they bought.
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Reflections from the Road: ScripTips Lecture at the Vickery Creek Middle School
Yesterday, I drove down to Cumming, Georgia to give my ScripTips talk on applying screenwriting techniques to novel plotting to the students (and parents) of the Vickery Creek Middle School. It was a small but enthusiastic crowd, and the students asked insightful and clever questions. (Hi to Ricky, who may actually have seen more films than I have). Here is a picture of upcoming writer and smart kid Isaac and his mother, who I hope enjoy the copy of Frostbornthey bought.
they bought.
Monday, September 15, 2014
Reflections from the Road: The Frostborn Tour Part One
This fall, I have been and will be touring quite a bit in support of Frostborn (Thrones and Bones),my debut middle grade fantasy novel. I've been on the road, speaking in schools and signing in bookstores, almost every day since Labor Day weekend through last Thursday, and I'm preparing to hit the road again soon. But in this brief lull, I wanted to recount the adventure so far.
Labor Day weekend was Dragon Con, as exciting as always and one of my favorite conventions in the world. I heard the attendance numbers on NPR the next day, and I believe they were 68,000 or 72,000 or somewhere in that neighborhood. It's a hard show to work, and this year I participated in more panels than usual and did a signing too. In addition to the Writing/Editing and Science Fiction & Fantasy tracks (always a pleasure) I also joined the Kaleidoscope and YA Lit tracks, and had an absolute blast! And on Saturday, I got to sign Frostborn at The Missing Volume's booth alongside my cover and interior artist Justin Gerard.
I didn't get home from Dragon Con until late Monday night, and Tuesday afternoon I was flying to Colorado. First up was Boulder, where I stayed in the 107 year old historic hotel, the Boulderado. Past guests included Theodore Roosevelt, Hellen Keller, and Louis Armstrong, and I got to drink from a glacier-fed water fountain. And the Spruce restaurant was utterly fantastic. That night I went for a walk and came upon the Boulder Book Store, where I found two copies of Frostborn (in which I hid trading cards, thank you Brandon Sanderson for the idea). The Boulder Book Store is a remarkable store - the kind of sprawling, multistory book shop whose basement and upper floors seem to extend beyond the building's walls into their neighbor's space. I'd love to do an event there on a subsequent trip.
The next morning was Wednesday, September 3rd, and the official start of the tour. First up was the Nevin Platt Middle School, courtesy of Jeff Oliver from the local Barnes & Noble, where I spoke to two Language Arts classes back to back. Thank you to teacher Melissa Dole, and to all her students, you were wonderful and made a debut author's first speaking engagement a joy. Jeff sold out the books he had initially brought for the entire double-appearance entirely with the first class!
That evening, I signed Frostborn at the B&N. They had me up front, and I went through a good number of books before two enthusiastic children and their mothers asked if I were going to do a reading. So we moved to the back, where I read to a small (as the signing had been on for half an hour) but wildly enthusiastic group. Two kids kept me talking for 45 minutes with all their questions. One boy had started reading the book while we relocated, and when I read a passage he was so cute torn between listening to me and wanting to glance down at where he left off. His questions were really wonderful and insightful and I don't wonder but what I may have met the future head of my fan club.
That evening I got to have dinner (again at the Spruce) and drinks with an old friend, roommate, and fraternity brother John Carini, who I haven't seen we graduated college, but we picked up like no time passed. Thank you, John, for a great evening. I hope it's not as long between our next visit as it was from our last.
Thursday, I met media escort Beth Vagle, who took me to Fort Collins, Co. First up, we visited the Harris Bilingual School, a Spanish-immersion school. Some very polite students met Beth and I at the front and shepherded us to the library, where I spoke to around fifty 4th and 5th grade students. The kids were so excited and so fun to talk to, and all the teaches great. Hello to my school contact, teacher Martha Petty! You have great kids! Afterwards, I signed copies of Frostborn courtesy of Old Firehouse Books. Then, as I was packing to leave, Marthy Petty called me into their computer lab, where I was gobsmacked to see every single monitor engaged in playing the Knattleikr Training game on the Thrones and Bones website! I cannot tell you what a thrill it was to see so many kids playing my game at the same time. Unbelievable.
Beth took me to the Snooze Eatery for a fantastic brunchy-lunch, and we got to drop by Old Firehouse Books and meet the owner. Then we went to the Rivendell School, where I spoke to another 50 or so 4th and 5th graders. Again, speaking to the kids was so much fun - and they went wild over the prototype Thrones and Bones board game I had on display! And I signed a ton of Frostborn books, "the best we've ever done" at this school according to one book seller.
After this fantastic start, I hoped a plane to Phoenix, Arizona, and the Hotel Renaissance Phoenix Downtown, where I would spend three nights. I was met early the next morning by media escort Pierre O'Rourke. Pierre has been driving for thirty years and is full of stories about celebrities he's befriended (including DeForest Kelly and James Doohan). He's also an author himself and gifted me a copy of his funny and touching, Note to Gibbs.
This stop was a little different, in that I was asked to teach a writing workshop at two different schools to classes who were “voracious for knowledge”. They didn't let me know about the teaching gig until I was underway, but fortunately, I had just in the days before Dragon Con retailored my ScripTips lecture to be child-friendly in anticipation of a talk I'm giving at the Vickery Middle School in Cumming, Georgia tomorrow night. Even more fortunately, I had it on a flash drive having made a last minute decision to carry it with me in case I needed to rehearse.
Pierre and I arrived first at the Imagine School of Avondale in Tempe, Arizona, where I spoke to 50 6th to 8th grade students from two classes under teacher Stephanie Walsh. Stephanie had cleared the morning for me, and generously offered me as much time as I (and the students) wanted, so I was able to both give my ScripTips talk and my Frostborn presentation. The classroom, also, had won a grant and was tricked out with a very nice Smart Board and Sony laptops at every desk. The film discussion in particular was so much fun, and the kids asked the best questions. In fact, I think I now understand Avatar: The Last Airbender on a level I hadn't appreciated before (and it's a favorite show of mine). Once again, I got to watch a room full of computers engaged in my game, which is a thrill I'll never get over. I talked somewhere between two and three hours, and then reluctantly tore myself away so Pierre and I could rush to our next stop.
We barely got to Dobson Montessori in Mesa, Arizona in time. And with no lunch! Here I gave the same two presentations to twenty 6th to 8th grade students, and at this point to tell you that the kids were enthusiastic, asked great questions, taught me a thing or two, and were a blast to teach/present to would seem redundant, except that by now I had firmly realized that I love love love talking to kids, and I have found my audience.
