National Year of Reading Event (THIS SATURDAY!)
If you’ve been following my Facebook or Twitter accounts, you might have already seen me talking about an event coming up this Saturday, February 18th at Shearer’s Bookshop in Leichhardt, in celebration of the National Year of Reading.
Here, at last, are a few more details:
There will be chatting, signing, Q&A, and possibly even the dropping of a few hints about the last two Phoenix Files books. And of course, the reading journals, which are sure to be fantastic!
Hope to see some of you there, but please note that I will only be there on the 18th, not the 25th! Having said that, I’m sure it will be a great even with or without me, so definitely still go along on the second weekend if that’s the only time you can make it.
Zac Power: Mega Missions – New Covers!
I received an unexpected parcel in the mail today:
These are some of the Zac Power books I wrote, back before I started on The Phoenix Files. They’re probably my favourites out of all the Zacs I worked on, and they’re being re-released next month, complete with these awesome new covers!
In some ways I feel like the Mega Missions served as a prototype for the kind of storytelling I ended up doing in The Phoenix Files. It was my first shot at sustaining a serialised story over multiple books, and it taught me a lot of really valuable lessons about what works and what doesn’t.
So anyway, if you’re one of those people who are beating down my door for the next Phoenix Files book, maybe you’d like to check these out while you’re waiting. In the meantime, I’m back to work on the first draft of The Phoenix Files: Doomsday. So surreal to actually be writing these final scenes that I’ve been working towards for the last four years…
The Phoenix Files: Fallout – final pages!
Look what came in the mail today:
One more read-through and this book is FINISHED.
Music Monday: Lisa Gungor, “Jesus and John”
South West Rocks SUFM
This past week, for the 10th year running, I joined up with the Scripture Union Family Mission team at South West Rocks for an awesome week running games and activities and talking about Jesus with local kids and their families.
A few highlights:
Such a great week. Love this town so much. And only 51 weeks until we get to do it all again!
(Thanks to Gracie for most of these photos!)
The Phoenix Files: Mutation UK release!
Music Monday: k-os, “B-Boy Stance” Feat. Shad
Books I read in 2011
The best fiction I read this year:
The best non-fiction:
And the rest:
Merry Christmas!
“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again.” – John 3:16-17 (MSG)
Merry Christmas, guys! Hope it’s a great one!
Creepy
“A little girl asked me at my last school visit, “Mr. Peterson, why are your books so creepy?” It’s a good question. My answer to her: “Isn’t life creepy sometimes? Aren’t you ever scared when the lights go out? Have you ever heard your parents talk about bad things happening in the world?” She and all the other kids nodded gravely. The room got quiet. The story wouldn’t ring true if it was all light and no shadow. Of all people, children know the world is broken. Sometimes I wonder if they see it better than grownups because they’re young enough yet to see the goodness for how good it really is.”
