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Showing posts with label evertaster. Show all posts
Showing posts with label evertaster. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Book Spotlight and Giveaway: The Buttersmiths' Gold (An Evertaster Novella) by Adam Glendon Sidwell


I'm very excited to be spotlighting The Buttersmiths' Gold today! This is a novella set in the very awesome and fun world of the Evertaster series by Adam Glendon Sidwell. Evertaster was one of my favorite middle-grade reads last year...


5/2/13
Purchase: Amazon

The Buttersmiths' Gold
BATTLES. BLUEBERRIES. BOVINES.
TORBJORN AND STORFJELL’S HISTORY UNFOLDS IN AN EPIC EVERTASTER NOVELLA.

Everyone knows the most coveted treasure of the Viking Age was blueberry muffins. Blueberry muffins so succulent that if you sniffed just a whiff, you'd want a whole bite. If you bit a bite, you'd want a batch; if you snatched a batch, you'd stop at nothing short of going to war just to claim them all.

Young Torbjorn Trofastsonn comes from the clan that makes them. He's a Viking through and through – he's thirteen winters old, larger than most respectable rocks, and most of all, a Buttersmith. That's what he thinks anyway, until a charismatic merchant makes Torbjorn question his place among the muffin-makers. When Torbjorn lets the secret of his clan's muffin recipe slip, he calls doom and destruction down upon his peaceful village and forces his brother Storfjell and his clansmen to do the one thing they are ill-prepared to do: battle for their lives.

About The Buttersmiths' Gold
The Buttersmiths' Gold is a spin off novella in the Evertaster series that tells the story of two Viking brothers and their adventurous past. The Evertaster series (Book #1 released June 14, 2012) is about Guster Johnsonville, who goes searching for a legendary taste rumored to be the most delicious in all of history. Along the way he meets a slew of mysterious characters, including two Viking brothers Torbjorn and Storfjell. The Buttersmiths' Gold is their story. 124 pages. By Adam Glendon Sidwell. Published by Future House Publishing.

 6/14/12
Purchase: Amazon

Evertaster (Book #1)
A legendary taste. Sought after for centuries. Shrouded in secrecy.
When eleven-year-old Guster Johnsonville rejects his mother’s casserole for the umpteenth time, she takes him into the city of New Orleans to find him something to eat. There, in a dark, abandoned corner of the city they meet a dying pastry maker. In his last breath he entrusts them with a secret: an ancient recipe that makes the most delicious taste the world will ever know — a taste that will change the fate of humanity forever.

Forced to flee by a cult of murderous chefs, the Johnsonvilles embark on a perilous journey to ancient ruins, faraway jungles and forgotten caves. Along the way they discover the truth: Guster is an Evertaster — a kid so picky that nothing but the legendary taste itself will save him from starvation. With the sinister chefs hot on Guster’s heels and the chefs’ reign of terror spreading, Guster and his family must find the legendary taste before it’s too late.


WATCH THE AWESOME EVERTASTER BOOK TRAILER

Adam Glendon Sidwell: Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook
In between books, Adam Glendon Sidwell uses the power of computers to make monsters, robots and zombies come to life for blockbuster movies such as Pirates of the Caribbean, King Kong, Transformers and Tron. After spending countless hours in front of a keyboard meticulously adjusting tentacles, calibrating hydraulics, and brushing monkey fur, he is delighted at the prospect of modifying his creations with the flick of a few deftly placed adjectives. He's been eating food since age 7, so feels very qualified to write this book. He once showed a famous movie star where the bathroom was. Adam currently lives in Los Angeles, where he can't wait to fall into the sea.

Adam is giving away a $50 Amazon GC and a 
signed copy of The Buttersmiths' Gold!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, October 22, 2012

Evertaster Blog Tour: book spotlight & giveaway


I'm super excited to be a part of the Evertaster Blog Tour because Evertaster is one of my absolute favorite reads this year! My review is even blurbed below!

I reviewed this book several months ago and also interviewed author Adam Glendon Sidwell, so be sure to check out my review to find out why I adore this book and the fun interview  with Adam.

Now, here's more about Evertaster, Adam and a giveaway...