That night, I had dinner at Chibo Urban Pizzeria Cafe with author and friend Sam Sykes and friend and Phoenix Comicon Books & Authors Manager Lee Whiteside. I've heard a lot about the Phoenix Comicon, and I hope I can check it out for myself before too long. Later, Sam and I had drinks in the hotel lobby for a bit. But we made it an early night, because, ahem, I'm a middle grade author now with responsibilities.
The next afternoon was an event at Changing Hands bookstore (the one on McClintock Drive). This was as special event because while it was open to the public, it was also for their middle school book club, Club Read, and their August book club pick was Frostborn. Also, staff member Eddie Case was leaving Changing Hands and handing over Club Read duties to Brandi Stewart, so it was a momentous occasion on many levels. But again, the talk was fantastic, with an audience of about fifty people, and we sold the table display down twice on top of the dozen or so books already purchased by Club Read. Fantastic event!
I also had a surprise for the audience. My cartographer Robert Lazzaretti was on hand with his family, so everyone who got Frostborn signed that day had the special treat of getting the map signed by the cartographer in addition to an author signature. Afterwards, Pierre, I, and Lazzaretti's family adjourned to the adjoining cafe for carrot cake and coffee. Lazz's two daughters are budding artists too and each presented me with some very sweet fan art!
Then it was good bye to new friends and back to the hotel, where I met my friend and website/character artist Andrew Bosley and his wife Maren, who drove two hours to meet for dinner. After they were already en route, all our cell phones were blaring with a warning of an approaching dust storm. But the brave Bosley's declined both turning back and eating in the lobby of my hotel. Instead, we climbed into their car and drove straight into the heart of the storm in search of authentic Mexican food. We weathered the brown, post-apocalyptic haze and were rewarded with an excellent meal at Comedor Guadalajara and a good time.
The next morning, I left before breakfast for the flight home. I got back Sunday afternoon, managed one full day with the family on Monday, and then it was off by hired car on Tuesday to travel four hours to Fairhope, Alabama for my next stop. Dinner that night was at Tamara's Downtown, where I had escargot and chili-glazed salmon.
Wednesday, September 10th was quite the day. My morning began with a loud crash around 5:30 am. I rushed into the bathroom of the Hampton Inn to discover shattered glass all over the floor and water gushing through the ceiling light. I called the clerk on duty, who was flustered and said "Well, that is inconvenient. Are you able to exit your room?" I was, and did, but he told me that no one else would arrive before 7 am and he really didn't know what to do about it. He didn't seem to understand the seriousness of water actively pouring through an electrical appliance, but I eventually managed to get him to at least give me a second room so that I could bathe.
Things brightened up when my media escort Amanda Smith showed up, and we went to the Fairhope Intermediate School. This was the biggest group of kids I have ever addressed. In fact, with the possible exception of an io9-organized panel at the San Diego Comic Con a few years back, it may have been the biggest group I've ever addressed in my life. Six hundred - yes 600! - kids from Fairhope's 5th to 6th grade - the entire student body of the school! Was I intimidated? Right until they introduced me. Then I discovered something. If talking to fifty kids is great, talking to six hundred kids is fantastic!!!
Afterwards, Amanda took me to lunch at Master Joe's Sushi and a blended drink at Mr. Gene's Beans. Then a brief tour of Fairhope and on to the J. Larry Newton School, where I spoke to another three hundred students from the 4th to 6th grades.
I arrived at the Page & Palette bookstore thirty minutes early, where store contact Stephanie Emrich helped me set up in the nick of time, as students from both school talks were already starting to arrive when I got there. I signed Frostborn for two and a half hours, and after 6pm, when I was packing to go, had to unpack my stamp and pen to sign more!
Finally, I stepped outside the bookstore to discover no one waiting for me. Random House sent a limo service to drive me down to Fairhpe, but when I came out after a full day of speaking and signing, there was no return car! A Page & Palette employee named Brett Foster kindly gave me a lift to a rental car service, which was closed, then another, also closed. He ended up sitting with me for two hours at Moe's BBQ while we waited for a car to come from Mobile, AL. As it turned out, Brett was a long time Star Trek fan, and I hope I entertained him with dinner and my tales of being on the sets of Trek and Babylon 5 in my journalist years, but I know he had somewhere else to be and work he needed to get done that night. As a result of Brett's above and beyond the call of duty kindness, I'm directing people who want signed copies to Page & Palette, who have a limited number of then on hand despite an amazing signing event (they ordered a lot!).
Also, a big shout out to Gary Williamson of Southern Comfort Limousine, who provided excellent service and company and was my white knight after a very long day. I didn't get home and in bed until around 1am! But what a day!
No rest for the wicked because the next day I spoke at Homewood Public Library, giving a presentation to one hundred and ninety 4th-6th grade students from Our Lady of Sorrows and Creative Montessori. If I had any fears about "prophets in their hometown," these kids put it to rest. I couldn't ask for a better crowd for the last leg of the Frostborn tour part one. And their enthusiasm spilled over to my signing that night at the Little Professor Book Center. A huge shout out to bookseller Sara Glassman both for organizing all of this and for working on her birthday - the cake bites were delicious! (Little Professor also has signed books on hand too).
Finally, I was home and done with the tour thus far. But did I rest? No! Friday, September 12th was spent signing 500 books (505.6 lbs in 42 cartons) that were supposed to be shipped out of here today! (More on where they are going later - and possibly on the difficulty getting them there, as the shipping service just refused to enter my house and left empty handed!)
And tomorrow I'm teaching in Cumming, Georgia. But don't feel sorry for me! I'm having a blast! Turns out I love talking to kids even more than I love talking to adults, and everywhere I go, people are unbelievably excited about Frostborn. I'm already getting fan mail, fan art, and photos of Thrones & Bones sets that families are making so that they can play at home. This is amazing!
And again, let me thank all the excellent people - teachers, students, booksellers, media escorts, drivers, friends old and new - and everyone else who has made this an experience I'll never forget. And a big shout out to my publicist, Lydia Finn at Random House, who made all of this possible and gets me home when I'm stranded on the road!
