Author Spotlight: John Claude Bemis

In today’s author spotlight, Landra Jennings chats with John Claude Bemis about the newest book in his novel series with illustrator Nicole Miles, Rodeo Hawkins and the Sons of Disaster: A Graphic Novel, published by Holiday House and available August 11, 2026.

Rodeo Hawkins and her ragtag gang of interdimensional outlaws may have saved the multiverse. . . but when a vengeful enemy’s plans spell disaster for this group of unlikely heroes, who’s going to save them?

Get ready for more mayhem!

In his old life, Sidney was pursued by interdimensional assassins, had “DORK” written on his forehead (twice!), and was magically erased from the memories of his only friend, Walt. But that was before he joined legendary outlaw Rodeo Hawkins as a member of her ragtag gang, The Daughters of Mayhem. Things were starting to look up!

Unfortunately, legendary outlaws have a way of making enemies. And Rodeo Hawkins has tons scattered across the multiverse. When an old nemesis locates Walt and uses him as bait, Sidney faces a terrible choice: saving his old best friend who’s forgotten him or helping his new best friends who’ve become his only family.

This isn’t Sidney Poblocki’s first rodeo, but it might be his last in this sequel to Rodeo Hawkins and the Daughters of Mayhem!

Interview with John Claude Bemis

LJ: Congratulations on book 2! We loved speaking with you about book 1. This installment promises more dangerous and wacky exploits for Sidney Poblocki and Rodeo Hawkins and I know young readers will love it. And thank you so much for being with us today.

JCB: Thank you, I’m happy to be here.

LJ: I’m curious – how did you approach expanding the world you created in book 1 without overwhelming new readers who might be jumping in at book 2?

JCB: It’s tricky striking that balance in a sequel. You want to make sure brand new readers aren’t confused. But you don’t want fans of the first book to feel impatient with the recap. I wrote the opening of Sons of Disaster as if the reader knows (or remembers) nothing about the first book. I get the action started right away and simply weave in essential introductions into the scenes with as much excitement as possible.

Character Growth and Challenges

LJ: Without giving too much away, how are you challenging Sidney Poblocki and Rodeo Hawkins differently in this installment compared to the first?

JCB: In the first book, Sidney and Rodeo go from being strangers to buds. In the latest book, their friendship gets challenged, as friendships often do. But it makes it especially hard when Sidney’s friend is an interdimensional mischief maker. Rodeo can be A LOT sometimes—in a fun and hilarious way!

To make matters worse, Sidney’s best bud from his old life, Walt, has joined the Sons of Disaster, an army of tween boys bent on destroying Rodeo and the Daughters of Mayhem. So Sidney is torn between his loyalty to his old best friend and his new friends who are like family to him now.

LJ: Are there any characters who took unexpected turns in their journey that surprised even you during the writing process?

JCB: Rodeo continues to surprise me. She can be such a bad friend at times—and such a caring friend at other times. I’m always shocked at how complicated she can be. But that’s what’s fun working with a trickster figure like her.

The Power of Illustration

LJ: Seeing your story come to live through Nicole Miles’ illustration must have been very satisfying. Which were your favorite panels?

JCB: Yes, enormously satisfying! I particularly love the panels where Nicole captures the intense emotions with the expressions of the characters. She makes their reactions to all the mayhem they’re experiencing both hilarious and heartfelt.

LJ: This series marks your first graphic novels. How do you balance leaving room for the illustrator’s interpretation while maintaining the essential parts of the narrative?

JCB: It’s a fun process. I have to write much more “cinematically”—visualizing in my head how the story might be shown, and writing a script to help Nicole visualize her own possibilities for delivering the flow of the story.

I wanted to give Nicole as much room as I could to be a co-storyteller, so that she got to make as many of her own creative choices as possible and not just conform to the vision I had in my head. And it’s been amazing to see what she creates! She’s so talented.

The Joy of Creating

LJ: You’ve published many books for kids at this point. What makes this book and this series special to you?

JCB: This series is much more comedic than the fantasy novels I’ve written in the past. I’ve always enjoyed inserting humor into exciting stories, but this is the first series where the laughs are forefront. I’ve leaned how to craft jokes and visual gags and punchlines—all while keeping the story full of magical wonder and thrilling action. There’s definitely room for more adventures ahead with this cast of wacky characters and this weird world of the Daughters of Mayhem. In fact, I’m working on the third book at the moment.

LJ: Beyond this series, what other projects excite you right now?

JCB: Teaching is such a creative outlet for me—whether leading writing workshops with kids in schools or leading writing retreats for adults in France and the Blue Ridge Mountains. I get excited helping other writers grow their skills and chase their dreams.

LJ: Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with us today, John! And since no MUF interview is complete without a lightning round…

Lightning Round

Coffee or tea?

JCB: Tea first, then coffee. I have to ease into caffeination.

Sunrise or sunset?

JCB: Sunrise—since it’s rare I see one.

Favorite book from childhood:

JCB: The Hobbit

If you could choose a superpower, what would it be?

JCB: Flying

If you could invite any fictional character from any universe to dinner, who would it be?

JCB: I’d have over Merry and Pippin from Lord of the Rings. It would be a raucous dinner!

About the Author and Illustrator

John Claude Bemis is the award-winning author of six middle-grade novels, a picture book, and the forthcoming Rodeo Hawkins graphic novel series. A former elementary school teacher, John earned his Master’s of Education in Literacy from UNC Chapel Hill and taught fourth and fifth grades for thirteen years. He received the Excellence in Teaching Award from UNC-Chapel Hill for his work as an author-presenter in schools and served as North Carolina’s Piedmont Laureate for Children’s Literature, promoting literacy and the literary arts. A popular instructor and inspiring guide to writers of all ages—kids, teens, and adults— he teaches creative writing workshops and leads retreats around the world. Beyond the creative expression of writing, John is also a sculptural mask-maker, a songwriter, and musician. He lives with his wife and daughter in Hillsborough, North Carolina.

Nicole Miles is from The Bahamas, but now lives in West Yorkshire (UK) with her pet snake and human husband. After five and a half years working at Hallmark Cards UK, she jumped into full-time freelance illustration in January of 2020, and has since worked with a variety of clients in editorial, publishing, and even animation. Her first published short comic Barbara (ShortBox) was nominated for an Eisner award. She is represented for books by Chad at The CAT Agency. For all other inquiries, she can be contacted by email at hello@nicolemillo.com

Landra Jennings

Landra Jennings spent her childhood searching for hidden doorways, dreaming of magical places and plotting to run away (but never doing it). She would have been thrilled to wander after-hours through a museum in the mysterious dark. She is the author of middle grade books THE WHISPERING FOG and WAND (Clarion Books). She holds and MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Hamline University and makes her home in Greenville, South Carolina.