Today is the last day to
participate in The Ultimate Passages Fan Scavenger Huntto win a free copy of
Passages: Darien's Rise and other fun prizes! Your
entry must be submitted before 11:59 EST tonight! It's not
to late to enter! Get your entry in very soon! We
will announce the winners with their Passages story
plotlines on September 5, right here!
SATURDAY,
AUGUST 29, 2009
Odyssey
Highlight: Split Episodes
With
all this talk of the Passages series in recent days,
I thought it would be nice to veer away from the topic and
discuss something completely unrelated. I've been plugging
away at the series and collecting more clues for our Where Odyssey Is Not
section. I just made it through the split episode era of the
show and realized a few things. The split episodes really
aren't as bad as I remember them. I recall it was a huge
controversy amongst AIO fans to have 15 minute episodes
(believe me, if you were checking up on the Odyssey online
world then, you knew), and everyone was talking about how
bad the split episodes were as they aired. While I'm still
not a huge fan of them, I was able to enjoy them for what
they were as I listened. I'll admit they set a different
tone for the series and took a dive in terms of depth of
stories. I'll also admit many of them felt a bit childish (Bethany's
Imaginary Friend, What Do You Think?,
A Matter of Manners,
The Seven Deadly Dwarves, and
Bethany's Flood are good examples). Yet, in the
midst of the episodes that set a completely different tone
and feel for the show, a listener can enjoy them for what
they are. If you're new to the series and have only been
listening to episodes on the radio, the split episodes
probably aren't the episodes I'd recommend for new
beginners. I'd recommend more of the older classic episodes
or even the Novacom Saga. But for fans who haven't
finished their collections yet, I'd say go for it.
For more information on
episodes in the split episode era, you can find them in the
collections
Virtual Realities and
In Your Wildest Dreams. Or you can visit our episode
pages for 1999
and 2000. Has it really been ten years since the split
episodes aired?
And don't forget... Time is running very short on
The Ultimate Passages Fan Scavenger Huntcontest.
You still have 2 days, andit's not too late
to submit your entry! August 31 is the deadline, so get
moving!
FRIDAY,
AUGUST 28, 2009
The Washington
Secret Word Contest Ultimate Prize!
The "Washington Secret Word Contest" is drawing to a close
and today is your chance to put all your secret words
together to uncrack the ultimate word of them all. From
there you can enter that word to receive an extraordinary
surprise that you won't want to miss! If you haven't been
keeping up with the contest you may still listen to archived
episodes on the Official Site to collect all the clues. From there,
you'll need to head over to their podcasts section and find the ultimate word of them
all! Believe me, the prize is worth all the effort!
Speaking of prizes, you now
have 3 days left to participate in The Ultimate Passages Fan Scavenger Hunt and win a
copy of
Passages: Darien's Riseor other prizes! The Odyssey
Scoop and two other fan sites are hosting this contest and
are excited to reveal the winners on September 5. So get started!
WEDNESDAY,
AUGUST 26, 2009
Fletcher's
Rebellion Free Download
As
we approach the official release of
Passages: Darien's Rise, there may be some of you
who haven't yet heard the Passages episode adapted
for radio. Today's the day to get your free copy of this
episode via the Official Podcast:
Hear the first part of the
epic story "Passages: Fletcher’s Rebellion," plus hear an
interview with Rob Jorgensen, sound designer for the
program, on his first production.
You will also notice that you
have a special chance to type in a secret word to access a
special prize! We've also created a "Free Download" link in
our episode information for Passages: Fletcher's Rebellion for your convenience.
And if you can't get enough of the Passages series,
don't forget to enter The Ultimate Passages Fan Scavenger Hunt by August
31 to qualify for cool AIO prizes, thanks to Focus on the
Family! Only 5 days left!
TUESDAY,
AUGUST 25, 2009
Darien's
Rise Recording Session
With the release of
Passages: Darien's Rise in a few weeks, it seems
fitting to let you know about a special video of Shane
Baumel (voice of Kyle) in the recording session for the
show. This video is about ten minutes long and shows Shane
in the studio recording a scene with the voices of Darien
and Michelle. You can view this video at the Unofficial Podcast.