Looking forward for the next arm of the tour! Catch you on the road!
my debut middle grade fantasy novel. I've been on the road, speaking in schools and signing in bookstores, almost every day since Labor Day weekend through last Thursday, and I'm preparing to hit the road again soon. But in this brief lull, I wanted to recount the adventure so far.Labor Day weekend was Dragon Con, as exciting as always and one of my favorite conventions in the world. I heard the attendance numbers on NPR the next day, and I believe they were 68,000 or 72,000 or somewhere in that neighborhood. It's a hard show to work, and this year I participated in more panels than usual and did a signing too. In addition to the Writing/Editing and Science Fiction & Fantasy tracks (always a pleasure) I also joined the Kaleidoscope and YA Lit tracks, and had an absolute blast! And on Saturday, I got to sign Frostborn at The Missing Volume's booth alongside my cover and interior artist Justin Gerard.I didn't get home from Dragon Con until late Monday night, and Tuesday afternoon I was flying to Colorado. First up was Boulder, where I stayed in the 107 year old historic hotel, the Boulderado. Past guests included Theodore Roosevelt, Hellen Keller, and Louis Armstrong, and I got to drink from a glacier-fed water fountain. And the Spruce restaurant was utterly fantastic. That night I went for a walk and came upon the Boulder Book Store, where I found two copies of Frostborn (in which I hid trading cards, thank you Brandon Sanderson for the idea). The Boulder Book Store is a remarkable store - the kind of sprawling, multistory book shop whose basement and upper floors seem to extend beyond the building's walls into their neighbor's space. I'd love to do an event there on a subsequent trip.The next morning was Wednesday, September 3rd, and the official start of the tour. First up was the Nevin Platt Middle School, courtesy of Jeff Oliver from the local Barnes & Noble, where I spoke to two Language Arts classes back to back. Thank you to teacher Melissa Dole, and to all her students, you were wonderful and made a debut author's first speaking engagement a joy. Jeff sold out the books he had initially brought for the entire double-appearance entirely with the first class!
That evening, I signed Frostborn at the B&N. They had me up front, and I went through a good number of books before two enthusiastic children and their mothers asked if I were going to do a reading. So we moved to the back, where I read to a small (as the signing had been on for half an hour) but wildly enthusiastic group. Two kids kept me talking for 45 minutes with all their questions. One boy had started reading the book while we relocated, and when I read a passage he was so cute torn between listening to me and wanting to glance down at where he left off. His questions were really wonderful and insightful and I don't wonder but what I may have met the future head of my fan club.That evening I got to have dinner (again at the Spruce) and drinks with an old friend, roommate, and fraternity brother John Carini, who I haven't seen we graduated college, but we picked up like no time passed. Thank you, John, for a great evening. I hope it's not as long between our next visit as it was from our last.Thursday, I met media escort Beth Vagle, who took me to Fort Collins, Co. First up, we visited the Harris Bilingual School, a Spanish-immersion school. Some very polite students met Beth and I at the front and shepherded us to the library, where I spoke to around fifty 4th and 5th grade students. The kids were so excited and so fun to talk to, and all the teaches great. Hello to my school contact, teacher Martha Petty! You have great kids! Afterwards, I signed copies of Frostborn courtesy of Old Firehouse Books. Then, as I was packing to leave, Marthy Petty called me into their computer lab, where I was gobsmacked to see every single monitor engaged in playing the Knattleikr Training game on the Thrones and Bones website! I cannot tell you what a thrill it was to see so many kids playing my game at the same time. Unbelievable.After this fantastic start, I hoped a plane to Phoenix, Arizona, and the Hotel Renaissance Phoenix Downtown, where I would spend three nights. I was met early the next morning by media escort Pierre O'Rourke. Pierre has been driving for thirty years and is full of stories about celebrities he's befriended (including DeForest Kelly and James Doohan). He's also an author himself and gifted me a copy of his funny and touching, Note to Gibbs.
This stop was a little different, in that I was asked to teach a writing workshop at two different schools to classes who were “voracious for knowledge”. They didn't let me know about the teaching gig until I was underway, but fortunately, I had just in the days before Dragon Con retailored my ScripTips lecture to be child-friendly in anticipation of a talk I'm giving at the Vickery Middle School in Cumming, Georgia tomorrow night. Even more fortunately, I had it on a flash drive having made a last minute decision to carry it with me in case I needed to rehearse.
We barely got to Dobson Montessori in Mesa, Arizona in time. And with no lunch! Here I gave the same two presentations to twenty 6th to 8th grade students, and at this point to tell you that the kids were enthusiastic, asked great questions, taught me a thing or two, and were a blast to teach/present to would seem redundant, except that by now I had firmly realized that I love love love talking to kids, and I have found my audience.
That night, I had dinner at Chibo Urban Pizzeria Cafe with author and friend Sam Sykes and friend and Phoenix Comicon Books & Authors Manager Lee Whiteside. I've heard a lot about the Phoenix Comicon, and I hope I can check it out for myself before too long. Later, Sam and I had drinks in the hotel lobby for a bit. But we made it an early night, because, ahem, I'm a middle grade author now with responsibilities.
The next afternoon was an event at Changing Hands bookstore (the one on McClintock Drive). This was as special event because while it was open to the public, it was also for their middle school book club, Club Read, and their August book club pick was Frostborn. Also, staff member Eddie Case was leaving Changing Hands and handing over Club Read duties to Brandi Stewart, so it was a momentous occasion on many levels. But again, the talk was fantastic, with an audience of about fifty people, and we sold the table display down twice on top of the dozen or so books already purchased by Club Read. Fantastic event!I also had a surprise for the audience. My cartographer Robert Lazzaretti was on hand with his family, so everyone who got Frostborn signed that day had the special treat of getting the map signed by the cartographer in addition to an author signature. Afterwards, Pierre, I, and Lazzaretti's family adjourned to the adjoining cafe for carrot cake and coffee. Lazz's two daughters are budding artists too and each presented me with some very sweet fan art!The next morning, I left before breakfast for the flight home. I got back Sunday afternoon, managed one full day with the family on Monday, and then it was off by hired car on Tuesday to travel four hours to Fairhope, Alabama for my next stop. Dinner that night was at Tamara's Downtown, where I had escargot and chili-glazed salmon.
Wednesday, September 10th was quite the day. My morning began with a loud crash around 5:30 am. I rushed into the bathroom of the Hampton Inn to discover shattered glass all over the floor and water gushing through the ceiling light. I called the clerk on duty, who was flustered and said "Well, that is inconvenient. Are you able to exit your room?" I was, and did, but he told me that no one else would arrive before 7 am and he really didn't know what to do about it. He didn't seem to understand the seriousness of water actively pouring through an electrical appliance, but I eventually managed to get him to at least give me a second room so that I could bathe.
