On
this last day of March, I'm pleased to announce that our AIO F.A.Q. section has finally been
updated with a whole new look, and your fan questions have
been answered! There's a lot more questions where those came
from. The Scoop inbox is overflowing with Odyssey questions
and it's difficult to keep up. Check out the revamped look
and share what you think!
But is this the surprise I have been talking
about for several days? Fortunately for you guys, no, it's
not... which means you will have to keep checking back to
find out what it is! We're running out of days this week, so
the surprise is very imminent! For now, enjoy the beautiful
new section I've been meaning to update for a long time. And
you get a nice Gary Locke twist.
Speaking of secrets and surprises, I've begun
another lengthy project that you guys will definitely like.
I will say, however, that it is very tedious, very
overwhelming, and so getting done sometime in the
future. Ideally, I'd like to have the feature finished
before the summer, but we shall see. It's just a matter of
getting things organized and figured out.
Be sure to check back tom... er, later this
week for that special surprise!
Yes, this week is an exciting week for the
writers, directors, actors, and producers for Adventures
in Odyssey. Album 52 has been in production for some
time now, and work continues as the team gets together to
record some of the new shows. I'm sure we can expect some
more new characters as the series finds its new footing.
It's all part of an effort to fill out the town's
characters, positions, etc. No doubt that the Odyssey team
has to stay ahead of the game as they are releasing new
collections before they air on the radio.
As a side note, the Odyssey team is also
cooking up a some sort of video page for a launch in future
days. Be watching the Official
Site. And if waiting is too difficult, may we
suggest you check out the AIO
Blog tomorrow as a special surprise is on its way.
But remember, we also have a special surprise announcement
coming up sometime this week (as mentioned in yesterday's
post). Keep your eye on the Scoop!
Okay, so maybe it's not exactly a turkey in
the oven, but something is definitely cooking and
we're excited to share a plate with you soon. The surprise
is set to come out sometime this week, so you won't want to
forget to keep checking back to find out what it is!
In the meantime, send in those
reviews for the spring season episodes and we'd be
happy to post them. Enjoy your day, and see you soon.
Get ready for mystery as
Game for a
Mystery debuts on radio
stations across the country, and online:
Simon Jones just wants the hedge trimmed, but
his son Barrett can't tear himself away from his portable
video game – until it disappears without a trace! Emily,
along with trusty sidekick Matthew, takes this as a case for
the newly‑formed "Jones & Parker Detective Agency."
It's a two-part episode and it needs to feel
as if both parts belong and compliment each other. The overuse of music in
the second episode makes it feel top-heavy in relation to the first. Music
should aid the episode in telling the story, not distract the listener from
the drama unfolding.
...Read Full Review
Also today, we've got our
review for the second half of
The Inspiration
Station. Don't miss it.
Be
watching in the days ahead for more reviews of the new season of Adventures in
Odyssey! There's some other good things coming up in the
days ahead here at the Odyssey Scoop! You know what to do.
I'm
pleased to inform you today that the first redesigned
Passages book, Darien's Rise is now shipping from the Focus on the
Family Resource Center and making its way across America.
Summary:
"Where in the world am I," Anna wonders.
One minute she and her brother Kyle were exploring the
creepy abandoned house outside of town. The next minute,
they were hurtled into another world… pawns in a power
struggle between a mad king and his valiant general, the
rightful heir to the throne. Anna sees visions. Kyle thwarts
danger. More than once, their strange new powers save the
young warrior's life from the king's murderous plots. But
their supernatural abilities soon make them easy prey for
slave traders, kidnappers, and other bitter foes of faith.
Are they at the mercy of these strange powers forever? And
why does the Unseen One—the deity so revered by the
faithful—seem powerless to do the one thing they most want:
to return them to Odyssey?
For all of you Passages fans out
there, you might want to
order your copy now. I'll be making room in a future
update to talk about all the cool goodies you get with the
book as my copy is already on its way. For now, feel free to
comment and talk about Passages. What do you think of
the new book designs? Do you want to hear more dramatized
episodes from the series?
