SIXTH GRADE SUPERSTAR is out!
My book is available. I can't believe it.
I started a substack because I had written and illustrated a book called SIXTH GRADE SUPERSTAR. It’s a kids chapter book about an introvert that finds his voice when he gets a role in his middle school play. But it’s more than that, I think, I HOPE, it’s really funny. Kids will laugh, yes, but if the reader doesn’t have kids, doesn’t like kids, doesn’t know what kids are, they will still find the book funny. It was my attempt at a John Hughes/Judy Blume mash-up and I think I succeeded. Once I was done, I was really proud of it, but I had no idea how to get it out into the world. I started putting chapters up, people perked up and noticed and started asking “yeah but what are your plans for this?” to which I replied “this is it, Chet” which was weird because their name, 99.9 percent of the time, was NOT Chet.
And then one day, a friend of mine named Nate hooked up me with a fine chap named DX Ferris, who PUBLISHED BOOKS, and who LIKED WHAT HE HAD READ of SIXTH GRADE SUPERSTAR. I couldn’t believe it. DX and I got to work (mostly DX, I just drew some stuff and gave notes on format) and NOW THE BOOK IS OUT.
You can get it as a book OR download it on your Kindle/iPad. I don’t have a preference. I just want you to read it. And it’s super-cheap. DX and I made it a point to have it be as low as possible so anyone who wanted to read it COULD. It’s like a Cyber Monday sale, but ALL YEAR ‘ROUND. So, you know, if you are buying stuff from Amazon today, throw a copy or six into your cart, and give them out as gifts.
I sent the book out to various people who I admired to see if they wouldn’t mind giving me a quote. Fantastic creators, all of them, but one in particular was a long shot. He was a hero of mine, someone I had never met but whose work had inspired me for as long as I could remember. Berkeley Breathed, the creator of BLOOM COUNTY. This is a guy whose books I would carry around EVERYWHERE I went. Who I learned comedy and dialog from. And Mr. Breathed read my book and he LIKED IT. He gave a fantastic quote that adorns the back cover and the first page. If nothing else, if absolutely nothing else, one of my all-time favorite creators dug SIXTH GRADE SUPERSTAR.
I hope you like it too. I think you will. If you’re a fan of my substack, chances are you will enjoy this book. Two years to write, another year to draw. And it’s finally here.
Here’s the FIRST CHAPTER.
Did you like that? Sweet, here’s the NEXT TWO.
Oh man, that was great. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
If you dug what you’ve read, give the rest of the book a shot. Even if you didn’t, I don’t know, there are lots of pictures for you to color if that’s your thing.
Thanks to DX, thanks to Nate, thanks to everyone who checks it out.
I don’t know if I’ve ever written anything that’s more “Me” on any level. I truly hope you enjoy it.
ONE MORE TIME, BECAUSE I REALLY LOVE THIS BOOK.