Things brightened up when my media escort Amanda Smith showed up, and we went to the Fairhope Intermediate School. This was the biggest group of kids I have ever addressed. In fact, with the possible exception of an io9-organized panel at the San Diego Comic Con a few years back, it may have been the biggest group I've ever addressed in my life. Six hundred - yes 600! - kids from Fairhope's 5th to 6th grade - the entire student body of the school! Was I intimidated? Right until they introduced me. Then I discovered something. If talking to fifty kids is great, talking to six hundred kids is fantastic!!!I arrived at the Page & Palette bookstore thirty minutes early, where store contact Stephanie Emrich helped me set up in the nick of time, as students from both school talks were already starting to arrive when I got there. I signed Frostborn for two and a half hours, and after 6pm, when I was packing to go, had to unpack my stamp and pen to sign more!
Finally, I stepped outside the bookstore to discover no one waiting for me. Random House sent a limo service to drive me down to Fairhpe, but when I came out after a full day of speaking and signing, there was no return car! A Page & Palette employee named Brett Foster kindly gave me a lift to a rental car service, which was closed, then another, also closed. He ended up sitting with me for two hours at Moe's BBQ while we waited for a car to come from Mobile, AL. As it turned out, Brett was a long time Star Trek fan, and I hope I entertained him with dinner and my tales of being on the sets of Trek and Babylon 5 in my journalist years, but I know he had somewhere else to be and work he needed to get done that night. As a result of Brett's above and beyond the call of duty kindness, I'm directing people who want signed copies to Page & Palette, who have a limited number of then on hand despite an amazing signing event (they ordered a lot!).Also, a big shout out to Gary Williamson of Southern Comfort Limousine, who provided excellent service and company and was my white knight after a very long day. I didn't get home and in bed until around 1am! But what a day!
No rest for the wicked because the next day I spoke at Homewood Public Library, giving a presentation to one hundred and ninety 4th-6th grade students from Our Lady of Sorrows and Creative Montessori. If I had any fears about "prophets in their hometown," these kids put it to rest. I couldn't ask for a better crowd for the last leg of the Frostborn tour part one. And their enthusiasm spilled over to my signing that night at the Little Professor Book Center. A huge shout out to bookseller Sara Glassman both for organizing all of this and for working on her birthday - the cake bites were delicious! (Little Professor also has signed books on hand too).Finally, I was home and done with the tour thus far. But did I rest? No! Friday, September 12th was spent signing 500 books (505.6 lbs in 42 cartons) that were supposed to be shipped out of here today! (More on where they are going later - and possibly on the difficulty getting them there, as the shipping service just refused to enter my house and left empty handed!)And tomorrow I'm teaching in Cumming, Georgia. But don't feel sorry for me! I'm having a blast! Turns out I love talking to kids even more than I love talking to adults, and everywhere I go, people are unbelievably excited about Frostborn. I'm already getting fan mail, fan art, and photos of Thrones & Bones sets that families are making so that they can play at home. This is amazing!
And again, let me thank all the excellent people - teachers, students, booksellers, media escorts, drivers, friends old and new - and everyone else who has made this an experience I'll never forget. And a big shout out to my publicist, Lydia Finn at Random House, who made all of this possible and gets me home when I'm stranded on the road!
Looking forward for the next arm of the tour! Catch you on the road!
Monday, September 08, 2014
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.
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.
Next Stop: The Page & Palette Bookstore
The Frostborn tour rolls on. Next up, catch me at the Page & Palette bookstore in Fairhope, AL on Wednesday, September 10th at 4pm.
Tuesday, September 02, 2014
The Frostborn Tour Begins!
The Frostborn Tour begins this week. Here are the tour dates currently scheduled. Note some changes from earlier versions.
Wednesday September 03, 2014 5:30 PM
Barnes and Noble Reading/Signing
Crossroads Commons
2999 Pearl Street, Boulder, CO 80301
303-444-0349
(daytime visit to the Platt Middle School)
Thursday September 4th, 2014
(daytime visits to the Harris Bilingual School and the Rivendell School)
Friday September 5th
Changing Hands Bookstore
6428 S. McClinktock Dr.
Tempe, AZ 85283
480-730-0205
*school visits only
Saturday September 6th, 2 PM
Changing Hands Bookstore
6428 S. McClinktock Dr.
Tempe, AZ 85283
480-730-0205
Barnes and Noble Reading/Signing
Crossroads Commons
2999 Pearl Street, Boulder, CO 80301
303-444-0349
(daytime visit to the Platt Middle School)
Thursday September 4th, 2014
(daytime visits to the Harris Bilingual School and the Rivendell School)
Friday September 5th
Changing Hands Bookstore
6428 S. McClinktock Dr.
Tempe, AZ 85283
480-730-0205
*school visits only
Saturday September 6th, 2 PM
Changing Hands Bookstore
6428 S. McClinktock Dr.
Tempe, AZ 85283
480-730-0205
*daytime event with the Changing Hands Kids Book Club (and general public)
Wednesday Sept. 10th, 4:00 PM
Page & Palette
Wednesday Sept. 10th, 4:00 PM
Page & Palette
32 S. Section St.
Fairhope, AL 36532
251-928-5295
(daytime visit with Fairhope Intermediate School and J. Larry Newton School)
Thursday Sept. 11th, 6:00 PM
Little Professor Book Center
2717 18th St. S.
Homewood, AL 35209
205-870-7461
(daytime presentation at the Homewood Public Library for the Our Lady of Sorrows and Creative Montessori schools)
Tuesday, September 16, 2014, 6:30 PM-8PM
Young Authors Program
Vickery Creek Middle School
6240 Post Road
Cumming, GA 30040
Event and location details forthcoming. Time subject to change.
Open to any student in Forsyth County and their families.
Thursday, September 18, 2014 7:00 PM
Books-a-Million
757 Brookwood Village, Birmingham, AL 35209
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Tweens Read Book Festival
South Houston High School
3820 Shaver St, South Houston, TX 77587
713-740-0350
Thursday, October 9, 2014 3:00 PM - 3:45 PM
New York Comic Con
Panel Name: Coffee Talk with Dragons and Monsters
Description: What makes a monster something to be feared? To become a force to be reckoned with? To be bigger than life? Are its eyes too big, teeth too sharp and does it have a tail? Is it Human? A Creature? Supernatural? Powerful? Diabolical? Insane? Or Maybe just misunderstood? Join R.L Stine (Party Games), Caitlin Kittredge (Black Dog), Lou Anders (Frostborn), Brandon Sanderson (Steelheart and Firefight), Paul Pope (The Rise of Aurora West), Ethan Reid (The Undying), Ransom Riggs (Hollow City; Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children) and moderator Thomas Sniegoski (Walking in the Midst of Fire) as they discuss the “monsters” in their books and what makes them truly something or someone you would not like to meet alone in a dark alley...or a dark forest, or a dark cave....
