As for those who cursed me for drawing it out so long, all I can say is... "heh." It amuses me to torture you, have you not learned this yet?
Over the coming weeks and months you'll be finding out a lot more about Demon Road, but I figured I'd answer a few questions now.
For starters, this is NOT the cover.
This is just a nifty holding image we give out so that people can pre-order if they want to. Hence the following link: http://www.pages01.net/harpercollinspublishersltd/DerekLandy-DemonRoad/
The ACTUAL cover, and the new cover artist, will be revealed in due time.
The release date is, as you can see, the 27th of August. Yesterday we said the 28th, but we figured out a way to get it to you a day earlier, and we took it.
Demon Road is both the name of the first book AND the name of the overall trilogy.
It WILL be a trilogy.
The books will be released 6 months apart. This is the way the publishing industry is going, to be honest — especially for children's books/YA. It's a hectic, bruising schedule, which will mean I'm gonna be overworked for the rest of the year, but hey... I'm quite looking forward to it, actually. I always felt bizarrely guilty for making you wait a year between Skulduggery books, so I'm going to see if this way is better.
Ah yes, and it will be Young Adult as well. There's nothing in it (yet) that is amazingly inappropriate for younger readers — maybe a word or two, slipping into older territory — but it's just the overall feel of the thing.
I'm TRYING to write shorter books. I was aiming for a Dark Days length, roughly 80,000 words. I have to write three of these books this year, and I can't have them spiralling out of control like Skulduggery did. I'm currently at 91,000 words. Hopefully I won't go above 100,000, which is roughly where Mortal Coil was. Hopefully.
Right now, I've only signed a contract with Harper Collins UK, which will publish the books in Ireland, the UK, Australia and New Zealand, and Canada. Over the next while, I'll be signing with foreign language publishers also — but for most of them, I'll need to show them the finished book. Harper UK trust me enough to sign a contract with what they've already seen of the book as I'm writing it.
There is absolutely no reason why we shouldn't be published in America as well.
Oh, and yes, I will be touring with Demon Road, but it's far too early to say where.
Posts
4,785 comments:
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OMFG THE ALBUM IS SO FARN GOOD AND THAT SONG!!!!
*explodes from awesomeness*
Why what, Jai?
Hey Duggy
(xD *cuddles duggy*
@Gem the why was why are you raising money for your school..)
Cause the school is poor. Some people have to buy their own jotters and stuff. And the library keeps running out of paper and stuff...
The only thing is, Struan was saying that the council cut our budget and stuff...he said it to a member of that council xD
And he still gave us money xD
I say "and stuff" a lot...meh
(I am back.)
Liliana: I would like to see you try.
*there is a flash of black, and a piece of black parchment appears in Liliana's hand*
Bethany: *her cheeks go a little red*
Claire: I really don't want to know...
(xD aw.. stupid council!)
Onwa: *raises an eyebrow at the parchment*
*laughs*
*pays for the clothes*
OH MY HOD THIS SONG!!!! :D :D :D
Liliana: *she blinks for a moment, reading it* "Meet me outside your castle, sister". Sister? Really? Who thinks that I'm their sister?
Bethany: So now I'm supposed to buy a car?
Being too kind is not something you need to worry about.
jdndjdbhcudjsndbdhsjznbdhejwkwndbhfhfuffu
(why would you worry about that it is a good thing)
IT'S SO GREAT!!!!
*screams*
*laughs hysterically*
I LOVE IT SO FREAKING MUCH
They wrap an arm around Soul's shoulder.
Good thing we're more kin than kind, then!
Onwa: Bethany would. However Bethany wouldn't write a note..
No. Now we find a bathroom, you get changed, then buy a car.
I'M GONNA EXPLODE
THERES NOTHING SHE WON'T BURN
FROM STYROFOAM TO URNS,
*strum*
TO SOMEONE ELSES AHSES IN A SACK
OMG OMG OMG RIJSBSVSBSHSJSHDVDGSHSHSH
ARGH THE PIANO PART NDNFHHFBFBFBFBFBFBFB
OOOU THE HARMONIES!!!!!!!! :D :D
But there aint no help, for the Firewatcher's Daughter
H g bchcdurududheu!!!_
Oooh I love this part it's so cooooooooooooooooooool!!!!!!!!!!_
Liliana: And not on black parchment, either. *she smiles* Want to go look? I mean, we could leave Lorelei with the assassins...