"Wonderfully talented writing; funny."
--Orson Scott Card, NYT Bestselling author of Ender's Game

"Sidwell is a talented comedian, and that is certainly reflected in his writing. The characters are quirky and likable." --Deseret News


When eleven-year-old Guster Johnsonville rejects his mother's casserole for the umpteenth time, she takes him into the city of New Orleans to find him something to eat. There, in a dark, abandoned corner of the city they meet a dying pastry maker. In his last breath he entrusts them with a secret: an ancient recipe that makes the most delicious taste the world will ever know — a taste that will change the fate of humanity forever.

Forced to flee by a cult of murderous chefs, the Johnsonvilles embark on a perilous journey to ancient ruins, faraway jungles and forgotten caves. Along the way they discover the truth: Guster is an Evertaster — a kid so picky that nothing but the legendary taste itself will save him from starvation. With the sinister chefs hot on Guster’s heels and the chefs’ reign of terror spreading, Guster and his family must find the legendary taste before it’s too late.

 "One of the most original, well-crafted and imaginative MG stories I've come across in a long time." - Word Spelunking Book Review (that's me y'all!)


Adam Glendon Sidwell
In between books, Adam Glendon Sidwell uses the power of computers to
make monsters, robots and zombies come to life for blockbuster movies such as Pirates of the
Caribbean, King Kong, Transformers and Tron. After spending countless hours in front of a
keyboard meticulously adjusting tentacles, calibrating hydraulics, and brushing monkey fur, he is
delighted at the prospect of modifying his creations with the flick of a few deftly placed
adjectives. He’s been eating food since age 7, so feels very qualified to write this book. He once
showed a famous movie star where the bathroom was. Adam currently lives in Los Angeles,
where he can’t wait to fall into the sea.


Watch the awesome book trailer!

You can learn more about Adam and his writing adventures here:

Purchase Evertaster on Amazon

Follow the whole tour schedule here


During the blog tour, Adam is giving away a signed copy of Evertaster plus a $25 Amazon Gift Card!
You can enter the giveaway below or at any of the tour stops.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, July 27, 2012

Interview and Giveaway: Adam Glendon Sidwell


I'm very excited to have the awesome Adam Sidwell here today for an interview and giveaway!!! Adam is the author of the fantabulous MG novel Evertaster...seriously, this book rocks and I LOVED it!  Be sure to check out my review of this wonderful book.


WS: What three words best describe Evertaster?
AS: Delicious. Dangerous. Delightfully-death-defying-fun.

WS: In one sentence tell readers why they MUST read your book…c’mon really sell it.
AS: You must read Evertaster because it will change the way you taste every morsel of food you will eat for the rest of your life.

WS: What inspired Evertaster? Where did the idea for the story come from?
 AS: I was browsing through the book store, when I happened upon a cookbook. I saw how thick it was, and how many other books there were like it, and thought about all the cookbooks in the whole world, and how many there must be, and how many were written over the centuries. That’s when I wondered: what are all those chefs looking for? What are they after? In science, there’s an idea that there is a grand Theory of Everything that is waiting to be discovered. What if there is was grand Recipe? The final answer to all cooking and food. From there, the Johnsonville family developed naturally, with the mom, Mabel, who feels inadequate about her abilities as a cook, and Guster, the eleven year old for whom food burns or stings his mouth and tongue as he swallows it. It made for a fun dynamic. The setting and adventure itself were inspired by some of the places I’ve had the chance to travel to. They were such interesting settings, I just had to put them into a story.

WS: Grab a copy of Evertaster and answer the following:
·         Favorite chapter?
Chapter 23 
·         Favorite page?
Page 274 
·         Favorite character?
Archedentus, the Master Mead Maker, the Great Chef.

WS: Any hints about what’s next for Guster and the Johnsonvilles? Please?!
AS: Yes. I’ll say this: currently the first sentence of Evertaster - the Delicious City goes something like this: Guster Johnsonville tasted a hint of danger in his tuna fish sandwich. The Delicious City will be about a delicious city of course. Guster and the Johnsonvilles find themselves in a far off place due to circumstances beyond their control. We see Guster taking a much more active role in decision making that ultimately affects the family. He’s a little more grown up now. The Delicious City is indeed a mysterious and wonderful place which if any of us were able to find it, we’d gladly spend the rest of our lives there. 

