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[maggiehaha]

A very THEATRICAL blog tour

[Scene]

 Darkness at first. As the lights slowly come up, we see the stage is empty. No set, no backdrops, just the bare boards of the stage and the black-painted back wall of the theatre – even the closed loading dock doors.

The lights soften as MAGGIE appears: first peering around the side of the stage, then taking a tentative step into the light.

 Maggie: Hello.

She pauses, frowns, then waves and walks towards the middle of the stage. 

Maggie (cont): Can you hear me okay? They asked if I wanted a microphone, but I have really bad microphone juju and I break them. Not on purpose. It just happens. (a beat) So. This is nice, right? Welcome to the Earl’s Theatre. I don’t know if you’ve been here before, but I’ve spent a lot of time here. A lot. (nodding) Looooots of time.

 Offstage, a crashing sound. Something heavy being dropped.

 Voice 1: (off) Sorry!

 Maggie ignores it, walks to the front apron of the stage.

 Maggie: I’m going to sit down. (Sits, feet dangling over the edge of the stage.)

 She looks out into the auditorium.

 Maggie: Here’s the thing. I love theatre. I always have. And I don’t just mean (makes air quotes) “THEATRE”, I mean… (patting the stage either side of her) actual theatres. I love the buildings, and I love what happens in them. I love the stories that come with them, and the people who make those stories come to life.

 Offstage, another crash.

 Voice 2: (off) Sorry!

 Maggie: Mmm. Where was I? (beat) Yes. Theatres. The thing I love most of all about theatres is that they can be anything. Be anywhere. Theatre has the power to transport us. To take us into other people’s worlds, other people’s lives. Theatre can carry us off across oceans –

 She snaps her fingers; waits. Nothing happens. She tries again.

 A backcloth drops from above, hiding the back of the stage: the deck of an old-fashioned ocean liner. The sound of waves. A seagull cry. A sudden blast on a ship’s horn. The smell of the sea.

 Maggie: (cont) or they can whisk us away to fantasy lands.

 She snaps her fingers again. Another backcloth drops, this time the walls of a castle. The distant sound of hooves thundering across grass, lances clashing, cheers. The smell of flowers and crushed grass.

 A KNIGHT in full armour strolls across the stage, his helmet under his arm, whistling.

 Voice 1: (off) No whistling in the theatre! It’s bad luck.

 The Knight pauses, shakes his head, then strides off again in the direction of the voice.

 Maggie: (cont) Newspaper offices, schools, factories, palaces – even the past… the theatre can take you anywhere you want to go.

 With each place she mentions, she snaps her fingers and a new backcloth showing that location drops until she reaches ‘the past’, which is just the castle again.

 Maggie: (side-eyeing the castle) Really?

 The castle is replaced with a new backdrop showing a large clock.

 Maggie: Fair enough. (beat) And at the end of the show, when the lights come up, they bring you right back here. You don’t even have to leave your seat.

 All backdrops rise back up out of sight, leaving the stage bare again.

 Maggie: (standing) Just like the theatre, we’d like to take you on a tour – and you won’t have to leave your seat for this one either. To celebrate the UK and Ireland publication of Theatrical…

 A two-metre high copy of Theatrical is wheeled on from the wings. It is, of course, gorgeous.

 Maggie: (with a flourish) Taa-daa! (beat) To celebrate the publication of Theatrical, Usborne and I would like to invite you on our very special, 30 day blog tour. Over the next month, we will be dropping in on our lovely host bloggers to share the theatre love. We’ll be talking about what makes theatre special to us, favourite shows, favourite actors, favourite theatre moments and experiences… and we’d like you to join in too.

 (Gesturing to the auditorium)

 Maggie: (cont) Has a show carried you away somewhere memorable? Is there a theatrical world you wish you could live in?

 (A burst of the Harry Potter & the Cursed Child music plays in the background. Maggie looks startled.)

 Maggie: (mumbling) I just really want one of the swooshy cloaks, okay?

 (The music stops)

 Maggie: (cont) But perhaps the most important thing about theatre is that it’s for everyone. If you’ve seen an amazing show, or you’re thinking of going to see something, we want to hear about it. Share your favourite #Theatrical moments with us - even better, tag the theatres; the actors, directors, writers and crew too. It takes passion, talent and a lot of hard work to put on a production: let them – and us – know you loved their work.

 (She moves to the front of the stage)

 We want to make this a celebration of theatre and the people who make it - just like the book - so if you see something and you love it, make some noise about it and we can keep the conversation going.

