Our booth is shown in the picture above.  Lots of books.  Lots of zombie fun.  And, see that amazing portrait of the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies lady?  Well, we raffled that off on Sunday.  Here’s the lucky winner:

She was ecstatic to win and will be hanging it in her dorm room at college.  You can purchase your very own version by visiting our Zazzle store.

We also had two in-booth signings…

Kevin D Anderson, author of the upcoming Night of the Living Trekkies.  The book was also among our top-sellers at the show.

And, Seth Grahame-Smith, author of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

A few other notable moments, included…

Legendary graphic designer Chip Kidd stopped by our booth to enjoy the DC Comics 75th Anniversary Poster Book (available in October).

Hundreds of people picked up Disneystrology (October) to discover their birthday character (and their boyfriend’s, and their sister’s, and everyone else they knew.)–including Wendy and Alice:

We had a friend dress up as Android Karenina.  Pretty cool costume, huh?

Our Associate Publisher and Creative Director, Jason Rekulak, was interviewed by The Flash for the local TV station.  The Flash also threw a punch at Jason near the end of the interview!

As I said, it was a very successful show.  Thanks to all that visited and said hello.  Thanks for being fans of Quirk.  And, thanks for showing and sharing your love of what we do.

You can see more photos at our Flickr Photostream.  And, more of our pictures here.

’til next year…

brc

How to Make a Perfect Slider

A few weeks ago I attended Meatopia on Governors Island, a quintessential celebration of summer-and BBQ. While almost all of the food came off a huge smoking grill, there was one lone ranger with a griddle turning out the most phenomenal sliders I’ve ever had. How good? I stood in line a second time for another one, and then badgered him to share his secrets with us. The recipe is here, and below are the tips from Kenji himself that will earn you the undying devotion of every meat eater you know. So whether you’re an apartment dweller, grilling just isn’t your thing, or you’re dreading abandoning your grill come fall, take heart: you won’t find a better burger anywhere, and they’re made in a pan.

1. Good burgers require good meat. Put down those sad little pre-made patties- they’re tightly packed (which means dense, heavy burgers), and you won’t be able to do anything about the (boring) flavor and (inconsistent) texture. If you’re serious about this endeavor, you’ll need to buy whole cuts of meat and grind them yourself. Kenji advises, “the best single cut of beef to use is chuck, but if you want something better, albeit more involved, try blending cuts of beef to balance out fat content and flavor. My go-to blend is a mix of 2 parts sirloin, 1 part short rib, and 1 part brisket. It gives you a really good balance of flavor.”
If you don’t own a meat grinder, cut the meat into 1-inch chunks, partially freeze them, and pulse the chunks (about ½ pound at a time) in a food processor until finely chopped. No food processor? Visit your supermarket or butcher and ask them to grind the cuts for you.

2. Think you’ll just eye up the amount of meat per patty? Think again. “Use 1.5 ounces of meat per patty for a normal-sized slider. Too much meat and it overwhelms the onions. Too little, and you can’t taste it. Use a scale.” Don’t add any seasonings, and only salt the beef right before cooking.

3. Forget those hockey pucks your dad proudly takes off the grill. “Sliders are really a slow steaming process; unlike most other types of burgers, browning and searing are not your goal. Your goal is to cook slow and steady on a bed of onions so that the onion aroma wafts in and around the meat and buns.” Is your mouth watering yet?

4. Patience, hungry one. “If your onions are sizzling loudly and browning fast, your heat is too high. There’s almost no such thing as cooking them too slowly….The onions should almost melt into the meat by the time they are done,” says Kenji.

5. Go with a classic bun- Kenji likes Martin’s potato rolls.
6. Don’t ruin your hard work by getting creative with the cheese: “Sliders are meant to have American cheese. Nothing else melts into such a nice salty, gooey mess.” Fancy cheeses not only have more flavor, which overpowers the beef, but they also won’t melt properly.

Many thanks to Kenji Lopez-Alt of Food Lab for his recipe and tips- visit him on Facebook.

Calling all Shakespeare, theatre, and / or film enthusiasts of all stripes:

Have a digital video camera?

Want to make a short film featuring fingerpuppets of Shakespeare’s most beloved characters?

Quirk Books invites you to re-create the most memorable scenes in all of theatre…or create your own, brand-new scenes using our Masterpuppet Theatre kit!

Three winners will be selected for fantastic prizes, including a Flip Cam. We’ll post our favorite videos to our Facebook page.  We’re looking for the most creative and entertaining interpretations. Bonus points for obscure Shakespeare references!

