Nice Little Review of Bro-Jitsu

A fun review of Bro-Jitsu: The Martial Art of Sibling Rivalry has gone up over at Collateral Bloggage. (Plus bonus interview!)

No, this isn't a how-to manual; it's a nostalgia piece, reminding us of what we endured and perpetrated as kids. Particularly funny to me were the tactics for succeeding at sibling irritation while also avoiding detection by Parental Referees, and even better, getting the victim into trouble for something you actually started. Awesome.

SH: In the book, you warn about the dangers involved in trying Bro-Jitsu moves on Only Children. What advice can you give the father who wants to train his Only Child in the ways of Bro-Jitsu?

DW: Sadly, the sacred bond of brother or sisterhood cannot be replicated in an only child. But there is an easy and fun solution: Make another baby immediately. (Agreed.)

The Father Life

The Father Life (the men's magazine for dads -- so you better keep out, ladies!) has reviewed Bro-Jitsu. They liked it and you can click here to read the full text.

But one thing stood out to me about the review. Bathrooms. Here are a couple quotes:

"I enjoyed this text as a very entertaining bathroom read and highly recommend it..."

"I also appreciate the brevity of the text. This helped make it an excellent bathroom reader."

Leading me to ask myself, "How do I feel about the fact that people are dropping the kids off at the pool while reading my book?" Hmm...

I definitely didn't have this reading state in mind while I was writing. There are no special scatalogical references beyond those natural to youth. That said, I do understand the sentiment. Bro-Jitsu is easy to read because it is written in small chunks that are easy to digest and just plop into your head. (Sorry, that was gross.)

Now that I think about it, I'm sort of flattered that people are reading my work while in this very vulnerable state. Also, imagining people giggling while sitting on the toilet kind of cracks me up. And last, the review was written on a web site for fathers. That's what we do as fathers. We're gross. We're honest. We poop.

So, the moral of the story is that if you ever sit on the toilet, you should consider buying Bro-Jitsu.

Errant Parent interview

I did an extensive Q&A on the Errant Parent blog yesterday in which I share how I accidentally turned my own little brother into a monster.

Q: What sorts of injuries have you sustained over the years?

A: I've never suffered a permanent physical injury, although I still get a tingle when someone stands behind me and my back is exposed. As a 32-year-old man, I should know that my dentist is probably not going to punch me in the kidneys. That's why I count this reaction as a psychological scar.

Click here to read!

guest blog at dadrevolution.com

Should brothers and sisters bug each other, mess with each other, and kick each others butts? I think so. Here's why!

Click here to find out why!

And here's an excerpt...

The book came out a few months ago and I was excited. When the reviews started coming in, I was, well, I guess I was sort of proud and bemused when The School Library Journal said there was “real potential for damage.” And I was outright confused when Wired’s GeekDad called the book a “potential powder keg in the hands of a twelve-year-old boy.”

Dang.

They make it sound like I wrote some kind of Al Qaeda training manual for children, but I’m pretty sure I wasn’t the only kid who ever body slammed his brother onto the couch. I mean, as the author of Bro-Jitsu, I’m not claiming to have invented goobering around with your siblings. I’m just the messenger, here. The core moves that young humans (and to a lesser extent, young monkeys) have used on each other haven’t changed for millennia: it’s running after your siblings, running away from them, and telling on each other. Offense. Defense. Psychological. That’s the whole thing in a nutshell.

So what are the librarians and geeks so afraid of?

full body defensive fish wiggle

The Tulsa World is running an expose on my bro-jitsu childhood. You can read it by clicking here.

I think the writer (Matt Gleason) did a great job of capturing the true essence of brotherly love that goes behind every beating, while also mentioning a move that could knock your brother's tooth loose. As brothers and sisters we must walk a fine line, my friend. A very fine line.

My New Book is Out! BRO-JITSU!

My newest book is released today!

You can find it at Amazon.

Or buy online from my favorite neighborhood bookstore: Powell's.

Watch an awesome video by clicking here.

Inspired by growing up with my little brother -- and the physical and mental torture we inflicted on each other -- the book is called BRO-JITSU: The Martial Art of Sibling Smackdown. It categorizes all the mental and physical attacks that siblings use -- offensive, defensive, and psychological -- under a single martial art called Bro-Jitsu. Yes, this includes all the stuff you remember (fondly?) from your own childhood, such as pink bellies, dogpiles, dead arms, bloody knuckles, purple nurples (aka tune in to Tokyo), and the dreaded hanging spit fake.

I've even got the proper technique for chasing your sister with dog poop on the end of a stick. I'm nothing if not thorough, people.

And of course, don't forget the Sacred Vow of Bro-Jitsu -- never in the face.

So if you get the chance, please pick up a copy from Amazon or Barnes & Noble or your favorite book store. And share this message on to any childhood friends, brothers, sisters, or cousins who you think might be interested!


*** Oh, and just in case you aren't convinced that this is the pinnacle of my writing career, check out this sample text.

OFFENSIVE MOVE (in every sense of the word)

"Pull My Finger "

Extend your index finger and say with a straight face, “Pull my finger.” If by some cruel trick of fate your sister actually pulls your finger, immediately deliver a fart with the intensity of a sub-tropical storm. She should recoil in terror, unsure of whether you just filled your pants. If you aren’t sure either, then congratulations – you pulled this move off perfectly.

Countermove:

Back Away Slowly

When someone announces “Pull my finger,” it should be obvious that you are standing next to a trouser bomb that’s on a hair-trigger and set to explode. Raise your arms, palms out, and back away slowly. If the bomb isn’t triggered, you just might get out of this alive.

Book Best Kept Hidden From Parents

In a funny article, Publisher's Weekly has acknowledged the awesome power that BRO-JITSU will unleash amongst the youth of the world.

Read the article here.

But honestly, I don't think you have to be a kid to execute BRO-JITSU moves. Why, I just visited home and my brother gave me Hot Ears that left me discombobulated.

Bro-Jitsu: The Martial Art of Sibling Rivalry

So I'm writing a book AND a movie. And yes, I'm too lazy to elaborate. So please just read the Variety article. Alternately, read the Hollywood Reporter article -- it comes with a pretty funny-yet-philosophical quote from my producer Marc Rosen.