Waiting for your book to be released is always an interesting time for a writer. But behind all the excitement and the impatience and the work, there is one question — one ever-present question — that shouts louder than any of the others.
"Will they like this one?"
Because what if they don't? What if this book is the book where they finally realise you're not a writer? Or that your best work is behind you? What if the enthusiasm you have grown accustomed to finally runs out?
It's a possibility. I started my career with Skulduggery Pleasant, a series that ran for nine books with one spin-off and one short story collection. That's how I got my readers, and my readers have a genuine love for those characters and that world. That's what I'm used to. That love and enthusiasm is now what I expect whenever I release a book.
But Demon Road is different. Demon Road is new.
It doesn't have the advantage of being part of a long-running series. It's part of a trilogy, yes, but it's the FIRST part.
There is an unwritten rule in publishing. It's not a particularly nice rule, but it's an understandable one. This unwritten rule states that your second series will not reach the heights of the first series — at least not at first. Given time, it will gather its own fans and its own readers and it might even surpass the first, but upon its release it will flounder when compared to the heights previously scaled. My publishers told me about this rule years ago. I have had a lot of time to absorb it.
And I'm okay with it.
I think Demon Road is a good book. Of course I do, I wrote it. I think it will gather its own fans. A lot of these will be Skulduggery readers. Some won't be. Regardless, it was written to stand apart, to begin a new adventure, to introduce new characters and a new world, and it will rise or fall on its own merits.
This, to me, is the essence of writing. Each new book is a brand new lie, and each new lie brings an age-old truth. If a writer is lucky, he'll get multiple opportunities to tell these lies to an audience that is willing to give him the chance. Nobody wants to read a book they don't enjoy. Everyone wants the book they're reading to be the book that changes their life forever.
I've been very lucky in the past, and I reckon I'm ready for what's to come.
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«Oldest ‹Older 4401 – 4600 of 4989 Newer› Newest»Mhm, a character for writing and role playing? I have Aquila and Swirl, for example. ^^
Yeh, I've got fera, and xyloth etc :D my main is fera ^_^
What's Fera like?
I gotta go again. Be back later!
Bye guys. :)
Bye Lavender, and listen to the song some time. It's a good one. :)
*pops in*
*draws centimetre lines on his face so is more accurate* :D *POPS OUT*
*Pope in* I had a weird chicken goujon last night. :S *goes to find picture*
bye hope ^_^ Fera's arrogant in a good way(in Derek's words lol), he is confident, strong, funny and sarcastic. OH and he likes to talk in riddles :P :)
Hi Dragona!
I totally approve of your efforts to become more accurate. :)
Fera, what's his magic like?
And the most oddly shaped chicken goujon of the year award goes to... M&S!!! *hands Marks and Spencers the trophy* :D
-coughs- I have a sudden urge to suspect with part of a rooster that one was made of... >.>
*which
Ladies and gentlemen, the typical Jojo-typo: replacing a whole frickin word with another. 0.0
Very magicky, I would say. It involves magic, did I forget to mention? :P
Aha, so you have no clue, either. XD
Aquila: Nah, you don't have a clue, what I don't have is intention :P
*haribo warhead launched*
- hops and catches that gummy bear in the middle of the air. With her mouth-
Omnomnom... :)
*haribo airstrike*
*big haribo explosion*
Aquila: so wanna know what fera' magic is? :P
(Gone for food for a bit! ^^)
*catches all of them before they hit Aquila*
*backflips* My friend just invited me to play ME3MP. Wbd.
:D
Back, thanks Fera. ^^
Will eat properly later, I just murdered a couple tomatos. :P
you murdered them? OMG you monster! XD
Yes. I like to torture vegetables. >.>
Do you never set them all up around the cutting board and let them watch as you slaughter their friends?
I DO THAT ALL THE TIME... It is so satisfying when the juices drip all over my fingers.
It's even more satisfying to have a nice colourful salad. ^^
Hi. Reading Demon Road. Enjoy ME3MP, Dragona!
