P.J. Hoover's Blog, page 3
December 10, 2014
CASTLE OF HORROR Podcast!
I had a blast last night being interviewed on a podcast hosted by my friend and fellow author, Jason Henderson, author of the Alex Van Helsing books. You can find my segment here along with info about his fabulous (and kinda scary) podcast, CASTLE OF HORROR (not to be confused with my video game CASTLE OF DOOM! :) ).
Thanks, Jason, for interviewing me! It was a ton of fun!
December 1, 2014
THE EMERALD TABLET Video Game on SCRATCH
After all the fun I had programming the game for TUT: THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE, I decided to do it again, this time for the first book in The Forgotten Worlds trilogy, THE EMERALD TABLET.
Find the three keys! Save the world!
To win this game, you'll need quick fingers, a steady hand, and logical thoughts. I know you can do it! Good luck!
Read more about SCRATCH and getting kids programming on the SCRATCH website.If you are a SCRATCH user and you want to follow me on SCRATCH, my userid is triciajh.
Things you can do with the THE EMERALD TABLET video game:
* Play the game!
* Change the game! Remix the game on the SCRATCH website.
* Make your own! Write your own video game using SCRATCH based on THE EMERALD TABLET.
* Write your own video game using SCRATCH based on *any* book you love.
* Spread the love! Tell your friends, parents, librarians, and teachers about it.
So I give you my third official SCRATCH game:
QUEST FOR THE HIDDEN KEYS!
You can play the game on the SCRATCH site here.
You can visit the official game page on my website here.
Play the game. See if you can find the three keys and save the world. And please tell your friends to play, too :)
If you like this game, please play
ESCAPE FROM KING TUT'S TOMBCASTLE OF DOOM!
Find the three keys! Save the world!
To win this game, you'll need quick fingers, a steady hand, and logical thoughts. I know you can do it! Good luck!
Read more about SCRATCH and getting kids programming on the SCRATCH website.If you are a SCRATCH user and you want to follow me on SCRATCH, my userid is triciajh.
Things you can do with the THE EMERALD TABLET video game:
* Play the game!
* Change the game! Remix the game on the SCRATCH website.
* Make your own! Write your own video game using SCRATCH based on THE EMERALD TABLET.
* Write your own video game using SCRATCH based on *any* book you love.
* Spread the love! Tell your friends, parents, librarians, and teachers about it.
So I give you my third official SCRATCH game:
QUEST FOR THE HIDDEN KEYS!
You can play the game on the SCRATCH site here.
You can visit the official game page on my website here.
Play the game. See if you can find the three keys and save the world. And please tell your friends to play, too :)
If you like this game, please play
ESCAPE FROM KING TUT'S TOMBCASTLE OF DOOM!
November 28, 2014
Holiday Book Signing this Saturday!
Hey Austinites! Happy Thanksgiving!
If you happen to be out and about in the Austin area this weekend, I have a book signing, and I'd love to see you all there!
Also,
BOOKS MAKE GREAT GIFTS!
WHEN: Saturday, November 29, 2014, 2:00-4:00
WHERE: Arboretum Barnes & Noble, Austin, TX
Thank you!
If you happen to be out and about in the Austin area this weekend, I have a book signing, and I'd love to see you all there!
Also,
BOOKS MAKE GREAT GIFTS!
WHEN: Saturday, November 29, 2014, 2:00-4:00
WHERE: Arboretum Barnes & Noble, Austin, TX
Thank you!
November 18, 2014
Hungarian Cover for THE NAVEL OF THE WORLD
Happy Tuesday!
I had to share the Hungarian cover for THE NAVEL OF THE WORLD! It's like the artist pulled the exact image I had directly from my mind and created it. Just like the Hungarian cover for THE EMERALD TABLET, I think it is a total win!
I had to share the Hungarian cover for THE NAVEL OF THE WORLD! It's like the artist pulled the exact image I had directly from my mind and created it. Just like the Hungarian cover for THE EMERALD TABLET, I think it is a total win!
November 12, 2014
TUT makes the 2015 Texas Lone Star Reading list!
