A 'Familiar' Celebration!: Circle of Heroes + Contest!

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.  Here's hoping your holiday weekends went well with loads of fun and good times to be had!  Today, we're jump starting the week with a BOOK BIRTHDAY celebration for two names we've come to love in the Children's Lit arena....authors Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson!  They are the creative minds behind the exciting series The Familiars and to help us celebrate the day, bloggers (including myself) were given the chance to ask the authors about heroes on their mind.  Pretty cool, right?  I went with a semi-obvious question but one that has been circulating through my mind since the series began.  Curious what it was?  Read on to find out more!

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From the "desk" of Adam and Andrew...

With the release of the third book in The Familiars series, The Familiars - Circle of Heroes, we are stopping by some of our favorite blogs discussing all things heroes. One of the questions we get asked most frequently when we visit elementary schools and do author events at bookstores around the country is, "WHY did we choose to make the heroes of our series animals as opposed to humans?"

When we looked back at all of the fantasy novels we enjoyed growing up they were always told from the same perspective: the wizards, the elves, the human heroes. Oft times, they had an animal companion sitting on their shoulders or sitting beside them. The sidekick or the seldom seen helper. Think Hedwig in Harry Potter or Gandalf's trusty horse, Shadowfax. But these animals had never had a book of their own. We thought it would be an interesting perspective shift to take a traditional fantasy story and turn it on its head by seeing the adventure through their eyes. 

The follow-up question is usually how we chose a cat, a blue jay, and a tree frog as the animal heroes of The Familiars. Aldwyn was easy. Adam had a black-and-white alley cat with a bite taken out of its ear living in his backyard. Cats were also a staple of classic familiars. Every Halloween poster has a witch standing next to a black cat. An alley cat also seemed like an outsider, a character who would know little about the world of magic. In picking a blue jay for Skylar, we were looking for an animal that appeared stuck up, and the posture of the blue bird struck us as just thought. Moreover, birds are another all-too-common familiar. Finally, there was Gilbert. We needed our comic relief, and wanted an animal that made us chuckle on sight. And a tree frog seemed both silly and lovable in exactly the right way.

We knew we'd have opportunities to follow other animals, too. In The Familiars - Circle of Heroes, there are seven more animals that join our heroic trio on their latest quest to save the land. We meet Orion, a noble lightmare; Simeon, a wise old bloodhound; Anura, a luck-bringing golden toad; Navid, a slithering king cobra; Marati, a fearless white-tailed mongoose; Banshee, an invisible howler monkey; and Lothar, a villainous wolverine. 

For those of you who haven't discovered The Familiars series yet, now is a perfect time to start, as Circle of Heroes completes the initial trilogy of books. If you have read The Familiars and The Familiars - Secrets of the Crown, then you won't want to miss this exciting conclusion. But fret not, Familiars die hards. A fourth book is coming in 2013, beginning a brand new adventure for Aldwyn, Skylar, and Gilbert!

The Familiars - Circle of Heroes will be on-line and in bookstores everywhere September 4th.

-- Adam and Andrew

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Now, how about a little MORE fun with the guys?

CONTEST TIME!

We want you to send in stories about your own heroes, the real people who have had an impact on your life. Parents, grandparents, teachers, or friends. We'll be featuring them on our blog, our Twitter feeds, and our Facebook page. We want to know who's in your Circle of Heroes. The ones voted the most inspirational will win a signed copy of book #3. Send them in to thefamiliarsbook@gmail.com!

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Special thanks to BOTH fabulous authors for the chance to participate in this bloggy party.  I know this book is on my wish list...and will be added to many more before the day is done.

For more information on the series, be sure to check out the official website, check in over at their blog, like them on Facebook, or follow along on Twitter!  

Until next time...happy reading!

