Best Selling Books by Travis Nichols

A habitual interloper crashes a wedding blog in this darkly comic novel of Internet obsession, unrequited love, and isolation.

Matthew Swanbeck has a classic problem. Back in seventh grade, his dad talked him into playing the trumpet instead of the drums. Now he''s a lowly brass player in the school marching band. Until one day he has an epiphany: He can start his own band, play in all the cool rock venues, even go on tour ... if only he can scrape together the cash to buy a drum set. But how will he ever get the money together when The Man thwarts him at every turn, taking taxes out of his paycheck, forcing him to mow the lawn for a measly $10 a week, and creating all of those rules that get in the way of dreams? It''s one teen against the system in this light-hearted look at the challenges and rewards of chasing your dreams.

The Terribles might be monsters, but they''re also kids just like you! Well, sort of. This hilarious peek into the world of vampires, mummies, swamp-things, and bigfoots is perfect for fans of the Hotel Transylvania movies. Vampires, mummies, and gelatinous balls of goo (oh my!). That''s right, monsters are real and they''ve settled down on the quiet island of Creep''s Cove. It''s a pretty typical place: houses, stores, portals to various nightmarish parallel dimensions. And a school for the kiddos. Meet the crew: Vlad, a fame-thirsty vampire, Allie, a stuffed animal-dissecting alien, Lizzie, a short-tempered kaiju, and SO many others! Told in alternating chapters, comics, poems, charts, and activities each focused on different classic spooky characters this story is the introduction to monsters you humans have been waiting for.

Betty''s bakery has been burgled, and it is up to the Gumshoe Zoo to solve the criminal conundrum of who stole (and ate) the purloined pastries.

The Terribles might be monsters, but they''re also kids just like you! Well, sort of. This hilarious peek into the world of vampires, mummies, swamp things, and bigfoots is perfect for fans of the Hotel Transylvania movies. THE TERRIBLES HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED to a game of CREEPOBALL, a sport that is played by all monsters on Creep''s Cove Island (just don''t ask them how to play it--nobody knows ALL the rules!). Their rivals? A horde of relentless, fierce, low-down GNOMES. Can THE TERRIBLES defeat these Gnomes without anyone DISAPPEARING into an ALTERNATE DIMENSION? Why are you asking me? JUST READ THE BOOK, HUMAN! Want to be a little more TERRIBLE? This series is told in alternating chapters, charts, and crafts so you can read about monsters AND be just like one! Neat! DON''T MISS the first two books in the series: #1 Welcome to Stubtoe Elementary and #2 A Witch''s Last Resort!

Looking to start an underground band? Don''t make a move until you''ve read this book! So you KNOW you are destined to rock... well you''re in luck -- all you need is this book! (Please note musical talent, bandmates, a car for touring, and an uncle who owns a record label might also help.) An original blend of nonfiction how-to''s about all things DIY rock created by an indie-circuit veteran with a knack for hysterical snark, PUNK ROCK ETIQUETTE teaches you everything from how to pick your bandmates and choose a name (Never deliberately misspell your band''s name. C how lame it lookz?), to detailed guides on screenprinting your own merch, and interviews and advice from studio owners about the do''s and don''ts of recording. PUNK ROCK ETIQUETTE is an unfiltered peek backstage that will appeal to aspiring musicians and anyone who''s curious about what goes on in the hours between the last chord and the next big show.

Titled after the US Air Force song, this engaging debut explores the legacy of the Greatest Generation from the perspective of Generation Y, the fallout of war through the eyes of a pacifist, and the enduring human desire for love, adventure, truth, and understanding. Pensive in the wake of 9/11, a young man—our “correspondent between the past and the present”—launches a mission to reunite his beloved grandfather, an American bombardier, with Luddie, the woman who saved him during WWII. Armed only with the address on the back of an old photograph and his grandfather’s memories, the young man begins writing letters to Luddie. Undaunted by her lack of response, the narrator travels to Poland with his girlfriend and grandfather. As they come closer to finding the site where the bombardier was shot down, the letters to Luddie become more personal and the saga of a family with a long and storied history emerges. Beautifully orchestrated and eloquently original, each sentence slowly builds upon the next in a charming style both poetic and engrossing. A tale of soldiers and saviors, of burning and bombing, of fathers and sons and brothers and lovers, this is also the story of what we find when we dare to revisit the past. Born in Iowa in 1979, Travis Nichols now lives in Chicago. An editor at the Poetry Foundation, his writing has appeared in The Village Voice, The Believer, Details, Paste, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, and The Stranger. Off We Go Into the Wild Blue Yonder is his first novel.

