Randy Siegel

Coming Soon: My Snake Blake (Roaring Brook, 2012)

Grandma's Smile (Roaring Brook, 2010)

I Am Burt King: The King of Washington (available on Amazon)

Welcome

Hi there. When I'm not working at my job at Advance Publications in New York or running errands or sleeping, I like to write. I started my writing career in 4th grade when my teacher Mrs. Hays told me she really liked a book report I wrote on Onion John and encouraged me to keep on writing. I still remember her kind words and I've been writing ever since. Had a blast editing the high school newspaper and doing the same at college at Wesleyan. Wrote free-lance humor columns for USA TODAY for several years and other pubs when editors actually liked what I had to say.

I began writing children's books a few years ago with the amazing Neal Porter at Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan). GRANDMA'S SMILE came out in 2010, got great reviews, and enjoyed a stint on the Amazon and Barnes & Noble.com's children's best-seller charts. MY SNAKE BLAKE will be out in late June and according to a recent starred review in Kirkus, "just might be the most spectacular pet of all time. Clever, laugh-out-loud fun."

Just published my first adult book as the ghostwriter for the one and only Burt King, America's most famous political consultant. I AM BURT KING: THE KING OF WASHINGTON, which was named a Parade Pick by Parade, is now available in print and as a Kindle edition on Amazon.

(Truth be told, Burt King is a fictional character, which makes I AM BURT KING a work of fiction. A fun, satiric look at Washington to be specific. And definitely not for kids!)

"Burt King embodies everything you always wanted to know about Washington but were afraid to ask. He'll make you laugh - and cry!" -- George Stephanopoulos, chief political correspondent for ABC News, co-anchor of ABC News' Good Morning America, host of ABC's Sunday morning This Week

These days, I'm writing a young adult novel which revolves around an issue near and dear to my heart. More soon!

Selected Works

On a snowy day in the city, a boy gets an important phone call from his grandmother: she’s lost her smile. There’s only one thing to do: fly down south on an urgent mission, stuffed bunny in tow, to find that smile and return it to its rightful place. But he won’t have to look very hard. . .
STARRED REVIEW FROM KIRKUS (May, 2012): Blake the snake just might be the most spectacular pet of all time. Clever, laugh-out-loud fun. (Picture book. 3-8) PRAISE FROM PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (April, 2012): In a loving salute to the unconventional pet heroes of an earlier era (think Lyle the crocodile or Crictor the boa constrictor), Siegel (Grandma’s Smile) and Bloch (The Enemy) tell the story of a “super-long, bright green snake” who wows the young narrator by helping him with his homework, eating rejected Brussels sprouts, and fighting bullies. “He’s a perfectly polite, delightful snake,” the boy says. Bloch’s cartoons, with their loopy lines, sparing use of green and red, and exaggerated facial expressions, show Blake engaged in a series of charmingly unsnakelike activities: he cooks, finds lost keys, and enjoys cuddling on park benches. The narrator’s saucy voice and a couple of adult-aimed jokes make rereadings a treat; parents may find themselves arguing about a trip to the pet store.
Adult Fiction, Political Satire
Burt King is, by his own admission, the most famous political consultant in American history. He has been a senior adviser to U.S. presidents, members of Congress, governors, foreign dictators and ruthless multinational corporations. This is his unauthorized autobiography, featuring an exclusive, insider's account of his life -- and the earth-shattering week that changed Washington and the United States forever.

Sites I Like:

CureEpilepsy
a special charity
Canine Assistants
another special charity
Authors Guild
Advocates for published authors since 1912
Authors Guild Directory
A compendium of member websites