Writing 'book 1: The Maze Of Bones' Didn't Feel Much Different Than Writing One Of My Other Novels, But I Thought It Was Very Innovative To Offer The Website And Trading Card Components As Well For Those Readers Who Wanted To Go More In Depth With The Cahill Experience.

-Rick Riordan

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Writing 'book 1: The

Rick Riordan

Topic

Book

Writing

Mazes

More From Rick Riordan

I Don't Think About Being Famous, Really. Being An Author, I Don't Generally Get Stopped As I Walk Down The Street. It's Not Like Being A Movie Star.

Stars

Thinking

Movie Star

I'm So Glad You're Here," Aphrodite Said. "war Is Coming. Bloodshed Is Inevitable. So There's Really Only One Thing To Do." "uh... And That Is?" Annabeth Ventured. "why, Have Tea And Chat, Obviously

War

Tea

Annabeth

How Do We Beat Her? I Asked. You Pretty Much Don’t, Horus Said. She Is The Incarnation Of The Sun’s Wrath. Back In The Day When Ra Was Active, She Would Have Been Much More Impressive, But Still. .she’s Unstoppable. A Born Killer. A Slaying Machine— “okay, I Get It!” I Yelled.

Wrath

Machines

Killers

Don't Get Starry-eyed About Somebody You Can't Have, Especially If It Blinds You To Somebody Who's Really Important.

Important

Ifs

The Truth Is Harsh." Anubis Said. "spirits Come To The Hall Of Judgement All The Time, And They Cannot Let Go Of Their Lies. They Deny Their Faults, Their True Feelings, Their Mistakes.......right Up Until Ammit Devours Their Souls For Eternity. It Takes Strength And Courage To Admit The Truth.

Letting Go

Mistake

Lying

Frank Zhang: Lumbering Klutz, Child Of Mars, Part-time Pachyderm.

Children

Mars

Frank

Athena Always, Always Has A Plan.

Athena

Plans

So I Saved Your Life, And You Repaid Me By Raising Kronos. That's Fair.

Saved

Fairs

Whasthat!" "um ... Those Are The Toilets.

Toilets

I Try Very Hard To Be Annoying. Don’t Insult My Ability To Annoy.

Trying

Insult

Annoying

She Led Him Past The Engine Room, Which Looked Like A Very Dangerous, Mechanized Jungle Gym, With Pipes And Pistons And Tubes Jutting From A Central Bronze Sphere. Cables Resembling Giant Metal Noodles Snaked Across The Floor And Ran Up The Walls. “how Does That Thing Even Work?” Percy Asked. “no Idea,” Annabeth Said. “and I’m The Only One Besides Leo Who Can Operate It.” “that’s Reassuring.” “it Should Be Fine. It’s Only Threatened To Blow Up Once.” “you’re Kidding, I Hope.” She Smiled. “come On.

Wall

Blow

Past

They're Lares. House Gods." "house Gods," Percy Said. "like...smaller Than Real Gods, But Larger Than Apartment Gods?

Real

House

Said

How Do I Defeat Apophis?” “i’m So Glad You Asked!” Thoth Beamed At Me With His Multicolored Eyes. “unfortunately, I Can’t Tell You.” I Glanced At Walt. “do You Want To Kill Him, Or Should I?

Eye

Want

Defeat

I Past Another Telkhine, Who Was So Startled He Dropped His Lil' Demons Lunch Box. I Left Him Alive - Partly Because He Had A Cool Lunch Box.

Past

Lunch

Alive

Where's The Glory In Repeating What Others Have Done?

Done

Glory

Heroes!" Euryale Said With Disgust. "they Always Bring That Up, Just Like Our Mother! 'why Can't You Turn People To Stone? Your Sister Can Turn People To Stone.' Well, I'm Sorry To Disappoint You, Boy! That Was Medusa's Curse Alone. She Was The Most Hideous One In The Family. She Got All The Luck!" Stheno Looked Hurt. "mother Said I Was The Most Hideous.

Mother

Hurt

Sorry

Grover Started To Sniffle And I Figured If I Didn't Cheer Him Up He'd Either Start Bawling Or Chewing Up My Mattress. He Tends To Eat Household Objects Whenever He Gets Upset.

Cheer

Upset

Chewing

Eating Next To A Twenty-foot-long Crocodile Took Some Getting Used To, But Philip Was Well Trained. He Only Ate Bacon, Stray Waterfowl, And The Occasional Invading Monster.

Feet

Long

Monsters

I'm Calm," Rachel Insisted. "every Time I'm Around You, Some Monsters Attack Us. What's To Be Nervous About?" "look," I Said. "i'm Sorry About The Band Room. I Hope They Didn't Kick You Our Or Anything." "nah. They Asked Me A Lot Of Questions About You. I Played Dumb." "was It Hard?" Annabeth Asked.

Sorry

Dumb

Monsters

Amos Clapped His Hands. “khufu!” I Thought He’d Sneezed, Because Khufu Is A Weird Name, But Then A Little Dude About Three Feet Tall With Gold Fur And A Purple Shirt Came Clambering Down The Stairs. It Took Me A Second To Realize It Was A Baboon Wearing An L.a. Lakers Jersey.

Khufu

Hands

Names

"let Us Find The Dam Snack Bar," Zoe Said. "we Should Eat While We Can." Grover Cracked A Smile. "the Dam Snack Bar?" Zoe Blinked. "yes. What Is Funny?" "nothing," Grover Said, Trying To Keep A Straight Face. "i Could Use Some Dam French Fries." Even Thalia Smiled At That. "and I Need To Use The Dam Restroom."... I Started Cracking Up, And Thalia And Grover Joined In, While Zoe Just Looked At Us "i Do Not Understand." "i Want To Use The Dam Water Fountain," Grover Said. "and..." Thalia Tried To Catch Her Breath. "i Want To Buy A Dam T-shirt."

Snacks

Water

Trying

Akmon Squealed With Delight. “i Knew You Were As Smart As Hercules! I Will Call You Black Bottom, The Sequel!

Smart

Black

Delight

Sometimes It Is Better To Have Someone You Mistrust Close To You, So That You Can Keep An Eye On Him - Chiron

Eye

Sometimes

Mistrust

Fairness Does Not Mean Everyone Gets The Same. Fairness Means Everyone Gets What They Need.

