Nightborn: Staff Pick at Nicola's Books

Nightborn has been named a Staff Pick by Nicola's Books of Ann Arbor, Michigan. And their Staff Reviews, Nathan, who is entering the fifth grade, gives it a wonderful review.

"I think the amount of fighting and the love for games in the book is amazing! It even comes with instructions on how to play the game they play throughout the book. The game is called charioteers, and they play it to win information from people. But Karn likes games, so he plays charioteers for fun also. It is based on racing in a hippodrome, which is a racing track for chariots. 

It is a good book, a little bit like The Percy Jackson series. It is definitely like the book 'Thrones and Bones: Frostborn.'

I would recommend it if you like strategy and action."

Staff Pick: Hoover Public Library's Best of 2014

I've just learned that the Hoover Public Library has included Frostbornin their "Best of 2014 - Juvenile fiction" list. The direct link to a PDF of their list is here.

Back in September, they reviewed Frostborn, saying:

This wonderful fantasy steeped in Norse mythology is by a Birmingham author! Highly recommended for fans of Rick Riordan, J.R.R. Tolkien, and John Flanagan.

This is the 11th Staff Pick for Frostborn. The full list of bookstores and libraries that have selected my novel is now Book Shop Santa Cruz, Books Inc., Eagle Harbor Book Co., Hoover Public Library, King's English Bookshop, Mockingbird Books, Politics and Prose, Powell's, Queen's Library, The Waucoma Bookstore and Word Bookstores.

Big smile!

Updating the Accolades

So, so far Frostborn has....

Been a Staff Pick at these bookstores (and one library):

Book Shop Santa Cruz
Books Inc.
Eagle Harbor Book Co.
King's English Bookshop
Mockingbird Books
Politics and Prose
Powell's
Queen's Library
The Waucoma Bookstore
Word Bookstores

Received a Starred Review in Publisher's Weekly

And shown up on these recommendation lists:

PW Picks: Books of the Week selection for the week of August 4th.
Editor's Choice of Amazon for the month of August
io9's list of "Must-Read Science Fiction And Fantasy Books For August."
Tween Us: "5 books tweens will love that make great gifts."
Aleksandra's Corner: Tied for 1st Place in "Top 10 of 2014: Best Books I've Read in 2014!"
The Thousand Lives of John Zeleznik: 1 of 5 top reads (out of 63 books read).
Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog: Best Books of 2014
Children's Atheneum: 1 of 3 Best Action/Adventure Book in "A year in Review 2014"
Amy Plum on Nice Girls Don't Read Naughty Books: 3rd of 3 "Top Books of 2014"
SciFiChick's Best of 2014: 1 of 5 best "YA Fantasy" (out of 155 books read)
Kidspace (Springfield, Missouri district library): A Guide to the Good Stuff - Fantasy Ages 9-12
Fantasy Book Critic,  Mihir's "Top Ten Debuts of 2014" and 1 of 5 "New Authors to Look Out for."
Bookworms, Etc. "A collection of (some of) the best children’s books of 2014"

Which is not too shabby, no?

Fairwell, 2014: Welcome 2015

What a year 2014 was!

Definitely a very, very pivotal year for me. My very first novel, Frostborn,was published in August. Then, in September,  I took off the editor hat that I have worn for 14 years and exchanged it for that of a full time author. I went on my very first book tour, designed two more board games and a card game for the Thrones and Bones series, and wrote Nightborn, (and started plotting book 3).

Also, what a year it's been for Frostborn. Just look:

Staff Pick:

Book Shop Santa Cruz
Books Inc.
Eagle Harbor Book Co.
King's English Bookshop
Mockingbird Books
Politics and Prose
Powell's
Queen's Library
The Waucoma Bookstore
Word Bookstores

Starred Review: Publisher's Weekly

PW Picks: Books of the Week selection for the week of August 4th.
Editor's Choice of Amazon for the month of August
io9's list of "Must-Read Science Fiction And Fantasy Books For August."
Tween Us: "5 books tweens will love that make great gifts."
Aleksandra's Corner: Tied for 1st Place in "Top 10 of 2014: Best Books I've Read in 2014!"
The Thousand Lives of John Zeleznik: 1 of 5 top reads (out of 63).
Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog: Best Books of 2014
Children's Atheneum: 1 of 3 Best Action/Adventure Book in "A year in Review 2014"
Amy Plum on Nice Girls Don't Read Naughty Books: 3rd of 3 "Top Books of 2014"
SciFiChick's Best of 2014: 1 of 5 best "YA Fantasy"

I'm excited for everything in store for 2015, but this is a year I'll always remember.  Thank you to everyone who helped make it what it was.

Frostborn named a Staff Pick by Mockingbird Books

Frostborn has just been chosen as a Staff Pick by Mockingbird Books, the seventh independent

bookstore or library to do so! Katie of Mockingbird writes:

"If you’re like me and are on the lookout for fast but enjoyable reads to squeeze into a busy schedule, look to Frostborn. Anders is a veteran of the fantasy genre and it shines through the first installment of Thrones and Bones. We’re given two young leads who are forced to confront their duties, fates, and families which intertwine after an ancient spell is broken. There is Karn, a reluctant heir to his family’s farm and avid board game player. There is Thianna, a half-human and half frost-giantess eager to prove herself to both humans and giants alike. The pair is as unlikely friends as they are heroes, but it is their differences that ultimately prove to be their greatest weapons."

