Words
A rhymed verse novel in two parts: Tales of Endangered Lives and The Endangering Species.
An old man’s poems and a boy’s pictures create a fantasy world where you’re never home alone.
Thought you’d escaped the Horrors of the Household? Think again!
Above are three books I’ve published, along with links to Amazon, where you can buy them (and if you leave my website without purchasing one of them, I know who you are, and I will hunt you down, and stick a chopstick up your nose). I’ve written six books in rhymed verse, including these. Humphrey is a 412-page novel, and Horrors and Zoozles are humorous poetry collections about made-up creatures, as is a sequel to Horrors, called Nightmares in the Neighborhood. Humphrey is for young adults, and Zoozles, Nightmares and Horrors are for middle grades, as is one more rhymed verse collection called Never Kiss a Crocodile, Never Slap a Skunk.
I’ve also written three (prose) novels, called The Nails Gang’s First Caper, a comedic crime caper that takes place in Arkansas; Ellis in Imaginedland (or Prince of Whales), an MG fantasy; and The Japanese Man With the Ring in His Nose, a comedic adventure that takes place in a Howard Johnsons, on the island of Sokotra, in Hamster Hills, California, Las Vegas, and the Malibu Mountains.
Check out one or more of my extremely clever short stories mostly about cats and dogs, but there’s one about a bird, too! It’s called Birdbrain of Amazon. Several other stories I’ve written are also at Booksie.com, but I’ve got to get them over here because Booksie deluges the reader with advertisements. I also have a book called A Psycho’s Guide to Animal Companionship (Instructions for the abnormal pet companion) that will be published, eventually.
I’ve written, as well, the book, lyrics, and music of two musicals: The Purpose of the Moon, a science-fiction romantic fantasy; and The Story of Railroad Bill, the Hobo, for children. What does this mean to you? Nothing. They’re sitting on shelves while I work on everything else. (Poor me.) (“Oh no! You should never complain about anything!” Please pass the gun, so I can shoot whoever said that.)
Testimonials for "Horrors of the Household"
This is a really fun rhymed verse children's book. The subtitle is "An old man's poems and a boy's pictures create a fantasy world where you're never home alone." I've been wondering when someone like the late great Shel Silverstein would come along. Author, Rocky Leplin, is in that tradition. In this book he writes surprising, fractured little nursery rhymes about the scary animating spirits inhabiting common household things like garbage cans, closets, toasters, refrigerators etc.
James Lynch
I was so glad I purchased this clever book of poems. It was a delight to read. Two of my favorites were The Heater Cheater and Shelves Elves. All the poems evoke all kinds of eerie images in your mind as you read them. I thoroughly enjoyed Nathaniel's illustrations also. They were the perfect complement to the poems.
D.Galen
Horrors of the Household is a truly original collaboration of two unique, yet perfectly aligned souls - an older adult man, Rocky Leplin, who wrote the poems, and Nathaniel Attia, age 8, who illustrated the poems with his talented graphic interpretation of these poems. The poem-stories are funny, spooky, fantastic and delightful. I think every child growing up has visions of the the creatures who live in the closet, below the stairs or under the bed.