Mean

Doe

Needs

My Name Is Percy Jackson. I'm Twelve Years Old. Until A Few Months Ago, I Was A Boarding Student At Yancy Academy, A Private School For Troubled Kids In Upstate New York. Am I A Troubled Kid? Yeah. You Could Say That.

New York

School

Kids

Frank Heard A Laugh Behind Him. He Glanced Back And Couldn't Believe What He Saw. Nico Di Angelo Was Actually Smiling. "that's More Like It," Nico Said. "let's Turn This Tide!

Believe

Laughing

Tides

Glad You're Back To Normal. The Makeup And The Dress Were A Lot More Intimidating Than The Dagger." "get Going, Sparky, Before I Skewer You." "sparky?

Makeup

Dresses

Daggers

Good Luck, Boss. Don't Let'em Turn You Into Horse Meat! (blackjack)

Horse

Good Luck

Boss

Great," Percy Said. "seven Of Us Against Hercules." "and A Satyr!" Hedge Added. "we Can Take Him.

Seven

Said

Satyrs

Before Keto Could Notice, Hedge Pointed Towards The Top Of The Amphitheater. It Looked Like He Might Be Screaming, Gods Of Olympus, What Is That? Keto Turned. Coach Hedge Promptly Took Off His Fake Foot And Ninja-kicked Her In The Back Of The Head With His Goat Hoof.

Feet

Fake

Olympus

That Is Exactly How People Beat Chinese Handcuffs. They Turn Into Iguanas.

Iguanas

People

Chinese

Why Didn’t You Sleep With The Headrest?” I Shrugged. “it Was Uncomfortable.” I Looked At Sadie For Support. “you Didn’t Use It, Did You?” Sadie Rolled Her Eyes. “well, Of Course I Did. It Was Obviously There For A Reason.

Sleep

Eye

Support You

Oh, By The Way…” Jason Glanced At Percy. “i Resigned My Office, Gave Frank A Field Promotion To Praetor. Unless You Want To Contest That Ruling.” Percy Grinned. “no Argument Here.” “praetor?” Hazel Stared At Frank. He Shrugged Uncomfortably. “well… Yeah. I Know It Seems Weird.” She Tried To Throw Her Arms Around Him, Then Winced As She Remembered Her Busted Ribs. She Settled For Kissing Him. “it Seems Perfect.” Leo Clapped Frank On The Shoulder. “way To Go, Zhang. Now You Can Order Octavian To Fall On His Sword.

Fall

Kissing

Order

The Pinecone Is A Fearsome Tool Of Destruction! -bacchus

Tools

Destruction

Bacchus

The Vulture Nekhbet, Who'd One Possessed My Gran (long Story); The Crocodile Sobek, Who'd Tried To Kill My Cat (longer Story); And The Lion Goddess Sekhmet, Whom We'd Once Vanished In Hot Sauce ( Don't Even Ask) - Page 9

Cat

Long

Hot Sauce

She Decided She'd Rather Die In Some Less Memorable Way- Maybe Falling Down The Stairs, Or Going Peacefully In Her Sleep At The Age Eighty, After A Nice Quiet Life With Percy.yes, That Sounded Good.

Nice

Fall

Memorable

Bessie?” I Looked Down At The Bull Serpent. “but… He’s Too Cute. He Couldn’t Destroy The World.” -percy Jackson

Cute

Bulls

World

The Wand Ricocheted Through The Swarm, Thumping Six, Seven, Eight Of The Little Monsters Before Returning To Carter’s Hand. “not Bad,” I Said. “keep It Up!

Eight

Hands

Monsters

Annabeth: Hey, Seaweed Brain. Percy: Will You Stop Calling Me That? Annabeth: You Know You Love It.

Brain

Annabeth

Hey

You Drool When You Sleep.

Sleep

Annabeth

Percy Jackson And The Olympians

Briefly, The Nymphaeum Glowed With A Softer Light, Like A Full Moon. Piper Smelled Exotic Spices And Blooming Roses. She Heard Distant Music And Happy Voices Talking And Laughing. She Guessed She Was Hearing Hundreds Of Years Of Parties And Celebrations That Had Been Held At This Shrine In Ancient Times, As If The Memories Had Been Freed Along With The Spirits. 'what Is That?' Jason Asked Nervously. Piper Slipped Her Hand Into His. 'the Ghosts Are Dancing.

Memories

Party

Moon

The World Will Fall, The Gods Will Die, And I Will Never Achieve A Perfect Score On This Stupid Machine. -dionysus

Stupid

Fall

Perfect

I Named My Camel Katrina. She Was A Natural Disaster. She Slobbered Everywhere And Seemed To Think The Purple Streak In My Hair Was Some Kind Of Exotic Fruit. She Was Obsessed With Trying To Eat My Head. I Named Walt's Camel Hindenburg. He Was Almost As Large As A Zeppelin And Definitely As Full Of Gas.

Thinking

Hair

Purple

I Still Don't Understand What A Sea God Would Be Doing In Atlanta." Leo Snorted. "what's A Wine God Doing In Kansas? Gods Are Weird.

Wine

Atlanta

Sea

Tyson Charged At The Cyclops Leader, Ma Gasket, Her Chain-mail Dress Spattered With Mud And Decorated With Broken Spears. She Gawked At Tyson And Started To Say, “who—?” 463/508 Tyson Hit Her In The Head So Hard, She Spun In A Circle And Landed On Her Rump. “bad Cyclops Lady!” He Bell Owed. “general Tyson Says Go Away!” He Hit Her Again, And Ma Gasket Broke Into Dust.

Dust

Circles

Broken

The Baboon Is Driving,” I Noted. “should I Be Worried?

Driving

Worried

Baboons

Why Do You Need To Gallop While You Fly?" "why Do Humans Have To Sway Their Arms While They Walk? I Dunno Boss, But It Just Feels Right.

Boss

Needs

Arms

Otrera Stayed Dead The Second Time," Kinzie Said, Batting Her Eyes. "we Have To Thank You For That. If You Ever Need A New Girlfriend...well, I Think You'd Look Great In An Iron Collar And An Orange Jumpsuit." Percy Couldn't Tell If She Was Kidding Or Not. He Politely Thanked Her And Changed Seats.

