Brandon T. Snider – author and actor

Posted in Uncategorized by juliamace2015

Brandon T. Snider

You may recall me writing about my brush with fame at this year’s Book by the Banks event in Cincinnati. It was with someone I actually knew – Brandon T. Snider was a student when I worked at Mariemont Schools in my tender 20s.

He’s written multiple books including the award-winning The Dark Knight Manual, Minions on Ice, and Scribble and Sketch (Regular Show), to name a few.

Not only does Brandon act (think Inside Amy Schumer), sometimes, he does research during bachelor parties. He and I also have something in common – wearing fake hair on the Mariemont High School stage.

He graciously agreed to do a Q&A with me.

Do you have to do a lot of research for these characters or do you already know them? Or both?

The amount of research I do depends on what I’m working on. There are some characters I know backwards and forwards as was the case for the DC Comics Guide. I‘ve basically had all that information in my brain since I was a kid. However, to be safe, I consulted a variety of sources to double check statistics in order to make sure I get everything right.

When it comes to Adventure Time, Regular Show or any of the Cartoon Network stuff, I like to do marathon viewing sessions. I’ll watch newer episodes so I can get up to speed. If I’m focusing on specific characters I’ll make a list of relevant episodes where they appear.

Sometimes I get asked to work on projects where I don’t know a lot about the characters, as was the case with My Little Pony a few years ago. I got approached for that job as I was on my way out of town for a bachelor party weekend. The timeline was tight so I was sneak-watching episodes on my phone while people were enjoying themselves.

One of Brandon’s many titles.

What do you love about writing?

Writing and language are how humans communicate. It’s how we share ideas. It’s how we express ourselves. I love challenging myself to go deeper, to find a way to connect to a new idea. The process of creation can be wonderful and heartbreaking but when you have a breakthrough it makes it all worth it. When I write something that speaks to a young person and gets them interested in reading and creating, it’s incredibly special. I love that too.

Another Snider book.

How do you balance writing and acting?

It can be tricky sometimes. I audition for a lot of commercials and when I book one it means that I basically have to drop what I’m doing for however long it shoots. If I’m on a deadline, that could be problematic. Thankfully, I work with some great editors so if something comes up we adjust the accordingly. Time management is an ongoing struggle but I find that if I can make a firm to-do list each day it really helps me focused on the task at hand.

You’ve come a long way since The Hobbit! Tell me about some of your acting gigs?

HAHA! I can’t believe you remembered that I was The Hobbit back in high school. One of the worst book-to-stage adaptations of all time. No disrespect to the source material but a bunch of high school kids trying to create a lush fantasy world on stage doesn’t quite work. My feet were covered in spirit gum and fake hair. But we had fun.

I went on to get a theater degree and moved to New York City after graduation. I’ve done an assortment of TV and theater but most notably I’ve been on Inside Amy Schumer a few times in recent years. I’m doing a short play in December with The Collective, a theater company here in New York. I do stand-up comedy from time to time. And you’ll even see me dancing like an insane person in a United States Postal Service commercial soon.

Max enjoying one of Brandon’s Uncle Grandpa books.

What did you read as a kid?

I read a lot of comic books. I had major Justice League and X-Men phases. I was into the Time Machine series. As a very little boy I was obsessed with Barbapapa’s Ark. It was way ahead of its time in dealing with environmental issues and the ethical treatment of animals. It had a very hopeful message that didn’t sugarcoat humanity’s flaws. I also liked that the characters were colorful blobs.

Any advice for young readers and writers?

Keep reading and writing. And be patient. I was very anxious for growth and success when I was a younger person. I think that’s fairly natural. But you don’t hit a lot of life until your twenties and thirties. Sorry kids! Trust me, you’ll have so much great material to write about once you’re older. In the meantime, never stop writing and develop your skills.

What new books do you have coming out?

In 2016 I have a lot of cool stuff coming out: What Would Captain Kirk Do?, Adventure Time: Hero Time with Finn & Jake and my very first Mad Libs which was a dream come true to write because I freakin’ love Mad Libs.