As for "The Ultimate Passages
Fan Scavenger Hunt," you have approximately 6 days to
get your entry polished and submitted to the judges to win
cool AIO prizes! You won't want to miss out on this exciting
opportunity! If you haven't learned about the contest until
now, click here
to find out what you can do to qualify for these prizes. If
you have already submitted your entry or are going to be
doing it soon, be watching your email inbox after August
31st to see if you're a winner! It could be you!
THURSDAY,
AUGUST 20, 2009
The Ultimate
Passages Fan Scavenger Hunt Audio Preview
Did you learn about The
Ultimate Passages Fan Contest at WhitsEnd.org? If you're just joining us, there's
lots to see and do at the Odyssey Scoop, starting with this
exciting contest where you have a chance to win a free copy
of Darien's Rise and other cool prizes!
Listen to a special preview
of this
exciting contest, thanks to our friend Kevin at the Ceiling Fan Podcast for his creativity and audio
skills! But don't just stop there. Participate for yourself.
Read our August 18 update below to start your journey to Passages.
So you think you're the biggest Passages fan?
Well, here's your chance to prove it and win a fabulous
prize! How do I enter?
1. Answer each of the 5 questions posted on
The Odyssey Scoop,
AIO Wiki, and
The Unofficial Podcast. You must answer at least
10 of the 15 questions correctly in order to move on
with the contest. It may be wise to answer all 15
questions.
2. Next, come up with your very own
Passages
episode! Of course, we don't expect a full novel. Simply
write a 300-500 word plot summary of a hypothetical
story involving Marus. You may use characters from the
existing books or you may come up with your own
characters. Plot summaries will be judged by their
creativity, originality, and Biblical integration.
Please pay attention to correct grammar usage, though we
will make grammatical corrections before publishing the
winners' entries.
You have until August 31st at 11:59pm eastern time to
complete the contest. Winners will be announced
Saturday, September 5 at The Odyssey Scoop.
What if I have never read Darien's Rise from the Passages series?
There's no need! This contest was created for anyone to
enter, regardless of having read the books or not. Don't
tell anyone, but you may want to start at the Passages
Website for clues.
What do I win?
The participant who answers at least ten questions correctly
and
offers what we deem to be the best plot summary will win
a free copy of the upcoming radio adaptation of Darien's Rise. We will also choose four runner ups,
all of whom will win a poster of the cover artwork
signed by the crew! All of these fabulous prizes are
compliments of Focus on the Family and the creators of
Adventures in Odyssey!
So what are you waiting for?!
Let's Get Started...
The Odyssey Scoop,
AIO Wiki, and The Unofficial Podcast are looking for
answers! It may be a good idea to keep your answers
in a safe place until you have them all. Any
questions you may have throughout the course of this
contest should be directed to [email address no longer accepting questions].
1. What is the 43rd word in Chapter 1 of Darien's
Rise, not including the chapter title? 2. Which city is nearest to Darien's family home? 3. What actor will voice Mr. Whittaker in the audio
adaptation of Darien's Rise? 4. Darien's home is located on the edge of which
city? 5. What color is Anastasia's hair?
Edit:
This contest
is no longer running.
Watch the Passages Trailer!
SUNDAY,
AUGUST 16, 2009
SATURDAY,
AUGUST 15, 2009
As the Summer
Draws to a Close...
You
never know what you're going to get with the "Washington
Secret Word" contest that's been keeping us on our toes all
summer! This week's prize, which I'm dying to show you and
commentate on, is available to you as long as you listen to
this weekend's show and type in the secret word at the contest. It'll probably be one of the highlights of
your summer of participating. I'm just waiting for a day
when all this secret knowledge is made public and we can all
discuss it together!
THURSDAY,
AUGUST 13, 2009
Passages Website
Grand Opening
Today
I'm very happy to announce some big news. Focus on the
Family has launched a website dedicated to the Passages
book series to build some excitement for the release of the
audio adaptation of
Passages: Darien's Rise in September. This special
website is available through the Official Site and contains a sneak preview to the
drama, never-before-seen behind-the-scenes video interviews
with Paul McCusker, desktop wallpapers, a special
interactive Marus map, and an exciting Passages art
contest that will prove to be lots of fun!