Girlfriend

Eye

Thinking

Everybody Loves To Show Up At The Party Once All The Hard Work Is Done.

Party

Hard Work

Done

My Dear Children!" Nellie Whopped Him Upside The Head With Her Backpack. "ow!" Uncle Alistair Curled Over, Cupping His Hand Over His Good Eye. "nellie!" Amy Said. "sorry," Nellie Muttered. "i Thought He Was One Of The Bad Guys.

Uncles

Children

Sorry

Right," She Said, "we're Going To The Land Of The Dead And I Shouldn't Think Negative.

Positive

Thinking

Land

At First I Was Protecting You Two Because I Promised. Now Even If I Hadn't Promised, I Would. You Two Are Like Kittens To Me. I Won't Fail You Again." I'll Admit I Got A Lump In My Throat. I'd Never Been Called Someone's Kitten Before. Sadie Sniffled. She Brushed Something From Under Her Eye. "you're Not Going To Wash Us, Are You?

Eye

Two

Firsts

I Remembered What She'd Told Me In New York, About Building Something Permanent, And I Thought - Just Maybe - We Were Off To A Good Start.

New York

Building Something

Remembered

Don't Decide Yet," Hephaestus Advised. "wait Until Daybreak. Daybreak Is A Good Time For Decisions.

Decision

Waiting

Good Times

If Annabeth's Mother Was Athena, The Goddess Of Wisdom, Then Why Didn't Annabeth Know Better Than To Fall Off A Cliff?

Mother

Fall

Cliffs

You Are One Freaking Awesome Baboon.

Baboons

You Spoke The Truth, Percy Jackson. You Are Nothing Like... Like Hercules. I Am Honored That You Carry This Sword.

Spokes

Honored

Zoe Nightshade

What I Did Next Was So Impulsive And Dangerous I Should've Been Named Adhd Poster Child Of The Year.

Children

Years

Is Tyson Okay?' I Asked. The Question Seemed To Take My Dad By Surprise. 'he's Fine. Doing Much Better Than I Expected. Though 'peanut Butter' Is A Strange Battle Cry.

Dad

Battle

Peanut Butter

Run!” Piper Said. “we Are Running!” Jason Picked Up The Speed. “run Better!” Leo Shouted.

Running

Jason

Speed

He Was Dressed Just Like On Tv, With Lots Of Silver Chains And Bracelets, Ripped Jeans, And A Black Muscle Shirt (which Was Kind Of Stupid, Since He Didn't Have Any Muscles).

Stupid

Jeans

Black

There Was Tyson Moving Into The Poseidon Cabin, Giggling To Himself Every Fifteen Seconds And Saying, "percy Is My Brother?" Like He'd Just Won The Lottery. Aw, Tyson," I'd Say. "it's Not That Simple.

Brother

Moving

Simple

I Am Your Friend Bob!

Bob

You Seem To Be Clean," Terminus Decided. "do You Have Anything To Declare?" "yes," Percy Said. "i Declare This Is Stupid.

Stupid

Clean

Said

The Sign Read Mouse Pass Gas Frank: "that's Wrong

Gas

Frank

Mice

The Entrance To The Underworld Is In Los Angeles.

Los Angeles

Entrances

Underworld

Love Is Powerful. It Can Bring The Gods To Their Knees.

Powerful

Love Is

Knees

Just Tell Me, Percy, Do You Still Have The Birthday Gift I Gave You Last Summer?" I Nodded And Pulled Out My Camp Necklace. It Had A Bead For Every Summer I'd Been At Camp Half-blood, But Since Last Year I'd Also Kept A Sand Dollar On The Cord. My Father Had Given It To Me For My Fifteenth Birthday. He'd Told Me I Would Know When To "spend It," But So Far I Hadn't Figured Out What He Meant. All I Knew That It Didn't Fit The Vending Machines In The School Cafeteria.

Summer

Father

School

I Turned To Dionysus. "you Cured Him?" "madness Is My Specialty. It Was Quite Simple." "but...you Did Something Nice. Why?" He Raised And Eyebrow. "i Am Nice! I Simple Ooze Niceness, Perry Johansson. Haven't You Noticed?

Nice

Simple

Eyebrows

Percy!” He Bellowed. He Dropped His Broom And Ran At Me. If You’ve Never Been Charged By An Enthusiastic Cyclops Wearing A Flowered Apron And Rubber Cleaning Gloves, I’m Telling You, It’ll Wake You Up Quick.

Wakes You

Gloves

Rubber

I Pulled Out Riptide.

Riptide

Ma’at Demands A Leader.” “yeah So I’ve Heard.

Leader

Demand

Yeah

I Was Wondering How You Got All That Out Of A Single Moooooo

Wonder

Lord Bacchus, Do You Remember Me? I Helped You With That Missing Leopard In Sonoma." Bacchus Scratched His Stubbly Chin. "ah... Yes. John Green." "jason Grace." "whatever," The God Said.

Missing

Grace

Jason

If Anyone Asks You If You’re Taken,” I Said, “the Answer Is Yes.” “i Think I Can Live With That,” He Promised. “good,” I Said. “because You Don’t Want To See Me Be Cross.” “too Late.” “shut Up And Dance, Walt.” “shut Up And Dance, Walt.” We Did—with The Music Of A Psychotic Griffin Screaming Behind Us, And The Sirens And Horns Of Brooklyn Wailing Below. It Was Quite Romantic.

Taken

Thinking

Too Late

Terminus Sniffed. “i Guard Borders. I Don’t Kill Giants. It’s Not In My Job Description.

Jobs

Giants

Borders

Thalia's Shoulders Relaxed. "i Owe You One." "two." "one And A Half," Thalia Said. She Smiled, And For A Second, I Remembered That I Actually Liked Her When She Wasn't Yelling At Me.

Yelling

Two

Half

My Goal In The Classroom Was Always To Make Sure They Were Having So Much Fun That They Didn't Realize They Were Learning.

Fun

Goal

Realizing

My Dear, I'm A Cat. Everything I See Is Mine.

Cat

Hail

Dear

The Wind Blowing Through My Ripped Clothes Was So Cold That I Felt Like A Percysicle.

