Strange Lands: The Kill Order, Blood Magic, and a Grave Situation

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"Oh my goodness!! I LOVED this book!!" -- Katy "Instantly ranking among the world's deadliest weapons is James Dashner's latest collection of dangerspeak The Kill Order." -- Justin The prequel to the New York Times bestselling Maze Runner series. Before WICKED was formed, before the Glade was built, before Thomas entered the Maze, sun flares hit the earth and mankind fell to disease. Mark and Trina were there when it happened, and they survived. But surviving the sun flares was easy compared to what came next. Now a disease of rage and lunacy races across the eastern United States, and there’s something suspicious about its origin. Worse yet, it’s mutating, and all evidence suggests that it will bring humanity to its knees. Mark and Trina are convinced there’s a way to save those left living from descending into madness. And they’re determined to find it—if they can stay alive. Because in this new, devastated world, every life has a price. And to some, you’re worth more dead than alive. Play the games Watch the trailer Read an excerpt Buy the book
Congratulations to Miria, our grand prize winner for the Strange Lands Correspondent Contest. Miria wins an e-reader, a signed copy of Poison Tree by Amelia Atwaters-Rhodes, and will moderate a live video chat with Amelia and 10 other contest entrants! 10 runner ups also won a signed copy of Poison Tree and participate in the live video chat as well. Check out the full list of winners!
"I haven't been able to look at a book the same way ever since I finished Scarlett Dedd." -- Caroline Meet Scarlett Dedd. Scarlett is absolutely mortified (in more ways than one) to discover that she's accidentally killed herself trying to get out a school trip. Even worse, she's taken her entire family with her! Left in limbo, bored to death and fearing her friendless state is terminal, an ominous idea pops into Scarlett's head. Can Scarlett really execute her grim plan? Or will it turn out to be a fatal and very messy mistake? Visit the author site Buy the book
"There is not one single thing I would want changed, slowed down, altered, or deleted." -- Crystal For Mab Prowd, the practice of blood magic is as natural as breathing. It's all she's ever known. Growing up on an isolated farm in Kansas with other practitioners may have kept her from making friends her own age, but it has also given her a sense of purpose—she's connected to the land and protective of the magic. And she is able to practice it proudly and happily out in the open with only the crows as her companions. Mab will do anything to keep the ancient practice alive and guard its secrets. But one morning while she is working out a particularly tricky spell she encounters Will, a local boy who is trying to exorcise some mundane personal demons. He experiences Mab's magic in a way his mind cannot comprehend and is all too happy to end their chance meeting. But secrets that were kept from Mab by the earlier generations of blood magicians have come home to roost. And she and Will are drawn back together, time again by this dangerous force looking to break free from the earth and reclaim its own dark power. Read an excerpt View an Author Discussion Buy the book
Suck It Up And Die by Brian Meele She's now eighteen and he's stalled at sixteen--forever. Touched by Cyn Balog In a life where there are no surprises, nothing has prepared Nick for what he's about to discover. Foretold edited by Carrie Ryan Have you ever been tempted to look into the future? To challenge predictions? Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore Amy Goodnight's family is far from normal.
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A Nice Visit and Sketching Around...

Well, to put it short, I visited the IndoManga booth today in Japan-Indonesia Expo 2008, Jakarta (9/11/08) and done a bit of sketchin', and I was like challenging this aspiring mangaka (cartoonist) to draw her version of Lavennia Iris, one of the Paladins in this story. And Tasya, her name, done it very nicely! Looks like a graphic novel is lookin' bright for FireHeart Project (I hope)

For more about IndoManga and what Indonesian Manga Cartoonists can do, just visit http://www.indomanga.com


Lavennia Iris by Tasya - Great Work! Thanks! Just let the world see it!


My sketch on Robert vs. Adler in "Air Raid" Duel in Book II (Masks of the Soul) Chapter 11 (Rising Stars). Gotta use it on the Novelblog, if I have time...

The First FireHeart Book is Released!

Hi, fellow readers,

I just want to inform you that the first FireHeart - Legend of the Paladins novel, the Bounty Hunters is now available in print (good quality paper book)!