Today,
the Official Podcast has a special surprise for fans. If you
entered the "Your Chance to be on Adventures in Odyssey
Contest (catchy name, huh?), you won't want to miss the
latest podcast. Take a look at what you'll be getting:
Christopher Maselli talks about crafting
the Emily and Matthew mystery stories in Clubhouse Magazine.
Bob and Jesse hear more fan calls in the "Your Chance to be
on Adventures in Odyssey Contest." Fans answer the question,
"How does Connie inspire me?"
Listen:
I heard a couple familiar voices on the
latest podcast, which I actually enjoyed more than the brief
Connie "inspiration" segment in part two of The Inspiration
Station. It's definitely
exciting to listen to the "unconventional" entries Focus
received. They have a lot of character... and laughs as
well!
We
recently highlighted the newest episode from the
Ceiling Fan Podcast, but we've also got some more
news! Yesterday, they updated their logo (I had a lot of fun
making it) and the layout of the blog. I think it would be
safe to say that some exciting things are in store in the
days ahead. At the right you can click on their new logo and
see it in higher resolution. For now, you may want to catch
up on their podcasts as big things are about to happen.
And as you await the big surprise, you might
want to keep your eye on Brock Eastman's
blog. He's trying to get the inside scoop for
Odyssey fans. He recently posted a
photo of a Focus employee working on some new
Passages artwork for upcoming book releases. From the
way it looks, I'm seeing a scene from Annison's Risk,
the third book in the series. What do you think it is?
Also, I have a third piece of news to share
today. We've hidden 20 questions throughout the pages of The
Odyssey Scoop. Find all 20, answer them, and answer another
ten on the
Campbell County message boards. The BIG Odyssey
Trivia Contest is well underway and you could win some
cool prizes. For more information on the contest, click
here.
You may remember we posted a video on our
blog on in mid-December 2009. Well, today we're showcasing
another one made by the same fans. I figured you'd find it
enjoyable:
From the episode Sheep's Clothing
- Monica aka Paula finds the safe where Eugene's mysterious
disc is hidden by Jason. But will Walter get to her in time?
You can watch additional videos at
AdventuresinEditing's YouTube
channel. And before we forget, Focus's Act Like Odyssey
contest is quickly coming to a close, so get going on your
video to win 51 albums of Adventures in Odyssey!
The Spring Season continues as Clutter debuts on
radio stations across the country, and online:
After nearly being mauled by the junk in
his own garage, David Parker declares that his family is
going to have a yard sale. Will the entire Parker family
survive parting with their treasures?
I had planned to post a review of the second
part of The
Inspiration Station today, but
that will have to come later. Let's just say review writing
is not my cup of tea here at the Scoop. You can expect a
full review sometime next week. As you wait, why not send us your
review of Clutter
or read the growing list of
reviews already available?
We'd be happy to post it! In other news, the
Act Like Odyssey contest is drawing quickly to a
close. You have an opportunity to win 51 albums of
Adventures in Odyssey. You'd better hurry! All entries
must be postmarked by March 31st!
From
the look of things, Wooton's got so much mail to deliver he
doesn't know where to put it all. I'm trying to figure out
why he doesn't just cruise through town in a United States
Postal Service truck like everyone else who delivers mail
for the government. Efficiency is key. Then again, it hasn't
been confirmed that he technically works for USPS. The logo
on his hat, however, seems to indicate that he does.
Regardless, Wooton continues his rambings at Clubhouse
Magazine's
website, no matter who he works for.
Meanwhile, the new Adventures in Odyssey
collection,
Take It from the Top,
is officially making itsway through the U.S. Fans
are beginning to say they've received their copy. It must be
a by-product of Wooton's hard work. How about you? Have you
ordered your copy yet? If you can't wait on backordered
items, you may want to pop in at your local Christian
bookstore. Rumor has it that the album is popping up there
as well.
Also, another AIO item will be available very
soon. The third release of the first book in the Passages
series, Darien's Rise,
will hit bookstore shelves in the blink of an eye. And Brock
Eastman (product marketing)
shows off a little of what you get. Wooton is almost
like Mastercard, except he's not everywhere you want
to be... only in Odyssey. But the postal service is doing a
pretty good job, as far as I can tell.
