BRIAN WROTE BACK!!!!!!!

Finally an author writes for a change!!!! I will tell you all about it as soon as I do some photocopies.
-Meg

Son of Neptune Review and Other Stuff

First off, I'm soooooo sorry that I haven't got around to posting but honestly there wasn't much to post about. I did end up finishing the Son of Neptune as mentioned my other post and let me tell you that you'll absolutely LOVE it. I also finished This Isn't What It Looks Like and the ending was very interesting. You do find out who P. Bosch is but I'm not telling anyone. (Hee-hee) Rick posted on his blog recently about his new book too, The Kane Chronicles Survival Guide! Here's the post...

I'm pleased to announce a new addition to the world of the Kane Chronicles! The Kane Chronicles Survival Guide will be published on 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.

I have seen the final product, and it is awesome. The book will provide 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!

Other publishing news:

Kane Chronicles Book 3 -- I've finished the manuscript and it is now in the editing process. The book will be out on time, May 2012. I can't tell you the title yet. We will announce that, reveal the cover and give you the exact release date in a few months, probably in January. Stay tuned for more info. 

Heroes of Olympus, Book 3: The Mark of Athena -- I am hard at work on this book right now. It will take one full year to write and publish it, but it will be out on time in the fall of 2012. I'm afraid that's the absolute fastest it can be released (assuming you guys would like the book to be good!). It will be a while before we announce any further information about this title -- probably next summer, after the Kane 3 tour.

And thank you to my amazing readers for continuing to support the books and recommending them to your friends.The Son of Neptune is still rocking along on the bestseller list, celebrating four weeks at #1 on the New York Times children's chapter book list. The Lost Hero just passed fifty-two weeks, one full year, on the same list! 

As I get more information on the future titles, I will post it on the blog. But for now, it's back to writing!


Awesome right? I also wanted to tell everybody about a contest called Letters For Literature. You write a letter to the author of a book that really changed your life. You can find the website here  


-Meg

The Secret Series and Other Information I Forgot to Say Earlier

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, it's been a little crazy around here. I am re-reading The Secret Series in honor   of the last book, You Have To Stop This. (Which came out in September I think.) No, I won't be meeting P. Bosch in person but I plan to send out an e-mail to him or letter. Whatever comes first. I need questions as soon as possible and the deadline is October 31st. Anyway, other new releases are The Death Cure and soon Harry Potter Page to Screen: The Complete Filmmaking Journey on October 25th. I'm excited but I'll probably wait until Christmas to get it.

Rick Riordan LIVE!!! II And Some Words Of Advice

Some cool giveaway cards!

Button Giveaways

My clay coins 

Lots o' people! Over 2,000!

The view of Rick's setup from the loft.

Me with my battle ax at the SoN poster.

FINALLY!

Sorry I didn't get to this sooner but Blogger decided not to let people blog with Internet Explorer anymore only Google Crome. (Which I do not like so far.) Anyway, a Barnes & Nobles event is NOTHING like a Borders one. During the Borders one we were allowed to sit inside the store and wait around with our letters. At B&N we were stuck outside in the freezing weather waiting for over 4 hours. I got there around
1 1/2 hours early and there were already around 500 people there. I waited until 7:00 PM for them to get the line moving and then decided to start an 1/2 hour late! When I finally got there I gave him my blog and asked a few questions. He said that I'd need my ax in those crowds and I went on my merry way. Also, I was wicked bummed when I found out that I forgot my Heroes of Olympus coin pictures on my printer so hopefully he'll see them here. They also handed out trading cards, buttons, and posters. I sadly didn't get a poster or a Festus button but I did walk away with some goodies. Sorry about the delay!
-Meg

Brian Selznick!!!

