Tartarus and Houdini

Warning! May contain Lightning Thief and Mark of Athena spoilers!

 Hey! Again, I apologize for abandoning you. You know, this is getting to be a normal apology... Not good. I need to work on that.

 Anyway, I've just finished re-reading the Lightning Thief for the bazillionth time. (Actually, it was more like the fifth or sixth time, but who's counting?) My mind is filled to the brim with amazing things to post, and those posts should be coming soon. (Notice I said should. I don't want to make any promises. Oh, and the next Percy/Carter fanfic chapter should be posted soon as well.)

 So, where was I? Oh, yeah. Tartarus. I found an interesting passage in TLT when I was reading, and it made me think of Percy and Annabeth's current situation.

 Do you remember the Nereid that looked like Percy's mom whom he met at the bottom of the Mississippi? She talked about how he (Percy) was going to the Underworld, and she mentioned a few demigods who had survived a trip. She first mentioned Hercules and Orpheus, who were both traditional Greek heroes. But, she also mentioned another demigod: Harry Houdini... *pause for dramatic effect* who could escape even the depths of Tartarus. 

 When I read that, my initial reaction was, "THERE IS HOPE!!!!!!!!!"

 This makes me beyond excited. If you don't know who Houdini was, he was an illusionist (magician) and escape artist, his claim to fame being the latter. Even if Percy and Annabeth Houdini, there should still be a way for them to get out, right? Houdini was an escape artist, but that doesn't mean it's unachievable for non-escape artists! 

 We all should remember this passage while we anticipate the release of House of Hades, even if it sounds somewhat doubtful. There must be a way. There is hope!

Long time, no see? + Response to comment

Warning! May contain Mark of Athena spoilers!

I'M SORRY, OKAY? I abandoned you. How long has it been? A few days? A week? Oh my goodness. Two weeks? :o

I shall hide my face in shame.

But, anyway. I got a comment on a post. The comment was written by Chuka O., and it says:

"so i have read the book and its freakingly awesome,i jus wanted to know whether i you think jason and percy are kinda equal in power seeing they both contributed the same amount of help in the journey. also i feel like leo is my best character so if you could possibly share your views on him and who you think hazel would rather pick" 

Yes, the book was pretty flipping awesome. As for everything else, I'll break it down.

Jason and Percy: Equal in power? Sure, I'd say that. Their powers are very different, but I'd call them about equal.

Leo: LEO LEO LEO LEO LEO LEO LEO LEO LEO LEOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *_* Leo is and forever will be my hugest fictional crush. I love him and I love his humor, sarcasm, and the fact that he's serious when he needs to be. (e.g. He's funny when he's hanging out with Jason and Piper, or he kids around on quests to lighten the mood, but he takes the task of building the Argo II seriously.) I just love him so much. He's probably my favorite male character. TEAM LEO 5EVER!

Who Hazel Will Pick: Frankfrankfrankfrankfrankfrankfrankfrankfrankfrankfrankfrank. I have SO many  problems with Leo and Hazel dating. First of all, Leo is mine. Second of all, LEO IS HAZEL'S FLIPPING DEAD BOYFRIEND'S FLIPPING GREAT-GRANDSON. Third of all, Frank and Hazel are already dating, plus they know each other better. And last, but certainly not least, they belong together! End. of. story.
Oh, you ask me who I think Hazel will pick? Well, that's a different story. It depends on what kind of mood Troll Rick is in the day that he writes it, or on the day that he outlined it. If he is/was in a bad mood, he probably will write/wrote in Leo and Hazel as canon. If he is/was in a good mood, he will make/made Frank and Hazel canon. But honestly? I think Frank and Hazel will become canon.

Question of the Week Results

Warning! May contain Mark of Athena spoilers!

Hey, everyone! 

Remember last week? I gave you a question. You answered. Well, these are the answers that I got! I hope you enjoy reading other people's responses... I did! :) Some of my personal favorites are in purple. [Please take note that I didn't edit any of these, I kept exactly what they typed.]

What was your initial reaction to the ending of The Mark of Athena?

Well, I kinda feel like if something was missing, I wanted to know what happened next, and I felt the urge to start running and do something. Yes, I'm weird. No, I don't mind XD
-Reyna from The Awkward Moment When Your Crazy Babysitter is a Goddess

Cried and screamed at the book 
-Ariadne A.

Last Ten Pages:

Maybe the cliff hanger won't happen!! Looks like everyone is gonna be okay, Annabeth completeled her quest, Nico was saved, everybody is happy!!!