Well, the catch is, it was published in Indonesian Language under the title: "FireHeart - Legenda Paladin (Buku Satu) Sang Pemburu". I guess the term "think globally, act locally" has something to do with this, but hey! It's a start.

I thank God for His bountiful blessing, considering it has been three years since I began this project back in January 2005, finished the first of the trilogy in April 2006, submitting it to several (if not a few) publishers who would consider unsolicited manuscripts, got rejected every time. An Indonesian publisher got interested in my blog and I translated it in Indonesian. It took me another year or so until its release.

Thus, the journey didn't end here. As I said, it's a start, so there is plenty of work to do ahead. Among them: promoting the first novel, submitting the english version and finalizing the final book of the Paladins Trilogy: The Lion, the Eagle and the Serpent (title may vary).

Well, I thank you all for visiting, reading and following FireHeart NovelBlog.
If there's any other way to express my gratitude, I'll do it.

Fulfill your destiny, and see you... on the other side.

Andry Chang (BJ Vadis)

(hehehe, this is the blog post i've been waiting 4 so long 2 write...)

FireHeart - Author's Note 10 Aug 2008

FIREHEART SAGA PROJECT
Author’s Note

Update: August 10, 2008
A Review to FireHeart from the Author’s Point of View


Seeing this NovelBlog and (if there’s going to be any) Printed version of FireHeart Cycle, people may ask how come? Will FireHeart in print be more enjoyable yet less original than the NovelBlog version? Why did the author, Andry Chang put nearly entire content of the Cycle in blogs? Well, I, the author, have prepared an answer for that.

You see, I didn’t make FireHeart for money. It’s simply a way to express myself and a channel for my idealism: events, thoughts and culture that are different and doesn’t happen or exist in the real world (a.k.a. Earth) in modern times, but it happened in Eternia.

So that’s why I also made it in present tense (Blog/First Draft Version) giving the impression that all the events must be real-time, something you and I experience right when we read the book. I want you to think and feel them all: The rush of adrenaline whether Robert is in high emotion, Chris’ grudge that led him into near-madness and terrible anger, and the flow of blood rushing into your head when you, as Robert, kissed Eloise with love overflowing, and the difference between when he kissed Elaine, Carolyn and when he refused to kiss Xylen.

The feeling of family love, a true fatherly love for a son who despised and offended him. The feeling of living in a country that has corruption rooted deep in the culture (though it sounded more extreme than reality, but it happened in a feudal kingdom – inspired by an Indonesian comic strip: Panji Koming by Dwi Koen). Also, it depicted what Justice is all about, viewing justice in a whole new point of view.

It’s all idealism in one package, fellas. It’s not just a full-action novel with kung-fu like moves and display of extreme power. The paperback / commercial version of FireHeart may have refined storytelling, cutting off the elongated speeches of ideality and thoughts to entertain the popular demand, yet the blog version (the draft version) stays. It might not be entertaining, it drew out all kinds of bitter critics (like a medicine for idealism) in the forums from some fantasy-fiction lovers who craved for a greater sensation than Harry Potter, Naruto, Lord of the Rings and Inheritance Cycle (Eragon Saga), Saint Seiya, etc.

No way. Me, an Indonesian of Chinese ethnicity, in my state now can’t afford to pay the literary agents’ fees, as if telling me that I must be rich before I can make a dime out fro this FireHeart Project. So, at the risk of being pirated by plagiators (may lord forgive them) I have no choice but to display the whole content in this blog as if it’s my diary of my journey in Eternia.

And yes, I admit these entries are hard to navigate (as reviewed and recorded). I admit I lack all the education level, the literacy and English language mastery level to make this a grand literature like the classics (like King Arthur and Knights of the Round Table, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Iliad by Homer and Asgard – Ragnarok Saga). Yet, like I wrote in my novel, at least I tried.

It’s a gruelling time since I started this project back in January 2005. I missed out many opportunities since then, but I can’t stop now. I started the journey and I’ve come this far. I played by my own strength, learning, improving my imagination and skill, meeting wonderful people, and last but not least, opening myself to possibilities (or opportunities) beyond the mainstream.