The Terribles might be monsters, but they''re also kids just like you! Well, sort of. This hilarious peek into the world of vampires, mummies, swamp things, and bigfoots is perfect for fans of the Hotel Transylvania movies. There’s a NEW WITCH in town. And everyone wants to be her friend! She lives at the local island resort and gets to enjoy all the perks. Dolphin acrobats! Enchanting spa! Portal to the Underworld! Meanwhile, THE TERRIBLES hold a class election for the next Line Overlord (that’s like their student leader or whatever), and the results are TERRIFYING! Then Frankie (you know, the daughter of an INFAMOUS SCIENTIST) helps Quade the SASQUATCH build a greenhouse. Finally, YOU (as a wereskunk) go to a sleepover in an INVISIBLE HOUSE. They may be TERRIBLE, but these kids make some pretty great pals! Want to be a little more TERRIBLE? This series is told in alternating chapters, activities, charts, and crafts so you can read about monsters AND be just like one! Neat!

Meet the Gumshoe Zoo detectives! "This enjoyable introduction to idiomatic speech gives lots of laughs, a mystery to solve, and a funny cliff-hanger." — School Library Journal Just what kind of monkey business has befallen Mr. Hound''s shop? Luckily, our team of plucky detectives has been chomping at the bit to take on their first case. When Mr. Hound hires them to investigate, they hoof it to his shop. And once they get sleuthing, wild horses couldn''t drag them away from the scent of a clue. But is it all just a dog and pony show to distract them from the truth? Idioms are everywhere in this hilarious first case of the Gumshoe Zoo detective agency as they attempt to solve Mr. Hound''s mystery. Early readers will love the multi-paneled comic book hybrid feel of this raucous adventure as the detectives manage to keep a straight face, collar some suspects, and solve a mystery, all while avoiding beating a dead—never mind. "Nichols goes hog wild in a goofball detective story bursting with animal-themes idioms . . . A highly entertaining comic mystery." — Publishers Weekly "Idioms get a run for their money in this good-humored and stimulating piece of wordplay from Nichols . . . Amusing to the point of provoking an inquiry. Really, it''s the bee''s knees." — Kirkus Reviews "Give this to a kid who enjoys puzzles and witty turns of phrase." — Shelf Awareness "Packed with learning and gobs of fun." — Books to Borrow, Books to Buy "An awesome book to teach the differences between the literal and the figurative." — Books and Whatnot

QUIZÁS SEAN MONSTRUOS, ¡PERO TAMBIÉN SON NIÑOS! BUENO... MÁS O MENOS... La segunda aventura monstruosa y divertidísima perfecta para fans de Hotel Transylvania. En Cala Canguelo, los TERRIBLES celebran elecciones para decidir quién será el próximo Mandamás de la Fila (o sea, algo así como el alumno responsable) y los resultados son... ¡TERRORÍFICOS! Y a TI (que ahora eres de una familia de personas mofeta) te invitan a una fiesta de pijamas en una CASA INVISIBLE. Puede que estos niños sean TERRIBLES, ¡pero también son los mejores amigos del mundo!

QUIZÁS SEAN MONSTRUOS, ¡PERO TAMBIÉN SON NIÑOS! BUENO... MÁS O MENOS... Una divertidísima aventura en el mundo de los monstruos perfecta para los fans de Hotel Transylvania. ¡Son unos VAMPIROS, FANTASMAS, HOMBRES LOBO y MOMIAS la mar de majos! Van al colegio, hacen los deberes, juegan a susto o muerte, montan grupos de música con una EXTRATERRESTRE del mismísimo espacio exterior y hacen amigos... ¡incluso a veces los construyen! Ya sabes, COSAS NORMALES PARA SU EDAD.

Sull''isola dei mostri c''è una scuola diversa da tutte le altre: la Ditomozzo. Tra i suoi banchi troverai Bobby, un grumo di gelatina che sbrodola per la città di Porto Spavento; Emma, una mummia affamata di involtini primavera; Vlad, un vampiro che sogna di diventare famoso; Lizzie, un mostriciattolo irascibile... Tanti amici spaventosi sono pronti a farti morire dalle risate!

This maze book is a thrilling hands-on fantasy adventure. In this unique hybrid of text- and maze-based storytelling, readers are immersed in a quest. They must capture the missing pieces of a famous sword by solving mazes, collecting gems, keys, and more—while also dodging mysterious monks, escaping hoards of giant bees and foul creatures, and exploring epic landscapes. Irresistibly analog, Maze Quest provides hours of screen-free fun.

In A Father''s Compass, Travis Nichols shares the life lessons his father instilled-lessons in faith, perseverance, goal-setting, and living with purpose. Raised in a loving, godly household, Travis grew up learning the value of family, integrity, and commitment, lessons that continue to shape his life today. Through heartfelt reflections, he illustrates how a devoted father''s guidance can leave a lasting impact. This book offers wisdom and encouragement for anyone seeking to understand the power of a father''s influence-or to become the kind of parent who shapes lives with intention and love.

I step into my studio each morning with zero ideas. I take a frame from my collection, and I yell, "WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME, FRAME? ANSWER ME!" And just like that - zippapow - from the frame to my mind to my hands to the canvas comes a new masterpiece.Now it''s your turn. When you''re ready, turn to a page in this book and scream. DEMAND that the frame deliver unto you... a masterpiece.This, my friend, is how all great artists have created their work since the very beginning. It''s the best-kept secret in the art world, and I''m spoiling it now because I''m already extremely successful and wealthy.- Zander von Grey, very famous artist