Tuesday, September 30, 2008
More Information on The City of Ember Movie.
Wow that is one of the best trailers I have seen in my life span. I also wanted to point out that Marianne Jean-Baptiste from Without A Trace, a show about the FBI's missing persons division (CBS), is in the movie and she is one awesome actress. I love her in Without a Trace and I just know since she will be in the movie it is going to be great!
Here are some questions I would like you to answer in your comment:
Are you excited for the movie?
What are your feelings about the actors/actresses?
Anything Else you would like to add please do so!
*P.S in case you are wondering, I do not have a copy to give away of The Diamond of Darkhold. But you can go to the other sites listed at the end of yesterday's post and check to see which ones are giving a copy away.
Monday, September 29, 2008
An Awesome Author: Jeanne DuPrau
Feels great. It's something I never expected when I wrote The City of Ember. I'd always been a writer, and I'd had books published, but Ember was my first novel. I was delighted just to have it accepted by a publisher--in fact, by several publishers, who bid against each other for it. I did not have a clue that it would be the success that it's been.
How did you first come up with the whole story about The City of Ember?
I grew up in the 1950s, when many people were worried that there might be a nuclear war. Some of them were building bomb shelters in their back yards. I think this influenced my idea for Ember—a city built to protect the human race from a terrible threat. But I was also just interested in the idea of a city that had no light other than electricity. What would it be like to live in such darkness, and to know that light and food and supplies were all running out? And not to know about weather or trees or animals (except for a few rats and insects) or any other places? All this grabbed my imagination. And once I'd written The City of Ember, I hoped it would make people think about our world—about the sun and the moon, the forests and the ocean, the wind and the rain—and how precious it all is.
Is the movie of The City of Ember becoming how you pictured it to be while you wrote the book?
I've seen only a few scenes of the movie, but I know that the director's vision is different from mine. His is quite fascinating and weirdly beautiful--it's just not the same as what I saw in my mind as I was writing. That's all right. All readers see in their own way, and filmmakers especially have very distinct visual ideas.
What is something that you can tell us that not everyone knows about the movie? What about the books?
The movie's director, Gil Kenan, told me that in one scene they were going to show a wall with portraits of Ember's former mayors. He wanted a picture of me to include as one of them! I don't know if the picture of me as a mayor made it into the final film; it might have ended up on the cutting room floor. But just in case--look carefully when you see the movie and you might spot me.
As for the books--not everyone knows that I meant for the name Lina to be pronounced with a long i--Lie-na, not Lee-na. I put a clue about that in the book: Poppy calls her sister Wyna. I thought that would let people know how I meant the name to be said. But hardly anyone notices the clue. In the movie, Lina's name will be pronounced Lee-na. So I guess I have to give up on that one and let people say it however they want.
Are you planing on writing another series? If so what will it be about?
I don't know yet what I'll write next. I have the beginnings of an idea--but I don't think in terms of series. (I never planned for The City of Ember to be the first of a series.) I'll write what I'm interested in, and if it leads to a sequel, that's fine.
Is there anything you would like to tell your fans and readers?
It's wonderful to hear from my readers. I've heard from people of many different ages (from 7 to 80) and from many different countries (including Brazil, Japan, Ireland, the Philippines, and Yemen). I try to answer every single e-mail.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Look around at the world! Isn't it amazing? Be good to it!
Thank you Ms. DuPrau for letting me ask you some questions. I am very excited for the movie because I know it will be as great as the books.
For all of you wondering about how I felt about Ms. DuPrau's upcoming book, the fourth book in the City Ember, stop by the Book Review Maniac tomorrow.
Hear what others are saying about Ms. DuPrau's books and the new movie coming out:
Saturday, September 13, 2008
An Awesome Author: Stephanie Kuehnert
Why did you decide to title the book, I Wanna Be You Joey Ramone?
IWBYJR went through a few different titles. When I sold it to MTV Books it was called “All Roads Lead to Rock ‘n’ Roll,” but the marketing department didn’t think that was a catchy enough title. That’s one of the dirty little secrets of publishing, marketing has the final say-so over stuff like title and cover. So they asked me to come up with a new title and suggested I name it after a song or a musician or something like that. I turned to my iPod for inspiration, just put it on shuffle and started writing down ideas as they came to me. When the song “I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone” by Sleater-Kinney, I thought it was perfect on so many levels. First of all, I would be paying tribute to one of the bands that really inspired me during my teen years and inspired me to write this book. Secondly, Emily wants to be the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll like the lyrics of the song describe and she also wants to be her mother’s Joey Ramone since she’s always thought her mother went off to follow punk musicians like Joey. And it fit that whole reference a song and musician thing that marketing wanted, so we could all be happy.
Do you have any personal connections with any of the characters or places in I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone?
I have personal connections with them all. None of the characters are me or are based on anyone I know, but I spent so much time with them they became like friends. Emily is the girl I always wanted to be, but didn’t have the musical talent. Louisa is the woman I could have become if I’d chosen to run from my problems instead of facing them. Regan reminds me a lot of my best friend and Michael reminds me a lot of a friend of mine that passed away recently. I’m from Chicago, so I connect very well with all the real Chicago places in the book. Carlisle, Wisconsin is a made-up place but I spent a couple years living in Southern Wisconsin and I loved the landscape so the book is a tribute to it in many ways. It makes me nostalgic for Wisconsin.