So, for my dedication (recipient undisclosed), here’s what I wrote:

“I’ve lost the sparkle of your eyes along the way, but in return, I’ve found myself”

- Andry Chang, 2008

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Cover!

Take a First Look at the Last Harry Potter
by Shannon Maughan -- Publishers Weekly, 3/28/2007 5:38:00 AM



Fans got their first look at the jacket artwork for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows this morning. Scholastic released the image by Mary GrandPré, who also created the artwork for all previous U.S. editions of Rowling’s books. For the first time ever, the jacket image is a full wrap-around. On the front of the book, Harry appears in the foreground of a Coliseum-like structure that has suffered what Scholastic’s art director characterizes as "evident destruction, " while shadows of other people can be seen in the background. He’s reaching upward toward an ominous orange-yellow sky. A look at the full spread, including back cover, reveals Harry’s skeletal nemesis, He-Who-Shall- Not-Be-Named, blood-red eyes peering from his cloak, reaching out toward the young wizard. Let the speculation begin: a battle to the death? The end of Hogwarts? The end of the world? The theories are sure to run rampant as readers analyze the jacket for clues about Rowling’s final installment of the series, set to run 784 pages with a record-setting printing of 12 million copies. 114 days and counting….

See below for the full cover spread of the U. S. version of the book. And here is the British cover from Bloomsbury.

Happy Lunar New Year 2007!

Here's a very-very simple greeting from my sketches on
'Journey to the West'. Gong Xi Fa Chai!
This is the year of the golden pig!

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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Rowling names last book in Potter saga
By Paul MajendieLONDON

(Reuters) - British author J.K. Rowling revealed on Thursday that the long-awaited seventh and final book in her wizard saga will be called "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," sparking the next phase of Pottermania.Fans of the series that has already sold an estimated 300 million copies worldwide were kept guessing with the publication date not set -- although that did not stop one U.S. bookseller from starting to take reservations.The intriguing and ominous title had Potter aficionados puzzling over what might happen to the bespectacled hero.

"Will a favorite character die? Could Harry himself face a grisly demise? How will it all end?" asked Sam Harrison, children's buyer at the British bookchain Waterstone's."But surely the question all Potter fans will want answering as soon as possible is -- when can they get their hands on a copy?"Rowling, whose creation has turned her into one of the world's richest and most successful authors, revealed on her Web site this week "I'm now writing scenes that have been planned, in some cases, for a dozen years or even more.""I am alternately elated and overwrought. I both want, and don't want, to finish this book (don't worry, I will)."She said in the diary entry on her official Web site (www.jkrowling. com) that Potter had now inveigled his way into her dreams."For years now, people have asked me whether I ever dream that I am 'in' Harry's world," Rowling wrote. "The answer was 'no' until a few nights ago when I had an epic dream in which I was, simultaneously, Harry and the narrator."But she gave no clues as to what will happen at the end of the upcoming book, amid speculation that some of the characters, possibly Harry himself, will die.

NO DATE SET

The Potter books have a huge influence on the financial results of their U.S. and British publishers, Scholastic and Bloomsbury.Though it published the paperback edition of the sixth book this year, Bloomsbury warned on December 11 that profits could widely miss analysts' forecasts because of sluggish pre-Christmas book sales and other factors. This wiped out nearly one-third of its market capitalization.Kyle Good, spokeswoman for Rowling's U.S publisher Scholastic Corp., said they had not received a date for when they would receive the manuscript nor when the book would be published.Rowling's last novel, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," was her most successful book in the U.S., she said, selling 6.9 million copies in the first 24 hours.

But despite uncertainty over the publication date, book retailer Borders said it had started taking reservations for the seventh book on December8 and on Thursday e-mailed a link to its customers to sign up for e-mail notification when the book can be reserved online."Anticipation for this book has been building since the sixth book was released in 2005," said Borders Senior Vice President Linda Jones in a statement. "We are sensing real excitement from our customers."

(Additional Reporting by Christine Kearney in New York and Jeffrey Goldfarb in London)