Blog Tour - Michael Scott

Today I have the pleasure of hosting Michael Scott in the last stop of his blog tour.  Michael's book, The Necromancer, was released on May 25th.  It is the fourth book in the New York Times bestselling series The Secrets of the Nicholas Flamel.

There is lots of fun to be had online, to go along with the new book.  Click the link to play the game and enter the sweepstakes:  Quest for the Codex  Sweepstakes is open to US residents only.

Follow Michael on Facebook, where he will be posting original status updates daily during the tour:  Facebook.com/SecretsofNicholasFlamel

You can find 5 video clues to the Necromancer at YouTube.  Go to www.youtube.com/randombooks and search for Michael Scott.

THE NECROMANCER
The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel

by Michael Scott

“Master yarn-spinner that he is, Scott expertly cranks up the suspense while keeping his now-large cast in quick motion.”—Kirkus Reviews (The Sorceress)

From critically acclaimed author Michael Scott comes THE NECROMANCER (Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers / on sale May 25, 2010 / $18.99), the fourth book in the six-part series The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel. This internationally-known series introduces readers to legendary historical and mythological figures—weaving history, mystery and magic together seamlessly. Foreign rights for the series have been licensed in 36 countries and the first three books, The Alchemyst, The Magician, and The Sorceress, were all New York Times bestsellers. The series has now sold more than 1 million copies.

THE NECROMANCER picks up with Josh and Sophie Newman finally home in San Francisco, though it’s anything but a relaxing homecoming. The twins are more confused than ever, and Dr. John Dee is still pursuing them. The most disturbing issue they face is whether or not they can trust Nicholas Flamel. Michael Scott’s passion for history and mythology shines as he brilliantly weaves legendary figures into his signature fast-paced plot. Fans of the series will be spellbound as they read of these renowned historical characters on their quest to obtain the last two pages of the coveted Codex—and ultimately save the world.

In THE NECROMANCER, Michael Scott’s edge-of-your-seat adventure and meticulous research rise to a new level, taking fans on a ride full of excitement, surprises, and unexpected twists that will leave them satisfied and hungry for the next installment. The fifth book in the series, Warlock, will release in May 2011.

“When readers discover Scott’s work, they are fascinated by his ability to weave a fast-paced fantastical adventure with characters transplanted from history, mythology, and legend,” says Beverly Horowitz, Vice President and Publisher, Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers. “The only fictional characters are the contemporary twins Sophie and Josh,” she adds. “The rest of the characters from Dr. Dee and Nicholas Flamel to Shakespeare and Machiavelli, all have been thoroughly researched and brought to life with meticulous care.”

Fans can indulge themselves in even more of the adventure online by visiting the series’ Facebook page at Facebook.com/SecretsofNicholasFlamel which boasts thousands of fans and is growing daily. They can also contribute to the ultimate quest by playing the online game at QuestForTheCodex.com.

Michael Scott is one of Ireland’s most highly regarded and prolific authors, an authority on mythology and folklore. He has been hailed by the Irish Times as “the King of Fantasy in these isles.” His first book in The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series, The Alchemyst, was named a Book Sense Children’s Pick, an Amazon Best Book of 2007, and a selection for the Texas Lonestar Reading List 2008–2009, among other accolades. The second book in the series, The Magician, received honors including the Children’s Indie Next Pick and 2008 CBC Children’s Choice. Michael Scott lives in Dublin, Ireland.

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Overheard at a convention.

Writing is one of the few professions, along with professional police informants and bad journalists, where eavesdropping is actively encouraged. You never know when you’re going to overhear the perfect sentence, or the germ of an idea (because, this is really where we get all our ideas!)

However, location is important; listening to two women chatting on the Number 46a bus may not give you the idea for your killer SF novel (might give you something for a horror novel though!) But a science fiction convention is a different matter. I love conventions, both as author and fan. I go to the convention with one small suitcase and return home with three, two of them bulging with stuff I just had to have!

A convention brings together a couple of hundred like-minded people, well-versed in the shorthand of science fiction and fantasy … you never know what you might overhear.

What follows are genuine quotes, only the names of the authors have been changed to protect delicate and much abused egos.

At WorldCon in Glasgow many years ago, I followed two earnest bespectacled gentlemen, both wearing anoraks with fur around the collar (honestly). They left the following gem trailing in their wake.

So I said to him, your last book was rubbish, and the book before that was rubbish, why do you keep writing? And do you know what he said? He said, “To annoy people like you!” Now I think that’s bloody cheeky; we are his fans. He depends on us for his money.

A very serious young lady, in full Princess Leia round hairdo costume, trapped a well-known writer, famous for his depictions of alien races, in a corner. He had that glassy eyed look of a beaten man who had been trapped by a “Serious Fan” for a long time. As I went to rescue him, she was uttering the following immortal phrase. “Aliens will never interbreed with humans … unless they’re human aliens of course.”

A trio of very solemn black clad fans, with plastic bags bulging with books, discussed coffee.

“Coffee at Worldcons never tastes like coffee.”

“What does it taste like?”

“Like coffee with the coffee taken out.”

“Like water?”

“No more like coffee.”

A heated discussion vis-à-vis the relative merit’s of Babylon 5 and Start Trek: Deep Space Nine, ended thus:

Star Trek Fan: “Anyway, DS9 is realer than B5. Giant spider shadow ships are just ridiculous.”

However, often it is the fragments of sentences which are the most intriguing. Invariably you want to stop and grab the person and say, tell me more; you don’t, of course, and you are therefore left with the following immortal snippets.

“And of course the head stuck…”

“His mother wouldn’t let him come as a Ferengi. She’s Catholic of course.”

“I couldn’t get boots, so I used duct tape on my legs.”

“I left the extra head on the bus.”

“I do have a complete collection; I’m only missing twenty-two parts.”

And this, my absolute favourite: “Oh, I think he’s dead! Died before he could finish his last series. No great loss.”

And the author the two young women were talking about; why me of course! But, as your Mother told you, listeners never hear good of themselves.

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I have 1 signed copy of each book in the series to give away to one lucky person.  You can enter by commenting on this post, posting the contest on Facebook, Twitter, or being a follower of my blog.  Doing any of those will earn you one entry, so you have the chance to get 4 entries.  Entries will be accepted until Friday, June 11th.