MPC is an independent publisher, with three bestselling titles. The company was formed in 1990 to publish the seminal rhyming bachelor’s cookbook of its era, No More Mac and Cheese, A Bachelor’s Guide to Cooking with Ease. In 2003, MPC added Lawrence the Laughing Cookie Jar, a children’s picture book highlighting the joy of chocolate chip cookies and the pain and suffering of eating too many. In 2009, MPC published perhaps its finest work to date, Rhyme, which tells the story of a pig in politics, and at the same time teaches children about some of the great speeches in history.
Will Marks is the author of all three of MPC’s titles. He spends most of his day as a securities analyst, focusing on the real estate and hotel/resort sectors of the economy. Will has twice been named the top U.S. real estate analyst by the Wall Street Journal. He lives in San Francisco with his wife and three children.
Illustrators of MPC’s titles include Adam Rabbino, Josephine Taylor, and Erin Gennow. Each is a very talented artist with a unique perspective.
Josephine Taylor is a San Francisco artist who makes narrative, large-scale drawings. Raised in Denver, Colorado, Josephine received a BA in Religious Studies and East Indian Translation Languages from the University of Colorado, and later an MFA in painting from the San Francisco Art Institute. She has shown extensively at galleries in San Francisco, including the Catharine Clark Gallery, New Langton Arts, and Gen Art SF’s annual Emerge exhibition, and was the recipient of the 2003 Ella King Torrey award for Excellence and Innovation in the Arts. In 2004 she was awarded a residency at the Headlands Center for the Arts in Marin, California, and the SFMOMA SECA Award. Josephine’s work is included in esteemed public and private collections, including the Achenbach Collection at the Legion of Honor Museum in San Francisco.
Erin Gennow (www.eringennow.com) began her artistic career where most artists do-in childhood. Growing up in a small town in southeastern Michigan she constantly drew, painted, and read often attempting to recreate what she saw or read in books. Erin took every art class available in high school and then went on to obtain a B.S. in Communications, with a Film and Video emphasis and an Art and Design Minor at Grand Valley State University, where she graduated with honors. In 2002, Erin moved to San Francisco to obtain a BFA in Illustration from the Academy of Art University. After graduation, Erin became a cake artisan, and then joined University Games, where she designed and developed traditional board and card games and worked with licensed products such as the Nick Jr. characters of Dora and Diego, Eric Carle product lines, and The Spiderwick Chronicles. Currently, Erin works as a contract artist creating illustrations for the visual merchandising department at the Gap, Inc. Erin also sells many fine art paintings to private collectors. Erin currently resides in San Francisco and continues to work on freelance and personal projects, while working as a contract artist.
MPC Books
- No More Mac and Cheese(A Bachelor’s Guide to Cooking with Ease) was first published in 1990 but it remains a top seller today. It is one of the few cookbooks for the cuisinally challenged that is easy to understand, produces great recipes, and provides a bit of fun in the kitchen. TO ORDER
- Lawrence the Laughing Cookie Jar received rave reviews upon its publication in 2003 and remains a favorite of young children today. Amusing text and bright illustrations combine to offer an entertaining lesson to children and a cookie theft mystery on the side. TO ORDER
- Rhyme is the story of a pig, who only speaks in rhyme, and uses his oratory skills to win election to the Sty Council of his town Muck, and later to the high office of Penator. His slogan of “Dirt Doesn’t Hurt” is repeated time and again, and it perhaps teaches a lesson to slow down and enjoy a simpler life. Rhyme’s amusing speeches are each written after recognizable famous speeches of the 19th and 20th century that are referenced at the end of the book to provide a history lesson for children. TO ORDER
Your site looks awsome, great job!
Great site, plus I thought you were great on The View from the Bay — very interesting interview, and also helpful for us aspiring writers.
My 3 year old LOVEs the book! It’s a new favorite in our home!
Al Boar is right…it’s unbeatable!
Hi Will, thanks for the book. Unfortunately, I think you sent it to the wrong Chris Wallace, I am a web designer in St. Louis, MO. I would love to help you redesign your website.