Wind

Clothes

Cold

Naturally, Coach Hedge Went Ballistic; But Percy Found It Hard To Take The Satyr Seriously Since He Was Barely Five Feet Tall. "never In My Life!" Coach Bellowed, Waving His Bat And Knocking Over A Plate Of Apples. "against The Rules! Irresponsible!" "coach," Annabeth Said, "it Was An Accident. We Were Talking, And We Fell Asleep." "besides," Percy Said, "you're Starting To Sound Like Terminus." Hedge Narrowed His Eyes. "is That An Insult, Jackson? 'cause I'll—i'll Terminus You, Buddy!

Eye

Talking

Apples

I Like To Have A Simple Workplace.

Simple

Workplace

According To Festus, Our Flying Table, Buford, Made It Back Safely While We Were In Charleston, So Those Eagles Didn't Get Him. Unfortunately, He Lost The Laundry Bag With Your Pants." "dang It!" Frank Barked, Which Leo Figured Was Probably Severe Profanity For Him. No Doubt Frank Would've Cursed Some More -busting Out The Golly Gees And The Gosh Darns- But Percy Interrupted By Doubling Over And Groaning. "did The World Just Turn Upside Down?" He Asked. Jason Pressed His Hands To His Head. "yeah, And It's Spinning. Everything Is Yellow. Is It Supposed To Be Yellow?

Eagles

Hands

Busting Out

Looking Up In The Sky, I Saw The Stars Were Brighter Now. They Made A Pattern I Had Never Noticed Before- A Gleaming Constellation That Looked A Lot Like A Girls Figure- A Girl With A Bow, Running Across The Sky. "let The World Honor You, My Huntress. Live Forever In The Stars.

Girl

Running

Stars

Two Farewell Gifts," Sadie Muttered, "from Two Gorgeous Guys. I Hate My Life.

Hate

Farewell

Two

He Had A Crush On A Blueberry Bush Once.

Crush

Blueberries

Pizza! Hockey! Destroy!" -cal

Hockey

Pizza

Rachel: You're A Half-blood, Too? Annabeth: Shhh! Just Announce It To The World, How About? Rachel: Okay. Hey, Everybody! These Two Aren't Human! They're Half Greek God!...they Don't Seem To Care.

Two

Blood

Greek

Die Human, Die!! Die Nasty Polluting Person!!!!' Yelled Grover. I Turned Him So He Faced Me. He Kept On Clicking His Plastic Gun Towards Me As If I Was Part Of The Game.

Gun

Games

Nasty

Just For You Non-sea-god Types Out There, Don't Go Swimming In New York Harbor. It May Not Be As Filthy As It Was In My Mom's Day, But That Water Will Still Probably Make You Grow A Third Eye Or Have Mutant Children When You Grow Up.

Mom

New York

Children

I’ll Leave You Guys To Get Acquainted. Somebody Show Leo To Dinner When It’s Time?” “i Got It,” One Of The Girls Said. Nyssa, Leo Remembered. She Wore Camo Pants, A Tank Top That Showed Off Her Buff Arms, And A Red Bandanna Over Her Mop Of Dark Hair. Except For The Smiley-face Band-aid On Her Chin, She Looked Like One Of Those Female Action Heroes, Like Any Second She Was Going To Grab A Machine Gun And Start Mowing Down Evil Aliens. “cool,” Leo Said. “i Always Wanted A Sister Who Could Beat Me Up.

Girl

Hero

Dark

No Hero Is Above Fear, Percy. And You Have Risen Above Every Hero. - Poseidon

Hero

Poseidon

Risen

Survive First. Figure Out Crayon Drawing Of Destiny Later.

Destiny

Drawing

Firsts

Go Chase A Donut. -percy Jackson.

Donuts

But Not Like This: Not With The House Just An Afterimage, And My Mom A Spirit, And My Dad...recycled." "carter Kane, Chapter 41

Mom

Dad

House

Schist," Said An Angry Voice From The Grass. Hazel Raised Her Eyebrows. "excuse Me?" "schist! Big Pile Of Schist!

Eyebrows

Voice

Excuse

It Wasn't Exactly Like Talking, But It Went Something Like This: Could You Give Us A Ride North, Percy Asked, Like As Close To Portland As Possible? Eat Seals, The Whale Responded. Are You Seals? No, Percy Admitted. I've Got A Man Satchel Full Of Macrobiotic Beef Jerky, Though. The Whale Shuddered. Promise Not To Feed Me This, And I Will Take You North. Deal.

Men

Talking

Whales

Cacus.” I’d Had Years Of Practice Looking Dumb When People Threw Out Greek Names I Didn’t Know. It’s A Skill Of Mine. Annabeth Keeps Telling Me To Read A Book Of Greek Myths, But I Don’t See The Need. It’s Easier Just To Have Folks Explain Stuff.

Book

Years

Practice

I Wondered If Olympus Had Gone To A Commercial Break, Or If Our Ratings Had Been Any Good.

Olympus

Gone

Break

I Was Flying Right Toward Him (the Pig) At The Speed Of Demigod-smashing.

Pigs

Flying

Speed

I'm Just A Kid, Chiron," I Said Miserably. "what Good Is One Lousy Hero Against Something Like Kronos?" Chiron Managed A Smile. '"what Good Is One Lousy Hero'? Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain Said Something Like That To Me Once, Just Before He Single-handedly Changed The Course Of Your Civil War.

War

Hero

Kids

I'll Show Them 'love Is Worthless,'" Silena Beauregard Grumbled As She Strapped On Her Armor. "i'll Pulverize Them!

Love Is

Armor

Shows

Zoë Threw Up Her Hands In Exasperation. "i Hate This Language. It Changes Too Often!

Hate

Hands

Language

There!" Apollo Pointed. "long Island, Dead Ahead. Let's Slow Down, Dear. 'dead' Is Only An Expression.

Islands

Expression

Long

I Can See The Stars Again M'lady.

Stars

I Can

Zoe Nightshade

Her Secret Fear? Maybe She Didn't Tried Hard Enough.

Secret

Enough

Hard

All I Heard Was The Blood Rushing Through My Ears, And The Distant Rumble And Crackle Of The Lake Of Fire. (and Khufu Scratching Himself And Grunting, But That Was Nothing New.)

Fire

Lakes

Khufu

We'd Spent Maybe Ten Minutes Together, During Which Time I'd Accidentally Swung A Sword At Her, She'd Saved My Life, And I'd Run Away Chased By A Band Of Supernatural Killing Machines. You Know, Your Typical Chance Meeting.

