Dear Rick Riordan (plus book giveaway)

The Bonkers House
Exmoor
England

29th October 2010

Dear Rick Riordan

You haven’t the foggiest idea who I am but can I just say – thank you, thank you, THANK YOU from the bottom of my weary heart. We went to North Wales for part of half-term, to visit family and you – quite honestly and quite single-handedly - saved our bacon.  We all love going to Llandudno; we just don't like the drive. Whichever way we pick, we pick badly and I swear it's like battling the labyrinth (with all its attendant monsters) to get there in under six hours. 

Anyhow, disaster struck.  James’ PSP died. No struggle, no long drawn-out hand held to the heart staggering. One moment it was happily (or stoically – who knows?) playing Gears of War or FIFA 10 or whatever; the next it was pushing up the daisies. I ask you, is it too much to ask for a console to last for more than a year? Oh, silly me, built-in obsolescence. Yes, I know you can send it back to be mended but they charge such a ridiculous amount of money you may as well buy a new one (which, doubtless, is what Sony want you to do). James isn’t wedded to games but, by heck, on a long journey the PSP is a godsend.

Anyhow, talking of gods, it’s back to you, Rick, or rather to your creation Percy Jackson – half boy, half Greek god, battling monsters all over the place. Classic quest novels, based on the original, er, quests (which is such an obvious idea I’m kicking myself for not thinking about it). Well-drawn characters, nice dose of street-cool, clever droplets of humour and, above all, action, action, action. Let’s just say that James inhaled the first book on the way up and then hauled me into town to track down the next two. Then back to get the next three. Over the next four days he read five books. Not a single moan that his cousin wasn’t around for most of the break. Not a whinge when we went into shops – he just stuck his nose back into his book.

James does love reading and I’m not saying these are the only books he’s adored – he is a huge fan of  Sophie McKenzie, Malorie Blackman, Robert Muchamore, Anthony Horowitz and those ghastly Wimpy Kid books. But I’ve never known him devour books in such a greedy bone-sucking way.

I get the biggest kick in the world when my son says those magical words 'just one more chapter - please!'  I love it even more that he's getting pally with Zeus and Athena and Persephone and Hades (particularly Hades - but then I'm a bit weird like that). I adored the Greek myths when I was his age and I would probably have dipped both toes in the Styx to read thrilling adventures featuring demi-gods.  Of course James reckons he'd like to be the son of Poseidon.  And we have an obvious candidate for a hellhound.  'So who d'you think I'd be?' I asked, fully expecting him to say 'daughter of Hecate' or 'a fury'.  'Daughter of Athena,' he said.  Now, how wise was that? 
So, there it is. You don’t know me and I don’t know you but, for what it’s worth, a big fat smacker from me for keeping us all very happy.

Lots of love

Jane

While we’re on the subject of books, a nice parcel dropped on my desk yesterday. Three big fat bars of Galaxy chocolate and The Truth about Melody Browne by Lisa Jewell. Chocolate and books? Oh, these PRs know me way too well. Now I’ve never read Lisa Jewell and I confess this wouldn’t be a book which would usually scream ‘read me’ to me (the cover is decidedly chick-lit-ish) but apparently it’s a darn good read so I’m more than happy to give it a go. I’ll let you know what I think.
But, because I’m a bit out of my depth here, I asked the nice Galaxy people if I could give away another copy (along with a big bar of chocolate, natch). Idea being, we could both give our thoughts on the book on a later blog here. So, if you fancy turning book reviewer for me, say so in your comment and I’ll pluck a name out of the proverbial hat. I was going to say that I’d inscribe names on pieces of chocolate but (oops) too late.