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By: Sharon Ledwith,
on 10/5/2015
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Sharon Ledwith: I came. I saw. I wrote.
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The Storm is here...
About Stormdancer:Days after the events featured in The Watcher, the Watcher is taken hostage by a dragon, leaving Kristen, Will and Nicki alone in a strange new world. With no choice but to try and rescue their friend, Kristen and the others must travel through ancient cities, forgotten burial grounds, and eventually into the heart of the great storm.
Faced with the unknown, will they be able to traverse the storms that stand before them as well as ones within their own hearts?
Book Details:Title: Stormdancer (Sequel to The Watcher)
Author Name: JoshuaPantalleresco
Genre(s): Poetry, Sci-Fi, Dystopian
Tags: Poetry, Epic, Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic, science-fiction, dragons
Length: Approx. 104 pages
E-book: 978-0-9947490-4-8
Paperback: 978-0-9947490-3-1
Release Date: October 1, 2015
Publisher: Mirror World Publishing (
http://www.mirrorworldpublishing.com/)
Appropriate for all ages from Young Adult to Adult.
Follow the Tour to Read Exclusive Excerpts, Guest Posts, and Reviews:http://saphsbookblog.blogspot.com/2015/09/blog-tour-schedule-stormdancer-sequel.htmlGuest Post:Why Joshua Pantalleresco Writes
So before we begin, I want to thank Sharon for having me. She's secretly a unicorn, and that story will have to be told some other day, but she's a kind, sweet lady and it was a pleasure to be asked to come here and write.
I am going to write about my books, why I wrote them, and the lessons you can learn from them. Stormdancer is book two of the Watcher Saga. In it, the Watcher, the main character from book one is kidnapped leaving Kristin, Nicki, and Will to chase him down. The journey is improbable and fantastic and in my opinion the kind of magic a good story creates.
I want to talk about some of the themes of the story. In particular, dealing with grief and changes. Because entering into this book, I was left in a quandry. The Watcher was the Watcher's story; about his journey to discovering who he was, and more importantly, what he wanted to be. This wasn't the Watcher's story anymore. It is the first line in book two.
“This is not my story anymore.”
That was deliberate, conscious line that illustrated the problems I had starting book two. I wanted to flesh out the characters I introduced at the end of book one, yet I didn't want to lose the strong presence the Watcher had in book one.
So who were the three kids I rescued? I chose Kristin as the main character in book two. They had just gone through the loss of everything they knew. Kristin represented that tragedy. Losing a family.
It parallels my own story. Not that I lost my whole family, but my whole family situation collapsed at a very young age. My mom and dad fell apart and I remember that when I was younger it was like my fault. Why did two people I love have to do this? Why did things have to change? It messed me up. I tried to tell myself I was over this pain of not having this unit in my life. I ran away from home at one point because of the pain.
I was very fortunate. I had two teachers look after me. One of them a principal, and the other was my grade four teacher. I was her last class. We didn't make the greatest impression, but to my surprise, she was there for me when I least expected it.
That's Kristin in chapter three. She was happy in her life – it was all she knew. And that turmoil is expressed very much in all her actions for the first half of the book. She has become my favorite character to write in the saga so far. Watching her rise above her own stuff was a vicarious experience.
I had to learn at a young age that life was a struggle. A lot of kids have their childhoods end a lot sooner than maybe they should. I thought the three kids had been through hell, and it was just beginning. Making them grow up happened to me.
The silver lining going through grief is that people come together. Family isn't just blood. It's the people you go through things with, that are there with you through thick and thin. Going back to the very beginning, it wasn't just the Watcher's story anymore. It was about the kids, and going through their own fires, and becoming closer for it.
So if you are a kid reading Sharon's blog, I hope this book teaches you to be brave. I'm not going to lie to you; life is hard. Chances are you have gone through some painful things and are probably stronger and braver than I was ever was. I'm not going to make you a promise that it'll get any easier. What I can tell you though, is that you can overcome. The big secret that most adults don't even know is that if you believe you can do it, you can. You are strong and powerful and can do anything.
But I'm also going to say that there are people who are there for you no matter what. People that believe in you. They will be there when you fall, and they will be there to help you rise. They are the people worth being with.
