Intrepid has tapped Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson to adapt “Skeleton Creek,” Scholastic’s book-video hybrid series set in Skeleton Creek, Ore., where two teens encounter a potentially supernatural entity while exploring an abandoned gold mine, launching them into an investigation of their town’s long-buried secrets.

The Skeleton Creek website features videos that have tallied more than 8 million hits. “Skeleton Creek #4: The Raven” will be published in May.

Rebecca Sonnenshine’s to pen the screenplay for “13 Days to Midnight,” published by Little Brown Books. Story centers on a boy who’s granted the power of indestructibility from his dying foster father.

Sonnenshine’s credits include “Within,” “The Haunting of Molly Hartley” and “American Zombie.”

Intrepid recently wrapped production on “The Raven,” starring John Cusack and set for distribution by Relativity. It produced action feature “The Cold Light of Day,” directed by Mabrouk El Mechri and starring Bruce Willis and Sigourney Weaver with Summit set to release.

Carman also penned the five-part “The Land of Elyon” series, the three-part series “Atherton,” “The Black Circle,” and the fifth title in “The 39 Clues” series and the multimedia “Trackers” series.

Carman’s repped for film and TV by Susan Schulman Literary Agency in association with Fine Print Literary Management.

Lyle and Nickerson are repped by the Kapler Stahler Agency, the Gotham Group and attorney Ryan Nord.

Sonnonshine’s repped by ICM, Circle of Confusion and attorney Adam Kaller.

Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

Read the rest here – www.variety.com

Statesman Journal: Can you tell us a little about the plot of your new books?

Patrick Carman: The first is “Thirteen Days to Midnight,” a superhero novel for the 12-and-up crowd. It’s dark, it’s got a love story and maybe most interesting for readers of the Statesman Journal, it’s set in Salem. My old high school makes a major appearance (Sacred Heart Academy), the Enchanted Forest has a sizzlin’ scene and the Oregon Coast gets its moment. If you’re looking for a wild ride through familiar territory, I think this might be your book. You might even find yourself on some of the pages.

The other release is called “Trackers,” which is appropriate for anyone age 9 to 99. I’m really aiming to meet the changing demands of young, distracted readers with “Trackers,” so the story is told through a collage of videos, text and websites … I’m using a lot of tech, but there’s a method to the wired madness — the destination with “Trackers” is always the book.

Read the rest of the article – www.statesmanjournal.com

PC: I’m just going to come right out and say it at the top: Transmedia, as a unifying term, is beyond lame. And it points to a challenge we’re facing in this space: coining a term is a tricky business. What the heck do we call what we’re doing? I tried vBooks (also lame), others have tried Diginovel, iStories, Vook, cross-platform – the list goes on, and I think they all fail to inspire at a level that will bring everyone under one tent. You guys did better with ARG – Alternate Reality Game – it stuck. How’d you do that?

To our credit (and by ‘our’ I mean everyone trying to explode books into the 21st century landscape) we’re talking about a brand new way of telling stories. We’re probably supposed to fumble around in the dark for awhile, but I think we’re getting closer. My two cents as of today is that we’re basically talking about something that’s been around for a long time, namely multimedia. And really, that’s a pretty good term to describe what’s happening to with these books; they’re becoming something broader, encompassing different medias. It’s interesting that movies and TV shows and web sites don’t have the same challenge. Creators of those mediums aren’t sitting around debating what they should call something when a movie has an ARG and spawns a TV show. It’s simply multimedia. The difference with a project like Skeleton Creek or TRACKERS is that I’m committed to a simple premise those other examples aren’t interested in: for me, the destination is always the book. That means the videos, the games, the web sites – they have a job to do, which is to get young readers turning pages. At PC Studio, where we make all these assets, a video is only as good as the pages it pushes a reader to turn.
Long winded already and I haven’t even exited question number one. The short answer is MULTIMEDIA. That’s what it’s called, that’s what it is.