*leaves a hug for everyone*
Hi Kas. ^^
Oh yeah, I must agree with that :D Taste the rainbow XD
Some plants fight back, though. Onions or pineapples, for example. ^^
yeah, flippin pineapples eat you while you're eating them :P
You just have to eat them harder than they can eat you. >.>
*appears*
*wbd*
*apparently stumbled upon an odd conversation about murdering food?*
Welcome back anyway. ^^
oh yes, I can eat things pretty hard. >.>
Yes, yes you did. 0:)
:P
And I thought /my/ mind was being weird earlier..
See, that's what we're here for. To make you feel normal. XD
Food deserves it. It's supposed to keep you full. But I always get hungry again and again. It just won't stop. They're not doing their job well :P
*is craving chocolate(which she has), but kinda too late to eat a piece*
Fera, I never thought about it, but you're right. 0.0
Food should learn its lesson already, but nooooo... >.>
Yay, I'm as normal as you guys! XP
You fit right in! .. no wait. Who got here last? Whoever got here last fits right in. -nods- ^^
nah, you're normaller :P
Aquila: right? wanna have revenge on the food? ;O
Err, as in now or who's newer? Cause if the former, then that'd be me as I got here 'last'. If the latter, it'd be Frank. He's newer.
Sorry, I think too much. ^.^'
I realised I wasn't clear after posting, but I meant the latter. ^^
Also, I'm finally DONE with the pattern I was colouring in! It's so pretty now. :)
And yep, I'll revenge the hell out of this bonbon. -eats it-
Yeah, I probably am. Nvm then. :P But I'm still odd! Just not as odd as some. Odder than others though, and that includes my friend who keeps telling me so.
Though I'm always arguing that when she gets into her 'random-tired' mode, she's way stranger than me!
I love coloring things in! I bet it's pretty! :D
I've colored a few things a while back. It looks nice too. :)
*considers looking for the pages and showing pictures*
Thinking of which, let's see it!
Aye, let me just post that not that great mobile phone picture on my blog... ^^
Thinking of which, I still have a dA account. Just saying. ^^
I am odder :P
Aquila: Oh nice :) Can I see it? ^_^ Wanna revenge together? :D
Oh, cool! I have a dA account too, but I haven't posted much on it. :P used it mostly to follow people. ^.^
Posted! ^^
And, is that an invitation for food? Cause I like food...
Aquila: Is that a yes to our cruel ploy of taking revenge on food? :P
I'll always want food. -nods-
Very nice :) I've gotta go now, will be on later tonight :)
Byebye. ^^
:O
THAT IS AMAZING. O.O Makes all /my/ coloring pages look like kid colorings. XP
Bye Fera. *waves*
Lavender, you realise it's in a book I bought, right? ^^ The lines were there, I just had to colour in. ^^
Yeah, but... The petals too? You mixed red and yellow, /I/ probably wouldn't have thought to do that! XP
In all honesty, that was mainly to help me get which petal belongs where. XD
The lines were SO DAMN CONFUSING, when I started. ^^
This is one of my coloring pages with a flower pattern. --->
*hopes you can see it clearly okay*
Hrm. I actually should post that other story I wrote...
... basically, I was feeling creative without having an idea. So I asked my friend for one. His suggestion was 'Aquila finds a rock'. ^^
*frowns*
Maybe I'll put it as a blogpost...
*nods*
That's a good idea then. Usually, I just make sure of everything before I even start to color. :P
Ooooh, it's nice. :)
Seems you prefer paler colours?
Nice prompt. :) That actually /sounds/ like it could make for a good adventure. ^.^
She ended up...
... actually, just going to post it. ^^
Nah, this is just one idea. I'll show you one of my brighter ones.
I also have a darker colored page. The idea for them both was rainbow- one bright one dark. ^.^
*tacklecuddles Hopeymoth* :3
How are you? How are things?
*also hugs Johanna* How are you doing today?