Well, yesterday had sadly come and gone so it's time to write my post all about good ol' Brian Selznick. First things first, my dad got lost. Turns out that the address on the website wasn't where the signing was being held. So I followed my dad on Google Maps for about 15 minutes trying to tell him where to go. When he finally got there he was 15 minutes late and didn't get to record or write down any of the information from Brian's 1 1/2 hour long speech so I'm writing from his memory. He talked about his inspiration for Wonderstruck, a movie about a deaf person he saw a 2 years before he finished The Invention of Hugo Cabret. He apparently keeps a scrapbook filled with inspirations for other books and after he finish Hugo he looked through it and decided he would write about that. He also talked about how walking through the set of Hugo was like walking through his drawings and that he uses models for most of his pictures. The girl who posed as Rose in Wonderstruck he met at a movie theater and when it was over he walked over to the family and asked if she would do it. Turns out that the entire family had just finished The Invention Of Hugo Cabret and were now mega-fans! He said that the next book would come out in around 4 years as well. Also, he talked about how he would spend months and months working on a cool scene for a book then find out that it was terrible and have to cut it out. Brian, if you're reading this I honestly feel sorry for you on that matter. When the presentation was over my dad got in line (#52, My favorite number!) and when he finally got to see Brian Selznick they were talking and my dad was all like, yeah, I made this special trip up here from New Hampshire for my daughter... etc... (Remember that this was in Illinois) and Brian stood up and shook my dad's hand and got all excited because apparently he  has a friend who lives here. My dad gave him my letter and he said that he would write back and look at my blog. I'm pumped again! It's great to know that an author might actually hand write (or type) a letter back to me and not just sending me a boring piece of paper that everyone gets. (Yes, Rick, I mean you.) I'm so glad that the night was a success,. Also to make this fun I decided to pull up one of my wicked old post from February 2010. (Keep in mind that I am not changing anything and that it was my 5th post.)

Saturday, February 20, 2010 The Invention Of Hugo Cabret By Brian Selznick

This book is about a kid named Hugo Cabret who's father spent his whole life ting to fix a machine that writes. After he died it was Hugo's job to fix it. Now when his father tried to fix it he made a notebook that said how to fix it because he could fix it except he didn't work while he wrote. So Hugo has been stealing toys for parts from George Melies who runs a toy store. One day George catches Hugo and steals his notebook and says he will go home and burn it, and when George comes back the next day with ashes Hugo isn't so sure it is really gone and with the help of a new friend Hugo just might get it back.
 
Yes, I even kept the spelling mistakes. Hope you enjoyed a really sad trip to the past and I'll tell you if I hear back from Brian Selznick at all.
 
-Meg
 
PS: Did you know that PS stands for Post Script???
 
PPS: The last Secret Series book; You Have To Stop This, is out.

PPPS: If you would like to see A Trip To The Moon click here.

THE SON OF NEPTUNE!!!!!

If you didn't read my last post, please do so now. Anyway, I'm only one day into The Son of Neptune but I can already see that it's going to be the best one yet. I do admit that it is a little confusing but there's a glossary in the back for those who haven't studied Roman Mythology. It's fantastic and I need Rick Riordan questions by October 7 at around 2:00. Please ask because I may not have another chance.
-Meg

PS: SPOILER ALERT!!!! Octavian is eviler than I thought.

URGENT NEWS!!!!!!!!!

It's official, Rick Riordan will be doing a Norse mythology series after The Heroes of Olympus in 2015!!!!! I'm wicked pumped!!!! I also would like to announce (again) the possibility of me meeting Rick Riordan so please ask questions!!! It is also one day until The Son of Neptune so you can post your predictions now!!! I personally think that it's going to be a reverse of The Lost Hero. WHOO-HOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

-Meg

PS: HAPPY ONE DAY TILL SON OF NEPTUNE DAY/HAPPINESS DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wonderstruck!

