Edwin Wolfe's Blog, page 3

Characters - Gruggins McGhee, the grumpling of the house

“So you’re Ethan Fox,” Gruggins said, looking up at Ethan. “You don’t look so special to me – and judging by that dumb look on your face, I’d bet you’ve never seen a grumpling before.”

“U-m-m – no – I haven’t,” Ethan managed.

“I suppose that shouldn’t surprise me, but I’ve never seen a human before either – and you don’t see a dumb look on my face, do you?”

- Chapter Five, The Grumpling of the House, Chrysalis Chronicles – The Eyes of the Desert Sand

Gruggins first appears to Ethan in the Front Room at The Residence. He initially tries to prevent Ethan from seeing him by flying around and blending into walls, etc. The cat and mouse game ends when Gruggins suddenly reappeared, popping up out of his box, and unraveling in mid-air.

Unlike a lot of creatures, Gruggins has bounded himself in servitude to Jordanna Ravenwood – headmistress of the Caretakers – for saving his life. He wears stunning gold jewelry from head-to-toe as a sign of defiance against a grumpling’s mortal enemy, the leprechauns.

Here is a wonderful depiction of Gruggins submitted to Chrysalis Chronicles®.

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Limited Time Offer! Autographed Edition Bundle - $19.99

As a limited time offer, you can now purchase an Autographed Copy of Edwin Wolfe's Chrysalis Chronicles series, book one debut novel, The Eyes of the Desert Sand for $19.99. In addition, with your order you will receive FREE Character Trading Cards and an Unexpected Gift. We are also offering FREE Shipping along with this limited time offer. 

We believe by selling direct to our fans, we can give them more. Visit us at www.ChrysalisChronicles.com Bookstore & More. 

You've commented, we've listened . . .

We have narrowed down our search for editorial services to a few on our shortlist. We will be announcing who will be editing the Chrysalis Chronicles series books by Edwin Wolfe soon. Editorial services will begin with book 1, The Eyes of the Desert Sand, in which we will be releasing a hardcover second edition as well as an e-book version for the upcoming 2012 Holiday season. 

Locus Magazine - August 2012 Issue

Locus Magazine, the hardcover magazine of the science fiction & fantasy field, issue 619, Vol. 69 No.2 features Chrysalis Chronicles - The Eyes of the Desert Sand by Edwin Wolfe, full page colored ad! Check it out . . .

...similar to the wonderland from Alice In Wonderland and the Harry Potter books, except twice as good...

4 STARS!

"Ethan Fox isnt like every other thirteen-year-old. Hes far from normal. Why? Well for starters, he cant seem to remember anything that happened to him before he was 8. Its like all those memories have been erased. Want another reason? Vampires tried to kidnap him. Not enough? Well, maybe its because of the blue bunny with yellow polka-dots that was waving at him at the beach while he and his parents were vacationing. Or it could be that strange poem he wrote in his sleep. Its a tie breaker.

When Ethan Fox goes on vacation with his parents, he was not expecting the impossible to happen. At first, vacation was great. He met a sweet girl by the name of Haley who seems to have no recollection of anything before meeting Ethan at the amusement park. Then things just got weird. i.e. the blue bunny.

Ethan and Haley enter a world where the impossible is downright achievable and where the weird just gets weirder. But why is this happening to them? Why did vampires try to kidnap Ethan? Why cant Haley remember anything? And what does the mysterious poem Ethan wrote in his sleep mean?

The Eyes of the Desert Sand completely blew me away. I cant say how much I loved reading this book. Its a fantastic story that took me on a journey through a whole new world hidden inside our own. A similar version to the wonderland from Alice in Wonderland and the Harry Potter books, except twice as good. Edwin Wolfe has created a world full of wonders from his vivid imagination. A place where imaginary creatures and story-tale creatures collide into a remarkably refreshing outcome.

What I loved best about this book was its unpredictably. Seriously, I had absolutely no idea what would happen next. Things were so random. At first Im all like This sounds okay, but its sort of cliche-ish and the writing makes it hard for me to really get into the story, but then a blue bunny with yellow polka-dots pops up in a beach. Expected? Uh, no. I can guarantee a surprise almost on every page. 