The Familiars: Secrets of the Crown

Hi everyone!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

You may have noticed a bit of quiet time on the blog this weekend…or perhaps not if you didn’t have a chance to stop by (no worries, I completely understand…though you were missed - *sniff*)…and there’s a perfectly good explanation for that. What is it? Oh, well…to be honest, life has been a bit hectic of late and this past week was just WHEW! Really putting me to the test so to speak. One day things will calm down I’m sure, but if I was to consult a Magic 8 Ball right now, I’d probably get the “outlook doesn’t look good” response. Cie la vie…that’s why keeping the blog fun and enjoyable for both the reader (you) and the read-ee (me) is so important. It’s an outlet to expression my passion for reading and the joy that even in little spurts here and there it brings into my life…and hopefully yours too! On with the show, shall we?

Today’s feature is a relatively recent release from the great folks over at HarperCollins Children’s Books….and just so happens to be book two in a series that I’ve been fortunate enough to feature on my site before. First time around, a guest post….then a blog tour…..next, another blog tour…a review of book one….and finally (for now anyway), the very post you are reading today. It’s magical. It’s adventurous. It’s a wonderful read for all ages (in my humble opinion). Today’s book of choice is….

The Familiars, book 2:

Secrets of the Crown

By

Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson

From the ARC’s back cover…

When human magic disappears suddenly from Vastia, it falls on the familiars -- Aldwyn the telekinetic cat, Skylar the know-it-all blue jay, and Gilbert the gullible tree frog == to find the Crown of the Snow Leopard, an ancient relic that can reverse the curse. To do this they must follow the purple paw prints of Aldwyn’s father, who’d gone mission years earlier while searching for the Crown. His magical spirit trail extends into the Beyond, where our heroes encounter strange new dangers, while Aldwyn learns about his mysterious past.

First off, I love how book two picks up right where book one leaves off. There’s no unexplainable time gap to try and figure out; no unexpected events that transpired during the break to adjust to after the fact. The first battle is over one moment, and then we’re preparing for the “war” the next. Now don’t get me wrong, if for some mysterious reason you care not to share you decided to start with book two, you won’t be completely lost. There is enough information shared to bring you up to speed in order to follow along in the opening chapters, however the journey will feel certainly more complete if one started at the beginning.



The familiars have secured their loyals once again…but Pakashara will have none of this chummy business. She wants to rule them all and put the lowly humans back in their place with the help of an army of animals….dead animals (as in zombie like). Yes, my friends….she plans on raising an army of those animals that have passed in order to claim what she feels is rightfully her future. To stop her, they must find the Shifting Fortress, for it is only within its walls that the spells to save (or ruin) all of Vastia can be cast. But how does one pin down a shifting object when by definition alone it is constantly on the move? They’re about the find or…meet the new undead minions of Pakashara paw to paw.

Filled with danger, adventure, magic, friendship and family these are wonderful stores for Middle Grade fans through adults. You have the old “diamond in the rough” message illustrated thanks to Aldwyn, as well as the “things aren’t always as they seem” adage courtesy of…well, all three of them and several others they meet along the way. We uncover the pasts of all three of our unlikely heroes and learn that family can be flesh and blood….but it is also those that we hold nearest to our hearts that make us whole.



Aldwyn’s character is coming to terms with a past that keeps changing. Skylar shares a part of herself that was no intended for her friends to see. Gilbert reveals the underlying reasons for his shaky sense of his magical abilities. Suffice it to day that there are twists and turns some of which are easy to spot while others take a moment to wrap your mind around (especially the River of Time…there’s a doozy for you…) but it all adds up to a whole lot of fun. Book three is forth coming but for now, get to know this enchanting group of familiar friends through their high adventures thus far. You might want to hurry and get started though….especially since there’s ALSO going to be a movie based on the series! (Whoo-Hoo!)



Many thanks to authors Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson for including my site on both of their fabulous tours as well as giving me the opportunity to share with you fair readers my adventure with this series. Upon receiving the review copy of this title, I couldn’t help but smile at the included letter. Do you have any idea how thrilling it is to hear (err, read) that authors are a fan of your blog? I mean really….it could simply be “form” letter, but either way…it was definitely happy dance inducing news. ^_^ (THANKS GUYS!) ARC for review courtesy of Arianna at HarperCollins Children’s Books. (THANKS!) For more information on the authors or the series, feel free to check out the official website or follow along on Twitter. To explore the series through the publisher as well as investigate their full catalog of bookish goodness, visit them online or check out their Twitter feed.



