Author Exclusive: Freak Out Over Skeleton Creek

When I was a kid I used to love it when one of my friends would jump out from behind a door and try to scare me. I always did the same thing in response. First I freaked out! This usually involved some yelling and some running through the house. But I always stopped, eventually, and started laughing my head off. There's something really fun about being scared, and I guess that was at least part of why I wanted to film certain scenes from my new book, Skeleton Creek. Don't get me wrong — I love books! — I just think a video has a bigger bang when it comes to a good, old-fashioned adrenaline rush.

 Here are three pieces of advice about experiencing Skeleton Creek that will give you the best experience:

1) Skeleton Creek is like nothing you've ever read before, because it's a book and a movie at the same time. Read and watch the story in order! I've gotten a few emails where people read the entire book, then went online and watched all nine videos at one time. Don't do that! This is a story from two characters — one with a pen and one with a video camera — don't leave one of them waiting for you online until the end. If you see a page with a website address and a password on it, go watch the video before reading any further in the book.

2) If the idea of getting out of your chair to watch a video has you wishing you could stay put, use Skeleton Creek Mobile! The videos are available at iTunes (just enter the keywords "skeleton creek" in the store) and on many mobile phones. You can always get videos at www.sarahfincher.com as well.

3) Expand on your experience! There's SO much going on with Skeleton Creek. The book is really just the beginning. Check out one of the urban legend sites like www.skeletoncreekisreal.com, or tune in for one of the many live webcasts by visiting Skeleton Creek TV: www.mogulus.com/skeletoncreektv.

Above all, have fun with Skeleton Creek! It's not THAT scary, it's FUN scary, the kind of story that makes you jump back, then laugh at yourself, then keep charging ahead.

See you on the inside!
Patrick Carman

Book Review: Skeleton Creek by Patrick Carman

Normally, I don't like scary books. And normally, I don't like mysteries (maybe because most mysteries are scary?). Skeleton Creek by Patrick Carman is both of these things. But after after watching the video, and listening to the interview, I found out this story is also something more. It's told in two formats — there's the book, which is from the character Ryan's point of view, and there's a series of online videos from his best friend Sarah's point of view. And there's almost nothing I love more than the internet

So last weekend, I found myself reading Skeleton Creek last weekend. 

Through Ryan's writing and Sarah's videos, we are brought into the mystery that they are been exploring. Their tiny little town (ominously called Skeleton Creek) has a secret past. There's possibly a murder on the old dredge (a big machine that digs up land looking for gold) and probably treasure hidden there. There's definitely a conspiracy formed by a secret society (that Ryan's dad is in). There are people watching their every move. And scariest of all, there's a ghost in the machine.

Or, at least I assume there is. Skeleton Creek leaves you at a terrifying cliffhanger, which will be picked up in October with the second book, titled Ghost in the Machine. Ryan makes a wonderful narrator. The book, which is supposed to be his diary, is quick and engaging. Sarah's videos are integral to the story — this is a ghost story you really need to see and hear. And I can't wait to get the rest of the story from the two of them.

— Carly H., STACKS Staffer

Exclusive blog from author Patrick Carman!

I've been visiting schools for the past five years, and 600 schools later, I'm convinced the time is right for a new kind of ghost story. Skeleton Creek is unlike anything anyone has ever read. That's because Skeleton Creek is a book and a movie at the same time. You heard me right. This is the only book where you're going to read and watch the story unfold.

The book comes out today, and this Friday, I'll be talking about it live from Seatle on the first Skeleton Creek webcast:

Here's how the story works: The first 25 pages are from Ryan McCray's journal. He's going to tell you about the spooky town he lives in and the one place he's almost sure is haunted: an abandoned dredge deep in the woods. Ryan has a best friend named Sarah, but she doesn't enjoy writing like Ryan does. She'd rather use her video camera, because she's a novice filmmaker with a monster case of curiosity. On page 25 you'll get a web address and a secret password. Leave the book behind, because you're going into watch mode! Enter the password and get ready to settle in for five minutes of Sarah with her video camera, showing you just how haunted the dredge really is (consider bringing popcorn and leave the lights on!). When the clip ends it's time to race back to your book and read the next section from Ryan. The mystery gets bigger as you go. Some you read, some you watch, and before you know it you'll have raced through the entire story: an hour of video, 185 pages, and a whole lot of chills and thrills.

Three years is a long time to work on one project, but Skeleton Creek was SO worth it!

And remember, catch me live in Seattle this FRIDAY THE 13TH by following this link to the first Skeleton Creek webcast event.

Hope to see you there!

— Patrick Carman, Author

Author SPLOTlight: Patrick Carman

If you're like me, as soon as you finished reading Maze of Bones (the first book in The 39 Clues series) you went online to find out everything you could about the next books and their authors. Or maybe you're not like me and don't share my constant, burning need to find out every single scrap of information I can about a subject I'm even only slightly interested in. Annnyyywwaaayyy. . .

Turns out that the fifth book is to be written by none other than famed children's author, ex-entrepreneur, Washington State resident, and all-around Renaissance man Patrick Carman! You may know Patrick from such books as Stargazer (the latest Land of Elyon title), the Elliot's Park series, or this ridiculous video.

To help you get to know Mr. Carman, and perhaps to justify the time I spent looking all this stuff up, I'm going to give you a quick web tour of everything related to PatCar (that's my nickname for him).

First up: Patrick maintains a sweet website at http://www.patrickcarman.com/. It's got tons of great stuff, like downloads for his books, video and audio of his public appearances and other random events, and a great video blog.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention this great interview, in which he talks about his entry into children's fiction and his life before that (he ran his own ad agency for nine years!).

And finally, in addition to the 39 Clues book he's got coming out, PC (that's his other nickname, but only use it if you know him well; otherwise it's offensive) is working on something called Skeleton Creek. I should just let the video do the talking . . .

Spooky! I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what else he has up his sleeve. While you're waiting for Skeleton Creek (and the fifth 39 Clues book), check out this site: www.skeletoncreekisreal.com

Later, Splotters!

— Jack L., STACKS Staffer