Read the rest of the interview at – www.argn.com

Kirkus: March 1, 2010

THIRTEEN DAYS TO MIDNIGHT
Written by Patrick Carman
April/ Ages 12 up
ISBN: 978-0-316-00403-9
 
A ward of the state for most of his life, Jacob has bounced from home to home until landing with the eccentric and mildly iconoclastic Mr. Fielding—who, when the car they’re in hits a tree at 60 miles an hour, dies, but not before passing on an unusual attribute. And with the same three simple words, the 15-year-old forever alters his life and the lives of his two friends, Milo and Ophelia, as he passes along his power of invulnerability. Using the power for altruistic purposes after a period of extreme experimentation, Jacob learns that protection from death comes with a steep price. Instead of offering a horror movie rip-off, Carman explores survivor’s guilt and raises theological issues, all within an action-packed and twisted tale. Ophelia’s haunting breakdown adds a second layer of complexity to the narrative, though Milo seems to avoid any sort of development. Mr. Fielding’s journals offer slightly more exposition than is necessary, but the author pulls the story together without too heavy a hand. Page-turning suspense through the end.

PW: March 15, 2010

THIRTEEN DAYS TO MIDNIGHT
Written by Patrick Carman
April/ Ages 12 up
ISBN: 978-0-316-00403-9

In this largely successful contemporary dark fantasy, Carman’s first book for YA readers, 15-year-old Jacob Fielding has both a secret power and a guilty secret. He is literally indestructible―nothing can hurt him―but gaining this new-found ability cost the life of his kindly but mysterious foster father. When Jacob discovers that he can share his invulnerability with others, he, his friend Milo, and the school’s new girl, Oh, test its limits (in cringe-inducing scenes involving a lighter, a 12-foot fall onto a lamp, and a batting cage) and begin using it to save lives. But they learn that playing God―even with the intent to help―has consequences, and as Oh becomes increasingly obsessed with borrowing Jacob’s indestructibility, he realizes the power has a dark will of its own, with “unrelenting claws digging into my bones like a cancer.” The novel occasionally suffers from moments of incoherence and its attempts at moral complexity can seem forced, but it produces serious chills and should appeal to readers who have grown out of Carman’s Atherton and Land of Elyon series.

Booklist: May 1, 2010

THIRTEEN DAYS TO MIDNIGHT
Written by Patrick Carman
April/ Ages 12 up
ISBN: 978-0-316-00403-9

The author of the Land of Elyon series crafts a creepy fantasy-mystery for older readers. Grieving over the sudden death of his well-liked foster parent (and harboring a guilty secret about that), Jacob discovers that his inheritance includes the power of invulnerability. Bemused, he shares his imperviousness to pain or physical damage with his impulsive best friend, Milo, and a beautiful, intense new classmate named Ophelia—and discovers that he can temporarily pass the ability on to them. He quickly comes to regret the sharing, as Ophelia engages in an increasingly dangerous round of tests, stunts, and life-saving rescues. Ominously, the power also begins to feel darker and wilder as it fends off death after death. Carman cranks the suspense up smoothly on the way to a horrifying revelation, a (literally) shocking climax, and a not entirely happy, but at least not tragic, ending. A provocative take on the theme that every superpower comes with a price.

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books: May 2010

THIRTEEN DAYS TO MIDNIGHT
Written by Patrick Carman
April/ Ages 12 up
ISBN: 978-0-316-00403-9
 
While many teenagers might think they are invincible, fifteen-year-old Jack actually is; miraculously surviving the violent car crash that killed his foster father, Mr. Fielding, he has since found that Mr. Fielding’s last words, “You are indestructible,” were a revelation. When Jake realizes he has temporarily transferred indestructibility to gorgeous, thrill-seeking new girl Ophelia, known as Oh, Oh suggests that she, Jake, and friend Milo test the power and use it to help others. As indestructibility is passed around, however, something dark and deadly begins to envelop the trio, and they are forced to consider their own mortality, the line between saving and killing, and the unintended effects of their actions. In order to manage the power and emerge unscathed, Jack, Oh, and Milo will have to unravel the mystery of Mr. Fielding’s cryptic life and discover the origin of the power. The book is at once superhero story, philosophical pondering, and eventually, horror, and each of these strands is managed effectively. While the novel’s pacing stumbles occasionally, the compelling ethical dilemmas provide sufficient interest between bouts of pulse-quickening action, and Jake’s vibrant first-person narration keeps the reader engaged and smoothes out any rough spots in the plot. Invincibility is a what-if that is intriguing to consider, and this version of the life/death conundrum is enticing and ultimately entertaining.