Thanks, Brandon!

I myself wore a fake beard and wig as a Papa in Fiddler on the Roof at Mariemont.

More info

Check out all things Brandon on his website Cootie Kid.

2Nov2015

Let’s stop being mean

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As my boys make their way through their first year of full day school, they’re navigating a lot, including friendships.

It’s emotionally exhausting – for me.

As I listen to their reports, my heart feels happy when they talk about new friends and interactions. It cracks and feels like it’s been stabbed when someone makes fun of them or leaves them out.

Coincidentally, I picked up the book The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Class by Justin Roberts and illustrated by Christian Robinson.

Sally McCabe is the smallest girl in the smallest grade. Hardly anyone pays attention to her but she pays super extra special attention. She notices, “that time Tommy Tornino was tripped in the hall,” and “She saw Kevin McKuen get pushed off the slide – and the oncoming tears he wanted to hide.”

This book made me think of my own childhood. Not memories of being picked on but a memory of when I was in first grade. I remember leaving my friend Bonnie Jones in the dust for another friend. I knew it was wrong and felt bad when I left Bonnie crying. But I still did it. I can still see her in her 70s long dress and curly, brown hair.

We all have it in us, even us nice ones.

Bonnie – wherever you are – I’m sorry.

Unlike me, the smallest girl took a stand. One day at lunch, she “stepped out of the lunchroom line,” raised her hand in the air and said, “I’m tired of seeing this terrible stuff. Stop hurting each other! This is enough!”

Sally takes a stand.

Then, “like waves rolling in, “ students and adults raised their hands in the air in solidarity with Sally.

Things go back to normal but kids are nicer to each other…thanks to the smallest girl in the smallest grade.

As for Max and Calvin, they didn’t comment much except to ask, “why is everyone being mean?”

Let’s all be like Sally shall we?

Where to find the book and other info

You can find this book on author Justin Robert’s site. He’s also a grammy-nominated musician.

I just LOVE illustrator Christian Robinson. He illustrated two of our favorite books, Last Stop On Market Street and Gaston.

20Oct2015

Kindergarten and Americorps, sending my kids into the world

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This week’s blog post is not about books. The title of my blog reads, “random thoughts connected to my boys.” Here are some random thoughts. Thanks for reading!

Max, Ben, Calvin.

Sitting in a neuropsychology office looking at a plastic brain and talking about one of my sons, I tried to remind myself that change is natural.

It’s a time of transition at our house. All good things. My twin boys are headed to kindergarten. My adult stepson is headed to a new city nine hours away, after earning two degrees. He will be working with Americorps.

Then why is this mama feeling weepy? It could be hormones, that brain thing, and the fact that I’m probably feeling like moms everywhere sending their kids to kindergarten.

For many of us, sending our babies to kindergarten, while exciting, is emotional. It represents the end of babyhood. Suddenly, all the joys and trials of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers is….over. Of course, there is more to come, but this is a big life step.

And my oldest? He’s 24 but for the last six years he’s been 2 ½ hours away in a town where one of my best friends lives. Easy to access, easy to visit.

We’ve always celebrated dual transitions as a blended family. A month after our oldest went to college, I gave birth to twin boys. A few weeks after one of the twins finished chemotherapy, we went to college graduation.

Back to the plastic brain and the chemo. At a little over two years old, our son Calvin was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Eleven hours of brain surgery, 12 rounds of chemotherapy, and four years later, we have a healthy, happy, redheaded child. We are grateful every single day.

But as his mom and a natural born worrier, it’s hard. I worried about letting him go to preschool four months after treatment, but the intimate setting, short day, and loving teachers won me over. The longer day, new teachers and students, stresses me out.

The plastic brain came out when we met with neuropsychology to discuss the results of recent tests. Surgery may have impacted his brain and they will monitor him for years to come. I never thought I’d have to talk about my son’s brain as a way to prep for kindergarten.

These three make me realize things will probably be ok. Last night, they sat around the kitchen table playing the oldest’s game of Operation. The 24-year-old patiently taught the younger two math skills when working with the paper money. It takes a very steady hand and a patient older brother to play old-school Operation.