Last Eight Pages:

Wait, what's happening to the ship? Somebody help Annabeth!!! Cut off the spider web!!

Last Seven Pages:

Percy you can do it!!!! Save you and her both!! Use your water powers c'mon!! Don't do this to us!! Don't let go of Annabeth!!

Last Six Pages:

...

-Laura D.

Oh well I just the book and then screamed for the next 5 minutes and then cried for another 5 then screamed WHY got 5 more then kept saying i hate Rick riordan for another 5 and I'm just kinda dead inside until house of hades comes out....true story bro 
-Janna B.

^ exactly 
-Megan B.

 o.o @Janna, you know my reaction so well..... o.o It's sorta weird... cuz I did like..... The EXACT same thing.... >.>.... 
-Admin from Waking up and realising you're a demigod, and have to leave home

i felt like nothing......i still feel like nothing and at random times i burst into tears when i remember 
-Admin Annabeth from our facebook page

i began crying :'( 
-Daughter of Athena from Team Percy? Team Jason? Where's the "Leo all the way!" button?

Chocked. Then EMOTIONEXPLOSION! *KABOOM!* Then I cried. 
-Nell J.

Sat for what felt like a whole year and gaped at the back cover like a koi fish. 
-Eleanor S.

me? I was staring into space and saying: 'my life is over' :P 
-The Arrow Of Apollo from Team Percy? Team Jason? Where's the "Leo all the way!" button?

 I put down the book. I sobbed once, then started hysterically laughing, then shaking, then I went on Facebook and posted on my page "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ABSOLUTELY NOT RICK NOOO NOOO NOOO!!!!!!" And then I called my friend and fangirled with her. xD I saw the ending coming, though. 
-Elisa D.

 I was about to cry about what happened to percy and annabeth 
-Edellen J.

IKR??? I was like "NOOOOOO ANNABETH!! PERCY!!!! Awww he fell with her :') WHY?!?!?! :'(
-Missy S.

Make sure you give us ideas for NEXT WEEK'S question! Make up a few questions, comment them here or on our Facebook page, or email us at PJOForever@gmail.com! I'll pick my favorite and that will be next week's question. :) (Don't worry, you'll get credit, if you want it)

Question of the Week

Hey!
I'm going to try something new. It's called "Question of the Week". So basically, I'll ask a question, and you answer. Then I publish the stats and several specific answers at the end of the week. The questions are going to come from your nominations through our Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/percyjacksonfandom), your comments here, and email (PJOForever@gmail.com). This week I made up the question.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION IS:
What was your initial reaction when you finished the Mark of Athena?

Answer below!

I finished the Mark of Athena. [Spoiler free.]

So, about 14-ish hours ago, I finished the Mark of Athena.

Wow.

I know, I know, I was supposed to do reactions as I went along, but this book squeezed WAAAYYYY too many adventures and little problems into it for me to review and go over. I got lazy. I'm not perfect, okay?

Honestly, it hasn't quite sunken in for me. I'm still in denial about... certain things. (Spoiler free... spoiler free... must. remain. spoiler. free) There's no telling when it will. Days, weeks, months, I'm not sure. But I'm almost sure that you should be expecting full-on spoiler laden rants sometime in the next few weeks. Be prepared, apprentices.

My Mark of Athena Reactions/Rant So Far

Warning! Includes Mark of Athena spoilers! This goes up to pg 137 (The middle of Chapter XI). Please no spoilers that go any farther than that in the comments! 

THE FEELS.
Rick Riordan is out to destroy me.

Let's start from the beginning:
Terminus and his antics... Expected. But after that... the Percabeth Reunion. GAHHHHHHHHHH! So cute! They kiss, then Annabeth JUDO FLIPS PERCY! OMG! I love her for that. :') And then Jason is all like, "Uh... she doesn't usually Judo flip people..." and Annabeth is like, "Only my boyfriend!" SO CUTE.

I loved the talk between Annabeth and Reyna. I think they'd be really good friends if they didn't have the camp issues separating them. Words just can't describe how I felt about two of my favorite characters finally talking to each other...

Oh, and about Reyna... I have so much respect for her. I love her character. She's civilized and in control. My heart just broke for her when she realized that Jason was dating Piper. </3 Jason is so oblivious! Ugh! Typical male. :P

Now, Leo. Leo was possessed by one of those evil spirits whose names are escaping me. That scene made me upset and I just wanted to cry! My poor Leo <3 I feel soooo bad for him. Everyone is pairing off into couples (Percy and Annabeth, Frank and Hazel, and Piper and Jason) and he's just... there. No one appreciates him :'( And I'm just yelling at the book, "LEO! I'M HERE! I CARE ABOUT YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The Nemesis scene was interesting. Interestingly enough, although she was a little mean, I liked her character. What she had to say was confusing, yet interesting. Wow, I just said interesting 3 times in a paragraph...