School Library Journal: May 2010

THIRTEEN DAYS TO MIDNIGHT
Written by Patrick Carman
April/ Ages 12 up
ISBN: 978-0-316-00403-9

Jacob Fielding shouldn’t have survived the car accident that killed his foster father, but he did. A week later, he writes “You are indestructible”–Mr. Fielding’s last words to him–on the wrist cast of Ophelia, a new girl at school, and soon after, she comes through a devastating skateboard crash without a scratch. With his final words, Mr. Fielding had gifted Jacob the power to keep death at bay, and the boy, along with Oh and his friend Milo, begins to play with life and death. Jacob can pass his power to others, and he does: first to Oh, and then to anyone the three can find who is in a situation likely to be fatal. What they don’t know, and only discover when Oh’s behavior becomes violently erratic, is that death cannot be stopped entirely. For every life they save, someone else must die. This page-turner is a natural choice for reluctant readers and fans of both adventure stories and supernatural thrillers. While Jacob and his friends seek out and shun death, they also explore the bounds of friendship and first romance. The story behind Jacob’s power, an intriguing tale involving Harry Houdini, may encourage readers to delve further into the magician’s history. Despite a few underdeveloped plot points, this novel will engage many readers.

The moment before 15-year-old Jacob Fielding loses his foster father in a violent crash, he inherits an unusual power that alters his reality and changes his views on life and death. Jacob is the main character of “Thirteen Days to Midnight,” the newest novel by Patrick Carman released this month.

Best known for his nationally best-selling “Land of Elyon” series for young readers, Carman, a Walla Walla resident, is exploring young adult fiction for the first time with “Thirteen Days to Midnight.”

The book begins with the hero, Jacob, posing a simple question: If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Whatever the possibilities, Jacob has an unusual ability that tempts him to flirt with life and death while also unlocking the secrets of his guardian’s past.

The book is a suspense-filled read filled with plenty of teen angst, some stomach-turning action scenes, some deep moral questions and even some romance.

The story will easily hook young fans of science fiction who have reflected on the inevitable struggle that any superhero eventually faces. Set in the present time in Salem, Ore., “Thirteen Days to Midnight” was released Monday.

Younger Carman fans can expect a new series of books in May that combine traditional literature with online interaction.

“Trackers” is Carman’s latest merging of fiction in book form accompanied by interactive online videos. Carman first explored the multimedia publishing with his “Skeleton Creek” books, which require readers to unlock clues to advance the plot through online videos. With 300,000 “Skeleton Creek” books in print, Carman is looking to follow that success with the “Trackers” series, which launches May 11 with a first printing of 100,000 copies. The books are published by Scholastic Inc.

Inspired by today’s tech-savvy youth, the plot of “Trackers” is another nod to the wired generation. It follows the online adventures of four youths who get entangled with a powerful and dangerous hacker.

Throughout “Trackers,” readers will be asked to go online to unlock the videos that play out some of the story’s most action-packed scenes.

Carman held online casting calls through his Walla Walla-based PC Studios to cast the young actors who will portray Adam, Finn, Lewis and Emily.

“Trackers” is geared for middle school grades, while “Thirteen Days to Midnight” is for more mature young readers.

“The Grim Reaper doesn’t disappear….he catches up.”

At first glance of the tagline, I can already tell that I am in for a thrilling ride; an epic tale of intrigue, action and the involvement of life versus death, written by a Messiah of modern day writing, American-born author Patrick Carman. But first impressions are never the solid truth. 13 Days to Midnight is far more than what I expected. Quoted as a hybrid of Stephen King’s “Carrie”, Unbreakable, Flatliners, and Donnie Darko, Patrick Carman has delivered something that is truly spectacular.

Origins

As Patrick Carman’s first foray into young adult fiction, 13 Days to Midnight began as a high-school fantasy, inspired by the likes of iconic comic books he read as a teenager. Quite different from his previous works, the superpower cleverly acts as a backdrop against a powerful love story, told in first-person perspective through the eyes of a high school senior. Upon reading, 13DTM is a much more mature storyline than the previous Carman books have never before explored. Providing this maturity is where the story really shines: the characters.