Friday, October 10, 2014 1:00 PM - 1:45 PM
New York Comic Con
Title: Geek Geek Revolution
Description: GEEK GEEK REVOLUTION is a no-holds-barred geek culture game show featuring six science fiction/fantasy authors competing for the chance to be TOP GEEK. In addition the audience members will be asked to 'write-in' questions in hopes of stumping the authors and winning a prize pack of books. Hold onto your hats, nerf herders, this might get ugly. Featuring authors: Peter Brett, Maureen Johnson, Django Wexler, Rachel Caine, Lou Anders, and Lev Grossman
Saturday, October 12, 2014
wik'14: Writing & Illustrating for Kids*
Spain Park High School (Birmingham)
4700 Jaguar Drive
Hoover, AL 35242
* Not a Frostborn-specific event. I am teaching a two part lecture "ScripTips: Hollywood Screenwriting Techniques from 10am-11:45am, but I will happily sign books.
Friday-Sunday, November 14-16, 2014
Windycon 41*
Westin Lombard Yorktown Center
70 Yorktown Shopping Center, Lombard, IL 60148
630-719-8000
*Not a Frostborn-specific event. I'm Editor Guest of Honor, but will happily sign books.
Additional dates in other cities are being added. I'll update this list as they are confirmed.
Fairhope, AL 36532
251-928-5295
(daytime visit with Fairhope Intermediate School and J. Larry Newton School)
Thursday Sept. 11th, 6:00 PM
Little Professor Book Center
2717 18th St. S.
Homewood, AL 35209
205-870-7461
(daytime presentation at the Homewood Public Library for the Our Lady of Sorrows and Creative Montessori schools)
Tuesday, September 16, 2014, 6:30 PM-8PM
Young Authors Program
Vickery Creek Middle School
6240 Post Road
Cumming, GA 30040
Event and location details forthcoming. Time subject to change.
Open to any student in Forsyth County and their families.
Thursday, September 18, 2014 7:00 PM
Books-a-Million
757 Brookwood Village, Birmingham, AL 35209
Athens, GA 30601
Phone:(706) 352-2060
Phone:(706) 352-2060
(daytime presentations for Clarke Middle School and Double Helix)
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Tweens Read Book Festival
South Houston High School
3820 Shaver St, South Houston, TX 77587
713-740-0350
Thursday, October 9, 2014 3:00 PM - 3:45 PM
New York Comic Con
Panel Name: Coffee Talk with Dragons and Monsters
Description: What makes a monster something to be feared? To become a force to be reckoned with? To be bigger than life? Are its eyes too big, teeth too sharp and does it have a tail? Is it Human? A Creature? Supernatural? Powerful? Diabolical? Insane? Or Maybe just misunderstood? Join R.L Stine (Party Games), Caitlin Kittredge (Black Dog), Lou Anders (Frostborn), Brandon Sanderson (Steelheart and Firefight), Paul Pope (The Rise of Aurora West), Ethan Reid (The Undying), Ransom Riggs (Hollow City; Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children) and moderator Thomas Sniegoski (Walking in the Midst of Fire) as they discuss the “monsters” in their books and what makes them truly something or someone you would not like to meet alone in a dark alley...or a dark forest, or a dark cave....
Friday, October 10, 2014 1:00 PM - 1:45 PM
New York Comic Con
Title: Geek Geek Revolution
Description: GEEK GEEK REVOLUTION is a no-holds-barred geek culture game show featuring six science fiction/fantasy authors competing for the chance to be TOP GEEK. In addition the audience members will be asked to 'write-in' questions in hopes of stumping the authors and winning a prize pack of books. Hold onto your hats, nerf herders, this might get ugly. Featuring authors: Peter Brett, Maureen Johnson, Django Wexler, Rachel Caine, Lou Anders, and Lev Grossman
Saturday, October 12, 2014
wik'14: Writing & Illustrating for Kids*
Spain Park High School (Birmingham)
4700 Jaguar Drive
Hoover, AL 35242
* Not a Frostborn-specific event. I am teaching a two part lecture "ScripTips: Hollywood Screenwriting Techniques from 10am-11:45am, but I will happily sign books.
Friday-Sunday, November 14-16, 2014
Windycon 41*
Westin Lombard Yorktown Center
70 Yorktown Shopping Center, Lombard, IL 60148
630-719-8000
*Not a Frostborn-specific event. I'm Editor Guest of Honor, but will happily sign books.
Additional dates in other cities are being added. I'll update this list as they are confirmed.
Frostborn Giveaway and Interview
The contest ends September 5th and has to be restricted to US residents, but please drop by her blog, read the interview, and enter!
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Sit, Write, Bleed... Talk!
Today, Sit.Write.Bleed posts a review of Frostborn (Thrones and Bones).I'm very gratified by the
words, which, though not without criticism, say:
I'm very gratified by the This isn't my Hobbit, but after reading it twice through, I am almost certain it would have been if I was eleven in 2014. Anders has crafted a tale filled with ages-old themes and lessons that I think are often missing from a lot of today's fantasy, be it Middle-Grade or Adult. Friendship, Courage, Intelligence, and Trust--these are things that are often assumed to be in the background of every children's novel, but rarely are they talked about openly and pursued passionately, let alone done well. I believe this to be a major reason why I dislike Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series so much--when it is done out in the open it is too campy to my taste, and when it hidden in the background I just don't care. Anders falls more in with JK Rowling and Lloyd Alexander, so much so with the latter that I almost felt like I was reading The Book of Three (another classic everyone should read.) To put a point on it, I was taken on a great adventure and learned something.Meanwhile, I'm interviewed on Adventures in SciFi Publishing. I used to be a frequent guest of the show, though haven't been on since host/founder Shaun Farrell stepped away. Now Shaun has returned (yay!) and I join him, Moses Siregar, and Brent Bowen for a discussion of:
- Worldbuilding with the help of modern technology;
- Gaming culture and how that works in medieval societies;
- The distinction between YA and middle grade writing;
- Traveling to Norway to research the setting and cultural inspiration for Norrengard;
- Working with Robert Lazzarreti;
- The incredible video game found on the Thrones and Bones website, not mention other media tie-in products and experiences!
- Fractal Terrains 3, which Lou used to design his world;
- Shooting Vikings (context in the interview!);
- How important gaming can be to developing world-building skills. Lou loves Skyrim, by the way;
- Testing the module for the Thrones and Bones game with Howard Andrews Jones, Howard Tayler, Scott Lynch, Dave Gross, and Saladin Ahmed.
