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Continuing our week of looking at artists who worked on Epic, we focus on Sang Jun Lee.
Sang Jun has designed characters and concepts for many blockbuster movie franchises including Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean and Men In Black. After a stretch of working in California on these live-action films, he moved to New York to work on Blue Sky features such as Horton Hears a Who, Rio, and most recently, Epic.
Sang Jun’s website has a generous amount of drawings and digital paintings to explore. He also keeps a blog here.
0 Comments on “Epic” Artist of the Day: Sang Jun Lee as of 5/21/2013 7:23:00 AM
This week we’re taking a look at some of the artists who contributed their artistry to the production of Blue Sky’s Epic, which opens in the United States on May 24th.
First up is Stephen P. Neary, a story artist at Blue Sky who has worked on two Ice Ages and Rio, in addition to Epic. He also creates his own short films such as Dr. Breakfast (embedded below) and Let’s Make Out, which you can find on his YouTube channel.
Stephen’s train commute provides daily sketchbook time and he shares a lot of drawings on his blog and Tumblr. Also being a pie enthusiast, Stephen naturally has a pie blog.
0 Comments on “Epic” Artist of the Day: Stephen P. Neary as of 5/20/2013 6:33:00 PM
The next major animated release in the U.S. will be Blue Sky’s Epic, out on May 24th. Fox just released this new trailer for the Chris Wedge-directed film.
This trailer has a lot of the same shots from the original trailer, but it’s very different in tone. Also, Aziz Ansari’s slug character now says, “What’s going on, girl?” whereas in the first trailer he said, “What’s going on, babygirl?” This makes me wish so badly that I could have been a part of the meeting where they discussed the nuances of a slug saying ‘girl’ versus ‘babygirl.’
I’m always impressed with the individual elements of Blue Sky’s films, even if they never seem to amount into a satisfying film experience. This trailer has the same top-level quality we’ve come to expect from them—lush production design, appealing characters, funny bits of animation, and gorgeous lighting. I’ve got high hopes that they’ll pull it together into a solid package.
0 Comments on Fox Releases New “Epic” Trailer as of 3/24/2013 5:20:00 AM
by Craig Thompson
Pantheon 2011
A sprawling, epic graphic novel of love and... no. Just love. But also a lot more.
Chance throws together Dodola and Zam, a pair of child slaves, and there's is an intricate story of love, admiration, and survival. It's a love that survives all the worst things that can happen to lost and forgotten children, and it is a love that seems to span thousands of
Our friends at ComingSoon.net snapped some intriguing images from the floor of The Licensing Expo, the industry trade show that started today in Las Vegas. Here’s another look at Chris Sanders highly anticipated The Croods; Dreamworks’ racing snail film, Turbo; and Chris Wedge’s Epic (formerly known as The Leaf Men), based on William Joyce’s book. Which one are you most excited about?
What a wonderful and busy last few days! I’m so excited to announce my newest release. Of course wordpress was being difficult and not letting me sign in, so this post is a few days delays. ~grumble~
Getting Broken Aro finally out is such a great pleasure (and relief). It’s a while in coming, with some ups and downs and too many edits to count. Finally it is here and has a kick butt cover to boot. I couldn’t be happier!
Broken Aro is the first in a new series, The Broken Ones. It is a YA epic fantasy and was a great book to write. I hope you all enjoy the story and characters as much as I do. My current goal is to have the second book, Broken Prince, written by Christmas and published in the beginning of 2013.
If you pick up a copy do drop me a note and let me know what you thought!
Broken Aro (Book One of The Broken Ones)
Published by Untold Press on Sept 14 2012
70 000 words
Available at all Amazon stores for 2.99. Free to borrow for Prime members!
Open your eyes to darkness. What do you see? Does the darkness frighten you? Now imagine the darkness being the cargo hold of a slave ship. Your city has fallen. Your family is most likely dead. You don’t know anyone around you, and some of them aren’t even human. Giving up would be so easy to do, but not for Arowyn Mason. Not after being raised in a military family with seven brothers. Every great story should begin with a plan. Aro’s was to escape and to survive.
