As I promised last week, I finally have an
MMGM again!!!
In fact, today I'm hosting a stop on the Chronicles of Egg Blog Tour--something I *usually* don't do, since blog tours tend to require more organization and time than I have these days. (stupid deadlines!) But I met Geoff Rodkey last year at an amazing event called
Tweens Read, and after seeing how hilarious he was--and hearing him talk about his awesome book (which I was dying to read)--I decided to take part, and I'm SO glad I did. It forced me to finally make time to read DEADWEATHER AND SUNRISE and holy action-packed adventure, Batman!
Here's how the publisher describes it:
It's tough to be thirteen, especially when somebody's trying to kill you.
Not that Egg's life was ever easy, growing up on sweaty, pirate-infested Deadweather Island with no company except an incompetent tutor and a pair of unusually violent siblings who hate his guts.
But when Egg's father hustles their family off on a mysterious errand to fabulously wealthy Sunrise Island, then disappears with the siblings in a freak accident, Egg finds himself a long-term guest at the mansion of the glamorous Pembroke family and their beautiful, sharp-tongued daughter Millicent. Finally, life seems perfect.
Until someone tries to throw him off a cliff
Suddenly, Egg's running for his life in a bewildering world of cutthroat pirates, villainous businessmen, and strange Native legends. The only people who can help him sort out the mystery of why he's been marked for death are Millicent and a one-handed, possibly deranged cabin boy.
Come along for the ride. You'll be glad you did.
Sounds awesome, right? Well I can assure you, IT IS. But I won't ramble about it anymore than that because I actually have a guest post from the author himself to share with you guys as part of the tour. Plus I have an extra-fabulous 2-book giveaway below, so make sure you read until the end! And now, I'll let Geoff take it away!
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NOT FUNNY AT ALL: THE REAL HISTORY OF THE PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN
The adventure-comedy-mystery-romance Deadweather and Sunrise takes place in an imagined universe that's loosely based on the world of the Caribbean Sea during what's known as the Golden Age of Piracy.
When I first had the idea that led to Deadweather and the rest of the Chronicles of Egg trilogy, I considered making it not-so-loosely based, and setting the story in the actual, historical Caribbean Sea circa 1700.
Then I did some research, and I quickly realized I had to make the whole thing up.
Because as romantic and entertaining as swashbuckling pirates and sun-drenched islands might seem from a distance, the truth is there was nothing romantic, and even less that was funny, about that entire era.
Take the pirates themselves. They weren't charming like Johnny Depp. And they didn't make people walk the plank. That actually would have been merciful. What real pirates liked to do was torture their victims using techniques like "woolding" -- which sounds pretty tame until you realize it refers to tying a knotted rope around someone's head and twisting it with a stick until the victim's eyes burst out of their skull.
Real pirates also liked to flog victims until their skin fell off, then dunk them in salt water. And they got a particular kick out of setting fire to people. But not the whole person. Just selected parts of their bodies. (Those parts? Yes. Those parts.)
And the truly amazing thing? A lot of these guys turned pirate after first getting press-ganged into the British Navy…and deciding life on a British naval ship was too violent for them.
Soooo…not exactly fertile ground for an adventure-comedy. Adventure, yes. Comedy? Not so much.
Although a lot of my research did find its way into the books. For example, the mountain made entirely of silver? That really existed. It was called Potosi, and at one point its riches were almost singlehandedly financing the entire Spanish Empire. Here's a picture:
The picture actually makes it look kind of charming. But it wasn't. No offense to the Spanish, but working the mine at Potosi was no picnic.
And if you look closely at the bottom left corner of the picture? I'm pretty sure that's a severed head. On a stick.
That didn't make it into the book, either.
Find Geoff Rodkey online
Buy DEADWEATHER AND SUNRISE:
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Giveaway time!!!
(and dude--it's a seriously awesome giveaway)
One lucky winner will win a SIGNED paperback of THE CHRONICLES OF EGG: DEADWEATHER AND SUNRISE *and* a SIGNED ARC of THE CHRONICLES OF EGG Book 2: NEW LANDS (which doesn't come out until May 2!)
To enter simply leave a comment on this post by 11:59 pm (pacific) on Sunday March 24th. I'll choose one random winner and post their name on Monday, March 25th. US and Canada residents only, please!
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And for more awesome middle grade recommendations, check out the other MMGM's floating around the blogosphere:
- Annie McMahon is featuring *blush* KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES!! (That will never stop being surreal!). Click HERE to see what she thought.
- Shari Larsen is awed by THE AGE OF MIRACLES. Click HERE to see why.
- Andrea Mack has chills for THE GRAVEROBBER'S APPRENTICE. Click HERE for her review.
- Flash, the Feline Extraordinaire, (and Professional Mews to Cindy Strandvold) recommends A HOUSE CALLED AWFUL END. Click HERE to see what that's all about.
- Susan Olson is spreading the love for BESWITCHED. Click HERE to learn more
- Rosi Hollinbeck is also featuring DEADWEATHER AND SUNRISE--with a GIVEAWAY. Click HERE for details.
- Katie Fitzgerald is cheering for LATASHA AND THE KIDD ON KEYS. Click HERE for her review.
- Laurisa White Reyes is celebrating PLASTIC POLLY--with a GIVEAWAY. Click HERE for details
- Dorine White is singing praises for MICHAEL VEY: THE PRISONER OF CELL 25. Click HERE to see what she thought.
- Joanne Fritz always has an MMGM for you. Click HERE to see what she's talking about this week.
- The Mundie Moms are always part of the MMGM fun (YAY!). Click HERE to see their newest recommendations. And if you aren't also following their Mundie Kids site, get thee over THERE and check out all the awesome!
- The lovely Shannon O'Donnell always has an MMGM ready for you! Click HERE to see what she's featuring this week!
- Karen Yingling also always has some awesome MMGM recommendations for you. Click HERE to which ones she picked this time!
- Pam Torres always has an MMGM up on her blog. Click HERE to see what she's spotlighting this week.
- Michelle Isenhoff is always part of the MMGM fun. Click HERE to see what she's talking about today.
If you would like to join in the MMGM fun, all you have to do is blog about a middle grade book you love (contests, author interviews and whatnot also count--but are most definitely not required) and email me the title of the book you're featuring and a link to your blog at SWMessenger (at) hotmail (dot) com. (Make sure you put MMGM or Marvelous Middle Grade Monday in the subject line so I see it)
NOTE: I used to not have a cut-off time for adding links to the post, but with how insane my schedule is right now, if you don't email me by Sunday evening (usually around 11pm PST is when I put the links together) I can't guarantee I'll have a chance to add you. BUT, you are welcome to add your link in the comments on this post so people can find you!
*Please note: these posts are not a reflection of my own opinions on the books featured. Each blogger is responsible for their own MMGM content and I do not pre-screen posts ahead of time, nor do I control what books they choose. I simply assemble the list based on the links that are emailed to me ahead of time