Monday, August 25, 2014
Two Personal Pieces
Today, oddly, sees two different guest posts for me; odd because both of these pieces are rather personal. One is about the challenges I faced during the process of revising Frostborn (Thrones and Bones), and the other is about some of my reasons for writing it.First, I'm on speculative fiction magazine Bull Spec's blog, the latest author to accept the challenge of their "The Hardest Part" series, in this case writing about what it was like for the editor to be edited.
Then, thanks to Ellen Oh, I am a guest on The Enchanted Inkpot, talking about writing for my biracial children as relates to Frostborn's half-giant, half-human character.
Friday, August 22, 2014
Writing for My Kids... And Yours
Dragon Con Schedule
Dragon Con is right around the corner. Held in Atlanta, Georgia from August 29th to September 1, this is a massive convention that is always one of the highlights of my year.
Here is where I, and a ton of other awesome authors, can be found. See the bottom for Frostborn (Thrones and Bones) signing information. Additionally, I'll be manning the Pyr booth in the exhibit hall throughout the con when I am not needed elsewhere (booth # 424,425).
Title: Dragons, Magic, & Mystical Lands: High Fantasy in YA
Description: The orphan of uncertain heritage, the talisman discovered, a kingdom under siege... how YA is putting its stamp on fantasy tropes.
Time: Fri 10:00 am Location: A707 - Marriott (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Leigh Bardugo, Susan Fichtelberg, Lou Anders, Kat Zhang, A. J. Hartley, Todd McCaffrey)
-------------------
Title: Strategies for the Catastrophes of Publishing
Description: Learn what options exist for authors if a publisher bankrupts or a editor quits midstream, among other catastrophes.
Time: Fri 11:30 am Location: Embassy D-F - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Lou Anders, Janny Wurts, Chesya Burke, Laura Anne Gilman, Elizabeth Moon, James A. Moore)
-------------------
Title: Pyr Rising!
Description: Lou Anders returns to Dragon Con to tell fans what Pyr is planning.
Time: Fri 04:00 pm Location: Regency V - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)
Moderator / MC for panel
(Tentative Panelists: Lou Anders, Jon Sprunk, Clay and Susan Griffith, Mike Resnick, Joel Shepherd)
-------------------
Title: The Young Nerd Life
Description: There are many shows families watch together! Let's discuss those shows & how kids fit into the world of fandom.
Time: Fri 07:00 pm Location: A708 - Marriott (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Lou Anders, Davey Beauchamp, Ronald Thomas Garner)
-------------------
Title: Whadya Wanna Know?
Description: This roundtable discussion will address questions from the audience about all aspects of writing.
Time: Sat 10:00 am Location: Embassy D-F - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Nancy Knight, Georgia McBride, Claire M. Eddy, Lou Anders)
Time: Mon 10:00 am – 11:00am (Length: 1 Hour) Location: Embassy D-F – Hyatt
(Tentative Panelists: Jim Butcher, Lou Anders, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, Janny Wurts, Peter David, Gene Wolfe, Nancy Knight)
Additionally, I will be doing a signing at the Missing Volume booksellers booth, on Saturday at 12 noon, along with Frostborn (Thrones and Bones)
cover and interior artist Justin Gerard. Come see us and get your copy of Frostborn signed by both the author and the artist at booth location 328, 329, & 330.
Here is where I, and a ton of other awesome authors, can be found. See the bottom for Frostborn (Thrones and Bones)
signing information. Additionally, I'll be manning the Pyr booth in the exhibit hall throughout the con when I am not needed elsewhere (booth # 424,425).Title: Dragons, Magic, & Mystical Lands: High Fantasy in YA
Description: The orphan of uncertain heritage, the talisman discovered, a kingdom under siege... how YA is putting its stamp on fantasy tropes.
Time: Fri 10:00 am Location: A707 - Marriott (Length: 1 Hour)(Tentative Panelists: Leigh Bardugo, Susan Fichtelberg, Lou Anders, Kat Zhang, A. J. Hartley, Todd McCaffrey)
-------------------
Description: Learn what options exist for authors if a publisher bankrupts or a editor quits midstream, among other catastrophes.
Time: Fri 11:30 am Location: Embassy D-F - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Lou Anders, Janny Wurts, Chesya Burke, Laura Anne Gilman, Elizabeth Moon, James A. Moore)
-------------------
Title: Pyr Rising!
Time: Fri 04:00 pm Location: Regency V - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)
Moderator / MC for panel
-------------------
Title: The Young Nerd Life
Description: There are many shows families watch together! Let's discuss those shows & how kids fit into the world of fandom.
Time: Fri 07:00 pm Location: A708 - Marriott (Length: 1 Hour)
-------------------
Title: Whadya Wanna Know?
Time: Sat 10:00 am Location: Embassy D-F - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)
-------------------
Title: I Have This Idea
Description: How to develop an idea into a novel. Basic tools to take an idea from that little germ into a full-blown blockbuster.Time: Mon 10:00 am – 11:00am (Length: 1 Hour) Location: Embassy D-F – Hyatt
(Tentative Panelists: Jim Butcher, Lou Anders, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, Janny Wurts, Peter David, Gene Wolfe, Nancy Knight)
Additionally, I will be doing a signing at the Missing Volume booksellers booth, on Saturday at 12 noon, along with Frostborn (Thrones and Bones)
cover and interior artist Justin Gerard. Come see us and get your copy of Frostborn signed by both the author and the artist at booth location 328, 329, & 330.Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Kirkus Reviews: Q&A
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
SFF180's Mailbag Monday (on Tuesday)
Thank you SFF10 of the very nice Frostborn (Thrones and Bones) shout out and kind words on yesterday's edition of Mailbag Monday!
shout out and kind words on yesterday's edition of Mailbag Monday!The Jon Sprunk Interview
My friend, and awesome fantasy author, Jon Sprunk interviewed me for his blog. We talk about RPGs, Norway, cartography, world building, and wearing too many hats! Please check it out. Here's a sample:Frostborn,
Lou: Music is always a big influence on me, whatever I’m working on. For this series, I’ve made a playlist that mixes Howard Shore’s score for The Fellowship of the Ring and his The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (extended versions of both of course), with Jeremy Soule’s Skyrim soundtrack, and, in preparation for book three, I’ve just added John Powell’s How to Train Your Dragon 2 and two versions of Carl Orff’s “O Fortuna,” (which you may remember from its use in the climax of the film Excalibur). Also, I blasted “O Fortuna” on the way to my first reading/signing to help get in the mood.
