Monday, August 17, 2015

10 Days And Counting...

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.

4,989 comments:

  1. I'm sure Demon road will be good :)

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  2. (Fifth? If so it'll be the best I've ever done by a long shot.)

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  3. Good luck with the book, Derek.


    Not that I think you'll really need it.

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  4. *is sure book will be great*
    *is too tired to say hellos*
    *ghosts*

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  5. Is this series coming to the states?

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  7. Craaaaaap crap crap crap I'm about to get in trouble with a debt collection agency, good job Gmail for putting their emails into the junk folder and then deleting them, now I'm in deep shit because of £7!!!! Stupid Gmail, why are you so damn stupid! ?

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  8. I'll try. It's just so bullshit, they've been sending me messages for months but they end up in the bin and automatically deleted, what the actual fuck, Google?

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  9. And I only know because I managed to pry one from the bin. Fucking hell.

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  10. kas: yeah, that's bullshit. also, how much of a problem is it?

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  11. *hugs her babydoll*
    *Then hugs her boobear Niccolo*

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  12. It's no problem because I owe them £7, which I obviously have. But, in two days, they'll pass it to debt collection (which results in another £15 charge) unless they're paid.

    Oh, and there's no way to pay them. I can't just pay them £7 which I owe them because that's not how it works.

    So they demand their money but don't let me pay it.

    They're fucking idiots, basically.

    I emailed them to take the money but no response yet. They claim to have 24/7 customer support but I'm sure that's a lie.

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  13. A little. Still disturbed by what my mom said..

    But just going through the motions

    Although I abhor that phrase

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  14. Hello, Noelle and ~...

    *hugs them gently, if they wish*

    *doesn't really know what to say*

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  15. That's understandable. If it helps any, I think she's scared. I don't know her, though, so I suppose I might be wrong.

    It's good to hear that you're at least a little better, though.

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  16. noelle: i agree that she's just scared. and you know she cares about you, she can't see you like this. It hurts her a lot, what you're doing with yourself. Think about her and all the people that care about you. It hurts them.

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  17. I hope things go well for you, Noelle.

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  18. (hi ... :P uhmm yeh very good day today ... even though I sprained my wrist :P ... whoops )

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  19. Hi Alexandria.
    *offers her hand*

    James: Mmm..
    *moves to sit beside her head*
    You are fascinating.

    Manuel: by heating it up.

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  20. (Shit
    The instructor was forty five mins early XD)

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  21. (It was great

    drove really fast!)

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  22. Hey Jai! :D
    How are you and your eyes?!

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  23. *Hugs Alastair back*

    The marks on my arms are very dark now

    The ones from yesterday



    And unfortunately I. Can't wear long sleeve because it's too hot but I mustn't wear short sleeve because that would reveal me

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  24. I'm fine!
    Kinda freaking out about school soon and the retreat and not knowing anyone and completely different school and oh gosh sorry I'll stop typing now


    @Noelle :/ do you have any light cardigans? Though those may be too hot as well...

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  25. *hugs noelle* could put some plasters on them ? ^_^

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  26. Yeah, too hot. I wore a rain jacket. But it's hot and humid

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  27. @Noelle yeah :/ it's really hot on the east coast right now, I'm glad we came home when we did.
    and your profile picture is adorable! :0 :D

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  28. noelle: but really, plasters could help, right? :)

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  29. *smashes through the roof idk because blogland has a roof now* *is attacked to a rope* *does a triple backflip whilst eating pastrami* *does a forward spinning flipping back-kick into the face of a zombie* *jumps up slow-mo* *realises it's impossible to slow mo jump without y'know help* *falls*

    GAH WHY HAVEN'T I UNLOCKED A QUARIAN YET ON THE MULTIPLAYER OF ME3 IT'S SO HORRIBLE I HAVE TO PUT UP WITH HUMANNNSSS OR DRELLL OR SALARIANSSS AND NO ONE LIKES THEM XD DAMN YOU HUMANS. QUARIANS BEAT EVERYTHING.

    Noelle see I have winter coats and jackets then I have heavy jackets for when it's too warm for winter coats but too cold for jackets so idk maybe you should do the same? Idk maybe. Get 3/4 sleeves?

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  30. Well- I grew up in North Carolina, and used to have the sea breeze, but in the Midwest it's just... Hot. Dry. The air is still, and thick

    It's gross

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  31. No, 3/4 won't cover it all.
    I'll just stick with the rain jacket I think...

    It's supposed to rain

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  32. *DOESN'T LIEK IT WHEN THE AIR IS THICK AND DRY AND GAH* *GETS SLIGHTLY ANNOYED AT THAT*

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  33. Or you could like do a switcharoo and like if you're wearing a long sleeved t-shirt then take that off and put a thin jacket on instead or if you're wearing a t-shirt and a long sleeved jacket idk like take the jacket off?
    *apparently that = switcharoo*
    *doesn't understand why*
    *doesn't understand what a switcharoo is*
    *doesn't think it's a word*
    *eh*

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  34. I'm sorry you're so uncomfortable, Noelle.