The twins’ biggest concern about kindergarten is what to pack for the lunch; Max suggested popsicles. Meanwhile, the oldest just bought a car and is excited for his next big adventure.

I listened to their chatter, laughter, and buzzes of the game as I loaded the dishwasher. This moment of domestic family bliss reminded me how far we have come, how lucky we are.

I have to mention books
If you didn’t see my email this week, take a moment to check out Brandon T. Snider’s work. This fellow Mariemont grad is the author of several Cartoon Network favorites.

12Oct2015

Max and Calvin weigh in on video

Posted in Uncategorized, Video by juliamace2015

Many of my kids’ first books are chewed on. They loved them that much.

Max was and still is a chewer. The frayed ends added some humor to a discussion we had the other day about “their baby books.”

They helped me pick out some of their favorites – see below.

“I liked the alphabet books because I didn’t know my letters very good,” said Max.

“I loved them all,” said Calvin.

I personally remember wishing I was one of the hippos in The Belly Button Book when they said, “We don’t do much throughout the day, that’s how we like it best. We watch the waves, we nibble grapes, we take a little rest.”

Then we got crazy and made some videos of us reading the books. Enjoy!

Some of our favorites and a shout out
First, a shout out of thanks to Ellie Hutton! When the boys were born, she sent us an entire box of wonderful board books!

ABC’s by Charley Harper

Blue Hat, Green Hat by Sandra Boyton

The Belly Button Book by Sandra Boyton

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin and Eric Carle

I am a Bunny by Ole Risom and Richard Scary

School Bus by Donald Crews

5Oct2015

Unlocking memories with The Secret Garden

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My Papa and I blowing out my candles on my sixth birthday. My own kids just turned six!
Read about it here.

On my first read of The Secret Garden, the first few pages made me burst into tears and tell my parents it was horrible.

Spoiler alert – I made it through the part where young Mary Lennox wakes up in India to find everyone she knows dead or gone.

My original misgivings aside, I fell in love with this classic by Frances Hodgson Burnett and read it several more times throughout childhood. The book was given to me my Gigi (my grandmother), who bought it in England. In subsequent years, we traveled there together.

My Gigi’s inscription in the book.

The story, first published in 1911, and the trip were a strong influence on my future as I later ended up living in England.

My mom and I recently saw the play of The Secret Garden at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park.

“I wish Gigi was here with us,” I said, referring to my grandmother. “But she would be 106 and senile.”

We laughed. We weren’t being cruel; sometimes laughter is all you can do about the hard things in life.

I had many years with Gigi; she passed away when I was 32. She was around 91 and had dementia for 10 years. Her later years, when our roles were reversed, allowed me to make amends for my bratty teenage self.

Mary finding the door of the garden. Illustration by Charles Robinson.

I wasn’t as fortunate with her husband, my Papa, whose memory is tied up in my first reading of The Secret Garden. He was dying of Cancer while I read the book in the hospital waiting room. I was surprised when he actually died. I was eight.

The gorgeous play not only made my mom and I cry and laugh; it caused us to talk about the past.

I know it’s always made my mom sad that her children don’t have as many memories of her dad. But I do have some nice memories tucked into my brain, including the fuzzy, not-so-nice ones of him being sick.

Revisiting the past lead me to a cool revelation. I have always had pieces of my Papa, right here in my mom. She looks like him (but pretty). She has his sunny outlook and social disposition. She has his smarts and work ethic.

And she carries his memories, like when she burst out one recent Christmas morning and said, “My Dad would have loved this.”

One more of us. Gigi made the cake. The dress had a duck on it.
(She bought me my beloved stuffed duck.)

This is the beauty of the written word and the glory of books. Stories tie us to our selves, our loves, and help us remember.

About the book and more info
My Papa, Verne McClellan, passed way years before the Internet – 1978 – but as a small-town lawyer and community-leader in Mt. Vernon, Indiana, I thought he might show up on Google. Besides his ancestry listing, I found one mention of him in his friend Bill Goss’ 2009 obit:

“Bill and Verne McClellan arranged for the purchases of the properties of GE Plastics, BWX, and WSI, located west of Mt. Vernon.”