Monday, August 18, 2014
SF Signal Interview
This morning, I am interviewed by the wonderful Kristin Centorcelli for SF Signal. We talk about RPGs, Norway, children's literature, and more. And through the generosity of Random House Children's Books, there's a contest to win 1 of 5 copies of Frostbornas well.Read the enormously titled, "A Chat with Lou Anders about World Building, Influences and What Makes FROSTBORN so Special (PLUS: Giveaway!)"
Friday, August 15, 2014
The Frostborn Tour
An update of all the tour dates:
Saturday August 09, 2014 4:00 PM
The Official Launch: Barnes and Noble Reading/Signing
Barnes and Noble @ The Summit Birmingham
Summit Shopping Center, 201 Summit Boulevard Suite 100, Birmingham, AL 35243
205-298-0665
Thursday August 29 - Monday September 1, 2014
DragonCon
Atlanta, Georgia
Panel Appearances
Signing with Justin Gerard at The Missing Volume (booth location 328, 329, & 330)
Saturday, August 30th at 12 noon
Come see us and get your copy of Frostborn signed by both the author and the artist!
Wednesday September 03, 2014 5:30 PM
Barnes and Noble Reading/Signing
Crossroads Commons
2999 Pearl Street, Boulder, CO 80301
303-444-0349
Thursday September 4th, 2014 (time to come)
Old Firehouse Books
232 Walnut St.
Fort Collins, CO 80524
970-484-7898
*school visits and evening signing
Friday September 5th
Changing Hands Bookstore
6428 S. McClinktock Dr.
Tempe, AZ 85283
480-730-0205
*school visits only
Saturday September 6th, 2 PM
Changing Hands Bookstore
6428 S. McClinktock Dr.
Tempe, AZ 85283
480-730-0205
The Official Launch: Barnes and Noble Reading/Signing
Barnes and Noble @ The Summit Birmingham
Summit Shopping Center, 201 Summit Boulevard Suite 100, Birmingham, AL 35243
205-298-0665
Thursday August 29 - Monday September 1, 2014
DragonCon
Atlanta, Georgia
Panel Appearances
Signing with Justin Gerard at The Missing Volume (booth location 328, 329, & 330)
Saturday, August 30th at 12 noon
Come see us and get your copy of Frostborn signed by both the author and the artist!
Wednesday September 03, 2014 5:30 PM
Barnes and Noble Reading/Signing
Crossroads Commons
2999 Pearl Street, Boulder, CO 80301
303-444-0349
Thursday September 4th, 2014 (time to come)
Old Firehouse Books
232 Walnut St.
Fort Collins, CO 80524
970-484-7898
*school visits and evening signing
Friday September 5th
Changing Hands Bookstore
6428 S. McClinktock Dr.
Tempe, AZ 85283
480-730-0205
*school visits only
Saturday September 6th, 2 PM
Changing Hands Bookstore
6428 S. McClinktock Dr.
Tempe, AZ 85283
480-730-0205
*daytime event with the Changing Hands Kids Book Club (and general public)
Wednesday Sept. 10th, 4:00 PM
Page & Palette
Wednesday Sept. 10th, 4:00 PM
Page & Palette
32 S. Section St.
Fairhope, AL 36532
251-928-5295
*school visits and in-store signing
Thursday Sept. 11th, 6:00 PM
Little Professor Book Center
2717 18th St. S.
Homewood, AL 35209
205-870-7461
*school visit, local library visit and in-store signing at 6PM
Tuesday, September 16, 2014, 6:30 PM-8PM
Young Authors Program
Vickery Creek Middle School
6240 Post Road
Cumming, GA 30040
Event and location details forthcoming. Time subject to change.
Open to any student in Forsyth County and their families.
Thursday, September 18, 2014 7:00 PM
Books-a-Million
757 Brookwood Village, Birmingham, AL 35209
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Tweens Read Book Festival
South Houston High School
3820 Shaver St, South Houston, TX 77587
713-740-0350
Thursday, October 9, 2014 3:00 PM - 3:45 PM
New York Comic Con
Panel Name: Coffee Talk with Dragons and Monsters
Description: What makes a monster something to be feared? To become a force to be reckoned with? To be bigger than life? Are its eyes too big, teeth too sharp and does it have a tail? Is it Human? A Creature? Supernatural? Powerful? Diabolical? Insane? Or Maybe just misunderstood? Join R.L Stine (Party Games), Caitlin Kittredge (Black Dog), Lou Anders (Frostborn), Brandon Sanderson (Steelheart and Firefight), Paul Pope (The Rise of Aurora West), Ethan Reid (The Undying), Ransom Riggs (Hollow City; Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children) and moderator Thomas Sniegoski (Walking in the Midst of Fire) as they discuss the “monsters” in their books and what makes them truly something or someone you would not like to meet alone in a dark alley...or a dark forest, or a dark cave....
Thursday, October 9at 7:30pm - 8:30pm
Fairhope, AL 36532
251-928-5295
*school visits and in-store signing
Thursday Sept. 11th, 6:00 PM
Little Professor Book Center
2717 18th St. S.
Homewood, AL 35209
205-870-7461
*school visit, local library visit and in-store signing at 6PM
Tuesday, September 16, 2014, 6:30 PM-8PM
Young Authors Program
Vickery Creek Middle School
6240 Post Road
Cumming, GA 30040
Event and location details forthcoming. Time subject to change.
Open to any student in Forsyth County and their families.
Thursday, September 18, 2014 7:00 PM
Books-a-Million
757 Brookwood Village, Birmingham, AL 35209
Athens, GA 30601
Phone:(706) 352-2060
Phone:(706) 352-2060
*school visit and in-store signing
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Tweens Read Book Festival
South Houston High School
3820 Shaver St, South Houston, TX 77587
713-740-0350
Thursday, October 9, 2014 3:00 PM - 3:45 PM
New York Comic Con
Panel Name: Coffee Talk with Dragons and Monsters
Description: What makes a monster something to be feared? To become a force to be reckoned with? To be bigger than life? Are its eyes too big, teeth too sharp and does it have a tail? Is it Human? A Creature? Supernatural? Powerful? Diabolical? Insane? Or Maybe just misunderstood? Join R.L Stine (Party Games), Caitlin Kittredge (Black Dog), Lou Anders (Frostborn), Brandon Sanderson (Steelheart and Firefight), Paul Pope (The Rise of Aurora West), Ethan Reid (The Undying), Ransom Riggs (Hollow City; Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children) and moderator Thomas Sniegoski (Walking in the Midst of Fire) as they discuss the “monsters” in their books and what makes them truly something or someone you would not like to meet alone in a dark alley...or a dark forest, or a dark cave....