The story is told in third person. The characters were unique (and I really mean it when I say they were unique, I dont think Ill find any other characters like Ethan or Haley or Daavic in any other book) and lively. Ethan was smart and just as fun as his dad, but somewhat naive. His character definitely developed throughout the book. He started off by being the kid with wide innocent eyes and he ended up as someone entirely different. The only trouble I had was that I couldnt really connect with most characters. And by connect I mean not being able to see things their way and struggling to understand why they did certain things. It wasnt that big a deal, but I wished I could get to know the characters a bit more before all the action starts.

The plot was impressive. I certainly admired the way Wolfe shaped his world. Its an endless supply of surprises that kept me guessing the entire time. The pace is consistent throughout the book, maybe a little speedy here and there. There was ceaseless amounts of non-stop action, original creatures popping out of nowhere (and lots of legendary ones as well), a little bit of romance (which is invigorating), and loads of magic. The only downfall was the authors style of writing. It seemed inexperienced and more juvenile than anything else. There were lots of obvious mistakes through the book, dashes where ellipses should have gone, semicolons missing, some misuse of words, and some misspellings as well. I found it kind of hard to immerse myself into this wonderful new world. But I still loved it, even though I struggled with the writing.

Overall The Eyes of the Desert Sand is one fantasy read you dont want to miss. Youll fly through the book wishing for more (just like I did). Im giving it 4 stars out of 5 because of the writing style, but other than that, this book has made its way to my all-time favorites. 

Thank you for giving me the chance to read and review The Eyes of the Desert Sand. It was truly captivating and I definitely cant wait for the second book to come out! :) " - Daniela @ YA Book Season

She also posted the review on the following links:

Blog: http://yabookseasons.blogspot.com/2012/07/book-review-eyes-of-desert-sand.html

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/368504074

Barnes & Noble: http://my.barnesandnoble.com/reviews-ratings-Daniela07/id/3431218/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/AGVV8JZ0NCRQH?ie=UTF8&ref_=cm_cr_thx_pdp

Library Thing: http://www.librarything.com/work/12197404/reviews/88167601

A brief update . . .

ChrysalisCLUB update . . . we have changed some of the mechanics with respect to the ChrysalisCLUB. Instead of a two step process, we have implemented a single process when joining the ChrysalisCLUB.  Now physical address is a required field. This way there won’t be any delays in receiving the ChrysalisCLUB Members Circle packages in the mail.

“Book Reviews” update . . . going forward we will be posting Reviews to the “Reviews” link quarterly. We will do this simultaneously with a quarterly press release. See Press & Media for Q2 2012 Reviews.

Coming Soon . . . “In the News” will change from a Newsletter format to the “Caretaker Daily” newspaper format. It will highlight Character Spotlights, Author Spotlights, and much more . . . 

A brief update . . .

American Library Association national trade show leads went out today . . . Nearly 900 leads generated from the ALA conference held in June 2012 were followed up on. We sent out Thank You postcards to each of the leads to initiate relationship-building efforts and to keep those in the know informed. 

You've commented, we've listened . . . Editor Search Call

We have been receiving an overwhelming positive response for the Chrysalis Chronicles series and debut novel, The Eyes of the Desert Sand by Edwin Wolfe. (See last quarters reviews wrapped up in a press release under Press & Media or click on the Reviews link.) However, even though we have a strong storyline we know we are lacking solid editing skills. Editing fiction is very different than editing non-fiction and we are the first to admit we are missing these skills. Thus, we will be outsourcing this process accordingly.

With respect to our timetable, along with book two in the series debuting Jan/Feb 2013, we will also release a solid edited second edition hardcover of book one, The Eyes of the Desert Sand for the upcoming holiday season. We have spoken to Kirkus Reviews, and they are on our shortlist regarding editorial services. Their turn around time is approximately two weeks and their claim is that the book would be reviewed by an industry professional.

Nonetheless, should any of you have a recommendation, we would be happy to consider others.

This Kid Reviews Books - Erik gives The Eyes of the Desert Sand 5 out of 5 Bookworms!