The Cast

There are only a few central characters in the storyline; positive or negative, this helps the reader connect far more personally than usual.

The main character, Jacob Fielding, is an average Catholic high-school student; an orphan, as the story explains. Thankfully, the time it spends on his back-story and the relationship with his foster parent, known only as Mr. Fielding, is decidedly brief. Some of the dialogue-heavy moments such as these in the beginning prove to be a bit slow. However, these moments (or flashbacks) are crucial, as it helps the pipeline of the plot move forward. Jacob is a normal kid, or just as normal as he wants to be. When 13DTM starts, he is reeling from the shock of a horrific car crash that has taken the life of his foster parent. But something is not right; Jacob hides a deadly secret.

Within the paradigm of the story is his best friend Milo, a reserved voice of reason that sticks by him at all times. Friendship is hard to earn in times like these, but unfortunately, the superpower threatens to rip it apart. And then there’s the beautiful and alluring Ophelia James, who is introduced early on in the story. Almost immediately, Jacob feels a strong pull towards her, a mesmerizing scent that dazzles him. It is this attraction that forces him to reveal the truth of his secret.

A Powerful Force

If you could have one superpower, what would it be? Right off the bat, readers are asked this thoughtful question; because really, as it says, any superpower can bring in heaps of additional trouble. Unfortunately, his power also proves to be the spectre of a curse.

For Jacob is indestructible. Not only that, but he can also pass this power on to other people. This is what reveals his secret, and this is why he emerged from the car crash physically unscathed. The reactions from his two friends are different; once again, this shows Mr. Carman’s gifts as a writer to create multi-layered characters. Oh proposes to use this blessing of a power to save and help other people in need; Milo, on the other hand, is slightly more cautious. They agree to go through with their plan, on the risk of being caught. But like always, things take a wrong turn and the game becomes a battlefield. How do you choose who is worthy to save and who should die? Is it even fair, to hold the power of Death in your bare hands?

In this book, I realized that everything has a balance: love and hate, life and death, and good and evil. How do you know when to tip this balance? These are teenagers making life-threatening decisions; one wrong choice and it could change everything. The blood shall be on your hands. It is morally shocking as it is downright disturbing at times; this is not a joke. Everything is fatal, and Patrick Carman has communicated this perfectly throughout.

Setting and Format

13DTM not only makes good use of its characters, but also the concept of which it is based in, the rain-swept streets of Salem, Oregon. Most of these locations are based on true events or experiences the author had, used as foreshadowing techniques or synchronization with the story. Coffin Books is one of my favourite areas that the book took place in, reclusively often. As a hideout for the main characters, the dreary and gothic library was reminiscent of a darker and more realistic Batcave. It is their territory, and as the book flies along, Jacob begins to feel uncomfortable even here in familiar surroundings. The mood only gets grimmer; the book is set over a thirteen day period and as the clock ticks down, tensions rise to an explosive (and unpredictable) finale.

In terms of cover design, the book is marvellous. Sleek and glossy, the cover is symbolically accurate to the book itself. A paved narrow road is shown, retracting to the light horizon. At the end stands a teenage boy, outfitted in common clothing. Tire tracks run parallel, leading from his feet to the forefront of the road. In my opinion, I dissected this as Jacob leaving behind the regretful burdens and sinister sins of his past. It also illustrates the effect a certain car crash will have on his life forever.

Temptation

In the end, 13DTM is largely a story on temptation. It examines the facets of a character, and their moral code. What do they value largest: the calling of power, or the relationship between friends and family? It is not sometimes who or how many you save; it is rather a question of why you decide to use it. Before long, indestructibility can become addicting, like walking through fire or being immune to a public beating. However, once it becomes too addicting, or one becomes too cocky, then the world will crumble as a rule is crossed. It is human perception to seek above and beyond; with indestructibility, there is no limit to this fact. Power is unpredictable, and it is liable to betray you in the moment you need it most. A person either dies a hero, or lives long enough to become corrupted as a villain.

With 13 Days to Midnight, Patrick Carman has created an unpredictable examination of how far someone is willing to go to save someone they cherish. Like a double-edged sword, it shows the morality between the good and evil in everybody, and a force more powerful than even indestructibility: pure and unconditional love.

By Daniel Goodman

(daniel.goodman@hotmail.com)