I sometimes coloured in on my paper in school, you know, one of the ones with little squares. ^^
-hugs Kas back- Hello again, and I'm perfectly fine, thanks. ^^
Posted the story of Aquila finding a rock. ^^
*cuddles Kassy back* ^.^
I'm doing better. :) Things are going okay, though I was really busy the past week or so. From tomorrow, I'll be less busy so I'm happy for a break. :P How are you?
This one is the bright colors, but I did it lightly so it looks paler.
Ah, graph paper? The kind used in Maths? I like coloring those in too. :P
I like that one, too. :)
And, it's not really just for graphs.. we use that paper for pretty much everything. You can fit more words on a paper with half a cm squares than on the ones with lines, for example. ^^
*is impatient for how long it takes the picture to load when changing it*
-_-
I'll read it soon! :)
Oh, cool. :) I haven't used it for actual writing before though. Sounds like a good idea. :)
This is the darker colored one --->
And if you notice, the previous one starts with red in the center and follows the colors out and around. This one goes from our to in. :)
Never liked the paper with lines. Nor being forced to write in cursive. >.>
Sorry it's a bit hard to see though. ^.^'
Oooh, nice. :) It seems your colouring book is mostly patterns? Mine is mostly flowers. ^^
Gtg, sorry :/
Hello?
Bye Kas, hello... Ophelia?
Ah, I got these from the Internet, so I could have chosen anything. :P I like patterns though. :)
And this is the last one I colored. Kinda like a butterfly and I got the idea for the colors from an artist who drew a similar design on dA. Except added a bit of blue and purple(mostly green and blue though) on the inside of the wings. :)
There's a really cool looking owl one I printed out, but I'm so scared of messing up that I haven't started yet. It's got a lot of spaces to color in and I got a really cool idea on how to draw it, but as I said, I really don't want to mess it up, so I haven't gotten to it yet. ^.^'
Aww, bye Kas! *hugs*
Hi Flora!
I like all of yours. :)
And, you shouldn't be so scared. Just make a copy and try it. ^^
I like your picture, Lav :) Very pretty
And hey Aquila, you can call me Flora or Ophelia (or any shortened version of either of them), whatever, I don't mind
Alright, will remember it. :)
Off to food for now. ^^ ... and then work. And then possibly food again. ^^
Thanks, Flo. :) just showing Aquila patterns I colored. This is one of them. :)
And I read your story, Aq! That's cool and a good ending. :) Leaves enough imagination to the readers as to the reason for it moving and all. ^.^
Okay, bye Aquila! Have fun! ^.^
Also, I think my idea for the color design was kinda stained glass style. As I mentioned earlier, I'm planning the owl in a similar style, but I'm still nervous about coloring it. ^.^'
Sorry, Flora, I'm going to bed. ^.^'
Good night from me and have a good day!
*may also keep this pic for now unless she changes it before her next comment*
Hi.
Good night, Hopeymoth!
( I am back, back back, back again :P )
-cuddles kassy and Keiron tightly-
( -cuddles Gemmy Jam Jar- <3 :P )
Just had first day of college.
It was fuckign awful.
*cries*
I can't deal with people.
Ugh.
Too many people.
I haven't had to deal with people for motns.
And now hall full of people for two hours.
They were people my own age as well.
Can't deal with people my own age.
When I see random strangers who are my own age their presence makes me uncomfortable just coz of their age.
I was in a whole room full of them.
It was distressing.
Fucking team-building exercises and fucking icebreakers as well.
Fuck social interaction.
The only good bit was the really really easy literacy test in the middle.
Ugh.
*hides under duvet*
*months
Why is no one online
I need to interact with people to recover from all that interaction I did today
Haha
That's irony, that is. :P
(I am here
Unless trouble starts
Then I go)
(*looking up jobs*
Mmmm..)
*hugs Chloe and Jai*
PEOPLE
They haven't even given us any schoolwork.
I want to do schoolwork.
