How Did You Get This Number?

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Poor Mei Xiang…when the phone rings, it is bound to be trouble, and it is bound to be about Pinky. She thought that only the Zoo Director and the President had this phone number, so well she might wonder, how did you get this number?

Meanwhile, back at the actual National Zoo, Pinky’s brother Bubba is going about the business of learning to be a panda, under the expert tutelage of his mother, who is also a panda. But what about Pinky? well….

“If Pinky is grounded, can I have her dessert?”

I think you will be all as pleased as I am to see that Bubba is beginning to understand his sister a bit better, it should help him to resist her involving him in her schemes. Maybe. We’ll see, won’t we?

Just a reminder, Pandas International is having their Spring Auction right now, and I have donated one of the signed reproductions from Pandamorphosis to help support their work with pandas. So, if you were thinking you would like to support Pandas international AND get some of the art from Pandamorphosis, this is a win win for everyone! Because remember, without pandas, there could be no panda satire! Here’s the link! Thee’s lots of other cool items to bid on too. Most of it…um…has pandas on them.

Be the Bear
Bob T Panda

Our Neighbors to the North

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Well! Pinky is heating up the campaign by paying a little visit to our neighbors to the north and I am just guessing here, but I think her mother is going to be a little peeved, to say the least. It does spark a memory I have about taking off with a friend, on graduation from college. I bought a car, then got my drivers license (in that order) and headed for a month long trip to Canada. It did not end badly, as I fear this trip of Pinky’s might.

So let’s get this story going, because Pinky is a bit short on minions, ever since the triplets left her to pursue a film career in Kung Fu Panda 3.

Pinky and the Twinkies, eh?

Of course Canada is pro-panda, as we have seen from photographs of the twins and “Unka Justin”. All I can say is international incident!

A quick note, Pandas International is having their Spring Auction right now, and I have donated one of the signed reproductions from Pandamorphosis to help support their work with pandas. So, if you were thinking you would like to support Pandas international AND get some of the art from Pandamorphosis, this is a win win for everyone! Because remember, without pandas, there could be no panda satire! Here’s the link!

Be the bear
Bob T. Panda

Fabulous Furry Friday

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We are still popping champagne corks and eating cuppycakes to celebrate my newly agented status, so I thought I would share more of my literature of the panda ‘toons for this weeks fabulous Furry Friday! Huzzah!

From the earliest days of panda satire, pandas have been writing books about…well, about being pandas…

Everything I know

And then, there was Bob’s memoir, “Black and White Like Me”…

More literature of the panda!

And of course we wanted to encourage a love of reading in the panda kindergarten…

I think you get my point….

And what panda doesn’t have an abiding love of Shakespeare….?

After all, the playings the thing….

And let’s not forget that in addition to panda satire, I am also a painter…

You say sumi-e, I say Tsunami

Keep being the bear!
Bob T Panda

Bob gets an Agent

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Yes indeed, it’s true! The official announcement came out today, and I am now represented by Gordon Warnock of Fuse Literary Agency. So it only seems fair that Bob gets an agent too. Several people have suggested that Pinky will try to use this to her advantage, and that I might want to drop out of the presidential race and take a cabinet position. We shall see, we shall see.

So what does this mean for panda satire? It means that my graphic novel, The Pandyland Mysteries: The Case of the Picturesque Panda will get a professional eye and guidance. Actually it has been getting a lot of that for the last six months as Gordon acted as my mentor through the SCBWI program that I have mentioned before. It means that I won’t rush into publishing it before it is ready. I have lots of work to do before we start submitting it to publishers, but I am very excited about this book. Yeah, we’re going to have to wait for it, but I think it will be worth it.

Meanwhile, Bob is ready to give Mehitabel the news, and Pinky…well…she’s just being Pinky, isn’t she?

Do you smell smoke?

Next week, Pinky continues with her cubpaign to gather new minions from our neighbors to the north! Will Pinky succeed in getting the Toronto twinkles to campaign for her? Tune in next week and find out the latest Panda News!

Be the Bear,
Bob T. Panda

You Can’t Lie to Mom

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Poor Bubba. Once again, he suffers the consequences of being Pinky’s younger sibling. If Pinky had been born sooner after Tai Shan, would she have developed as such a little terror? Who knows? We only know that Bubba is made of softer stuff (frosting?) and the least look from mom can send him into a quivering mass. He can’t lie to mom like Pinky can.

So, after Pinky has taken off for another campaign swing to get endorsements from some VIP’s (Very Important Pandas) Bubba is left to face the music…

I’ll talk! I’ll talk!

Oh Bubba…you are such a pushover!

Be the Bear! (You can do it, Bubba!)
Bob T Panda

Literary Pandas

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This week, Fabulous Furry Friday salutes Literary Pandas and Literature of the Panda! Huzzah!

And now, the pandas are out of the bag!