By the way, if you participated in our first
ScoopYourself contest, the Official Site
blog highlighted our latest contest.
Now even more people will see your entries. Congratulations
and a big thanks to the folks at Focus for posting the link!
Odyssey has hit the fan once again, and this
time Whit's weight issue is being exposed! What am I talking
about? Well, if you're a follower of the AIO-based
Ceiling Fan podcast, you know that surprises are
always around the corner. And their latest podcast is no
exception. You won't want to miss the latest installment. If
you're new to the Ceiling Fan, it doesn't take too
many podcasts to figure out that you're there to stay.
I'm sure you've probably noticed by now, but
we have a new logo here at The Odyssey Scoop! I think it's
an improvement from the logo we had for so long. It's hard
to believe we had the same logo from 2002 to 2009. Crazy. We
updated with the new AIO logo incorporated into the design.
You will also notice that we've tipped our hats to Wooton,
who appears in the footer logo of each page of the site.
Of course, you're more than welcome to share your thoughts
on the new look. And, if you have an Adventures in
Odyssey fan site or blog, feel free to use the logo when
you link to us. Enjoy!
After
months of waiting, I now hold a copy of
Take It from the Top in my hands. In just a few
short hours, I will know why Eugene is getting a haircut,
find out a little more about Red Hollard, and much more. I'm
excited to listen really soon. But at the moment, I'm
excited to share with you that the special behind-the-scenes
insert included with the collection reveals a new fact about
Connie Kendall that may be an interesting change to the
show. Of course, I'm not going to tell you what that fact
is... we're going to have to keep you on your toes a bit
longer. For now, the summary of album 52 is now available.
Take a look at what's coming up in Album 52 from
Adventures in Odyssey, available October 2010:
Mysteries abound in Odyssey
as Eugene tries to figure out why the Odyssey clocktower is
counting down to a mysterious deadline and Emily Jones
unmasks the phantom of the school play. Meanwhile, the crew
at Whit's End tries fasting,—with hilarious results—and Wooton tries his hand at a radio show ... with no script!
It sounds
like some good things are in store for AIO. Last but not
least, we have summaries of the concluding episodes coming
up in the Spring 2010 season:
Finish What
You...|April 24, 2010 Theme:
Responsibility Summary:
Doors are opening for Olivia
Parker―too many, actually! After signing up for guitar
lessons with Eugene, she also agrees to star in Connie's
play. How can she possibly juggle her schedule?
The Jubilee
Singers I, II, & III|May 1,
8, and 15, 2010 Theme:
Perseverance Summary:
A talking portrait of Frederick
Douglass tells Olivia Parker the story of the Jubilee
Singers—a
talented group of African-American students assembled to
save their school from financial disaster.
If you're
on pins and needles right now, I highly recommend you
order your copy of Take It from the Topas soon as possible. You also get to
see the beautiful special insert included in the collection.
Stay tuned... You never know what you'll get in the town of
Odyssey! As for me, I'm off to experience Album 51!
Connie loves spending time in Whit's newest
invention, the Inspiration Station. But when a glitch shuts
down the machine, her obsession may go too far. Meanwhile,
Eugene traces the source of the malfunction to Matthew
Parker, who apparently has been "fixing" everyone's
electronics, with disastrous results.
It all heats up in the latest episode from
Adventures in Odyssey. Once you've heard the episode,
why not submit your review of the show?
We'd love to post it so others can read your thoughts! You
can see what others have already said about parts one and
two here. And...
if you haven't read our review
of part one yet, be sure to check it out.
The episode is reminiscent of the older days
of Odyssey with the slower-going, slice-of-real-life shows in which
Whit stood with listening ears and ready lips behind a timeless soda
shop counter.
...Read Full Review
As
promised, I've posted my review
of Part 1 of
The
Inspiration Station. In it
I've discussed my thoughts on the season premiere of
Adventures in Odyssey, the characters, and the new
direction of the show.As the
weeks progress, I'd like to release reviews on a weekly
basis so
I can keep up.