Tut: The Story of MyImmortal Lifemakes the 2015Lone Star Reading List!
I am thrilled that Tut: The Story of My Immortal Life has been named to the 2015 Texas Lone Star Reading List!
Thank you, Texas Librarians, for all your support!
I am thrilled that Tut: The Story of My Immortal Life has been named to the 2015 Texas Lone Star Reading List!
Thank you, Texas Librarians, for all your support!
November 6, 2014
Look for me at the McAllen Book Festival!
Please come see me this Saturday at the McAllen Book Festival in McAllen, Texas!
October 24, 2014
Please Come See Me at the Texas Book Festival!
If you're around and about Austin this weekend, please consider stopping by the Texas Book Festival! Held at the Texas State Capital, the festival is a great event for families and book lovers!I'll be on a panel on Saturday along with authors Michael Fry and S. S. Taylor, moderated by Tim Crow, and we'd love to see you there!
WHAT: "ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE" Author Panel
WHEN: Saturday, October 25th, 2014, 2:30-3:30
WHERE: Texas State Capital Room E2.026
Book signing will follow immediately in the Author Signing tent.
Can't wait to see you there!
October 16, 2014
CASTLE OF DOOM! Video Game on SCRATCH
So I wrote this massive Pascal program back in college for my Artificial Intelligence class, but things happen over time. Floppy disks go bad. Computers don't have floppy disk drives anymore. And what about DOS? No one can type
A:\>CASTLE
No one even knows what an A prompt is!
I always loved the CASTLE OF DOOM! game. I had visions of buying an external floppy drive and finding a way to make it work, but then it occurred to me.
I could recode it on SCRATCH! I could make the graphics prettier. I could make the randomization better. And CODING IS FUN!
So I give you my second official SCRATCH game:
CASTLE OF DOOM!
You can play the game here.
(If you missed the first game, ESCAPE FROM KING TUT'S TOMB, click here.)
Play the game. See if you can escape from the castle with all the cool loot. And please tell your friends to play, too :)
You can read more about the game (and find maps of the castle) here.
You can visit the game on SCRATCH here.
A:\>CASTLE
No one even knows what an A prompt is!
I always loved the CASTLE OF DOOM! game. I had visions of buying an external floppy drive and finding a way to make it work, but then it occurred to me.
I could recode it on SCRATCH! I could make the graphics prettier. I could make the randomization better. And CODING IS FUN!
So I give you my second official SCRATCH game:
CASTLE OF DOOM!
You can play the game here.
(If you missed the first game, ESCAPE FROM KING TUT'S TOMB, click here.)
Play the game. See if you can escape from the castle with all the cool loot. And please tell your friends to play, too :)
You can read more about the game (and find maps of the castle) here.
You can visit the game on SCRATCH here.
October 13, 2014
YAY for TUT and BOOKLIST!
Happy Monday!
I'm thrilled to share a wonderful review for TUT: THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE (Starscape/Tor, September 16, 2014) from Booklist!
"Family jealousy and a thirst for revenge drive Hoover’s historical fantasy featuring Tutankhamen, king of Egypt, trapped forever as a 14-year-old ... Hoover’s fun interpretations of Egyptian gods and goddesses, frenetic pace, and appropriately modern snark propel this highly entertaining adventure."
Thank you so much, Booklist!
October 6, 2014
Meet my Protagonist!
Thank you to my wonderful Class of 2k8 friend, Barrie Summy, for tagging me in this really fun blog tour! Please visit Barrie's blog and meet the main character, Raine Watson, of her newest book, THE DISAPPEARANCE OF EMILY H. (Delacorte, May 12, 2015).
Today we get an awesome introduction to the main character of my newest book, TUT: THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE (Starscape/Macmillan, September 2014). Yes, the Boy King himself.
Here is King Tut!
Look for me at events and ask if I have any of theseawesome custom created prints (by Ben Bender at Bender Comics) on hand!
1) What is the name of your character?
King Tut. Tutankhamen. The Boy King. Ruler of Upper and Lower Egypt.