I am truly sorry that I haven't been around to post lately but honestly nothing was really going on. Anyway just finished Brian Selznick's Wonderstruck and let me tell you, it leaves you wonderstruck! If anybody has read a book by Brian Selznick then you know what I mean. His stories are mostly these fantastic pictures that take you through the book. This one was about two kids who's stories are set 50 years apart and are  both deaf. They struggle to communicate at times but make it through. Ben's goal is to find his long lost father while Rose just wants to know where she belongs in this world. The best part is that Ben's story is told only through words and Rose's through pictures. I was mesmerized. I also am proud to announce that Brian Selznick along with Rick Riordan will be October's authors of the month! I will not personally meet Brian Selznick but I'm having my dad meet him. If you have any questions just comment by October 2nd. I might meet Rick Riordan so you can ask questions for him to. Last but not least there is new character art,

Hazel Levesque's Stallion

Also known as Arion, this horse makes Olympic sprinters and cheetahs jealous. He's fast. He's also Hazel's most powerful tool.
What do they do? Aside from his lightning-fast feet and some impressive brute strength, Arion is the most loyal horse a girl could ask for.
Noteworthy: Arion was initially a royal treasure of the Amazons, and has a taste for gold, and other metal objects. What's precious to humans is lunch to Arion.

Rick said...

Meet Hazel, a girl with a complicated past. Demigod? Yes. Is that horse important? You bet. Hazel has powers you have never seen before, because her godly parent is on the Roman side. But (major hint) she is related to a character you know well from the Percy Jackson series.Which one? I think that will surprise you.


I personally think it's the roman version of Athena. Anyway, happy one week till' Son of Neptune.
-Meg

Lois Lowry Update And Other Information

Sadly, I did not make it last night and nobody had any questions either, so oh well. I will be contacting her by e-mail as soon as somebody asks a question. I highly recommend The Giver Series by her. Also, You Have To Stop This (Secret Series #5) came out today and we will be e-mailing him next month and maybe meeting Rick Riordan again. Another new book that came out today was The Underdogs By Mike Lupica. It's about a kid who loves football but can't get enough people to do it because of money. I highly recommend his books even if you're not a big sports person. To finish off my post here I would like to introduce the newest character, Thanatos.

Also known as the god of death. This guy controls where souls go after people die. Fun job, huh?
What does he do? Acts as a lieutenant of Pluto (Hades), Thanatos acts as border control to keep souls from crossing between life and death without his permission.
Noteworthy: He's a good looking guy. Who knew the god of death was a looker?

Rick said...
Time for our Tuesday character reveal!
You will meet many gods in The Son of Neptune, but here's a fellow most mortals would prefer not to meet: Thanatos, the god of death. What part will he play, and what's up with those chains? For that, you will have to wait for the book. However, if you'd like to read up on Thanatos, I'd recommend one of my favorite online resources for Greek mythology: theoi.com.

Why has Rick been so boring with his character reveal posts lately. Grrr

-Meg

Author of the Month!!!

Why I call it that I don't know. Anyway there is a chance that I will meet bestselling author, drum roll please, LOIS LOWRY!!!! (PS: That's a girl) She's coming to town and I might just get to run by and see her. If you have a question just comment it by Monday afternoon. I will be doing a final check at around 5:00. Just keep in mind that I'm not exactly positive that I'm going because the time is a little rough, don't give up hope though because I also will e-mail her if it comes to that. Also, there's been a new character release. Here's what everybody's said about Ella the Harpy...

This is not your typical ridiculously skinny half bird half woman. Ella the Harpy is more than meets the eye, and a very useful ally for demigods Percy, Hazel, and Frank.

What does she do? If an encyclopedia could take the form of a woman (or bird), it would be Ella. Any questions from Latin phrases to the definition of photosynthesis, she knows the answer.

Noteworthy: Don't let her tiny body fool you, she's got a massive appetite - just don't feed her cheese. Ella doesn't like cheese.

Rick didn't say anything interesting, but he did share this awesome picture...

...with a hot of the press copy of The Son Of Neptune!!!! I'm really excited for the new book and was wondering what you guys were going to on the release day if you're as pumped as I am. I plan to head to the bookstore as soon as school's out then reading until the day's done. Then maybe if I'm lucky I'll get to go meet him on tour. Alas, I must stop this rambling post,

-Meg

Phantom Tollbooth and Pottermore!