For a while now, I've been working on ideas
for a new logo for the site. The one we currently have is a
bit worn over and slightly stale. Well, it's more like we've
been watching the bread mold for a while and it's crusty
enough to play toss around in the yard with. Okay, so I'm
partial to the current logo we've had since 2002. It's
served us well. In the days ahead, check back as we reveal a
potential new logo. It may be used or voted down. I'd
actually be perfectly happy keeping our current logo if what
I came up with isn't a happy improvement. You will also be
able to share your thoughts on the direction we're planning
to take. Should we even change our logo at all?
For now, what are you waiting for? Read our
review!
So I promised earlier this week that I would release my
review of
The
Inspiration Station. I have
good news! Thanks to the many of you who wrote in and asked
when it would be available, I finally wrote it this morning.
Check back tomorrow for my full review of Part 1. Until
then, you can read others' reviews here and even
submit one
of your own!
Meanwhile, Focus's Product Marketing guru
Brock Eastman is excited today because copies of album 51
just came in! Brock shows off the inside of
Take It from the Top in his
blog. After all that work, it's good to see the
final product... that is, before jumping back in to all the
work involved with Album 52!
Have you heard? On the latest
Official Podcast, Actor Andre Stojka, voice the new
Mr. Whittaker for Adventures in Odyssey, is talking
about his introduction to Odyssey:
Andre Stojka talks about joining the
Odyssey family and shares his story. Plus, hear a preview of
"The Inspiration Station, Part 2."
Listen:
You certainly won't want to miss the latest
podcast! Personally, I think Andre is going to be a good fit
for the show. With new episodes and a new Whit, I think we
have a lot to look forward to in the days ahead.
Time is running out for you to participate in
the contest at the
Official Site! Take a look at what they're doing:
We're giving away 51 albums to celebrate
the release of Ądventures in Odyssey Ąlbum 51!
Be a star! This is your chance to win
Adventures in Odyssey albums 1 through 50, plus The Lost
Episodes. Just grab your video camera, gather a few friends
and find some props to act out your favorite scene from a
past Adventures in Odyssey episode. Be sure to send your
video to us before midnight Mountain Time on March 31, 2010.
Details at WhitsEndBlog.org/contest. The Adventures in
Odyssey staff will select the top 10 videos and post them at WhitsEnd.org for fans to vote on their favorite. Voting will
begin April, winners will be announced May 1.
Click
here to download an ad appearing in Focus
publications.
With a new season of Adventures in Odyssey under way,
it seems only fitting to keep tabs on the state of things.
You can expect my full review of The
Inspiration Station in the days ahead and all future
episodes. In the meantime, I will say that the first episode
seems to indicate that AIO is progressing, not digressing.
I've been hoping for a long time to see some specific
changes, and it seems to have happened. But I won't get
ahead of myself here. Expect a full review in the days
ahead.
I did want to mention
that
Odyssey Way is beginning to wonder about our product
marketing guy's comment to one of our recent blog posts.
Brock Eastman—or
should we call him Brockie (get it? Brock-E?)—commented
on our March 2 post: "Hey
Jacob, just wanted to let you know we spent some time on
the Focus clock to come up with some titles for album
#52!"
I'mnot sure about the titles OW came up with, but
I'm thinking the title has to do with time, but doesn't
necessarily include the words "time" and "clock." But hey, I
could be wrong. Maybe it's something as simple as A Race
Against Time, Time in the Balance, Clocked Out,
Counting the Days,or Just in Time. Wait, that title's already taken. I'm too late.
Only Time Will Tell, I guess. Be watching the
Scoop in the days ahead for the title of album 52, but don't
expect it Sooner Than Later. Better Late Than
Never, as they say.But please, don't ask Fred
Holstein what he thinks the title will be. He'll recommend a
title like In the Nick of the Clock. It doesn't have
the same ring.
After
two years of waiting, today marks the day of new beginnings
for Adventures in Odyssey.
