I STILL don't like this new-look Blogger. I haven't figured out how to sort out the comments section- I can't even READ your comments after the first 200, but I'll have to do something soon... grrrr...
Anyway...
I got a call just before 6 PM yesterday- my publicist, wanting to know if I could POSSIBLY make it onto a plane the next day to go to London to appear on the Alan Titchmarsh Show on ITV. Me, being the true professional that I am, eventually stopped crying and said absolutely, no problem. Never mind the fact that I'm writing a book. Never mind the fact that my deadline is approaching. Never mind all those little details. I'd be delighted to get up early and get on a plane and go to London and sit around for a few hours and appear on air for FIVE MINUTES... and then get on another plane and fly home, waving goodbye to a full day of work... Sigh. Such is the life of a super-genius.
As it turned out, though, I had a lot of fun. Yes, the traveling and the waiting was as boring as ever, and yes I did have to miss a day of writing, but I was on the show with John Barrowman, from Dr Who and Torchwood- awesome! He's a lovely guy, and his sister was equally lovely, and I had a really funny five minutes on stage with them, being interviewed. They've written a book for young people called Hollow Earth, and it actually sounds pretty cool. John is everything you'd expect- charming, funny, friendly and engaging- so I wasn't at all disappointed. He was just like Captain Jack Harkness, in fact. Which obviously poses a problem, since if I ever get to meet David Tennant or Matt Smith I'll be expecting them to be wonderfully intelligent people with the ability to time travel. Hmmm.
Matt Cardle was also there, but he's not much of a "book-person". Nice chap, though.
But now I'm home, and I might actually try and get some work done. The book is going well, I'm sure you'll be happy to know. 60,000 words and counting. Whether or not it'll continue the tradition of every book being longer than the one before, I don't know. Hopefully it will, because I like giving readers more pages for their money every time, but a book's length is a book's length, and the story itself will dictate how long it'll be.
I also have a possible title... that I can't tell you about just yet! My agent loves it, my editor loves it, I'm pretty sure the marketing people love it... It's completely different to the style of titles I've been using up until now, which is what I'm after. I'm sure I'll be able to tell you what it is soon enough, and then we'll show you the cover closer to September, just to torture you even more.
But for now, I'm concentrating on writing the thing, fully conscious that The End Of The World is out on March 1st. You guys have caused such a storm with this, actually, because thousands of you have pre-ordered it on Amazon UK, and apparently that has never happened for a World Book Day book before. I've heard that Amazon were a tad stunned...
Well done, Minions. You stunned Amazon.
Be proud of yourselves.
First comment! Derek, I missed the live airing, but I watched it on ITVplayer and it was great.
ReplyDeleteAlso wanted to ask whether you'd ever consider doing another one of your character competitions for the next three books, or whether it's too tightly woven plot for them now?
ReplyDeleteLast thing - sorry! - you can read the comments after 200 if you save the url you're directed to after you make a comment, but you do have to comment at least once I think.
ReplyDelete*stops hogging the comment section creepily*
I read somewhere that Tanith was supposed to die in the first book now that she is possesed by a remnant will she come back you know as normal Tanith?
ReplyDeleteWell hey
ReplyDeleteOh My Golden God, Everyone on the Skulduggery Pleasant Facebook Page was talking about it - http://www.facebook.com/Skuttlebugfans - It was so cool! Tell us the title I soooo want to know! You know you want to tell us so you can make sure it's right!
ReplyDeleteI stunned amazon along with lots of other people. Excellent
ReplyDeleteWhilst we're at top
ReplyDeletehttp://rsnowscar.blogspot.com/
Single figures this time *pride*
ReplyDeleteMust you torment us with these vague tidbits? All in the work of a super genius, I suppose.
ReplyDeleteI WANT THE NEW BOOK TITLE THIS INSTANT DEREK LANDY.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteomg i in top 200!!!! Hi Derek oh and i think i know how to fix the problem with not reading our comments click on the title of the name of the blog you posted and it takes you to a page with the blog and then you can scoll down to read comments hope i helped you
ReplyDeleteRight well I'll go as no one is talking much - dead time - laters
ReplyDeleteHIII DEREK!!!! You torture us more than Serpine did to Skulduggery. You Torture us, badly. I feel like a dog begging at the Kitchen table...
ReplyDeleteyou REALLY have to come to Co. Armagh, or I will tell my dog Belle to lick you to death. She may sound like a teeny dog ting, BUT she is the size of a Horse. A Rhodesian Ridgeback lion-herding dog is usually the size of a horse.
