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Rick Riordan's Blog
November 29, 2011
Back from Poseidon's Country
The family and I just returned from a quick Thanksgiving trip to the Caribbean. Don't worry -- I'm still spending most of my time working on The Mark of Athena, but every so often I need to recharge the batteries and take a trip -- especially when I'm writing a story about a boat (The Argo II, of course). Our five-day cruise gave me all sorts of inspiration.
We flew into San Juan, Puerto Rico. I knew the trip was off to a good start, because on our first flight from San Antonio to Dallas, we had five Magellanic penguins from Sea World aboard our plane. Felix from The Kane Chronicles would've been grinning ear to ear. The penguins were heading to Virginia with their trainers. Hope they had a safe flight!
Once in Puerto Rico, we spent the night at the local Hilton Caribe, where everybody welcomed us like family. We've been through San Juan several times, and I always love visiting. It reminds me of my hometown San Antonio, except with an amazing beach.
The next morning we wandered through the streets of the old city -- cobblestone paths, cool shops, pastel buildings, and lots of friendly people. We had some excellent mofongo at Barrachina and met the restaurant's red macaw. Barrachina is where the pina colada was invented. I don't drink, but Becky had one and declared it excellent. Afterwards, we wandered down a beautiful shady street between El Convento Hotel and the Governor's Palace. At least one cat was sleeping under every car. Cats are no fools, as the goddess Bast can tell you. They will always find the coolest, shadiest spots. And yes, we took a lot of pictures of cats:
That afternoon, we boarded our cruise ship (not the Princess Andromeda, fortunately) and sailed for St. John, in the US Virgin Islands. We didn't spend very long at Cruz Bay, but we did a little shopping and sightseeing, and had one of the best breakfasts we've ever had at Jake's. Wow, that was good stuff! I had the homemade corned beef hash with scrambled eggs. Patrick devoured the French toast. Pretty much everything was outstanding. If you're ever on the island, you need to go. Becky also got some amazing pictures of the clouds at dawn as we sailed in:
The next day brought us to Saint Bart's, which we'd never visited before. I understand it is the richest Caribbean island, where many celebrities have homes. Certainly the main town of Gustavia has that Beverly Hills vibe. We passed Jimmy Buffett's Le Select restaurant. Legend has it that Buffett wrote "Cheeseburger in Paradise" on St. Bart's. However, we did not stop in for the $50 burger. Beautiful place, but a little on the expensive side!
On Thanksgiving Day, we arrived in St. Maarten/St. Martin, an island divided between Dutch and French halves. This is the island we've visited more than any other, and I appreciate it more each time. It earns its reputation as the 'Friendly Island.' I appreciate its laid back, international vibe. We visited Orient Bay on the French side, which is one of the best beaches on the island -- or anywhere, in my opinion. As a bonus treat, we met a local reggae artist Dread I who was roaming the beach, offering a free listen to his albums. Nice guy. I told him I'd look him up on iTunes, and I've since bought his albums. If you enjoy reggae, check him out! Here's a YouTube video of him on the beach (taken by someone else).
On our final day of cruising we visited Virgin Gorda, which got its name from Christopher Columbus, who supposedly thought the island looked like a plump maiden reclining on her side. I didn't see that, but we did visit the Baths, which is a maze of huge boulders leading down to a beach with caves and tide pools. Really interesting place, and worth a return visit!
While on the cruise, I had time for some good reading. I finished Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus, which certainly lived up to its buzz. The prose sparkles, and the story itself is a feat of magical acrobatics. It's a hard book to summarize, but basically two ancient magicians set their two best pupils against one another in a magical contest. Its venue? A mysterious circus that only appears at night. The only problem: the contestants don't really know the rules, or how victory is determined. And when the contestants start falling in love which each other, things get complicated.
Now I'm reading 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami. I'd heard it was a difficult read, and certainly it is long, at well over 900 pages, but I find that I'm flying through it. Murakami knows how to keep the pages turning with a brilliant mix of mystery, fantasy and intrigue. Two characters, Aomame and Tengu, find themselves slipping into an alternate version of the world in 1984 -- a world Aomame names 1Q84. What is causing this shift, and whom can they trust? Those are just some of the questions facing them. The book reminds me of Orwell, of course, but also Gabriel Marquez and some early dark urban fantasy like The Land of Laughs by Jonathan Carroll or Little, Big by John Crowley. (Which you should read, if you haven't.) Yet Murakami isn't really like anyone else, exactly. He has that fresh 'something,' just like the fictional editor Komatsu in his narrative is looking for. Check out the book!
Meanwhile, Becky read the latest entry in Alan Bradley's Flavia de Luce series, I Am Half-Sick of Shadows. She really enjoyed this entry -- a great mystery set in 1950s England with an irrepressible, precocious young narrator.
Patrick finished up Michael Scott's latest, The Warlock, and the conclusion of James Dashner's trilogy, The Death Cure. Both got thumbs up!
Haley is reading the third Sandman Slim novel from Richard Kadrey: Aloha from Hell. Great urban fantasy noir, but definitely for older teens and adults.
The pictures didn't show up, so if you want to see them, click the link
Thanks!
Back from Poseidon's Country
The family and I just returned from a quick Thanksgiving trip to the Caribbean. Don't worry -- I'm still spending most of my time working on The Mark of Athena, but every so often I need to recharge the batteries and take a trip -- especially when I'm writing a story about a boat (The Argo II, of course). Our five-day cruise gave me all sorts of inspiration.
We flew into San Juan, Puerto Rico. I knew the trip was off to a good start, because on our first flight from San Antonio to Dallas, we had five Magellanic penguins from Sea World aboard our plane. Felix from The Kane Chronicles would've been grinning ear to ear. The penguins were heading to Virginia with their trainers. Hope they had a safe flight!
Once in Puerto Rico, we spent the night at the local Hilton Caribe, where everybody welcomed us like family. We've been through San Juan several times, and I always love visiting. It reminds me of my hometown San Antonio, except with an amazing beach.
The next morning we wandered through the streets of the old city -- cobblestone paths, cool shops, pastel buildings, and lots of friendly people. We had some excellent mofongo at Barrachina and met the restaurant's red macaw. Barrachina is where the pina colada was invented. I don't drink, but Becky had one and declared it excellent. Afterwards, we wandered down a beautiful shady street between El Convento Hotel and the Governor's Palace. At least one cat was sleeping under every car. Cats are no fools, as the goddess Bast can tell you. They will always find the coolest, shadiest spots. And yes, we took a lot of pictures of cats:
That afternoon, we boarded our cruise ship (not the Princess Andromeda, fortunately) and sailed for St. John, in the US Virgin Islands. We didn't spend very long at Cruz Bay, but we did a little shopping and sightseeing, and had one of the best breakfasts we've ever had at Jake's. Wow, that was good stuff! I had the homemade corned beef hash with scrambled eggs. Patrick devoured the French toast. Pretty much everything was outstanding. If you're ever on the island, you need to go. Becky also got some amazing pictures of the clouds at dawn as we sailed in:
The next day brought us to Saint Bart's, which we'd never visited before. I understand it is the richest Caribbean island, where many celebrities have homes. Certainly the main town of Gustavia has that Beverly Hills vibe. We passed Jimmy Buffett's Le Select restaurant. Legend has it that Buffett wrote "Cheeseburger in Paradise" on St. Bart's. However, we did not stop in for the $50 burger. Beautiful place, but a little on the expensive side!
On Thanksgiving Day, we arrived in St. Maarten/St. Martin, an island divided between Dutch and French halves. This is the island we've visited more than any other, and I appreciate it more each time. It earns its reputation as the 'Friendly Island.' I appreciate its laid back, international vibe. We visited Orient Bay on the French side, which is one of the best beaches on the island -- or anywhere, in my opinion. As a bonus treat, we met a local reggae artist Dread I who was roaming the beach, offering a free listen to his albums. Nice guy. I told him I'd look him up on iTunes, and I've since bought his albums. If you enjoy reggae, check him out! Here's a YouTube video of him on the beach (taken by someone else).
On our final day of cruising we visited Virgin Gorda, which got its name from Christopher Columbus, who supposedly thought the island looked like a plump maiden reclining on her side. I didn't see that, but we did visit the Baths, which is a maze of huge boulders leading down to a beach with caves and tide pools. Really interesting place, and worth a return visit!
While on the cruise, I had time for some good reading. I finished Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus, which certainly lived up to its buzz. The prose sparkles, and the story itself is a feat of magical acrobatics. It's a hard book to summarize, but basically two ancient magicians set their two best pupils against one another in a magical contest. Its venue? A mysterious circus that only appears at night. The only problem: the contestants don't really know the rules, or how victory is determined. And when the contestants start falling in love which each other, things get complicated.
Now I'm reading 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami. I'd heard it was a difficult read, and certainly it is long, at well over 900 pages, but I find that I'm flying through it. Murakami knows how to keep the pages turning with a brilliant mix of mystery, fantasy and intrigue. Two characters, Aomame and Tengu, find themselves slipping into an alternate version of the world in 1984 -- a world Aomame names 1Q84. What is causing this shift, and whom can they trust? Those are just some of the questions facing them. The book reminds me of Orwell, of course, but also Gabriel Marquez and some early dark urban fantasy like The Land of Laughs by Jonathan Carroll or Little, Big by John Crowley. (Which you should read, if you haven't.) Yet Murakami isn't really like anyone else, exactly. He has that fresh 'something,' just like the fictional editor Komatsu in his narrative is looking for. Check out the book!
Meanwhile, Becky read the latest entry in Alan Bradley's Flavia de Luce series, I Am Half-Sick of Shadows. She really enjoyed this entry -- a great mystery set in 1950s England with an irrepressible, precocious young narrator.
Patrick finished up Michael Scott's latest, The Warlock, and the conclusion of James Dashner's trilogy, The Death Cure. Both got thumbs up!
Haley is reading the third Sandman Slim novel from Richard Kadrey: Aloha from Hell. Great urban fantasy noir, but definitely for older teens and adults.
The pictures didn't show up, so if you want to see them, click the link
Thanks!
message 3:
by
Isabelle *the face behind the crazy*, The Mark of Athena :3... I can destroy the world YAYYY!!!!- O_O
(new)
This is Rick Riordan's latest blog post!
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2011
Speedy Drops In (and Mauls the Pigeon)
You never know what the week will bring. Monday, we found a stray, probably abandoned terrier-mix puppy crying in the rain in our driveway, so we are looking after her until we figure out the best way to locate her owner or get her a caring home. The boys dubbed her Speedy. Will we keep her? Don't know yet. Our aging dog Sunny and our two cats are not amused by the idea. The cats are fairly sure this thing should be a cat. It's the right size. But the cats believe there's something terribly wrong with it. It does not act like a cat, except for the fact that it enjoys mauling birds. In fact, one bird in particular: our stuffed pigeon. Apologies to Mo Willems.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2011
Speedy Drops In (and Mauls the Pigeon)
You never know what the week will bring. Monday, we found a stray, probably abandoned terrier-mix puppy crying in the rain in our driveway, so we are looking after her until we figure out the best way to locate her owner or get her a caring home. The boys dubbed her Speedy. Will we keep her? Don't know yet. Our aging dog Sunny and our two cats are not amused by the idea. The cats are fairly sure this thing should be a cat. It's the right size. But the cats believe there's something terribly wrong with it. It does not act like a cat, except for the fact that it enjoys mauling birds. In fact, one bird in particular: our stuffed pigeon. Apologies to Mo Willems.
message 5:
by
Isabelle *the face behind the crazy*, The Mark of Athena :3... I can destroy the world YAYYY!!!!- O_O
(new)
((thanks isabelle!))
