Codebreakers Winner #4

A big congratulations to Nathan Yeh from Ada, Michigan. He's got some great code breaking skills. He became the fourth person to win an autographed copy of Sword of Damocles on August 3rd by breaking the code listed in the back of the book.

Congratulations, Nathan. I'm truly impressed.

I've promised to give away one more autographed copy of Sword of Damocles. If anyone else out there needs help breaking the code, here's a hint: The type of cipher used in Codebreakers is named after a general, statesman, Consul who was born in 100 BC. He died on March 15, 44 BC.

Good luck.

Interview

I had the pleasure of being interviewed by author David Torres last week. He had questions about Sword of Damocles and writing in general. Check out the interview by clicking here.

And check out his young adult novel Restricted Renegade.

Codebreakers Winner #3

I want to congratulate David Torres for becoming the third person to break the code located in the back pages of Sword of Damocles. He cracked the code this morning and won an autographed copy of the book.

I had an interesting conversation with him about how he broke the code. He acquired his code breaking skills by reading another book. I'd tell you more, but I still have two more autographed books to give away.

If you're looking for some help in breaking the code, here's a hint I previously posted: The type of cipher used in Codebreakers is named after a general, statesman, Consul who was born in 100 BC. He died on March 15, 44 BC.

Good luck.

Max Knight Spy Pug

Check out this video. Cade produced a hilarious Mission Impossible parody of Max.

Codebreakers Winner #2

Congratulations, Kalpit! He has won an autographed copy of Sword of Damocles by cracking the code located in the back pages of the book. He became the second person to break the code on March 16, 2014.

Remember, the first five people who break the code win an autographed paperback edition of Sword of Damocles. If you have tried to crack the code and are having a hard time, here's a hint I posted on December 1: The type of cipher used in Codebreakers is named after a general, statesman, Consul who was born in 100 BC. He died on March 15, 44 BC.

Good luck.

Goodreads Giveaway

Enter my Goodreads book giveaway to win an autographed paperback edition of Sword of Damocles. See details below.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Sword of Damocles

by Brian Bern

Giveaway ends April 28, 2014.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

International Spy Museum

If you are ever in Washington, D.C., you should definitely check out the International Spy Museum. You'll see loads of cool spy gadgets and learn how espionage has affected world history.  

Invisible Ink

Check out this recipe for homemade invisible ink.

Spycraft

Sometimes a nickel is just a nickel. Other times, things are not what they seem. Check out the spy coin shown below.

Goodreads Quiz

Do you have the memory skills that spies need to operate behind enemy lines? Take the Goodreads quiz to test your knowledge of Sword of Damocles.

Here's the first question:

What piece of equipment does Cade help his father develop?

a) Minox camera

b) Backscatter gauge

c) J-Phone

d) The Thing

Click here to answer.

Codebreakers Hint

To date, there has only been one person to crack the code included in the back pages of Sword of Damocles (congratulations, Nancy). Here's a hint for those of you out there who are currently working on it.

The type of cipher used in Codebreakers is named after a general, statesman, Consul who was born in 100 BC. He died on March 15, 44 BC.

Good luck. And remember, the first five to break the code win an autographed paperback copy of Sword of Damocles.

Sharing a review

I am proud and thrilled that Sword of Damocles received a great review today from Cyclamen over at Long and Short Reviews. Check it out here: Sword of Damocles book review by Cyclamen at Long and Short Reviews

I appreciate every review. And I know Cade and Brooke enjoy seeing them as well.

Recommended Reading: RUSSIAN ROULETTE by Anthony Horowitz

Could you ever sympathize with the enemy? Before you answer, you better read RUSSIAN ROULETTE by Anthony Horowitz.

Alex Rider fans (count me in) have known for a long time that Yassen Gregorovich was a professional who respected Alex, but we never knew how he became a contract killer - until know.

Check out what Mara A. at The Reading Hedgehog had to say about Yassen and RUSSIAN ROULETTE.

"...obviously something horrible had to have happened to make him turn to killing for his profession. Normally backstories for villains (though I kind of consider Yassen more of an anti-hero) will ruin them. You can make a villain too sympathetic. However, with Yassen, it just made him that much more of a brilliant character; that much more tragic; that much more complex. I positively enjoyed seeing him as a kid, a youth, and finally a young man; I enjoyed seeing him grow as a character, seeing the changes that took place in his personality that made him the amazing assassin we Alex Rider fans know him as. You wouldn't think an assassin would be an easy character to emotionally connect to, but Yassen is. Because Yassen really is a good person, and circumstances and a betrayal he can never forgive change him. Talk about tragic!"

Read the full review at The Reading Hedgehog. I recommend checking out the rest of the site as well. I like the reviews. Not to mention, where else can you go to see a reading hedgehog? Seriously, his name is Bilbo.

Have you already read the book? Let us know what your thoughts are in the comments below. 

Happy Birthday

Happy birthday, Cade. Happy birthday, Brooke. Hope you guys are having a great day. 

Codebreakers Update

For those of you who may not know, there is a secret code located in the back pages of SWORD OF DAMOCLES (both ebook and print editions). Look in the back of the book for a page titled Codebreakers. The first five people to break the code will receive an autographed paperback edition.

And we have our first winner. Congratulations to Nancy for being the first to break the code! She's a skilled codebreaker. I know I'm impressed at how fast she cracked the code.

I plan to post a clue on December 1, 2013 if we don't have all five winners by that date.

Goodreads Giveaway: Winner

The Goodreads giveaway generated 824 entries. Many thanks to all those who entered and added SWORD OF DAMOCLES to their to-read bookshelf.

And congratulations to Eve03 for winning the autographed paperback. Your book is on the way.

Happy reading.

Goodreads Listopia

Do you think Cade and Brooke belong on the list of best spies? If so, cast your vote on Goodreads by clicking here: Best YA Spies

If you have other favorites, tell us what they are in the comments.

Max Training Operation

Brooke sent me a photo of Max conducting a training operation. Check it out.

Goodreads Giveaway

I have scheduled a Goodreads book giveaway. The winner will receive an autographed paperback edition of SWORD OF DAMOCLES. The giveaway will begin on September 24 and run through October 20, 2013. Hop on over to Goodreads and enter to win.

Max Knight

I met with Cade today to celebrate the release of SWORD OF DAMOCLES. He shared a photo of Max doing some rock climbing. Check it out.