My mom confirms this is true. I thought that was cool.

If you haven’t read The Secret Garden, please indulge. My copy was illustrated by Charles Robinson.

My other favorite book by Burnett is The Little Princess with gorgeous illustrations by Tasha Tudor.

For Cincinnati locals, the play has left the Playhouse but check out their current season.

28Sep2015

And now they are six

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Calvin and a birthday book.

Most kids (and adults) like hearing their birth stories. For my twins, it’s mostly the story of how Calvin got things started and that they were born eight minutes apart.

My husband Eddie and I thought they sounded like goats.

My little goats, I mean babies, celebrated their sixth birthday last week.

Indulge me. It’s been the best and hardest six years of my life.

Legos, Star Wars figures, buses, games, and an abundance of other gifts were involved in the birthday celebration and of course, there were books.

We had to have a conversation before their family party.

If you don’t like something DON’T SAY IT, Eddie and I advised. Just tell us later.

Kids. They have the charming, horrifying habit of telling the truth.

On to the books – Calvin received two London books: This is London by Miroslav Sasek and We Completely Must Go to London by Lauren Child.

For Max, more Star Wars Yarns (see a prior post) and Ed Emberley’s Big Purple Drawing Book. Max loves Emberley’s books and has checked the Purple one out several times from the library. The appeal of this one is it teaches you how to draw a pirate ship.

Max and the our other birthday boy, Baby Cecil.

Max and our other birthday boy, Baby Cecil.

Later, as Max and I read one of his new books he confessed.

“This is one of the things I didn’t like but didn’t say. But now I LOVE this book!”

Score one for parenting!

We have another birthday boy in our family. Cecil, or Baby Cec as my boys called him, turned one this month! Named after my husband’s father, he is our great nephew.

Baby Cec had to have a book too. I chose Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault, illustrated by Lois Ehlert.

I learned of Chicka when I interviewed my friend Erin for this blog. My boys knew about it from preschool and would chant along with it, much to my surprise. This classic provides a sing songy way to learn the alphabet.

Here’s to September birthdays! And reading! And cake!

(About the cake – Max had Darth Vader on his cake; Calvin a MegaBus; and Cecil a Teddy Bear.)

More books suggestions
Thanks to our family and friends for the following books.

Danny and the Dinosaur by Syd Hoff

Little Bear (a family favorite and classic) by Else Holmelund and illustrated by Maurice Sendak

Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester

When I Grow Up by Weird Al Yankovic and illustrated by Wes Hargis.

And thanks to all my new subscribers!

18Sep2015

How I get my kids to read

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Max

What’s one thing you feel good about as a parent? For me, one thing I’ve done right is that my kids love books.

(I remind myself of this after I lose it and yell. Right after the guilt sets in.)

Here are some ways I’ve gotten my boys interested in books.

We read everyday. At bedtime and the oh so missed naptime.
We visit the library a lot.
We go to a lot of bookstores, including when we are on vacation.

Ok, so sometimes, it doesn’t work.

Here’s what I hear:

I want to watch TV.
I don’t want to go to the library.
I want to watch TV.
I want to watch TV.

So, I try some new things.

I stop at the library on my way home from work. It seems like I brought home a present! When they ask, “Did you bring me anything, I can say, oh yes, I did!” I also pick them up from school with new library books in the car.
I try to find books that appeal to their interests at the time be it dinosaurs, buses, bugs, or superheroes.
I refer “our” books in conversation. This could be Fly Guy, The Big Toddlah, Harry the Dog, Frog and Toad, whatever is popular at our house at the moment.
We buy books as gifts for other kids. (Along with a toy, don’t worry.)
We’ve made our own books.

Calvin

They know I read a lot and see my books. They’re aware I have a blog and I try to get their ideas for it and say, “Hey, can we read this book? I might need it for my blog.” They love that.

