Showing posts with label Curtis Jobling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Curtis Jobling. Show all posts

Wednesday, 13 July 2011

Puffin Summer Party - 28th June 2011


I was really excited to get an invite to the Puffin Summer Party a couple of weeks ago, I wasn't too sure what to expect or who would be there but I jumped at the chance to get to mingle with some of the Puffin authors.  I'd arranged to meet up with Sammee (I Want To Read That) & Sophie (So Many Books, So Little Time) at lunch time and we had an afternoon of book shopping planned.  As it turned out to be one of the hottest days of the year so far we quickly changed our minds - the underground was unbearable and we couldn't face it a second time!  We made it as far as the big Waterstone's in Piccadilly where we spent quite a few hours hiding in the cafe in the basement.  We still had a great time chatting away but it was so nice to be out of the heat.

The party was held at Banqueting House in Whitehall which was an absolutely amazing building.  I didn't think of taking pictures of the outside but check out the ceiling of the room the party was in below (impressive isn't it!)


We arrived right at the start of the party and after being welcomed by Jayde we soon found a group of other bloggers to chat to.  I don't know about anyone else but I was in awe of the location, the overwhelming number of people and a little star struck by so many fantastic authors all in one place!

Liz, Sammee, Rhys & Sophie

I was a bit nervous about going over and talking to the authors but we had lovely chats with Julia Golding (who was at the event wearing her Eve Edwards hat but I have met before in her Joss Stirling persona), Sarwat Chadda, Helen Grant and Curtis Jobling.  Despite the fact that I wandered around with my camera in my hand for the whole evening I took hardly any pictures (not like me at all I know!) but we did ask Curtis for pictures.  He was the only author that I knew in advance would be there and since I loved the first Wereworld book Rise of the Wolf (you can read my review here if you haven't already seen it) I was really looking forward to meeting him.  Curtis was really friendly and we managed to get some spoilers about the Wereworld series that have me very excited but I'm afraid we were sworn to secrecy so I can't share the news here!

Sophie, Curtis & Sammee
Me, Curtis & Sammee

It was fun spotting different authors amongst the crowds including Alex & Simon Scarrow, Michelle Paver & Phil Earle.  We found out later that Melvin Burgess and Charlie Higson were also there but I didn't see them.  I'd like to say a massive thanks to everyone at Puffin for hosting such a great event and letting some of us bloggers tag along!  It was great to meet so many lovely authors & I had a fab time :o)

Who was there:
Jayde - Puffin
The authors we saw & or spoke to:
Alex & Simon Scarrow - Website
Curtis Jobling - Website
Helen Grant - Website
Julia Golding - Main Website / Eve Edwards Website / Joss Stirling Website
Michelle Paver - Website
Phil Earle - Website
Sarwat Chadda - Website
The bloggers:
Ana - The Book Smugglers
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Monday, 7 February 2011

Review: Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf - Curtis Jobling

'YOU'RE THE LAST OF THE WEREWOLVES.  DON'T FIGHT IT, SON; EMBRACE IT.  CONQUER IT.'

When the air is clear, sixteen-year-old Drew Ferran can pick up the scent of a predator.

When the moon breaks through the clouds, a terrifying fever grips him.

And when a vicious beast invades his home, his flesh tears, his fingers become claws, and Drew transforms . . .

Forced to flee the family he loves, Drew seeks refuge in the most godforsaken parts of Lyssia. But when he is captured by Lord Bergan's men, Drew must prove he is not the enemy.

Can Drew battle the werecreatures determined to destroy him - and master the animal within?

Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf is the first book in a new fantasy series by Curtis Jobling.  I couldn't find any information on future books in the series at the time of posting.

Visit Curtis Jobling's website or the Wereworld website for more information

Review:
Drew is happy with his simple life living on the farm with his parents and his brother, he loves the land and has no plans to leave.  Then one terrible night everything changes, after a vicious attack by a mysterious creature Drew is changed forever.  Suddenly he doesn't know who he is anymore and he realises that everything he has been told as he was growing up was a lie.  Forced to leave his home after a terrible accusation Drew finds himself alone and on the run in one of the most dangerous parts of Lyssia.  When he is captured he has to find a way to prove that he is not the enemy and figure out a way to bring the real culprit to justice.

