Gah! The Wrecked Wrangler is after us!

Hey everyone! I can't believe it, but today I've got the second-to-last chapter of Galactic Hot Dogs: Book Two for you! It's complete crazytown that we're at the end of the book. It's totally flown by! Well, get ready for Chapter 25...

GAH! How the fuzz did the Wrangler survive the train crash? Well, somehow he did, and he's scarier than ever. Lucky us -- he has it in for Princess Dagger and me. Yikes!

The dude is indestructible, but Dags and I aren't. Neither are the circus creatures! Can we fend off the Wrangler one last time so we can be the awesome space superheroes we're meant to be? Find out in Chapter 25: Wrecked Wrangler!

One last thing for you today. This past Friday, GHD illustrator Rachel Maguire did a book signing at Blue Bunny Books and Toys in Dedham, Massachusetts, and she sent along a couple of cool pictures!

Rachel with bookstore owners (and brothers) Paul and Peter H. Reynolds!

Rachel speaks to the crowd of GHD fans!

So rad! Rachel told me she has a bunch more events coming up this summer, so I'll make sure I let you know about them. Max Brallier has a whole lot of tour stops, too! I'll keep you posted!

Have a super awesome day, everyone!
Cosmoe

Princess Dagger can kick some serious butt!

Hey everyone! Happy Friday! Do you have any seriously super plans for the weekend? If you're in Massachusetts I have a fun idea for you: Go see Galactic Hot Dogs illustrator, Rachel Maguire!

Illustration of Rachel, by Rachel!

Tonight Rachel will be at Blue Bunny Books and Toys from 6:30pm - 7:30pm. She'll do a drawing demo and sign books, and there will be FREE HOT DOGS. Yessss! You should totally go because it's going to be awesomesauce. Get all the details here.

And now let's check out the latest chapter of Galactic Hot Dogs: Book Two!

Holy smudge! Those are some creeptastic faces on the cover of today's chapter. And those guys are what Princess Dagger and I are facing when we zoom in on the back of the Gargantuid. I focus on trying to keep the Gargantuid from devouring the circus creatures while Dags leaps into action -- BIG TIME! See how things go down in Chapter 24: Foot Face Flash Kick Action!

Have a totally rocking weekend you guys! And I know Team USA is playing tonight in the women's World Cup -- kick some butt, ladies!!!

Stay awesome,
Cosmoe

Me, Dags, a giraffe, a cat, and a whole bunch other creatures, because Rachel draws lots of stuff.

Hey you guys! Today I've got some way amazing art for you. My friend Rachel Maguire, the main illustrator of Galactic Hot Dogs: Cosmoe's Wiener Getaway (you know, that book I talk about sometimes), loves to draw cool pictures in the GHD books she signs. And she sent me pictures of a bunch she's done recently! Check these out:

And some more...

Crazy awesome, right?! I can't say that Rachel can do these kinds of illustrations in *every* book she signs, but if you want to meet her and have her autograph your copy of GHD, then get yourself over to Massachusetts later this month!

Rachel will be at Blue Bunny Books and Toys on Friday, June 26, at 6:30pm. She'll do a drawing demo and sign books, and there will be FREE HOT DOGS. Yum. If you are hoping you can go and eat hot dogs with Rachel, click the little "way cool" checkbox below!

See you guys here Friday for a new chapter in Galactic Hot Dogs: Book Two!

Later gators,
Cosmoe

Get to know Max, Rachel, and Nichole, 'cause they rock!

Hey you guys! So I might have mentioned once or twice that Galactic Hot Dogs: Cosmoe's Wiener Getaway is now in bookstores everywhere. Obviously I'm super psyched about it. But you know who is way, WAY excited? The author and illustrators of the book!

Here's Max finding me and my book at his local Barnes & Noble:

Hey look! It's me at Barnes & Noble!
Oh, and Max Brallier, too.

 And here is Rachel at a different Barnes & Noble. With me, of course.

Rock on, Rachel!

When she visited another bookstore, Rachel drew a pic of me in a book for a fan!

Hey dudes! It's me!

Max, Rachel, and the other illustrator, Nichole, are ridonkulously awesome humans. Did you miss it when I interviewed them? Check out my convos with Max here and here, and with Rachel and Nichole too. You'll find out cool stuff like why they do what they do, their fave hot dog toppings, what pets they have, and other rad junk!

See you back here on Friday when we get into the next chapter of Galactic Hot Dogs: Book Two. It's called "Angry Revenge Moldy Pizza." Yes, really. You're gonna love it!

Later gators,

Cosmoe

Part two of my Rachel Maguire interview!

An illustration of Rachel, by Rachel!

Hi everyone! Today I’ve got part two of my interview (read part one here) with Rachel, the main illustrator of my book, Cosmoe’s Wiener Getaway! As you probably know, on May 5, the very cool print version will be out in bookstores. Rachel did a bunch of extra art for the print book — I can’t wait to see it!

Last time, Rachel told us about her childhood wish to be a unicorn-mermaid, her unplanned nose job, what she digs on her veggie dog, and more. What else has she got for us? Let’s find out…

ME: So we all know that you’re the main illustrator of Galactic Hot Dogs. What did you do before that?