Sound like something you’d be into?  Email masterpuppettheatre@gmail.com by July 30, 2010. Let us know that you’re interested in participating in our contest, and we’ll send you a Masterpuppet Theatre kit and send you the details. Then upload your 30-second to 4-minute video to YouTube, and send us the link by August 26, 2010.

The Masterpuppet Theatre kit includes:

-  Sixty fingerpuppet cards featuring Shakespeare’s most famous characters, including Hamlet, Lady Macbeth, King Lear, Othello, Shylock, and Falstaff

- Twelve stand-up sets of castles, forests, balconies, and battlefields

- A 96-page “folio” of classic scenes-from Hamlet’s “To Be or Not to Be” soliloquy to Romeo and Juliet’s classic balcony serenade

Once you’ve finished staging the Bard’s entire canon, you can mix and match masterpuppets to produce your own Shakespearean mash-ups. Perhaps your Romeo will fall in love with Lady Macbeth!

Remember: Whatever fate you decide for your characters, to thine own fingerpuppets be true.

Masterpuppet Theatre Contest Rules

Please upload your Masterpuppet Theatre video entries to YouTube and e-mail the link to masterpuppettheatre@gmail.com by August 26, 2010.

When sending the link to your video, please make this your e-mail subject line:

MASTERPUPPET THEATRE VIDEO ENTRY

In the body of your e-mail, please include your name and address, a short bio about the filmmakers and actors, and a brief description of your video.

Videos will be judged on creativity in premise, script, and performance­­­­­ — not necessarily on your filmmaking skills.

Prizes:

First place winner will receive a Flip Cam with a retail value of $199.

Second place winner will receive a Visa Gift Card valued at $75.

Third place winner will receive a Visa Gift Card valued at $50.

Contest Rules:

To be considered, videos must be:

-  Uploaded to YouTube with link submitted to Quirk Books by Thursday, August 26, 2010, at 5PM EST.

- No shorter than 30 seconds and no longer than 4 minutes.

- In English, or with English subtitles.

- Relevant to the subject matter, using the Masterpuppet Theatre book-plus kit as its main focus. Creativity is encouraged; just make sure you use the puppets!

- Safe for work! No nudity, excessive profanity, or anything else you wouldn’t be comfortable showing your boss. Puppet-on-puppet violence is permitted, if not encouraged.

- Contest limited to US residents.

Videos that do not comply with all the rules above will not be considered for the contest.

Picture from http://www.ucsuccess.org/2010AliciaK

Alicia Kachmar is not only a crafter extraordinaire and the author of the upcoming Quirk title Witch Craft: Wicked Accessories, Creepy-Cute Toys, Magical Treats, and More! She was also awarded a trip to Seattle, where she was commended for earning one of the five grand prizes in the Celebrating UC Success contest.

The contest, sponsored by the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America, asked ulcerative colitis sufferers to share creative works that testify to their ability to overcome the limits imposed by disease.  Kachmar, who was diagnosed with this disease in 2005, wrote an essay explaining how her hospitalization five years ago led her to learn to crochet.  She crocheted frowning foods to symbolize her frustration with food as a result of UC, then moved on to smiling objects like balloons and clouds.  She began to sell her handiwork online and interact with those who purchased it, an experience she described as inspiring during this trying time.

We at Quirk Books are thrilled to congratulate Kachmar on her creative route to resilience in the face of illness, and we’re so glad to hear that her trip to Seattle was exciting, star-studded, and fulfilling.

We’re very lucky to have Alicia on board for Witch Craft. She’s an inspiration to everyone: those in good health as well as those with chronic conditions. Thanks, Alicia. You rock!

By John J. McGurk, Production Manager at Quirk Books

It’s hard to pinpoint why old men are so entertaining. Maybe it’s the Nixon-era wardrobe they sport with a casual indifference most hipsters would kill for. Maybe it’s their world-weary misanthropy. Maybe it’s that bizarre mumble they employ as a response to almost every situation. You know the one. Kinda sounds like Mmmayuhhh and can mean anything from hello to goodbye to “I heard you the first time” to “Don’t make me kill you.”

Whatever the source of their charm, old men are a treasure trove of comedy and there’s no better environment than a bar to witness this comedy, approximately 86 percent of which is unintentional and therefore even funnier. Humor just happens when you pump nine whiskey sours into a septuagenarian whose liver and prostate are so grotesquely swollen they’re squeezing his pancreas.