Newest blog post, guys!
Happy New Year! Being Grateful and Giving Back
As the end of 2011 approaches, it's a good time to reflect on all the things I'm grateful for – like my family, a writing career I love, and my wonderful readers who've helped make my books so successful!
This is also a good time to remember to give something back to the community. Times are tough, and charities are hurting just like everyone else. It's not so much the amount we give, but if you are able and so inclined, giving anything to a worthy cause does make a positive difference – whether you donate money, goods, or time and talent.
I tend to focus on charities in my community of San Antonio. Wherever you live, whatever your interests, I'd encourage you get involved locally! Here are some of the groups I support in the San Antonio area:
San Antonio Youth Literacy: a great organization that sends volunteer reading tutors into the elementary schools to work one-on-one with at-risk kids who are struggling with reading. Illiteracy is a huge problem in South Texas, and SAYL does a great job helping kids at the most critical age, around second grade, develop reading skills that will help them succeed. Right after I quit teaching, I worked as a reading tutor for SAYL and I treasure the experience. A wonderful cause!
CASA: Child Advocates San Antonio provides adult advocates for abused and neglected children in Bexar County. These children are critically underserved and need so much support and guidance for them to break the cycles of poverty and abuse. CASA pairs children with adult volunteers who serve as their advocates, helping them with social services, the legal system, the schools, and mostly by being a reliable, caring, supportive adult in their lives. My stepdad works as a volunteer for this organization and does great work changing lives for the better. We're proud to support them!
Camp CAMP: Talk about a camp for demigods! Camp CAMP (Children's Association for Maximum Potential) provides a summer camp experience for kids with disabilities and special health care needs who otherwise would not be able to attend a camp. This is truly a place where each camper is seen for his or her abilities, not disabilities, and where heroes are trained! I got to speak to the counselors for Camp CAMP at their orientation last summer, and I was so impressed by the camp, the staff, and the commitment of the fantastic young volunteers who were dedicating their summer to helping others. Check out their website for some heartwarming stories and pictures.
Wherever you live, I hope you'll remember the end of the year as a great time to give what you can to the causes you care about. Thanks again to all my readers for a fabulous 2011. I wish you all a Happy New Year, and I hope 2012 brings you much happiness!
Newest blog post, guys!
Happy New Year! Being Grateful and Giving Back
As the end of 2011 approaches, it's a good time to reflect on all the things I'm grateful for – like my family, a writing career I love, and my wonderful readers who've helped make my books so successful!
This is also a good time to remember to give something back to the community. Times are tough, and charities are hurting just like everyone else. It's not so much the amount we give, but if you are able and so inclined, giving anything to a worthy cause does make a positive difference – whether you donate money, goods, or time and talent.
I tend to focus on charities in my community of San Antonio. Wherever you live, whatever your interests, I'd encourage you get involved locally! Here are some of the groups I support in the San Antonio area:
San Antonio Youth Literacy: a great organization that sends volunteer reading tutors into the elementary schools to work one-on-one with at-risk kids who are struggling with reading. Illiteracy is a huge problem in South Texas, and SAYL does a great job helping kids at the most critical age, around second grade, develop reading skills that will help them succeed. Right after I quit teaching, I worked as a reading tutor for SAYL and I treasure the experience. A wonderful cause!
CASA: Child Advocates San Antonio provides adult advocates for abused and neglected children in Bexar County. These children are critically underserved and need so much support and guidance for them to break the cycles of poverty and abuse. CASA pairs children with adult volunteers who serve as their advocates, helping them with social services, the legal system, the schools, and mostly by being a reliable, caring, supportive adult in their lives. My stepdad works as a volunteer for this organization and does great work changing lives for the better. We're proud to support them!
Camp CAMP: Talk about a camp for demigods! Camp CAMP (Children's Association for Maximum Potential) provides a summer camp experience for kids with disabilities and special health care needs who otherwise would not be able to attend a camp. This is truly a place where each camper is seen for his or her abilities, not disabilities, and where heroes are trained! I got to speak to the counselors for Camp CAMP at their orientation last summer, and I was so impressed by the camp, the staff, and the commitment of the fantastic young volunteers who were dedicating their summer to helping others. Check out their website for some heartwarming stories and pictures.
Wherever you live, I hope you'll remember the end of the year as a great time to give what you can to the causes you care about. Thanks again to all my readers for a fabulous 2011. I wish you all a Happy New Year, and I hope 2012 brings you much happiness!
message 7:
by
Isabelle *the face behind the crazy*, The Mark of Athena :3... I can destroy the world YAYYY!!!!- O_O
(new)
oh, sorry i'm late!
Happy New Year, Readers Young and Old
Here's a New Year's Greek mythology tie-in for you. Did you know that the tradition of Father Time with his toga and scythe giving up his place to the Baby New Year is based on the story of Kronos and Zeus? According to Bernard Evslin and other scholars, this is rooted in one version of the Titan War story (which I used in Percy Jackson) that states Zeus cut up Kronos with his own scythe when he took over the throne of the heavens. From this we get the image of the old king (Kronos = Old Year) with his scythe getting displaced by the baby (Zeus = New Year Baby). Over the centuries, we stopped focusing on the bloody aspects of Kronos getting cut up like his father before him, but it's just another example of how Greek mythology is still with us.
In keeping with the New Year, thinking about youth and old age, I thought I'd address a question I get asked a lot: "Am I too old to enjoy your books?" I get many letters from readers in high school, college, or beyond who seem a little bashful to confess that they still like my middle grade books. At book signings, older teens and young adults will often say, "I'm sure I'm your oldest fan."
To which I always reply: "No! And you're not alone!"
In fact, at a recent event in Maine, a woman in her seventies came up to the signing table, after having waited in line quite a long time. She had no child with her, but that didn't surprise me. I often have very patient, very dedicated grandparents waiting in line for their out-of-town grandkids.
"Hi!" I said. "Thanks for waiting! Would you like these signed to a grandchild?"
She gave me a brilliant smile. "No!" she said proudly. "These are for me! I love them!"
Here was a reader well outside my target audience who still found joy in books for kids, probably because -- like this author – she'd refused to grow up in all the right ways, by which I mean she retained a sense of wonder, a love for the absurdity and silliness of the world, and a hankering for an exciting story.
Her smile stays with me, because she was not at all ashamed of her taste in books. I love hearing from older readers like her! To answer the question they often ask: "Of course you are never too old for my books. If you enjoy them, please keep reading them! And you are not alone."
Now, there is a corollary to this: If you don't like middle grade books, it's probably best you read something else. That sounds obvious, but sometimes readers expect my books to be something they are not. Sometimes, not often, an adult reader will complain that my stories seem childish, to which I can only reply, "Well, they're written for children. So . . . yeah." Whether you buy them physically or electronically, my books will be categorized in the kids' book section. They are usually labeled ages 9-12 or 9 and up or something like that. I'm always happy if adults enjoy reading the books, but I'm not making any attempt to mask or market my work as something for adults (except, of course, for my private eye novels, which were written with an adult audience in mind).
Quite by design, I write for young readers. That doesn't mean I try to write down to kids. Not at all. My prose hasn't changed much since my adult mystery writing days, except for being curse-free. I write about very complex mythology that, frankly, adults find baffling even when the kids are following the details perfectly. But I do write with a middle grade sensibility. That's just the sort of storytelling and the audience I know best. I write for the middle grades for the same reason I taught the middle grades so many years. I know those kids. I relate to them. I get their sense of humor and I understand what they're looking for (I hope) in a story. Is that because I'm a big kid myself in many ways? You bet!
Some writers will say that they don't have any audience in mind when they write. They write solely for themselves, or for posterity, or because they are driven internally to tell the story. That's all fine and legitimate. But as a teacher, I always drove home one thing to my writing students: You must have a sense of audience. Who are you writing for? You can't expect a business inquiry to be written the same as a letter to your friend. Nor should you expect a college physics textbook to be written the same way as a fairy tale book for elementary students. Audience, for this writer, is critically important. I would submit that it's important to any writer. It's a fundamental element of good communication. You should always be mindful and considerate of your audience.
Partly, my two sons are my audience. They hear the stories first. They are my beta testers and my best editors. But each time I write a book, I also imagine myself back in my middle school classroom. I imagine reading the story aloud to my fifth period class after lunch. If I can keep their attention – I mean all the kids, not just the A+ kids who will read anything I give them, but also reluctant kids in the back row – then I've done something right. I want all my students, and my readers, to be anxious for the next page. I want them to finish one book and long for the next. I want them, in short, to see reading as pleasurable.
I do this primarily by knowing my audience -- writing for them and to them. What does that mean? Writing with a strong plot, for one thing. Writing about characters that kids can relate to. Writing with humor and suspense to keep the pages turning. Writing as clearly as I can, so the sentence structure flows well when read aloud, and the prose becomes a smooth-running vehicle to deliver the story. And, like myths, my stories repeat familiar patterns – the hero's quest, in particular.
As I've often said, these elements work just as well for adult readers, but books written for adult readers do not always translate the other way around. Writing for kids, in my opinion, is much more challenging than writing for adults. Kids do not have the patience for a story that meanders self-indulgently, glittering prose that leads nowhere, or a story that is drowning in what they see as superfluous detail. They want to care about the characters, to imagine themselves in the setting, and most of all they want something to happen.
I'm not saying all children's books need explosions in every chapter . . . though I am quite fond of explosions. I love quieter books as well, but I tend to read children's books with a teacher's eye. I may love this, I ask myself, but will it work for kids? And again, I think of the class (and my readership) as a whole, not just the bookish kids, as much as I adore them.
By all means, we should challenge kids to read difficult texts as well, but the quieter or more complex the book, the better the teacher needs to be at guiding the students to appreciate and relate to the story. Sadly, students don't always (or even usually) get this sort of support, especially the kids who need it the most. I've done Shakespeare with middle schoolers many times with massive success, but it needs to be done with a great deal of contextual and experiential learning. I'd never hand a middle school kid Romeo and Juliet and say, "Here, read Act I. We'll discuss it tomorrow in class." To Kill a Mockingbird? Similar experience. And I'll confess here – I never read To Kill a Mockingbird until I was a teacher. I fell in love with the book. It remains one of my all-time favorites. But I'm also aware that if I'd read the book when I was in middle school, I probably would've thought the same thing my son Patrick does, having just finished the novel in seventh grade: It's okay, but there's so much extraneous information! The story is so slow! Just because children are the protagonists does not make it a children's book.
My point? I try to write for all kids, even the reluctant readers. I was a reluctant reader. I'm the father of two reluctant readers. My heart goes out to the kids who've never found a book they truly enjoyed, because I was one of those kids for a long time. My primary goal is to get those kids reading and loving to read. Does that mean I write for the lowest common denominator? Nope. The A+ students should love my books, too, if I'm doing my job right. In fact, I often hear from college kids who say they passed their undergraduate classics exams thanks to Percy Jackson.
