Friday, October 17, 2014

A Gathering of Characters!



The DMS sits down with Linc...

Roundtable Feature: 
Double Vision: Code Name 711

We are so excited for this meeting of the Character Book Club! In attendance today are the current members of the Detective Mystery Squad, more commonly known as the DMS. Fairday, Lizzy, and Marcus are joined by Linc from the Double Vision Books by F.T. Bradley. We're happy for the chance to learn a little more about his story and find out what he thinks about things! So, without further ado, let the meeting commence...

Lizzy: Linc, it's so cool to have you here today. We have lots of questions ready for you. When Pandora needs your help, you don’t seem to have a choice. What is the best part about getting to work for a top secret government agency? What's the worst part?

Linc: It’s cool to be here! Don’t tell anyone I’m a Pandora kid spy though, okay? It’s top-secret…The best part about being a spy is that you can get into all kinds of trouble, but you never get grounded for it. But it is pretty dangerous, with these bad guys on my tail all the time.


The worst part is when my friends or family are in danger, like on this last mission in Los Angeles. You can read all about in Double Vision: The Alias Men. Stuff got pretty crazy and dangerous, so bad that I didn’t think I was going to make it out in one piece. Being a spy is pretty cool, but it’s serious business, too.


Fairday: You and your look alike, Ben Green, don’t seem to like each other. Do you think if you met under different circumstances you would be friends? 

Linc: Probably not, if we’re going to be honest. Ben is always ruining all the fun, with his junior secret agent spy manual and his silly rules. And he thinks he’s right about everything.

Don’t tell him I said this, but Ben is a pretty good kid spy. I sometimes wish I was as good at staying focused on the mission as Ben. But I swear: trouble just finds me.

Marcus: The cases you have worked on have taken you to some interesting places. Which was your favorite and why?

Linc: Washington, D.C. was my favorite—I mean, I got to meet the President of the United States, President Griffin herself! It doesn’t get any more spy-like than that, right? My first mission in Paris was cool too, although I had a hard time with all that French. But the pastries are the best.

My third mission was in Los Angeles, which was kind of weird, since my family has their annual reunion there. But I had no time to hang out with them—this top-secret operation had me running all over the city as part of a blockbuster movie cast. I’m a terrible actor, by the way.

Lizzy: You have helped take down some shady and creepy villains. Which one scared you the most? (I know this is hard without spoilers, but you can be vague).

Linc: My last mission (The Alias Men) had me chasing this dude named Ethan Melais. He’s an international thief of secrets, which doesn’t sound very scary, but we had no idea what he looked like. Let me tell you: that makes it really hard to catch a bad guy. Plus, it turned out he was right there on the movie set with Ben and me! That was not good. Ethan Melais is like a dangerous ghost of a bad guy.

Fairday: You were recently asked to star in a Hollywood movie.  Do you think acting is a career you’d like to pursue?

Linc: Oh no, never. First of all, my mom would never let me. It was hard enough to get past her to go on these missions! I had to kind of fudge the truth, and Mom is like a human lie detector. It’s better to tell her the truth, let me tell you.

Plus, I’m a terrible actor. Savannah, this cool kid actress who was also in the movie—now she’s really good at this Hollywood stuff. Me, I’d rather play videogames and hang out with my friends. 

Marcus: You have found out that some pieces of history have some unique characteristics (coats, hats, etc.). Any idea what else is out there that might have special powers?
Linc: I tried to get Agent Black to tell me, but he said that’s all top-secret, need to know only (and I don’t need to know, according to him). While I was on my mission in Los Angeles (The Alias Men), I did learn some things about Pandora and some of the other artifacts that might be out there. If you read the book, you’ll have to tell me what you think might be out there… 

Lizzy: You have gotten to use some pretty cool spy equipment thanks to your good friend, Henry. What is your favorite gadget you have used or seen?

Linc: Ruckus on a Roll was pretty cool. It’s this gadget that I used on the mission in Washington, D.C. that makes a ton of noise, and…  Well, let’s just say it worked really well in Double Vision: Code Name 711. Henry is a smart kid—plus, he’s a great friend. His gadgets are amazing.

Marcus: I know you always think things are over with Pandora. But, do you have a new adventures coming up? Or do you think you are really over this time?

Linc: I was about to tell you all about that, but then Albert Black (he’s the head honcho at Pandora) told me to be quiet.

*Silence*

Okay, so Agent Black went to get coffee. Quick: if you read the ending of The Alias Men, you’ll get the answer. Don’t tell him I told you!

Fairday: If you were granted three wishes, what would you wish for?