Update: Oh and look.... Frostborn is also a Staff Pick at Eagle Harbor Book Co. of Bainbridge Island, Washington - which makes 7 bookstores and one library that have made Frostborn a Staff selection! Alison of Eagle Harbor writes:

"Karn is destined to take over the family farm in Norrongard. His only problem is he’d rather be playing the complex board game Thrones and Bones. Living in the mountains of this Nordic-like land is Thianna, half human, half frost giantess and unable to fit into either group. These two unlikely allies join forces to survive in the wilderness and fight off dragons, undead warriors and an evil uncle."

Update 2: Book Shop Santa Cruz has just named Frostborn a Staff Pick as well. Tera of the Book Shop writes:

"Twelve-year-old Karn is a master gamer when it comes to playing Thrones and Bones. He’s not so good at striking hard bargains for the sake of his father’s tribe. If only there wasn’t so much pressure on him to be the next leader! Likewise, Thianna is a disappointment to her clan of ice giants, standing at only 7 feet tall, half the size of her peers. The two unlikely friends meet when their different tribes converge on an icy mountain for a tense round of trading. When unexpected enemies attack, they find themselves on the run, outracing wyverns and avoiding avalanches. Pulling on little-known Norse mythology, this brilliantly accessible fantasy really is for all those Percy Jackson fans clamoring for a new series."

Washington, DC independent bookstore Politics and Prose just released their "2014 Children and Teens Department Favorite" newsletter and included Frostborn among their choices. They say:

"Neither Karn nor Thianna, the two heroes of Thrones and Bones: Frostborn (Crown, $16.99), really fits into their world. Karn is a merchant’s son who would rather be playing his favorite board game than learning how to haggle. Thianna is a half-giantess who is mocked by her peers for her comparatively short stature. When their paths cross at the annual market of the humans and the giants, however, they start to recognize their strengths. That is, when they aren’t on the run, trying to survive duplicitous uncles, clever dragons, undead kings, and even fouler beasts. They make an unlikely duo, but author Lou Anders makes them, and their world of trolls and wyverns, gripping and emotionally resonant.  Ages 9-13.  ENR"

Staff Pick: A Game of Thrones for Young Readers

Books Inc has named Frostborn a Staff Pick (the sixth bookstore to do so). Their review, from Anna from Books Inc. Palo Alto says:

"Frostborn is a magical and exhilarating story that’s perfect for fans of Harry Potter and Fablehaven. I can even see it going as far as being a Game of Thrones for young readers. Dragons, wyverns, after walkers, and giants all play a part in this story making it exciting and magical. Anders’ use of Viking mythology also plays a subtle roll in Karn’s history and the legends of Norrongard, which always has me wanting more. We need more Viking stories! I loved it, and it’s definitely worth picking up!"

Frostborn: Word Bookstores and Queens Library Staff Pick

Frostborn has been chosen as yet another Staff Pick, this time by the Word independent community bookstores of Greenpoint, Brooklyn and Jersey City. Bookstore staff Jasper writes,"This is the most fun I’ve had since the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban."

Frostborn has also been selected as a Staff Pick by Queen's Library for their Children's Chapter Books category.

Frostborn has been previously chosen as a Staff Pick by the Waucoma Bookstore and by Powell's, and was an Editor's Choice of Amazon for the month of August, and a Publishers Weekly "PW Picks: Books of the Week" selection for the week of August 4th. Publishers Weekly also gave it a starred review.

Latest Frostborn Roundup

This morning, the wonderful Jay Requard hosts a Q&A with Yours Truly on his blog, where we discuss Frostborn,dragons, RPG games, and Norway.

Sit.Write.Bleed

Meanwhile, yet another bookstore has chosen Frostborn as a Staff Pick. Sue Mason at the Waucoma Bookstore of Hood River, Oregan recommends the novel and says:

"This is being touted as being in the same league with John Flanagan and Rick Riordan. It does have the feeling of a Flanagan story. Frostborn is a great adventure of a young boy and a girl who is half human/half giant.... The boys and girls will love this. Our giantess, Thianna, is a very brave adventurer and saves Karn mostly from himself. This will be a series so it will be fun to see where Thianna ends up next." 

Reading Rumpus Book Reviews, run by librarian Barb Middleton at the Taipei American School in Taiwan, has an incredible review this morning. WARNING: The review is very, very SPOILER heavy, but really says some wonderful things, particularly about Frostborn's depiction of being biracial and a minority. Such as:

"The action-packed, well-plotted story has plenty of humor and a female character that defies stereotypes. A biracial girl named, Thianna, searching for her identity along with the message to girls to embrace yourself no matter what your size makes this story rise above your average fare."  

And:

"Thianna's biracial background captures what it is like to be a minority." 

And concludes: 

"This will appeal to fans of Percy Jackson, The Lord of the Rings series, and The Inheritance Cycle. Don't miss it."