Bethany: I'm getting changed in a bathroom? What do you want me to wear?
I don't see how any of us are "kin".
(*laughs and cuddles dug*)
Onwa: Hmm.. Okay. But I'm definitely coming with you, just in case.
Jeans and a top?
The Fool backs up, dramatically clutching at their chest.
You can't see it!? The love of billowing cloaks, the fantastic good looks, the stubborn refusal to use common sense? We're long-lost twins, Sold!
They drop their head, sighing.
Maybe it's been too long for you to recognize me, your elder sibling by a solid minute and a half...
I've done some bad, bad things
The kind you don't bring uo at confession
Somewhere in my life )oh whoa oh)
I took a wrong direction
I swear on my soul I didn't want to hurt no one
But I got no way to justify the things that I've done.
I have one sister, and you're not her.
(*frowns slightly at the foolishly foolish fool*
Fruitlessly attempting to foolishly fool a fool are we, oh foolish one?)
The Fool wags a finger.
Now, now, you only don't remember because we were separated at birth, Saul.
*cuddles back, shaking*jxjdjdjdjjddj
Did Sil want Bethany to meet Dug? If so I'm here for awhile, if not that's fine!!! :D
Would it kill you to pronounce my name properly?
OH MY GOSH THE SONFS BACK ON!!!!! :D 0."
(Yeah she did dug. However it probs won't be today, they're going on a mini holiday.)
A Fool is as a Fool fools, as fools frequently voice.
The Fool spreads their arms.
Of course, Salt! Now give your sibling a hug!
*Sits in her corner wrapped in covers and watches everyone having fun*
*Stares blankly at the Fool*
(*hugs Gemmy gently*
*shakes head at the fool*
Ah fiendish friend with the fanatical phrasing, I fear your fooling will remain fruitless.)
Okay!
*supermegahuggletacklesofdoomvils Gem*
LISTEN TO BRANDI CARLILE!! :D
UFHFHFHFBFBFHHFBFBBCBFHFJFUJT THE PIANO PART!!!!!!!_
That looks comfortable *sighs*
Liliana: Of course. *she smiles, extending her hands*
Bethany: *she nods* That's fine. Right, we just need to find a toilet...
Onwa: *takes her hands, smiling*
I think I saw one..
Far from friendly or fair, I find your foul, fierce feelings to be fearful.
The Fool holds up a finger.
Pardon me, Sol, but there appears to be someone in greater need of a chortle than your sombre self!
The Fool prances over to the Thing in the Corner, mock-shivering.
'scuse me, but could I possibly beg a blanket from your highness?
Praise whatever gods may be...
*Takes the opportunity to leave*
Liliana: *they vanish in a flash of black, reappearing outside her castle* Perhaps I have another sister.
Bethany: Where?
Highness?
*Laughs*
*Throws a blanket over him and it wraps around his shoulders perfectly*
There.
Onwa: or perhaps you're being lured into a trap.
*walks out the shop and turns right*
Here!
*nods at a bathroom sign*
The Fool drops into a deep bow, the blanket scraping the ground.
Indeed! You must be a member of royalty, with enough quilts to cover a Queen-sized bed!
Liliana: *she shrugs* I would like to have another sister or...
*darkness grows around them, and a man steps out seemingly of the air* *he is tall, and has dark hair* *his eyes glimmer with a dark crimson colour, and he wears black armour*
Liliana: ... a brother. Wow. Hello.
Bethany: *she nods* Could you come with me?
Onwa: *blinks, surprised, stepping back slightly*
Sure..
*smiles*
Draken: My name is Draken, Liliana. I am your brother. It is rather hard to explain. I am very young, but I have turned against our mother. She is meddling with forces that she cannot hope to control.
Bethany: *she smiles* You can go first.
Onwa: *looks at her feet, shadows moving around her to slightly obscure her, deciding it best to stay out of the brother/sister talk*
*walks into the bathroom with the carrier bags*
Liliana: And what would those powers be?
Draken: She wishes to awaken Hadeon.
