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Demigods of the Week

Two great emails this week deserve special attention.

The first was from Chester. I get hundreds of emails each week and it’s very rare that someone asks a question I’ve never had before, but Chester did it. He’s interested in inventing a new English word, hoddle, a verb meaning ‘to twitch,’ and wanted to know if I’d use it in my next book so eventually Webster’s Dictionary would include it as a word in common usage. Very creative, Chester! I probably can’t put it in a book, as that would drive my copy editor crazy, but I’ve mentioned it in this blog, and we’ll see if it catches on! I have a lot of respect for invented words. Shakespeare added several words to our vocabulary, and Lewis Carroll was also a master of invention. Will Chester’s word catch on? We’ll be hoddling with anticipation to find out.

Our second demigod of the week is Jeremy from Ohio, whose dad wrote to tell me about a Percy Jackson Club that Jeremy is forming. He’s already written his own by-laws as follows:

I, Jeremy, President of the Percy Jackson Club (PJC) make the following laws;

1. No “real” fighting
2. Capture the flag is to be played fairly
3. No bad words
4. Respect others
5. Obey orders first time given

Jeremy, by the way, is eight years old. I’m thinking he’s a born leader! It sounds like his club is off to a great start.

Thanks to our two demigods of the week, and to everyone else who’s been writing. Remember, read the contact information page first if you’d like to send me an email as a lot of questions are answered there in advance, as well as some things I will not respond to.

Have a great holiday, everyone.

Rick Riordan