Of course, different kinds of bars yield different results. For example, it might be amusing to see a crusty retiree at the bar in a prefab happy house like T.G.I. Friday’s, draining his Gin Rickey while shaking his head disbelievingly at some freakin’ GUY sipping a Tropical Berry Mojito Shaker and eating a Count Chocula-crusted flank steak, or whatever culinary atrocity Friday’s is committing nowadays. But that’s not the right venue to watch an old man doing his best work. For that, you need a dive bar.

Dive bars reign supreme among adult beverage establishments and there’s no close second - not sports bars or honky tonks or wine bars or juke joints or biker bars or anything else. However, biker bars often share many traits with dive bars, so it’s largely a semantic distinction unless there’s weaponry involved. OK, until there’s weaponry involved, but whatever.

(And for any Southern California folks, there’s a biker/dive bar in the OC named Mugs Away Saloon that is the unofficial “we’re not in charge so don’t sue us” host of a lovely event known as the Mooning of the Amtrak. It’s an annual party where throngs of people get stupid and moon the many passing trains all day. Everyone takes pictures, including the passengers and conductors, and it’s fun for the whole family. Disclaimer: I haven’t attended since moving to Philly in 2007 and I’ve heard the cops have clamped down on the party as part of Operation Massive Buzzkill. Wait, is this still a parenthetical? Good Lord, why do I always do this?)

Aaaaanyhow, the point is that old men can unleash some killer nuggets of wisdom after a few of their favorite libations. (But they’d smack you in the back of the head for calling them libations. Wait, another parenthetical - aaahhh!) So while you should definitely find an old man bar and soak up their wisdom as they soak up their booze, Quirk has thoughtfully published a book for those times you can’t enjoy their company first-hand. Old Man Drinks contains more than 60 recipes of timeless cocktails along with black-and-white photographs of old men and quotes ranging from the profound (”When your fear comes to an end, then you discover the whole universe.”) to the surly (”Tacos make me very angry.”) to the unexpected (”I taught Bob Dylan how to do the butterfly stroke.”) Three words describe the drinks, the quotes and the old men - classic, unpretentious and refreshing.

1. There are three kinds of trips: ones where clothes matter (business trips; romantic getaways involving fancy dinners), ones where they don’t (camping), and ones that are a little bit of both. Figure out what kind of trip you’re going on, and pack accordingly.

2. It’s easier to run down a list than pace the living room thinking, what am I forgetting?! If you know a trip is coming up, keep a list of things you’ll need and add to it when items occur to you. At the top of your list should be the thing you tend to forget every time-toothbrush, anyone? You’re more likely to think of it when you’re not staring at an empty suitcase.

3. If you don’t wear it at home, you won’t wear it anywhere else (unless the item in question is a fuchsia sequined minidress and your destination is Atlantic City). The last thing you want is to be away from home with a bag full of clothes you don’t feel comfortable in, so when traveling go with tried-and-true favorites.

4. If you tend to overpack (and most of us do), lay everything out before you start putting it in a suitcase. Now take away a pair of shoes and at least one outfit. Heavy things (shoes, books) on the bottom, clothes that get wrinkled easily and stuff you need quick access to on top. Fact: clothes take up less room when folded neatly instead of shoved in a bag. An added plus is that you’ll look less rumpled for the next few days.

5. If something has the potential to make a huge mess if it leaks/spills/explodes (we’re looking at you, makeup remover), put it in a plastic bag. Maybe two, for good measure. Yes, no matter how tightly you think you closed the bottle.

6. When in the market for a new travel bag, think light. Nylon, canvas = light. Leather, while attractive, is also heavier. If this bag has to be functional as well as pretty (i.e. if you’ll be carrying it further than from the parking lot to the hotel), the lighter the better. And if you fly often, a rolling suitcase is more practical than a duffel.
*They’re rarely used anymore, but garment bags are still incredibly practical. Clothes can hang properly for the trip, so you won’t need to resort to the “take a long shower and hang your clothes in the bathroom” steaming method.

A note on flying: flying has become increasingly miserable, and there are no signs for a return to comfort and glamour anytime soon. However, much of misery minimization lies in smart packing.

7. There are two categories of items you don’t want in your checked luggage: anything valuable, and anything you’ll definitely need when you get there. This means jewelry, phone chargers, and medication should be in your carry-on. Yes, it’s extra bulk, but now you know what peace of mind weighs.

8. Instead of those dinky TSA-approved locks, buy a pack of zip ties. They’re far more durable and as much of a deterrent to sticky-fingered baggage handlers. If TSA really needs to check your bag for security reasons, they’re easy enough to cut (which is what happens to a lot of those locks, anyway). Look for brightly colored ones, so you’ll know if someone’s been rifling through your stuff. Just make sure you have something to cut them with on the other end- nail clippers will do it and are carry-on safe.