But it does mean that I am always conscious of my audience, and I try to craft a story that will appeal to kids in the middle grades, roughly ages 9-12. Adults are welcome, but honestly, I'm not writing for them. Literature with a capital L? I love it; I've read everything from Chaucer to Faulkner and beyond; but I'm not interested in writing it. My writing heroes have always been the great populists – Mark Twain and Charles Dickens – who made no bones about the fact that they wrote for the masses. Dickens wanted his readers clamoring on the docks as they waited for the next installment of Little Dorrit to arrive by steamer. And as Twain remarked, "A classic is a book everyone wants to have read, but no one wants to read." Clearly, he understood kids, because this is exactly how they feel. Twain remembered being in Tom Sawyer's shoes, staring longingly out the classroom window as the teacher lectured about some book that seemed completely irrelevant and boring. Speaking for myself: God forbid I ever write such a classic. I'd much rather write books that actual kids are excited to read.
So this is a long way of saying: All readers are welcome, whatever age. Just realize you are picking up a book for kids. If you don't like that sort of story, no problem! There are many other wonderful books out there. But if you're still a kid, whether you're twelve or twenty or ninety, come on in! We've got monsters, silly jokes, magic, and cliffhanging, nail-biting, hero-challenging adventure aplenty.
Happy New Year to all my readers, young and old. I hope your 2012 is filled with good reads!
Happy New Year, Readers Young and Old
Here's a New Year's Greek mythology tie-in for you. Did you know that the tradition of Father Time with his toga and scythe giving up his place to the Baby New Year is based on the story of Kronos and Zeus? According to Bernard Evslin and other scholars, this is rooted in one version of the Titan War story (which I used in Percy Jackson) that states Zeus cut up Kronos with his own scythe when he took over the throne of the heavens. From this we get the image of the old king (Kronos = Old Year) with his scythe getting displaced by the baby (Zeus = New Year Baby). Over the centuries, we stopped focusing on the bloody aspects of Kronos getting cut up like his father before him, but it's just another example of how Greek mythology is still with us.
In keeping with the New Year, thinking about youth and old age, I thought I'd address a question I get asked a lot: "Am I too old to enjoy your books?" I get many letters from readers in high school, college, or beyond who seem a little bashful to confess that they still like my middle grade books. At book signings, older teens and young adults will often say, "I'm sure I'm your oldest fan."
To which I always reply: "No! And you're not alone!"
In fact, at a recent event in Maine, a woman in her seventies came up to the signing table, after having waited in line quite a long time. She had no child with her, but that didn't surprise me. I often have very patient, very dedicated grandparents waiting in line for their out-of-town grandkids.
"Hi!" I said. "Thanks for waiting! Would you like these signed to a grandchild?"
She gave me a brilliant smile. "No!" she said proudly. "These are for me! I love them!"
Here was a reader well outside my target audience who still found joy in books for kids, probably because -- like this author – she'd refused to grow up in all the right ways, by which I mean she retained a sense of wonder, a love for the absurdity and silliness of the world, and a hankering for an exciting story.
Her smile stays with me, because she was not at all ashamed of her taste in books. I love hearing from older readers like her! To answer the question they often ask: "Of course you are never too old for my books. If you enjoy them, please keep reading them! And you are not alone."
Now, there is a corollary to this: If you don't like middle grade books, it's probably best you read something else. That sounds obvious, but sometimes readers expect my books to be something they are not. Sometimes, not often, an adult reader will complain that my stories seem childish, to which I can only reply, "Well, they're written for children. So . . . yeah." Whether you buy them physically or electronically, my books will be categorized in the kids' book section. They are usually labeled ages 9-12 or 9 and up or something like that. I'm always happy if adults enjoy reading the books, but I'm not making any attempt to mask or market my work as something for adults (except, of course, for my private eye novels, which were written with an adult audience in mind).
Quite by design, I write for young readers. That doesn't mean I try to write down to kids. Not at all. My prose hasn't changed much since my adult mystery writing days, except for being curse-free. I write about very complex mythology that, frankly, adults find baffling even when the kids are following the details perfectly. But I do write with a middle grade sensibility. That's just the sort of storytelling and the audience I know best. I write for the middle grades for the same reason I taught the middle grades so many years. I know those kids. I relate to them. I get their sense of humor and I understand what they're looking for (I hope) in a story. Is that because I'm a big kid myself in many ways? You bet!
Some writers will say that they don't have any audience in mind when they write. They write solely for themselves, or for posterity, or because they are driven internally to tell the story. That's all fine and legitimate. But as a teacher, I always drove home one thing to my writing students: You must have a sense of audience. Who are you writing for? You can't expect a business inquiry to be written the same as a letter to your friend. Nor should you expect a college physics textbook to be written the same way as a fairy tale book for elementary students. Audience, for this writer, is critically important. I would submit that it's important to any writer. It's a fundamental element of good communication. You should always be mindful and considerate of your audience.
Partly, my two sons are my audience. They hear the stories first. They are my beta testers and my best editors. But each time I write a book, I also imagine myself back in my middle school classroom. I imagine reading the story aloud to my fifth period class after lunch. If I can keep their attention – I mean all the kids, not just the A+ kids who will read anything I give them, but also reluctant kids in the back row – then I've done something right. I want all my students, and my readers, to be anxious for the next page. I want them to finish one book and long for the next. I want them, in short, to see reading as pleasurable.
I do this primarily by knowing my audience -- writing for them and to them. What does that mean? Writing with a strong plot, for one thing. Writing about characters that kids can relate to. Writing with humor and suspense to keep the pages turning. Writing as clearly as I can, so the sentence structure flows well when read aloud, and the prose becomes a smooth-running vehicle to deliver the story. And, like myths, my stories repeat familiar patterns – the hero's quest, in particular.
As I've often said, these elements work just as well for adult readers, but books written for adult readers do not always translate the other way around. Writing for kids, in my opinion, is much more challenging than writing for adults. Kids do not have the patience for a story that meanders self-indulgently, glittering prose that leads nowhere, or a story that is drowning in what they see as superfluous detail. They want to care about the characters, to imagine themselves in the setting, and most of all they want something to happen.
I'm not saying all children's books need explosions in every chapter . . . though I am quite fond of explosions. I love quieter books as well, but I tend to read children's books with a teacher's eye. I may love this, I ask myself, but will it work for kids? And again, I think of the class (and my readership) as a whole, not just the bookish kids, as much as I adore them.
By all means, we should challenge kids to read difficult texts as well, but the quieter or more complex the book, the better the teacher needs to be at guiding the students to appreciate and relate to the story. Sadly, students don't always (or even usually) get this sort of support, especially the kids who need it the most. I've done Shakespeare with middle schoolers many times with massive success, but it needs to be done with a great deal of contextual and experiential learning. I'd never hand a middle school kid Romeo and Juliet and say, "Here, read Act I. We'll discuss it tomorrow in class." To Kill a Mockingbird? Similar experience. And I'll confess here – I never read To Kill a Mockingbird until I was a teacher. I fell in love with the book. It remains one of my all-time favorites. But I'm also aware that if I'd read the book when I was in middle school, I probably would've thought the same thing my son Patrick does, having just finished the novel in seventh grade: It's okay, but there's so much extraneous information! The story is so slow! Just because children are the protagonists does not make it a children's book.
My point? I try to write for all kids, even the reluctant readers. I was a reluctant reader. I'm the father of two reluctant readers. My heart goes out to the kids who've never found a book they truly enjoyed, because I was one of those kids for a long time. My primary goal is to get those kids reading and loving to read. Does that mean I write for the lowest common denominator? Nope. The A+ students should love my books, too, if I'm doing my job right. In fact, I often hear from college kids who say they passed their undergraduate classics exams thanks to Percy Jackson.
But it does mean that I am always conscious of my audience, and I try to craft a story that will appeal to kids in the middle grades, roughly ages 9-12. Adults are welcome, but honestly, I'm not writing for them. Literature with a capital L? I love it; I've read everything from Chaucer to Faulkner and beyond; but I'm not interested in writing it. My writing heroes have always been the great populists – Mark Twain and Charles Dickens – who made no bones about the fact that they wrote for the masses. Dickens wanted his readers clamoring on the docks as they waited for the next installment of Little Dorrit to arrive by steamer. And as Twain remarked, "A classic is a book everyone wants to have read, but no one wants to read." Clearly, he understood kids, because this is exactly how they feel. Twain remembered being in Tom Sawyer's shoes, staring longingly out the classroom window as the teacher lectured about some book that seemed completely irrelevant and boring. Speaking for myself: God forbid I ever write such a classic. I'd much rather write books that actual kids are excited to read.
So this is a long way of saying: All readers are welcome, whatever age. Just realize you are picking up a book for kids. If you don't like that sort of story, no problem! There are many other wonderful books out there. But if you're still a kid, whether you're twelve or twenty or ninety, come on in! We've got monsters, silly jokes, magic, and cliffhanging, nail-biting, hero-challenging adventure aplenty.
Happy New Year to all my readers, young and old. I hope your 2012 is filled with good reads!
Rick on Rock Center, Exclusive Kane 3 First Look!
Tune in on Monday!
COMING UP ON "ROCK CENTER WITH BRIAN WILLIAMS" - MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2012 AT 10P ET
Exclusive first look at the title and cover of the final book in Rick Riordan's Egyptian series, The Kane Chronicles in Kate Snow's report.
Behind the best-selling book series Percy Jackson & the Olympians is author Rick Riordan, but the real inspiration for the fictional hero is Riordan's own son. The books, based on Greek, Roman and Egyptian mythology, have sold over 30 million copies - and they began as a simple bedtime story told to his son Haley, who had been diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia. Kate Snow interviews Haley, the son who started it all, the former middle school teacher who is sitting on top of a multi-million dollar empire, and the devoted fans who keep demanding more adventures. Plus an exclusive first look at the title and cover of the final book in Riordan's Egyptian series, The Kane Chronicles.
Also on Monday's Rock Center:
Mitt Romney was born in Michigan, saved the Salt Lake City Olympics and was Governor of Massachusetts. But if you want to explore his real roots - the place where his father George was born and where four dozen Romney relatives still live - you have to travel south of the border ... to MEXICO. We did just that. And the story of WHY they ended up there is revealing. Mike Taibbi and crew traveled to Colonia Juarez Mexico to discover Romney's roots.
Ron Allen reports on a remarkable family from Nashville, TN with a special connection to Haiti. NBC News first met the Wilson family in January 2010 in the wake of Haiti's devastating earthquake. Mike Wilson had rushed to Haiti to rescue the two orphan girls he and his wife were in the process of adopting. Their paperwork was buried in a pile of rubble, but Mike's desperate effort to get the girls out was successful. Two years later, they're continuing to make an impact in Haiti.
As Oscar season approaches, Brian Williams sits down with George Clooney – himself an early favorite for an Academy Award in at least one category - to ask for his predictions.
Tune in on Monday!
COMING UP ON "ROCK CENTER WITH BRIAN WILLIAMS" - MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2012 AT 10P ET
Exclusive first look at the title and cover of the final book in Rick Riordan's Egyptian series, The Kane Chronicles in Kate Snow's report.
Behind the best-selling book series Percy Jackson & the Olympians is author Rick Riordan, but the real inspiration for the fictional hero is Riordan's own son. The books, based on Greek, Roman and Egyptian mythology, have sold over 30 million copies - and they began as a simple bedtime story told to his son Haley, who had been diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia. Kate Snow interviews Haley, the son who started it all, the former middle school teacher who is sitting on top of a multi-million dollar empire, and the devoted fans who keep demanding more adventures. Plus an exclusive first look at the title and cover of the final book in Riordan's Egyptian series, The Kane Chronicles.