Running

Together

Band

Stand Your Ground!" Stheno Yelled. "i've Got Free Samples!

Stand Your Ground

Sample

Percy Jackson And The Olympians

I Have More Ideas Than I'll Ever Be Able To Write In Five Lifetimes.

Funny

Life

Humorous

Strange Things Conspire When One Tries To Cheat Fate

Karma

Fate

Trying

Marvelous,” She Said. “tell Me About This Tapestry.” Arachne’s Lips Curled Over Her Mandibles. “why Do You Care? You're About To Die.” “well, Yes,” Annabeth Said. “but The Way You Captured The Light Is Amazing. Did You Use Real Gold Thread For The Sunbeams?

Real

Light

Gold

Annabeth Realized That If Six Of Them Went On These Two Quests, It Would Leave Percy Alone On The Ship With Coach Hedge, Which Was Maybe Not A Situation A Caring Girlfriend Should Put Him In. Nor Was She Eager To Let Percy Out Of Her Sight Again—not After They’d Been Apart For So Many Months.

Girlfriend

Caring

Sight

I'd Missed Annabeth Probably More Than I Wanted To Admit.

Annabeth

Sea Of Monsters

Percy Jackson And The Olympians

You're Pretty Smug, Lord Ares, For A Guy Who Runs From Cupid Statues.

Running

Guy

Cupid

He Raised An Eyebrow. "you Claim Not To Know Me? Of Course I'm Thoth. Also Called Djehuti. Also Called--" I [sadie] Stifled A Laugh. "ja-hooty?" Thoth Looked Offended. "in Ancient Egyptian, It's A Perfectly Fine Name. The Greeks Called Me Thoth. Then Later They Confused Me With Their God Hermes. Even Had The Nerve To Rename My Sacred City Hermopolis, Though We're Nothing Alike. Believe Me, If You've Ever Met Hermes--

Confused

Believe

Eyebrows

Then There Were The Shabti, Magical Figurines That Were Supposed To Come To Life When Summoned. A Few Months Ago, I’d Fallen For A Girl Named Zia Rashid, Who’d Turned Out To Be A Shabti. Falling In Love For The First Time Had Been Hard Enough. But When The Girl You Like Turns Out To Be Ceramic And Cracks To Pieces Before Your Eyes—well, It Gives “breaking Your Heart” A New Meaning.

Girl

Falling In Love

Heart

Oh, Don't Mind Me! Just The Queen Of The Heavens, Dying Over Here!

Queens

Heaven

Mind

Coach Hedge Yelled,“thar She Blows! Kansas, Ahoy!” “holy Hephaestus,” Leo Muttered. “he Really Needs To Work On His Shipspeak.

Blow

Kansas

Needs

But... You're Still Getting Married?" Grover Sounded Hurt. "who's The Bride?" Ploypemus Looked Toward The Boiling Pot. Clarisse Made A Strangled Sound. "oh, No! You Can't Be Serious. I'm Not-

Hurt

Sound

Serious

Love Is On Every Side, And No One's Side. Don't Ask What Love Can Do For You.

Love Is

Sides

Can Do

Set Screamed Something In Ancient Egyptian. I Was Fairly Sure It Wasn’t A Compliment. “i Will Rend Your Limbs From Their Sockets!” He Shouted. “i Will—” “die?” Carter Suggested.

Compliment

Ancient

Egyptian

This Is Graceland. Home Of The Most Famous Musician In The World.” “michael Jackson Lived Here?” “no, Dummy,” Carter Said. “elvis Presley.

Home

Musician

World

Shut Up, Me,” Leo Said Aloud. “what?” Piper Asked. “nothing,” He Said. “long Night. I Think I’m Hallucinating. It’s Cool.” Sitting In Front, Leo Couldn’t See Their Faces, But He Assumed From Their Silence That His Friends Were Not Pleased To Have A Sleepless, Hallucinating Dragon Driver. “just Joking.” Leo Decided It Might Be Good To Change The Subject.

Night

Thinking

Dragons

You Promised, Seaweed Brain. We Would Not Get Separated! Ever Again!

Brain

Annabeth

Hades

A Truly Great Artist Has Many Talents.

Artist

Talent

Great Artist

Hope Survives Best At The Hearth.

Pandora

Hestia

Percy Jackson And The Olympians

What Horrible Things Would You Have To Do In Your Life To Get Woven Into Hades's Underwear?

Underwear

Woven

Adhd

Why Did Adults Have To Be So Thick? They Always Say “tell The Truth,” And When You Do, They Don’t Believe You. What’s The Point?

Believe

Adults

Telling The Truth

Percy, We're Going To Polyphemus' Island! Polyphemus Is An S-i-k...a C-y-k..." She Stamped Her Foot In Frustration. As Smart As She Was, Annabeth Was Dyslexic, Too. We Could've Been There All Night While She Tried To Spell Cyclops. "you Know What I Mean!

Smart

Mean

Frustration

Her Perfume Was A Mixture Of Roses And Tear Gas.

Rose

Tears

Mixtures

I Will Feast On Enemies Of Ra Until My Belly Is Full!” “charming,” Sadie Whispered.

Enemy

Charming

Sadie

I Picked Up Pandora's Jar. The Spirit Of Hope Fluttered Inside, Trying To Warm The Cold Container. "hestia," I Said, "i Give This To You As An Offering." The Goddess Tilted Her Head. "i Am The Least Of The Gods. Why Would You Trust Me With This?" "you're The Last Olympian," I Said. "and The Most Important." "and Why Is That, Percy Jackson?" "because Hope Survives Best At The Hearth," I Said. "guard It For Me, And I Won't Be Tempted To Give Up Again."

Giving Up

Offering

Important

The Wood Nymph Instructors Left Me In The Dust. They Told Me Not To Worry About It. They'd Had Centuries Of Practice Running Away From Lovesick Gods. But Still, It Was A Little Humiliating To Be Slower Than A Tree.

Running

Dust

Practice

Frank Had Decided That Whatever His Fate Was, He Wouldn’t Worry About It. He Would Just Do The Best He Could To Help His Friends.