Narcissus and Echo scene: LOL. That's all I have to say.

Piper's blade visions: NOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Bacchaus scene: Ok, Percy mouthing off this guy made me laugh, for real.

Jason/Percy Fight Scene: WHOA. This is the part where the feels got to me. They can't fight! They're bros!! Those stupid spirits! But when they got back... now that part was hilarious. "If there was an ocean in Kansas..." and then Annabeth, "I'm sure you'd both be great at killing each other..."

I'm sorry for writing briefly about the parts, but so many thoughts run through my head while I'm reading a book. If I wrote down EVERYTHING that I was thinking, then it would make a book twice as thick as MoA! xD So if you have anything PARTICULAR that you want me to discuss, leave a comment with the page number and/or chapter and/or a really detailed description, because otherwise I'll just be doing certain things. Don't be shy! I love getting comments on here! :)

Happy Reading!

Here's what's up.

We all know what tomorrow is.
The Mark of Athena! Here's the thing. I will be posting A LOT. I'm gonna post my initial reactions as I go along. The frequent posts will probably start tomorrow. I'll post the page number, chapter, and/or percentage (depending on what I'm using: Kindle or hard copy) so you'll be able to tell if you've gotten there or not. First thing I'll post is the title of the next book. (Probably will be up around midnight.) Second thing will be the 4 narrators. After that, my reactions will start. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEY SAY, DON'T READ THEM. I WILL post spoiler alerts. Okay? Expect a flood of posts!

Tour Dates

OMG I just realized something... I NEVER TOLD YOU THE TOUR DATES!
Ah, well, I am a little late... sorry :(

Uncle Rick will be visiting New Jersey, North Carolina, Alabama, Ontario, Florida, and Texas. Sadly, he can't travel anywhere outside of the US and Canada because of deadlines. : / (see his full, detailed schedule: http://rickriordan.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-mark-of-athena-tour.html)

If you do go to an event, here's what will take place. Each event has 1,000 exclusive Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter t-shirts and signed copies of Mark of Athena. Don't bring your books from home to get signed; there will NOT be a signing line because there are wayyy too many people. The event's about an hour long. He'll tell cheesy jokes, read part of a story that hasn't been heard yet (perhaps that story he tweeted about a while ago?), and answer some questions. (More details here: http://rickriordan.blogspot.com/2012/09/more-tour-details-what-to-expect-not.html)

As much as I'd LOVE to go to one of these, the closest one is 3 hours away. :(

But good luck getting to one and have fun if you are!

My Laziness, MoA Tour Dates, Twitter Hacked, and More

I'M SO SORRY FOR ABANDONING YOU! *cries*
I am! Will you forgive me??? I'm just too lazy to type up these really long posts... What, that's not a good enough excuse? Hmph. Well then. I haven't even gotten out of bed yet today. I'm blogging to you  when I'M JUST WAKING UP. Isn't that good enough for you? Well, that reminds me. I'm kinda hungry. I should go eat... yeah I'm gonna do that. Be right back! (Not that you'll notice, since this isn't going to be posted until I'm done with the whole thing. Oh, well, I'll be right back.:))

I'M BACK!

Anyway, a few things have been happening lately in the world of Heroes of Olympus and Rick Riordan, one of which I'm saving for a future post. The first is some bad news: Uncle Rick's twitter got hacked. D:

Last night, I looked at his Twitter account. He was un-verified and his picture was some random blonde chick. What happened?

But the good news is: Later he tweeted that he was back to normal and it seems that he wasn't the only one who was hacked. It's a bug going around Twitter with verified accounts. Well, I checked, and his Twitter is just fine! Phew.

The second thing is also some bad news... temporary bad news. Yesterday, the Mark of Athena tour dates were supposed to be announced. Nada. :(

So that's what's going on. Expect another post very soon... and this is good news! :)

Hercules and Arachne art confirmed!

 Guess what? Hercules and Arachne are officially official!