Also on Monday's Rock Center:
Mitt Romney was born in Michigan, saved the Salt Lake City Olympics and was Governor of Massachusetts. But if you want to explore his real roots - the place where his father George was born and where four dozen Romney relatives still live - you have to travel south of the border ... to MEXICO. We did just that. And the story of WHY they ended up there is revealing. Mike Taibbi and crew traveled to Colonia Juarez Mexico to discover Romney's roots.
Ron Allen reports on a remarkable family from Nashville, TN with a special connection to Haiti. NBC News first met the Wilson family in January 2010 in the wake of Haiti's devastating earthquake. Mike Wilson had rushed to Haiti to rescue the two orphan girls he and his wife were in the process of adopting. Their paperwork was buried in a pile of rubble, but Mike's desperate effort to get the girls out was successful. Two years later, they're continuing to make an impact in Haiti.
As Oscar season approaches, Brian Williams sits down with George Clooney – himself an early favorite for an Academy Award in at least one category - to ask for his predictions.
Hey everybody, this is Rock's latest blog post, and...the cover and title for the third Kane Chronicles book has been revealed! The title is
The Serpent's Shadow
Click here to go to Rick Riordan's blog: http://rickriordan.blogspot.com/
MONDAY, JANUARY 09, 2012
The Serpent's Shadow
As announced earlier tonight on NBC's Rock Center, the title of Kane Chronicles Book 3 is The Serpent's Shadow! Above is John Rocco's amazing cover. I think it's my favorite Kane cover yet, and it was certainly my favorite Kane book to write.
In this book, all your questions will be answered: Can Apophis be stopped? Will Ra ever be whole again? Is Bes really gone for good? What happens with Carter and Zia? And, of course, what happens with Sadie, Anubis and Walt? The book will be out May 1. I hope you enjoy it!
Also announced on Rock Center tonight: The Demigod Diaries, a book of new short stories set in Percy Jackson's world. This book comes out August 14, and will hopefully make the wait for Mark of Athena a little less painful! Included in the Demigod Diaries:
*A story from Luke Castellan's point of view, from the days when he adventured with Thalia and Annabeth. Many people have asked me to write an adventure prequel to The Lightning Thief. Here it is!
*A classic first-person Percy Jackson story, the first I've written since The Last Olympian. In this adventure, Annabeth and Percy's date is interrupted by the god Hermes, whose staff has been stolen by a fire-breathing giant. This cannot be good . . .
*A Leo Valdez story, set at Camp Half-Blood. As Leo builds the Argo II, something goes terribly wrong. Now Leo will need the help of Piper and Jason, or the entire camp might be destroyed.
*And, as announced on Rock Center, the anthology includes a debut short story from my son Haley. Since Haley inspired the entire Percy Jackson series, it seemed only right that I asked him to contribute his own original spin on Percy's world for this book. I was amazed at what Haley came up with. His brother Patrick, who's a tough editor, was quick to say, "Dad, his story is better than yours!" Haley ponders the question: "What happened to the demigods who fought with Kronos's army after the battle in Manhattan?" This is the story of one such demigod, and I have to admit, some of Haley's ideas are so good I wish I'd come up with them!
Hope you enjoy that book as well. I'm very excited to share the new stories with you, and never fear, I'm still working diligently on The Mark of Athena for fall 2012 release. More details on that when they are available -- probably this summer.
Click here to go to Rick Riordan's blog: http://rickriordan.blogspot.com/
MONDAY, JANUARY 09, 2012
The Serpent's Shadow
As announced earlier tonight on NBC's Rock Center, the title of Kane Chronicles Book 3 is The Serpent's Shadow! Above is John Rocco's amazing cover. I think it's my favorite Kane cover yet, and it was certainly my favorite Kane book to write.
In this book, all your questions will be answered: Can Apophis be stopped? Will Ra ever be whole again? Is Bes really gone for good? What happens with Carter and Zia? And, of course, what happens with Sadie, Anubis and Walt? The book will be out May 1. I hope you enjoy it!
Also announced on Rock Center tonight: The Demigod Diaries, a book of new short stories set in Percy Jackson's world. This book comes out August 14, and will hopefully make the wait for Mark of Athena a little less painful! Included in the Demigod Diaries:
*A story from Luke Castellan's point of view, from the days when he adventured with Thalia and Annabeth. Many people have asked me to write an adventure prequel to The Lightning Thief. Here it is!
*A classic first-person Percy Jackson story, the first I've written since The Last Olympian. In this adventure, Annabeth and Percy's date is interrupted by the god Hermes, whose staff has been stolen by a fire-breathing giant. This cannot be good . . .
*A Leo Valdez story, set at Camp Half-Blood. As Leo builds the Argo II, something goes terribly wrong. Now Leo will need the help of Piper and Jason, or the entire camp might be destroyed.
*And, as announced on Rock Center, the anthology includes a debut short story from my son Haley. Since Haley inspired the entire Percy Jackson series, it seemed only right that I asked him to contribute his own original spin on Percy's world for this book. I was amazed at what Haley came up with. His brother Patrick, who's a tough editor, was quick to say, "Dad, his story is better than yours!" Haley ponders the question: "What happened to the demigods who fought with Kronos's army after the battle in Manhattan?" This is the story of one such demigod, and I have to admit, some of Haley's ideas are so good I wish I'd come up with them!
Hope you enjoy that book as well. I'm very excited to share the new stories with you, and never fear, I'm still working diligently on The Mark of Athena for fall 2012 release. More details on that when they are available -- probably this summer.
message 11:
by
Isabelle *the face behind the crazy*, The Mark of Athena :3... I can destroy the world YAYYY!!!!- O_O
(new)
THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2012
Worst. Cat. Ever.
A quick update on our found dog, Speedy, since many of you were wondering. Yes, we decided to keep her. We just didn't have the heart to put her up for adoption, knowing that all the shelters in San Antonio are overflowing, and with a high-needs dog like her, she'd have trouble finding a home. We did our due diligence: took her to the vet to check for a microchip, put out signs, searched Craigslist, etc., but it seems the poor puppy was well and truly abandoned, so now she's part of the Riordan pack. What can I tell you? We're an ADHD family, so she fits right in.
Our cats are still convinced Speedy is a cat -- a strange, afflicted cat with the worst manners ever. Our older dog Sunny is not amused with our new addition, but she has made peace with the idea, since it means much more outside time for her and occasional puppy treats.
Speedy is making some progress. As near as we can tell, she's a terrier/basenji mix, about six months old, and she never had much training, potty or otherwise, so we've had our hands full. She now knows how to ask to go outside (mostly). She can sit, wait, walk with a lease, and the boys are trying to teach her to dance (like she needs any encouragement). She excels at mauling stuffed animals (Mo's pigeon is history, I'm afraid) and is convinced that if she keeps digging in the bean bag, she will eventually unearth a rodent, or possibly dig an escape tunnel.
Now, back to writing Mark of Athena! But if you see me on tour in the spring looking a bit more tired than usual, or with some new scars on my hands, or if my shoes look like they've been used for chew toys, you'll know why!
Posted by Rick Riordan at 7:00 AM
Worst. Cat. Ever.
A quick update on our found dog, Speedy, since many of you were wondering. Yes, we decided to keep her. We just didn't have the heart to put her up for adoption, knowing that all the shelters in San Antonio are overflowing, and with a high-needs dog like her, she'd have trouble finding a home. We did our due diligence: took her to the vet to check for a microchip, put out signs, searched Craigslist, etc., but it seems the poor puppy was well and truly abandoned, so now she's part of the Riordan pack. What can I tell you? We're an ADHD family, so she fits right in.
Our cats are still convinced Speedy is a cat -- a strange, afflicted cat with the worst manners ever. Our older dog Sunny is not amused with our new addition, but she has made peace with the idea, since it means much more outside time for her and occasional puppy treats.
Speedy is making some progress. As near as we can tell, she's a terrier/basenji mix, about six months old, and she never had much training, potty or otherwise, so we've had our hands full. She now knows how to ask to go outside (mostly). She can sit, wait, walk with a lease, and the boys are trying to teach her to dance (like she needs any encouragement). She excels at mauling stuffed animals (Mo's pigeon is history, I'm afraid) and is convinced that if she keeps digging in the bean bag, she will eventually unearth a rodent, or possibly dig an escape tunnel.
Now, back to writing Mark of Athena! But if you see me on tour in the spring looking a bit more tired than usual, or with some new scars on my hands, or if my shoes look like they've been used for chew toys, you'll know why!
Posted by Rick Riordan at 7:00 AM
January 28, 2012
Riordan Exhibit at the Wittliff
This is really cool! For quite a few years, I've been donating my archives to the Wittliff Collections at the Alkek Library, Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas.
Now the library is putting on an exhibit highlighting all sorts of stuff from the Riordan vaults -- from my early writing as a kid through my years as a teacher and mystery novelist, right up to the present. There's even a scavenger hunt you can play with the exhibit! If you live near San Marcos, check it out.
The full press release is below. For more info on exhibit, visit here.
Rick Riordan's World of Myth & Mystery
Exhibition Dates: January 23 – July 15, 2012
Bestselling author and literary superstar Rick Riordan, a native of San Antonio, has inspired millions of children across the globe to learn about ancient mythology. Riordan has also brought his hometown to life in his series of award-winning mystery novels for adults.
In recognition of Riordan's distinctive achievements and his inspirational impact on young readers, the Wittliff Collections is presenting a special exhibition from its permanent collection, Rick Riordan's World of Myth & Mystery.
The exhibition showcases numerous artifacts from Riordan's literary papers—which the author has been generously donating to the Wittliff since 2004. The result is a vivid behind-the-scenes look at Riordan's life and work.
"What's especially interesting about this exhibit," said curator Steve Davis, "is that you gain a really deep understanding of Rick Riordan's work process; how his life as a middle school teacher prepared him to write for children, how he gave up television in order to find time to write, and most important, how he is so adept at drawing from real life and transmuting those episodes, spinning them into literary gold. Rick, unlike many authors, is quite open about the real-life inspirations for his work, and it's fascinating to see those revealed in this exhibition."
Rick Riordan's World of Myth & Mystery makes it clear that Riordan was interested in writing from a very early age. Among the items on display is his early manuscript, "Appointment with an Archangel," which he completed at age thirteen. Next to that is a copy of the rejection letter he received after submitting the story to Asimov's Science Fiction magazine. While that letter is extremely kind and solicitous, Riordan said that it left him so devastated that he didn't write again for another year.
Riordan also received a pile of rejection letters before his first novel, Big Red Tequila, was published. But once the book appeared it won three major mystery awards and established Riordan as a major author. Rick Riordan's World of Myth & Mystery displays many facets of Riordan's life as a mystery writer, including awards, his snapshots taken of various San Antonio locations, and an elaborately constructed, very detailed plot map that he created to chart the action in his novel.
Riordan burst into international fame in 2005 as the author of the #1 bestselling The Lightning Thief, the first book in his Percy Jackson and the Young Olympians series for children. This is the book that turned millions of kids on to Greek mythology. Rick Riordan's World of Myth & Mystery includes Riordan's original manuscript for the book, his hand-drawn map of Camp Half-Blood, his essay describing how the series came into being, foreign editions of Riordan's novels from many nations, and also the actual sword, "Riptide," used in the film version of The Lightning Thief.