Anyway, love Skulduggery :)
OH MY FREAKING GODDDDD!!!!!! YOU MET JOHN BARROWMAN!!!!!!!!!!! EEEEEEHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THAT'S-THAT'S- OH MY GOD THE AWESOMENESS MUST HAVE BEEN PRACTICALLY FLYING OUT OF EVERYTHING FOR THOSE 5 MINUTES!!!!!!!!! OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI'M HAVING TROUBLE BREATHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OHMYGOOOOOODDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!
*is reading dark days* i happy at the moment this day just got really good
ReplyDeleteWHERE CAN I WATCH THE THINGYYYYYY????
ReplyDeleteDear Lord Mar...
ReplyDeleteI'm reading Dark days.
ReplyDelete*re-reading*
ooh i found a link on the facebook page....evil laptops these days it told me i gotta update adobe...how i do that?i am a blonde when it comes to technology
ReplyDeleteHello Phoenix
ReplyDeleteAnd Hello everyone else... I'm bored.
ReplyDeleteHeya everyone!
ReplyDeleteI am determined to get first on next page.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with that Gabriel
ReplyDeleteHey Robin..thank you for following my blog thing..the only follower...damn it blogging's not lame.
ReplyDeletei will miss it *laughs* wow i need ideas i got to dress up as a charector from dark days for reading class....hmm any ideas and i am a girl
ReplyDeleteSaw you on TV and shouted - 'I've met him - he is a LEGEND!' was a very short interview but great to see you on TV.
ReplyDeleteYAY for writing the next book, sad I still have to wait until Septmeber though. I'm having Skulduggery Withdrawals, but at least 'The End of the World' will keep me up with a fix for a while.
Mwahaha, Amazon had better beware of the power of Derek Landy's minions. :P
All the people at my school think it's lame...
ReplyDeleteAnd I say
Go to hell.
*is still freaking out*
ReplyDeleteI like your story :)
ReplyDelete*insane swearing happy moment* GABRIEL YOU'RE PICTURE IS FINAL FANTASY *dies*
I taped your appearance on my iPad :D it was great to see you, Derek!
ReplyDeleteRandom question - do you like doing Wordsearches or Sudokus? :3
~Georgina/Ashione
...
ReplyDelete*talks on and on*
*realizes that no one was listening*
Final fantasy is awesome.
ReplyDeleteDEREK TALK TO US
ReplyDeleteDerek, while you were on the Alan Titchmarsh Show... I WAS IN SCHOOL!!
ReplyDeleteTHAT'S RIGHT- SCHOOL!!
...
ReplyDeleteGabriel you are awesome, so is final fantasy, dear lord *begins to name all ff characters in Gabriel's pic*
ReplyDeleteReading about China....
ReplyDelete*awesome*
in my school i got a lot of my friends reading SP all it took was me reading dark days for the very first time and everyone got really interested i dont want to even mention nikki's moment yesterday for her own safety of spoons and other weapons we may have for this was truly a scary moment
ReplyDeleteMy PSP was killed, I cant play DISSIDIA 012!!
ReplyDeleteOmg tell me the title NOW!!! I can't wait:(
ReplyDeleteBy the way, when is the end of the world being released in Australia???????? Me and my BFF
LOVE you I am truly obsessed!!!!
kkwkkwwkwkwkwkwkkwkwwkwkwkwkwkwwkwkkwkw
ReplyDeleteSPARKY
ReplyDeleteI
MISSSS
YOUUU
I have ff13 but can't beat the penultimate boss (Orphan) and I swore I wouldn't get ff13-2 until I had
ReplyDeletesucks Gabriel
ReplyDeleteI wish I could play FF13 but I don't have a Ps3.
ReplyDeletei wont ask when it will be released in america because when in doubt ill use amazon! maybe since we shocked amazon thats why they cancelled my order of dark days :( i borrowing my friends copy
ReplyDeleteevery minute theres about 4 commments just noticed
ReplyDeleteHellloooooo~
ReplyDeleteOmigosh! Amazon is stunned?!?!?!
ReplyDeleteI am very proud of myself, thank you.
And you too, Golden God,if you weren't such a great writer, we wouldn't have stunned Amazon. be proud of yourself.
Or any other console, I have a Ps2
ReplyDeleteXbox Gabriel
ReplyDelete*still freaking out*
ReplyDeleteValkyrie calm down its ok i'm sure it will be released quickly
ReplyDeleteI have an original gameboy it's the size of a brick xD Pokemon Blue, oh yeah!
ReplyDeleteOhh...RIGHT..I only have A BROKEN psp and A PS2.