9. Before you put a zip tie on that suitcase, check your carry-on (and handbag!) to make sure you haven’t left anything in there for TSA to pounce on. Relinquishing your expensive new 3.1 oz moisturizer is not an auspicious start to a journey.

Booth #1637

Our in-booth signings include…

Friday, 2pm: Kevin D. Anderson (Night of the Living Trekkies)
Saturday, 2pm: Seth Grahame-Smith (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies)

On Preview Night (while supplies last), we will give away these posters for Night of the Living Trekkies and Android Karenina.

In addition to the Quirk Classics and a wide array of other titles, the show will mark your first opportunity to purchase some of our new Fall 2010 titles before they release in stores…

Night of the Living Trekkies: They thought space was the final frontier--they were wrong!

DC Comics: The 75th Anniversary Poster Book: Includes 100 Ready-to-Frame Covers

Witch Craft: Wicked accessories, creepy cute toys, magical treats, and more

Disneystrology: What your birthday character says about you

Finally, we have contributed prizes to Zombie Walk: San Diego on Saturday at 6pm!  There’s a Happy Hour of the Undead taking place that evening from 7pm-9pm with costume contests, trivia games and prizes.  I suggest you check it out!

If you are dressed as a regency-era zombie or Trekkie zombie, please come by our booth on Saturday for a photo and a cool prize.

See you in San Diego!
brc

- by David Borgenicht, President and Publisher

I’ve been thinking a lot about geeks lately.

Not only because I recently unearthed my East High School Class of ‘86 yearbook picture (I wore a bowtie).  Not only because my kids recently discovered the treasure trove of Star Trek paraphernalia I haven’t gotten ride of.

No–I’ve been thinking about geeks because I realized recently that Geekdom is a big part of what makes Quirk, Quirk.

My team here is absolutely the most creative, talented, funny, and hardworking group of individuals I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with.  They know how to have fun, they know how to push the envelope (or as Nigel Tufnel said in SPINAL TAP, how to “go to eleven“), they know how to make buzzworthy books and then make the buzz happen.  But for a company called “Quirk,” we’re all decidedly unquirky.  We all live relatively normal lives, have relatively normal hobbies and interests, and are pretty much like everyone else in the world when you get right down to it.

So what is it that makes us so Quirky?  I’ve decided the answer is that we’re all ultimately geeks–of one type or another.

When I was a geeky high school kid, the term “geek” was somewhat derogatory, per its origins.  If you were a geek it meant you were “peculiar, odd, outside the norm,” and that you probably liked computers and comic books and didn’t have a girlfriend (unless she, too, was a geek).

In recent years, however, the term “geek” has become less derogatory.  Now, it seems as if “geek” is simply a convenient descriptive term for someone who is “an enthusiast of one sort or another. “  You can be a traditional computer geek or a comic book geek, but you can also be a beer geek, a wine geek, or a tech geek-and with pride.

And really, that’s what we are here at Quirk.  Geeks.  Among the staff here we’ve got sci-fi geeks, craft geeks, design geeks.  We’ve got Francophile geeks, steampunk geeks, movie geeks, music geeks, and sports geeks.  We’ve got foodie geeks, comedy geeks, history geeks, and, of course, book geeks.

And as a result, I think we make some of the best books for geeks of any publisher out there.

So with that realization, I’ve decided to explore a few new geeky positioning slogans for Quirk, and I’d love your suggestions. It’s easy-just write us a slogan in the comment section of this blog entry by July 31, and I’ll personally pick the winner.

The winning geek slogan will be posted as a banner ad on our site, and the winning geek copy writer will win a care package of some of our best geek lit (ANDROID KARENINA, SCI FI BABY NAMES, NIGHT OF THE LIVING TREKKIES, CREEPY CUTE CROCHET, and THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF GUILTY PLEASURES).

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

“We Heart Geeks”

“Geek-Crafted, Geek-Approved”

“Books Of, By, and For Geeks”

“Got Geek? We Do.”

Until then, live long, prosper, and geek out.

–Dave Borgenicht, Publisher

So the Sandwich in a Can, or the Candwich, is going to happen.

I have some questions.

Is it a liquid? A solid? Plasma? I don’t even know what phase of matter the Candwich falls under. What comes to mind is a mushy tube of pre-chewed, chunky morsels, like cat vomit. And I see comments on blogs that declare, “I want a Candwich!” and “EPIC!” with astonishing fervor and sincerity, but I can’t find anything specific about this product. All I see is the clever tagline, “Can Your Hunger!” and pictures of the packaging, which looks like a can of Pop Rocks-flavored soda.