Escape comes, but at a price. As they reach the shore, Aro and the other survivors learn that freedom doesn’t mean safety. The slavers want their property back and will do anything to get it. The party uses every ounce of their brute strength, a hearty helping of cunning, and even ancient magics to keep themselves alive. Sickness, danger, and even love surprise them at every turn. Dealing with danger becomes their way of life, but none of them ever considered that nothing can be quite as dangerous as a prophecy. Running turns into another race altogether as her world falls to pieces again and again.
Here is a treat from one of my dear friends and a talented author. My review of the first book in her inspirational epic fantasy:
I am enthralled by this wonderful new world. Reminiscent of the character journeys of both Star Wars and Wizard of Oz, I am looking forward to the complete epic of Hidden Earth. Maycly Part 1 is a fabulous beginning, arming the reader with the history of Maycly and introducing the reader to Iona. Iona has suffered some great tragedies, yet still manages to maintain a childlike innocence. She struggles with her faith and only truly begins her adventure when she opens her heart up to the Grand Wizard, SUL (a metaphorical reference to God). While this book is only the beginning of Iona's story, it introduces us to an imaginative ensemble of characters and creatures. The stage is set for the classic battle of Good vs Evil. Having had the opportunity to meet the author, it is easy to see her spirit captured in these pages. The author's personal story is a great inspiration and her passion fuels the world of Maycly!
The best part is that you can get it for ONLY 99 Cents on Kindle:
About the book:Part 1 of the trilogy is titled "Two Altered Worlds." Discover the dreams, the magic, the quest. Kids of all ages will love this inspirational epic fantasy adventure, suitable for the entire family. The three parts of Maycly found in the paperback are sold separately as Ebooks. Part 1 is an amazing start to an epic journey. Get attached almost immediately as the protagonist, Iona, is thrown into circumstances beyond her control. Just as you're getting acquainted with her, you'll find yourself being taken back in time on Maycly, where the stage is being set for their queen's hopeful arrival. Part 1 offers a great cliff hanger, leading you right into Part 2.
About the author:Janet was born and raised in Ohio. She and her husband, Don, moved to Florida in the 1980′s to not only escape the cold winters, but to also pursue their careers as live event and production specialists. It was through their parent company, Multi-Tech Productions, Inc, that Janet's creativity was given free reign to soar. She was published in trade specific magazines, published non-fiction books, spoke at international conferences nationwide, and developed training classes pertaining to technical theater applications. When chronic illness stopped her in her tracks, it didn't stop her as a creative genius. Once she was back on her feet she took over the family gourmet dog treat business and expanded it by adding a full scale bakery to the already established "BARK"-ery. Again she collapsed, and again she didn't let it keep her down. Her creativity crested new horizons, and after putting herself through schooling at age 49 she became an epic fantasy author. She birthed JLB Creatives, a subsidiary of Multi-Tech Productions, Inc., which handles the publishing and authorship side of the business. Volume 1 - Maycly in her HIDDEN EARTH series was an eight year project brought to fruition by her determination, dedication, and zest for life! Janet and Don still reside in Florida. Janet is a dog lover who enjoys tandem kayaking, photographing nature, and baking cupcakes.
0 Comments on Review: Hidden Earth Volume 1 Maycly Part 1 as of 2/15/2013 12:53:00 AM
If you think we're working our fingers to the bone making owl-shaped cupcakes in honor of Harry Potter, you're ... only half right. (Umm, they don't really look like owls, lets just put it that way).
So, yeah. Biggest publishing mania of like the century? I guess we've got to participate. Join the Books Inc. celebration tomorrow night at 10 pm and get your book at the stroke of 12:01. Here's party info for San Francisco, Mountain View, Burlingame, Palo Alto and Alameda. 20% of every book purchased before midnight will go to local schools and literacy organizations. So come geek out, dress up and eat owl-shaped amoeba-shaped cupcakes with us!
Our children are not only the readers and writers of the future.
They ARE the voice of the future.
EPIC has given that voice a place and time.
Here is that place.
Now is their time.