ReplyDeleteDSi but i think it went insane on me....i THINK it did i havent seen it since last summer time to eat then off to musical theater class O>O i make sure to improv as someone from SP
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Derek, Wind in the Willows certainly does lack that ninja quality that really makes a good book. Wait, where are the ninja;s in your book. Hm, i will be keeping an eye out for them xD
ReplyDeleteI never knew you used to teach martial arts. Thats why your so good at writing the fighting scenes.... ^-^
When is the movie coming out ????? (please have Johnny depp):)))))))))
ReplyDeletepLEASE.. VALKYRIE DONT TALK ABOUT AN SP MOVIE... im gonna kill someone.
ReplyDeleteGabriel why the '...' ?
ReplyDelete....
ReplyDeleteMovies ruin good books.
ReplyDeleteI don't understan why a majority of people want David Tennant as S.P
ReplyDeleteDEREK! About the comment thing. From where you post the comments, this little pop-up window, you can't get to the new ones. But in the actual comment stream - the one that shows up under your post so you can read them without commenting yourself - you CAN get to the new pages. There's still those little buttons for that. Hope this helps!
ReplyDeleteAnyway.
OHMYGOD YOU MET THE BARROWMAN! That's so awesome :'D He's awesome. You're awesome. You and him together equals awesome. Awesoomeee
Also. Going to go buy Hollow Earth now.
I'm very excited for the next book, and also The End Of The World, which I still need to order. We're all waiting eagerly for more of your genius.
...
ReplyDeletePlease some1 follow me!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm prepared to rip the next person who puts the next Goddamn ellipsis into a coffin
ReplyDeleteSo angry can't even make sense LOL
ReplyDeleteMy god I cant wait until september to read the next book! I have already converted 3 of my friends at school to read your books, and they all think that they are amsing!!
ReplyDeleteuhuu, I have good taste in friends xD
Btw, when are you gonna go on tour again?????? I neeeeeeddd to come to one of your book singings in england. Near Manchester. (hint, hint)
Valkyrie108 you need a blog for someone to be able to follow you
ReplyDeleteSPARKY
ReplyDeletePretty sure I have a blog:)
ReplyDeleteI agree with little miss sunshine
ReplyDeleteNo Valkyrie, you don't, I'm on your profile right now, you don't...
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletePIE! GO TO MY BLOG!
ReplyDeleteCrap, never mind then I don't get these blogs anyway:/
ReplyDeleteSacramento that was in a book I read *muses* Of Mice and Men maybe...
ReplyDeleteBack... I saw a ppicture of my friend pashing with someone. Oh she just said it's tounge she doesn't want to stop me if you want to add her on Fb ask me.
ReplyDeleteYou'll get used to it just keep pushing buttons 'til it works - the general rule of any human technology
ReplyDelete??????
ReplyDelete*Attacks Gabriel*
ReplyDeleteNo*punch*More*punch*ELLIPSIS*punch*
hey im here!!!!!
ReplyDeleteand just watched alan show thinhg on itv player :D
VAlkyrie if you're confused. I saw a picture of my friend french kissing and then she said it wasnt she said it was tounge something. If you want to add her on Facebook ask me.
ReplyDeleteGabriel, please.
ReplyDeleteFine I'll add her
ReplyDelete...
ReplyDeleteHahaha! We stunned Amazon <3 So proud :3 I CANNOT wait for The End Of The World to come out, I need some more inspiration for my next story and you have been one of my only 3 inspirations to write, and the reason I got an A* (19/20) on my last English exam, we had to write a story. Anyway, WHY MUST YOU TORTURE US? YOU HAVE GOT ME TORTURING MY FRIENDS BECAUSE YOU TORTURE US!!!!! Well....Much love and I guess I will go back to either writing or reading Skulduggery Pleasant from the beginning, yet again. :') <3 xxx
ReplyDelete*facepalm*
ReplyDelete*sits on floor*
*fires an arrow through Gabriel's head*
ReplyDeletehey guys wats goin on nowadays
ReplyDeleteNothing but the random '...' is beginning to irritate me.
ReplyDelete*deflects arrow using sigils*
ReplyDelete*acivates sigils all over body*
*wields spear of light*
*throws at Robin...missed*
Damn it.
heres me trying to be really quiet because im meant to be in bed, and slamming the laptop around by mistake and filling my room with light.
ReplyDeleteFail. *headdesk*
Why do I bother??????
ReplyDeleteWhat's up with you Valkyrie?
ReplyDeletesparky
ReplyDeleteok uummmm
ReplyDeletethis:
*walk up to a chocolate cake and eat it*?????
