out of his house and makes his way frantically to Beedlebop Elementary, not knowing the type of day that lies ahead of him.

As the zombie invasion envelopes Jasper’s school, his classmates, and the town of Beedlebop; everyone’s courage is tested. However, it is young Jasper who truly rises to the challenge and rallies the rest of the children in an attempt to stop the attack. Finding strength and confidence he never knew existed within himself, and friends in unlikely places, Jasper uses his creativity and cunning to outwit and outsmart the monsters and restore peace to his town.

Blending together action, adventure, the power of teamwork, age appropriate humor, and eye-popping illustrations: “The Jasper Trout Adventures” is intended to be a source of enjoyment for all those who read it.

The art style for the books is really great, and Chris’ passion for the story really shines through. The project is well on its way to being funded, but why not support a local author, and zombie education (and love of literacy) for young geeks everywhere.

The Project: Zombies Ate My Homework, A Jasper Trout Adventure

Creator: The Conduit

The Sweet Spot: $20 will get a signed copy of the self-published book, as well as a Jasper print. There are a handful of high-end rewards ($100) still available as well, which gets you 2 signed books, a Special Thanks in the book, 1 of 10 hand drawn, 5×7 Jasper sketches from artist Brandon Wilt, and a character named after you or your child In the next book: The Beast of Beedlebop Bay.

Funding Deadline: December 2nd, 2011

More Info: Check out the main Kickstarter page for more details on the story, or the The Conduit’s main website.

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Every Monday Geekadelphia features a Kickstarter created by locals. Check ‘em out and support our local geek scene. If you have a project that you’d like featured on site, contact geekadelphia@gmail.com

Come on. You know you’ve Googled “Murder” before. And the authors of A Miscellany of Murder definitely have Googled “murder” a few times, and they put together an interesting collection in this book. If you’re the least bit curious about the worst crime a person can commit, this book is for you.

A Miscellany of Murder is a collection of history, literature, true crime, television, and trivia related to the topic of murder. The Monday Murder Club complied this disturbing anthology by meeting every Monday night in Boston.

Originally designed as a writing club for mystery writers, The Monday Murder Club took their research and made this book possible. (more…)

Update: He’ll be at the Free Library on Saturday, not Friday. – Edt

Like him or not, Chuck Palahniuk, has written some of the most intriguing stories ever put to paper. Most of you would remember his most famous novel turned movie Fight Club, but Palahniuk has published 14 books that range from his non-fiction accounts of oddities that he’s has found across the country to a legendary time-traveler who’s most famous contribution to society is the rampant spread of rabies.

His newest book, Damned, is about a thirteen-year-old daughter of a billionaire couple who dies of a marijuana overdose at a Swiss boarding school. After being dropped in hell, she meets up with a rag-tag group of kids as they wander off to have some words with the Dark Lord himself. Damned looks to be like The Breakfast Club as written by Dante Alighieri.

Chuck Palahniuk is on his way to The Free Library of Philadelphia on Oct 29TH to give you a little taste of his version of Hell and sign a few books. VIP signing starts at 12:30pm. You’ll want to get there early because the first 100 people in line will get a VIP ticket to meet Chuck at the signing. Later on at 2:00pm Chuck will read from his novel and answer some questions.

He’s famous for going way past the line when it comes to researching his novels. He’s made his way through underground fight clubs and has been to numerous sex addict meetings. For this book however, it might be interesting to ask him just how he researched Hell. Maybe he took some notes from John Constantine and had a staring contest with a cat. They’re half in, half out you know.

DesignPhiladelphia, the annual festival that offers a unique insight to the area’s creative industries, has so many awesome events this year. But one that seemed particularly interesting is their hour with Roughdraft Books designer and founder on October 15th at Anthropologie’s 18th and Walnut location.

Roughdraft Books is a one-woman studio in Philadelphia that creates journals and notebooks that are hand-made, hand-sewn works of art. Attendees will get a chance to make their own custom book under e bond’s tutelage.