Until next time…happy reading!

BLOG TOUR: The Familars and 'A Title Fight', Guest Post

Hi there everyone!

Happy Labor Day to you.

Hopefully you are enjoying the extended weekend with your friends and family, but if you are among those that have to "labor" today (*raises hand*), then rest assured you're in good company.  Anywho, on with the news....

Today I am pleased to welcome a very special guest, or rather guests, with an EXCLUSIVE revelation regarding their amazing series.  Curious as to whom that might be?  Wonder no more.  Please welcome the minds behind the fabulous series The Familiars, authors Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson!

~massive amounts of applause~

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"A TITLE FIGHT"

by Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson

You've probably heard the saying, writing is rewriting. Well, as an author, you always have to be open to change. Even with your book's title. When we first submitted our book, THE FAMILIARS, to publishers, it was called THE FAMILIARS: ANIMAL WIZARDRY. We thought that adding the phrase ANIMAL WIZARDRY would help young readers understand what might have been a foreign term to them: familiars, or animals who cast magic. But our experienced editors at Harper Collins (US) thought that it would be catchier if the book was just titled THE FAMILIARS. And we absolutely agreed. But not everyone did. In fact in England the first book of the series is actually called THE FAMILIARS: ANIMAL WIZARDRY. And in other countries, like Germany, the word Familiar is not used at all. In fact, when translated, they just called the book ANIMAL WIZARDS. And this is our favorite: the Japanese title is translated as ALDWYN THREE FAMILIARS WITCH BLACK CAT ADVENTURE JOURNEY.

When it was time to come up with titles for book number two, we had quite a few rejected before landing on SECRETS OF THE CROWN. They included CROWN OF THE SNOW LEOPARD, PATH OF THE FATHER, PAWS OF DESTINY, SONG OF SECRETS, and PATH OF DESTINY.

A title can be some of the most important words of an entire book. You have to capture a reader's interest immediately. A parent or teacher must be persuaded to pick a book up off a bookshelf. Sometimes they come to you immediately, other times they change until the book is completed.

We can tell you here exclusively that we've already come up with the title for The Familiars Book Three.

There's THE FAMILIARS, THE FAMILIARS: SECRETS OF THE CROWN...

.....and coming in 2012 THE FAMILIARS: CIRCLE OF HEROES.

SECRETS OF THE CROWN is in bookstores and online September 6th. You can learn more at http://www.thefamiliars.com/.

 

 

 

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Woo-hoo!

You heard it right here folks!

So now you have a title to add to that ever growing wish list, or rather two; I know it'll be on mine for certain.  Look for more about this great series soon, right here at Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers as I read my way through the adventure.  In the mean time, be certain to check out all the excitement to be had at the official website, Facebook page, and of course....Twitter!

 

Special thanks to the folks at HarperCollins and both of these fabulous authors for the chance to participate in their amazing tour.  (THANKS!)

 

Until next time....happy reading!

 

 

Halloween Blog Tour with...The Familiars!

Hi everyone!

Welcome to Wednesday....the 13th!

Okay so for some reason without it falling on a Friday it loses some of it's spooky powers but the number 13 is still feared by many nonetheless....not that you should worry, dear readers.  In fact, you should be EXCITED for it's arrival!  Know why?  There's a good reason, I promise...

Today, we play host to 'The Familiars' blog tour!  More precisely, the author team (Adam Jay Epstein & Andrew Jacobson...see them in the picture above?) behind the book The Familiars that hit stores last month, stop by as they make their way through the blogosphere on a trick or treat mission you don't want to miss!  But first...a message from one part of this dynamic duo just for YOU!

Wasn't that spooktacular fun?