I used to read a lot of fantasy stories but it's been a long time since I enjoyed one as much as I liked Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf.  Curtis Jobling has done a fantastic job creating a detailed and interesting world that can rival many others I've come across and it is hard to believe that this is a debut novel.  The descriptions make it very easy to picture Lyssia and I loved the range of different werecreatures that populate the world.  I had quite a lot of fun trying to guess what kind of animals characters were able to turn into.  The story definitely reminded me of the Belgariad series by David Eddings which is meant as a compliment as I love that series.  Although the worlds are very different they are both just as detailed and they are the kind of places you want to visit again and again. 

Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf also contains a wide range of interesting characters, some who play vital parts in this story and others who I'm hoping we will see a lot more of throughout the series.  I loved Drew from the beginning and enjoyed watching his character develop as he learnt more about his past and about his new abilities.  I loved the friendship between Drew and Hector and hope we get to see more of that in future books.  Gretchen was a character who will take a while to grow on you but by the end she is easy to warm to and I love her sense of humor.  If there was one slight negative it would be that I felt Gretchen was a little too similar to Ce'Nedra from the Belgariad series, I had a feeling I knew how things would progress with her and Drew from early in the story and so far I've not been proved wrong.  However, that didn't effect my enjoyment of the story and wouldn't even register for someone who has never read the Belgariad series so it is a minor irritation.

Curtis Jobling has also created some great evil characters who you will love to hate, he certainly doesn't make life easy for his heroes and you're never quite sure what he will throw at them next.  The story is well paced, easy to read and one that will keep you gripped from beginning to end.  I'm thoroughly looking forward to seeing how the series progresses - if this is what the author can write for his debut I'm sure we can expect great things in the future!  If you're a fantasy fan (or even if you've never picked up a fantasy story before) I would urge you to give Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf a try - it's a great adventure story with touches of both humor and horror that make for an addictive read.

Source: Received from Penguin in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
The Slowest Bookworm
The Book Bag
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

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Friday, 14 January 2011

Author's Animal Antics - Curtis Jobling


Author's Animal Antics is a regular blog feature here at Sarah's Book Reviews where I'm very excited to have some fantastic authors come and chat to us about their pets or share animal related stories.  I'm thrilled to introduce the lovely Curtis Jobling as my guest today...

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You'd think with four children I wouldn't have time for pets, but that's where you're wrong (cue evil laughter).  We have two cats in Casa Bling, a pair of Bengal brothers named Eric and Ernie.  We used to have a dog too, Samwise (yes, named after the short fat hairy footed fella) but he now lives with my Aunt in Blackpool.  Sam actually got to be a "ringbearer" for me when I proposed to my now-wife halfway up a Welsh mountain; I'd attached the engagement ring to his collar so that when Emma let him off his lead it would fall into her hand.  She actually dropped it when she took the lead off which led to me crawling through the wet grass on all fours, feverishly trying to find the thing while dodging sheep droppings and cowpats.  I know, I'm an old romantic aren't I?

Eric and Ernie are named after two famous comedians who your younger readers may (criminally) not know about.  May I direct you to your grandfather or dad for that matter and ask him about Morecambe and Wise at the earliest opportunity?  I thank you.

Samwise and Eric

Well, as Bengals they can be a little wild.  They're only six generations away from a wild Asian Leopard Cat, and have still got a bit of that attitude in them.  They're not afraid of water (used to swimming in the wild) and used to frequently go fishing for Koi in our old next door neighbours garden.  Great cats, aren't they?  Fish isn't the only thing they like to hunt.  Birds, rats, frogs, mice - on one occasion they dragged a young rabbit through the catflap which promptly squeezed under the sofa we were sat on.  Cue two cats and a dog frantically circuiting the settee like some deranged episode of Scooby Doo.  Yes, cats are great, especially when they bring still-living wild animals into your home, the bigger the better.  I'm just waiting for the day they haul a fresian cow through the toilet window...