Linc: That would be cool… Uhm, first: finishing the whole Racing Mania videogame series with a perfect score. Second, perfect grades at school without trying, and third, a better hearing aid for Grandpa.

Never mind on that last one, he just takes it out when he doesn’t want to listen to you. Third: for Pandora to catch all the bad dudes, so everyone would be safe.

DMS: Okay Linc! Thanks so much for hanging out with us today. We can't wait to hear about your next cool adventure or reread some of our favorites. : )


The third book in this action-packed trilogy has just been released! Double Vision: The Alias Men is making its way around the book block this month, and you can enter to win signed hardcover copies of this series by visiting the book giveaway post. Don't forget to stop by our interview with F.T. Bradley to find out more about the story! 

We'll be heading over to F.T. Bradley's blog for the next CBC meeting where Linc will be sitting down with twins Lewis and Eva Hudson from Time Square: The Shift by S.W. Lothian. Sign up for our monthly newsletter to find out when the next character meeting is scheduled. It's sure to be a great time, and we hope to see you there! 


Happy reading! 
~ DMS  

Next Roundtable Feature:
Time Square: The Shift 

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

It's A Spooktacular Book Giveaway!


Thanks to I Am A Reader, Not A Writer for hosting the 5th annual Spooktacular Giveaway Hop. In the spirit of All Hallow's Read, Fairday's Blog is giving away copies of Coraline and The Graveyard Book. 



Neil Gaiman is one of our favorite storytellers, and we agree that there should be a bookish holiday- and why not have it be a little scary? After all, there's nothing like a fright on Halloween! So give the gift of a story, and join in the monstrous fun lurking around the book block. ;) 

Click here to stalk the other blogs! 


We'd like to thank all of our readers for stopping by, and we wish you all a spooktacular Halloween! Mwahahaha.,. 

Happy reading!
~ DMS 






Coraline's often wondered what's behind the locked door in the drawing room. It reveals only a brick wall when she finally opens it, but when she tries again later, a passageway mysteriously appears...

Read the reviews! 




After the grisly murder of his entire family, a toddler wanders into a graveyard where the ghosts and other supernatural residents agree to raise him as one of their own...

Read the reviews! 




Enter the Book Giveaway: 
1) Follow Fairday's Blog with GFC or Bloglovin
2) Leave us a comment: 
What is your favorite Halloween story?
3) Fill out the Rafflecopter form below 

Giveaway runs until October 31st
(Open to US and International )

a Rafflecopter giveaway



The Begonia House keeps its secrets. Everyone knows that. Everyone, that is, except for clever eleven-year-old Fairday Morrow, whose family has just moved in. Being the Senior Investigator in the Detective Mystery Squad, more commonly known as the DMS, she’s ready to uncover the mysteries hidden within the strange manor. As the investigation gears up and the pieces of the puzzle begin to fall into place, the DMS enters into a world where anything is possible, and the danger is most definitely real. Follow along with Fairday and her friends, as spooky meets lovely in this twisting tale of dark secrets and hidden pasts...read the reviews! 

Scheduled to hit bookstores everywhere in December of 2015! 
Brought to you by Krista Vitola at Delacorte/ Random House


What Fairday's Blog is all about...


Fairday's Riddles are posted on Mondays- they can be written about anything and everything, all at the same time!

Lizzy's Book Reviews are posted on Wednesdays. Lizzy has read just about every middle grade novel out there, and she loves to share her thoughts and, of course, her opinions.

Author Interviews are posted on Fridays. The DMS seeks out the best middle grade authors today and brings them here to chat about their stories. 

Margo's Musings Fridays are sometimes shared with Margo, Fairday's little sister. This post focuses on reviewing children's book authors, which we follow up with an Author Interview.

The DMS Wants to Know was a post we came up with because when we get together to hang out on the weekend, we always chat about different situations and ideas that are floating around in our brains and we like to listen to what other people think about them- some of the comments we've gotten have been absolutely fascinating!

Character Book Club: Join us to find out what your favorite characters have to say to each other. Sign up for our monthly newsletter for more information about the Character Book Club !





*NEW! Nate Rocks Virtual Sketchbook: Join Marcus Brocket (aka Brocket the Rocket ;) for some awesome adventures with Nate Rockledge from the Nate Rocks series by Karen Pokras Toz. 


Make time to riddle and rhyme! 
62 original riddles and illustrations  

Fairday's Riddles: Volume I 
Available in all e-book formats 
FREE until October 31st!
Coupon Code: EQ79Z 


Jessica Haight is a true New Englander, with a deep desire to be near the ocean and a love of the four seasons. She enjoys drawing while standing up and cultivating magic in her garden. She easily floats away in the pages of a good story and is still waiting for her owl from Hogwarts. Jessica lives in Connecticut with her charming fiancé, James; their dog, Jack; their cat, Bill; and a very entitled bunny named Alice.


