Steven Joseph and illustrator Andy Case have another great graphic novel coming out. Their latest book is Snoodles in Space: Escape from Zoodletraz, the fourth book in popular zany Snoodles graphic novel series. releases on October 28. I am thrilled to feature an interview with Steven Joseph. He has graciously agreed to answer a few questions about his writing career the Snoodle series. Better yet, he is providing a GIVEAWAY with a four book bundle of the whole series. After you read our interview, You can enter the Giveaway at the end of the post.

About Steven Joseph

Steven Joseph is both an attorney and an author. He’s gone from writing comprehensive legal briefs to penning award-winning non-fiction for children and adults. Joseph is a first-generation American, veteran attorney, negotiator, prolific speaker, and a modern humorist. He is the author of The Last Surviving Dinosaur: The TyrantoCrankaTsuris, The Snoodles Series and two books for adults: A Grownup Guide to Effective Crankiness: The CrankaTsuris Method and Cranky Superpowers: Life Lessons Learned from the Common CrankaTsuris Chronicles

He’s a real New Yorker. A fully cured overweight person, Steven is a five times Boston Marathon runner and 16 times NYC Marathon runner – balancing it all perfectly through the art of Zen. Yet Steven believes he is smart enough to know that he hasn’t figured everything out, except for crankiness.

Interview with Steven Joseph

Steven Joseph and illustrator Andy Case have another great graphic novel coming out. Their latest book is Snoodles in Space: Escape from Zoodletraz, the fourth book in popular zany Snoodles graphic novel series. I love this middle grade series and I am thrilled to feature an interview with Steven Joseph.

You are a successful lawyer involved in negotiation by trade. How did you end up venturing into writing books?

I had written numerous law-related articles in the past that began way back in 1995.  I was asked to speak at a Practicing Law Institute Conference back in 1995 and I had to write two chapters for the textbook.  The person who asked me, Dan Goldwasser, became a mentor.  He told me that if you ever want to be an expert on anything, write about it.

I came up with my first story “The Last Surviving Dinosaur; The TyrantoCrankaTsuris”, and that was about how it is okay to be cranky.  I started a Cranky Blog on my website, and the books and stories started to flow.

The Snoodles books are absolutely silly, but they have a lot of life lessons included

When I read your second book for adults, Cranky Superpowers: Life Lessons Learned from the Common CrankaTsuris Chronicles,  I saw several stories with some of the same wacky characters that were in that Snoodles book. The books were aimed at different audiences but they both provided some great life lessons delivered with a lot of humor.

Tell us about the inspiration for these characters and stories. What lessons were you trying to teach?

I think the inspiration comes from watching YouTube videos of George Carlin, Jackie Mason over and over again, and the crazy stuff I see and experience from working as an attorney. This helps me find ridiculousness in the ordinary.  I also like to look at things and turn it upside down and see what happens.  I also have to slow down things in my head when I negotiate, and I then have to plan six moves at a time.  I also get inspiration from practicing meditation at the Village Zendo, and I love the phrase “employing skillful means.”  Lastly, my parents who came from Europe after World War II were very funny.  Sometimes, on purpose, and sometimes, just the way words came out of their mouth.

How do you come up with character names for your stories?

I literally dreamt up the first Snoodles book in my head thinking of Snoodles.  The interesting thing here is that all of the “oodles” started pouring in when I was the busiest ever in my day job, and everyday was another day of “barely scratching the surface”!  Pierre L’Toodle who restores art by scratching the surface of paintings was then created. I also run 2 hours every morning, and it gives me time to play with “oodle” words in my head.  I can tell you that I actually recently experimented with AI just to see what it can come up with.  I was so happy to find out that even AI cannot get as ridiculous as the ideas that pops up in my head!  It is like the difference between a butter knife and a steak knife. 

That first graphic novel took off like a superpowered Snoodlemobile. The story was so wacky that kids wanted more. What was the inspiration for the Snoodles in Space trilogy that followed. Tell us about those three stories.

The First Snoodles in Space book started with thinking about sayings “You know it is not brain surgery!” and “You know it is not rocket science!” I then though of how people do not say that when they are talking about rocket science or brain surgery.  It is about failing in completing simple basic tasks!  I then start thinking how that can discourage a child.  I then hear a new story about how we are producing less and less scientists.  That led to the idea of the Zoodles who were left with no rocket scientist or brain surgeons.

In the second Snoodles in Space book, a few ideas popped in my head.  I was watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and right away, I thought of the media circus, and how the spoiled kids must have been ridiculed and became laughing stocks with other kids making fun of them.  That was a light bulb going off!  I can make them the heroes in my story. I also at the same time was playing with the words “willy nilly” and “dilly dally” (as compared to utilizing skillful means), and thought that I could use that to be very funny but have an important message as well.

For the new book, Escape from Zoodletraz, the inspiration came from Andy Case’s music.  In November 2023, he came out with his first album “Leap of Faith”.  There were three songs on the album “Lost Souls in the Dark”, “Break Free”, and “I Should Have Sent a Card” that was in my head when I went out for my morning runs, and the story came  straight from listening to the music.