From what I understand, the
Odyssey Scoop draws quite a variety of visitors, ranging
from kids to adults. Many of you have written in to express
your compliments and concerns about Adventures in Odyssey
and positive remarks regarding the website. For those of you
who have never read the Passages series, I would
highly recommend the series to kids and teens alike... and
in some cases, adults (some of you are afraid to reveal your
age!). The series is unlike any other book series under the
Adventures in Odyssey brand, yet it feels completely
disconnected to the series and part of its own. I quote from
the new website regarding Passages books:
Adventures in Odyssey's
"Passages" series has been designed to retell Bible
stories in a new and creative way so that young
listeners will be able to experience them as if for the
first time. All of the "Passages" stories are based
squarely on key episodes of scriptural history. The
names have been changed, the details have been altered,
and the setting has been moved to an exciting land of
Marus. As you listen to the story, you may recognize the
basic outlines, key characters, and scriptural lessons
from the Bible stories. We used this fictional device
because familiarity can sometimes dull the impact of an
oft-told tale. "Passages" isn't the first series to use
this strategy. C. S. Lewis did a similar thing when he
wrote The Chronicles of Narnia. Narnia was born out of
Lewis's understanding that fantasy can be a good tool
for communicating gospel truths. He once wrote, "By
casting all these things into an imaginary world,
striping them of their stained-glass and Sunday School
associations, one could make them for the first time
appear in their real potency" (from "Of Other Worlds:
Essays and Stories"). As has always been the case with
Adventures in Odyssey, we hope that parents and children
will listen to the dramas together and discuss what
they've heard. We hope you enjoy the "Passages" series!
I, for one, certainly enjoyed
them when they were originally released under Tommy Nelson. And now, the books are published by
Tyndale House Publishers, a company that has proven
to be extremely reliable in distributing quality AIO
products. These books have been around for several years
ago, and I imagine they won't be going away for at least a
little while. And with the release of such a long-awaited
audio drama, a special contest is also available at the new
website:
Win an oversized map of
Marus, personalized by the Odyssey team, plus a copy of
the Darien's Rise audio drama!
Have you ever wanted to visit another world? Passages:
Darien's Rise is your chance as you journey with Kyle
and Anna into the strange new world of Marus. The
Darien's Rise Art Contest is your chance to make your
visit to Marus even more memorable.
Be watching the new site in
the days ahead as more features and content will be added.
Need I say more? The days are getting closer to this
release, and it's time to unveil the official
Passages website! So what
are you waiting for?
WEDNESDAY,
AUGUST 12, 2009
Let's Talk
Odyssey.
If you're like me, you like to
keep up with the fan talks and threads over at the Town of Odyssey message boards. Reading about the
reactions to the new voice of Mr. Whittaker and other topics
helps me stay informed. However, you may not have heard
about another
Adventures in Odyssey message board, The Electric Palace. A lot of talk is going on there
as well, including AIO discussions. Now would certainly be
an interesting time to join because it's election time and
things get interesting during fan elections! The boards are
also undergoing a major renovation and will have a new look
soon. To learn more about who brings these boards your way,
you may want to visit the Whit's End Podcast which we have mentioned from time
to time. During this hiatus from new shows (but not for
long!), it's fun to stay informed about what other fans
think!
MONDAY,
AUGUST 10, 2009
Celebrations
It's hard to believe how fast
the time goes. Our good friend Austin Peachey at the Adventures in Odyssey Blogis celebrating his first year blogging about Adventures in Odyssey. Congratulations, Austin! The
first year marker is a big accomplishment. I've enjoyed
visiting his blog for the past year as it gives me an
AIO hangout to visit. Being a webmaster, I sometimes feel a
little left out of the opportunity to react to Scoop updates
as a visitor. I don't get the same perspective as all of
you! As for me, I'm still trying to get rid of some
Odyssey albums and
Radio Theatre collectionsvia eBay, so check out our $5 items that you just can't
pass up!
FRIDAY,
AUGUST 7, 2009
Official
Podcast #75
Well,
the big news is officially out! I've been waiting a few days
to officially to announce this information to you, but since
it's out there as of today, I'm pleased to share it. After
fourteen years on Adventures in Odyssey, Paul Herlinger
is stepping down from his role as John Avery Whittaker. His
main reason for leaving is that he does not want to cause a
sudden interference with the program as did the unexpected
passing of Hal Smith
in 1994. The Official Podcast's 75th episode is dedicated to
everyone's favorite grandfatherly ice cream shop
proprietor... This special podcast highlights both Hal
Smith's and Paul Herlinger's time on Odyssey. You'll also
hear an official introduction to the new voice of Whit:
Andre Stojka. Andre is best-known for his Owl character of
Winnie the Pooh. Also it's interesting to note that
Andre was asked to originally play Whit before Hal Smith
stepped in, but I don't want to tell you too much, so I'll
let the podcast do all the talking. You won't want to miss
it because it provides a sneak peek into
Passages: Darien's Risein which Andre officially steps into the role of Whit.
