P.J. Hoover's Blog, page 4

YA Scavenger Hunt and SOLSTICE and TUT Giveaway!

Hi! P. J. Hoover here, author of the dystopian/mythology YA novel, SOLSTICE (Tor Teen, June 18, 2013) and the brand new MG novel TUT: THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE (Starscape/Macmillan, September 2014), and I'm crazy excited to host this stop for the YA Scavenger Hunt! 

(and p.s. I'm so excited that I'm giving away a second copy of SOLSTICE along with a copy of  TUT  below, so make sure to check it out!)
Hi! Thanks for visiting!
This tri-annual event was first organized by author Colleen Houck as a way to give readers a chance to gain access to exclusive bonus material from their favorite authors...and a chance to win some awesome prizes! At this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each author, you also get a clue for the hunt. Add up the clues, and you can enter for our prize--one lucky winner will receive one signed book from each author on the hunt in my team! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only be online for 72 hours!

Go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page to find out all about the hunt. There are SIX contests going on simultaneously, and you can enter one or all! I am a part of the BLUE TEAM--but there are also a bunch of other colored teams for a chance to win a different sets of books!
If you'd like to find out more about the hunt, see links to all the authors participating, and see the full list of prizes up for grabs, go to the YA Scavenger Hunt homepage.

*** SCAVENGER HUNT PUZZLE ***
Directions: Below, you'll notice that I've listed my secret number. Collect the secret numbers of all the authors on the blue team, and then add them up (don't worry, you can use a calculator!). 
Entry Form: Once you've added up all the numbers, make sure you fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct number will qualify. 

Rules: Open internationally, anyone below the age of 18 should have a parent or guardian's permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by October 5th, at noon Pacific Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered. 

 *** SCAVENGER HUNT POST ***
Today, I am hosting TONYA KUPER on my website for the YA Scavenger Hunt!

Hi, Tonya!
TONYA'S BIO:
Tonya Kuper lives in Omaha, NE with her husband and two witty boys. She's an unapologetic Star Wars fan, a music freak, and is crazy about Sherlock. ANOMALY is her debut novel.

You can find out a ton more about Tonya on her website!

And if her book sounds like something right up your alley (which of course it does), you can buy it here!

*** EXCLUSIVE CONTENT


ABOUT Anomaly:After a freaky day, Josie, a scifi dork intellectual, learns a popular quantum physics theory is in fact real and she's at the center of it. Reid, a smart-ass hottie, is her trainer, educating her on their secret race and teaching her how to manipulate reality with her body and thoughts. To simplify it, it's similar to the Matrix meets Divergent in contemporary high school. 

The exclusive content here is awesome! 
IT'S AN EXCERPT FROM Anomaly! 
You can't ask for anything better than that! Enjoy :)
***     I walked a few feet to the yoga studio, Josie followed and stood in the doorway. She looked totally drained. “Really?”
     “Yup.” I sat and patted the floor next to me, which earned me an eye roll.
     She plopped down, not making eye contact. “Where’s Hannah?” I whispered.
     Still not looking at me, she carefully placed her towel in its exact place, and checked her phone. “She texted. Not gonna make it tonight.”
     “Mmmm. Lucky you then.” I pointed to the sign on the door. “It’s partner night.”
     Josie’s face swung to mine, her eyebrows arched high. I gave her my best “in your face” smile.
     “Well, I don’t have water.” She was looking for excuses.
     “Yeah, you do.” I tipped my head to the floor between us, to the bottle of water that wasn’t there just a moment before. Her head shook as she bit away a smile.
     The class started with slow stretching, working our way up to sun salutations. It was hard for me to concentrate. I watched Josie lower herself to the floor with control and strength, hover just above the mat then thrust her hips forward into upward dog, pushing her back into a beautiful arch.
     Holy hell.
     The instructor turned the music down with the remote control and said, “Find your partner for the night, the one who will help you identify if we are engaging your core.” She switched the music to a contemporary song with a heavy beat, far from our usual flute and steel drums yoga tunes.
     Josie, still avoiding my gaze, got into Warrior I position, her front knee bent and arms reaching for the ceiling. The yoga teacher instructed us to first check the position as a whole before moving onto the abs. Partners, all women, stood behind the other placing their hands on the others hip bones, making sure they pointed forward. Moving behind Josie, I straddled her extended leg, watching her back expand and contract as she breathed. Easing closer, I slid my hands around to the front of her hips. Josie dragged in a rugged breath as I leaned into her. I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to stop the dizziness initiated by her gardenia perfume and surge of energy rushing through my veins. The very essence and proximity of her gave me a natural high. Opening my eyes, I was surprised to find Josie’s irises locked on mine, almost daring me.
     The instructor weaved through the yogi pairs. “Let’s check to make sure those ribs aren’t popping out. We want the abdominals fully engaged, not letting the torso arch or break.” She illustrated on a student and expected us to the do same to our partners.
     Josie focused on the front of the room as my right hand skimmed over her tank, just under her chest. My fingers drifted over her ribs to her stomach, my lips close to her ear. “You’re connected,” I whispered.
     Her intense gaze hung on mine in the mirror as my hand hesitated over her navel, my chest pushed against her back. For a moment, my heart and breath stopped. Time seemed to slow and the world around slipped away. It was in her eyes – questions and confusion, but also a longing.
     “Switch,” the instructor yelled.
     Josie’s body flinched under me and her cheeks darkened, a sliver of a smile playing on her lips. She cleared her throat and turned her head toward my face so my nose, lips, and chin brushed her cheek. Then she stepped out of her stance, away from me.
     Facing me, she smiled. “You’re turn, pretty boy.”
     I settled into the position. Josie’s warm hands swept over my shoulders and pulled down. I was not prepared for her hands to be anywhere besides my stomach. “Relax,” she whispered behind me. “Pull down your latissimi dorsi muscles, it’ll create more space between your shoulders and ears.” Two fingers skated down my lats on each side, making my spine straighten more and the air in my lungs rush out in surprise.
     Her hands wrapped around my hips, her fingers searching for the edge of the hip bones. Once she literally held my hips in her hands, she twisted them to the front of the room in one quick, rough motion. My blood was sure to boil and cook me from the inside out.
     Her hot hand shot over my ribs, her fingers spread wide then crept down my shirt to my lower abs. She popped up to her tip toes and whispered, “Your ribs aren’t popping. It feels engaged. Do you feel the connection?”
     Keeping my body directed to the mirror in front of us, I watched her. “You have no. I. Dea.” I turned my head over my shoulder and she was right there, our noses almost touching. I could feel her chest expanding faster against my back as her lips parted ever so slightly. Her always serious, calculating face waivered for a second, like when it was her turn. I wasn’t sure what I’d caught a glimpse of, but I liked it.
     The rest of class continued, Josie avoiding more contact at all costs. I now had a new goal in addition to everything else: Make whatever flashed across Josie’s face appear more often.