Your silly sense of humor and wild plots are perfectly illustrated by Andy Case. His bright colorful pictures bring your world to life. From the fun human characters to the wild Zoodles and anthropomorphic animals, the pictures are so engaging. Usually, the publisher chooses the illustrator and there might not be any collaboration between the writer and the artist. But I noticed that the last three books are published by Enigami Publishing, which Andy is involved in. Did the two of you collaborate more than usual?

Yes.  He did my first book, and I only was able to go through the publisher.  With Snoodles, I wrote to Andy directly, and we throw back ideas at each other constantly.  I also fly to England and visit him in Nottingham, and I have the best time getting more and more inspiration not to mention sharing a few pints of beer!

Did you have any art notes for Andy? When you finally saw the illustrations, were there any surprises?

I do story blocks and then describe what I am looking for. There are some differences between American and English culture.  For example, a used car salesman in the US looks very different that the proper and well dressed used car salespeople they have in England.

On the illustrations, there are always surprises because Andy takes it up ten levels to where I thought it can go.  He incorporates my humor and his humour (British spelling), and there is no better experience to see the chemical reaction!  I love to cook, and it makes all the difference to have Andy as the second cook in the kitchen!

Were there any inconsistencies that required changes to the art or text?

No.  There were things we always add in after the first draft.  I will have the ideas or changes, and Andy again runs with it, and brings his humor in to lift it up.  We changed Tango Tima and Pint of Salsa Pepe after the first draft, and Andy created “La Cha Cha Cha Quesadoodle” restaurant.  Andy came up with the La Cha Cha Cha! See what I mean? I put in a change, and Andy multiplies.  It is not just addition!

Snoodles actually has a soundtrack! How did Andy Case’s music influence the book or visa versa?

I mentioned that his music was the match that lit the fuse for this book.  Andy also created the soundtrack and wrote many of the lyrics though the music was amazingly computer generated.  Andy was the curator so there was much work that was required to create what is an amazing soundtrack.  It was liking listening to a Broadway musical soundtrack of the book!

Have we seen the last of the Zoodles? Do you have any other books in planned?

The next book will be on the Zoodleolympics.  The other fun thing is that we go back in time and we learn how Cloodle became the Grand Roodle. Imagine that he was a baby on another planet like Krypton.  The planet was burning up, and his parents sent Cloodle (and his pet poodle Krazoodle) in a small spaceship that ended up in Zoodle.  (Because Cloodle has a pet, this is the reason that no pets are allowed on Zoodle.  Only the Grand Roodle can have a pet! 

So, we will be in for a crazy wackadoodle ride on the next one!

Thank you for taking time to answer a few questions. I can’t wait to read your next story.

THANK YOU AS WELL, JULIE!!

Learn More about Steven Joseph

Find out more about the Steven Joseph and his books at stevenjoseph.com
You can learn about his books and buy them direct or at major retail cites through the links on his book page.

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“SNOODLES” ARE OODLES OF FUN

Steven Joseph and Andy Case have once again served up more wackadoodle antics with another Snoodles in Space story. Joseph has written a variety of funny books that appeal to every generation. His zany sense of humor and vivid imagination created silly characters and even sillier situations that appeal to kids. His writing is perfectly complimented by the bright colorful illustrations by Andy Case. The duo have crafted a great graphic novel series perfect for middle grade readers. I giggled through the first three books and this fourth once still has me laughing.

This silly series began with the award winning Snoodles, Kidoodles, Poodles and Lots and Lots of Noodles in a futuristic story about where all the cars run on sour kraut until Herbie Noodleman invents the snoodle, a car powered by noodles. Now the air is clean and people have a cooked noodle meal awaiting in the engine at the end of the day.

The following books in the series went in a different direction- strait up into space. Snoodles in Space: A Snoodle, the Zoodle Kidoodles, and One Happy Schmoodle was an alien invasion spoof that had kids of all ages laughing. Even the title of the following book shows Joseph’s sense of humor. Snoodles in Space, Episode 2: The Zoodles Strike Back. The Star Wars title spoof is indeed the second Snoodles in Space book, but it is actually the third book of the Snoodles series.

The latest book, Escape from Zoodletraz is even sillier. When a dog who marries an alien is living on a planet where no pets are allowed, they get thrown into Zoodletraz. Crazy scientists from Noodleham are off to the rescue in this wacky prison break adventure. Joseph has come up with a whole universe of wacky characters to entertain the readers and keep them laughing. Case has brought them all to life with his bright, energetic illustrations.

These funny graphic novels are great for the whole family. Based on reading level and length, I would recommend these books for nine to 12 year old readers. However the books are great for any age. Younger listeners will enjoy this series too, along with their older readers. I enjoyed all the wordplay and when I shared it with a three year old he loved it.

Read my reviews of the author’s books at Goodreads on my dedicated Stephen Joseph or Graphic Novels Shelves.

Noodleham Rocks

What other graphic novel has an album to go with it? You can see illustrations from the illustrator at andycaseillustration.com, But he is also a talented songwriter. You can listen to a rock musical to go with Escape from Zoodletraz. Stream or download Noodleham Rocks on Bandcamp. Or you can find it on Spotify, Apple Music or Youtube. You can also hear Leap of Faith, the album that inspired Zoodletraz on Bandcamp here.

GIVEAWAY!

FOUR BOOK BUNDLE !
Hard Cover editions of the Whole SNOODLE Series

The giveaway ends October 28th. Enter Now.

HOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY:
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