Go listen!
And
from the Odyssey Scoop, a special thanks goes out to
Paul Herlinger
for helping make AIO better than it ever was! Thanks, Paul!
We will certainly miss you!
THURSDAY,
AUGUST 6, 2009
Keep Your Eyes
Open!
As we approach the middle of
August, you certainly won't want to miss out on some
exciting things coming up! We have a special surprise coming
up at the Official Site tomorrow, and I recommend that you
check back tomorrow to see what it is. Then we have some
other big news coming our way (you'll know what it is real
soon). A lot is happening behind the scenes at Adventures
in Odyssey!
As for Scoop happenings, you
may be interested in seeing our
October 2009 airing schedule which is now up, and
all the episodes coming up in between. And as for other AIO
site happenings, I recommend you visit the Town of Odyssey message boards for their updated
look. If you set your account to the "BlueToO" style, you'll
notice a very eye-catching logo, created by yours truly.
More to come in the future.
MONDAY,
AUGUST 3, 2009
Product Covers
and The Town of Odyssey Board Upgrade
Today
we've got a large handful of final product images to show
you:
The release date for
Passages: Darien's Rise has been moved to September
instead of August, so we'll have to wait just a little bit
longer. It may interest you to hear that Focus is planning
to repackage the first two books from the Passages
series to be released in Spring 2010! I imagine it will be a
nice design much like the audio adaptation. Also today if
you head over to the AIO Encore Collectionproduct page, you can now see
all the episodes which will be released with this special
collection. So much is happening, and so much more is about
to happen! I can't tell you everything, now can I?
Check back soon as we reveal some big things!
If you're one of the many who
have communicated with other AIO fans via the Town of Odyssey message boards over the years, it
may interest you to hear that the boards have been upgraded!
With a whole new look and newer features, the ToO continues
to be the biggest Adventures in Odyssey fan gathering
on the internet. It's definitely the perfect place to
connect with other fans and talk about Odyssey. At the
moment, there are three board styles to choose from, but
more will be added in the future. As for the transition to
the new boards, your comments are certainly appreciated at
this thread regarding bugs in the system.
SATURDAY,
AUGUST 1, 2009
Album 51 Has a
Name!
Things are picking up once
again, for we now have a name, not a number! That's right!
We now have a name for the album everyone's waiting for.
Album 51 will be titled Take it from the Top!The name is very appropriate
after the series' necessary pause for a hiatus. The new
album name is slightly reminiscent of the name for Back on the Air years ago. AIO's 2010 spring season
will be a good pickup, a fresh start from the events of
album 50. After the turmoil in Darkness Before Dawn, it was very appropriate to
give the album such a name as Back on the Air. This
new title,
Take it from the Top, is probably a tip-of-the-hat to
all the new changes in Odyssey coming up. New families... a
new voice for Whit... the excitement will be in the air!
Apparently the latest news is that two new families will be
arriving in Odyssey: the Parkers and the Jones. New families
and new characters are always an adjustment, but I know all
of you die-hard fans will live.
Don't forget to be listening
to Adventures in Odyssey each weekend for the rest of
the summer for the "Secret Word Contest" at the Official Site!
With
all this talk of the Passages series in recent days,
I thought it would be nice to veer away from the topic and
discuss something completely unrelated. I've been plugging
away at the series and collecting more clues for our
As
we approach the official release of
You
never know what you're going to get with the "Washington
Secret Word" contest that's been keeping us on our toes all
summer! This week's prize, which I'm dying to show you and
commentate on, is available to you as long as you listen to
this weekend's show and type in the secret word at the
Today
I'm very happy to announce some big news. Focus on the
Family has launched a website dedicated to the Passages
book series to build some excitement for the release of the
audio adaptation of
Well,
the big news is officially out! I've been waiting a few days
to officially to announce this information to you, but since
it's out there as of today, I'm pleased to share it. After
fourteen years on Adventures in Odyssey,
Today
we've got a large handful of final product images to show
you: