Monday, July 22, 2013

Vlog Post with D.J. MacHale


Photo Content from D.J. MacHale

D.J. MacHale is a writer, director, executive producer and creator of several popular television series and movies. As an author, his ten-volume book series: Pendragon: Journal of an Adventure Through Time and Space became a New York Times #1 bestseller.

He was raised in Greenwich, CT where he had several jobs including collecting eggs at a poultry farm; engraving trophies and washing dishes in a steakhouse…in between playing football and running track. D.J. graduated from New York University where he received a BFA in film production.

His film-making career began in New York where he worked as a freelance writer/director making corporate videos and television commercials.

D.J. broke into the entertainment business by writing several ABC Afterschool Specials. As co-creator of the popular Nickelodeon series: Are You Afraid of the Dark?, he produced all 91 episodes. D.J. also wrote and directed the movie Tower of Terror for ABC’s Wonderful World of Disney. The Showtime series Chris Cross was co-created, written and produced by D.J. It received the CableAce award for Best Youth Series.

D.J. created and produced the Discovery Kids/NBC television series Flight 29 Down. He wrote every episode and directed several. His work on Flight 29 Down earned him the Writers Guild of America award for Outstanding Children’s Script and a Directors Guild of America award nomination.

Other notable television writing credits include the ABC Afterschool Special titled Seasonal Differences; the pilot for the long-running PBS/CBS series Ghostwriter; and the HBO series Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective for which he received a CableAce nomination for writing.

In print, D.J. also authored the supernatural Morpheus Road trilogy; a whimsical picture book The Monster Princess; and The SYLO Chronicles, a thrilling sci-fi trilogy. He also wrote Voyagers: Project Alpha, the first of a six book science fiction adventure.

D.J.’s newest book series is The Library, a spooky middle-grade anthology about a mysterious library filled with unfinished supernatural tales, and the daring young people who must complete them.

D.J. lives in Southern California with his wife Evangeline and daughter Keaton. They are avid backpackers, scuba divers and skiers. Rounding out the household is a spoiled golden retriever named Casey and an equally spoiled tuxedo cat named Jinx.
        



Praise for SYLO

"Absolutely un-put-down-able, more exciting than an X-box and a rollercoaster combined." Kirkus, starred review


"If you're a fan of The Maze Runner and Alex Rider, you might want to pick up SYLO... A fast-paced read and a huge cliffhanger." EW.com

"[An] extremely high-octane story that's the equivalent to a summer movie blockbuster." Booklist

"An entertaining and creepy tale." Publishers Weekly

"This action-fueled, end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it adventure... should have teen reader clamoring for the next installment." VOYA

"MacHale pens some terrific and unique action scenes... will leave readers hungry for the next installment." SLJ

"I'm not sure anyone does suspense quite like D.J. MacHale. I ripped through the pages of SYLO, a relentlessly fast-paced, intriguing, expertly-written tale that leaves you breathless and satisfied, yet wanting more. Highly recommended." James Dashner, New York Times bestselling author of the Maze Runner series

SYLO will have your pulse racing and your head spinning. Make plans to stay up all night finishing it." Michael Grant, New York Times bestselling author of the Gone series

"SYLO is D.J. MacHale at his finest -- he's crafted a book full of friendship, mystery and heart-pounding, spine-tingling adventure." Holly Black, New York Times bestselling author

“Packed with thrilling chases, daring escapes, and breathtaking action sequences, SYLO will grab the reader's attention from the first page and not let go until the final, stunning conclusion!” —Michael Carroll, author of The Quantum Prophecy

“I have no fingernails left! I chewed off every last one of them while I fretted over the fate of Tucker and his friends. Well done, Mr. MacHale." —PJ Haarsma, author of the Softwire series



TEN THINGS YOU WOULD CHANGE ABOUT YOUR HIGH SCHOOL YEARS IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME.
1) I wouldn’t have tried to grow that moustache.
2) I would go to first period class more often.
3) I would avoid algebra/trig.
4) I would study a little harder.
5) I would blow off the after school job and run track for more years.
6) I would find a better guitar teacher.
7) I wouldn’t wear anything madras.
8) I wouldn’t go to that Sadie Hawkins dance.
9) I’d probably party a little less. But not much.
10) I’d appreciate the time being spent there more because it really was fun.