***
And don't forget to enter the contest for a chance to win a ton of signed books by me, Tonya Kuper, and more! To enter, you need to know that my secret number is 13. Add up all the secret numbers of the authors on the blue team and you'll have all the secret code to enter for the grand prize!

CONTINUE THE HUNT
To keep going on your quest for the hunt, you need to check out the next author!

LORIE LANGDON & CAREY CORP
***

DOUBLE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING!
 
In celebration of the Scavenger Hunt, I'm offering up a second copy of SOLSTICE (Tor Teen, June 18, 2013) along with a copy of TUT: THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE (Starscape/Macmillan, September 2014) here (US only).
It's easy to win! Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below.


a Rafflecopter giveaway
Good luck, and may all your reading be enjoyable!

About SOLSTICE:

Piper's world is dying. Each day brings hotter temperatures and heat bubbles that threaten to destroy the earth. Amid this global heating crisis, Piper lives under the oppressive rule of her mother, who suffocates her even more than the weather does. Everything changes on her eighteenth birthday, when her mother is called away on a mysterious errand and Piper seizes her first opportunity for freedom. 

Piper discovers a universe she never knew existed—a sphere of gods and monsters—and realizes that her world is not the only one in crisis. While gods battle for control of the Underworld, Piper’s life spirals out of control as she struggles to find the answer to the secret that has been kept from her since birth.


About TUT: THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE:

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. 

***

And one more time...


CONTINUE THE HUNT
To keep going on your quest for the hunt, you need to check out the next author!

LORIE LANGDON & CAREY CORP

NECROPOLIS Paperback and eBook Now Available!

As if the release of TUT: THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE is not exciting enough, I am thrilled that both the ebook and the paperback of THE NECROPOLIS (Forgotten Worlds Book 3) are now available with an awesome new cover that matches the rest of the covers in the paperback series!



The Forgotten Worlds Book 3: The Necropolis

The situation in Lemuria is rapidly deteriorating. In fact teleportation between the hidden continent and the outside world has become so dangerous, all agents and their families have been recalled. Although Benjamin is psyched to be living in Lemuria full time, he knows he needs to find his last brother soon. However, between classes, a murderous half-brother, and complications with his friend Heidi, Benjamin can barely focus. Besides, there’s only one place left they haven’t searched—the hidden continent of Atlantis.

***

You can check out the entire series on my website along with fun extras, a book trailer, and information on where to buy the books!

     
Thank you so much, and happy Monday!

Happy Release Day, TUT!

Happy Release Day toTut: The Story of My Immortal Life!     

Hi! P. J. Hoover here, and I am thrilled that after 7-1/2 long years, the book of my heart is finally being released! In some ways it feels like just yesterday that I started writing Tut, but when I look at how much time has gone by, I can't believe it. 7-1/2 years! That is a crazy long time!
Just so you know, I adore my re-imagining of the boy king, and I am thrilled to share him with you all. Tut is immortal, fourteen, and has an infectiously fun attitude. His humor and his need to do the right thing pulled me in from the first words I wrote.

Please consider sharing Tut: The Story of My Immortal Life with those in your life who love adventure, humor, and mythology. It's a great choice for those who love Harry Potter and The Lightning Thief or fantasy of any kind.

Thank you all so much for your support! It means everything!
 