Also on display are manuscript and marketing materials for all of Riordan's series for young readers, including the Kane Chronicles and the Heroes of Olympus. Samples from a few of the thousands of letters he has received from school children are also featured, testifying to the enormous impact Riordan has had on many young readers.
A special section of the exhibition focuses on Riordan's celebrated career as a teacher. Riordan taught middle school English and Social Studies for fifteen years before he retired to concentrate on his writing full time. In 2002, Saint Mary's Hall honored him with the school's first ever "Master Teacher" award. On display is information about that award, along with photos of Riordan in the classroom and a commemorative book given to him by the students of the final class he taught.
Rick Riordan will visit the Wittliff Collections in 2012 to give a free public reading and booksigning. Event updates will be posted on the Wittliff's website: www.thewittliffcollections.txstate.edu
Riordan Exhibit at the Wittliff
This is really cool! For quite a few years, I've been donating my archives to the Wittliff Collections at the Alkek Library, Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas.
Now the library is putting on an exhibit highlighting all sorts of stuff from the Riordan vaults -- from my early writing as a kid through my years as a teacher and mystery novelist, right up to the present. There's even a scavenger hunt you can play with the exhibit! If you live near San Marcos, check it out.
The full press release is below. For more info on exhibit, visit here.
Rick Riordan's World of Myth & Mystery
Exhibition Dates: January 23 – July 15, 2012
Bestselling author and literary superstar Rick Riordan, a native of San Antonio, has inspired millions of children across the globe to learn about ancient mythology. Riordan has also brought his hometown to life in his series of award-winning mystery novels for adults.
In recognition of Riordan's distinctive achievements and his inspirational impact on young readers, the Wittliff Collections is presenting a special exhibition from its permanent collection, Rick Riordan's World of Myth & Mystery.
The exhibition showcases numerous artifacts from Riordan's literary papers—which the author has been generously donating to the Wittliff since 2004. The result is a vivid behind-the-scenes look at Riordan's life and work.
"What's especially interesting about this exhibit," said curator Steve Davis, "is that you gain a really deep understanding of Rick Riordan's work process; how his life as a middle school teacher prepared him to write for children, how he gave up television in order to find time to write, and most important, how he is so adept at drawing from real life and transmuting those episodes, spinning them into literary gold. Rick, unlike many authors, is quite open about the real-life inspirations for his work, and it's fascinating to see those revealed in this exhibition."
Rick Riordan's World of Myth & Mystery makes it clear that Riordan was interested in writing from a very early age. Among the items on display is his early manuscript, "Appointment with an Archangel," which he completed at age thirteen. Next to that is a copy of the rejection letter he received after submitting the story to Asimov's Science Fiction magazine. While that letter is extremely kind and solicitous, Riordan said that it left him so devastated that he didn't write again for another year.
Riordan also received a pile of rejection letters before his first novel, Big Red Tequila, was published. But once the book appeared it won three major mystery awards and established Riordan as a major author. Rick Riordan's World of Myth & Mystery displays many facets of Riordan's life as a mystery writer, including awards, his snapshots taken of various San Antonio locations, and an elaborately constructed, very detailed plot map that he created to chart the action in his novel.
Riordan burst into international fame in 2005 as the author of the #1 bestselling The Lightning Thief, the first book in his Percy Jackson and the Young Olympians series for children. This is the book that turned millions of kids on to Greek mythology. Rick Riordan's World of Myth & Mystery includes Riordan's original manuscript for the book, his hand-drawn map of Camp Half-Blood, his essay describing how the series came into being, foreign editions of Riordan's novels from many nations, and also the actual sword, "Riptide," used in the film version of The Lightning Thief.
Also on display are manuscript and marketing materials for all of Riordan's series for young readers, including the Kane Chronicles and the Heroes of Olympus. Samples from a few of the thousands of letters he has received from school children are also featured, testifying to the enormous impact Riordan has had on many young readers.
A special section of the exhibition focuses on Riordan's celebrated career as a teacher. Riordan taught middle school English and Social Studies for fifteen years before he retired to concentrate on his writing full time. In 2002, Saint Mary's Hall honored him with the school's first ever "Master Teacher" award. On display is information about that award, along with photos of Riordan in the classroom and a commemorative book given to him by the students of the final class he taught.
Rick Riordan will visit the Wittliff Collections in 2012 to give a free public reading and booksigning. Event updates will be posted on the Wittliff's website: www.thewittliffcollections.txstate.edu
guys the pictures are really cool check them out!
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
or
http://rickriordan.blogspot.com/2012/...
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
or
http://rickriordan.blogspot.com/2012/...
message 16:
by
Isabelle *the face behind the crazy*, The Mark of Athena :3... I can destroy the world YAYYY!!!!- O_O
(new)
the newest blog post:
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2012
The Looting of Olympia
I woke up this morning to news that the museum in Olympia, site of the ancient Olympian Games, had been looted by armed robbers. I got the same punch-in-the-gut sadness I felt went I learned that the Baghdad Museum had been robbed during the last Iraq War. People in terrible situations are driven to do terrible things. Even in ancient times, the pharaohs' tombs were subject to grave robbing. Still, it's tragic to think of thousands of years of cultural heritage being lost because of the economic turmoil in Greece. And I have no doubt that was at least one motivating factor behind this robbery.
I was lucky enough to visit Greece several years ago and found the Greek people to be incredibly warm and welcoming. I've followed the news about their economic troubles with alarm and grief. The looting of the museum, such a symbol of Greek importance to our cultural heritage, is just insult to injury for the Greeks. I hope the artifacts are recovered. More importantly, I hope Greece begins to see some glimmers of hope in its current situation, though I fear the worst is still to come.
Posted by Rick Riordan at 6:02 AM
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2012
The Looting of Olympia
I woke up this morning to news that the museum in Olympia, site of the ancient Olympian Games, had been looted by armed robbers. I got the same punch-in-the-gut sadness I felt went I learned that the Baghdad Museum had been robbed during the last Iraq War. People in terrible situations are driven to do terrible things. Even in ancient times, the pharaohs' tombs were subject to grave robbing. Still, it's tragic to think of thousands of years of cultural heritage being lost because of the economic turmoil in Greece. And I have no doubt that was at least one motivating factor behind this robbery.
I was lucky enough to visit Greece several years ago and found the Greek people to be incredibly warm and welcoming. I've followed the news about their economic troubles with alarm and grief. The looting of the museum, such a symbol of Greek importance to our cultural heritage, is just insult to injury for the Greeks. I hope the artifacts are recovered. More importantly, I hope Greece begins to see some glimmers of hope in its current situation, though I fear the worst is still to come.
Posted by Rick Riordan at 6:02 AM
message 18:
by
Isabelle *the face behind the crazy*, The Mark of Athena :3... I can destroy the world YAYYY!!!!- O_O
(new)
Mod
Lol but not exactly what u really expected eh? XD
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2012
Cool Fan Art
Thanks to Bisma of Glenview, Illinois who designed this cool cover for Mark of Athena! It's not the actual cover, of course -- that hasn't been designed yet -- but I always love seeing what fans come up with.
For those waiting for Mark of Athena news, it will probably be the end of May or June before we reveal anything -- cover, sneak peeks, etc. We like to focus on one book at a time, so The Serpent's Shadow is up first in early May. After that, we'll get back to you on all matters Heroes of Olympus. Never fear though, I'm hard at work on Mark of Athena, though there is still much to do. Fingers crossed, it should be released on time this fall, but there is absolutely no chance it will be released earlier!
Posted by Rick Riordan at 8:13 AM
Cool Fan Art
Thanks to Bisma of Glenview, Illinois who designed this cool cover for Mark of Athena! It's not the actual cover, of course -- that hasn't been designed yet -- but I always love seeing what fans come up with.
For those waiting for Mark of Athena news, it will probably be the end of May or June before we reveal anything -- cover, sneak peeks, etc. We like to focus on one book at a time, so The Serpent's Shadow is up first in early May. After that, we'll get back to you on all matters Heroes of Olympus. Never fear though, I'm hard at work on Mark of Athena, though there is still much to do. Fingers crossed, it should be released on time this fall, but there is absolutely no chance it will be released earlier!
Posted by Rick Riordan at 8:13 AM
sry a little late:
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012
Back to 1997
Just found some fun photos from the family archives. These are from 1997, the first year I was published. We walked into a Barnes & Noble and were so amazed to see my books on display, and a poster advertising my upcoming signing, that we just had to take pictures. That's me and Becky, with Haley age 3. The book in question: Big Red Tequila, the first private eye novel featuring Jackson "Tres" Navarre.
Like most 'overnight successes,' I toiled in obscurity for decades before I was published, and it took another decade after I was published before anyone knew who I was. Still, this was a big moment for me -- walking into a bookstore and seeing my book on the shelves for the first time. I had my share of empty signings or poorly attended ones. I remember sitting outside a table at Waldenbooks in the mall in Concord, CA, giving directions to Sear's. I think I signed one bar napkin that day. Sold zero books. I remember walking into another store with fifty chairs set up for the signing and two people waiting to hear me. Neither of them bought my book. They were there to get advice on getting published.
I would talk to any group that would have me: nursing homes, private book clubs, church groups, even an association of bricklayers (tough audience). I used to sit in Barnes & Noble for a two hour signing time and watch people making a wide arc to avoid me. I'd pass my time keeping notes on interesting people who walked by, practicing my character descriptions. To this day, whenever I go to an event, I get the nagging doubt that no one will show up. It happened to me often enough in the old days! That's another reason I'm grateful for the success the books have had -- because it didn't come easily or quickly, and I know what it's like to be on the bottom rungs of the publishing ladder.
1997 seems like so long ago. It was a pivotal moment for this writer, but I sure am glad I'm not there anymore! The funniest thing: occasionally a fan of my adult mystery series will still wander into one of my Percy Jackson events, completely oblivious to my children's series, and demand with exasperation, "Where did all these kids come from?" Thank goodness for all those kids. They are my audience!
Posted by Rick Riordan at 1:50 PM
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012
Back to 1997
Just found some fun photos from the family archives. These are from 1997, the first year I was published. We walked into a Barnes & Noble and were so amazed to see my books on display, and a poster advertising my upcoming signing, that we just had to take pictures. That's me and Becky, with Haley age 3. The book in question: Big Red Tequila, the first private eye novel featuring Jackson "Tres" Navarre.
Like most 'overnight successes,' I toiled in obscurity for decades before I was published, and it took another decade after I was published before anyone knew who I was. Still, this was a big moment for me -- walking into a bookstore and seeing my book on the shelves for the first time. I had my share of empty signings or poorly attended ones. I remember sitting outside a table at Waldenbooks in the mall in Concord, CA, giving directions to Sear's. I think I signed one bar napkin that day. Sold zero books. I remember walking into another store with fifty chairs set up for the signing and two people waiting to hear me. Neither of them bought my book. They were there to get advice on getting published.
I would talk to any group that would have me: nursing homes, private book clubs, church groups, even an association of bricklayers (tough audience). I used to sit in Barnes & Noble for a two hour signing time and watch people making a wide arc to avoid me. I'd pass my time keeping notes on interesting people who walked by, practicing my character descriptions. To this day, whenever I go to an event, I get the nagging doubt that no one will show up. It happened to me often enough in the old days! That's another reason I'm grateful for the success the books have had -- because it didn't come easily or quickly, and I know what it's like to be on the bottom rungs of the publishing ladder.
