What if there’s other intelligent life in the universe? And what if it likes pizza? (Duh. If it’s intelligent, of course it does.)
This intriguing idea sparked the creation of my newest series, The Outer Space Mystery Pizza Club. As a long-time sci-fi fan, I was excited to dive into a story involving aliens, distant planets, and of course, everyone’s favorite food: pizza.
The concept
Think of The Outer Space Mystery Pizza Club as a blend of Adventures in Babysitting and Howard the Duck. Brother and sister Mateo and Valentina Garcia-Jackson are at home, being babysat by high-school student Jennica Neel. When Mateo’s friend Booker comes over to watch their favorite show, he accidentally lets out the family dog, Elvis.
Everyone pursues him, and Elvis chases some weird alien creature through a portal to another planet. The kids follow, ending up on Planet Kroon, where aliens have been captivated by Earth’s historical documentaries — our beloved TV shows — for years. Among Earth’s cultural treasures, pizza holds a special place in the hearts of Kroon’s residents, thanks to the Inter-Galactic Pizza Delivery Service.
Creative world-building
I had a blast coming up with the alien races, monsters, and all the weird stuff that happens on Planet Kroon. Our heroes deal with fluctuating gravity, broccoli smugglers, alien bureaucracy (just as bad as Earth’s), and more, in their quest to find Elvis and bring him safely home.
One thing I loved about writing this series was letting my imagination run wild on Planet Kroon. I learned that when writing about alien places and races, as long as you keep the internal rules consistent, the sky’s the limit.
Join Mateo, Valentina, and Booker on their hilarious and action-packed adventures in the first two Outer Space Mystery Pizza Club books, Elvis Is Missing and Grunthar’s Revenge. I hope readers of all ages will enjoy exploring this imaginative universe filled with alien antics, bad jokes, and of course, pizza!