About Tut: The Story of My Immortal Life:

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.


For more information about me or any of my books, please visit my website. 

For information on school visits or speaking engagements, please visit my author visits and schedule pages.




Buy Tut: The Story of My Immortal Life!   
 Tut is now available anywhere books are sold. If you'd like to buy a copy of  Tut, I would be eternally (or immortally?) grateful! I hope you'll love Tut as much as I do!


  
   If you are interested in purchasing a signed/personalized copy of Tut: The Story of My Immortal Life, please click here for more information.
 # ISBN-13 (hardcover): 978-0765334688# ISBN-13 (ebook): 978-1466814752


FUN EXTRAS for Tut: The Story of My Immortal Life!   
I've had an absolute blast coming up with some amazing extras to go along with Tut: The Story of My Immortal Life! What kind of extras you might ask? Well, let me take a minute and tell you about them!

 First, there's the King Tut MINECRAFT world! Yes, readers can visit the world of King Tut, from his tomb back in Egypt to his townhouse in Washington, D.C.. They can conquer the MINECRAFT scavenger hunt and unlock clues as to what Tut's future may have in store. Please check it out on my MINECRAFT page!
 
Next, there is the "Escape from King Tut's Tomb" video game to go along with the book! For those who don't know, I used to be an electrical engineer before I started writing books, so I programmed a video game using SCRATCH (a great platform developed by MIT to help kids learn to program). The game has 10 levels, codes to decipher, puzzles to decode, and patterns to recognize. You can find the game and more about SCRATCH on my video game page!




Finally, there is the Tut PICK YOUR OWN QUEST Adventure! Readers can travel through Egypt, playing the role of King Tut, Pharaoh of Egypt. They make choices that determine not only their own fate, but the fate of Egypt itself. I used to adore those Choose Your Own Adventure books back in the day, and I wanted to create something as fun for TUT. Try your hand at saving Egypt on my PICK YOUR OWN QUEST page!
 
 You can watch the book trailer forTut: The Story of My Immortal Life below!

 

  Thank you all so much for all your support! 

Texas Book Festival!

Happy Friday!

I've been keeping quiet on this, but I'm so happy to finally be able to announce that I will be a participating author is this year's Texas Book Festival down at the Capital here in Austin!

Panels and schedule have yet to be announced, but once I know, I'll post it on my schedule page. If you've never been to the festival, it is a great (and totally family friendly) experience you don't want to miss!

Yay, Texas!

Custom Art for TUT: THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE!

Happy Thursday! Hope you all are getting as excited for the release of TUT as I am! And on that topic...

I adore my custom art for TUT: THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE (Starscape/Tor, September 16, 2014) created by Ben Bender of Bender Comics!



The attitude is perfect and just what I imagined for the immortal boy king!

TUT VIDEO GAME (on SCRATCH!)

You like playing video games? I like playing video games.
You like computer programming? I love computer programming.

Oh, and I love books, so I decided to write a video game for my newest book, TUT: THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE (Starscape/Tor, September 16, 2014)! And because I have kids of my own and see how much they love to learn about computer programming, I used the platform SCRATCH to write the game.

You can play the game here.



In case you've never heard of SCRATCH, it is an amazing platform used in a lot of schools to teach computer programming. Kids from all over the world use SCRATCH to write games and share them with others.

Please visit the SCRATCH website for more information.

If you are a SCRATCH user and you want to follow me on SCRATCH, my userid is triciajh.
Things you can do with the TUT: THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE 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 TUT: THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE.
* 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.



You can read more about the game here.

You can visit the game on SCRATCH here.

YAY for TUT and School Library Journal!

It's already been such a wonderful week, but this fantastic School Library Journal (SLJ) review for TUT: THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE (Starscape/Tor, September 16, 2014), thrills me.

"...a fast-moving adventure with surprising twists...Fans of Rick Riordan’s “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” series will surely enjoy this title. A fine purchase for libraries where historically based adventures are in demand."

Thank you, SLJ!

TUT: THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE Book Trailer!

Happy Friday!

To celebrate the approach of school starting back up and the upcoming release of TUT: THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE (Starscape/Tor, September 16, 2014), I'm happy to show off the book trailer! It's a little non-traditional and basically brings in a bunch of stuff I've been working on :)

Enjoy!

The Writing Ninjas of Texas at San Antonio Comic Con

I'll be in San Antonio this weekend for Comic Con with the Writing Ninjas of Texas, dressed in full costume, and I'd love to see you there! Joining me will be authors Madeline Smoot and Mari Mancusi.

Look for us in Booth 409!

Thank you, Publishers Weekly!!!

I love Mondays (yes, maybe I am the only one). It's hard to make them any better, but starting the week with a fantastic review for TUT: THE STORY OF MY IMMORTAL LIFE by Publishers Weekly does the trick!

"The entertaining premise and fast pace keep this adventure on track, while the way Hoover reimagines the Egyptian pantheon ... is pleasantly reminiscent of Rick Riordan’s work." — Publishers Weekly

Thank you, Publishers Weekly!!!

Hope you all have a wonderful week :)