Sadly poor Ernie had a nasty encounter with an idiot with an air rifle a couple of years ago, the result being that he had to have his tail amputated.  He's still an adorable, affectionate little fellow, but he's no longer the perfect example of the Bengal breed that could have won competitions (if we'd ever been bonkers enough to enter one!)  Instead he now looks like the stunt double of one of my other creations, Frankenstein's Cat, my mixed up moggie that appeared in his own picture book and animated series.

Ernie

Eric and Ernie are both very vocal chaps, letting us know when they want to come in.  Their constant MAOWING at the backdoor is frequently a delightful distraction for me as I'm trying to crunch illustration and writing deadlines.  And typically, they miaow when they want in and then miaow because they want out again!  I'm all for cats being independent as opposed to dogs but would it really hurt for them to learn how to open the patio door?

So yes, I'm a pet lover.  We would probably have more if we had a bigger house but for the time being the Chinchillas will have to wait.  Hope you dig Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf, in fact I hope it excites and scares the pants off you in equal measures - do follow the adventure on the official website http://www.wereworldbooks.com/ and keep up to speed on the Jobling blog - http://badablingthing.blogspot.com/!

Enjoy the petting, reading and Bada Bling!

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Thank you so much for visiting today Curtis, I can't believe how close Ernie is sitting to Sam in that picture, I've never met a Bengal cat before but they look big (very cute too).  What a lovely way to propose to your wife too, although it sounds like you're lucky you didn't lose the ring!

'YOU'RE THE LAST OF THE WEREWOLVES SON. DON'T FIGHT IT . . . CONQUER IT.'

When the air is clear, sixteen year-old Drew Ferran can pick up the scent of a predator.

When the moon breaks through the clouds, a terrifying fever grips him.

And when a vicious beast invades his home, his gums begin to tear, his fingers become claws, and Drew transforms . . .

Forced to flee the family he loves, Drew seeks refuge in the most godforsaken parts of Lyssia. But when he is captured by Lord Bergan's men, Drew must prove he is not the enemy.

Can Drew battle the werecreatures determined to destroy him - and master the animal within?



Curtis Jobling is the animator who gave us Bob the Builder (I'm not sure if my international readers will know who that is but I'm sure all the Brits will!) and his debut novel Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf was released on the 6th of January.  I've seen some fantastic reviews for Wereworld but unfortunately my copy appears to have been lost in the post, I've got another copy on the way though & can't wait to read it.  I'll get my review posted as soon as I can.

Find out more about Curtis and his work here - Website / Wereworld Website / Blog / Twitter / Facebook

For more information about the Author's Animal Antics feature click here
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Sunday, 26 December 2010

News: Blog Tour for Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf by Curtis Jobling

I'm really looking forward to taking part in the blog tour to celebrate the release of Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf by Curtis Jobling on the 6th January.  This sounds like a great story & I can't wait to read it as soon as my copy arrives.  I have a fab guest post from Curtis Jobling that I'll be posting on the 14th of January along with my review so don't forget to check back then to read them.  Puffin have lots of things planned for the tour so make sure you check them out - I've included links to the blogs taking part to make it easier for you.  In the meantime check out the book blurb & trailer below, sounds good doesn't it?!  You can also check out the Wereworld website for more information.

'YOU'RE THE LAST OF THE WEREWOLVES SON. DON'T FIGHT IT . . . CONQUER IT.'

When the air is clear, sixteen year-old Drew Ferran can pick up the scent of a predator.

When the moon breaks through the clouds, a terrifying fever grips him.

And when a vicious beast invades his home, his gums begin to tear, his fingers become claws, and Drew transforms . . .

Forced to flee the family he loves, Drew seeks refuge in the most godforsaken parts of Lyssia. But when he is captured by Lord Bergan's men, Drew must prove he is not the enemy.

Can Drew battle the werecreatures determined to destroy him - and master the animal within?



Where the tour is visiting:
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