Small Development

We have a set release date (that I was previously unable to find) for the Kane Chronicles Survival Guide! It's expected to hit bookstores March 20 in the U.S.

Here's the cover:

And the synopsis (courtesy of Amazon): 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.


Thanks to Lyla and Genevra on BlueTrident for letting me know about this. =]


For now, that's it. I'm still on the look out for character releases for Serpent's Shadow, but so far, Rick hasn't even said anything about when we can expect that. I'll keep you posted. 

The Lull

Before I get down to business, let me just say that it looks like a bomb went off in my "office" (my bedroom.) My sister and I babysat five kids today and let's just say they aren't the cleanest. So I should be cleaning my room right now, but I'm not. Obviously.

(I really hate that this site doesn't capitalize things automatically. That would make my life so much easier.)

Anyway, it's the typical lull in news, when we're between books. Riordan is busy working on the Mark of Athena, expected to go into print in late April or May, and there most likely won't be any news about the Serpent's Shadow until late next month. That's about when we can expect some character releases. =D

Also, the Kane Chronicles Survival Guide is coming out soon. So we have that to look forward to. Then the Demigod Diaries, MoA news, MoA itself, et cetera. (Getting into the Roman spirit.)

In completely unrelated news, is anyone else excited for the Hunger Games movie? I think it looks great and I can't wait to see it!

Ok, well I've stalled long enough. Gotta clean my room. Wish me luck!

What to Expect in the Not-So-Distant Future

Kane Chronicles-
I'm thinking that we should be getting character releases soon. Possibly the end of March? I guess it all depends on how many new characters are in the Serpent's Shadow. Really hope we get some new character art!

Mark of Athena-
Just a rough estimate ('cause I'm beyond excited for this book) that the cover/Chapter 1 will be out at the end of May. The Son of Neptune cover/first chapter came out May 25. And the character releases (provided there are new characters in MoA) should start the last week in August, if my calculations are correct.

I really hope Rick gets to work! Honestly, now that the Kane Chronicles is finished, don't you think he could publish Heroes of Olympus book 4 and book 5 next year? That would make my life so much easier.

Oopsie... Missed Something

Recently, the Percy Jackson fan page on Facebook reached one million members. As a thank you, they premiered a deleted chapter from the Lightning Thief that Rick released. You can find it on the Facebook page.

Or, you could just keep reading!







A MESSAGE FROM RICK RIORDAN

In the original manuscript for The Lightning Thief,Percy is introduced to a camp tradition, where the newcomer has to kiss the boar at are cabin and gets thrown in the lake. The name of the chapter,which was never used was named "I KISS SOMETHING UGLY."

We ultimately decided that the chapter would read better if this detail were deleted, but i always liked the scene. Later, in The Last Olympian, I reused the idea of Percy getting thrown in the lake, but this time with Annabeth

Enjoy this scene that never was!

I KISS SOMETHING UGLY

When everybody had returned to their seats and finished eating their meals, Chiron pounded his hoof again for our attention.

Mr. D got up with a huge sigh. "Yes, I suppose I'd better say hello to all you brats. Well, hello. Our activities director Chiron says the next capture-the-flag is Friday. Cabin Five presently holds the laurels."

A bunch of ugly cheering rose from the Ares table.

"Personally," Mr. D continued, "I could care less, but congratulations. Also, I should tell you that we have a new camper today. Peter Johnson."

Chiron murmured something.

"Er, Percy Jackson," Mr. D corrected. "That's right. Hurrah, and all that. Now do your silly little welcome tradition. Go on."

Cabin Eleven started a chant, pounding on the table and doing a series of hand-gestures I didn't understand any better than the words:



Half-blood, half-blood, rak-a-sak-a-soo.

Gitcheegumee, ratatooie, whose child are you?

Throw him in, throw him in, welcome to the camp,

No one's a half-blood until they're damp!



Then the tempo changed and everyone in the pavilion drummed their fists on the tables:



Ohhhhhh ---

Percy kiss the boar! Percy kiss the boar!

Percy kiss the boar! Percy kiss the boar!



The bigger guys in Cabin Eleven grabbed me and lifted me over their heads. I struggled a little at first, but I realized there wasn't much point, so I let them carry me down to the cabins, the whole camp laughing and singing and jostling each other.

We went down to Clarisse's cabin, the one with the wild boar mounted above the doorway. Luke lifted me on his shoulders so I could reach it.

"Go ahead, Percy!" he yelled. "A big wet one on the snout!"

The thing was disgusting – moldy and smelly and ugly like you wouldn't believe. The snout was all peeling off and nasty.

"Percy kiss the boar! Percy kiss the boar!" everybody shouted.

Before I could think about it too much, I kissed the boar's nose.

A roar of approval went up from the campers, and I felt . . . weird, like I'd been accepted. I couldn't remember the last time anybody had cheered for me, much less a hundred people and satyrs and wood nymphs.

Before I could start feeling too warm and fuzzy, or even wipe the snout-grime off my lips, the stuffed boar's mouth opened all by itself and let loose an enormous belch right in my face. Everybody roared with laughter. It was a practical joke – a trick boar.

