Too many ideas, too little time...

Always, new ideas are boiling in my writer's stew pot. Here are the latest books to bubble up to the top:

My trilogy, The Great Tree of Avalon, is finally finished! These three books (which, I’m pleased to say, made the New York Times best seller lists), are the most ambitious book project I’ve ever undertaken. I am truly delighted to share with everyone the completed trilogy … surprises and all.

Which leads to my newest project:

Great news for all friends of Merlin! The first book in my newest trilogy — the MERLIN'S DRAGON trilogy — will be published soon, in Fall 2008. This new trilogy reveals what really happened between the final scene of The Lost Years of Merlin saga and The Great Tree of Avalon trilogy. Book I, titled MERLIN'S DRAGON, follows the amazing adventures of a tiny little fellow named Basil... who has a future that is just as magical, heroic, and extraordinary as Merlin's. Lots of surprises await you, I promise!

The Day the Stones Walked, my new picture book, was recently published by Philomel. This book was inspired by my trip to Easter Island, one of the world's most remote—and most mysterious—places. In this story, I imagine what might have happened on the day people suddenly stopped carving moai, the great stone faces. And in my author's note, I explore what the environmental disaster of Easter Island might mean for the bigger island we call Earth. (Right now, I am considering elaborating on this issue in another book about our global environment—and what kids can do to help save it.) Magical, dramatic paintings by William Low bring this book to life. For more details (and to view some of the beautiful paintings), check the page on this website for The Day the Stones Walked.

I’m happy to report that The Hero’s Trail was just published in paperback. This book tells the true stories of young people of all backgrounds who have changed the world for the better. Their stories will, I hope, encourage other young people to make a positive difference—just like the amazing kids who have won the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes. I am thinking about writing a sequel to The Hero’s Trail so that its message can reach even more young people.

And here's one more project that might interest you: a movie of The Lost Years of Merlin is in the works! To find out more, check the page on this website for Merlin—The Movie.

Now, time to get back to the stew pot! I wonder what's bubbling up next? Smells very intriguing…

—T.A. Barron