Fate

Worry

Helping

Evil Is Easy To Fight. Lack Of Wisdom...that Is Very Hard Indeed.

Fighting

Evil

Easy

Stars," She Whispered. "i Can See The Stars Again, My Lady." A Tear Trickled Down Artemis's Cheek. "yes, My Brave One. They Are Beautiful Tonight." Stars," Zoe Repeated. Her Eyes Fixed On The Night Sky. And She Did Not Move Again.

Beautiful

Stars

Moving

The Friday Before Winter Break, My Mom Packed Me An Overnight Bag And A Few Deadly Weapons And Took Me To A New Boarding School.

Mom

Friday

School

Freak Is Easily Spooked. Flesh-eating Monsters Tend To Scare Him Away. So Do Fireworks, Clowns, And The Smell Of Sadie's Weird British Ribena Drink. (can't Blame Him On That Last One. Sadie Grew Up In London And Developed Some Pretty Strange Tastes.

Flesh Eating

Smell

Scare

She Sacrificed Her Life To Make Things Right," Mitchell Grumbled. "she[silena Beuregard] Was A Hero

Hero

Make Things Right

So, Destroy?" Cal Asked. Clearly, The Conversation Was Giving His Two Brain Cells A Serious Workout.

Workout

Cells

Two

I Was Five Steps Away When He Called, "perseus." I Turned. There Was A Different Light In His Eyes, A Fiery Kind Of Pride. "you Did Well, Perseus. Do Not Misunderstand Me. Whatever Else You Do, Know That You Are Mine. You Are A True Son Of The Sea God.

Eye

Pride

Son

I Could Hear Hopefulness In Her Voice, But Also Doubt. She Was Waiting For Me To Admit The Obvious: I’d Forgotten. I Was Toast. I Was Boyfriend Roadkill.

Voice

Waiting

Doubt

Percy Is The Most Powerful Demigod I've Ever Met. No Offense To You Guys But It's True.

Powerful

Guy

Demigods

There's Another Problem," Percy Said. "i'm Not Good With Air Travel. It's Dangerous For A Son Of Neptune." "you'll Have To Risk It...and So Will I," Frank Said. "by The Way, We're Related." Percy Almost Stumbled Off The Roof. "what?

Son

Air

Risk

For What It’s Worth: Trust Your Feelings. I Can’t Promise That You’ll Never Get Hurt Again, But I Can Promise You The Risk Is Worth It.

Hurt

Feelings

Risk

I Prefer To Be The Noisiest Thing In My Environment Thank You Very Much.

Environment

Two U.s. Marine Skeletons Guarded The Doors. They Grinned Down At Us, Rocket-propelled Grenade Launchers Held Across Their Chests. "you Know," Grover Mumbled, "i Bet Hades Doesn't Have Trouble With Door-to-door Salesman.

Marine

Skeletons

Doors

We’re On The Moon,” Sadie Murmured. “el Paso, Texas,” Bast Corrected.

Moon

Texas

Sadie

His Hair Was Permed And Gelled Like A New Jersey Girl's On Homecoming Night. Percy Jackson

Girl

Night

Hair

Amos Sipped His Coffee. "sorry If That Distubed You. Khufu's Very Picky. He Only Eats Foods That End In -o. Doritos, Burritos, Flamingos." I Blinked. "did You Say-" "carter," Sadie Warned. She Looked A Little Queasy, Like She'd Already Had This Conversation. "don't Ask.

Sorry

Coffee

Khufu

After My Bad Experience As A Kite, I Simply Refused To Go About As A Glowing Sadie-headed Chicken. That’s Fine For Carter, But I Have Standards.

Glowing

Kites

Chickens

Hazel Screamed At The Top Of Her Lungs, But It Was A Scream Of Delight. For The First Time In Her Life-in Her Two Lives-she Felt Absolutely Unstoppable.

Two

Firsts

Delight

I Was Glad To Be With Her, But It Also Kind Of Hurt, And It Hurt When I Wasn't With Her, Too.

Hurt

Kind

It Hurts

Grover: It’s A Very Sweet Love Story. I Get Misty-eyed Every Time I Play It. So Does Percy, But I Think That’s Because He’s Laughing At Me.

Sweet

Thinking

Play

I Always Love It When I Hear Back From Kids Who Say They Discovered Percy Jackson And Now Wear Their Learning Difference As A Badge Of Honour.

Kids

Differences

Badges

Together We Made Our Way Down To The Street Level. Neither Of Us Said A Word. The Music Was Awful--neil Diamond Or Something. I Should've Made That Part Of My Gift Form The Gods: Better Elevator Tunes.

Together

Tunes

Levels

Oh, Lord. I Was Beginning To Think Like Neith. Soon I'd Be Huddled In An Underground Bunker Eating Army Rations And Cackling As I Sewed Together The Pockets Of All The Boys Who'd Jilted Me.

Army

Boys

Thinking

Thanks For Everything.” “as You Wish,” The Captain Said. If Axes Could Frown, I’m Sure He Would Have. “stay Sharp,” Carter Told Him.

Axes

Wish

Captains

If You've Ever Tried Ba Travel, I Wouldn't Recommend It-- Unless Of Course You Fancy Turning Into A Phantom Chicken And Rafting Uncontrollably Through The Currents Of The Duat.

Rafting

Fancy

Phantoms

Ah, Mastery Of The Five Elements!" "is That The One We Want?" I Asked. "no, But A Good One. How To Tame The Five Essential Elements Of The Universe - Earth, Air, Water, Fire, And Cheese!" "cheese?

Fire

Air

Water

"boys," Annabeth Interrupted, "i'm Sure You Both Would've Been Wonderful At Killing Each Other. But Right Now You Need Some Rest."

Boys

Needs

Annabeth

And Yes,percy,of Course They Are Now In Our United States. Look At Your Symbol,the Eagle Of Zeus. Look At The Statue Of Prometheus In Rockefeller Center,the Greek Facades Of Our Government Builidings In Washington. I Defy You To Find Any American City Where The Olympians Are Not Proeminently Displayed, In Multiple Places. Like It Or Not-and Believe Me,plenty Of People Weren't Very Found Of Rome,either-america Is Now The Heart Of The Flame. It Is The Great Power Of The West.and So Olympus Is Here.and We Are Here.