EPIC wants to share the excitement about e-publishing with young writers and introduce them to the variety and versatility of e-books. We want to encourage them to spread their wings and soar by turning their creative dreams into reality, giving their voices a place in the books of now and the future.
EPIC’s New Voices Writing Competition Contest is their perfect opportunity.
We established this competition to encourage writing among Middle School and High School-aged students. The New Voices Writing Competition has been an astounding success in its short history, welcoming talented young entrants from all parts of the globe. Help us continue to offer these writers the opportunity to fly.
We invite your writers, poets, schools, and local organizations to participate in this ELECTRONIC COMPETITION and welcome all Middle School and High School aged writers attending public, private, or home schools.
Winning entries are compiled into special anthologies. EPIC donates two versions of the current anthology (one copy on CD, the other in print) to each winning entrants’ school library, doing our part to promote e-book awareness within school systems. Additional electronic copies are available for download at no cost from our website:
For more Guidelines and Entry forms, please go to:
Presented as a translation of an ancient legend, The Naming is epic fantasy at its most classic. The Dark (working for what someone else forces you to do) threatens to extinguish the Light (working for what you hope for and believe in the depths of your heart) in the ancient civilization of Edil-Amarandh. Cadvan, a magically gifted Bard, believes that sixteen-year-old Maedra is the One who is Foretold to defeat the Dark. He finds her living wretchedly as a slave nine years after she survived the destruction of her home of Pellinor.
Eager to leave her life of slavery, Maedra and Cadvan embark on a long and dangerous journey during which she confronts enemies and realizes her special gifts. On this journey, Maedra finds her little brother, Hem, who she thought had been killed. They must separate at the end of The Naming, as Maedra continues her quest in The Riddle. Hem’s story is taken up again in the third book, The Crow. In the last book, The Singing, brother and sister are reunited for a final effort against the growing power of the Dark.
The edge of danger never lags in this series and the evil ones are plenty scary. The characters are complex and the line between the Light and the Dark is often blurred. Maedra is strong-willed, intelligent, kind, and brave. Because of the strength of her character, this series has been well-liked by the middle and high school girls in my classes, but boys who are avid fans of fantasy have also liked it. The protagonist is a teenager and as such there are some themes of romance and maturing development, but these are more implicit than explicit. Though this series has been compared to The Lord of the Rings, I think it is a slightly easier read and could be appreciated by younger, experienced readers also.
Gaby Chapman
0 Comments on The Naming: The First Book of Pellinor as of 1/1/1900
Welcome to the Summer Reading Club & Book Blog Tour of Edith Pargeter's The Brothers of Gwynedd Quartet. We begin withSunrise in the West: Book One of The Brothers of Gwyneddby Edith Pargeter. Organized by Danielle at Sourcebooks, the Summer Reading Club & Blog Tour covers the novels Sunrise in the West, The Dragon at Noonday, The Hounds of Sunset, and Afterglow and Nightfall over a period of four months.
The opening lines: "My name is Samson. I tell what I know, what I have seen with my own eyes and heard with my own ears. And if it should come to pass that I must tell it so certainly that I tell it as though I had been present. And I say now that there is no man living has a better right to be my lord's chronicler, for there is none ever knew him better than I, and God He knows there is none, man or woman, ever loved him better."
The blurb: Lleweln, prince of Gwynedd, dreams of a Wales united against the English. But first he must combat enemies nearer home. His brothers vie with him for power among themselves, and their infighting threatens the very soil of their fathers. David, brought up in the English court of King Henry III and torn between two loyalties, may be Llewelyn's most dangerous foe -- especially since Llewelyn has no sons. Simon de Monfort promises his daughter to Llewelyn, but the quest to give Wales an heir may not be enough to prevent tragedy for the country and its prince.
Acclaimed novelist Edith Pargeter spins an absorbing tale of tragedy, traitors, and triumph of the heart.
Review:
1 Comments on Book Blog Tour of Sunrise in the West: Book One of The Brothers of Gwynedd by Edith Pargeter, last added: 5/22/2010
I'm happy to announce that my children's picture book, Humberto the Bookworm Hamster, has been nominated for an EPIC Award.
EPIC stands for the "Electronically Published Internet Coalition."