:( :( :(
So much for "you're here to learn."
I want to learn, I just don't want to do fucking team building exercises.
Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhh
(+hugs star* you can do my mathsy biology homework if you like XD)
(*hugs star back*
@Star xD team building sucks..)
Back for... eight minutes. ^^
Hi Star, and... won't you get used to them, eventually?
@Chloe: Would like to. :P Probably shouldn't.
@Jai: Mmh.
It was mostly all the people that was stressful.
I've got out of the habit of being with all those people.
(Hey Aq!
It's allll about energy flow)
... heh. So glad no energy flows from or to me. >.> ... except if I lick a socket, I guess. But I won't do that.
After all, everyone knows: Electricity tastes ouch.
*hugs everybody*
Starryeyes! *hands her extra blankets to hide under*
Draggie is still gone? :|
Hey Aquila. :)
Yeah, I will. :) I normally am. It's just after having not interacted with people over the summer except for my family and friends.
*hugs Kas* :) :) Thank you.
I love blankets . . .
@Kas: Gone where?
Blankets, pillows and plushs are undoubtably among the greatest inventions of all time.
Aaaand, off to work. ^^
*nods* blankets are good and warm :)
Msd, doing maths revision.
@Aquila: Yep.
Bye. :)
@Kas: :) :) *nods*
@Star Draggie went to play ME3MP at around two.
Good bye, Johanna! Take care!
@Kas: Oh yeah so he did.
*remembers reading that up there ^^*
I was going to invite Draggie to some GTA 5 on PC, as I haven't played it for months and we could play together.
(*rubs eyes* I'm sleepy)
@Chloe Lay down and listen to music?
@Kas: :/
*hugs Chloe :(*
(wbd ... deleting things to make room also looking for jobs also watching anime :P )
(I have to read)
I love maths.
It's so calming.
:)
@Star He may not even have the game lmao
@Kas: :/
Just discovered I like The Script.
Anyone else like The Script?
hello.
never heard any of their songs.
*is studying psychology*
@Star Eh they're ok I guess. Not one of my favorite bands though.
(I love the script!)
@Lantern: *nods*
@Chloe: :)
(I wuvs this pic!)
@Chloe: :)
I'm crying and I don't know why?????
It's weird.
(theres this anime called 'ghost stories'
the English script was made to be more comic than the original)
@Chloe: *nods*
(*huggles starry*)
:) *huggles Chloe back*
perhaps some kind of emotional response that was triggered by something. Possibly puberty?
@Fera: *shrugs*
star: I would hug you, but i know for a fact you're mad at me, so it would only make it worse, probably.
@Fera: You can hug me if you want. I just won't hug you back.
(*decides to roleplay cause roleplay usually helps..*)
Sel: *on a nearby shore a small sighly squat teenage girl steps free off a mass of seal skin wearing a drab dull brown dress, hugging herself, looking around*
*whispers*
Nix? I.. got your note.. where are you?
Nix: *a water snake slithers out of the waves, gliding across the sand silently*
*it bites the seal skin and, while the girl isn't watching, slithers away, hiding it*
Sel: N-Nix..
*the girl steps forwards, shivering from the cold sea breeze, looking for her friend*
Please..
Nix: *the snake loops around, quickly returning to the girl and, in a bright flash of light, shifting to a tall slender girl with long bright red locks and a dress that looks almost like scales*
Selly!
Sel: *spins around quickly, squealing and jumping back in surprise*
*breathes quickly from the shock, slowly getting herself under control*
Nix.. Hey.
*smiles gently*
Nix: Hey Selly.
Sel: *smiles, then notices the seal skins absence*
NIX! Where's my seal skin!!! What have you done?!?!
(shall we continue from last night jai?
hehe I love it that in ghost stoies one of the characters is an extreme believer of Christ every is some reference to Christianity)
*hugs Jai*
Omg.
I never told you guys about Hrathen!!!
well *hugs star*
Nix: *laughs musically*
Calm down Selly, its in a safe place.