2) Is he/she fictional or a historic person?
Totally a real person from history! I've loved King Tut since I saw his exhibit in 1976. Of course in my story, he is fourteen forever, so there's definitely some fiction going on.
3) When and where is the story set?
There are a couple chapters set in Ancient Egypt, and then just like (ancient Egyptian) magic, the rest of the story takes place in Modern Day Washington, D.C.
4) What should we know about him/her?
He's witty and sarcastic and much like every other fourteen year old you know, except (in case you didn't get this from the title) immortal. :)
5) What is the main conflict? What messes up his/her life?
Everything is great in King Tut's immortal life until his crazy Uncle Horemheb shows up. Turns out Uncle Horemheb is the one who's been locked in the tomb for 3000 years, so he's a bit upset about that and is totally out for revenge.
6) What is the personal goal of the character?
Uncle Horemheb killed Tut's entire family, so Tut wants his own revenge! It's a crazy fun adventure around Washington, D.C. with lots of Egyptian mythology thrown in.
***
About TUT: THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE (Starscape/Macmillan, September 2014):
You’d think it would be great being an Egyptian demigod, but if King Tut has to sit through eighth grade one more time, he’ll mummify himself.
Granted the gift of immortality by the gods—or is it a curse?—Tut has been stuck in middle school for ages. Even worse, evil General Horemheb, the man who killed Tut’s father and whom Tut imprisoned in a tomb for three thousand years, is out and after him. The general is in league with the Cult of Set, a bunch of guys who worship one of the scariest gods of the Egyptian pantheon—Set, the god of Chaos.
The General and the Cult of Set have plans for Tut… and if Tut doesn’t find a way to keep out of their clutches, he’ll never make it to the afterworld alive.
***
Thank you for reading, and thank you, Barrie, for sharing the blog tour with me!
Today we get an awesome introduction to the main character of my newest book, TUT: THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE (Starscape/Macmillan, September 2014). Yes, the Boy King himself.
Here is King Tut!
Look for me at events and ask if I have any of theseawesome custom created prints (by Ben Bender at Bender Comics) on hand!1) What is the name of your character?
King Tut. Tutankhamen. The Boy King. Ruler of Upper and Lower Egypt.
2) Is he/she fictional or a historic person?
Totally a real person from history! I've loved King Tut since I saw his exhibit in 1976. Of course in my story, he is fourteen forever, so there's definitely some fiction going on.
3) When and where is the story set?
There are a couple chapters set in Ancient Egypt, and then just like (ancient Egyptian) magic, the rest of the story takes place in Modern Day Washington, D.C.
4) What should we know about him/her?
He's witty and sarcastic and much like every other fourteen year old you know, except (in case you didn't get this from the title) immortal. :)
5) What is the main conflict? What messes up his/her life?
Everything is great in King Tut's immortal life until his crazy Uncle Horemheb shows up. Turns out Uncle Horemheb is the one who's been locked in the tomb for 3000 years, so he's a bit upset about that and is totally out for revenge.
6) What is the personal goal of the character?
Uncle Horemheb killed Tut's entire family, so Tut wants his own revenge! It's a crazy fun adventure around Washington, D.C. with lots of Egyptian mythology thrown in.
***
About TUT: THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE (Starscape/Macmillan, September 2014):
You’d think it would be great being an Egyptian demigod, but if King Tut has to sit through eighth grade one more time, he’ll mummify himself.
Granted the gift of immortality by the gods—or is it a curse?—Tut has been stuck in middle school for ages. Even worse, evil General Horemheb, the man who killed Tut’s father and whom Tut imprisoned in a tomb for three thousand years, is out and after him. The general is in league with the Cult of Set, a bunch of guys who worship one of the scariest gods of the Egyptian pantheon—Set, the god of Chaos.
The General and the Cult of Set have plans for Tut… and if Tut doesn’t find a way to keep out of their clutches, he’ll never make it to the afterworld alive.
***
Thank you for reading, and thank you, Barrie, for sharing the blog tour with me!