A new chant started: Throw him in! Throw him in!

The guys carried me down to the canoe lake.

I saw what was coming, but I wasn't worried about getting wet. I was thinking: Please don't let this be like the bathroom. Don't hose everybody down.

I didn't need to worry. I went straight in – SPLOOSH! – and right down to the bottom.

When I came up gasping, everybody cheered. Luke and some of the other guys hauled me out and clapped me on the back.

We all headed down to the amphitheater, where Apollo's cabin led the sing-a-long. We sang camp songs and ate s'mores and joked around, and the funny thing was, I didn't feel like anyone was staring at me anymore. I felt like I was home.

Later in the evening, when the sparks from the campfire were curling into a starry sky, the conch horn blew again, and we all filed back to our cabins. I didn't realize how exhausted I was until I collapsed on my borrowed sleeping bag.

My fingers curled around the minotaur horn. I thought for a moment about my mom, but they were good thoughts – her smile, the bedtime stories she would read me when I was a kid, the way she would tell me not to let the bedbugs bite.

When I closed my eyes, I fell asleep instantly.

That was my first day at Camp Half Blood.

I wish I'd known how briefly I would get to enjoy my new home.


Special thanks to Facebook and MortalNet. Copied the clip from MortalNet and they reminded me that I haven't posted this. Haha.

First Things First

I. Today's topics

   A. Brief backstory and why I started DNN

   B. Old news

        1. Mark of Athena

        2. Serpent's Shadow and other KC news

        3. Demigod Diaries

   C. New news

        1. SOPA/PIPA

        2. Sea of Monsters graphic novel/movie

        3. News from Rick

   D. Miscellaneous

        1. Countdown to MoA

        2. The PJatO Fandom

        3. Sources

       

Hey everyone! Today, while doing school (I'm homeschooled), I decided that I wanted to start a blog for the latest news in the Percy Jackson universe. Lately, I've been annoyed that some of the sites I follow haven't been keeping up with everything, so I'm taking matters into my own hands.

 Brief backstory: I read the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series for the first time in January of 2010. Then two more times before the year was out. Then again to refresh my memory for the Son of Neptune release. But I won't read it again because I'm just going to make myself crazy while waiting for the Mark of Athena.

 Ok, then, let's get down to business!

Old News (Just trying to catch up on things here)

Mark of Athena-

If you've read the Son of Neptune, that I'm sure you know that this is the title of the third book. Rick's blog states that a decent amount of the book will take place on a boat (most likely the Argo II) and that he is hard at work! Thankfully, because I'm getting really anxious.

Serpent's Shadow/Kane Chronicles-

On Rock Center with Brian Williams (aired January 10th, I believe?) Rick debuted the cover of the third and final book in the Kane Chronicles series: the Serpent's Shadow. The first chapter is available on the Disney Hyperion site for the Kane Chronicles. The book hits stores May 1, 2012.

The Kane Chronicles Survival Guide (companion book to the series) is available March 20, which is coming up!

Demigod Diaries-

Companion to the Heroes of Olympus series. News about this leaked a while ago on Amazon. On Rock Center, Rick offered some information about it. Here's a summary from Rick's blog: 

*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!

The book will be available August 14 of this year. Rick also mentioned that the book will feature the first ever picture of Thalia. Here's a tentative cover for the book from Rick's twitter account: 

New News-

SOPA/PIPA- I, unfortunately, didn't find out about this until the day after and therefore, had no time to blackout my Tumblr or my other blog. I am very much against these acts and the government trying to take away our freedom, so I signed a petition in the hopes that that will make up for my lack of blackout.

Sea of Monsters Graphic Novel/Movie-

Cover for the graphic novel (sequel to the Lightning Thief) has been released:

It will be available September 4, 2012 in the U.S.

As far as the movie, there isn't any recent news except that it is set for release in 2013 and the main stars (Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario, Brandon T Jackson, and Jack Abel) will be coming back. Gina Carano is rumored to play Circe, but that isn't official. 

News From Rick-

Riordan Exhibit-

A new exhibit at the Alkek Library at the Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. Pictures and other info are available on Rick's blog.

Rick announced on twitter that he passed 45,000 followers and the Red Pyramid is available in Russia. Hooray for random facts of life!

Miscellaneous-

Countdown to MoA-

Today is February 1 and you know what that means: we are one month closer to the release of Mark of Athena! We survived October, November, December, and January. I'd say we're making progress and there is a lot to look forward to this year before the release.

The Fandom-

The best Percy Jackson artists on deviantART:

burdge-bug

drNightflower

ifroggirl

leabharlann

chloisssx3

missyserendipity

JaydeeMe

Those are only a few. For fanfiction, I recommend: 

8countgirl

I also write fanfic if anyone is interested: natalia1417

Wow, sorry this was so long! I just wanted to catch up on everything. I'll post again the next time some interesting tidbit has surfaced. Please feel free to let me know if I've missed anything!

Have a nice day!

          -Natalie

Sources-

Special thanks to IMdB, Bluetrident.org, Myth & Mystery, @RickRiordan for the information in this post.