WS: In Evertaster, Guster and his family are on the hunt to uncover the Gastronomy of Peace, the most delectable recipe ever…what’s the yummiest, most delicious thing you’ve EVER eaten?
AS: It would have to be the ice cream cone I ate in 1993 in Tillamook Oregon. I was riding my bicycle across Oregon that summer and I passed some bovines with udders so large they dragged on the ground. We stopped off at the Tillamook factory where the ice cream came as direct from the cow as you can get. I had a blueberry cheesecake flavored scoop on top of a sugar cone. Perhaps it was because I was so tired or because my body was so drained, but that ice cream cone was the most delicious thing I’ve ever tasted. It completed me, and I’ve never forgotten it.

WS: You’ve worked on some pretty awesome movies, but what’s the most awesome movie you’ve worked on? What’s the coolest thing you’ve created for a movie?
AS: The most awesome movie I’ve ever worked on would probably be King Kong. I was working with the best in the industry at Weta Digital. I got to move to New Zealand for a year. I learned the cutting edge technology. My favorite thing that I’ve worked on would probably be building digital human replacements for Tron. I built the digital versions of most of the riders in the light cycle sequence. I also created the lightwalls. I built the digital double for Sam, which if you watch that scene, he’s mostly digital, though you shouldn’t be able to tell. The goal is to have people watch your work without even knowing that those humans aren’t actually actors but are computer generated.

WS: What are some your favorite MG books and characters (other than your fab book and characters, of course)
AS: Alcatraz versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson. IT’s a mind bending idea that Librarians are really a secret organization that are controlling all the world’s knowledge. Brandon is an amazing author and has a mastery of the craft, and it really comes through in those books in a very humorous way that breaks the 4th wall as Alcatraz talks directly to the audience. I also will never ever forget the moments in 3rd grade when I discovered Roald Dahl. A freind passed off the Twits and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the BFG. I couldn’t believe I was reading about giants eating human beans. I love the BFG! Ultimately those books are what inspired me to write.  

WS:  Fill in the blanks:
·         I’m awesome at ________.
AS: Wilderness Survival 

·         I’m embarrassed to admit that _______.
AS: I don’t know the capital of Connecticut. Who knows? Maybe I’ll keep it that way. 

·         In the event of a zombie/demon/alien apocalypse I’d______.
AS: Teleport. 

WS: If you were to bake an Evertaster inspired cupcake what would it look and/or taste like and what would you call it?
AS: It would taste like the Gastronomy of Peace of course! The One Recipe that Guster and the Johnsonvilles spend 300 pages searching for. What would I call it? the Gastronomy of Peace! What does it taste like? The Gastronomy of Peace! No spoilers though. To know what that tastes like, you’ll have to read Chapter 23. What would it look like? Sunshine. History. Perfection.

Thank you so much for answering my questions Adam!!!
Connect with Adam: Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook
In between books, Adam Glendon Sidwell uses the power of computers to make monsters, robots and zombies come to life for blockbuster movies such as Pirates of the CaribbeanKing KongTransformersand Tron. After spending countless hours in front of a keyboard meticulously adjusting tentacles, calibrating hydraulics, and brushing monkey fur, he is delighted at the prospect of modifying his creations with the flick of a few deftly placed adjectives. He’s been eating food since age 7, so feels very qualified to write this book. He once showed a famous movie star where the bathroom was. Adam currently lives in Los Angeles, where he can’t wait to fall into the sea.

Evertaster
What if there were a taste so delicious that if you found it, you’d never want to eat anything else again?
When eleven year-old Guster Johnsonville rejects his mother's casserole for the umpteenth time, she takes him to the city of New Orleans to find him something to eat. There, in a dark, abandoned corner of the city, they meet a dying pastry maker who tells them of a legendary recipe called the Gastronomy of Peace -- a recipe created hundreds of years ago, shrouded in secrecy, and sought after by connoisseurs everywhere. 
So begins a perilous adventure that will take Guster, his clever sister Mariah, and the rest of the Johnsonvilles on an adventure to ancient ruins, faraway jungles and forgotten caves, where they discover that their search is more than just a quest to satisfy Guster’s cravings -- it is a quest that could change humanity forever.