 (The lights begin to fade, slowly)

 Maggie: (cont) I’m so excited to hear your stories, and share a few more of my own along the way. So whatever you’re seeing, wherever you’re going… whether you’re a theatre-going veteran or it’s your first visit – stay tuned… (getting louder) and let’s make this the most Theatrical month ever.

(She ends by throwing her arms out.)

 (A beat.)

 Maggie: (stage whisper) Guys? The lights?

 Voice 1: Sorry!

Voice 2: Sorry!

 (Blackout)

[usborneyashelfies]

OMG OMG OMG. IT'S FINALLY HERE! COME MEET KIM CURRAN AND SLAY YOUR DEMONS - IN THE ACTIVITY AREA NOW, FOLLOWED BY SIGNINGS AT THE USBORNE STAND.

[lettersvanlia]

The Extinction Trials - S.M. Wilson

In Stormchaser and Lincoln’s ruined world, the only way to survive is to risk everything. To face a contest more dangerous than anyone can imagine. And they will do anything to win. But in a land full of monsters – human and reptilian – they can’t afford to trust anyone. Perhaps not even each other…

 Het boek speelt in de dystopische samenleving Earthasia, in de stad Ambulus City (de dystopie is dan wel weer een overeenkomst met The Hunger Games, maar welk succesvol YA boek gaat er niet over ondertussen), waar de inwoners geen enkele invloed hebben op het beleid van de regering. Al snel wordt duidelijk dat mensen eigenlijk bovenop elkaar leven, en er meer ruimte nodig is. Daarom wordt er elk jaar een soort proef georganiseerd naar een land waar de, zullen we zeggen, wat minder vredelievende variant van de dino’s leven, Piloria. De kandidaten moeten voor vertrek een aantal zware proeven afleggen om uitverkoren te worden. Het doel is om eieren van de dino’s mee terug te nemen naar Earthasia, zodat uitgezocht kan worden hoe de dieren uitgeroeid kunnen worden en er mensen kunnen wonen in Piloria.

 De hoofpersoon is Stormchaser (of Storm in het kort), haar moeder is een tijd terug overleden, maar ze heeft geen idee wie haar vader is. Ze zwemt vaak in een soort verborgen vallei waar vaak ook een plesiosaurus komt (vriendelijke, niet vleesetende variant). Dit is best wel een cool stukje vind ik, zeker omdat al snel blijkt hoe de samenleving tegenover dino’s staat (niet al te vriendelijk, uiteraard).

 Stormchasers beste vriend is Dell en samen besluiten ze om mee te doen aan de proeven. De belofte van voedsel is behoorlijk verleidelijk voor beiden. En dan is daar ook nog Lincoln. En oh hulde, het is niet de gebruikelijke liefdesdriehoek die in veel van de YA boeken naar voren komt (Peeta/Katniss/Gale in The Hunger Games, of Celaena/Chaol/Dorian in Throne of Glass). Ik moet zeggen dat ik dat ook weleens verfrissend vind, al is een beetje romantiek natuurlijk niet weg (zegt een fan van Feyre…). Tuurlijk, je vraagt je het hele boek af of het nou wat gaat worden tussen deze twee, maar het is niet het grootste thema van het boek naar mijn mening.

 Al gauw in het boek krijgt de hoofdpersoon argwaan wat de motieven van de regering betreft, en of het nou echt zo noodzakelijk is om de dinosauriërs allemaal met wortel en tak uit te roeien als voorgesteld wordt. Ook de vertegenwoordigers van de regering blijken niet te zijn wat je denkt.

Als ze eenmaal in Piloria zijn, gaat het tempo helemaal stevig omhoog. De gebeurtenissen volgen elkaar in razend tempo op, met hier en daar verbazingwekkende ontknopingen. Maar ja, kunnen ze elkaar, en andere partijen in dit boek, wel vertrouwen? Wat zijn de motieven en durven ze die elkaar toe te vertrouwen? Of ze uiteindelijk terugkeren naar Earthasia laat ik in het midden, maar ik moet zeggen dat de uitkomst me wel verbaasde.

 Overigens, er staat regelmatig op de cover van een Young Adult boek, met zo’n prachtige sticker, dat het boek perfect voor ‘liefhebbers’ van The Hunger Games is. 9 van de 10 keer ben ik dan juist extra kritisch en leg ik het boek dan ook eerder weg, zo van ‘zal wel weer niks zijn’ (waardoor die sticker dus juist géén aanbeveling is). Sowieso omdat het eigenlijk zelden klopt en daardoor inmiddels al niet meer geloofwaardig is.