About "This Kid Reivews Books" blog - Erik! He is 10-years-old and started this blog when he was 9. He loves books and is an avid reader. He writes his blog "for parents to approve of a book, and for kids to find an excellent book too!" Here is what he says about Chrysalis Chronicles - The Eyes of the Desert Sand by Edwin Wolfe.

"Ethan Fox lived in the city but really wanted to be somewhere outdoors with big open spaces. His family took a vacation to the beach and Ethan went for a walk where he met a young girl, Haley, he saw a blue bunny with yellow polka-dots named Jasper. Ethan followed the bunny and Haley followed Ethan and they found a hidden staircase into the ground. From that moment on, both of their lives get more dangerous and more exciting when they meet the Caretakers and their allies!

I LOVED this book! The characters in the book were very unique and cool. Some of the creatures were totally new and some were ones you heard of before but were totally different from what you know (did you know that leprechauns are really nasty small people who kill the Grumplings by using a four-leaf clover (a Grumpling's favorite food) as bait?) I liked really liked the Hydromorphs (creatures that could breath under water and shape-shift). The strange creatures and hidden worlds Mr. Wolfe describes are very interesting and I really got into the story. The reading level was more challenging and that made it more enjoyable for me. I recommend it to kids 12+ and young advanced readers that are 9+.

I give 'The Eyes of the Desert Sand' five out of five bookworms!"

Chrysalis Chronicles Trading Card Set Announcement

July release Anchors the first 12 characters in the book series

SAN JOSE, California - July 13, 2012 - Since its initial release in January 2012, the Chrysalis Chronicles young adult series debut novel, The Eyes of the Desert Sand by Edwin Wolfe has made an indelible impression on pop culture, inspiring fans around the world. Now, the publishers, Aauvi House Publishing Group and Fox Hunt Publishing Group are proud to announce the release of a new trading card set series, Chrysalis Chronicles™ Trading Card Starter Set. Coinciding this summer with the ChrysalisCLUB program the company is pulling out all the stops for collectors to re-connect with the cult classic while ushering in a whole new generation of fans.

Twelve cards, painted by Connie Lin, are based on storyboarded sketches from the Chrysalis Chronicles series debut novel, The Eyes of the Desert Sand. Her new, powerful imagery for the card set will provide fans with added insights to the characters as well as to the all-new Chrysalis Chronicles series universe.

The trading cards will be complemented by a product-licensing program geared primarily toward fans. A host of premium quality tie-ins are in the works: action figures and plush toys, comics, Chrysalis Chronicles for Smarter Kids Series for educational markets, costumes, T-shirts, statues, holiday ornaments, limited-edition prints, dolls and figures. Regular updates about the cards and the licensed merchandise are posted on the Chrysalis Chronicles Vortex blog, catering to a growing community.

PREVIEW:

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THE EYES OF THE DESERT SAND

book one in the Chrysalis Chronicles series!

Visit www.ChrysalisChronicles.com and watch the trailer.

* “Wolfe brings fantasy and fun to the first in his Chrysalis Chronicles. A tale of pure imagination, it brings readers to unknown worlds as its wondrous characters come to life. The author has written an adventure that is exciting and charming. A truly fantastic debut.” -- Amy Lignor, New York’s RT Book Reviews Magazine, February 2012 issue, 4-1/2 Stars and a Top Pick!

About Fox Hunt Publishing Group
Fox Hunt Publishing Group is a publishing house for Chrysalis Chronicles, the digital home of the Chrysalis Chronicles books, and Chrysalis Chronicles book series.  All things Chrysalis Chronicles is currently available through the Chrysalis Chronicles website and soon through selected wholesalers, distributors, libraries, and bookstores.  Visit us on the Web at www.ChrysalisChronicles.com.  The Company is headquartered in San Jose,California.

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Chrysalis Chronicles – The Eyes of the Desert Sand by Edwin Wolfe
A delightful novel that glows with rare magic, unearthly wonders, and true friendships
Discover the world at www.ChrysalisChronicles.com

Press Contacts:
Jaimison Steinworth
Fox Hunt Publishing Group
PublicRelations@ChrysalisChronicles.com
(408) 216-0309

Chrysalis Chronicles characters, and related indicia are trademarks of and © Fox Hunt Publishing Group.
All Rights Reserved.  Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.