Purchase: Amazon / B&N 

Win a signed copy of Evertaster
Adam has generously offered a signed copy of his awesome MG book to one lucky cupcake!!!
DETAILS
-One winner will win a signed copy of Evertaster
-US/CAN only
-Will run from 7/27 - 8/10
-Fill out Rafflecopter form to enter
  • Must be 13+ to enter
  • One main entry per person
  • Winner will be emailed and must claim prize within 48 hours
  • I am NOT responsible for lost, damaged or stolen prizes
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, July 9, 2012

Review: Evertaster by Adam Glendon Sidwell


TITLE: Evertaster                         AUTHOR: Adam Glendon Sidwell
PUB: Future House Pub            PUB DATE: 6/14/12
FORMAT: Kindle ebook            SOURCE: purchased


What if there were a taste so delicious that if you found it, you’d never want to eat anything else again?
When eleven year-old Guster Johnsonville rejects his mother's casserole for the umpteenth time, she takes him to the city of New Orleans to find him something to eat. There, in a dark, abandoned corner of the city, they meet a dying pastry maker who tells them of a legendary recipe called the Gastronomy of Peace -- a recipe created hundreds of years ago, shrouded in secrecy, and sought after by connoisseurs everywhere. 
So begins a perilous adventure that will take Guster, his clever sister Mariah, and the rest of the Johnsonvilles on an adventure to ancient ruins, faraway jungles and forgotten caves, where they discover that their search is more than just a quest to satisfy Guster’s cravings -- it is a quest that could change humanity forever.
WATCH THE AWESOME TRAILER


THREE WORDS: Deliciously Fun & Original

MY REVIEW: Sometimes reading a book- a really, really awesome book- is an experience equivalent to savoring something super yummy. Well, reading Adam Glendon Sidwell’s Evertaster was like snacking on the most delectable, homemade cupcakes...yeah, it’s that good!

Guster Johnsonville takes being a picky eater to a whole new level. Nothing makes his taste buds dance. Fed up with his fickle ways, his mother takes him to New Orleans to find something he’ll eat and they come across a dying baker who changes their lives. The baker tells them of the Gastronomy of Peace, an ancient and secret recipe that could change the world and before he can tell them the whole story they’re attacked by mysterious chefs in red. Suddenly Guster, his mom, his sister and two brothers find themselves on the run from a secret society and in search of the secret ingredients for the Gastronomy of Peace. With only a strange, old egg beater as a map, the Johnsonvilles head out on the adventure of their lives that takes them across the globe.

Smart. Refreshing. Wonderfully written. Full of superb characters and exciting adventure. These are just a few ways to describe this fantastic MG book! Evertaster is bursting with flavor, fun and fabulousness.

Sidwell has created one of the most original, well-crafted and imaginative  MG stories I’ve come across in a long time. I love the idea of being an Evertaster, someone who doesn’t simply taste their food, but taste the soil it grew in, the ocean wind that blew across a lemon, the clovers the cows, whose milk you’re drinking, ate, the rain that fell upon the veggies. Or as it says in the book:

            Someone who tastes every flavor that ever touched every ingredient in his food. They taste time. They taste history. (Kindle, location 1450)

This book pulled me in from page one (I couldn’t put it down!) and held me enchanted till the very last word. The author writes with a clever, addicting voice that will captivate readers of all ages and the settings are vivid and lush. The story is quite cinematic and I could see every detail play out in my mind and almost taste every scrumptious tidbit.

The adventure is exciting and suspenseful with a mystery that is like the Da Vinci code for kids. There are enough thrills, twists and bad guys to keep even the most discerning palates satisfied. And I love that the whole Johnsonville family takes this journey together. Not many MG books feature parental characters that are significantly involved throughout the whole plot, but in Evertaster Mrs. Johnsonville is an important (and great!) character. But that doesn’t mean that the younger characters aren’t courageous heroes and heroines, because they are.  Guster and his siblings are charming, clever young characters that readers will easily relate to.

I love how the book concludes, but I’m ecstatic that the adventures will continue in the sequel.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: From the spellbinding adventure, original story and engaging characters, I love everything about this dazzling and imaginative debut! This book reminds me of why I adore MG fiction (and makes me want to bake!). A MUST read book that I recommend for readers all ages!

MY RATING

Find the author: Site / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook
Purchase: Amazon / B&N / Book Depository
In between books, Adam Glendon Sidwell uses the power of computers to make monsters, robots and zombies come to life for blockbuster movies such as Pirates of the Caribbean, King Kong, Transformers and Tron. After spending countless hours in front of a keyboard meticulously adjusting tentacles, calibrating hydraulics, and brushing monkey fur, he is delighted at the prospect of modifying his creations with the flick of a few deftly placed adjectives. He's been eating food since age 7, so feels very qualified to write this book. He once showed a famous movie star where the bathroom was. Adam currently lives in Los Angeles, where he can't wait to fall into the sea.