"Buckle up!" "Where are the bloody seat belts?!" "That was just expression."

 Let us have a bit of randomness for a moment before we get down to business to defeat the Huns.

 When I went to the movie the other day, I went to the noon showing - because it was the very first showing and it would still be light when I left to walk home. My brothers keep a good eye on me and don't like me to walk home in the dark.
 Anyhow, the only people at this showing were parents with their young children. And I walked into the theatre at the same time as two teen girls who were with two middle aged children. We got to the counter about the same time and I went to one end and they the other. I heard the teens ask for two tickets to Twilight and two to Wreck it Ralph. And there I was, right next to them, asking for one ticket to Rise of the Guardians. The ticket seller's eyebrows went up as she looked me up and down. I just smiled back. I wanted to say something like, "What? You didn't really think I was going to see a sparkly vampire, did you?" (Come to think of it, the lady who later took my ticket gave me an odd look as well. Pity, they don't know a good movie when it is in their own theatre.)

 Okay, but now, randomness aside. I am pleased to say I am now going to get around to reviewing the first of the Guardian book. Nicolas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King. (If I've reviewed this before I am sorry. I know I did one on my goodreads but am almost certain I didn't do so here. But, editing has been messing with my brain.)


 Anyhow, this is the first in a...well, right now there are only three books out. I know another is coming soon, and I believe there will be another after that. These books are about some of our myths. (The Easter bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman, Santa.) And it is these books the movie was based on.

 I didn't know of the books until a month ago when I was stalking Barnes and Noble for book cover ideas. I was the only one in the children's book section jumping up and down and grinning like a nut as I flipped through the pages. Sadly, my library only has North's book, so I've yet to read the other two. Soon though.

 The book was very unexpected. I was thinking it would be some kind of cute children's story about Santa. Instead, it was almost like a cross between Narnia and Larklight.
 The story is about a wizard who lives in Siberia. Up in the frozen wasteland where few people dare to live, he has set up a village around a very large tree. He lives under the tree with a little girl , Katherine, he has kind of adopted.

 Katherine and the other children are encouraged to use their imaginations. They roam the woods whenever they like and are friends with the animals and a bear who likes to play with them. They like to have fun, especially at night when they should be sleeping and like playing hide and seek with their parents. Everything in their world is wonderful and filled adventure and creativity. They are encouraged to explore. And the wizard is a great inventor who likes to make new things for them.
 Everything seems peaceful for them, until the day a star awakens a boy who has been keeping an evil at bay. The boy is known only as the Specteral Boy. He can never keep still and he likes watching the world. And the evil who has just awakened is named Pitch, and he wants to wrap the world in fear.

 Then, in the middle of all this, we meet North. North is a thief who cares only about what he can get out of life. He rules an unruly band of thieves and they spend their days robbing villages. Then, skipping forward a little, North learns of a great treasure so he rides off. But instead of taking the gold he finds he goes to save the children, whom he can hear screaming. (I should have mentioned this before. North is a wonderful swordsman. Which is probably one of the reasons I like him so much.)

North in the movie.
 Anyhow, North is taken in by the wizard and he begins to learn how there are more important things in life then gold and getting things for himself. He finds out he likes inventing things, much like the wizard, only he has a bit more talent for it. And he and Katherine slowly become friends. But North soon has to make a choice, one which will put him in a lot of danger if he chooses to do the right thing.

 This book is a wonderful, magical adventure. The drawings were fun and clever, the idea that science is a kind of magic was a lot of fun, and I loved the inventions. Especially the airship...which I cannot say much about because of spoilers...and North's sleigh.

 If you like books with fun, light stories with dashing heroes and lots of adventure, which are still enchanting and childlike I would highly recommend this book. And the only thing I am sad about? I still don't know what happens next!
*** So, after sitting down and doing some planning and talking with my agent - I think I can call her that. She does enough to be my agent. Is agent the right word though? Someone who helps with my marketing schemes.
 Anyhow, I have finally decided that I will be holding a contest - or give away. I'm not really sure yet what it will end up being, but the prize? A free copy of my book, signed. Next week, very likely on Monday, I will be giving more information on this. (I might even do so on Friday. I'm running out of time here and - as my website helper put it - I'm cutting things WAY too close.) The good news? The release date will not be pushed back. I might fall over mostly dead after the fourteenth. But the book will be coming out on time. Tomorrow I have to pull out my notebook and make lists of everything that I still have to get done.

 Right now? I'm going to bed.

 Quote is from Rise of the Guardians, again. *Grin*

 Allons-y!