Nice one Sunshine
ReplyDeleteBye
ReplyDeleteYes yes Flame, we know you want Sparky
ReplyDeleteCareful Slayer it may contain robots
Ikr? im now crouching down with the laptop as closed as it will go so i can still see the screen, trying to let mnimal light through. Feeling awesome.
ReplyDeleteNo i CHANGED MY Mind valkyrie
ReplyDeleteIm friends with her and you ll know who i am
right robots
ReplyDelete*spits robot out of mouth*
what u mean this????
I get the impression she was upset... Bye Valkyrie
ReplyDeleteNinja time obvs Sunshine:)
Yep Slayer that just there be a robot
ReplyDeleteWho was upset..?
ReplyDelete*beats Gabriel's head in with a mallet*
ReplyDeleteValkyrie108, Gabriel
ReplyDeleteShe just seemed that way to me, or angry possibly angry
ReplyDeleteyep i aggree
ReplyDeleteTHERE WAS A ROBOT IN MY CAKE!!!!
aaarrrggghh
bye val
Ohhh. If itwas me I'm sorry.
ReplyDeleteOk....
ReplyDeleteRobots live in all sweet things in Blogland so never take sweets unless you know where they've been. *serious face*
ReplyDeletewhat was u did u put a robot in my cake???
ReplyDeleteDerek You are epic I respect you greatly and Great job on the allan tichmarch show and please i hope the end of the world isnt that short.
ReplyDeleteiv never actually commented on a blog before, so its new to me. Bu i still got eited when i saw that i was quite near the top ^-^ *proud moment*
ReplyDeletehey i was gonna put a serious face
ReplyDeleteaahhh well
no sweets get it no sweets no robots
good
I'm not angry:)))))
ReplyDeleteI'm bored... I should work on my story..
ReplyDeleteNo *surrender hands* well... I suppose technically, I started the whole robot-in-desserts-thing, I released them into Blogland so, maybe a little..
ReplyDelete*sighs*
ReplyDeletePlease, I cant give her name...(my friend's name)
She's holding me hostage in the IT room..
I think i may go now, as no one is engagaing me in a riviting conversation. That and the fact that i have to get up really early in the morning ...
ReplyDeleteGABRIEL COBALT WILL YOU STOP WITH THE '...' *throws knife at him*
ReplyDeleteGood Val, you just seemed a little... off
rrrrrgggggggghhhhhhh
ReplyDeletei like robots
*pull a robot out of a cake*
*start playing catch with it*
Okay Sunshine bye bye
ReplyDeleteI dunno really just tire I guess??
ReplyDelete*dodges*
ReplyDeleteStop trying to kill me!!
So you arnt even going to try to get me to stay? your not going to put up a little bit of a fight to keep me here?
ReplyDeleteThats charming, that is xD
bye littlemisssunshine49(if u r goin)
ReplyDeleteI'm going 2 bed night;)
ReplyDeleteYeah, it don't matter so long as your okay
ReplyDelete*stabs Gabriel with sword*
Bye Valkyrie
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteo rite stay den u know u want to
ReplyDeleteNo Sunshine, don't go *insert more pleas for not leaving here*
ReplyDeletebye val
ReplyDeletelol yeah i do, bu it is already 11:30 here, and i have to be and brigt and happy in the morning. Maybe if someone ges me into a conversation i shall stay, but if not, alas, i shall have to leave.
ReplyDeleteRobots don't appear in bacon cake right!?!?(I just made one) *stares at cake*
ReplyDelete*stares at Robin*
ReplyDelete*smiles*
*disappears*
hey its 11:30 here aswell
ReplyDeletesomebody engage her in convosation coz i dont know how to
Not if you keep them from going in but they're sneaky, Gaming
ReplyDelete*frowns* Where'd Gabriel go
Sunshine what SP book are you on?
ReplyDeleterobin snowscar,your pleas warm my heart, they really do.
ReplyDeleteyh which one r u on
ReplyDeleteGood.
ReplyDeletehey wat about mine
ReplyDeleteRobin Snowscar-
ReplyDeletei just finished rereading (again) the death bringer) I NEED THE NEW ONE!!!
Ah, same TEOTW is gonna be so good can't wait
ReplyDeletei need the new one i have started rereading db again
ReplyDeleteI got rid of the robot it smellt like bacon I strated to drool then ate it (oh God i have problems)
ReplyDeletei hope teotw isnt reallyreally thin like a little red riding hood pocket edition or something
ReplyDeleteI think im gonna have to read the whole series in a loop non stop until the next one is out xD TEOTW is gonna have to keep me going xD
ReplyDeleteI've read all of them more times than I care to remember but I nearly died at the Lord Vile thing (no spoilers for people who haven't read it yet) I got Darquesse straight away I read the name and was like 'well that's Val' but LORD VILE whaa?