Sel: That's not the point Nix!
Nix: Hey, relax! Come on, you're always getting back in your skin and hiding in Atlantis. Live a little!
Sel: You know I could be cast out for coming to see you! You can't just.. just.. trap me Nix.. give me my skin back.
Nix: Nope. Not until you've at least spent a week with me. Come on, its fun here!
Sel: You're living in a cave!
Nix: A luxurious cave. And how is the sea witch?
Sel: You know there's no sea witch!
Nix: Good, you haven't seen her. My donations must be keeping her away.
Sel: Donations? Oh you're not doing this again are you..
Nix: Of course I am. To protect you.
(*hugs star back*
*tilts head?*
@Chloe sure. You start.)
(hehehe one of the lines : why do all the principals look like lesbians
XD)
MN: well I can go if you want...
flauros: please don't!
(I think everyone will have heard script... even if they didn't know it was them ... ? lol
common song on radio ect by script )
(*will leave nix and sel for now*)
Michael: *eyes Flauros*
You.. could tag along.
flauros: you leave me and Ms Nightcore alone *growls*
*doesn't hug Fera back*
*nods at Keiron*
@Jai: ??
@Chloe: Why do they?
(I don't know
its what the girl says in the anime
then her four year old brother asks what a lesbian is)
Michael: *flinches slightly*
Flaur..
XD
Flauros: what is it?!
Michael: Why are you being like this! Jesus, any other day it's a miracle if I don't have you lunging at me!
MN: is there something I should know about flauros? I don't want to get in the way of your other... lover
Flauros: He isn't my lover!
Michael: *blushes, looking down at his feet, sniffling very slightly*
flauros: *glares at Michael* whats the matter? you wanted to rid yourself of me anyways!
I have returned from the land of boring and repititious tasks! ... also known as the real life! 0.0
Hi all! ^^
(hey Aq!)
Michael: Well maybe I was wrong..
( *le me getting 2mbs down in room downloads game and watches anime *
*le me tries to skype gemma*
*doesn't work*
*le me gets mad at internet*
*le internet stops downloading game and watching anime*
* no le internet come back I love you* )
(Hello Aq.)
XD
Never be mad at the internet. It can tell. -nods wisely-
MN: *fakes sadness* I see... you want flauros all to yourself..
(hey K)
*curls up on duvet and cries*
-puts another duvet over Star. But not her face. She still needs that to breathe and stuff-
(Hey guys and I know Aq :( it's just sad thats it's no longer bae... so it won't let me skype her :P eheh )
(*huggles star*)
lol
(*hugs star*... :/ whats up ?)
(*pulls star close and hugs tightly*)
Michael: I.. yes. I do.
:) Thanks, Aquila.
*huggles Chloe back*
Msd. Need to go watch Merlin soon.
Flauros: you do?!
*hugs Keiron* Just keep feeling like crying. I think it's because I felt so shit earlier together.
*hugs Jai tightly back*
*does maths and listens to Lady Gaga*
Hehe! Yes, someone else has to do a dedication!
-sits back with popcorn-
(I dedicate this page to the paranormal)
-claps politely-
-is studying science-
-does not believe in the paranormal >.>-
(aghh I read :( hopefully if they are in your course you can get to know them a little better resulting in less awkwardness? in long term ? )
(I believe in paranormal happenings but still study science)
*shrugs* *thinks it depends what you mean by paranormal as to whether or not I believe in it*
@Keiron: ??
*is supposed to study science* *doesn't lock out the idea of the paranormal, as the universe itself could be a really advanced computer program, and glitches might happen, thus the paranormal*
Michael: Yes..
( Hear here :P
I believe some things paranormal ... like I'd like to believe in heaven because that's nicer than just being all no my Dad was nutrients for the grass around him and now he's just a skeleton in a box... no I like to believe there is some sort of afterlife ect ... I also believe in fate but think that we choose our own and that it can change, if we want something enough we will make it happen )
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