Liliana: I... See.
Draken: As you well know, she attempted to do so before. But this time, she has found his tomb.
Bethany: *she follows behind her*
Onwa: *frowns, not understanding*
*inches back into the shadows, dimming her eyes to avoid casting light*
*locks the door*
Liliana: Onwa, are you alright? Please, come here.
Bethany: *she removes her dress*
Onwa: *panics internally at the attention, eyes flat out turning black before she gets a hold of herself, eyes returning to a dimmed silver*
I'm quite alright.. just observing.
*stays where she is, staying rather still and keeping the shadows to slightly obscure her*
*grins*
Mmm.. pretty.
No
*smiles*
I'm not royalty.
And that was my only spare, I only had two.
Draken: And who might this be?
Liliana: She is Onwa, my partner. Onwa, this is a rather serious matter and it is important that you understand. Please allow us to talk to you.
Bethany: *she blushes, dressing herself in the jeans and the shirt*
Onwa: *lets the shadows dissipate slightly*
Shadows do not hinder my ability to hear..nor your ability to speak..
*watches Draken warily*
*smiles; scooping up the dress*
you have to go to hodgis figgis in dublin or really anywhere in dublin
Two blankets is still greater than the number that I had before your kindness!
Thank you, Fool...
*Smiles*
The Fool returns the smile with a smirk of his own.
Ah, but there is no need for gratitude! Mirth is my sombre profession, after all.
(Mbd.. or Msd..)
Draken: There were forces before the gods and goddesses were created, Onwa. Two of them, to be exact. Hadeon and Phraelia. They, unlike the gods, did not have personalities. They were just static forces. It was originally Phraelia who created the gods when it created the concept of universes - it created space. And with the concept of universes, came the forces that would run these universes. Hadeon, however, as the opposite to Phraelia, threatened the existence of the gods - and the space that Phraelia created.
The gods trapped Hadeon in a physical form, and then killed it.
Bethany: So we want a... Toy car?
Onwa: *nods*
Okay..
No. A normal car. A Toyota *whatever it was that began with H*
Jai, why are you a ghost now?
Well, you cheered me up anyway, And I'm thanking you for that.
At the feis I have to wear make up so my mom and I were experimenting and oh gosh. She was trying to put on mascara and I kept blinking and jerking away. And then I wouldn't let her use the eyelash curler XD and I was putting on lipstick and then it was only under my lip XD Oi.
I got mascara smeared under my eyes
Huh, there are plenty things in the corner, today.
'twas nothing, your majesty.
Hello.
The corner is no longer just MY corner anymore. My depression corner, my space of isolation.
There are people hereeeeeeeeeee Ugh.
Hey Kassy
*Cuddles tightly*
*crawls away from Gemma's corner*
(*cuddles Jaimie tightly* You are not a ghost.)
Liliana: Minerve once tried to bring it back to life before. But she could not find its tomb. She got as far as killing several gods - the god of the sea, the god of destruction, and the goddess of the night. She then marched into Phaestra's realm, using all of their powers against her - but was defeated. Phaestra cast her down an abyss, and made it so gods could not go into each other's realms, and brought the dead gods back to life.
Draken: Indeed.
Bethany: A Toyota Hilux... Right.
THE PIANO PART IS SO COOL AND HER VOICE, IT IS THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!
*DIES*
(It is not especially my type of music, Dugglyn.)
From my description or did you listen to it?
(I listened to the samples from the album.)
(I will be back soon.)
Ah, well it makes me happy you looked at it!
What type of music do you like?
Okay, see you soon! I may not be here though..
(One last comment before I will be back soon - I like Avril Lavigne, AC/DC, Slipknot, Two Steps From Hell (which is the only music Dragona and I can actually agree on)... *she thinks for a moment* And I suppose I do like the songs from Frozen, also. It is hard to say what 'type' of music I like. It depends on the individual song.)
Personally not a fan of AC/DC but I do enjoy the songs from frozen. But I prefer them with someone else's voice which is why I love Lav's version of Let It Go.
I Gtg too.
(I am not a big fan of the Let It Go song, I prefer For The First Time In Forever and Love Is An Open Door. Almost definitely because of Anna, because I find her somewhat aesthetically pleasing, but I do prefer those songs to the others in the film.)