ReplyDeletelol
ReplyDeletebut still wat about mine
yeah, if it is really thin i think i may just curl up in a ball a die.
ReplyDeleteYOu hear me GOLDEN GOD??? It must be thick enough to keep us going! you got us into this sp addiction, and its your resposalitity to sustain it xD
Yes Derek *insert four different types of death threat to Derek* Unless you tell me the name of that book. Now.
ReplyDeleteyh i didnt:(
ReplyDeletei accidently read a spoiler
of the lord vile thing (no spoiler)
at that lord vile thing i was just like
ReplyDeleteOh. MY. GODD!!!
And then i started laughing XD its just so ironic xD And i love how he switched from val to darkesse really seamlessly, i had to re read the whole thing again to see what happendxD
yh i had 2 read it again aswell
ReplyDeleteany guesses of wat the new book is called?
ReplyDeleteno clue whatso ever. And he said it was diffrent to the other titles, so i should be interesting xD
ReplyDeleteIt should be called Skulduggery Pleasant: We saved the world lots of times so now we're gonna do it again
ReplyDeleteThoughts?
Robin snowscar-
ReplyDeleteThat seems legit. lets put the idea across to our golden god xD
rite id call it
ReplyDeleteskulduggery pleasant book 7
who likes my creative thinking huh huh huhuhuh
that is so creative dude. *pats back*
ReplyDeleteOr Skulduggery Pleasant: Come and get us Bad guys
ReplyDeleteOR:
SP: Bring it the hell on
?
Nice Slayer xD
ReplyDeletei think book nine shoulf be caled pleasant dreams...
ReplyDeleteHa Flame I see what you did there
ReplyDeleteoh yea i got a pat on the back
ReplyDeletecan i have my trophie now???
or:lord vile has taken over
or: darqquess has taken over
SP: Pleasant Dreams
ReplyDelete*self chuckle*
i so want derek to mention us in his next blg and say that becasue we suggested it, he is now going to come over to the uk just for me, sign my book then go home.
ReplyDeleteOr something like that.
*Herp derp face whilst lost in head*
hey flame
ReplyDeletei been of 4 a while again
:(
It should be called SP:Insert title here
ReplyDeletei wonder whats going to happen with china in the new book? or what about that reporter?
ReplyDeleteThat is a savage name robin
ReplyDeletemy suggestion btw
I just thought that Gaming I've been doing it all night
ReplyDeleteI know right Flame
The reporter :o
ReplyDeleteikr? i just laughed at the end of db. Then got depressed becasue i realised i would have to wait until september to read the next book. >8(
ReplyDeletePleasant Dreams ftw.
ReplyDeleteYou got to meet John Barrowman!!?!! :D
ReplyDeleteHe's amazing! Anyways you are seriously making me tremble with excitement for the 7th book!! I can't wait! :D
i wonder if scapeface...the zombie guy and thrasher what happens to them
ReplyDeletei bet scapegrace comes back to annoy val. He always does. Thats just the way with killer supremes. They are like limpets. xD
ReplyDeletewell done on first arcanine
ReplyDeletedrum roll ppplllzzz
(waiting 4 da dedication)
Yeah Sunshine, me after finishing db:
ReplyDeleteHow? :o What? :O Ages away 'til next book >:O Really? *rereads*
ooh another name SP: Persuading the bad guys to give up cause in the end were gonna win anyway because were awsome abreviation SP:PTBGTGUCITEWGWABWA anyone who can pronounce it right gets a cookie
ReplyDeleteGah, machines *flicks laptop*
ReplyDeleteGood one Gaming xD
ReplyDeleteguess what
ReplyDeletei tried to take my time reading death bringer and 4got one night and read it all and wuz all depressed the other day cuz i have to wait till september 4 the new book
does anyoen know where i can get cool sp art? i wanna get a poster or something *mad fangirl smile*
ReplyDeletei can PTBGTGUCITEWGWABWA oooo in ur face oooo
ReplyDeleteno i donot know where to get sp art
ReplyDeleteThere are some on the main SP site but you get some cool stuff on Deviantart if your looking for print outs. Actual bought stuff I dunno
ReplyDeleteyeah im justchecking on deviantart now for stuff .^-^ does anyone else have da?
ReplyDeletejust realised something why do bad guys want to destroy the world what the heck do they get out of that unless they are EXTREMELY paranoid then I don't get it
ReplyDeletei dont think arcanine is gonna dedicate
ReplyDelete