1997 seems like so long ago. It was a pivotal moment for this writer, but I sure am glad I'm not there anymore! The funniest thing: occasionally a fan of my adult mystery series will still wander into one of my Percy Jackson events, completely oblivious to my children's series, and demand with exasperation, "Where did all these kids come from?" Thank goodness for all those kids. They are my audience!
Posted by Rick Riordan at 1:50 PM
FRIDAY, MARCH 02, 2012
Wyoming Soaring Eagle
What an unexpected treat in today's mail! I just received these beautiful, specially made bookends for the 2011 Wyoming Soaring Eagle Book Award. The Last Olympian was chosen by children grades 6-12 all over the state of Wyoming as their favorite book, and I am very honored.
Many thanks to the award committee and the school kids of Wyoming. I'm so glad you've enjoyed Percy Jackson's adventures!
Posted by Rick Riordan at 10:41 AM
Wyoming Soaring Eagle
What an unexpected treat in today's mail! I just received these beautiful, specially made bookends for the 2011 Wyoming Soaring Eagle Book Award. The Last Olympian was chosen by children grades 6-12 all over the state of Wyoming as their favorite book, and I am very honored.
Many thanks to the award committee and the school kids of Wyoming. I'm so glad you've enjoyed Percy Jackson's adventures!
Posted by Rick Riordan at 10:41 AM
MONDAY, MARCH 05, 2012
First Look: The Red Pyramid graphic novel
Check it out! The cover has just been revealed for The Red Pyramid graphic novel, which will be released October 2. I've seen the adaptation, and I can promise you it's awesome. After all, the talented Orpheus Collar oversaw the project. How can a mythology graphic novel by a guy named Orpheus be anything but awesome? Hope you guys enjoy it when it comes out!
Posted by Rick Riordan at 9:47 AM
Here's the pic for the cover: http://rickriordan.blogspot.com/2012/...
First Look: The Red Pyramid graphic novel
Check it out! The cover has just been revealed for The Red Pyramid graphic novel, which will be released October 2. I've seen the adaptation, and I can promise you it's awesome. After all, the talented Orpheus Collar oversaw the project. How can a mythology graphic novel by a guy named Orpheus be anything but awesome? Hope you guys enjoy it when it comes out!
Posted by Rick Riordan at 9:47 AM
Here's the pic for the cover: http://rickriordan.blogspot.com/2012/...
http://rickriordan.blogspot.com/2012/...
SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012
Throne of Fire in Chinese!
Thanks to my publishers Yuan-Liou in Taipei, who just sent me a copy of the Complex Chinese edition of The Throne of Fire. Ancient Egypt has never looked cooler! For the release of the first edition, Yuan-Liou made special bamboo stamps with Egyptian hieroglyphic seals. You can see one above -- the scarab! Six different stamps were made, sure to be collectors' items! :D
Rick Riordan at 3:30 PM
SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012
Throne of Fire in Chinese!
Thanks to my publishers Yuan-Liou in Taipei, who just sent me a copy of the Complex Chinese edition of The Throne of Fire. Ancient Egypt has never looked cooler! For the release of the first edition, Yuan-Liou made special bamboo stamps with Egyptian hieroglyphic seals. You can see one above -- the scarab! Six different stamps were made, sure to be collectors' items! :D
Rick Riordan at 3:30 PM
http://rickriordan.blogspot.com/2012/...
SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2012
A St. Patrick's Day Clover
There must be some Irish blood left in the Riordan family still! For St. Patrick's Day weekend, Haley walked into the yard, reached down, and effortlessly picked a four-leaf clover.
Rick Riordan at 1:27 PM
SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2012
A St. Patrick's Day Clover
There must be some Irish blood left in the Riordan family still! For St. Patrick's Day weekend, Haley walked into the yard, reached down, and effortlessly picked a four-leaf clover.
Rick Riordan at 1:27 PM
http://rickriordan.blogspot.com/2012/...
TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012
Kane Survival Guide out today!
I'm pleased to announce The Kane Chronicles Survival Guide is available as of today, March 20, 2012!
What's inside? Here's the official description:
Fans of The Kane Chronicles series will adore this gorgeous primer on the people, places, gods, and creatures found in Rick Riordan's #1 New York Times bestselling series. Boasting lenticulars, an easy-to-assemble trading card pyramid, and full-color diagrams and maps, this deluxe, lavishly illustrated guide teaches readers how to compile secret messages, read hieroglyphics, and recite ancient magic spells. Featuring enough information and extras to satisfy avid followers and budding Egyptologists alike, this guide will cast a spell on readers of all ages.
The book has tons of information on Ancient Egypt, the Egyptian gods, and the people and places featured in the Kane Chronicles. There are lots of brand new, full-color illustrations. If you enjoyed the Percy Jackson Ultimate Guide, then you will have an idea what this book is like. Hope you guys enjoy it!
Rick Riordan at 4:59 AM
TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012
Kane Survival Guide out today!
I'm pleased to announce The Kane Chronicles Survival Guide is available as of today, March 20, 2012!
What's inside? Here's the official description:
Fans of The Kane Chronicles series will adore this gorgeous primer on the people, places, gods, and creatures found in Rick Riordan's #1 New York Times bestselling series. Boasting lenticulars, an easy-to-assemble trading card pyramid, and full-color diagrams and maps, this deluxe, lavishly illustrated guide teaches readers how to compile secret messages, read hieroglyphics, and recite ancient magic spells. Featuring enough information and extras to satisfy avid followers and budding Egyptologists alike, this guide will cast a spell on readers of all ages.
The book has tons of information on Ancient Egypt, the Egyptian gods, and the people and places featured in the Kane Chronicles. There are lots of brand new, full-color illustrations. If you enjoyed the Percy Jackson Ultimate Guide, then you will have an idea what this book is like. Hope you guys enjoy it!
Rick Riordan at 4:59 AM
http://rickriordan.blogspot.com/2012/...
TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012
Chaos vs. the Kane Survival Guide
It looks like Apophis is unhappy with having his secrets revealed in the Kane Chronicles Survival Guide, because he's causing some chaos. My publisher Disney has received reports that some copies of the book have been shipped out with bad adhesive on the front cover which isn't strong enough to hold the lenticular panel (the cool holographic 3D part).
I haven't seen this myself, but if you've been affected, my sincere apologies! The production team is working on a solution right now and will be shipping out replacement copies to the booksellers as soon as the books are printed and inspected to be sure the problem is fixed. I'm told this will start happening in the next few weeks. As I get more information I will let you know, and the booksellers where you purchased the Survival Guide should have replacements available as soon as they are shipped out from Disney. Sorry again and thanks for your patience!
Rick Riordan at 1:44 PM
TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012
Chaos vs. the Kane Survival Guide
It looks like Apophis is unhappy with having his secrets revealed in the Kane Chronicles Survival Guide, because he's causing some chaos. My publisher Disney has received reports that some copies of the book have been shipped out with bad adhesive on the front cover which isn't strong enough to hold the lenticular panel (the cool holographic 3D part).
I haven't seen this myself, but if you've been affected, my sincere apologies! The production team is working on a solution right now and will be shipping out replacement copies to the booksellers as soon as the books are printed and inspected to be sure the problem is fixed. I'm told this will start happening in the next few weeks. As I get more information I will let you know, and the booksellers where you purchased the Survival Guide should have replacements available as soon as they are shipped out from Disney. Sorry again and thanks for your patience!
Rick Riordan at 1:44 PM
http://rickriordan.blogspot.com/2012/...
Meet (again) our old friend Thoth!!
THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012
Meet Thoth
Here's our first character art reveal for The Serpent's Shadow -- our old friend Thoth, god of knowledge! For more info and fun stuff, check out Disney's Kane Chronicles site, and stay tuned for more character reveals over the coming weeks. The Serpent's Shadow will be released May 1!
Meet (again) our old friend Thoth!!
THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012
Meet Thoth
Here's our first character art reveal for The Serpent's Shadow -- our old friend Thoth, god of knowledge! For more info and fun stuff, check out Disney's Kane Chronicles site, and stay tuned for more character reveals over the coming weeks. The Serpent's Shadow will be released May 1!
http://rickriordan.blogspot.com/2012/...
TUESDAY, APRIL 03, 2012
Would you buy a used book of magic from this man?
Meet Setne: magician, ghost, thief, murderer, liar, traitor, and all-around nice guy. Would you trust this man with your life? Unfortunately, Carter and Sadie may have to if they want to defeat Apophis in THE SERPENT'S SHADOW. Find out what happens when the book is released May 1!
Rick Riordan at 4:58 AM
TUESDAY, APRIL 03, 2012
Would you buy a used book of magic from this man?
Meet Setne: magician, ghost, thief, murderer, liar, traitor, and all-around nice guy. Would you trust this man with your life? Unfortunately, Carter and Sadie may have to if they want to defeat Apophis in THE SERPENT'S SHADOW. Find out what happens when the book is released May 1!
Rick Riordan at 4:58 AM
"yes i would!!!!" that was my brother. He's a "frikio"
don't comment please.
http://rickriordan.blogspot.com/2012/...
TUESDAY, APRIL 03, 2012
Deadweather and Sunrise – Avast, ye readers!
I just finished reading the advanced copy of a great book that’s coming out next month: Deadweather and Sunrise by Geoff Rodkey. I ripped through it in one day, which is really fast for me, and if you like adventure novels, I highly recommend you grab a copy when it is published.
The best way I can describe it is Lemony Snicket meets Pirates of the Caribbean, with a sprinkling of Tom Sawyer for good measure. That’s not really an accurate description, because this debut novel isn’t exactly like anything else I’ve read, but it gives you an idea of what awaits.
Pity our poor hero, thirteen year-old Egg Masterson, who lives on a miserable island with bad weather, a volcano, and lots of pirates. His family runs a small plantation where his father grows ugly fruit (“like a boring orange”). His siblings are named Adonis and Venus, while poor Egg was dubbed Egbert. His mother died giving birth to him. His brother and sister hate him. His father is neglectful at best. His tutor is fat, lazy and stupid. His only entertainment is reading the few books his tutor owns and climbing trees so he doesn’t get beat up by Adonis.
Then one day, Egg’s father comes back from the volcano with a piece of parchment and a baffled look on his face. He packs up the family and they sail for the nearby island of Sunrise for a mysterious errand. That’s when things become very interesting for Egg, very quickly.
Egg is a brave, likable and honorable character, and the reader will be cheering for him all the way. We’ll also meet the beautiful and plucky Millicent, the ferocious one-handed cabin boy Guts, and a whole cast of villains and scoundrels, most of whom are not what they appear to be. You can expect ancient Native treasure (possibly magical), pirate battles aplenty, wild hogs, jelly bread, fights to the death with biting and cannonballs, croquet, the very first boatload of obnoxious tourists, and even a wagonload of grenades. Best of all, Deadweather and Sunrise is the first of a series, and once you’ve read the first book, you’ll be dying to find out what happens next for Egg and the gang. I know I am!
This is a rip-roaring debut. It will be published May 29, so be sure and check it out!
Rick Riordan at 3:02 PM
TUESDAY, APRIL 03, 2012
Deadweather and Sunrise – Avast, ye readers!
I just finished reading the advanced copy of a great book that’s coming out next month: Deadweather and Sunrise by Geoff Rodkey. I ripped through it in one day, which is really fast for me, and if you like adventure novels, I highly recommend you grab a copy when it is published.
