Bubble Collector gets a 6-Star Review!

The Kid-Lit-Reviews blog posted a book review of 'The Bubble Collector' this weekend - and gave it 6-Stars (out of 5)!!! Go-on over and read it here:

http://kid-lit-reviews.com/2013/05/25/review-the-bubble-collector-by-vikram-madan/

Thanks Kid Lit Reviews!!! :)

My main website is up again...

Just a quick note: my main website http://www.VikramMadan.com is finally back up again so if you want to see more of my work (including my latest adventure, art) stop on by there.

(My site went down last year when the web site host I was using went out of business. I finally found a new free host over at weebly.com - and as a software guy, I have to say I'm very impressed with the website creation tools Weebly is providing.  If you need a website, definitely  check them out)(and no, I'm not affiliated with them, I'm just a happy user)

A recent blog interview

Matt Forrest was kind enough to interview me (as part of national poetry month) about the experiences leading up to my publishing 'The Bubble Creator'. Read it in detail here:
http://mattforrest.wordpress.com/2013/04/30/national-poetry-month-the-bubble-collector/

Bubble Collector Giveaway

*Update* - the Giveaway completed on April 14. The 2 lucky winners were from Texas and Washington. Thanks everyone who participated. Stay tuned for the next Giveaway.
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I'm doing a test giveaway of 2 copies of 'The Bubble Collector' on GoodReads.com - this giveaway will run for a week April 7-14. (Depending on how successful it is, I will follow up with a bigger one - more copies, more time). Feel free to enter -what have you got to lose ? :)

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Bubble Collector

by Vikram Madan

Giveaway ends April 14, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Bubble Collector: It's LIVE !!!

Here it is folks, the moment we, I mean, I have been waiting for :The Bubble Collector is now LIVE!

Purchase from Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1482397617/

Or from Amazon.co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Bubble-Collector-Drawings-Vikram/dp/1482397617


Visit the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TheBubbleCollector  and of course the page on this blog: http://www.1000poems.com/p/bubble-collector.html

If you haven't already seen it, make sure to watch the new trailer:

Bubble Collector: Getting closer to the finish line ...

Hard at work, trying to get the book out the door. So close, I can almost taste it ... I guess when you wear all the hats yourself (publisher, editor, author, illustrator, book designer, proof-reader, marketer, mail-room guy ... ) things are going to go a bit slower ...

Stuff that's been happening in the last 4 weeks:
* Checked and edited several rounds of proofs for the book.
* Updated book with the few endorsements I could rustle up
* Set up a new page with more detailed, book-specific information. You can click on it from the bar up above or go directly to it using this link: http://www.1000poems.com/p/bubble-collector.html
* Got domain names http://www.BubbleCollector.com and http://www.TheBubbleCollector.com (Hate when you have to get both the links - note-to-self: next time dont use a title with the word THE in it). Also got some QR Codes to put on the back of the book
* Created a better book trailer (you can see it off the new page)
* Investigated publicity and marketing options (which can be pretty darned over-whelming) ...

Almost there now ...

My upcoming poetry collection: The Bubble Collector

If you've stopped by my blog recently, you might have noticed that I've been missing-in-action for the last couple of months. The reason for my absence is that I've been heads-down for the last 3 months finishing up my first collection of self-illustrated humorous poetry, titled The Bubble Collector: Poems and Drawings by Vikram Madan. I'm happy to say that the finishing line is finally in sight. I received my first proofs this week and, some additional tweaking not-withstanding, I hope to release this collection within the next month or two.

Here is a quick video peek to whet your appetite:

981. Dem Bitter Snits

Some time ago, I stumbled upon a delightful little poem called 'The Bitter Snits' by Renee LaTulippe over on Renee's http://www.nowaterriver.com poetry blog. Reading this fun poem about these "niggling, wriggling" things called 'Bitter Snits' made me instantly want to tell the Bitter Snit's side of the story... and here it is, presented side by side with the original poem (reproduced here with Renee's permission). I suggest you read the original first, before reading my 'fan fiction' version :)

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The Bitter Snits by Renee M. LaTulippe When you hunker in a sulk, and you slouch and you skulk like a heaving, huffing hulk of mad That’s when the Bitter Snits slither in and steal your wits– oh, my dear, I will admit it’s bad. A Bitter Snit’s a wormy thing, a niggling, wriggling, squirmy thing that plants a nagging germy thing deep inside your brain. And then you start the sniveling, your surly head goes swiveling, your common sense starts shriveling – oh, it’s inhumane. If you blubber, if you bawl, beat your hands against the wall, Bitter Snits will come to call, it’s plain. So when your temper’s on the fritz and you sink down in the pits of your snicky-icky fits of mope Just remember that a smile for a Snit is something vile and if you do it for a while… there’s hope. 'The Bitter Snits' Copyright © 2012 Renee M. LaTulippe Reproduced with author's permission

Dem Bitter Snits                 by Vikram Madan WE are dem SNITS! Dem BITTER SNITS! Dem no good restless little twits! WE howl! WE prowl! WE stalk! WE sit! And spread our spite where WE see fit! WE'RE always cruising for some huff! And specks of pout and crumbs of gruff! An upset mind dat's feeling rough Is where WE always plant our stuff! WE snick and snack on common sense! WE love to make your mind feel dense! Once you've been breached dere's no defense WE always quickly call our friends! As long as dere are sulks and tears Dere's little dat WE dread or fear! De only ding WE cannot bear Are signs and smells of (shudder!) cheer! So DO NOT smile! It gives us fits! NO SMILES! Smiles make us LOSE our wits! You smiled? OH, NO! You've made us fritz! For smiles destroy our SNITTER BITS ... !!!  *….Aaargh….**$&@*($*@#**.... 'Dem Bitter Snits' Text & Illustration Copyright © 2012 Vikram Madan

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There you have it folks - poetry from two perspectives. Don't forget - you saw it here first! :)