Believe

Heart

Cities

He Was Rewarded With A Silver-and-red Can Of Soda. He Brandished It At The Dolphin Warriors As If Spraying Them With Bug Repellant. "behold!" Percy Shouted. "the God's Chosen Beverage. Tremble Before The Horror Of Diet Coke!" The Dolphin-men Began To Panic. They Were On The Edge Of Retreat. Percy Could Feel It.

Warrior

Men

Dolphins

Annabeth Sat Up And Glared At Her Ankle. "you Had To Break," She Scolded It. The Ankle Did Not Reply.

Annabeth

Ankles

Break

Was That Amazing?” She Demanded. “that Was Amazing,” I Agreed. It’s Hard To Pull Off A Romantic Kiss When You’re Both Drenched In Muck, But We Gave It Our Best Shot.

Kissing

Shots

Romantic Kiss

I Love Teaching. I Love Working With Kids... Maybe Some Day I'll Go Back To The Classroom. I'm Not Ready To Say It'll Never Happen.

Teaching

Kids

Classroom

Stacy Schiff Is That Rare Combination: A First-rate Historian And A Brilliant Storyteller. Using A Wide Range Of Sources, She Spins Straw Into Gold, Conjuring The World Of Ptolemaic Egypt In Full Vibrant Color, And Returning The Voice Of One Of The Most Powerful, Fascinating, And Maligned Women In History. Cleopatra Is Impossible To Put Down.

Powerful

Egypt

Color

The Horse Seemed To Bend Time And Space As He Ran, Blurring The Landscape And Making Frank Feel Like He'd Just Drunk A Gallon Of Whole Milk Without His Lactose-intolerance Medicine: "seven Hundred And Fifty Miles Per Hour. Eight Hundred. Eight Hundred And Three. Fast. Very Fast.

Horse

Eight

Medicine

She Blinked. "hmm? Oh, Don't Care. What Did Anubis Look Like To You?" "what Did... He Looked Like A Guy. So?" "a Good-looking Guy, Or A Slobbering Dog-headed Guy?" "i Guess... Not The Dog-headed Guy." "i Knew It!" Sadie Pointed At Me As If She'd Won An Argument. "good-looking. I Knew It!" And With A Ridiculous Grin, She Spun Around And Skipped Into The House. My Sister, As I May Have Mentioned, Is A Little Strange.

Dog

House

Guy

I Couldn’t Miss Percy’s Fifteenth Birthday,” Poseidon Said. “why, If This Were Sparta, Percy Would Be A Man Today!” "that’s True,” Paul Said. “i Used To Teach Ancient History.” Poseidon’s Eyes Twinkled. “that’s Me. Ancient History.

Eye

Men

Missing

I Don’t Leave Her Speechless Very Often. I Have To Enjoy Those Rare Moments.

Rare Moments

Moments

Speechless

Water Liked To Be Free. Given Time, Water Could Overcome Any Barrier, And It Hated To Be Trapped, Just Like Percy.

Water

Overcoming

Given

I Stared At The River Far Below. "why Did You Park Us On The Mountain? Why Not Closer?" Bast Shrugged, As If This Hadn't Occurred To Her. "cats Like To Get As High Up As Possible. In Case We Have To Pounce On Something." "great," I Said. "so If We Have To Pounce, We're All Set.

Cat

Rivers

Mountain

Things Will Work Out - Maybe Just Not The Way You Plan

Work Out

Way

Things Will Work Out

Great. I've Made A Friend.

Made

It's First Owner...well, Things Didn't Turn Out Too Well For Her. Her Name Was Helena.' Piper Let That Sink In. "wait, You Mean The Helena? Helena Of Troy?' Annabeth Nodded. "and It's Just Sitting In Your Toolshed?

Mean

Names

Waiting

Nico, I've Seen A Lot Of Brave Things. But What You Just Did? That Was Maybe The Bravest.

Brave

Hades

House Of Hades

Think About Isis,” Jaz Repeated. “and Sadie…there Is A Purpose. You Taught Us That. We Choose To Believe In Ma'at. We Create Order Out Of Chaos, Beauty And Meaning Out Of Ugly Randomness. That's What Egypt Is All About. That's Why Its Name, Its Ren, Has Endured For Millennia. Don't Despair. Otherwise Chaos Wins.

Believe

Winning

Thinking

Who Are You?" Ethan Nakamura. I Have To Kill You." ??

Oh, Dear Hazel.” Aphrodite Folded Her Fan. “such Optimism, Yet You Have Heartrending Days Ahead Of You. Of Course War Is Coming. Love And War Always Go Together. They Are The Peaks Of Human Emotion! Evil And Good, Beauty And Ugliness.

War

Evil

Optimism

The World Was Collapsing, And The Only Thing That Really Mattered To Me Was That She Was Alive.

Love

Annabeth

Alive

Yes, Horus Said. I Remember This Place. It’s El Paso, I Told Him. Unless You Went Out For Mexican Food, You’ve Never Been Here.

Mexican

Remember

Said

Contrary To What You Might Think, I Don't Spend Every Waking Hour Thinking About Boys." "just Most Waking Hours?

Boys

Thinking

Might

Aphrodite: Pfft. That's Not The Point. Follow Your Heart. Percy: But... I Don't Know Where It's Going. My Heart, I Mean.

Heart

Mean

Aphrodite

Tyson Dropped The Two Warriors He Was About To Tie Into A Knot And Jogged After Us. He Jumped On The Centaur's Back. 'dude!' The Centaur Groaned, Almost Buckling Under Tyson's Weight. 'do The Words "low-carb Diet" Mean Anything To You?

Mean

Warrior

Two

Grover And Nico Came Back From Their Walk, And Grover Helped Me Fix Up My Wounded Arm. "it's Green!" Nico Said With Delight.

Delight

Green

Arms

Lovely. Imprisoned In A Nursery School Dungeon.

School

Nurse

Lovely

Hazel Frowned. "why That One?" "you Don't See The Ghost?" Frank Asked. "ghost?" Nico Asked. Okay... If Frank Was Seeing A Ghost That The Underworld Kids Couldn't See, Something Was Definitely Wrong.

Kids

Ghost

Hades

Oh, Did You Expect Me To Play Fair?" Cupid Laughed. "i Am The God Of Love. I Am Never Fair.