Voor dit boek is de vergelijking enerzijds terecht, omdat het best wel vernieuwend is, maar tegelijkertijd is het ook weer heel wat anders dan The Hunger Games. Ja, toegegeven de proeven in het boek lijken enigzins die van The Hunger Games, maar hebben ook een ander doel. Een ander voorbeeld van een verschil tussen beide boeken is bijvoorbeeld de nadruk die in de Capitol ligt op hoe mooi alles is, of beter gezegd: hoe mooi alles LIJKT, terwijl in Earthasia de ellende er wel aardig dik op ligt.

Overigens is dit boek uitgegeven bij Usborneya, niet een enorme uitgeverij, dus ik heb er nog geen Nederlandse vertaling van kunnen vinden...

 SHOUT OUT to the one and only Monica, die me dit boek (zeer terecht) heeft aangeraden. Ik had het namelijk in een middag uit!

[usborneyashelfies]

[usborneyashelfies]

“The costumes are how we reveal ourselves to each other." A brilliant, insightful, funny and all in all hugely fitting tribute to cosplay from Adam Savage. We can’t recommend watching highly enough!

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[usborneyashelfies]

YA Shelfies: the Year Ahead

Is there a more exciting feeling than opening the first page of a new book?

A page filled with promise, with the sense of a beginning, a fresh start – and, above all, the unknown. Who knows what you might find as you delve in; fabulous new worlds, new places filled with new sights, new stories, new characters – or old characters, doing new things, new feelings, new everythings.

Here on the YA Shelfies, we’re similarly imbued with the sense of a brilliant new beginning for the year ahead. What will 2017 bring? Well, there’s one thing we know for definite – there’s something for everyone in our 2017 YA. And to whet your appetites, we’re delighted to give you a sneak peak of the stories that we’re extraordinarily proud to be sending out into the world...

Unconventional by Maggie Harcourt What do you get if you mix conventions, a heart-stoppingly brilliant love story, and a big old dollop of fandom? Unconventional! If you’re a fan of Rainbow Rowell, if you’ve ever visited a convention, if you’ve ever been a fan of someone, anyone, or if you’ve ever fallen in love – with a fictional character, or a real person – Unconventional is most definitely the UKYA romance to look out for this Valentine’s Day. @MaggieHarcourt

Black Moon by LA Weatherly The epic Broken trilogy is drawing to a close in March. With more twists, intrigue, action and passion than ever before, all eyes are on Amity, as the fate of the world as she knows it rests on her shoulders. Are you Team Ingo or Team Collie? Are you ready for Black Moon? There’s only one way to find out… @LA_Weatherly

After the Fire by Will Hill What would you do if your whole world was a lie? asks this astonishing novel, which follows seventeen-year-old Moonbeam’s journey after she finds herself free of the religious cult which she grew up in. Exploring the provocative and universal questions of faith, truth and identity, as well as hope, love and family – this is the stunning, haunting story of one girl’s fight to find herself after everything she’s ever known falls apart. It’s totally unputdownable, and if you’re wondering what on earth you’re going to be reading on your summer holiday this year, look no further. @WillHillAuthor

The Extinction Trials by Susan Wilson If Katniss Everdeen ever had to face vicious dinosaurs, she could take some tips from Stormchaser Knux, who storms into death-defying action in The Extinction Trials. All Storm wants to do is escape her starved, grey life. And all Lincoln wants to do is save his dying sister. Their only chance is to join an expedition to a deadly country to steal dinosaur eggs. If they succeed, their reward is a new life filled with riches. But in a land full of monsters – both human and reptilian – only the ruthless will survive. The Extinction Trials are about to begin… @SusanWilsonBook

A hugely exciting new novel from Holly Bourne Holly Bourne, the bestselling author of The Spinster Club trilogy, is back with a top-secret new novel. We can’t tell you anything more as yet, but there’ll be lots of exciting news about it over the next few months… What I can say at this point, however, is that it’s really bloody great. Well, would you expect anything less from the incredible Ms Bourne? @Holly_BourneYA

What a year to look forward to! As always, the YA Shelfies will be here every step of the way with all sorts of exclusive content, behind-the-scenes previews of covers and free chapters, as well as our news and views about the YA world, so check back to find out more.

And, if this wasn’t enough, there’s an exclusive Usborne YA newsletter which you can sign up to here. With giveaways, deals and all sorts of top-notch info, it’s a monthly round-up of everything YA and definitely worth a read.

So here’s to there being a lot of first pages in 2017… Happy reading, readers! @Walker_Becky

[usborneyashelfies]

“Fighting for something you believe in isn’t easy.”

Holly Bourne, What’s a Girl Gotta Do