Read an Excerpt:STORMS WITHIN
he ran
disappearing into the night
leaving us all alone
we tried to follow him
but were unsure of the trees and trails
we went slowly
we knew something had happened
when we found his blades in the forest
blackened and alone
he had come
like a force of nature
wrecking our lives
in the name of freedom
freedom from what?
the hollow embers and ashes we found
I didn't build them
those ruins were his story
not mine
never mine
I...was happy
yeah, I was happy
is there something wrong with that?
my parents loved me
I didn't care about anything else
the dragons were bastards
but I understood the game
the moves that could be made
with one flick of a blade
he changed all that
shattered the illusion with a roar of rebellion
now my life is here
in this forest
now he had vanished into the night
leaving me abandoned
leaving everything in shambles!
Purchase Links:Amazon
http://amzn.to/1jjBlnYMirror World Publishing
http://mirror-world-publishing.myshopify.com/products/stormdancer-e-bookMeet the Author:Joshua Pantalleresco writes stuff. It's even on his business card. This is a succinct way of saying that in addition to writing poetry, he also does interviews, columns, comics, prose and anything possible with the written word. When he isn't writing, he's playing with podcasts, filming stuff, fiddling with alternative medicine, travelling, talking to people and pretending he is a rockstar. Stormdancer is his second book through Mirror World Publishing. He lives in Calgary.
Unreal's game development toolset is now free for filmmakers and artists.
Pixar’s Monsters University opened with a powerful first-place finish in the United States. The Dan Scanlon-directed film nabbed an estimated $82 million in its opening weekend, which makes it the second-biggest Pixar opening ever behind Toy Story 3′s $110.3M opening in 2010. The real test will be next weekend: will the film decline in the mid-40% range as Toy Story 3 did or will it drop over 60% as Cars 2 did? Overseas, Monsters University opened in approximately three dozen international territories with an international cume of $54.5M, also good enough for a first place finish. After one weekend, the film’s total gross is $136.5M.
Meanwhile, as expected, Monsters University pummelled Blue Sky’s Epic at the American box office. Epic plunged a massive 72.5% percent for an estimated fifth-weekend total of $1.7M. The film finally crawled its way across the $100M mark, but it will now certainly end up as Blue Sky’s lowest grossing film in the U.S., and among its lowest grossing films internationally.
Blue Sky’s Epic continued its mild box office run last weekend with a respectable decline of 28.5% and $11.8 million in U.S. box office earnings. The film has now racked up $83.9 million over its three week U.S. run. The film has one more weekend of clear-sailing ahead of it before it will succumb to another kiddie flick, Monsters University.
Overseas, Epic placed sixth, with approx. $12.7M from over sixty international territories, pushing its overseas total to $105.4M. Blue Sky’s features tend to overperform in international markets—the studio’s last three features have averaged $582 million overseas—but Epic will be lucky to break $200 million internationally.
In its second weekend at the U.S. box office, Blue Sky’s Epic plummeted a troubling 51.1% for an estimated take of $16.4 million. The week two drop is far more substantial than other recent animated originals like Wreck-It Ralph (-32.7%), Hotel Transylvania (-36.4%), and The Croods (-38.8%). Even the DreamWorks dud Rise of the Guardians only dropped 43.7% in its second weekend. In the U.S., Epic has grossed $65.1 million and could potentially become Blue Sky’s lowest-grossing domestic feature.
The LA Times notes that Epic has also struggled to connect with overseas audiences. Craig Dehmel, a Fox v-p, suggested to the Times that, “Epic is unique and a more complex story than much of the typical animated fare and that can sometimes make it more challenging for international audiences to discover.” The film expanded into 57 international territories last weekend, but managed to pull in just $28.5 million for a fourth-place finish. Its foreign total is now $86.3 million.
By: Jerry Beck,
on 5/29/2013
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Blue Sky’s Epic, directed by Chris Wedge, opened its U.S. box office run in fourth place with a respectable weekend take of $33.5 million. If you add in earnings from Monday, which was a holiday in the States, Epic’s 4-day total stands at $42.8M.