Play

Cupid

Hades

Nico Strode Forward. The Enemy Army Fell Back Before Him Like He Radiated Death, Which Of Course He Did. Through The Face Guard Of His Skull-shaped Helmet, He Smiled. "got Your Message. Is It Too Late To Join The Party?" "son Of Hades." Kronos Spit On The Ground. "do You Love Death So Much You Wish To Experience It?" "your Death," Nico Said, "would Be Great For Me." "i'm Immortal, You Fool! I Have Escaped Tartarus. You Have No Business Here, And No Chance To Live." Nico Drew His Sword-three Feet Of Wicked Sharp Stygian Iron, Black As A Nightmare. "i Don't Agree.

Party

Son

Army

She Held Up Her Calloused, Grimy Fingers. Leo Couldn't Help Thinking There Was Nothing Hotter Than A Girl Who Didn't Mind Getting Her Hands Dirty. But Of Course, That Was Just A General Comment. Didn't Apply To Calypso. Obviously.

Girl

Dirty

Thinking

That's It, Cupcake. You're Going Down.

Cupcakes

I Accidentally Vaporize My Pre-algebra Teacher

Teacher

Algebra

As We Rose Over The Rooftops I Caught My Breath-well, If You Can Catch Your Breath Underwater.

Rose

Underwater

Rooftops

'are You Guys Busy?' Juniper Asked. 'well,' I Said, 'we're In The Middle Of This Game Against A Bunch Of Monsters And We're Trying Not To Die.' 'we're Not Busy,' Annabeth Said.

Games

Guy

Trying

You Promised You Would Protect Her Nico Said. He Might As Well Have Stabbed Me With A Rusty Dagger.it Would've Hurt Less Than Reminding Me Of My Promise.

Hurt

Promise

Daggers

She Was Beautiful In Combat. I Know That’s A Crazy Thing To Say, Especially After We’d Just Climbed A Sewage Waterfall, But Her Gray Eyes Sparkled When She Was Fighting For Her Life. Her Face Shone Like A Goddess’s, And Believe Me, I’ve Seen Goddesses. The Way Her Camp Half-blood Beads Rested Against Her Throat—okay, Sorry. Got A Little Distracted.

Beautiful

Sorry

Crazy

No, No, I Never Mess Around.

Mess

Your Mom Is A Rainbow Goddess?" "you Got A Problem With That?" "no, No. Rainbows. Very Macho.

Mom

Rainbow

Problem

Understanding Quotes: Their Essence and Application

Quotes, or quotations, are powerful tools in communication, encapsulating ideas, emotions, and wisdom in concise expressions. They serve various purposes across different contexts, from academic writing to everyday conversation.

1. Defining Quotes

A quote is a repetition of someone else's statement or thoughts. It can be a direct replication of words spoken or written by another individual, often used to support arguments, provide evidence, or convey profound insights.

2. The Importance of Quotes

2.1. Enhancing Credibility

Incorporating quotes from authoritative sources can bolster the credibility of your work. By referencing experts or primary sources, you demonstrate thorough research and a solid foundation for your arguments.

2.2. Providing Evidence

Quotes serve as concrete evidence to support claims. In academic and professional writing, they validate points made, offering readers a basis to trust the information presented.

2.3. Conveying Emotions and Perspectives

Quotes can encapsulate emotions and perspectives succinctly. They allow writers to express complex feelings or viewpoints through the words of others, often more eloquently than paraphrasing.

3. Types of Quotes

3.1. Direct Quotes

Direct quotes involve copying the exact words from a source, enclosed in quotation marks. They are used when the original wording is significant or particularly well-expressed.

3.2. Indirect Quotes (Paraphrasing)

Indirect quotes restate the original message in your own words. While not enclosed in quotation marks, they still require proper attribution to the original source.

3.3. Block Quotes

Block quotes are lengthy direct quotations, formatted as a separate block of text. They are typically used for quotes exceeding a certain length, varying by citation style. For instance, in APA style, quotes longer than 40 words are formatted as block quotes.

4. Proper Usage of Quotes

4.1. Contextual Relevance

Ensure that the quote you choose is relevant to the topic and adds value to your content. Avoid inserting quotes solely for decorative purposes.

4.2. Integration into Your Writing

Seamlessly integrate quotes into your writing. Introduce them appropriately and follow up with analysis or commentary to connect them to your main points.

4.3. Attribution and Citation

Always attribute quotes to their original authors and provide proper citations according to the required style guide (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.).

5. Common Mistakes to Avoid

5.1. Overusing Quotes

Relying too heavily on quotes can overshadow your voice. Use them sparingly to support your arguments, not replace them.

5.2. Lack of Analysis

Presenting a quote without analysis or explanation can leave readers questioning its relevance. Always follow up with your interpretation or discussion.

5.3. Misquoting or Taking Out of Context

Ensure that quotes are accurate and not taken out of context, as this can mislead readers and undermine your credibility.

6. Quotes in Different Contexts

6.1. Academic Writing

In academic writing, quotes are used to support arguments, provide evidence, and engage with existing literature. Proper citation is crucial to avoid plagiarism.

6.2. Journalism

Journalists use quotes to provide firsthand accounts, add authenticity, and present multiple perspectives within a story.

6.3. Literature and Creative Writing

In literature, quotes can be used to convey character voices, themes, and stylistic elements. They enrich narratives and provide depth to storytelling.

7. Punctuation and Formatting

Understanding the correct punctuation and formatting of quotes is essential:

Quotation Marks: Always enclose direct quotes within quotation marks.

Punctuation Placement: In American English, periods and commas are placed inside quotation marks, while colons and semicolons are placed outside.

Block Quotes: For longer quotes, format them as block quotes without quotation marks, and indent the entire block.

8. Ethical Considerations

Ethical use of quotes involves accurate representation, proper attribution, and respect for intellectual property. Misuse can lead to plagiarism, which carries serious academic and professional consequences.

9. Tools for Managing Quotes

Utilize tools like citation generators and plagiarism checkers to manage quotes effectively. These tools help ensure proper formatting and originality in your writing.

Conclusion

Quotes are invaluable in enriching content, providing evidence, and conveying complex ideas succinctly. When used appropriately, they enhance the quality and credibility of your writing. Always ensure relevance, proper integration, and ethical usage to maximize their impact.

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