Blog Tour Guest Post: Aaron Karo (author of Lexapros and Cons) + Giveaway
Today, I am excited to have Aaron Karo, author of Lexapros and Cons, stopping by the blog. Hope y'all will give him a warm welcome and check out my review of Lexapros and Cons.
About the author:
I first realized what my dad did for a living when I would go down to the basement and see his “samples.” Samples are, well, free toys. They were either toys he himself was selling or just products from other companies that he was using for comparison. The upshot was, when my dad was done with them, I got them. To me, my dad was a cross between Tom Hanks’ character in “Big,” and Santa Claus.
In reality, my dad works for very big toy companies and makes sure their products get into stores. He’s sold video games – I was, like, one of the first people to have Sega (which was cool in the 80s and 90s, trust me). Then he moved on to more boring things like Teddy Ruxpin and Cabbage Patch kids. Still, when I “graduated” from fourth grade, the principal read aloud some answers to a survey we had filled out. Under “what do you want to be when you grow up,” I wrote “toy salesman.’ I still remember people in the audience laughing. But I was dead serious.
Another reason I dreamed of working with toys was the stories I heard about how some of the most famous products in history got made. In 1996, my dad was transporting the very first Tickle Me Elmo prototype through Hong Kong International Airport. Because the toy’s internal mechanism looked like a bomb in the X-Ray machine, my mom and dad were quickly hustled into a small room filled with armed guards and asked to dismantle the device. My dad tried, but instead inadvertently tickled Elmo, who first began to shake uncontrollably and then burst into his trademark high-pitched giggle. The guards actually began to giggle too, as did my mom, who was so amused by the scene she cried with laughter for a good 48 hours straight. But my dad remembers one very serious-looking guard in the back who never took his hand off his gun or his eye off of Elmo. Thankfully, my parents were eventually released and the rest is red, furry history.
After college I worked in finance and then spent the next ten years as an author, screenwriter, and comedian. So I never actually pursued my dream job. But I do get to make people laugh for a living and Lexapros and Cons is my first YA novel, so I guess I’m inching closer and closer to entertaining kids. And if I ever do need a reminder of my dream job, all I have to do is look in my parents’ basement, where the toys are still stacked high.
You can haunt Aaron Karo-
Twitter | Website | Facebook | Amazon |
Lexapros and Cons by Aaron Karo, April 10, 2012. Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Thanks to the awesome Ksenia and Macmillan, one lucky follower has the chance to win a copy of Lexapros and Cons.
Rules:
Open to US/CA residents
comment and fill out the Rafflecopter form to enter. DO NOT leave your email in the comments.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
About the author:
In 1997 Aaron Karo wrote a funny email from his freshman dorm room that eventually spawned his celebrated column Ruminations, the humor website Ruminations.com, and three books: Ruminations on College Life, Ruminations on Twentysomething Life, and I’m Having More Fun Than You. Also a nationally headlining comedian, Karo has performed on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and his one-hour special Aaron Karo: The Rest Is History premiered on Comedy Central in 2010. Lexapros and Cons is his first novel. (taken from publishers site)
Toy Story
My dad sells
toys. All I ever wanted to do when I was growing up was sell toys, too. To be
honest, ten-year-old me’s dream job and right-now-me’s dream job are probably
the same.I first realized what my dad did for a living when I would go down to the basement and see his “samples.” Samples are, well, free toys. They were either toys he himself was selling or just products from other companies that he was using for comparison. The upshot was, when my dad was done with them, I got them. To me, my dad was a cross between Tom Hanks’ character in “Big,” and Santa Claus.
In reality, my dad works for very big toy companies and makes sure their products get into stores. He’s sold video games – I was, like, one of the first people to have Sega (which was cool in the 80s and 90s, trust me). Then he moved on to more boring things like Teddy Ruxpin and Cabbage Patch kids. Still, when I “graduated” from fourth grade, the principal read aloud some answers to a survey we had filled out. Under “what do you want to be when you grow up,” I wrote “toy salesman.’ I still remember people in the audience laughing. But I was dead serious.
Another reason I dreamed of working with toys was the stories I heard about how some of the most famous products in history got made. In 1996, my dad was transporting the very first Tickle Me Elmo prototype through Hong Kong International Airport. Because the toy’s internal mechanism looked like a bomb in the X-Ray machine, my mom and dad were quickly hustled into a small room filled with armed guards and asked to dismantle the device. My dad tried, but instead inadvertently tickled Elmo, who first began to shake uncontrollably and then burst into his trademark high-pitched giggle. The guards actually began to giggle too, as did my mom, who was so amused by the scene she cried with laughter for a good 48 hours straight. But my dad remembers one very serious-looking guard in the back who never took his hand off his gun or his eye off of Elmo. Thankfully, my parents were eventually released and the rest is red, furry history.
After college I worked in finance and then spent the next ten years as an author, screenwriter, and comedian. So I never actually pursued my dream job. But I do get to make people laugh for a living and Lexapros and Cons is my first YA novel, so I guess I’m inching closer and closer to entertaining kids. And if I ever do need a reminder of my dream job, all I have to do is look in my parents’ basement, where the toys are still stacked high.
You can haunt Aaron Karo-
Twitter | Website | Facebook | Amazon |
Lexapros and Cons by Aaron Karo, April 10, 2012. Published by Farrar, Straus and GirouxChuck Taylor’s OCD has rendered him a high school outcast. His endless routines and habitual hand washing threaten to scare away both his closest friend and the amazing new girl in town. Sure he happens to share the name of the icon behind the coolest sneakers in the world, but even Chuck knows his bizarre system of wearing different color “Cons” depending on his mood is completely crazy.Be sure to check out the previous tour stops for Lexapros and Cons by Aaron Karo.
In this hilariously candid debut novel from comedian Aaron Karo—who grew up with a few obsessions and compulsions of his own—very bad things are going to happen to Chuck. But maybe that’s a good thing. Because with graduation looming, Chuck finds himself with one last chance to face his inner demons, defend his best friend, and win over the girl of his dreams. No matter what happens, though, he’ll have to get his hands dirty.
Thanks to the awesome Ksenia and Macmillan, one lucky follower has the chance to win a copy of Lexapros and Cons.
Rules:
Open to US/CA residents
comment and fill out the Rafflecopter form to enter. DO NOT leave your email in the comments.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Really kewl interview!!! Omg ... I would've LOVED it if my dad had been a toy salesman for video games :D
ReplyDeleteI would have...if I got to play, I mean test teh products.=)
Deletewhat an awesome giveaway! I'd be psyched to win!
ReplyDeleteGreat giveaway - looking forward to reading this book
ReplyDelete