*curls up*
((I've been roleplaying Kaladin ahain
and my sister's been helping.and that's mafe it twice as fun. :)))
(I like Let It Go. And Slipknot. :P)
Also, my school friends, who only learnt how to roleplay yesterday, are a lot better at roleplaying than some people on here.
Huh.
So far, we've had Kaladin being a surgeon, Kaladin getying ridiculously protective, Kaladin being discriminative, Kaladin losing his temper, Kaladin being rude and most people disliking Kaladin.
I think we've pretty much covered everything. :P
And Kaladin keeping his details about his past private.
Yup.
But I guess I must be doing it right then, so.
Also, being rude to people, I have discovered, is great fun.
Lol Katniss is so reasonable like "Can we all just calm down?" and Kaladin just starts insulting people. O_O
I'm liking Katniss, btw.
1111.
Haha.
Was that a laugh I heard?
[Sneezes]
e::) Hi, Moss.
*:)
Hmm . . .
I'm really tired, but C and B are roleolaying with me and I don't want to switch off on them??
The Fool coughs.
Well. Alrighty, then.
Onwa: Hmm. And she's planning to acquire such a force again in an attempt to claim total power over all realms?
*nods*
Yep. Ready?
(*grumbles about sleep*)
@Jai: Hi. :)
And :(.
@Fool: Um. Alrighty.
(*waves at star and sighs*
There goes another nights worth of rp, flushed down the drain..)
Jai?
What's up with your picture, Jai?
*curls up again*
STAR
I'm gonna recolor my hair again. What color should I make it?
I'm sorry, Jai. But there is a lot more rp to go. One night won't change much.
A coloirful colour, Moss. :) :)
Hi, Kas. :)
(I know teens are stereotypically lazy and I know I wake up early but still.. that's just pitiful really..)
Hello.
*backs away, to the wall, then to the corner, and slumps down*
@Jai: It's not your fault.
(*watches Kassy*)
so tired.
It's late, is all. Sleep is more important than rp.
(@Star *grunts*
Tis. I should be able to keep my eyes open. I have revision to be procrastinating for Christs sake and rp to be had!!! I shouldn't be sleeping at nine pm!!!)
*crawls away from Jai*
*reaches for the light switch, killing the lights*
*starts searching through drawers, feeling objects through touch*
Good night, Jai. See you tomorrow.
Sleeping at nine pm is good, Jai . . . sleep is vital.
. . .
says me.
Jai, please stop beating yourself up over it. In the long run, getting enough sleep will benefit you more than roleplaying.
. . .
oh yeah, so it will.
*nods*
Msd, then. We just realised we're abandoning D's characters so we might pause soon.
(Oh c*ap.
Well aren't I a little genius.
Yes Jaimie, go to your dad's ON MOTHERS DAY FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!
HOW F*CKIN STUPID?!
UGH!)
Kaladin is so racist. *frowns*
(*sighs*
*bangs head against a wall*
*mutters angrily about my own incompetence*
*fades back to the ethereal plane*)
@Jai: *hugs* It's okay.
Look. You can't be more incompetent than I am; that's one person you're beating. :)
(O_O the dress changed colour..
Omfg.. the Hell?!
The dress.. it was blue and black earlier..
It's gold and white now...
Omg what?!)
(Now it's blue and black again?!
O_o)
(What?! But.. but it.. it was.. what?! Why.. why did it change..? I.. what?!?!?!
I know that it's changed depending on the person..
But..
I'm me..
Not two separate people..)
(Its doing it again...
Okay.. I need sleep. Definitely need sleep..)
(If I tilt my phone it changes colour..)
STAR
TALK KALADIN TO ME
...Kes was going to come in all dramatic like but then I saw KALADIN and she can wait
Oh, and Storm, apparently it does that for a lot of people-I've only seen blue and black but a bunch of my friends have seen both
(*hugs Kes*
I think she fell asleep..)
*hugs Storm* T'sup?
Yeah, I know....
I was too late.
Damn timezones.
(*hugs back*
Meh. Angry. You?)
About anything in particular, or just angry?
Watching Day of the Dead. Worried about my friend, but I'm always about her, so.