The best way I can describe it is Lemony Snicket meets Pirates of the Caribbean, with a sprinkling of Tom Sawyer for good measure. That’s not really an accurate description, because this debut novel isn’t exactly like anything else I’ve read, but it gives you an idea of what awaits.
Pity our poor hero, thirteen year-old Egg Masterson, who lives on a miserable island with bad weather, a volcano, and lots of pirates. His family runs a small plantation where his father grows ugly fruit (“like a boring orange”). His siblings are named Adonis and Venus, while poor Egg was dubbed Egbert. His mother died giving birth to him. His brother and sister hate him. His father is neglectful at best. His tutor is fat, lazy and stupid. His only entertainment is reading the few books his tutor owns and climbing trees so he doesn’t get beat up by Adonis.
Then one day, Egg’s father comes back from the volcano with a piece of parchment and a baffled look on his face. He packs up the family and they sail for the nearby island of Sunrise for a mysterious errand. That’s when things become very interesting for Egg, very quickly.
Egg is a brave, likable and honorable character, and the reader will be cheering for him all the way. We’ll also meet the beautiful and plucky Millicent, the ferocious one-handed cabin boy Guts, and a whole cast of villains and scoundrels, most of whom are not what they appear to be. You can expect ancient Native treasure (possibly magical), pirate battles aplenty, wild hogs, jelly bread, fights to the death with biting and cannonballs, croquet, the very first boatload of obnoxious tourists, and even a wagonload of grenades. Best of all, Deadweather and Sunrise is the first of a series, and once you’ve read the first book, you’ll be dying to find out what happens next for Egg and the gang. I know I am!
This is a rip-roaring debut. It will be published May 29, so be sure and check it out!
Rick Riordan at 3:02 PM
Asmaa wrote: "lol :)"i just showed him the first book of Hunger games...
i'm going to kill that guy for getting friki over every book i pass him. He keeps telling me: "So then I guess that the apples eat the cheese" Katniss talking to peeta...(god-save-me...)
Aifos wrote: "Asmaa wrote: "lol :)"
i just showed him the first book of Hunger games...
i'm going to kill that guy for getting friki over every book i pass him. He keeps telling me: "So then I guess that the ap..."
hahaha i loved that part!
i just showed him the first book of Hunger games...
i'm going to kill that guy for getting friki over every book i pass him. He keeps telling me: "So then I guess that the ap..."
hahaha i loved that part!
http://rickriordan.blogspot.com/
TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 2012
Ra! Ra! Ra!
Our third character art reveal for The Serpent's Shadow: the ever-popular, slightly demented sun god Ra. Weasel cookies! Zebras! (if you read Throne of Fire, you get it.)
Will Ra return to his former glory in time to battle Apophis? The answer awaits when Serpent's Shadow is published on May 1!
Posted by Rick Riordan at 5:19 AM
TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 2012
Ra! Ra! Ra!
Our third character art reveal for The Serpent's Shadow: the ever-popular, slightly demented sun god Ra. Weasel cookies! Zebras! (if you read Throne of Fire, you get it.)
Will Ra return to his former glory in time to battle Apophis? The answer awaits when Serpent's Shadow is published on May 1!
Posted by Rick Riordan at 5:19 AM
http://rickriordan.blogspot.com/
THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2012
The Serpent's Shadow Looms!
As announced this morning in USA Today, the third book in the Kane Chronicles, The Serpent's Shadow, will be released May 1 with a U.S. first printing of two million copies.Wow, that's a lot of hieroglyphs and papyrus. Full details of the tour are below. This time around, we're focusing on the Northwest. I'm really looking forward to all the events! Remember, I don't set the tour. I let Disney do that, because it would be too hard for me to pick between so many awesome places, and sadly we can't go everywhere because, you know, I have to keep writing!
We start in the Bay Area with a live webcast on release day, May 1, from the amazing Rosicrucian Museum in San Jose. Their Egyptian collection is unbelievable, and I'll even be doing a reading down in the tomb . . . Creepy! You can join us online. Link to sign up is below.
After that, my first visit to Provo, Utah in many, many years. The last time I was there I had a fabulous time. Then I follow, more or less, in the footsteps of Percy, Hazel and Frank on their quest in Son of Neptune, visiting some of my favorite cities: Seattle, Portland and Vancouver. And even (drumroll) my first ever event in Alaska, at Barnes & Noble, Anchorage. This is an *extremely* rare event, and I have no idea if or when I'll be back, so if you're an Alaskan fan, please come out and say hi. It seemed only appropriate to go, since the state played such an important part in Son of Neptune.
If I'm not coming to your town on this tour, my apologies, but those writing deadlines are pretty unforgiving. I know the most important thing to you guys is that I get the books out on time. Sadly, that also means no international travel. It pains me to turn down tours to all these wonderful countries where the fans would like to say hello in person, but there just isn't time. Maybe one of these years! The next tour will be in October for Mark of Athena. More info. on that tour and book as we get closer to the release date, but it's still much too early to share anything more.
For now, I hope you enjoy The Serpent's Shadow when it comes out May 1. Carter and Sadie are in for a wild ride!
Tuesday, May 1
Time: 1pm EDT
Join me for a LIVE webcast from the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum & Planetarium in San Jose, California
Register for the webcast here: slj.com/rickriordan
Tuesday, May 1
Time: 7:00pm
Fox Theatre
2223 Broadway Street
Redwood City, CA 94063
*Event presented by Kepler’s Books
www.keplers.com
Wednesday, May 2
Time: 7:00pm
Timpview High School
3570 Timpview Drive
Provo, Utah 84604
*Event presented by Provo City Library
www.provolibrary.com
Thursday, May 3
Time: 7:00pm
Hellenic Centre
4500 Arbutus St
Vancouver, BC, Canada
*Event presented by Vancouver Kidsbooks
www.kidsbooks.ca
Friday, May 4
Time: 6:00pm
Third Place Books
17171 Bothell Way NE
Lake Forest Park, WA 98155
www.thirdplacebooks.com
Saturday, May 5
Time: 1:00pm
Barnes & Noble
200 E Northern Lights Blvd
Anchorage, AK 99503
www.bn.com
Monday, May 7
Time: 7:00pm
Beaumont Middle School
4043 NE Fremont St.
Portland, OR 97212
*Event presented by A Children’s Place
www.achildrensplacebookstore.com
Wednesday, May 9
Time: 6:00pm
Barnes & Noble
15900 La Cantera Pkwy, Ste. 3340
San Antonio, TX 78256
www.bn.com
Friday, May 11
Time: 7:00pm
The Wittliff Collections @ Texas State University-San Marcos
LBJ Student Center Ballroom
www.thewittliffcollections.txstate.edu
Posted by Rick Riordan at 5:30 AM
THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2012
The Serpent's Shadow Looms!
As announced this morning in USA Today, the third book in the Kane Chronicles, The Serpent's Shadow, will be released May 1 with a U.S. first printing of two million copies.Wow, that's a lot of hieroglyphs and papyrus. Full details of the tour are below. This time around, we're focusing on the Northwest. I'm really looking forward to all the events! Remember, I don't set the tour. I let Disney do that, because it would be too hard for me to pick between so many awesome places, and sadly we can't go everywhere because, you know, I have to keep writing!
We start in the Bay Area with a live webcast on release day, May 1, from the amazing Rosicrucian Museum in San Jose. Their Egyptian collection is unbelievable, and I'll even be doing a reading down in the tomb . . . Creepy! You can join us online. Link to sign up is below.
After that, my first visit to Provo, Utah in many, many years. The last time I was there I had a fabulous time. Then I follow, more or less, in the footsteps of Percy, Hazel and Frank on their quest in Son of Neptune, visiting some of my favorite cities: Seattle, Portland and Vancouver. And even (drumroll) my first ever event in Alaska, at Barnes & Noble, Anchorage. This is an *extremely* rare event, and I have no idea if or when I'll be back, so if you're an Alaskan fan, please come out and say hi. It seemed only appropriate to go, since the state played such an important part in Son of Neptune.
If I'm not coming to your town on this tour, my apologies, but those writing deadlines are pretty unforgiving. I know the most important thing to you guys is that I get the books out on time. Sadly, that also means no international travel. It pains me to turn down tours to all these wonderful countries where the fans would like to say hello in person, but there just isn't time. Maybe one of these years! The next tour will be in October for Mark of Athena. More info. on that tour and book as we get closer to the release date, but it's still much too early to share anything more.
For now, I hope you enjoy The Serpent's Shadow when it comes out May 1. Carter and Sadie are in for a wild ride!
Tuesday, May 1
Time: 1pm EDT
Join me for a LIVE webcast from the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum & Planetarium in San Jose, California
Register for the webcast here: slj.com/rickriordan
Tuesday, May 1
Time: 7:00pm
Fox Theatre
2223 Broadway Street
Redwood City, CA 94063
*Event presented by Kepler’s Books
www.keplers.com
Wednesday, May 2
Time: 7:00pm
Timpview High School
3570 Timpview Drive
Provo, Utah 84604
*Event presented by Provo City Library
www.provolibrary.com
Thursday, May 3
Time: 7:00pm
Hellenic Centre
4500 Arbutus St
Vancouver, BC, Canada
*Event presented by Vancouver Kidsbooks
www.kidsbooks.ca
Friday, May 4
Time: 6:00pm
Third Place Books
17171 Bothell Way NE
Lake Forest Park, WA 98155
www.thirdplacebooks.com
Saturday, May 5
Time: 1:00pm
Barnes & Noble
200 E Northern Lights Blvd
Anchorage, AK 99503
www.bn.com
Monday, May 7
Time: 7:00pm
Beaumont Middle School
4043 NE Fremont St.
Portland, OR 97212
*Event presented by A Children’s Place
www.achildrensplacebookstore.com
Wednesday, May 9
Time: 6:00pm
Barnes & Noble
15900 La Cantera Pkwy, Ste. 3340
San Antonio, TX 78256
www.bn.com
Friday, May 11
Time: 7:00pm
The Wittliff Collections @ Texas State University-San Marcos
LBJ Student Center Ballroom
www.thewittliffcollections.txstate.edu
Posted by Rick Riordan at 5:30 AM
has he actully ever been in new york on a tour the whole pjo seris happen in ny and i best of all i can even go there
message 37:
by
Isabelle *the face behind the crazy*, The Mark of Athena :3... I can destroy the world YAYYY!!!!- O_O
(new)
Mod
And the RR presenting it: http://greenconverses.tumblr.com/post...
Enjoy!!!!! :)
Thanks so much for posting that isabelle I was looking for it :D
message 40:
by
Isabelle *the face behind the crazy*, The Mark of Athena :3... I can destroy the world YAYYY!!!!- O_O
(new)
Mod
sry I'm so behind on these:
http://rickriordan.blogspot.com/2012/...
TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 2012
Meet Khufu
Our next art reveal for The Serpent's Shadow -- our old friend Khufu, baboon extraordinaire. Two more weeks until the book is released!
Rick Riordan at 5:19 AM
http://rickriordan.blogspot.com/2012/...
TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 2012
Meet Khufu
Our next art reveal for The Serpent's Shadow -- our old friend Khufu, baboon extraordinaire. Two more weeks until the book is released!
Rick Riordan at 5:19 AM
http://rickriordan.blogspot.com/2012/...
Our last art reveal before The Serpent's Shadow is released next week! Meet Tawaret, everyone's favorite hippo goddess, protector of mothers and children, nurse to the elderly gods of Sunny Acres Retirement Home.