Another great book. Definitly a good one if you're looking for a laugh. It's about Milo's adventure through the lands of Dictionopolis, The Doldrums, Digitopolis, and other strange places. Him, Tock the Watchdog, and the Humbug must rescue the two princesses, Rhyme and Reason, to save the kingdoms. This is a very funny book. I had a good laugh while reading it. I also would like to say that I got into Pottermore and that it hates me. I was sorted into SYTHERIN!!!!!! They tried to make me feel better but it didn't work. Grrrrr. Anyways, Pottermore is sort of like reliving the books. You get to explore everything Harry Potter with lots of new info that nobody knew. It's really good minus all of the maintnence I've been getting today. There's also TONS of cool artwork for each page. Anyway, I also hope that you guys like my new header! I love Wordle!!! I was messing around and gave it a shot.

-Meg

Meg Finds Out That She Really Need To Read The Lost Hero Again

I found out that I really, really, really need to read The Lost Hero again. This has been about the 5th time this week that I have messed up on TLH Info. I would like to say sorry for this post I did a while back about Festus not being the Bronze Dragon. I was on Camp-Half Blood Wiki and noticed that they said that he attatched them himself. I am a bad fan.

Here's the post...
Most Percy fans thought that Festus was the bronze dragon from The Demigod Files but I have figured out that it's almost impossible. The bronze dragon did not have wings and Festus did. So yeah short post but it's a little informal I guess.... Anyway happy reading,

Sorry
-Meg

PS: Anja you were right.

The Giver By Lois Lowry

WOW!!! That was a really good. I just finished The Giver and is now probably one of my favorite classics. It's about a kid named Jonas who lives in a world filled with order and nobody has any decisions on what they want to do or not. It's not like the people hate it though, they can't imagine life with choices. Then Jonas gets called out from the rest of the Twelves to go through special training with the Giver. I won't tell you anymore except that it's worth the read.

-Meg

Never-Ending News!

Meet Octavian!

It's Tuesday and that means that a new character has been released! I would like you to meet Octavian and his sacrificial teddy bear. Here's what Rick said about him...

Tuesday again, and time for another character reveal from The Son of Neptune! Meet Octavian and his unfortunate collection of stuffed animal friends. What Octavian's story? You can get some hints at the Heroes of Olympus website, but only time will tell if he's friend or foe, and what part he will play.

The good news: only four more weeks until the book is released!
 
And here's what THOO site said...
 
Octavian's Sacrificial Teddy Bear
Stuffed animals around the world should fear when Octavian is around - meet his newest victim.

What does it do? Act as a willing participant in this young demigod's regular rituals. By sacrificing stuffed animals, like this poor teddy bear - Octavian is able to read the will of the gods - very handy, if gruesome.

 Noteworthy: Octavian is a demigod for Percy and friends to watch - if not careful, their fate could resemble that of this pile of fluff.

 I don't like the sound of him. Whoever would destroy stuffed animals isn't my type of person. Anyway that's the Rick Riordan news for the week. L also would like to update our James Dashner fans that he is doing a contest for a advanced copy of The Death Cure at his site http://jamesdashner.blogspot.com/ All you have to do is write a comment about his new podcast, Wordplay at http://www.wordplaypodcast.com/ They will be doing a kid's podcast every third Monday. I also want to say that The Scorch Trials is wicked good. I can't tell you what it's about because it would ruin the first one, The Maze Runner.

My Life As A Book

My Life as a Book is not what I expected it to be. I thought that it would be a story about a book's life with everyone reading it and all, but no! It was a about a kid who hates reading and had to read 3 books for summer reading. He's more of a cartoonist though. His parents have tried everything to get him to read, give him a chocolate chip per page, let him draw his vocabulary words, and hired a tutor! He still won't read. Then he escapes into the attic and finds an old article about a girl who drowned in Massachusetts, but they live in California. Why would his mom have kept that??? Read the book to find out.

Meet Reyna!!!

Well the second new character art has been released and let me tell you, I LOVE THOSE SHINY GREYHOUNDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She definitely looks like my type of person minus that evil look. Here's what was said on the Heroes of Olympus site...