(About myself and sleep.
DOTD? The Mexican celebration?)
Sleeeeeeeeeeeeep
Yeah, it's an animated movie based around it.
KES.
IT'S BEEN AGES. O_O
(Hello.
Jaimie, I am glad that you got more sleep.)
Draken: Not exactly. As a physical being, it will have a personality. It will start to destroy everything - the gods, the people, the realms and everything in them. Minerve does not seek control. She seeks an apocalypse.
Bethany: *she nods, smiling*
FABI
wait, what happened to Death?
*leaves hugs for Danni and Noelle*
...
*leaves a hug for Kes and whoever else is on*
*loves the fact that her picture is basically showing a box person with their arms open to hug people*
*poofs*
KES
To be honest, I don't really know. I hope she's okay, though.
[hgs Lav]
Thank god....-Zaf
(Thank you Vicki, for keeping us updated.)
Onwa: The end of everything..
*muses over that slightly*
But how would she gain from that? Surely she realizes she would also be one of the ones to die, along with all else.
Good.
*grins, kissing her passionately, gently pushing her back against the wall*
Mmm.. we can get one in a second perhaps..
*kisses her deeper*
@Jai: Some people see both . . . my dad and sister do, qlthough my dad sees primarily white and gold and my sister sees primarily black abd blue.
My sister told me that if our brother was a Stormlight Archove character he'd be Adolin . . . which made me go "Yeah prob- OH MY GOSH HE IS AO ADOLIN, HE SP TOTALLY IS."
(I've had a cool idea for my art but I'm not sure how it links to ceremonies.
So my idea is to make a small bonsai tree out of clay with an ouroborus decorating the 'tray' and runes carved into the 'trunk'. I want the leaves to be sort of removable, as in you can take them off and underneath is some hidden space in which you could put something. (Candles? O-mikuji? Wishes? Dreams? Fortunes? Gifts? Who knows.)
However I struggle to see how this could link to ceremonies..
Help! Please!)
Bexause runes and ouroboroses are used in ceremonies? They're ceremonial symbols?
(Maybe..
I was thinking something along the lines of
'You could give it as a wedding gift..?)
You probably could . . .I would recommend asking your teacher if you could do it or if tge link is too tenuous. If she says it's too tenuous, find a way to link it to some celebration or other - make the runes marriage runes?
(Hello.)
Draken: When they trapped it in a physical form, it gained sentience. Therefore it can be reasoned with. We cannot turn to the gods - they are too concerned with their own problems to work together. But there is a way to defeat it - it will be hard, but possible.
Bethany: *she kisses her passionately back, matching her depth* ... In a toilet?
(Perhaps star.. this is fun =D
Hey Soph! *cuddles tightly*)
Onwa: And what way would this be.
Mmm..
*keeps kissing her, barely even backing up for breath*
*murmurs 'please..'*
(Hello, Jaimie. *cuddles her tightly back*)
Draken: We trap Phraelia in a physical form.
Bethany: *she nods* ... As long as we stay away from the toilet for hygiene, if that's fine?
Onwa: And how would one go about doing that?
*nods, grinning*
Draken: There is a book which will contain the answer. We need to find this book.
Liliana: Berengaria.
Bethany: *she kisses her passionately again*
(I will be back soon.)
Hi Sophia. :)
Onwa: Indeed. However I somehow doubt she will just hand said book over.
*kisses her passionately back, pushing her against the wall, using tongue*
Suggestion, look up Japanese ceremonies. I'm sure there's something related with Bonsai plants and things they could be used for.
Though mainly, I think it's just optional decoration used during ceremonies.
Also, hi.
(Hey Lav! *cuddles*)
*cuddles back*
Hi. How are you today?
Also, Star: I can't get Whatsapp. :( No phone, no number to use.
(I'm okay. A little sleepy but I refuse to acknowledge that because it won't go away and if I ignore it it might leave me alone and my ears have gone numb um okay uh this is weird my jaw hurts I don't think it likes being ignored..
You?)
All that due to being sleepy?
I'm okay. *speaks gibberish that used to make sense*
(Idk..
*cuddles*
You sure?)