RACHEL: I worked in animation for a while, and before working on GHD, I did the colors for KaBOOM! Studio's comic book, Ice Age: Where There's Thunder.

ME: Cool! Okay, my next question is super important: You just got your own spaceship — what would you name it and what cool features would it have?

RACHEL: Oooooh, good question, and since I knew this was coming, I have a good answer for it! My ship’s name would be GUS, and it would look like a giant space turtle time machine. Anyone who is familiar with Doctor Who and Terry Prachett can tell this mash up is of the TARDIS with Great A'tuin. It would be the perfect vehicle to pilot into the unfolding infinity of space and time.

The reason my ship would be named Gus? Well, I once met a 90 year old turtle named Gus at the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History, and he made quite the impression. Gus knew which direction the sea was and he was determined to scratch his way through his plastic tub even if it would take 40+ years. That focus and drive is something a spacecraft needs. The science-y acronym combinations for GUS are boundless too: Geosynchronous Undockable Spacecraft, Galaxy Uncertainty Spectrum, Geothermal Universe Supergiant…

ME: Giant Universe Scavenger, Galactic Ultracool Spaceship…

RACHEL: Yes! Those are good, too.

ME: I’m going to be thinking of acronyms for GUS all day long! Okay, next question is from the Princess: Do you have a pet?

RACHEL: Ah, yes. There is a tortoiseshell-colored house beast named Becky that is always lurking around. One of her front legs is bad, so she makes a peg leg sound when she walks around. She doesn't have the ninja stealth skills that all cats are born with, but she gets to be a pirate instead.

Rachel's pirate cat

ME: Humphree now wants a pirate cat.

RACHEL: Of course he does.

ME: Speaking of Humphree, he wants to know all your favorites: movie, TV show, food, dessert…?

RACHEL: Movie: It’s a tie between Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle from Studio Ghibli. They each have a special place in my heart. Spirited Away is all about growing up, and Howl's Moving Castle is based on the Dianne Wynne Jones book.

TV shows? I devour any TV show that has a hint of magic or monsters in it. Sushi is my favorite food, and for dessert, I really love mochi ice cream — it’s a Japanese treat.

ME: I love all ice cream, so I definitely have to try it! This has been a way cool interview, Rachel. Any last stuff you want to tell us?

RACHEL: When I’m not working on all things Galactic Hot Dogs, I like to study Japanese or take a nap! And I also teach comics drawing to kids at the Eliot School in Boston.

Thanks Rachel! That was a totally sweet interview!

See you guys tomorrow,

Cosmoe

Meet Rachel, illustrator of Galactic Hot Dogs!

Hi you guys! Today I’ve a new, super-awesome interview for you. Meet Rachel Maguire, the main illustrator of my book! She's way cool and really digs illustration. Plus she has a rad fake nose. No, really, she does. Find out why in our interview!

Rachel's illustration of herself!

ME: Okay, first thing's first: Why did you become an illustrator?

RACHEL: Illustrators get paid to draw pictures. This is what everyone dreams of isn't it?!

ME: Well, I dream of being a professional gamer, but being an illustrator would be way cool, too! Did you always want to be an illustrator, or did you want to be something else when you were a kid?

RACHEL: When I was very, very young I wanted to be unicorn-mermaid or a geneticist. Those seemed to be very magical things to be.

ME: Yes. Yes, they do. Okay, so tell me this: What's something funny or unique that not a lot of people know about you?

RACHEL: So, I'm 8 years old and my older brother is teaching me about centripetal force. If you spin a bucket filled with water around in circles, the water doesn't fall out. I wanted a turn to break the rules of gravity, and so I made a bee-line for that ill-fated bucket. My brother saw me coming with just enough time to slow down and have the bucket be in direct line with my face.

Once a year my brother still proudly jokes that he saved me from having the Maguire nose by breaking it to itty-bitty pieces. The fake nose I have now is very nice; it came from a doctor’s binder labeled as the 'perky one.' And while I missed camp that summer, I got to be the youngest kid in my elementary school to have rhinoplasty.

ME: Rhino-whaty?

RACHEL: Fancy word for nose job.

ME: Right. Duh. Next question: What are your favorite hot dog toppings?

RACHEL: Veggie-dog with everything non-meat-based that's available at time of consumption. Food is tasty, so it is best not to limit oneself.

ME: Truth! I'm not sure you'd like some of Galactic Hot Dogs' non-meat options though.

RACHEL: They might be a little out there for me. 

ME: Me too. Lime moon cheese? No thanks. Last question for today: What’s the best advice you have for an Earth kid who thinks they might want to be an illustrator?

RACHEL: Don't be afraid to draw hands. Yes, they are hard to draw. Draw 100 of them and stop hiding them in your character's pockets and behind your characters.

Thanks for the rockin' interview, Rachel! 

Be sure to come back on Thursday for part two of our interview. You’ll find out what Rachel's favorite movies are, what type of "house beast" is lurking around her home, and more!

See you later,
Cosmoe