C.J. Milbrandt's Blog, page 67

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Let’s take another peek behind the scenes! Book #9 in the Byways series is one of Zane’s adventures. He follows his nose to the sweet-smelling town of Sugar Hill, where he and Jovan take a turn stirring the steaming vats of maple sap that will become syrup and sugar. But there’s been some trouble, and rangers have tacked up so many posters.

Excerpt:

Zane pulled back the curling edge of a faded poster tacked to an old birch.

WARNING!
For your own safety,
stay on the roads.

The order was sig...

Uncle Vanek placed three neatly folded maps on his desk. “By the time you reach your first waypoint, you and two companions will need to speak to the postal clerk. Stamp your personal seals on a postcard and send it to us. That way, we can track your progress.”

—ON YOUR MARKS: THE ADVENTURE BEGINS by C. J. Milbrandt

Wait! We thought this series was about three brothers. Why does Book #2 only let us see what Ewan is up to?
After leaving Circle City, the three Johns brothers took different roads. They don’t travel together, so we’ll check in with each of them in turn. Ewan gets Book #2; Zane will have Book #3. Ganix is the star of Book #4, and we’re back with Ewan for Book #5. This rotation will continue for the duration of the series. You can easily tell which brother is featured in a story by checking th...

Let me tell you a story. We’re making steady progress with recording audio editions of the Byways Books. Book #3, Over the Bridge: A Zane Johns Adventure has been uploaded, and we’ve already recorded Book #4, Up the Mountain: A Ganix Johns Adventure. Watch for these titles (and more) as they appear in the catalogs at Audible, iTunes, and Amazon!

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Can you hunt?” asked Tupper.

“Do Pred have claws?” Aurelius returned tartly.

“Yes. And pointy teeth.”

With a put-upon sigh, he said, “That was a rhetorical question. For your information, we’re taught to hunt and fish from the time we’re weaned.”

—MEADOWSWEET by C.J. Milbrandt

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While superhero tales aren’t exactly my preferred genre (that would be a meld of magic/fantasy/mystery/adventure), it’s definitely on a neighboring shelf. I grew up watching caped crusaders and dynamic duos on Saturday morning cartoons, so when I was in the mood for something different … I nabbed Sidekicked by John David Anderson. From the very start, I was smiling because the story is quirky with a side of snide. Our “hero” is Andrew Bean, a.k.a. the Sensationalist, whose Super is mostly MI...

Meet Laurel Johns, mother (and stepmother) of the three Byways brothers. Ganix inherited her freckles and curls.

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You’ll find more cast portraits and
gossipy tidbits on the Byways Cast page.

CJMK Books. If you don’t already subscribe to my YouTube channel, be sure to turn on those notifications. We’ve been adding new videos every week. They give me the chance to chat about my writing, answer questions, introduce you to characters, and tell a story or two.

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In the latest video, I explain why I use two pennames. Watch it now >>

Byways Narrated. I’m here with a quick update on progress on the Byways audiobooks! This past week, Book #1, On Your Marks: The Adventure Begins  showed up in online bookstores — Audible, iTunes, and Amazon. And we just finished production of Book #2, Aboard the Train: A Ewan Johns Adventure, so that title should show up in a couple of weeks.

Are you an audiobook reader?

The Pred radiated self-assurance as he poised upon a flat stone mid-stream, clad in nothing but breeches and bronzed skin. Tupper had never seen someone with so many weapons—matched daggers, gleaming spear, and all those claws. Squatting on the broad, pebbled bank, the boy watched with undisguised awe.

—MEADOWSWEET by C.J. Milbrandt