The winner of EPIC’s 2011 Children's Non-Fiction/Fiction Category will be announced at the annual conference, held in historical Williamsburg, Virginia, March 10-13, 2011.
Enter the lands of Leland Province, where dragon and human societies have long dwelled side by side. Superstitions rise sharply, as a severe drought strips the land of its bounty, providing fertile ground for the darker ambitions of Fordon Blackclaw, Dragon Council Leader, who seeks to subdue humans or wipe them off the face of the land.
As the shadow of danger creeps across Leland Province, a young dragon named Kallon Redheart, who has turned his back on dragons and humans alike, comes into an unexpected friendship. Riza Diantus is a young woman whose dreams can no longer be contained by the narrow confines of her village, and when she finds herself in peril, Kallon is the only one with the power to save her. Yet to do so means he must confront his past, and embrace a future he stopped believing in.
A tale of friendship, courage, and ultimate destiny, Redheart invites readers to a wondrous journey through the Leland Dragon Series.
How did you go about building the world of Leland?
I started with the characters. As I envisioned Kallon and the challenges he needed to face, I began to see his environment as a direct impact on his emotional development. Why has he chosen to isolate himself? Why would a human need his help? And the world grew from there.
What was the first scene you wrote for this novel? How has it changed over the course of the publishing process?
Wow, let’s see. I believe one of the first scenes I wrote is the scene where Kallon must find the Gold dragon, and risk his own safety to do it. It’s a pivotal scene, and one way I challenged myself to “write toward” it, with a Kallon that wouldn’t even consider such a risk in the beginning, but becoming someone who does. I think most of the changes came throughout the writing process itself, as I tweaked and re-tweaked – but the scene is still there after publishing as I envisioned it beforehand. Which is very cool.
Could you describe the Leland dragons for us? Why did you envision them this way? What inspired your interest in this mythical creature?
I’ve always seen the Leland dragons as fully developed, emoting creatures, with all the complications of the human experience. It’s certainly easier to identify with a character who shares one’s own qualities, but more than that, I wanted to explore motivation. As sentient, speaking animals, couldn’t there be more to them than hoarding gold and eating maidens?
Pondering the stereotypes drew me to dragons as fascinating characters to interpret. The mythology is the inspiration. I wanted to shatter it.
I haven't ever read A Christmas Carol, but it is definitely the play I have been involved with the most. My college did it every Christmas and I have also done it twice at my work. rickimc[at]aol[dot]com
I agree that making the dragons in the novel seem real would be tough! There's so many elements that we wouldn't even know about since they don't really exist. I also love the fact that there's illustrations. I love pictures :)
Your book sounds wonderful. Do you think your dragons can become the equivalent of Erin Hunter's Cats from the Warrior series? Wouldn't that be wonderful?! lvsgund at gmail.com 1 entry
I was writing a short introduction about how summer has finally come to New York, and how lovely it’s been, but I went to a meeting and by the time I came back to this post, it was raining. At least I have my links.
Release Date: September 27, 2011 Series: Trilogy TBA Publisher: Little, Brown and Company Buy:Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.
In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.
And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.
Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.
When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?
Daughter of Smoke and Bone is a rich, imaginative tale of magic and monsters, war and heartbreak. The world-building in this novel is breathtaking, the backstory a tapestry woven with strands of legend and otherworldly secrets. Laini Taylor's style is beautiful and intelligent, bewitching in its elegant flair. The pacing is perfect with never a dull moment, whether the intensity comes from the heat of battle, the awe of discovery or the mystery of Taylor's monsters.
Laini Taylor's imagination knows no bounds. This is the most creative, original story I have ever read. Daughter of Smoke and Bone is a book that cannot be easily defined. It is a long history of war and senseless hate, otherworldly races and ancient magic. It is a fantasy and a tragedy and a romance. It is all these things and more. The descriptions are lush and vivid, the characters terrifying and oddly compelling, the lines between good and evil hopelessly blurred. It is a tale of self-discovery and irrepressible love, a coming-of-age story like no other.