The film was based on a story by children’s author/illustrator Bill Joyce, whose movie projects have had difficulty capturing the attention of audiences. Similarly, Epic is the weakest opening ever for a Blue Sky feature. While Epic outperformed the dismal openings of the last two films based on Joyce properties—DreamWorks’ Rise of the Guardians ($23.8M) and Disney’s Meet the Robinsons ($25.1M)—it still failed to match the opening weekend of the Blue Sky/Bill Joyce collaboration Robots which had a 3-day total of $36 million in 2005.
Fox president of dommestic distribution, Chris Aronson, was optimistic about the film’s long-term potential, telling the Hollywood Reporter, “I think it’s a fantastic start. We have a four week run before Monsters University opens, and I’m very bullish on where Epic goes.”
In other box office news, after ten weeks in theaters, DreamWorks’ The Croods continues to show great legs and remains in the top ten. The film took ninth place last weekend with $1.2 million. As of yesterday, its U.S. total stands at $179.6 million and its foreign total is $383.4 million for a grand total of $563 million.
Finally, GKIDS is headed for its first million dollar-grossing release in the U.S. with Goro Miyazaki’s From Up on Poppy Hill. The film earned $17,281 last weekend pushing its grand total to $958,610.
Today, we wrap up our week of featuring artists who worked on Blue Sky’s Epic by focusing on the drawings of Jake Panian.
Jake Panian works as a visual development artist at Blue Sky, where he started as a junior designer during the production of Ice Age: Continental Drift. A few of his pieces from that production are below, and some larger pieces can be seen here:
Jake’s personal drawings are often created in pencil and explore how shadows and light impact characters. He posts personal drawings and sketchbook work on his blog JakePanian.blogspot.com.
By: Jerry Beck,
on 5/24/2013
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As Blue Sky’s Epic opens theatrically in the United States, we continue our week of featuring artists who worked on the film. Today we look at the work of storyboard artist Dan Shefelman.
Dan has worked as a story artist at Blue Sky in addition to doing boards for television series such as The Venture Bros., Robotomy, Celebrity Deathmatch, and Doug.
When drawing caricatures of celebrities and politicians, Dan distorts and renders faces with equal humor in digital paint, marker, pencils, ink and watercolors.
Dan previously worked as an editorial cartoonist for Newsday and continues to draw illustrations and cartoons that you can see on the pages of his website DanShefelman.com.
Above are a few of Dan’s story drawings from the Ice Age cave painting sequence. The finished version from the film can be seen below:
Blue Sky’s eighth feature film, Epic, directed by Chris Wedge and based on a book by children’s author Bill Joyce, opens in the United States today. Reception to the film has been fair to middling. The film currently owns a 63% critics’ rating and 74% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Stephen Holden in the NY Times sums up the majority viewpoint: “As beautiful as it is, Epic is fatally lacking in visceral momentum and dramatic edge.”
Check out the film and report back here with your opinion in the comments below. As always, this talkback is open only to those who have seen the film and wish to share an opinion about it.
(Billboard via Daily Billboard)
Continuing our week of Epic artists, we take a look at the designs of Blue Sky visual development artist Sandeep Menon.
Sandeep works as a designer, drawing and painting concepts for objects, vehicles, environments and structures.
Sandeep studied at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California where for one project he developed concept art about a future India which included flying elephant cars and robots designed with traditional Indian motifs integrated into their structures.
Sandeep previously worked as a product designer in India, which gives him practical experience in designing functional, real objects that he can apply to his current work designing fantasy worlds. See Sandeep’s animation design work on his blog.
Continuing our week of looking at some of the artists behind Blue Skey’s Epic, we focus on storyboard artist Tom LaBaff.
“Print illustration is one of Tom’s passions,” according to the bio on his website. Tom creates editorial and book illustration work in addition to working on animated features.
Tom extends the energetic, rough line often used during the animation process to his illustration work. He works with ink and watercolor washes and sometimes with a digital/analog hybrid technique demonstrated in this time-lapse video:
Tom also has a blog here where you can see large versions of his illustrations.
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.
By: Jerry Beck,
on 5/20/2013
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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.
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.
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.
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.
