While eBooks (marketed mostly to adults) haven't really
caught on, The SPECTRUM Home and School Network is trying an experiment to
see if younger readers are more willing to read a novel on their computer
if presented in a pleasing manner. Please read the press release below,
and become a part of this experiment.
Move over Harry Potter, meet the new kids in town.
Can two upstart teens take on Harry Potter and Stephen King?
The SPECTRUM Home and School Network (www.incwell.com) announced the
publication an on-line serial novel for readers 12 to adult. Set in the
almost-possible near future, the From the Shadows binary is an
exciting young adult adventure with an international flavor. It can be
shared by the entire family, filling the void between Harry Potter novels.
Unlike Stephen King's The Plant, the From the Shadows binary
is complete and has been reader reviewed by students and adults. Book one
of the binary, Separate Paths, is being published free for on-line
reading at www.incwell.com.
The story…
GundTech changed the world when it introduced the multiCom computer
with an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Personality at its core. The
reclusive former child prodigy who created the multiCom is about to
unleash a technological revolution that could threaten the world.
Megan Fletcher, a reporter for the World Broadband Network, doesn't
trust her multiCom and she trusts GundTech even less. She is on a mission
to expose the mysterious man or woman behind GundTech and discover the
computer company's true intent.
Cameron Rush and Rosa Costas are best friends, even though
they've only met over the comNet. Cameron is from a small town in
Wisconsin, while Rosa lives on a ranch in New Mexico. They are typical
fifteen-year-olds living in their isolated worlds of family, school and
friends.
A news conference from the GundTech head-quarters in Oslo, Norway, will
draw these three people together and change their lives forever as they
embark on an adventure that will explore the boundaries of reality, time,
and humanity.
About SPECTRUM:
SPECTRUM is a K-8 educational content site used by millions of teachers
and students from around the world. It has been recommended by the
Discovery Channel Online, Classroom Connect, and StudyWeb, among others.
SPECTRUM materials have been used by companies like Harcourt Educational
Management, Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, and the Princeton Review in the
development of educational support materials.
For more information contact:
eMail: booknews@cox.net |
| Remember that first person that you had a
crush on? Or, that person that had a crush on you? Can any of us ever
really leave those junior high loves behind? A love/hate relationship gets
flipped in Wendelin Van Draanen’s FLIPPED. FLIPPED is a lightly comic,
perfect summer “he said, she said” novel about first loves. Told in
the alternating viewpoints of Julianna, an open, honest and free spirited
young lady, and Bryce, a shy yet cool junior high boy, FLIPPED conjures up
all of the tumultuous emotions of pre-teen crushes . . . from first kiss
to first heartache. FLIPPED received starred reviews in both Publishers
Weekly and School Library Journal.
Wendelin Van Draanen is the award-winning author of the Sammy Keyes
series dubbed “a high quality, high amp mystery series” by The Horn
Book and "a treat for mystery lovers" by the Los Angeles Times.
She has developed a huge following for her series, which was named a Book
Sense 76 selection and has over a quarter of a million copies in print.
Although FLIPPED is published for young readers, first loves, broken
hearts and utter confusion are universal experiences, which is why I
believe this title would be an excellent fit for summer reading. Please
feel free to call me at (212) 782-8667 if you would like to receive a
review copy or if you would like to schedule an interview.
www.randomhouse.com |
|
NEWS FROM BANTAM BOOKS
A DIVISION OF RANDOM HOUSE CHILDREN'S
BOOKS
BANTAM BOOKS TO PUBLISH OFFICIAL
COMPANION AND FICTION SERIES
ONLY ALIAS NOVELS AUTHORIZED BY
TOUCHSTONE/ABC AND CREATOR/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER J.J. ABRAMS
New York, NY (June 11, 2002)- Random House
Children's Books' Bantam Books imprint has acquired the rights to publish
original novels and the official companion based on the hit ABC television
show ALIAS. Since the show's debut in September 2001,
ALIAS has gained tremendous popularity and critical support from
its viewers. It is the number one ranked show in its Sunday night time
slot for women ages 18-54, and the second ranked among teenagers and male
viewers ages 18-54. Both ALIAS: DECLASSIFIED, the official
companion, and ALIAS: RECRUITED, the first book in the fiction
series will have initial print runs of 100,000 to meet the expectations of
the show's dedicated fans. The nationwide on sale date for both titles
will be October 8, 2002, during which the highly anticipated second season
of the show will be underway.
ALIAS: DECLASSIFIED is a 224-page
trade paperback that offers fans an all-access, behind-the-scenes look at
the making of the smash television show, with reflections and anecdotes
not found elsewhere. The book, written by Mark Cotta Vaz, carries a
suggested retail price of $16.95. The first print run of the
companion will also include a DVD containing exclusive ALIAS
materials, such as cast interviews and a link to an online ALIAS
game. In addition, Bantam Books is launching the publication of an
original prequel book series with ALIAS: RECRUITED, which takes
readers back to Sydney Bristow's college days, where she was first
recruited by SD-6. All novels are a collaborative effort with
ALIAS creator/Executive Producer J.J. Abrams. RECRUITED is
a 208-page mass-market paperback that carries a suggested retail price of
$5.99, and is geared toward teenage fans. Additional books in the
series are scheduled for release in 2003.
"Secret lives, cliffhanger endings,
pulsating intrigue, non-stop action, and the amazing Jennifer Garner as
kick-ass Sydney-what's not to love?" said Wendy Loggia,
editorial director of Media & Series at Knopf Delacorte Dell
Publishing Group. "We're thrilled to have the ALIAS
publishing program on our list here at Bantam, and to have the opportunity
to explore Sydney's early days at SD-6." Loggia acquired the books in
cooperation with Touchstone/ABC, and will edit both the companion and the
series titles.
ALIAS received a 2002
People's Choice Award for Favorite New Television Drama, and was nominated
for a 2002 Golden Globe Award in the same category. Viewers can't get
enough of this high-energy, intelligent spy drama and its star, Jennifer
Garner, who received the 2002 Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a
Television Drama. Garner has received much media attention since the
series debut, gracing the covers of such publications as Seventeen, TV
Guide, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly and Self, and
appearing on television talk shows and news programs.
"We're very excited about reaching
ALIAS's loyal fan base via a new outlet," said Bruce Gersh,
Vice President, Business Development, ABC Entertainment Television Group.
"These books will enhance fans'enjoyment of the show."
Random House Children's Books is the
publisher of numerous national and New York Times best-selling
books by or about teen celebrities such as Britney Spears, the Backstreet
Boys, NSYNC, and Leonardo DiCaprio.
Bantam Books is an imprint of the Random
House Children's Book division of Random House, Inc., whose parent company
is Bertelsmann AG. |