Thursday, October 9at 7:30pm - 8:30pm
Description: Lou Anders presents a Frostborn Reading and Game Night
Calling young gamers: come meet author Lou Anders, learn about the Viking-inspired adventure Frostborn, and play the game that goes along with the book! Recommended for ages 8 and up, open to all.
Friday, October 10, 2014 1:00 PM - 1:45 PM
New York Comic Con
Title: Geek Geek Revolution
Description: GEEK GEEK REVOLUTION is a no-holds-barred geek culture game show featuring six science fiction/fantasy authors competing for the chance to be TOP GEEK. In addition the audience members will be asked to 'write-in' questions in hopes of stumping the authors and winning a prize pack of books. Hold onto your hats, nerf herders, this might get ugly. Featuring authors: Peter Brett, Maureen Johnson, Django Wexler, Rachel Caine, Lou Anders, and Lev Grossman
Saturday, October 12, 2014
wik'14: Writing & Illustrating for Kids*
Spain Park High School (Birmingham)
4700 Jaguar Drive
Hoover, AL 35242
* Not a Frostborn-specific event. I am teaching a two part lecture "ScripTips: Hollywood Screenwriting Techniques from 10am-11:45am, but I will happily sign books.
Friday-Sunday, November 14-16, 2014
Windycon 41*
Westin Lombard Yorktown Center
70 Yorktown Shopping Center, Lombard, IL 60148
630-719-8000
*Not a Frostborn-specific event. I'm Editor Guest of Honor, but will happily sign books.
Additional dates in other cities are being added. I'll update this list as they are confirmed.
Calling young gamers: come meet author Lou Anders, learn about the Viking-inspired adventure Frostborn, and play the game that goes along with the book! Recommended for ages 8 and up, open to all.
Friday, October 10, 2014 1:00 PM - 1:45 PM
New York Comic Con
Title: Geek Geek Revolution
Description: GEEK GEEK REVOLUTION is a no-holds-barred geek culture game show featuring six science fiction/fantasy authors competing for the chance to be TOP GEEK. In addition the audience members will be asked to 'write-in' questions in hopes of stumping the authors and winning a prize pack of books. Hold onto your hats, nerf herders, this might get ugly. Featuring authors: Peter Brett, Maureen Johnson, Django Wexler, Rachel Caine, Lou Anders, and Lev Grossman
Saturday, October 12, 2014
wik'14: Writing & Illustrating for Kids*
Spain Park High School (Birmingham)
4700 Jaguar Drive
Hoover, AL 35242
* Not a Frostborn-specific event. I am teaching a two part lecture "ScripTips: Hollywood Screenwriting Techniques from 10am-11:45am, but I will happily sign books.
Friday-Sunday, November 14-16, 2014
Windycon 41*
Westin Lombard Yorktown Center
70 Yorktown Shopping Center, Lombard, IL 60148
630-719-8000
*Not a Frostborn-specific event. I'm Editor Guest of Honor, but will happily sign books.
Additional dates in other cities are being added. I'll update this list as they are confirmed.
A Life Worth Telling
Earlier this week, I was honored to be a guest on "A Life Worth Telling", a writing-centric show on UAB's Blaze Radio, hosted by Mary Doss. We talked for an hour about Frostborn (Thrones and Bones), covering everything from the three decade journey to get to the point of having a book published to my research trip to Norway while working on revisions. The interview can be downloaded in mp3 format here for those interested.
Thursday, August 14, 2014
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:
dragons, RPG games, and Norway.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."
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Some more news roundup
Frostborn is a week old today. And the good things just keep happening.
Powells.com, Portland's giant independent bookstore chain, has just selected Frostborn as one of their Staff Picks! Richard C. of Powells.com writes, "Drawing on Norse legends is the first of a series involving Karn, a farm boy who would rather play board games, and Thianna, a half-frost giantess. They join together to battle trolls, walking dead, and a fire-breathing dragon. This is a wonderful summer read filled with humor and adventure."
Powells.com, Portland's giant independent bookstore chain, has just selected Frostborn as one of their Staff Picks! Richard C. of Powells.com writes, "Drawing on Norse legends is the first of a series involving Karn, a farm boy who would rather play board games, and Thianna, a half-frost giantess. They join together to battle trolls, walking dead, and a fire-breathing dragon. This is a wonderful summer read filled with humor and adventure."
Storytime Hooligans called Frostborn "A great addition to public and upper elementary/middle school libraries" and said that, "When a writer pack a fantasy novel with this many mythological elements, the resulting book can feel like a checklist instead of a story. Anders, however, knows how to create a believable backstory and personality for each species and individual, resulting in an exciting pseudo-Norse world in which our heroes may romp."
And Black Gate is kindly hosting a guest blog from me where I discuss my fantasy-upbringing in "Why I Write What I Write How I Write It."
Monday, August 11, 2014
The Frostborn Launch Event
This past Saturday, we launched Frostborn in style at the Barnes and Noble Booksellers at the
Summit Shopping Center in Birmingham, Alabama. I'm deeply grateful to Community Relations Manager Pam Tindal and to the entire B&N staff, and to all the people who came out and supported the launch. As I said at the event, last week marked the culmination of a journey that began decades ago, and apart from my marriage and the birth of my children, feels like one of the crowning moments of my life thus far.
For over a decade now, I've been speaking 6 to 10 times a year to audiences all over America (and sometimes overseas), telling them how amazing other people's books are. This is the first time I've ever really done it for myself. T'aint easy! I'm deeply grateful to everyone who came and helped break me in to this new phase of my professional life.
It was an amazing launch for the Thrones and Bones series. So many friends, acquaintances, and new faces too. It was an amazing time. I signed books for over an hour!
And everyone who bought a book got it not only signed but stamped in Norse runes, and went home with all four of the custom trading cards in "series one" of the Thrones and Bones collectable card set. I hope everyone had as good a time as I did.
So, how did we do?
Before:
After:
I would call that a success!
For over a decade now, I've been speaking 6 to 10 times a year to audiences all over America (and sometimes overseas), telling them how amazing other people's books are. This is the first time I've ever really done it for myself. T'aint easy! I'm deeply grateful to everyone who came and helped break me in to this new phase of my professional life.It was an amazing launch for the Thrones and Bones series. So many friends, acquaintances, and new faces too. It was an amazing time. I signed books for over an hour!
And everyone who bought a book got it not only signed but stamped in Norse runes, and went home with all four of the custom trading cards in "series one" of the Thrones and Bones collectable card set. I hope everyone had as good a time as I did.So, how did we do?
Before:
After:
I would call that a success!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)