DesignPhiladelphia: Custom Book Workshop
October 15th, 10am-11am

Anthropologie
1801 Walnut Street
RSVP anthroevents@anthropologie.com

The Misanthropes Guide To Life reads like an excerpt out of a Larry David memoir, chock-full of sardonic, insightful commentary and situational based instances of what is commonly misconstrued as anti-social behavior. A misanthrope is defined as “one who hates mankind; a curmudgeon or a realist”.

The book aims to give fellow misanthropes a how-to guide on how to cope with a genetically hardcoded disdain for others – in a sarcastically jovial way. Considering myself a part of this demographic, I decided to absorb the book rather thoroughly while only pausing for short breaks to watch fellow misanthrope, Louie C.K.

A running concept throughout the book is essentially how to feign interest in people, a quality that some of the greatest misanthropes pride themselves on. While others on the more extreme side of the spectrum choose to avoid people entirely. The realist in most of us know that this is clearly impossible unless you happen to be the Emperor of Japan or a far eastern monarch of similar equivalence living in a randomly isolated sacred compound.

Misanthropes envy that level of isolation and solitude but can take solace in the guidance of the co-author, Philadelphia’s own Chris Turner-Neal. Neal addresses everyday contradictions for misanthropes like how to engage socially as well as deal with having and maintaining friends when you’d clearly prefer solitary confinement in your bedroom. These are the societal burdens of a common misanthrope and Neal’s writing is clearly at it’s best when dipping into elements of observational black comedy while seeming almost borderline ostentatious.

Another common theme of the misanthrope is social ethics. Neal and co-author Meghan Rowland touch on awkward, social-assassin-esque situations like “the courtesy wave: a vehicular acknowledgment” and focus on advanced defense mechanisms for how to avoid uncomfortable scenarios with strangers, colleagues or family. The authors argue that even though misanthropes are commonly misconstrued as the “anti-social” members of society, they are in fact superior at grasping situational ethics whereas “normal people” cannot.

However, beyond the American Psycho references, witty anecdotes, sarcastic one-liner quips and irrational suggestions (“just taze ‘em” was once proposed as a viable solution in the book), the authors actually sometimes make valid observational points from a logical perspective. Neal and Rowland also openly poke fun at themselves by insinuating that being a writer is an ideal profession, as you are essentially predisposed to being or becoming a misanthrope.

They even take aim at blogging as a misanthropic profession, claiming that it is “the act of sharing your ideas in silence – an obvious defense mechanism for misanthropes”. Although they stopped short of saying IT professional, it was already blatantly obvious that I was a misanthrope after finishing this book. I urge you to find your inner misanthrope and take isolated comfort in some of these anti-social inspired truths. And remember – keep your friends close but your defense mechanisms closer!

Want to win yourself a copy of  The Misanthropes Guide To Life? Leave a comment about your favorite anti-social character, fictional or real, and we’ll select one of you at random sometime next week.

Alright. I’m psyched. Next week, Donovan Hohn is coming to Penn State.

Hohn’s debut non-fiction book, Moby Duck, is easily one of my favorite books I’ve read this year. It is, to steal the byline off of Amazon, “the true story of 28,800 bath toys lost at sea and of the beachcombers, oceanographers, environmentalists, and fools, including the author, who went in search of them.”

The book won numerous awards, and with good cause. Moby Duck is, at the same time, hilarious and incredibly engrossing. Honh traveled the world researching the rubber duckies, and his story is just marvelous.

Can’t wait to listen to him talk about the book in person. You should come. For information on how to register, visit Penn State’s official website. See you there!

Donovan Hohn @ Penn State Great Valley
Thursday, October 6
6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
http://sgps.psu.edu/moby-duck/default.ashx

I have my boring 9-5 job. I wake up, I drive to work, I sit in a cubicle, and I do it all over again the next day. When? When will I find a career that suits my personality so well? I’ve always enjoyed harnessing magic, bottling Children’s dreams, and Unicorns.