This is our character art for Hercules. His Greek name is Heracles, but most know him by his Roman name, Hercules. He's a minor god, but he doesn't take the word "minor" very well. Um, and, don't mention that Disney movie of him. You see that baseball bat (club, baseball bat, whatevs) in his hand? He likes to use it. But the real question is...
Hercules: Friend or Enemy?
*dun dun dun*

Next up is Arachne!!! So, the myths I've read say that she made beautiful woven fabrics. Everyone said, "Wow, you must have been taught by the goddess of Athena herself!", and Arachne denied it. She even said she was better than Athena. Then an old lady told her not to pretend she was one of the gods. Arachne said, "Well, then Athena can challenge me herself." The lady transformed into Athena and accepted the challenge. They both began to weave, and both of their tapestries we wonderful. Athena worked more quickly and with more skill. Athena didn't appreciate Arachne's attitude ("Eh, mine is better obviously."), so she slapped her across the face and turned her into a spider, cursing her to spin forever.

SO, we'll meet Arachne in MoA. RR says that she's one of his favorite villains. We'll have to see what happens!! :D

New "Official" Art Reveal!

Would you look at that! The new art is Venus, not Aphrodite! Well.. It's official now!

New Characters!

Warning! Contains Mark of Athena character reveal spoilers!

New character art has been revealed! The first official reveal was, of course, Coach Hedge. Followed by the coach was Nemesis, the goddess of revenge.

And... our newest official reveal... BACCHUS!

Here is his "official" description:

Bacchus

Also known as Dionysus in Greek form, Bacchus is the ultimate party god.  Righteous. 

What does HE do? Aside from drinking way too much diet soda?   It depends on his motivation, which is often lacking.  Have you seen the potbelly on this guy?

Noteworthy: He might be a party monster, but don’t count Bacchus out.  He might come in handy for the demigods down the line…

And... spoiler time!

LEAKED PHOTOS LIE IN THE LINKS. I'd post them, but I don't want to get in trouble with the copyright police...

Arachne: http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/s720x720/205829_428369657215725_1957092747_n.jpg

Aphrodite: http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/s720x720/294599_428118377240853_133659729_n.jpg

Hercules: http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/s720x720/575549_428207523898605_1245362234_n.jpg

ENJOY! And only 33 days until Mark of Athena!

New Character Art Reveal!

Warning! May contain Battle of the Labyrinth spoilers!

Today we have a new character art! It's Ethan's mom, Nemesis. :D

She's a little creepy, dontcha think? Here's a little about her from Myth & Mystery (RR's blog):

Nemesis

Also known as the goddess of revenge.   This is one lady you do NOT want to run into in a dark alley (or anywhere else, for that matter).

What does SHE do?  This woman can shape-shift into any imposing figure you can imagine, if you’re her target.  Which you don’t want to be.  Ever.

Noteworthy: Imposing as she is, Nemesis can be bargained with, as demigod Leo will learn…but at what cost?

Awesome, huh? Only 40 days until Mark of Athena!!! 

The Seventh Confirmed

I guess Annabeth is the seventh. I was kind of hoping that there would be some kind of twist... but I guess not. *sigh*
(Don't get me wrong, Annabeth is awesome!)

(No copyright infringement intended!)

MoA Cover Analysis

Warning! May contain Lost Hero and Son of Neptune spoilers!

Hey demigods! ;) I know I kinda seemed grumpy in the UK cover post, but it was so hot and I was so tired! Blame global warming. (IT'S REAL!) But anywho, I said that there might be a post analyzing both covers. So here it is!

 

This is the American cover. Obviously, Jason and Percy are fighting. Yeah, I know, I'm a master of stating the obvious. Why could they be fighting? Let's take a closer look at this... literally!

My observations/ideas about this particular close-up:

• There is a 99.9999999999999999% that this is Percy. He has black hair and he's manipulating water. So I'm gonna call this guy Percy. ;)
• He's wearing an orange shirt, so we can assume that 1. his Camp Jupiter t-shirt got destroyed and he had to change back into his old orange shirt, or 2. he's showing his loyalty to the Greeks and Camp Half-Blood.
• He's on a winged horse. Could it be his old buddy, Blackjack? Maybe Blackjack is on the Argo II!
• He looks angry.

My observations/ideas about this particular close-up:

• This guy is blonde and using storm powers. I'm guessing he's Jason.
• He's wearing a purple shirt, which probably means he's loyal to Camp Jupiter and the Roman ways.
• He is also on a horse, but I don't see any wings on it. I'm thinking that this is might be the venti horse that we met in the Lost Hero.
• He doesn't look to pleased.