For the most part all of this works. The other night, when they should have been sleeping, the three of us lay in my bed, each looking at our own book. They’ll ask me about what I’m reading. I also find books in their beds when it should be lights out.

This makes me happy.

But of course, sometimes they just want to watch TV.

11Sep2015

Talking to my kids about the homeless

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My boys have been a little obsessed about the homeless lately. It started with a raccoon.

Nana and her grandson.

My husband took the trash out one night and found a raccoon peering out of the garbage can. He reported on this the next morning. The following night, he looked out the window and saw a deer sitting in our backyard. He was afraid it was injured and was relieved to find it gone in the morning.

A few mornings later, he asked us, “Guess what I found in the yard last night?”

We never could have guessed but he found a man passed out on our side porch. This is our tenant’s entrance so Eddie made him get up and move.

The boys were perplexed. “Why was he there?” Questions, questions.

“Well, he could be homeless,” I said.

“What is HOMELESS?” they screeched.

Oh geez.

I tried to explain that some people don’t have a place to live. This is a hard concept for two five-year-olds to understand. But it’s important to be honest. I told them there are ways to help people that aren’t as fortunate as us and we can help by volunteering.

CJ and his Nana.

I’ve tried to introduce the concept of volunteering in the past. The first time Max said, “I think when I’m a grownup I’m going to be too busy working to volunteer.”

“Some companies WANT you to volunteer, “ I explained. “They want you to help people.”

“I don’t know,” he said doubtfully, from the backseat of the car.

This time he listened. Two books about grandmothers helped me with this hard conversation.

First, we talked about the great book Nana In The City by Lauren Castillo. The boy in the story goes to visit his Nana. He doesn’t like her city. It’s too loud, big, and scary. The scary includes people asking for help on the streets.

Nana solves the problem by knitting the boy a cape and showing him the wonders of the city. This includes buying a pretzel for one of the people on the street.

I also referred to Matt De La Peña’s book, Last Stop on Market Street. (Illustrated by Christian Robinson).

We bought this book because it has a bus in it (Calvin’s obsession) but it also has a great message. CJ and his Nana take the bus every week to a neighborhood with “crumbling sidewalks and broken-down doors, graffiti-tagged windows and boarded-up stores.”

CJ resists this journey but his Nana points out the beauty around them. Their destination is helping at a soup kitchen where CJ is happy to see familiar faces.

I told the boys this is how we can help sometime; we can volunteer by helping people who need food.

I’m sure it will be an ongoing conversation. They notice people as we drive around the city, asking for help. They’ve asked me about volunteering.

The other day, we were in the parking lot of their dad’s business and they noticed a gray, scrawny one-eyed cat.

“Look, Mama! A homeless cat,” they yelled, while running to “help” it.

Here are some resources for helping the homeless.

UpSpring (formerly Faces without Places) provides educational services for Cincinnati kids experiencing homelessness.
Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless
National Coalition for the Homeless
City Gospel Mission (Cincinnati)
Shelterhouse (formerly the Drop Inn Center) (Cincinnati)

4Sep2015

Taking my blog on the road

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My book club and I are gaga for Ann. (Center. In the DRESS.)

I took my blog on the road last week. On my way to the Tribe Conference in Franklin, Tennessee my fellow writer and friend Melissa and I stopped at Parnassus Books. The store is a literary mecca in Nashville, Tennessee.

Author Ann Patchett is the co-owner of the store. She’s also the author of my book club’s first read Truth and Beauty. We celebrated our tenth anniversary and love of all things Patchett by hearing her speak at the Cincinnati Mercantile Library’s Niehoff lecture in October.

May I digress? Ann talked about the importance of independent owned bookstores. We met her during the cocktail hour and she shared that her fabulous dress was a gift from her friend Liz (author Elizabeth Gilbert). We smiled, gushed, and probably spit like teenagers with braces when we told her that we love her work. She was gracious, engaging, and an intriguing speaker.

I try to make it a point to hit independent bookstores when traveling with or without my boys. I found some gems at Parnassus. It has a beautifully stocked and comfortable children’s book section.