 
TEN FAVORITE GUY CHARACTERS FROM YOUR BOOKS, INCLUDING RANDOM FACTS ABOUT THEM.
1) Bobby Pendragon – He’s the kind of guy I wished I was when I was that age. But he does have my sense of humor.
2) Saint Dane – A spectacularly clever, multi-dimensional villain.
3) Damon of Epirus – I love the fact that a villain’s principal motivation can be an inferiority complex.
4) Vo Spader – It was fun writing such a fun-loving character…with a temper. Though it got tough writing his voice in later books because the story became so intense. It was tricky having a guy bouncing around happily chirping “Hobey ho!” while Halla crumbled.
5) Mr. Feit – Another multi-dimensional bad guy. I love that he can be a laid-back surfer dude…while harboring dangerous secrets and agendas.
6) Tucker Pierce – He was very much like me at that age…confidant in his mediocrity.
7) Kent Berringer – a guy I love to hate. He is so much like guys I knew growing up…entitled, handsome, wealthy, clueless.
8) Marshal Seaver – also very much like me at that age, and now. He is wildly enthusiastic about things that nobody else cares about.
9) Cooper Foley – He’s a little bit dangerous and doesn’t care what anybody thinks about him. It’s freeing to write about a guy like that.
10) Press Tilton – I loved him so much I brought him into another book series. Who knows? He may turn up again somewhere else some time.


Does Tucker Pierce have what it takes to be a hero when the U.S. military quarantines his island?

Fourteen-year-old Tucker Pierce prefers to fly under the radar. He’s used to navigating around summer tourists in his hometown on idyllic Pemberwick Island, Maine. He’s content to sit on the sidelines as a backup player on the high school football team. And though his best friend Quinn tells him to “go for it,” he’s too chicken to ask Tori Sleeper on a date. There’s always tomorrow, he figures. Then Pemberwick Island is invaded by a mysterious branch of the U.S. military called SYLO. And sitting on the sidelines is no longer an option for Tucker, because tomorrow may never come.

It’s up to Tucker, Quinn, and Tori to uncover the truth about the singing aircraft that appears only at night—and the stranger named Feit who’s pushing a red crystal he calls the Ruby that brings unique powers to all who take it. Tucker and his friends must rescue not just Pemberwick Island, but the fate of the world—and all before tomorrow is too late.

#1 New York Times bestselling author D.J. MacHale brings his brilliant plotting and breathless pacing to SYLO, the first in this ultimate end-of-the-world adventure trilogy.


Sylo is the first of a trilogy by New York Times Best-Selling Author D.J. MacHale that takes readers into Pemberwick Island and the mysterious invasion of a secretive military branch. Always passive and taking the easy route, fourteen-year-old Tucker Pierce will have to go out of his comfort zone to uncover the truth why Sylo, a mysterious branch of the U.S. Military, has quarantined the island. Along with his best friend Quinn and Tori (the girl he’s too shy to ask out), the three will realize that they will not only engage in a rescue effort for just their island, but for the whole world.

Compelled by a plot full of action and mystery, the characters are the true driving force in this amazing page turner. MacHale has delivered a cast of characters that do not follow suit to the usual YA protagonists. They don’t even feel like characters from a book, but more like people you may know as they come out of the pages as close to humanly possible. Mistakes will be made and some will be costly. When things feel real, it just makes the reading experience that much more exciting and intriguing.

Sylo is the perfect playground for author D.J. MacHale. From experience, he has mastered the art of surprise. There are many events and circumstances that created the perfect opportunity for D.J. to creep up on his readers. He methodically builds up the suspense and at the right time, he drops a surprise so shocking that it will have readers turning back pages just to line up the plot to confirm the revelation that just occurred. The perfect execution of his twists and turns is a gem in the story and is a feat that is absent in many of the books of today. Sylo has certainly started on the right path and it’s looking to be heading in a direction that many readers will be excited to add to their list of great books.
You can purchase SYLO at the following Retailers:
    


And now, The Giveaways.
Thank you D.J. MACHALE for making this giveaway possible.
2 Winners will receive a Copy of SYLO by D.J. MacHale.
1 Winner will receive a Surprise ART Poster and Bookmark by James Vallesteros.
5 Winners will receive a Surprise ART Bookmark by James Vallesteros.
WEEK ONE
JULY 22nd MONDAY JeanBookNerd VLOG & REVIEW
JULY 23rd TUES
DAY Sassy Book Lovers FAVORITE THINGS
JULY 23rd TU
ESDAY BookHounds YA DREAM CAST
JULY 23rd TUESD
AY TTC Books and More SPOTLIGHT
JULY 24th WEDNESD
AY Beneath the Moon and Stars REVIEW
JULY 24th WE
DNESDAY Read, Rinse, Repeat INTERVIEW
JULY 25th THURSDAY Lust for Stories MUSIC PLAYLIST
JULY 25th TH
URSDAY Snuggling in the Sofa SPOTLIGHT
JULY 25th THU
RSDAY Sabrina’s Paranormal Palace EXCERPT

WEEK TWO
JULY
 26th FRIDAY Diva Book Nerd EXCERPT
JULY 26th FRIDAY Book Haven Extraordinaire REVIEW
JULY 26th
 FRIDAY The Reader Lines SPOTLIGHT
JULY 27th SATURDAY Bookish Things and More REVIEW
JULY 27th SATURDAY I am a Reader INTERVIEW
JULY 28th SUNDAY Little Library Muse THIS OR THAT
JULY 28th SUNDAY Emilie’s Book World REVIEW
JULY 29th MONDAY James Vallesteros ARTWORK
jbnpastinterviews

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