Blake Hoena's Blog, page 14

Moonbeam Awards

My graphic novel retelling of of one of Kipling’s folk tales was selected for a Moonbeam Award. These awards celebrate books that inspire children to read and learn. Entries are judged by expert panels of educators, librarians, booksellers, and reviewers. And I’m excited to say that How the Elephant Got Its Trunk won a bronze medal in the graphic novel/comic book category. Thanks to Pedro Rodriquez for capturing my adaptation so wonderfully with his illustrative style.

National Novel Writing Month

It’s getting to be that time of year again, National Novel Writing month. I’m signed up, have an idea in mind, and just need to clear all my writing and editing projects from my schedule in November. It’s a great, exciting challenge. Hope some of you join me in it.

Free Little Library – part 2

My dad continues to work on my Little Library. He’s finished the main box, and he’s now adding some decorative features—the siding.

 

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Foster Dog – Ty

I invited another foster dog into my home. Autumn is a boxer mix, and reminds a lot of Zuki. Actually, with her brindle coloring, she could be Zuki’s granddaughter. Both of them were absolute sweethearts and loved to chase squirrels.

I’ve decided to rename her Ty, short for Tiger. She’s has stripes and slinks about like a tiger. She also has made herself at home, just see the picture below.

Ty likes to curl up at my fee as I write—that’s where she is now, and I may have to adopt her as my writing companion.

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Tony Hawk

Turned in my latest Tony Hawk story to my editor. The working title is The Fixer.

Summary: An inner-city kid, Gavin Cole, is sent to a school out in suburbia. He’s not sure he’ll fit in until he meets a couple fellow skaters, Lindsey and Timmy. Gavin’s a street skater, but he’s excited to join his new friends at the local skatepark to check out a halfpipe. Problems arise, though, when Gavin has a run in with one of the top, local skaters. But he has a secret talent. Gavin’s a whiz at fixing skateboards. While his skating abilities may not be enough to impress his new school mates, he skills at repairing skateboards could win him some new friends.

Review — Amplified

The first of the newest four books in the series find the youngest members of the Revolution crew working together without direct supervision. Things are going well at first: Dylan and Amy are scoping out a skate park in Minneapolis, and Joey and Omar are checking out some local caves in St. Paul, both teams hot on the heels of the magical skateboard fragment they have traced to the region. Both teams soon run into trouble, though, when members of the Collective, their evil counterparts, find the teens and attempt to claim the fragment for themselves . . . this series seems like NCIS for ‘tween boys. With the silver-haired and unflinching director, Eldrick, followed by his loyal, talented, and street-smart team of agents, each book plays out like a new episode: a different villain, a new location, a special agent’s skill set highlighted, maybe even a little flirtation between the cast. The series is gratifying for the same reasons the favorite TV drama is gratifying: because it is familiar, part changing story and part single overarching narrative (to get all of the magic fragments of Tony Hawk’s busted skateboard). The shift to graphic novel style at the climax in each book also adds to the visual quality of the series.

—VOYA

Free Little Library – part 1

Shortly after moving into my house in St. Paul, I came across a neighbor with an unusual item in their yard. It was a small, house looking box with books in it. I’ve since learned that it’s a Free Little Library. These book exchanges are popping up everywhere, from Calgary, across the United States, to Rome.

Of course, I wanted one. What better use for old books? What better way to share all my extra copies of the books I have written, than a book exchange?

So during one of my dad’s visits, we walked by the neighbor’s Free Little Library. I was able to convinced my dad to take on the project of building one for me. He has the frame built.

 

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My Chair

Remember a couple months ago where I was talking about a chair I picked up? It was a gift from one of my mentors and friends, Terry Davis, author of Vision Quest. After spending a day helping him clean out his pole shed one afternoon, he let me take an old beat up office chair as payment for my help.

I have since sanded down and refinished that chair with a dark walnut stain. It’s what I’m sitting on now, so I guess it’s time to start writing that masterpiece.

Thanks Terry!

 

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Perseus

Anyone who is familiar with my past books knows that I’m a huge fan a mythology. I’ve written some short introductory book about some of the most popular characters in Greek and Roman myths. I’ve also adapted the Perseus and Medusa story into a fantastically illustrated graphic novel.

Next up, Perseus’s story as a choose your path adventure.

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This is just the initial concept for the cover.

Game of Thrones

Each summer, I pick a series of books to read on my week long camping trip in late July. Two years ago it was Harry Potter (I read 4 of the 7 books while camping), last year it was the Hunger Games series (had to read it before the movie game out), and this year it’s Game of Thrones.

I’ve already started digging into this series; I bought the first four books as a set for my Nook. But I’m not sure if I’ll buzz through these while up north. The writing is great and the story interesting so far, but the books are dense and not quite that riveting action type of stuff I usually bring with me. Not to mention, the four books amount to 3,500 pages. Glad I’m not toting them already with me—love my Nook!