What is your favorite quote, by whom, and why? It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. --Theodore Roosevelt
I love this especially when it comes to writing. When you write you sign up for an extraordinary amount of criticism - from publishers, readers, editors, and yourself. It can be paralyzing. When you write, you have to be free to make mistakes. That's when the best words and stories are born. I have been lucky enough as a writer to sell books and have an audience. That on the other hand, motivates you to write more and to keep telling stories.
What’s your favorite place in the entire world? It might be Havasupai. or Angel Island in the San Francisco Bay. I was attacked by raccoons there once. And there are so many secrets that the island keeps, but will tell you if you become part of the island.
Do you recall how your interest in writing originated? In fourth grade I wrote some descriptions about how gruesome a man-eating dragon was, and I won a puffy marshmallow treat from England. Even before that though, I started reading. When I read books like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The BFG, it got me thinking in that fantastic way, and I never stopped.
When and why did you begin writing? I started writing so I wouldn't have to work 12 hour days in the movie industry. Now I work 12 hours a day for myself. I had to tell my own stories.
What genre are you most comfortable writing? Middle Grade Fiction. And Abstract Nothingism.
What inspired you to write your first book? There was this guy named Testosteroni -- well that's what we called him -- and his buddy Shrff (that's right, no vowels). We thought one of them might have rabies, the other maybe was a genius, and a college football player. I got to thinking "These guys need to be in a book." And so I started. That book is still hidden secretly in my drawer. But maybe someday...
What made you want to be a writer? I wanted to tell stories. I wanted to create something with my own power, will and strength, then have it be whole, complete and finished. It's a very gratifying experience.
Have you developed a specific writing style? I have, but it's mutating. I like to think I have more than one style in me. I think Evertaster is fun, light-hearted, and made for kids. I have another book I've written (yet to be released) that's more zany, and somewhat harder maybe for reader's to digest. It's for a little older audience (age 13 about) and deals with a few more teenage issues.
Who designed the cover? Goro Fujita did the cover for Evertaster. He does concept art for Dreamworks. Seth Hippen, one of my buddies from the Animation program at BYU painted the marvelous cover for Buttersmiths' Gold. Seth is now an animator for Blue Sky and works on movies like Ice Age.
Will you write others in this same genre? Yes. Evertaster: The Delicious City is under way, after that, I'll be writing more books to finish out the story. Evertaster: The Final Season, and perhaps 1 more novella to tantalize readers before then.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp? Well, let's face it, the very core idea of Evertaster -- that there is a recipe for world peace -- is a ridiculous one. I think that we oversimplify things sometimes so that we can fit them on bumper stickers. I'd love it if peace were that simple. That's something that Guster comes to understand. Peace is elusive, and it's not something you can package up and hand out. It takes sacrifice. It takes pain.
Do you have any upcoming appearances that you would like to share with us? Certainly! I'll be touring schools this fall in California, Texas, Utah, Arizona and Colorado (maybe Oregon too). If you'd like to have me visit your school, email publicity@evertaster.com. I love putting on a show, and in this one I talk about my work on movies like Tron and Pirates of the Caribbean, and teach kids how to build a story. There are even surprise visits from some dubious characters. Let's get those kids reading! You can find out how to book a visit here: www.evertaster.com/schools
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.
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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.
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.
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Book Trailer
BookBlast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 6/30/13 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the participating author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Prize value $50 US. a Rafflecopter giveaway
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