I’ve always wanted to spend my days surrounded by these magical creatures. So I was overjoyed to find Raising Unicorns: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Starting and Running a Successful and Magical Unicorn Farm!

I know what you’re thinking; Why would I want a unicorn? Well, you’re stupid if you don’t want your very own (more…)

Deathless, by Catherynne M. Valente, is a terrible book.

WAIT.

Before you stop reading, allow me to explain. When contemporaries dubbed Ivan IV “the terrible,” they didn’t mean “awful” or “horrible” as we understand the word today (although one might argue that dropping puppies off the Kremlin walls as a child is pretty terrible in the modern sense of the term); rather, they meant “awesome” or “mighty”–beyond the comprehension or judgment of mere mortals such as you and I.

It’s in this sense that I describe Deathless: To read it is to be struck by its terrible beauty. (more…)

Just when I thought the city of Philadelphia could not possibly get any cooler, I discover that we have our very own group that promotes science fiction and fantasy in literature.

The Philadelphia Science Fiction Society is a non-profit group that is one of the oldest clubs in the country that focuses on science fiction and fantasy in books and popular culture. Meetings are on the second Friday of every month and are held at International House or The Rotunda, both (more…)

Next week, the Doylestown Bookshop is hosting a seriously awesome night of bookish geekery, wrangling in celebrated authors Jeff Ryan and Stephen H. Segal.

Jeff Ryan, the author of Super Mario: How Nintendo Conquered America, will be speaking about his latest book, while Stephen H. Segal, a Philadelphia area author and editor, will chat with guests about his recent title, Geek Wisdom: The Sacred Teachings of Nerd Culture.

Jeff’s title (which I was recently sent by Penguin), is an awesome non-fiction book that details Nintendo’s rise from 1981′s original Mario title (when he was just jumping over barrels to save the princess from Donkey Kong) to the legendary brand and innovator they are today.

Stephen’s book (full disclosure: I worked on this title at my day job), is a collection of 200 of the most important and powerful quotes from nerd culture, accompanied by insightful mini essays about each.

The event kicks off at 6pm and wraps up around 8. Come on out and hang out with two fabulous authors.

Geek Night @ the Doylestown Bookshop
Wednesday, September 28th, 2011
www.doylestownbookshop.com/event/geeknight/092811

Hey, Philadelphia area writers!

WragsInk, a new indie publisher based here in Philly, is putting together an anthology full of short stories written by local writers. They’ve already published two books, one of which (The Z Word by Dennis Finocchiaro) we reviewed here on the blog. The same guy behind that zombie title will be editing the anthology.

The plan to get folks into the book? They’re hosting a writing contest. First prize is $50, while two runners-up will get $25 each. Those three winners will “automatically be included in the upcoming anthology, slated to come out at the end of the year.”

What if you don’t win the three prizes? You can still be featured in the book. According to WragsInk, “any other short stories selected to be included in the anthology will receive an author’s copy of the book and will be invited to take part in public readings of your work at some of the many local events run by WragsInk.”

To get all the details, visit WragsInk’s official website. The deadline for submissions / the contest is October 31st. Winners will be notified via phone by November 15th.

Get writing!

DNR stands for many things: Daunorubicin, Department of Natural Resources, Dialed Number Recorder, Direct normal radiation, Dynamic Noise Reduction, Domain Name Registration, and even an airport in France.

In hospitals and in this book review, it stands for Do Not Resuscitate. For me, this week, it also stood for Do Not Read—in public, that is, because I would then be the guy crying in the park or on the train or in the break room at work. Dr. Lauren Jodi Van Scoy, MD has written a book that boils all the Hollywood out of ER, House, Scrubs, Grey’s Anatomy, and any other medical drama, leaving the raw reality of the difficult times that come at the end of human life. (more…)