This week, after the conclusion of a six month mentorship program through the Nevada chapter of the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, I have been taken on as a client by my brilliant and kind mentor, Gordon Warnock. I’m already on the Fuse Literary website listed as a client!!!! I hope they have hidden all the cuppycakes, because, well, you know…pandas!

I can’t say enough good things about the Nevada mentorship program. If you are a member of SCBWI, I recommend you look in to it, (the next cycle does not start until 2017, so you have some time to get a project in working order). I met many wonderful writers, who I hope will be friends for life. And to all of you here who have been following me since the early days of panda satire, I can only say thank you a thousand times. Maybe ten thousand times. You keep me going with your laughter and comments. Stay tuned. Pandas are going places and I hope you’ll come with us.

But first, how about some Literary Pandas?

It all started here…..

Do you like my new book?

Pandas have long been active in literary pursuits

What do you mean by “was?”

May all your Fridays be Furry and Fabulous!
Be the Bear,
Bob T Panda

Where is Pinky Going?

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Poor Bubba. It is so hard to be the younger brother of such a powerhouse of a panda. But where is Pinky going? Does she have permission? Ha! Pinky don’t need no stinking permission! Does she?

Bubba: but why should I be in trubble?

Sigh…poor Bubba.

Meanwhile, back at the panda ranch, excitement is afoot…(err..apaw?) as I close in on being almost ready for The Pandyland Chronicles book 1 to be ready to send out to publishers. There will be some exciting news to announce soon, but not…quite…yet.

So I am getting back to work after a bit of traveling, being sick, and who knows what all I get up to around here.

Keep being the bear!
Bob T. Panda

Trespassers W

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One of my favorite books as I was growing up was Winnie the Pooh. (No surprise there, huh?) And although I loved the stories, and still re-read them whenever I need something familiar and comforting to read, what this artist loved best was the drawings. and within those drawings were so many wonderful details that enhanced the story in a way that was not necessarily obvious. It was there for you to find on the many re-readings of this well loved story. And one of my favorite details was the sign outside of Piglet’s house that read, Trespassers W which Piglet claimed was his grandfather, short for Trespassers William.

So along with all the other signs and surveillance paraphernalia that Pinky had installed in “her” tree, is it any wonder that this sign should make it’s way there?

You keep using that word “share”, mommee!

What’s not to love about Pinky! That panda has a lot of…um…spunk.

Have a fun Sunday. Now would be an excellent time to eat all of that Easter candy that you have leftover. Run, chocolate bunnies! Run!

Be the Bear,
Bob T. Panda

Pandas in Science

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If pandas know anything, they know about science, so today Fabulous Furry Friday is very pleased to present Pandas in Science or, everything you wanted to know, but want to know the wrong information!

We start our encore presentation with a cartoon that was inspired by a real story about pandas, and also contributed to this past Wednesday’s cartoon!

Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, who is that handsome panda I see before me?

And one of my all time favorites, a news story about how an animal’s abstract patterning can increase the likelihood of becoming a successful predator.

No nonsense to be found here!

And if we take the way-back machine to a couple of our early explorations of the conjunction of pandas and science, we have this in depth interpretation of our carbon foot print:

are you SURE it’s not “carbonated”?

well, what if I….

but…WeREndangered!

Hmmm…I hope these cartoons don’t get out. Pinky may have some additional ammunition in the next debate. Don’t tell, ‘kay?

Be the Bear and have a Fabulous Furry Friday!
Bob T Panda

Through the Looking Glass

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Over the past couple of months, the friends of Bubba (and Pinky! Don’t forget Pinky!!!!!) have been posting many adorable photos of our nation’s littlest panda as he explores the great outdoors. Recently (Linda G?) someone posted at photo of him admiring his reflection in one of the viewing windows, which naturally inspired this ‘toon.

My! You are quite the good looking fellow!

Meanwhile, back at The Institute for Contemporary Panda Satire Headquarters, I am hard at work on my graphic novel, tentatively titled The PandyLand Chronicles: The Case of the Picturesque Panda. When a mysterious panda enters the office of Inspector Panda, with a tale of late 19th century Parisian pandas, he must rely on his clever assistant Wu to help sort truth from fiction. Especially when it comes to the wily Babette de Panda. Was her great great great great great great grandmama truly the most sought after painters’ model of the Paris Impressionists? Or does Babette have a more sinister reason for wanting to find this painting? Think of The Maltese Falcon, except with pandas.

As those who have been following along for a while know, this story started out as a long cartoon with multiple episodes, starring Inspector Panda. As I am now trying to convert it into a graphic novel, geared toward middle grade readers, there have been many changes. The story now focuses more on the junior pandas, it is much longer, and I am doing illustrations in color. I really have no idea how long this will take me to complete, but you can find the news here as its path carries on and the drawings develop. Most enticing is that it gives me the opportunity to do even more panda versions of famous Impressionist paintings, and what could be wrong with that? (Note to Art Historians: please don’t answer this question.)

Till next time,
Be the Bear!
Bob T Panda

The Panda Chronicles

This is Your Brain, This is Your Brain on Pandas!