Now, let's talk about the overall fight between Jason and Percy. Here are some ideas about why they could be fighting:

• They're fighting over who gets to be Praetor.
• They're fighting over who gets to lead the quest.
• They're fighting over something that happened on the quest to Greece. Maybe something happened to someone, and they blamed it on each other.
• They're fighting over a decision to be made on the quest.
• They're fighting over who the seventh half-blood could be: A Greek or a Roman.
• Octavian started it.

Here we have the creepy-ish owl eyes. Personally, I think it symbolizes Athena watching the battle. Wait... maybe Athena started the battle. Maybe the battle is about Annabeth! Maybe she went missing! Maybe she's causing trouble and Percy's defending her! Maybe Athena's messing with everyone! Maybe...! I'm going to stop now.

Le United Kingdom cover. (sorry about the little bar on the bottom.)

Here we have a fight between Jason (we think) and Percy (again, we think). (Hey look it's Festus!) We already went through the reasons for fighting and everything. But this fight looks completely different! Maybe it's a different one. Oh, my... I hope they don't make a habit of this.

This particular anonymous comment on another post caught my attention:

This is interesting. When I look at this UK cover I see more of a friendly, training, keep-in-shape fight. Then again when I look at USA cover I see full out battle. I see a huge fight to the death. Nothing friendly, just full out war. Am I wrong?

No, anonymous commenter. I don't think you are wrong. I think you are right. 100% right. Something about this doesn't seem right. Then again, I could be wrong...


But, in the ultimate scheme of things, we must wait. Wait, wait, wait. Patience is key. October 2nd, here we come.

Frank: Juno's "Secret Weapon"

Warning! May contain Lost Hero and Son of Neptune spoilers! 

"Anyway, Gaea doesn't want you to be one of the seven. Percy Jackson... she believes she can control him. All of the others have weaknesses she can exploit. But you--you worry her. She'd rather kill you right away. That's why she summoned the Laistrygonians. They've been here for days, waiting." -Mars to Frank in The Son of Neptune

***Somewhere in this conversation, Mars called Frank "Juno's secret weapon".***

So... Frank is Juno's secret weapon, huh? Very interesting.
How about we think about the others' weaknesses?

• Percy: He's the loyal one. He puts friends first, regardless of whatever is going on. He's the guy who would sacrifice the world to save a friend. And, as Mars said, Gaea seems to think she can manipulate him.
• Jason: We don't really know Jason that well with his memory being lost and everything. He just seems too powerful. Also, the line "To storm or fire the world must fall" doesn't sound that great...
• Leo: Well, again, the storm or fire line. Also, his fire powers can get out of hand and put everyone in danger, like he did at Aeoleus's (sp?) place. He could also put Frank in danger if he's around Hazel too much. (Hazel has Frank's wooden stick.)
• Piper: Jason. She's a daughter of Aphrodite. Of course her boyfriend is gonna be her weakness. If they break up because of Reyna..... I don't even want to think about that. I like Reyna more, but Piper's the charmspeaker. She's supposed to be the link between the two camps. And you saw how easily she was tempted in the Lost Hero. Jason and Leo went right along with it. They could have been killed. They could have failed. Taking another risk like that wouldn't be good for the quest.
• Hazel: Hazel is just so confused and stressed out. She's finally happy with Frank. Then her past comes back to haunt her, with Leo looking exactly like Sammy and everything. Also, Nico is missing. Her brother. Gone. Bad. And her curse. What if another of the seven accidentally picks up something cursed? Not good.
• [Possibly] Annabeth: We all know that Annabeth's fatal flaw is hubris. (Not hummus. Hubris. AKA pride.) And this "mark of Athena" doesn't sound like it's something that's going to help Annabeth with the whole teamwork element. Her grudge against Hera won't be that helpful, either.

Well, the nice think about Frank is that he's a son of Mars. He knows where his duty lies. AND he can shape-shift. That's pretty amazing.

The Seventh Half-Blood

Warning! May contain Lost Hero and Son of Neptune spoilers!

Ok, so we all expect it to be Annabeth, right? I kind of do, but I'm not quite sure. What makes me unsure is this line:

"Wisdom's daughter walks alone, the mark of Athena burns through Rome."

Technically, the only confirmed people of the seven are Jason, Piper, Leo, Percy, Frank, and Hazel. (Only two girls?!?!)

Now, I'm sure that for some people, it became "obvious" that the seventh is gonna be Annabeth when Ella recited that line, or when the first chapter of MoA was told from her POV. But if she's going to walk alone, does that mean she can't be part of the seven?