BUT WAIT!
...there's more....

They are also having a special Familiars-themed Halloween Scavenger Hunt!

At each stop along the blog tour, they'll be asking a trivia question from their book. After you fill in your answer, the letter that falls in the place of the * can be placed in the corresponding number of the larger puzzle. So for example, since this is question number 1, the letter that lands in the space where the * is can be filled in where the 1 is in the larger puzzle. The larger puzzle will form yet another clue, and anyone who answers it correctly will be entered into a drawing for an autographed book as well as a few other Halloween treats!

Be sure to visit The Familiars blog at thefamiliars.blogspot.com to find links to all other blog stops and find out where to send in your answers! All entries must be entered by November 15.

Are you ready?  Here we go!

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Question #1

1. City custodians use a bell-shaped ___ _*_ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ to extinguish the candles lining the city's dark alleyways.

Hint: Chapter One, Page 2

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The BIG Puzzle:

11 5 18 8 15 1 9 7 19 14 23 2 25 16 10 12 20

__ __ __ __ __ __ ' __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

17 3 22 6 21 4 24 13

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

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A little more familiar fun before you go?

Be sure to check out all their online haunts!

Official website:  http://www.thefamiliars.com/

Book trailer:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0djEE4OzdQ

Special thanks to this great author team for the post and making SFIR a stop along their trick or treat blog trail.

Until next time....happy reading!

Happy Book Birthday: The Familiars by Adam Jay Epstein & Andrew Jacobson - GUEST POST

Hi there!

Welcome back to another day another post here at Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers!

We have a very special post for you today as we celebrate the introduction, the "birthday" if you will, of a new work of children's fiction sure to entice reader's of all ages.  What's that?  You're not certain to which book I am referring?  No worries!  I'm sure once it is revealed, it will sound "familiar" to you. (hehe)  The author's of this newly released title were kind enough to grant us with a guest post and since it is rather interesting indeed, I will keep you in suspense no longer!

Please join me in wishing a a very HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY to The Familiars by Adam Jay Epstein & Andrew Jacobson.  Take it away guys!

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Guest Post:

"The Church of YA"

by Adam Jay Epstein & Andrew Jacobson

Authors of The Familiars

Little did we know that writing a YA/Middle Grade series of books would send us headfirst into the Blogo-twitta-facebook-frienda-sphere! That every one of our literary escapes would be chronicled on goodreads and Shelfari. That we'd be YAlitchatting and kidlitchatting and catlitchatting. It turns out readers of young fiction not only like to read young fiction but talk about it, write about it, and commiserate about it 24/7. And it couldn't make us happier! We've found kindred spirits to debate whether they are Team Peeta or Team Gale, like-minded book lovers who find every series of unfortunate events a good thing, and fellow word devourers who are already waiting in line outside their local movie theater for the first installment of Deathly Hollows. We're all a devout group indeed, praying at the altar of Riordin, Meyer, and Paolini. Our rituals are the same: read, write, tweet, blog, and back to reading once more. Our temple -- the independent bookstore -- the one wedged between the local hardware store and shoe shop. And how exciting that soon we'll be traveling the country on a book tour putting faces to these screen names. So if you see us at your school or library or book store come say hi, and be sure to introduce yourself by your twitter handle.

If you'd like to learn more about The Familiars, come to http://www.thefamiliars.com/ or swing by our blog at http://thefamiliars.blogspot.com/. We'd love to hear from you too! You can email us at thefamiliarsbook@gmail.com.

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See?

Even newly minted authors respect the power that is Twitter.

Just kidding, but seriously it is one of the many tools used nowadays to get the word out about anything and everything....including wonderful new books such as this!

So what are you waiting for?

You've read the hosted guest post (special thanks to the authors for that by the way) now off with you!  Go discover more about this book at its website, drop by the blog and see the current happenings, spread the word on Twitter or your favorite social networking site....or hey, random thought, check it out in a store near you (online or off), we are readers after all.

Until next time....happy reading!