If you're able to come to an event next week, I look forward to seeing you! If not, be sure to join us online for the live webcast May 1. (details on the blog below) Either way, I hope you all enjoy The Serpent's Shadow!
Rick Riordan at 7:17 AM
Our last art reveal before The Serpent's Shadow is released next week! Meet Tawaret, everyone's favorite hippo goddess, protector of mothers and children, nurse to the elderly gods of Sunny Acres Retirement Home.
If you're able to come to an event next week, I look forward to seeing you! If not, be sure to join us online for the live webcast May 1. (details on the blog below) Either way, I hope you all enjoy The Serpent's Shadow!
Rick Riordan at 7:17 AM
http://rickriordan.blogspot.com/2012/...
The final book of The Kane Chronicles arrives today! I hope you all enjoy it.
I'll be in San Jose this morning, broadcasting live from the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum. If you have yet signed up to join us, please do! I'll be giving you a tour of some of the cool artifacts there, and we'll explore a tomb together, where I'll read a section from the Serpent's Shadow. Gulp! I hope the mummies and spirits like it.
Tonight, I'll do my first public event with Kepler's at the Fox Theater in Redwood City. This is a big theater, so fortunately seats are still available! If you're in the Bay Area, come on by! I'll be talking about the history of the Percy Jackson and Kane books, answering questions from the audience, and yes, even reading the very first sneak peek from The Mark of Athena.
Tomorrow I'm off to Utah for my sold-out event in Provo. I'll keep you posted from the road. Happy reading, all!
Rick Riordan at 7:28 AM
The final book of The Kane Chronicles arrives today! I hope you all enjoy it.
I'll be in San Jose this morning, broadcasting live from the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum. If you have yet signed up to join us, please do! I'll be giving you a tour of some of the cool artifacts there, and we'll explore a tomb together, where I'll read a section from the Serpent's Shadow. Gulp! I hope the mummies and spirits like it.
Tonight, I'll do my first public event with Kepler's at the Fox Theater in Redwood City. This is a big theater, so fortunately seats are still available! If you're in the Bay Area, come on by! I'll be talking about the history of the Percy Jackson and Kane books, answering questions from the audience, and yes, even reading the very first sneak peek from The Mark of Athena.
Tomorrow I'm off to Utah for my sold-out event in Provo. I'll keep you posted from the road. Happy reading, all!
Rick Riordan at 7:28 AM
http://rickriordan.blogspot.com/2012/...
WEDNESDAY, MAY 02, 2012
Thank you, Bay Area!
It's always great to be back in the Bay Area! The past two days in the South Bay have been so fun. Yesterday morning we did our live webcast from the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum and Planetarium. We had tens of thousands of people tune in from all over the world, including Egypt, Azerbaijan, Poland, and of course my good friends down in Brazil.
Above is a statue of Horus on the grounds of the museum. Below, a giant-sized game of Senet. Dibs on the traffic cones!
Tawaret greeted us as we walked toward the entrance:
And here I am at the main entrance, which is modeled after the temple of Karnak. Those are papyrus plants growing on either side of me, and the golden doors have handles shaped like the "was" symbol, the staff of power that many gods carry.
The entrance is also flanked by ram's-headed sphinxes, which would probably give Carter and Sadie the creeps, as they look exactly like the sphinxes that attacked them in The Red Pyramid.
Inside, we got ready for the webcast with a full run-through. These shots might give you some idea how many people it took to put together a live show!
I haven't seen the final product, but I'm told it looked good and I certainly had a great time leading the tour! If you didn't get to catch it live, no problem! You can register for free on the School Library Journal site, and very shortly they will have it on the website ready for viewing at your convenience.
We had a ton of great questions come in from all over the world. Some of the ones I didn't get to answer:
Q: Pancakes or waffles?
A: Dude, waffles. Not even a choice.
Q: Are you as sarcastic in real life as you are in your books?
A: No, not at all. (rolls eyes sarcastically)
Q: Do you have a cat?
A: Two cats, but they're pretty sure they own me, not the other way around.
Last night, we kicked off the book tour with our first event for Kepler's Books at the beautiful Fox Theater in downtown Redwood City. You can see the crowd gathering above, and my name on the marquee, along with the British Invasion, MMA battles (Coach Hedge approves!) and the ABBA concert.
Redwood City had its first ever farmers' market on the street outside the theater, which gave the evening a festive atmosphere. There was even a bouncy house, though alas I didn't get to go in. I'm told the crowd forming for our event was so huge the mayor of Redwood City walked over from City Hall to see what was going on. I hope he wasn't disappointed that I wasn't ABBA.
1100 people showed up for the event, and we had a great time. I read a section from The Mark of Athena and everybody seemed to like it (phew!). The questions were great, and my publicist said the fans were screaming so loudly at one point her eardrums popped. Thanks to Kepler's for hosting our launch event, and to everyone who attended!
Today, I'm off to Utah for my sold-out event with the Provo Library. Can't wait! I hope you all are enjoying The Serpent's Shadow. I'll keep you posted from the road.
Rick Riordan at 8:03 AM
WEDNESDAY, MAY 02, 2012
Thank you, Bay Area!
It's always great to be back in the Bay Area! The past two days in the South Bay have been so fun. Yesterday morning we did our live webcast from the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum and Planetarium. We had tens of thousands of people tune in from all over the world, including Egypt, Azerbaijan, Poland, and of course my good friends down in Brazil.
Above is a statue of Horus on the grounds of the museum. Below, a giant-sized game of Senet. Dibs on the traffic cones!
Tawaret greeted us as we walked toward the entrance:
And here I am at the main entrance, which is modeled after the temple of Karnak. Those are papyrus plants growing on either side of me, and the golden doors have handles shaped like the "was" symbol, the staff of power that many gods carry.
The entrance is also flanked by ram's-headed sphinxes, which would probably give Carter and Sadie the creeps, as they look exactly like the sphinxes that attacked them in The Red Pyramid.
Inside, we got ready for the webcast with a full run-through. These shots might give you some idea how many people it took to put together a live show!
I haven't seen the final product, but I'm told it looked good and I certainly had a great time leading the tour! If you didn't get to catch it live, no problem! You can register for free on the School Library Journal site, and very shortly they will have it on the website ready for viewing at your convenience.
We had a ton of great questions come in from all over the world. Some of the ones I didn't get to answer:
Q: Pancakes or waffles?
A: Dude, waffles. Not even a choice.
Q: Are you as sarcastic in real life as you are in your books?
A: No, not at all. (rolls eyes sarcastically)
Q: Do you have a cat?
A: Two cats, but they're pretty sure they own me, not the other way around.
Last night, we kicked off the book tour with our first event for Kepler's Books at the beautiful Fox Theater in downtown Redwood City. You can see the crowd gathering above, and my name on the marquee, along with the British Invasion, MMA battles (Coach Hedge approves!) and the ABBA concert.
Redwood City had its first ever farmers' market on the street outside the theater, which gave the evening a festive atmosphere. There was even a bouncy house, though alas I didn't get to go in. I'm told the crowd forming for our event was so huge the mayor of Redwood City walked over from City Hall to see what was going on. I hope he wasn't disappointed that I wasn't ABBA.
1100 people showed up for the event, and we had a great time. I read a section from The Mark of Athena and everybody seemed to like it (phew!). The questions were great, and my publicist said the fans were screaming so loudly at one point her eardrums popped. Thanks to Kepler's for hosting our launch event, and to everyone who attended!
Today, I'm off to Utah for my sold-out event with the Provo Library. Can't wait! I hope you all are enjoying The Serpent's Shadow. I'll keep you posted from the road.
Rick Riordan at 8:03 AM
Cool! I saw one of his blog posts of a statue of Tawaret and it kind of creeped me out :P
You gotta see the pix for t his one. Btw the rosicrucian museum is jus a few minutes from my house.
Asmaa wrote: "You gotta see the pix for t his one. Btw the rosicrucian museum is jus a few minutes from my house."Really? That must be cool for you
http://rickriordan.blogspot.com/2012/...
Walkin' Like Egyptians in Provo
It's not often I pull up to a stage door and find the entire pantheon of Egyptian gods waiting to greet me. Last night in Provo, Utah, the Egyptians were out in force! The folks you see in these shots are staff or volunteers for the Provo Library, and boy do they know how to put on a party.
That's me, below, with Gene, the library director -- er, I mean, pharaoh. We took over the auditorium of Timpview High School and filled it to capacity with 1500 people who were very, very excited (and loud!).
The show started with a sing-a-long and dance led by Isis, Bast and Thoth, who you can see in the group shot below. The staff had rewritten the words to "Walk Like an Egyptian" to honor Carter and Sadie. Pretty amazing. The Egyptian gods walked through the crowd, giving out signed books as prizes to the best costumes and best dancers. That certainly got the crowd going!
I read from The Mark of Athena, talked about the Kane Chronicles, and answered lots of terrific questions from the audience. I'd been to Provo once before and had a blast. This makes it two for two. One girl in the audience was literally bouncing up and down for the entire hour. Upon hearing the news that I would be writing a Norse series, another young fan jumped into the aisle and did the happy dance, really busting out the pro moves. And the costumes -- wow! Everybody was dressed to the nines, or is it 'dressed to the nomes'? Thanks everybody for coming out! Today, I'm off to Vancouver for another sold-out event with KidsBooks. Can't wait to revisit Frank Zhang's hometown! Check out the amazing storefront window Vancouver KidsBooks has done for my visit.
Rick Riordan at 7:54 AM
Walkin' Like Egyptians in Provo
It's not often I pull up to a stage door and find the entire pantheon of Egyptian gods waiting to greet me. Last night in Provo, Utah, the Egyptians were out in force! The folks you see in these shots are staff or volunteers for the Provo Library, and boy do they know how to put on a party.
That's me, below, with Gene, the library director -- er, I mean, pharaoh. We took over the auditorium of Timpview High School and filled it to capacity with 1500 people who were very, very excited (and loud!).
The show started with a sing-a-long and dance led by Isis, Bast and Thoth, who you can see in the group shot below. The staff had rewritten the words to "Walk Like an Egyptian" to honor Carter and Sadie. Pretty amazing. The Egyptian gods walked through the crowd, giving out signed books as prizes to the best costumes and best dancers. That certainly got the crowd going!
I read from The Mark of Athena, talked about the Kane Chronicles, and answered lots of terrific questions from the audience. I'd been to Provo once before and had a blast. This makes it two for two. One girl in the audience was literally bouncing up and down for the entire hour. Upon hearing the news that I would be writing a Norse series, another young fan jumped into the aisle and did the happy dance, really busting out the pro moves. And the costumes -- wow! Everybody was dressed to the nines, or is it 'dressed to the nomes'? Thanks everybody for coming out! Today, I'm off to Vancouver for another sold-out event with KidsBooks. Can't wait to revisit Frank Zhang's hometown! Check out the amazing storefront window Vancouver KidsBooks has done for my visit.
Rick Riordan at 7:54 AM
Izzy99 ~* I Love Books *~ wrote: "Asmaa wrote: "You gotta see the pix for t his one. Btw the rosicrucian museum is jus a few minutes from my house."
Really? That must be cool for you"
Yeah I is except I didnt get to go when RR was there!! :(
Really? That must be cool for you"
Yeah I is except I didnt get to go when RR was there!! :(
Ahh, sorry!!!
Or you can go to his website here: http://rickriordan.blogspot.com/2011/...