20th Century-Fox and Blue Sky have released a teaser trailer for their next film, Epic. Based on a William Joyce book… it’s looking’ pretty good:
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20th Century-Fox and Blue Sky have released a teaser trailer for their next film, Epic. Based on a William Joyce book… it’s looking pretty good:
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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?
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By: David Elzey,
on 11/21/2011
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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
By: Casey (The Bookish Type),
on 9/27/2011
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Release Date: September 27, 2011
Series: Trilogy TBA
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
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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
By: Lauren,
on 6/17/2011
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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.
Is this the best job title ever? You decide.
This Indian village has been renamed “snapdeal.com.” Yes, really.
Quora users try to answer the question, What’s the most epic photo ever taken? (Warning: some images are graphic in nature.)
Open Culture shares some “cultural goodies” from their Twitter stream.
Time reports some upsetting news about koalas.
This is a 2-year-old recounting Jack & the Beanstalk.
This is Richard Dreyfuss reading the iTunes end user license agreement.
Is it wrong to use a dictionary in the courtroom?
“A House Made from Bookshelves Is So Much Better Than a House Made from E-Books”
New Yorkers and tourists can rest easy, they’ve finally fixed the Metronome clock in Union Square
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.
8 Comments on Author Interview: Jackie Gamber, author of Redheart & Giveaway, last added: 4/30/2011
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.
You can find more details at http://www.epicon-conference.com.
Welcome to the Summer Reading Club & Book Blog Tour of Edith Pargeter's The Brothers of Gwynedd Quartet. We begin with Sunrise in the West: Book One of The Brothers of Gwynedd by 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 Brothers of Gwynedd Quartet: Comprising Sunrise in the West, the Dragon at Noonday, the Hounds of Sunset, Afterglow and Nightfall
 
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
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I've heard so many good things about this one - I would LOVE to read it! And great question too!
If I were a chimaera I would still want to have a human head but I think it would be neat to have the eyes and wings of an owl.
Thanks for hosting the giveaway!
herbookself at gmail dot com
Excited to read this book!
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.
sarabara081(at)aol(dot)com
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!
jazriyah(at)gmail(dot)com
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.
ayleejaine(at)gmail(dot)com
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.
Diana
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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! :)
♥ Cameo
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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 think I would have the head of an eagle and the body of a cat, but with wings too. Fast, sleek and can fly.
I really want to read this one. Thanks for the giveaway, from your review this sounds awesome and I want to read it even more.
crystalfulcher(at)ec.rr.com
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.
[email protected]
Awesome Giveaway!!! Sign me up!
sarinana0309(at)yahoo(dot)com
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.
My email is [email protected]
I posted about this givaway on my facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=882995541
Thanks for the chance to win a copy of this novel. It looks great.
tweeted https://twitter.com/#!/Icecream1891/status/119193668275027968
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
facebooked: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/profile.php?id=100000547840483
Hit Google +1 for you too!
I would want a bird beak and wings for sure! I would still want to have hands though, so the wings can't interfere with that!
+1 spread here http://www.goodreads.com/event/show/145764-review-daughter-of-smoke-and-bone-by-laini-taylor-giveaway
thegirlonfire27 at gmail dot com
I haven't gotten to Daughter of Smoke and Bone yet. Thank you for your wonderful review.
Issa sounds pretty cool. I think I'd be part big cat, though: the tail and ears, nose, and eyes of a black panther but otherwise be human.
I shared on Twitter @lexisjen.
[email protected]
Thanks!
This books sounds amazing! Your review is so detailed and I am excited for a chance to read this.
I would be a white tiger with white wings, a tail of a Hydrophis Belcheri and a steel breastplate.
marcee dot rodgers at gmail dot com
I follow you via GFC:)
marcee dot rodgers at gmail dot com
I shared on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/#!/MERodgers/status/119550049444302848
marcee dot rodgers at gmail dot com
I shared on FB
http://www.facebook.com/marcee.rodgers/posts/280263831991266
marcee dot rodgers at gmail dot com
I +1'd
https://profiles.google.com/111443356326000211746/plusones
marcee dot rodgers at gmail dot com
If I were a chimaera, I would want a human head with hair that changes color spontaneously and I'd have large bronze wings and eagle claws.
klamber1 at unca dot edu