The Actor Andre Stojka officially debuts in the audio series
as the new voice of John Avery Whittaker. You can certainly
expect some new surprises as the season progresses.
The first on the lineup
is The
Inspiration Station,
which airs on radio stations and
online, beginning today! Take a look at what's in
store:
Connie loves spending time in Whit's newest
invention, the Inspiration Station. But when a glitch shuts
down the machine, her obsession may go too far. Meanwhile,
Eugene traces the source of the malfunction to Matthew
Parker, who apparently has been "fixing" everyone's
electronics, with disastrous results.
Don't miss out on the first episode of the Spring 2010
season! To see other episodes coming up this season, visit
our Weekend Schedule.
You can also submit your review of this episode as well. We'd
love to share what you think with others! And don't forget to find out who won our ScoopYourselfcontest!There are a
lot of fun photos submitted by the fans!
Yes,
the title of today's blog is correct. We, indeed, have
winners, and we're announcing them today! As I went
through the judging process, it was way too hard to narrow
down to just one winner, so we now have two. Our grand prize
winner will receive a free copy of
Take It from the Top, and the runner-up will receive
The Best Small Town.
I am certainly impressed with the participation in the
contest after all. We doubled in our number of contestants
on the very last day, and we received entries up to the last
minute at 11:59 EST. I guess everyone needed
time to perfect their Odyssey displays. Regardless, we've
announced our winners (and showcased every contestant's
photo) at our Contests
section, which you won't want to miss! Congratulations to
our two winners, and thanks to everyone who participated. It
was a lot of fun!
Meanwhile, tomorrow
marks the long-awaited, much talked-about season premiere of
Adventures in Odyssey. At long last, fans will get to
get to find out what happens after Connie pushes the button
in album 50. Put on
your seatbelt and get ready for an exciting ride. It all
starts tomorrow on the radio and online!
Yes, Judgment Day has arrived... at the Odyssey Scoop
that is.
As I quickly glance through all the entries we received for
our first-ever ScoopYourself contest, I'm realizing
it's going to be way more difficult than I thought to pick
out a winner. Everyone was so creative in arranging their
Odyssey collections and I love them all! Being able to see
the fans and their collections sort of brings it home as a
webmaster. I do realize that this is a very subjective
contest in that we have to play favorites and choose a
favorite photo. Our favorite may not be your favorite when
it comes down to it, but that's okay. At the moment, all of
the photos have been given a number so we do not know whose
photo is whose, and I'll decide from there.
For the majority of the time, I receive emails from fans but
never get to see faces or photos. This contest really helps.
Contestants (and everyone else!), be sure to check back
tomorrow as we reveal our grand prize winner! Who will be
the winner of
Take It from the Top? Find out tomorrow!
More episode summaries have arrived for the new season!
I'm sure many of you are dying to know why Eugene Meltsner
is getting a haircut this season... and today we get a small
peek at his reasons. Take a look at what's coming up in the
weeks ahead:
Target of the
Week|April 3, 2010 Theme: The folly of revenge Summary:Matthew is Vance King's "Target of
the Week" – which means certain humiliation at the hands of
the bully! Matthew decides to take matters into his own
hands by getting revenge on Vance during an Odyssey Coyotes
baseball game.
For the Birds|April 10, 2010 Theme:
Responsibility Summary:Camilla Parker desperately wants a pet, but
her family seems to suffer from the "Parker Family Pet
Curse." To prove her responsibility, Camilla takes care of a
baby blue jay. Meanwhile, Eugene has his own run-in with
some feathered foes – which leads to drastic action!
When You're
Right, You're Right|April 17, 2010 Theme:
Pride Summary:Emily Jones is usually right about everything
from solving mysteries to cooking chili. But when she
decides to try her hand at matchmaking for her brother
Barrett, the singing card she creates may have disastrous
consequences. Will Emily have to face a situation where she
could be...wrong?
Grandma's Visit|April 24, 2010 Theme: The
importance of family Summary:The Parker family is in for a bumpy ride. It
all starts when their grandmother (or
Abuelita) comes to tell them that their Aunt Rosalita has
decide to elope...next week...in Odyssey...at their house!