Karou is such a compelling heroine, the kind of girl that shouldn't be crossed. She is quirky and mysterious -- from her naturally blue hair to her bullet-scarred belly -- a complex character who is alive and engaging from page one. Her mental life runs deep as she struggles with a lifelong sense of emptiness, and the constant frustration of vague answers from the only family she's ever known. Karou is smart and skilled, and she knows there's more to the story than she's been told. She is fearless when she needs to be, but vulnerable at heart. It's impossible not to fall in love with this one-of-a-ki
27 Comments on Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor & Giveaway, last added: 10/1/2011
If I was a chimaera I would want to have the head of a human bu the body of a white tiger and beautiful snowy owl wings. My face would also have whiskers and a tigers nose and beautiful long black hair to contrast all the beautiful white.
If I were a chimera, I'd probably look much as I do now, since medical chimeras (one fetus being absorbed by the other and yet the DNA lives on) aren't that uncommon. :P
However, if we're talking of more fantastic chimeras, I'd love to have white angel wings, fangs, cat eyes, and a long cat tail. Purrmeow!
Oi, seeing all these reviews have got me mighty excited to read this! People especially seem to love Karou, who sounds beyond awesome, and Laini Taylor's writing, which sounds exquisite. This is the first I'm hearing of Karou's chimaera family but it sounds absolutely fascinating!
If I were a chimaera, I would have wings, of course! And eyes of an animal that can see well in the dark, like a cat. Maybe a cat's nose as well so I could smell better. Basically, I would want features that enhanced my senses beyond simple human senses.
Wow, great review--it was very descriptive, which I like. I have heard nothing but great things about this book! I'd enter your giveaway, but I'm so darn eager to read this book that I know I'll be going to the bookstore soon to acquire it (especially since I get paid tomorrow, hehe). Happy reading! =)
If I were a Chimera, I'd like to have the head of a tiger, dragon and a snake. Weird combination, I know, but it seems so perfect :)haha! I'd be unstoppable!
This is such a good idea (asking bloggers to answer a question to enter the giveaway). You get a lot more feedback, plus you get to read all these creative answers :) Either way, count me in! I'm an old follower.
If I were a chimaera, I would have scaly golden skin and a wolf's head, with black-feathered wings and a lizard tail... basically my D&D character crossed with a dire wolf and a crow ;D Thanks for this opportunity to win! frootjoos at gmail dot com
Wow. This is different, yet SO cool! If I were a chimera, I'd have the body of a cheetah, eyes of an owl, beautiful white wings, and a breastplate of impenetrable scales. Can't wait to read this book! It sounds awesome! Thanks for the giveaway! :)
Please do not enter me in this giveaway. I just wanted to say that I just read this book in 2 days. It was fantastic. I was reading on different blogs and all the reviews were 5 star for this book. I agree completely. I was captivated from the beginning to the end. What a phenomenal read =) Thanks for sharing your review.
I'm glad you put the definition in there, or I would totally had to look that up. If I had to give up my human parts, I think I would choose to be a black panther from the neck down, with folding wings of dragonfly. But a human head, because otherwise that could be awkward. :)
Thanks for the great giveaway. Susankayequinn@comcast.net
Hello. This is a wonderful question! I would have wings that were big enough for flight, the body of a horse, for fast running, and the eyes of a cat, for good eyesight and seeing in the dark. My eyes would be green on the left and blue on the right. I would still have a human upper body, but my hair would be made from feathers, bright red and they would match the feathers on my wings.
I would be a snow leapard, german shepherd, goldfish, and eagle (rooting for flying and swimming!). Can I say interlaced with diamonds? Thank you for this awesome giveaway, I would love to own a copy! edysicecreamlover18@gmailDOTcom
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8 Comments on Author Interview: Jackie Gamber, author of Redheart & Giveaway, last added: 4/30/2011
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Thanks for sharing this - makes for a good post!
Cool - just emailed the info with the link to my son's Language Arts teacher!
Great incentive to get them started, so they'll be like us and won't be able to stop!
Morgan Mandel
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com
http://www.morganmandel.com
http://twitter.com/morganmandel
I'll put a link on Cynthia's Attic Blog, Karen.
I'm following the progress of several young writers.