How did you come up with the idea of River’s Edge?
Well, I grew up going to a weird punk venue, a place called the Fireside Bowl, which was a bowling alley that hosted punk shows. One of things I think is coolest about the spirit of punk music is the way it inspires people to basically create a scene out of what they have. I took the idea of the Fireside and brought it to Wisconsin. What would they have there? An abandoned warehouse. And then I took it further and made it a collective-run kind of place. Basically River’s Edge is the fantasy place I dreamed about having as a kid.
When did you first start writing, I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone?
I wrote what became the first chapter of IWBYJR in Summer 2002. I was working on another novel at the time, but I quickly realized that that first chapter had potential to create a whole world, a whole book. The idea developed fast and the characters of Emily and Louisa wouldn’t leave me alone, so I put aside my other stuff and worked on the book for three years.
How would you describe the writing process and the editing process?
Difficult at times, but ultimately really rewarding. I got writer’s block at one point when I was about 2/3rds done with the first draft, but then I met my agent at a writing festival and she read the first chapter and wanted to know when I could give her a full manuscript. So that kicked my butt into gear. I spent the next six months writing and rewriting. I really like the revising process best because that is when I get to shape the book into exactly what I want it to be. IWBYJR went through about 8 drafts. 3 or 4 before my agent ever saw it. A couple more for her before she started to shop it and then one revision for my editor at MTV Books.
I have heard that you have another book coming out next summer, is this true? If so what is the title of the book?
Yes, it’s called BALLADS OF SUBURBIA and it will be out in July, I believe. Dates shift around, so until it’s absolutely solid, I’m still just saying summer 2009.
What will it be about?
It’s about a teenage girl named Kara who never really fit in in her suburban town. Then right when life seems to be at it’s worst—her best friend moves and her parents’ marriage is falling apart—she makes a new friend who brings her to hang out at this park in the middle of town where all the punks and misfits and skaters and freaks and geeks hang out. She’s finally found her place. But she and her friends have a lot of personal problems and secret pain and life begins to spiral out of control for them…. That isn’t really the best description ‘cause I kinda suck at writing those descriptions. You can read the first chapter at www.stephaniekuehnert.com/backstage.html though!
When did you decide that you wanted to become an author?
When I was 5. Seriously. I got super addicted to Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books at that age and I wanted to be Laura. Eventually I realized that my life wasn’t interesting enough to write autobiographies like Laura did, but that I could write fiction about the time period I grew up in instead. So I’ve been doing that since high school. I tried to study other things that would lead to a more stable job, like sociology, but alas, writing is my blood just as much as music is Emily’s blood and I’ve gotta write. I can’t do anything else.
Is there anything that you would like to add?
Nope, I just want to thank you for having me on your blog!!!
if you haven't got a chance to check out or buy I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone by Stephanie Kuehnert, please do it now! It is a wonderful book. That I loved! If you want to hear more about what I have to say on the book click here.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
The Strand Prophecy
"Protect the Innocent"
written by: JBB Winner
pages: 312
my rating 1-5 stars:
5 Stars!
On the steps of the White House, a reluctant superhero delivers evidence of an ominous scientific discovery to the President... and the world. If the Strand's findings are true, the very nature of life on Earth is about to change, and humanity's fate hangs in the balance.
Strand must now race against time and battle powerful forces, to protect the innocent from rapidly evolving predatory creatures... before it is too late.
This book was absolutely wonderful! I don't like sci-fi books that much but I really enjoyed this one. It was full of fighting scences with furtristic weapons and technology, which is one of the many reasons why I got hooked on this amazingly written novel. What I found truely amazing about this book is that the authors is a trio of two twin teens and thier dad. But that is not the most astonishing part but the fact that the girls both have dislexia is. They both over came that obsticle by writing this book. One thing I did not like about the book is that it ENDED! Now I have to wait untill the sequal comes out. I deffenitaly recommend this book to everyone, especialy guys but I know that girls will like it just the same.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Severed Ties Volume 1
written by: Kevin Krohn
pages: 1178
my rating 1-5 stars:
4 stars!
Severed Ties tells the story of Nyne Harper, a college freshman living with er widowed father. At the tender age of two, she lost her mother tragically in a house fire, believed to have been retaliation against her father for blowing the whistle on a large corporate cover-up. The tow have bee trying to piece together some semblance of a normal life while constantly lokoing over their shoulders.
Now an adult, Nyne is ready to quench her thirst for revenge and protect the one family she has left. The question will be, is she prepared for what her life is about to become??
This book caught me way off guard. At first i was really scared because it seemed like a book that I was not going to like but Kevin Krohn led the story in the right direction. With a huge twist that has Nyne and you both surprised and stunned. I really liked Nyne. She is a great character with great potential in the next books of the series. I liked the fact that she is independent and very strong physically and morally. Plus she comes upon hardships and over comes them because she is a strong independent person. Kevin Krohn did an amazingly awesome job of creating her. So if you are thinking of buying this book and reading it I strongly recommend it. And at first you don't like it I beg you to keep reading because there is a huge twist among other great things that make this book so wonderful.
Thanks Kevin for giving me a chance to read your book.
~*~ Due to content in this book I do not recommend it for anyone below the age of 15.~*~