Then relative after relative arrives to stay with the
family. Where will the chaos end?
For more summaries of the exciting episodes debuting this
season, visit our weekend
schedule or our 2010 Episodes
page. Speaking of episodes, we just updated our Episodes section with some new
categories and saga listings. I'm hoping to release more in
the days ahead to make it even easier for visitors to find
episodes they need. For now, enjoy the additions!
Don't forget! If you
haven't submitted your contest entry to win a free copy of
Take It from the Top, today is the deadline! You
have until 11:59 Eastern Time tonight to get your
entry in! You still have a good chance of winning as the
contestant count is lower than most of our contests! Get going on your entry before
it's too late!
With less than a week away from a brand-new series of
Adventures in Odyssey, we can't help but talk about the
upcoming year. 2010 will bring with it a total of six new
album repacks, tentatively. The following albums will land
in Christian bookstores and online this year:
Of course, these dates are mere estimates and subject to
change, depending on stock and inventory levels. You can
view the full repack schedule here.
Also be on the lookout this year at the Scoop for revamped
cover arts to albums that haven't quite been repacked yet.
According to AIO Wiki,
"there's a rumor that out of the four old albums
getting new artwork (23, 26, 29 and 34), three of them will
be totally new and the other will feature a wedding that has
just been re-stylized." I
think we can all guess which album that will be! And if
you're wondering about the future of Odyssey, yes, we will
get to see the cover for album 52 in 2010 as well.
Speaking of AIO Wiki,
they recently made a long-needed upgrade to the site. The
most noticeable perk is that the site loads so much faster
now. If you love AIO and always wanted an Odyssey
encyclopedia of knowledge, AIO Wiki
is all that... and more. Yes, AIO fans have things covered
in terms of providing the gnitty-gritty details about
Odyssey (which we all love!).
And remember, tomorrow
is the deadline for our
ScoopYourselfContest. Your chances of
winning the upcoming album,
Take It from the Top, are very high! Get your entry
in before it's too late!
We're less than three
days away from the deadline for our latest ScoopYourselfContest!
We're excited to reveal our winner who will receive a free
copy of Take It from the Top, the newest collection of
Adventures in Odyssey shows.
As it stands now, we have received very few entries up to
this point. What does that mean? Those of you who already
entered have a really high chance of winning! And for those
of you who haven't entered yet, what are you waiting for?
Your chances of winning are very high as well as the
competition is slim. Remember: the latest you can get your
entry in is March 3rd at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Get started!
Also, in case you hadn't
noticed on Saturday, we posted the new cover art for album
4, FUNdamentals. The
repack looks great!
On
this last day of March, I'm pleased to announce that our
"Is
this thing on?
I'm
pleased to inform you today that the first redesigned
Passages book,
Today,
the Official Podcast has a special surprise for fans. If you
entered the "Your Chance to be on Adventures in Odyssey
Contest (catchy name, huh?), you won't want to miss the
latest podcast. Take a look at what you'll be getting:
From
the look of things, Wooton's got so much mail to deliver he
doesn't know where to put it all. I'm trying to figure out
why he doesn't just cruise through town in a United States
Postal Service truck like everyone else who delivers mail
for the government. Efficiency is key. Then again, it hasn't
been confirmed that he technically works for USPS. The logo
on his hat, however, seems to indicate that he does.
Regardless, Wooton continues his rambings at Clubhouse
Magazine's
I'm sure you've probably noticed by now, but
we have a new logo here at The Odyssey Scoop! I think it's
an improvement from the logo we had for so long. It's hard
to believe we had the same logo from 2002 to 2009. Crazy. We
updated with the new AIO logo incorporated into the design.
You will also notice that we've tipped our hats to Wooton,
who appears in the footer logo of each page of the site.
After
months of waiting, I now hold a copy of
As
promised, I've posted my
So I promised earlier this week that I would release my
review of
After
two years of waiting, today marks the day of new beginnings
for 
Yes,