Couldn't the seventh be someone else? Like... I don't know, Reyna? I would say Octavian, but he's a legacy, not a half-blood. (The lime does go, "Seven half-bloods will answer the call") Odds are, if it's not Annabeth, it's most likely a Roman camper.

Maybe when the story is told from her POV, she's "walking alone". Maybe she's doing whatever she has to do with this "mark of Athena". From the summary of Mark of Athena, it doesn't sound like Annabeth is going to be in a very pleasant situation. Perhaps she'll be forced to not be one of the seven and go in her own path.

Or we could go back to what I first said. It could be Annabeth. It probably is too, especially with all this fuss over the Percabeth reunion we've all been anxiously waiting for. ;)

Mark of Athena UK cover

Here it is!
 This is the cover in the UK. I honestly don't like the UK covers. At all. BUT! It gives us more hints and information about the book. That's good. Perhaps the next post will be dedicated to analyzing both covers!

Twitter Q&A Complete List

Here is a complete list of all of the questions and answers from RR's Twitter summer solstice celebration, as promised!!

Q: @Maggheera Is Drew in the Serpent's Shadow the same Drew as the one in The Lost Hero? 
A: Yes. :D


Q: @Sir_Cumstances Why are you so great at writing cliffhangers?! 
A: A true cliffhanger means characters end the story in imminent danger. Most of my endings aren't actually cliffhangers. They just leave unanswered questions. Mark of Athena, however, ah... never mind.


Q: @EliCharisseDR would u go to manila one day? i really want ur autograph! 
A: I kinda doubt it, sry. Travel abroad is hard w/my deadlines. Sadly no international travel anywhere anytime soon. The next few years, I have to stay home and write or the books won't get done on time!


Q: @Stay_Always I have a big exam tomorrow, could you wish me luck? :) 
A: Good luck! You totally got this.


Q: @Pob584 how did Frank & Hazel kill the Giant in S.o.N when they can only be killed by Gods & Demi-gods working together?
A: The giant Alcyoneus is unique. He is only immortal in the land where he spawned, in this case, Alaska. Once outside, he's fair game.


Q: @brogueskittles Tell me Nico is safe! Tell me he's gonna have a bigger role! 
A: Nico has a key role in MoA but demigods are rarely safe!


Q: @GirlOfAthena My mom is eternally grateful to you for making me love reading. Now she has to say "STOP READING, GIRL!" 
A: Love it! :D


Q: @AtrociouslyMad Will we be getting a Percy and Annabeth reunion in MoA or not? 
A: Don't think it's too much of a spoler to say yes.


Q: @pqpayne please say hi to Brazil! 
A: Olá, meus amigos do Brasil! I love you guys!


Q @TheSwiftFactor ARE YOU PLANNING A CROSSOVER? (Kane/Heroes). 
A: If I did, that would be way down the line. Heroes & Norse series first.


Q: @emmeheinrich What are you reading now? 
A: Just started Shadow & Bone by @LBardugo. Russian mythology-based YA. Really good so far!


Q: @cs412 How come, in the new series, not all demigods have ADHD and dyslexia? 
A: That's true in PJO too. Many demigods do, but not all.


Q: @Clavinerise Y don't u ask ur sons to help u write?
A: I'm editing Haley's 1st manuscript now, but he's writing his own story. :D


Q: @LivFanIano Is percy one of the 4 narrators of Mark of Athena? 
A: Have to wait & see 
Q: Any chance of an advanced copy? 
A: No!


Q: @freshsmileyface After MoA, are you going to come to Canada? 
A: Been to Toronto & Vancouver several times. Don't know yet for future. Publisher sets the tour stops. I don't choose, so I can't take requests. Usually I don't know where I'm going until right before the tour. Actually, I often don't know where I'm going in general.. But that's just me.


Q: @ItsSimplyGaby Is there anything that you could say about the Leo/Sammy thing in MoA? 
A: No spoilers. Sorry! But it will be explained in MoA.


Q: @ellierugen are you ever going to come to england? 
A: Afraid you missed me. Been there dozens of times, but now I can't b/c of deadlines.


Q: @rubys_universe if you could be a god of anything what would it be? 
A: The god of time so I could make more. I never seem to have enough.


Q: @karimelgendi Dude no offense but don't you have a deadline... 
A: Haha. Tell that to my editor. And the ppl who want the books faster! :D


Q: @maisumamariana_The Heroes of Olympus is going to have how many books? 
A: Five.


Sry, questions quickly get buried beneath other questions. Some1 asked PC or MAC & what my writing desk looks like. PC and Mac. I write on Mac. Haley prefers editing format on a PC, so I use both. 

Q: @nasyamatram how do you handle writer's blocks?

A: outline first. That way I don't get to the middle of the story & get stuck (as much)

Q: JacquelyneKampe do you have any tips for a new writer? 
A: Yes, on my FAQ page:http://bit.ly/mxv6UI Short answer: read a lot, write a lot


Q: @MsErmaynee have you ever been criticized for your books ? 
A: Gasp! Never! (sarcasm) Sure. Not everyone likes every book, but that's ok. I feel fortunate that so many people DO like them!


Q: @o_Tyson Thanks for showing me reading is not an "adult thing." 
A: Young readers lead the way these days! Adults follow your trends.


Q: @AshaAshaAsha13 when your books are finally published, are they mostly changes you made revising, or are they the original draft?
A: There is no such thing as a perfect first draft. It's impossible. 90% of writing is revising, over and over.


Q: @haymitch_drunk Have you read the Harry Potter or the Hunger Games? 
A: Yes. As I've tweeted before, I love them both.


Q: @HermioneMila When is Annabeth's birthday? 
A: I don't know. I've never had a reason to determine it, at least not yet.


Q: (got buried) Have I ever been to Russia? 
A: I visited St. Petersburg on vacation. Beautiful city. I've never done an event in Russia. As I said, I had to stop touring internationally, as I can't write this fast and travel the world, too. Getting the books done comes first!


Q: @OlympusTributes what happened to Calypso? 
A: She will make an appearance later in the Heroes series. Right now, that's all I can say.


Q: @tom_emily Do you ever do book signings at book stores in San Antonio? 
A: Almost every tour. Just did one in May. Check website in Sept.


Q: @JoshuaDanielss Out of the characters in the HoO, which is your favorite to write about? 
A: Gleeson Hedge. He cracks me up. Also Leo.


Q: @kklorman What is your favorite book that you've written? 
A: It's usually the most recent one, b/c it's freshest in my mind. Hard to say!


Q: @heyitsgea i have a friend who wants to become a writer & she's writing fanfictions now,any word of encouragement? 
A: Fanfic is not a bad way to practice writing IMHO. I learned a lot writing D&D stories when I was younger. But move on to your own ideas!


Q: @Filhade_Hades what is your favorite book? 
A: The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Got me into mythology & reading when I was about 12.


Q: @DemigodOfDrew Have you read Game of Thrones? 
A: Yes, was reading it LONG before the TV show. Awesome series, but def mature stuff!


Q: @TheCliffhangers What other mythologies besides Greek/Roman, Egyptian & Norse would you like to write about?
A: That's 6-7 years in the future, so I have no idea. I can only write 1-2 books max a year, and I've got 2 Heroes and 3 Norse still to do! All I can tell you is if you've thought about it, I probably have too & I've got more ideas than I'll be able to write in a lifetime!


Q: @2cute4urscreen Do you usually listen to music while writing? 
A: I love all kinds of music but I can't listen to it while writing. Some faves: Classic: Dylan, Stones, Beatles; modern: Black Keys, Jack White, Arcade Fire, Decembrists, Mumford & Sons, Adele. I could go on.


Q: @_AmamosPJ when you're not writing, what do you do for fun? :) 
A: I play guitar, read, swim w/the kids, MMORPG, sometimes go on cruises


Q: @BarcaCatalan10 When u were a teenager, were u the best student in each class? A: Haha. Hardly. I was like Percy. I got kicked out of classes for being a troublemaker & I barely passed math. My writing got me through English, but I never read the books. Of course my karmic punishment was that I grew up and became an English teacher, but I can relate to reluctant readers.


Q: @im_a_halfblood Are you planning on writing another Camp Half-Blood series? A: Like I said, that's waaaay far in the future. But some day, I'd like to do 1 more CHB series where all the action actually happens at camp, b/c most of the other books happen on quests. That's part of the story that hasn't been told, & would be fun. But like I said, that's way, way in the future, so don't hold your breath.


Q: (got buried) Any characters based on real life? 
A: Yeah. Mrs. Dodds is a real math teacher, but she's not actually a monster. Mr. Brunner (aka Chiron) is a real Latin teacher. Travis & Connor Stoll, Beckendorf, Miranda & Nico are named for former students of mine.


Q: @alondrasanche21 If you hadn't written any Percy Jackson books what would you be doing now?
A: I'd still be teaching, which I loved!


