Rogues Angels Present: Soaked by A. J. Cosmo

Please welcome A. J. Cosmo author of Soaked.

One randomly drawn commenter will receive an autographed copy of the book. One randomly drawn commenter will receive a $25 Amazon/BN GC. Prizes are awarded via rafflecopter.

Soaked

by A. J. Cosmo

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INTERVIEW:

1. What inspired you to start writing?

In third grade I had a teacher who asked us to write and illustrate our own books. It was a simple class assignment, but I don't remember working that hard on any other school project. Three of the students in the grade were chosen to have their little hand-made books placed in the library. I was one of those lucky ones and I've been fighting to get back in the library ever since.

2. What elements are necessary components for this genre?

Middle-grade novels are a bridge super genre. They transition readers from picture books, where things are literal, to young adult books, where things mostly reside in subtext. This is also the point in reading where life starts to get hard for characters. You see a lot more suffering, a lot more cloudy skies, and you even get some harsh defeats thrown in the mix. Middle-grade is the time in all our lives where we learn that our parents can’t protect us from everything and that yes, life really isn't fair.

3. How did you come up with your idea for your novel?

I had scenes in mind where children were waging war using water balloons and water guns. I thought it was both funny and spoke of how we indoctrinate children with violence. The first draft of Soaked was much closer to Saving Private Ryan but having the story so close to war removed some of the fun and humor. Things that are disturbing when adults do it are heart breaking when children imitate it. Some of the first draft content made it into the final book. One key scene in particular is Jacob's water balloon torture of Aiden near the third act of the novel.

4. What expertise did you bring to your writing?

I've always felt a little strange writing children's books because I do not have children. However, I have discovered that I can easily get into the perspective of a child. Many of my most significant and scaring life events happened when I was eight years old, so I can easily recall that time. I guess that's why I write for that age range.

5. What would you want your readers to know about you that might not be in your bio?

Almost everything I write has some element of autobiography to it. The locations from Soaked and some of the street names are pulled directly from my childhood neighborhood: Glenwood Park. Aiden's home street, Nevermind Drive, is the honest to gosh real street that I grew up on. (My editor insisted we change the street to a real name for the book!)

6. As far as your writing goes, what are your future plans?

I'm still working on the Monsters A to Z series and am currently on book 16 of 26. We should have that done by October. I'm also working on my second middle-grade novel "Poop" which should be out by Christmas. We are also developing three different iOS interactive books, though those have a sliding release schedule.

7. If you could be one of the characters from this book, who would it be and why?

There is an element from each of the characters inside of me already. However, Jimmy the arms dealer, seems to have middle school figured out and is actively profiting from it. Had I the gusto, I would have loved to turn school into a business venture (though admittedly he makes dirty money.) This is of course imagining that I have no scruples.

8. Can you give us a sneak peak into Soaked?

Sure. Soaked tells the story of Aiden who, having stood up to the school bully on the last day of class, finds himself on the far end of the neighborhood with a bounty on his head. The kid who brings Aiden to his bully will receive a $500 gift card and full immunity for next year. Aiden didn’t want to stand up to the bully, he just did what he felt was right, and the reward turns the quiet neighborhood into a water balloon war zone.

9. Do you belong to a critique group? If so how does this help or hinder your writing?

I regularly attend SCBWI (Society of Children's Books Writers and Illustrators) meetings however I rarely participate in critiques. Writing is hard to critique in slices and difficult to understand in gestalt. Oftentimes people become trapped in fixing perceived issues or by chasing off-the-cuff ideas. People can always tell you if something isn't working, but very few people can tell you the cause of that malfunction. There is no replacement for simply finishing your work and sadly, many writers groups serve to only distract writers from writing.

10. When did you first decide to submit your work? Please tell us what or who encouraged you to take this big step?

I began self-publishing as a way to dodge the rejection of the query process. Little did I know that Amazon reviews could be far worse that any response from an agent you could imagine. No matter though, I learned more about my work from standing naked in public than I think I ever could from attending conferences and writing agents.

11. What is the best and worst advice you ever received?

I've been told to stop writing and that upset me so much that I wrote more. The best advice was to simply do it. I know that's said a lot, but you have to understand doing it. If you question what doing it means, then you are still looking for answers from others rather than searching for the truth on your own. The only thing separating your thoughts from reality is the amount of will you are willing to spend. Do it. There is nothing else.

BLURB:

What a way to start summer… I should have never stood up to that bully Jacob. It was just a water balloon thrown to save my friend’s behind during recess. Now we’re on a bus heading home and everyone gets the same text: “$500 gift card and full immunity to the kid that brings me Aiden- Jacob.” I’m Aiden by the way, and the entire fourth grade is staring at me. Hopefully, with my friend’s help, we can get off at the next stop, three miles from my house, and make it home before the entire neighborhood finds us. 

Soaked is the first middle-grade novel by author/illustrator A.J. Cosmo. Filled with humor and suspense, this surprising page turner is a tale of friendship, courage, and standing up for what’s right. For 3rd-5th grade readers.

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EXCERPT:

I'm a coward.

That was the first thing that crossed my mind when the water balloon splattered on Jacob's face. Jacob, the boy who never needed a hall pass. Jacob, the kid who never ate his own lunch. Jacob, the one you cleared the bathroom for.

Cowards don't do this, I thought. Cowards run. Let everyone who has ears to hear know that I, Aiden Jones, am a coward.

Jacob let go of Ben's collar and let his victim join my side. Our classmates fell into a sick silence. No one knew what to do because no one had ever challenged Jacob before.

What about me though? What did Jacob have in store for me? Would he drag me into the bathroom and give me a swirly? Would he hold me under the water fountain? Would he stuff my pockets with water balloons and make me do jumping jacks?

Jacob just stared.

The summer sun pulled the water from his shirt, just as it soaked up the moisture from the plants and our skin. Since the drought began in the mid-west, our cozy little school had turned into a solar oven. The worst part was that the principal could have cranked up the air conditioning and given us all relief, but she didn't, not even on the last day of school. That's just the kind of lady she was.

"Jacob--I didn't mean to--I mean," I said.

"You almost got my phone wet," he growled.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

A.J. Cosmo is the author and illustrator of over forty children’s books including the best-selling “The Monster That Ate My Socks”. He lives and works in Los Angeles, loves reading and video games, and is hard at work finishing the Monsters A to Z series. “Soaked” is A.J.’s first middle-grade novel.

Website:

www.ajcosmo.com

Blog

www.ajcosmo.com/blog

Twitter

https://twitter.com/AJCosmokids

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/ajcosmokids

Soaked Purchase page

http://www.amazon.com/Soaked-J-Cosmo/dp/0692424865/

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

A. J. Cosmo will be awarding a $75 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn host.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f1059