First-Ever "Olympian Week" to celebrate Percy Jackson's return in
the second book in The Heroes of Olympus series
New
York-August 18, 2011– With a 3-million copy first printing-the largest
first printing in DPW history-Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW)
announced today the return of the ultimate demigod hero, Percy Jackson
in The Son of Neptune. In support of the October 4, 2011
one-day laydown, fans are invited to special prepublication festivities
in Los Angeles and New York City as well as online at HeroesofOlympus.com.
Disney Publishing will also launch the first-ever Olympian Week, a
seven-day, coast-to-coast celebration of Rick Riordan and his Heroes of
Olympus series.
"Rick
Riordan has created one of the most iconic characters in children's
book history with Percy Jackson," said Suzanne Murphy, vice president
and publisher, Disney Publishing Worldwide. "Children, booksellers,
librarians, and fans everywhere are eagerly awaiting Percy's return, and
we believe that will propel The Son of Neptune to be the biggest book of the fall for young readers."
Two
exclusive prepublication events will take place the weekend prior to
the book's release, on Saturday, October 1, at Greeley Square in New
York City, and Sunday, October 2, at The Grove in Los Angeles. DPW
invites fans to help take over the entire outdoor areas of these iconic
venues to celebrate The Son of Neptune. Fans of all ages are
encouraged to dress up as their favorite character and join the
festivities, which will include performances and readings by characters
from the series. Get all the latest information on the series at HeroesofOlympus.com.
Hundreds
of bookstores and libraries throughout the US and Canada entered the
Olympian Week contest for a chance to win an event with Rick Riordan.
The seven winners who will be hosting an event during Olympian Week
(October 4-10) are:
- A Whale of a Tale/Mission Viejo Library (Mission Viejo, CA)
- Barnes & Noble (Burlington, MA)
- BookPeople (Austin, TX)
- Books-A-Million (Columbia, SC)
- Indigo (Toronto, Canada)
- Penguin Bookshop (Pittsburgh, PA)
- Tumwater Timberland Library/Orca Books (Olympia, WA)
The Son of Neptune simultaneously releases in hardcover, as an eBook, and as an audio version through Listening Library on October 4, 2011. Thirty
million books are currently in print in the US across Riordan's three
series from Disney-Hyperion Books: Percy Jackson & the Olympians,
The Kane Chronicles, and The Heroes of Olympus. The books have been
translated into 37 languages in 36 countries.
With
an ever-expanding cast of brave-hearted heroes and formidable foes,
this second book in The Heroes of Olympus series offers all of
the action, pathos, and humor that Rick Riordan fans crave. Visit heroesofolympus.com for more information on The Son of Neptune and the series.
previous novels for adults include the hugely popular Tres Navarre
series, winner of the top three awards in the mystery genre. He lives in
San Antonio, Texas, with his wife and two sons. For additional
information on Rick visit rickriordan.com.
About Disney Publishing Worldwide
Disney
Publishing Worldwide (DPW) is the world's largest publisher of
children's books and magazines, with over 250 million children's books
and over 400 million children's magazines sold each year. Disney
Publishing Worldwide consists of an extensive worldwide licensing
structure as well as vertically integrated publishing imprints including
Disney Book Group in the U.S., Disney Libri in Italy and Disney Libros
in Spain. DPW publishes a range of children's magazines globally
including Topolino, Le Journal de Mickey, and Donald Duck, as well as family titles in the U.S. which include Disney FamilyFun and Phineas and Ferb.
Disney English is DPW's English language learning business which
includes Disney English schools in China and a worldwide retail
licensing program. DPW's digital products include bestselling eBook
titles as well as original apps. Headquartered in White Plains, NY,
Disney Publishing Worldwide publishes books, magazines, and digital
products in 85 countries in 75 languages. For more information visit disneypublishing.com.