It's cool, Lav. :( And hi. :)
*:)
*nods*
Though I'm still feeling effects from yesterday like (don't know if you heard about Pixar's new movie Inside Out, but I'm using it as a description) Sadness doesn't want to be happy, but Joy is trying to cheer her up, and they're both affecting me in a way that makes me feel like I /should/ stay sad(for no main reason, may I just add) but I'm trying hard not to and even if it /seems/ like I'm okay, inside there's a lot of conflict and I don't know what I'm feeling... :/
Hi Star, how are you?
Maybe try talking it out with yourself, Lav?
And I'm fine. :) Quite tired . . .
... Yeah, I could try.
Carp fish, I gotta go.
*hugs*
*poofs*
*Sits in her corner, head against the wall, grinning*
(I am back.
Jaimie, is the roof of your mouth still hurting?)
Liliana: You do not know Berengaria. But it is true, she will want something in return - to guarantee the loan.
Bethany: *she uses her tongue, also, pulling her close*
(*hugs Gemmy* happy?
*hugs Danni tightly*
*just hugs*
@Soph occasionally. But then I put bonjela on and it stops. *shrugs*)
Onwa: *nods*
What sort of things would she want in return?
*moves against her, nibbling her lip, using more tongue and kissing deeper*
I'm glad you're home safe, Danni.
Yes, Jaimie. I am extremely happy
*giggles slightly*
(*grins, cuddling*
What's made you so happy?)
(You should go to the doctor's tomorrow, Jaimie.)
Liliana: Probably another book.
Bethany: *she sighs happily, matching her in the kiss*
(Mm.. Maybe. It could just be nothing.)
Onwa: *tilts head slightly*
Okay..
*grins, murmuring 'I love you so much..'*
(Nevertheless, that thinking will not make it better. You said that if it still hurt on Monday, you would go to the doctors. It is Sunday, and the only thing stopping it from hurting is your use of Bonjela.)
Liliana: She loves books.
Bethany: I love you, too. *she smiles, kissing her cheek*
(But that means it doesn't hurt. The bonjela stops the pain therefore problem solved. *nods sternly*)
Onwa: I see.
*smiles, kissing Beth's cheek*
(No, the problem is not solved. The problem is masked. You need to go to the doctor's, Jaimie.)
Liliana: She does not especially like me, however.
Bethany: I can't believe we kissed in a toilet...
(Masked is good enough..)
Onwa: she has never met me?
*smiles*
Mm..
Oh nothing, Jai
*smiles*
(*raises an eyebrow*
Nothing meaning something. Something big. Something you've been wanting for a while..?)
(Masked is not good enough. What if it opens up? Then you will have wished that you went sooner. And you said yourself - if it hurts, you put on the Bonjela. So it does still hurt in order for you to put on the Bonjela, therefore you have to go to the doctor's like you said you would.)
Liliana: No, she does not know you.
Bethany: It's... Odd.
(If it opens up THEN I'll go to the doctors cause I'll know the ailment isn't imaginary. I'll then be knocked out and have it sewn up.)
Onwa: in which case she should have no prior judgement.
*nods*
Nice odd+
You could say that...
*smirks*
(..
Okay remembering I have a highly dirty mind it may be wiser to tell me than to let my brain come up with theories.)
(No, Jaimie. If you still are using the Bonjela tomorrow to stop it hurting, you need to go to the doctor's. You said you would. If ignored, the problem could get worse. You need to go to the doctor's. You need to see what it is before it gets to the point where it opens up. Take care of yourself.)
Liliana: She is the goddess of peace. She will hardly cause an argument, even if she dislikes you.
Bethany: I suppose...
(*grunts, sulking*)
Onwa: Good.
*nods*
We.. should go buy that car now?
Mmm, can't say
:P
I agree with Sophia.
(*raises an eyebrow at gem*
Text?
@Star Nuuuh. Don't agree with her!)
(You have already left it for a few days - but tomorrow, you need to go to the doctor's.)
Liliana: *she extends her hands to Draken and Onwa*
Draken: I can make my own way there.
Bethany: We should.
(I will be back soon.)
(But the doctors are horrible! And they'll just tell me it's fine.)
Onwa: *takes liliana's hand*
*nods and unlocks the door*
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