These dogs are precious in more ways than one. They protect Reyna, a very important demigod who holds a hand in Percy's fate.
What do they do? Aside from sparkle (one is silver, the other gold), these hounds act as Reyna's personal bodyguards.
Noteworthy: These dogs are not just encased in metal on their bodies, they have rubies for eyes. Talk about valuable pets!

And Rick's blog said....

Time for our second character reveal for The Son of Neptune. Meet Reyna, with her automaton hounds Aurum and Argentium. Reyna's godly parent? Hint: it's a god you haven't met yet. Is Reyna powerful? Yes. Are those hounds deadly? Yes. Will she be friend or foe to Percy Jackson? Ah, that's a good question.

I LOVE THOSE DOGS!!!!!! Anyways, those dogs are adorable and I totally want one. The next character reveal is the 6th.

-Meg

The Power of Six, The Maze Runner, and New Movies!

Woo-Hoo! There's a lot of new book movies coming out soon so I thought that I should share them with you guys. First off we have The Hunger Games By Suzanne Collins. She's actually wrote most of the script for the movie so I'm expecting it to be good. There's also Hugo which is based on The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick who's new book comes out September 13th called Wonderstruck. The movie premiers November 23. Anyway moving on to my The Maze Runner by James Dashner review...

The Maze Runner was a great book. It's about a kid named Thomas who wakes up to find himself in a place called 'The Glade,' a small field surround by a giant maze. He has absolutely know recollection of his past or where he came from. He is soon greeted by the other 'Gladers' who also arrived with no memory. A glader arrives every 30 days but the next day a girl shows up, the first one ever to arrive. I don't want to say much more except that I give it 4 stars! Next up is The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore,

This book I can't say much about at all without completely spoiling the other book. But I can say that it's really good!!! If you've read the first book, I Am Number 4, this one is a must! I'm truly sorry that's can't say any more but I really don't want to spoil it. If you're not in the mood to buy hardcover though, I Am Number 4: 6's Legacy sounds like a good read exclusive for the nook! It's 4 bucks and 60 pages but I'm gonna get it anyway! I hope that everyone had a terrific summer,

-Meg

The People of Sparks By Jeanne DuPrau

The People of Sparks is the second book of the Ember Series and was actually quite good. Lina and Doon are back in this new adventure and wind up in the city of Sparks, which is finally beginning to prosper after years of hard work. It takes place after 'The Disaster' were basically everything was destroyed and people had to start from scratch all over again. The only issue is that Lina and Doon's people, the Emberites know absolutely nothing about the world above and have never really worked a day in their life. If it helps they all had know idea what chickens were and find them scary. Anyway, food has been an issue for the people of Sparks and now they are being told they must share some after many years of extremely hard work. I also think I should mention that Sparks only has around 375 people while Ember had 400. Great book but I highly recommend that you read 'The City of Ember' first.
-Meg
Read on my nook

Exciting Events!

Great news everybody! The Power of Six (Lorien Legacies #2) and Darth Paper Strikes Back (The Strange Case of Origami Yoda #2) came out yesterday! Also, Pseudonymous Bosch appeared on the Today Show this morning but I sadly missed in because it was in the first hour. Character art from The Son of Neptune has also been supposedly released as Rick said on his blog but on The Heroes of Olympus website it isn't there. Strange. You can see Frank Zhang above. The other great news is that Barnes and Nobles has given out crucial evidence to what the Roman Camp is called. Now we all know that it's called Camp Jupiter (A.K.A. Camp Zeus for us Greeks.) And if you want to hear the second chapter of The Son of Neptune you can hear it here. It's amazing and you really must listen to it!
-Meg

Spread the Word!

School is back in session! Right now is a great time to please spread the word about Meg's Book Blog! As you're asking people what they were up to this summer tell them that you were checking out MBB!!! Hopefully we will have some new faces around here soon. So please spread the word.
Thanks,
-Meg