The pictures show a whole sandwich, cut in half, but all it says is “Pop the Top! Ready to Eat”

Does the whole top pop off to reveal a sandwich soaking in a preservative slime, like the stuff you find in a can of kidney beans? Does this “food item” slide through the soda can-sized opening? I simply cannot find any answers on what’s actually in the Candwich. Only out of morbid curiosity, I must know.

The product page for Candwich on the Mark One Foods website is inconclusive.

According to them, the Candwich:

“Is the perfect product for people on the go such as students, construction workers, soccer moms and outdoor enthusiasts.”
“Has a long shelf life that is perfect for emergency food storage needs in the event of natural disasters.”
“[Offers] Easy store display - does not require refrigeration.”

It just leaves me with more questions, such as:

- Why doesn’t the BBQ Chicken Candwich need to be refrigerated?
- What makes you think that outdoor enthusiasts would be interested in eating this?
- What makes you think anyone would give this to a child, let alone their own children? On that note, why is that little girl in the picture holding one? That’s terrible! Make her put that down.
- I don’t like this humanitarian / bomb shelter angle. Would the Red Cross accept the Candwich as a food donation? It’s bad enough that Hot Pockets has a dot-org website: www.eatfreely.org
- Why couldn’t repulsive sandwich-esque products just end with the Hot Pocket? Or whatever this is supposed to be.

If someone can let me know, I’d be very appreciative.

Many thanks.

I guess if we ever do another volume of Better Than Homemade, the Candwich have to make the top 10 new processed food inventions. That and the frozen chocolate-chip-pancake-sausage-kabob thing and Baconnaise (for dipping?).

I have a friend who has told me a bit (and I think it’s just the tip of the iceberg) about her current living situation, and it has me a wee bit worked up. In light of that, I’m digging into some Quirk books to help her find a solution. Since the culprits of her home stress are always online and doing computer-y things, I’m going to do my best to remain calm and pleasant, while hoping they somehow come across this post as a suggestion.

Alert!: Your sister/wife/girlfriend (trying to keep this vague and general) is not your mom, nor does she want to be. She is not there to be doing your laundry, cooking, cleaning, and care of the pets. Do not assume these tasks belong to her because she is a woman. These chores should be divided evenly among household members. Relationships, all kinds, require compromise, and once you gett off yourr butt and take care of one of these chores, you will be surprised how little time it actually takes and be left with a pleasant feeling of self-worth for helping out. Plus, a happier lady of the house! Since you are all living in the same house, (and I’m not sure who pays the rent), the LEAST you can do is contribute in this way. Your are an adult, are you not? The poor girl is working her fingers to the bone for you, getting cranky about it (which, trust me, she doesn’t want to be), and is going to freak out on you one day very soon. Which she also does not want to do! In case you don’t know how to do the laundry, cooking, cleaning, etc., I would like to introduce you to a few ideas:

1. Ask the lady to teach you. She will be delighted to know she might have future help with the task.

2. Pocket Mom: Everyday Wisdom, Practical Tips, & Down-Home Advice. I suggest the entire book, but mostly chapters 3: Kitchen and Cooking Basics and 4: Housekeeping.

3. Pocket Dad: Everyday Wisdom, Practical Tips, & Fatherly Advice. I understand the house also needs a little work. Won’t it be great if, in the future, you can look back and say you learned how to fix something and point out the thing you fixed?: Chapter 2. Also, Chapter 5: Dad on the Home Front.

4. Other books that may appeal to you, once you have an interest in helping out in the kitchen: How to Cook Everything: 55 Recipe Cards, by Mark Bittman. Simple directions for the beginner.  The Peanut Butter & Co. Cookbook. Most people seem to love peanut butter, so this is just a suggestion for those who are fanatics. Let me tell you that this is one of the first cookbooks I was seriously into, because the recipes are easy and delicious. I don’t feel guilty about the pride I know when others taste the results. You will, too!

5. Stuff Every Man Should Know: Goodness gracious, make this girl a drink (p. 84) and give her a compliment (p. 114). She needs a lift! Be thoughtful and selfless.

In case you don’t step up soon and start looking after yourself, be prepared to exit the premises. Sometimes a person can only handle so much for so long, and then something has got to change. Be kind to each other, share, take turns, and help out. That’s what healthy families do!

p.s. For my friend, 1. see Stuff Every Woman Should Know, p. 42: How to Ask for What You Want (and Get It), 2. Plant these titles near or on their computer and e-mail a link to this post to them. 3. Take some deep breaths!