For Calvin I found, The Queen’s Hat by Steve Antony. Calvin has an obsession with buses and cities. His beloved London double decker buses and London Bridge feature large in this tale about the Queen losing her hat on the way to visit a certain baby. (Can you guess?)

Calvin also scored This is San Francisco by Miroslav Sasek. This was gold, pure gold, since we were there in June (see my blog post California Love) and he adores Sasek’s This is New York.

Max loves all things Star Wars these days. He was happy to get Star Wars Epic Yarns: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars Yarns: A New Hope by Jack Wang and Holman Wang. These clever books show Star Wars figures made of yarn and the one word a page are great for new readers.

Melissa, me, and my gold handbag visit Parnassus Books.

The Tribe Conference (for writers, bloggers, and entrepreneurs), the bookstore, and a little time away from my two kindergartners left me feeling inspired!

Ps. At the conference we were challenged to ask for email addresses for our blogs. I got around 60! Thank you to all who responded!

Where to find the books and other info

Check out your local bookstore or library for all the titles mentioned above or visit Powell’s City of Books for the The Queen’s Hat, and This is San Francisco.

Star Wars Epic Yarns: The Empire Strikes Back can be bought from Chronicle Books.

Read my friend Melissa’s blog post about The Tribe Conference. (Hint..she writes poetry.)

Elizabeth Gilbert will be at Parnassus Books on October 21 with her new book, Big Magic.

11Aug2015

Stuffed animals are a kids best friend

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Me and Duck in our salad days - the 70s. My brother and Henry were close too.

Me and Duck in our salad days – the 70s. My brother and his dog Henry were close too.

My best friend growing up was a duck. A stuffed duck named………Duck. My Duck appears in all our family Christmas photos, traveled on trips, and earned me a nickname from a friend’s family…you guessed it, Duck. And yes, I still have him; he has a place of honor in my bedroom. But I no longer sleep with him, I gave that up in my 20s.

I’m proud to say my boys are followed my lead. Max’s best friend is a stuff lion named Lion. He’s often tells me, “I love you mama, but Lion is my best friend.” Calvin’s favorite stuffed creature is Little Orange Lion.

The Lions go everywhere, are well loved, and look a little gross. And yes, they have met my Duck. Sometimes they have secret meetings when we are all asleep.

Max’s Lion was a gift when I was pregnant. Max wraps him presents at Christmas (toys that we already own) and recently made him a birthday card. Word is that he’s 45. Sometimes Max makes him take a nap. Recently, he ended up at the swimming pool where he was forced to sit on the side.

Lion hangs at the pool.

Little Orange Lion was picked out by Calvin when he was gifted some birthday money last year. He already had the identical toy who became Little Orange Lion’s Mama. She does not live the life that Little Orange does. Calvin makes her stay home and wait for her offspring.

Little Orange Lion is naughty. He hides when he needs to take a bath. He also takes clandestine trips; he once went on a school field trip secretly stuffed in Calvin’s jacket.

When we discovered Mo Willems’ book Knuffle Bunny Too, A Case of Mistaken Identity, we hit the stuffed animal jackpot. (We were already Willems fans – if you don’t know about Elephant and Piggy or the Pigeon series, do yourself a favor and read them. Adults too.)

Trixie has a favorite bunny Knuffle, that she brings to school for show and tell. She gets to school and Sonja has the same bunny! A fight ensues. The teacher takes the bunnies until the end of the day and then they are returned. Willems’ illustrations are cleverly placed in real life settings: a school, a home, and New York City!

Trixie and Sonja lose their bunnies.

In the middle of the night, both girls realize they have the WRONG bunnies. Their bleary-eyed fathers trapse across town for the switch. The next day, the girls and the bunnies begin a beautiful friendship.

This book is funny and perfect for all of us who have had that favorite stuffed animal.

At this very the moment, Little Orange Lion is under the care of the U.S. Postal Service. He decided to stay in New Jersey for a few more days of vacation. Imagine my relief when he was found.

What was your favorite stuffed animal?