LATEST NEWS:

Well, I have good news, and I have bad news:

The Good News: I finished the re-write of Novel #2 (working title: Rip). My wife and editor-in-chief is currently reading it over to see how many hundreds of pages I should chop, which of the two or three dozen plot twists are completely unnecessary, and whether or not I've succeeded in writing even one brilliant sentence, much less the thousands I thought I wrote.

The Bad News: It's not a sequel to Anatopsis, it's not fantasy, and it's not for the same age group. To all 4 or 5 of my fans (not including you, Mom), I apologize profusely. I still have plans to get Ana, Barnaby and Uno together again for one more adventure some day, and if you could maintain your belief in magical beings, talking dogs, evil deities and mythological artifacts until then, that would be great.

But---for those of you ready to move on to more serious works---did I mention I just finished a book for older readers?

Stay tuned!

OLDER NEWS:

Recognize the cover below? Me neither. But it appears that Anatopsis is now available in Thailand!

Since I don't read Thai, I can't tell you how good the translation is. Judging by the cover, it appears there are now Vikings somewhere in the book. I don't remember putting any Vikings in, but I'm sure I would have if I'd thought of it.

In any case, it's all very exciting to know that someone in the world thought my book was worth translating. Now I can't wait for all the Thai book reviews!

LATEST (NORTH AMERICAN) REVIEWS:

Great write-ups from The San Diego Union-Tribune, Kids Lit, LOCUS, YABooksCentral, The Washington Post, Book Moot, Big A little a, Jen Robinson's Book Page, and Publisher's Weekly:

". . . a smart, thoughtful and complex fantastical journey."
   — Leigh Fenly, The San Diego Union-Tribune, Oct. 1, 2006

". . . vibrant, unique and impossible to put down."

"[Abouzeid's] writing is simply, joyously readable."
   — Tasha Saecker, Kids Lit, August 4, 2006

"A fun . . . fantasy that takes a lot of unpredictable turns. "
   — Carolyn Cushman, LOCUS, May 2006

"4 stars!"
   — Kimberly Pauley, YABooksCentral

". . . a witty romp of a tale. . . "

"Bright kids will relish the blend of fantasy, science fiction, Arthurian elements and . . . Greek myths . . . "
   — The Washington Post, May 28, 2006

"Abouzeid's tightly crafted fantasy boasts a clever cast of characters."

"A fresh and entertaining story."
   — Publisher's Weekly , April 17, 2006

". . . a smart fantasy . . . "

"My 15 year old enjoyed this book immensely."
   — Book Moot, May 16, 2006

"Anatopsis is one of the most original fantasy novels I've read in a long time."

" . . . a beautifully written novel . . . it goes on my Favorites of 2006."
   — Big A little a, May 1, 2006

" . . . Anatopsis will please fans of middle-grade fantasy novels, especially those who struggle under the burden of parental expectations, or who want a touch of science fiction thrown in."
   — Jen Robinson's Book Page, April 23, 2006

(Click here for a complete list of reviews.)