Q: @Laura_FB_ what is your favorite TV show? 
A: Probably Dr. Who. Been watching it since the '80s. Old series, new, love them all.


Q: How many questions do you get a day? (this ? ironically got buried under other ?s) 
A: Too many to answer, which is why I usually can't!


Q: @AngelOz13 Do you feel nervous when your books come out? 
A: Every single time! I do my best, but I always worry you guys won't like it.


Q: @jvolr I heard a rumor that Thalia will die in The Mark of Athena, you confirm? 
A: I can confirm that you shouldn't listen to rumors.


Q: @Real_me5 any advice for people who want to be teachers?
A: Do volunteer work w/kids to make sure you've got the right temperament. Get as much teaching experience as you can, subbing or whatever. You'll know very quickly if you're cut out to teach. We need good teachers! And the second year of teaching is 500% easier than the first year. Don't get discouraged and don't give up!


Q: @OnlyDemigods_Hi Uncle Rick, what's your favorite character from the Percy Jackson? 
A: Grover or Tyson. They're so fun to write about.


Q: @helloandie Have you ever cried while writing? A: Only because the first draft is so bad and my deadline is so close. :D No, actually I got teary-eyed when I wrote one scene in Mark of Athena, and no, I can't tell you what it was. Yes, I know that's mean.


Q: @camphalfblood What did you think about this nickname: Uncle Rick? 
A: Honored! Did you know Tio has its root in the word Theo, for god?


Q: @caseyjaneolvis my nickname for you is Ricky! 
A: That was my nickname as a little boy, so I'm used to it!


Q: @Jackieromano199 after the TitansCurse, Annabeth and Percy's Grey streaks are never mentioned...shouldn't someone question them?
A: Actually that question will be addressed in Mark of Athena.


Q: Someone (sry got buried) asked what's my favorite ship in my books. 
A: The Argo II. Oh . . . not that kind of ship?


Q: @pinkypoodle12 do you think you belong in Camp Half-Blood or Camp Jupiter? 
A: No. I would fail in either place! However, I can see living at Brooklyn House and studying magic. I would ace Advanced Napping class w/Bast.


Q: Do I follow the Spurs (basketball)? 
A: Gotta confess, I'm not much of a sports fan. Probably because I have zero athletic coordination. Playing catch w/my sons basically means we go outside and take turns hitting each other in the head with the ball.


Q: @CarlsonJin123  I talked to a YouTube channel called RiordanRick. Was that account really you? 
A: Nope. Only legit accts are on my site. Usually I can't respond to ppl on the Internet. Too many questions, gotta stay focused on writing. This weekend is a rare exception. This account is verified. http://Rickriordan.com is my site. Aside from that, if somebody writes you back, that's a good sign it ain't me.


Q:@juliadalbosco Do you keep an edition of your books in another language besides english? 
A: My garage is full of them. 35 diff languages!


Q: @kklorman2 Who would you rather have: Festus or Blackjack? 
A: At the risk of hurting Blackjack's feelings, Festus for sure.


Q: @TheNightCountry why is the book cover art different from the UK and the USA versions? A: different publishers make diff. covers. The thinking is UK kids r attracted to different cover art than US kids. *shrug* Each publisher has final say over the cover in that country.


Q: @somalinector i think you should do a blog on the do's and don't's on how to write novel. 
A: 1st 'don't': more writing, less blogging!


Q: @DanielleEmmie Q: Do you write cliffhanger endings on purpose? 
A: Yep used to do that in class when I told stories. My students hated it! But they were always eager to come to class the next day and hear what happened next. When I wrote Percy, I imagined telling it to my class.


Q: @rotiunyel How do you stay focused whilst writing? I always get distracted... 
A: Me too! That's why I had to shut off email access.


Q: @MooWarrior You said that you MMORPG. Which ones do you play? 
A: Name it, I've played it. But I just dabble, not hardcore. No time!


Okay, guys, gotta stop reading tweets & go back to writing mode. Thx for all the questions. Maybe we'll do this again next solstice! I leave you with this -- a collection of new covers from around the world: http://bit.ly/L7Jo0s. And most of the questions I didn't get to answer were already answered in my previous tweets or on the FAQ: http://bit.ly/9ZDQBE Bye! 


So that's it :( His entire Thursday through Sunday Q&A. Some of the tweets were REALLY interesting. And I hope that if he gives Annabeth a birthday, it's February 17th :) I also wonder what he was writing when his eyes started getting teary....