Stephanie Robinson lives with her husband in a quiet town, though it is not as quaint as Ashpot. After teaching fifth grade for almost fifteen years, she is now enjoying her role as a school media specialist. One of the many benefits of her job is that she learns something new every day. When Stephanie isn't isn’t working, she spends her time creating stories, getting lost in books, and traveling to new places. 


Follow my blog with Bloglovin

The Answer to Monday's Riddle is a Book Bonanza!



Excellent guessing Riddlers! In the spirit of All Hallow's Read with Neil Gaiman, we're giving away lots of great books this week. :)



The Alias Men: Book 3 in the Double Vision series by F. T Bradley is out today, and we couldn't be more excited to host a giveaway for signed copies of this action-packed trilogy. Enter the rafflecopter form below for your chance to win!


Ferry's Scary Giveaway is happening until Halloween, and even though he'd rather stay in hell on that ghoulish day, he's got a mystery book prize that he's dying to giveaway. You can also catch an exclusive interview with the bakerman from hell, so stop by the post and give yourself a thrill. ;)



Lizzy's Review will be taken over by the 5th annual Spooktacular Hop, hosted by I Am a Reader, Not a Writer. We've got a chilling book prize pack up for grabs, plus there's lots of great blogs participating that will be handing out books like candy and terrifying you with monstrous prizes.

Friday, stop by for the Character Book Club, where Linc from the Double Vision series will be chatting with the DMS. It's sure to be an excellent time! See you all around the book block. ; ) ~ F




The gift of words sets you free, linking up thoughts between you and me. Pages show scenes that play in the mind, bringing up feelings that eternally bind. You never know what's in store, for when given to you, they live once more. The tellers and peddlers of these letter like darts take aim with precision at all of our hearts. Weaving their tales into our fashion; colors run deep when sewn with passion. Shared with another they remind us in time, that we're sisters and brothers of all humankind. Connected to spirit, we're boundless and true, and the way we remember is passed onto you. 

What am I referring to? Answer: Sharing Stories! 


Follow along with the 
Double Vision: The Alias Men blog tour!

Oct. 14Double Vision: The Alias Men is released! Have a virtual party at the YA Sleuth blog…! And follow F.T. on Twitter @FTBradleyAuthor for more kid spy fun.

Oct. 16: F.T. Bradley gives you Five Ways to Bring MG into The Classroom at the Unleashing Readers blog, plus a GIVEAWAY.

Oct. 17: Linc is interviewed by Lizzy, Fairday and Marcus over at The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow blog. A fun post!

Oct. 20Buried in Books lets F.T. Bradley talk about the Double Vision trilogy…

Oct. 20: Also this day, the fabulous Ms. Yingling reviews Double Vision: The Alias Men on her blog for Marvelous MG Monday…

Oct. 21: Another favorite blog, YA Book Nerd, hosts F.T. Bradley and the Double Vision trilogy, plus a GIVEAWAY

Oct. 21: F.T. hangs out at Sleuths, Spies and Alibis

Oct. 24: F.T. Bradley gives tips for parents of reluctant readers, Seven Ways to Get Your Kid to Read, at Pragmatic Mom’s blog, plus a GIVEAWAY!

Oct. 25: At the Nerdy Book Club, find F.T. Bradley’s top 10 books for reluctant readers...













Enter the Book Giveaway: 
1) Follow Fairday's Blog with GFC or Bloglovin
2) Leave us a comment: 
If you were a hollywood actor/ actress what character role would you want to play?
3) Fill out the Rafflecopter form below 


Giveaway Runs until October 31st
(Open to US and International )

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Monday, October 13, 2014

Monday's Riddle: Woven Words to Share...


Hello Riddlers! Can you guess our theme? We're all about this idea. ; ) ~ F

The gift of words sets you free, linking up thoughts between you and me. Pages show scenes that play in the mind, bringing up feelings that eternally bind. You never know what's in store, for when given to you, they live once more. The tellers and peddlers of these letter like darts take aim with precision at all of our hearts. Weaving their tales into our fashion; colors run deep when sewn with passion. Shared with another they remind us in time, that we're sisters and brothers of all humankind. Connected to spirit, we're boundless and true, and the way we remember is passed onto you. 

What am I referring to?

I gave you a clue! 
Clue: Neil Gaiman 
Follow my blog with Bloglovin