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  35. Hey Alastair. :) *pokes Alastair with a stick* You hurt people right??? Well you HAVE hurt people???

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    WIGGLY LINES

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  36. Er

    I think I might have eaten too many green things but even though sugar doesn't affect me I think the fact that they're GREEN THINGS TOTALLY HAS AND IT'S MADE ME HYPER. GREEEENNNNNNNNN THINGGGSSSSS THEY'RE SO COOL.

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  37. Oh that sounds horrible :((
    Hopefully it will rain and the rain Wil help clear the air

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  38. Okay if someone can give me the name for the green things I've had I'll make them a cake. And it'll be a very nice cake which tastes like almond. *nods* ALMOND ESSENCE FTW.

    Okay

    Right

    Green things are basically like small truffles wrapped in some sort of green marzipany-pasty stuff with chocolate at either end and the distinctive feature is that they're BEAUTIFUL AND SOOOO GOOD.

    Er any ideas?

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  39. *pokes Alastair with a stick again* Why'd you do that? :) *er it's a nice stick btw it has a smiley face on* *so it won't hurt*

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  40. OH CRAP AWKWARD

    Me and my friend were just having a joke war about like people's hair and stuff and we covered people with brown hair black hair and blondes and people with green eyes and blue eyes and then I told a joke about a ginger and then my friend said, "My girlfriend is ginger."
    ...
    WHAT SHOULD I SAY??? *er puts phone down and hides from awkward*

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  41. I see noelle, I wish you the best :) oh, you could get some bandages? ^_^

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  42. PHEW HE JUST SAID, "That doesn't stop it being funny though" GAH.

    I was just about to tell a Mass Effect joke to stop the awkward. But it's fine though because he plays Mass Effect so he'll totally understand it even though he doesn't understand why Quarians are my favourites XD He thinks I'm weird for liking them because he finds them annoying but I find them so COOL. Like even though you can't SEE them they're still LESS WEIRD than Asari I mean who likes the Asari? *avoids Asari* *er has a history of shooting Asari too* *or watching them die that happened once*

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  43. See yeah but just because you like seeing people in pain doesn't mean you HAVE to cause them pain like idk you could watch Saw instead??? Idk like I like nutrigrain bars but I don't HAVE TO HAVE nutrigrain bars? :)

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  45. *Gently balls up around Alastair's feet*

    *Its okay if he is a Sado-masochist* *She loves him anyway*

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  46. *thinks its fine* *is just asking why* XD

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  47. I also simply did not care for other people for a very long time. I am still as much a sadist as I always have been, but I've mostly stopped hurting people because I have more empathy now.



    *loves Noelle, also, and hugs her*

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  48. *thinks empathy is good* *isn't saying that not having it is bad but empathy is good* XD

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  49. I packed four pairs of socks and brought home ten????

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  50. (*has empathy*
    *also has a worse imagination than saw at times*)

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  51. Pudding maybe they have the spell on from harry potter which means that when you touch them they duplicate??? DON'T TOUCH YOUR SOCKS. :)

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  52. CON DON'T SAY THAT IT ISN'T GOOD XD

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  53. ( Well it's true... I mean If i like you it's all good i'm nice and would kill for you, or you know try to help hehe if not then well ... *smirks* ehhe nah nor irl but I mean I've imagined it.. )

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  54. 0.0
    I just touched them
    They didn't seem to multiply!

    Also it's not like they're all the same, I suddenly have hulk, iron man, starry night (as in the painting), and constellation socks plus some other colored ones.

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  55. BUT THE GREAT SOURCE OF WISDOM THAT IS KICK-ASS SAYS "Like every serial killer already knew: eventually fantasizing just doesn't do it for you anymore". HAVING MURDEROUS THOUGHTS ISN'T A GOOD IDEA YOU MIGHT END UP A SERIAL KILLER ACCORDING TO THE GREAT SOURCE OF WISDOM THAT IS KICK-ASS. KICK-ASS IS WARNING US ALL.

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  56. (I mean I have something that silences them... I also have ways of releasing it without hurting anyone relevant.)

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  57. *whispers to Jai*
    Think he's insane....! :P

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  58. (Me or Draggie? *laughs* )

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  59. I was talking about Draggie because we all know you're insane, K :P

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  60. ( Makes sense :D :P hehe it's funny that i'm not joking)

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  61. (Jack stop calling
    I'm In the bath atm)

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  62. I'm an idiot Jai, an absolute idiot
    *leaves*

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  63. (...*still looks confused*
    Um.. Chloe? Fill me in maybe..? You both were so happy yesterday.. what's happened?)

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  64. *Pets Alastair's head* I love you..

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  65. I NEED TO GO FUCKING KILL CAT'S PARENTS

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  66. I'd tell you Jai but not on here, I'm sorry


    I'm so sorry Chloe

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  67. (ummm ok Star, *hugs* what happened?

    *hugs Jack* umm my skypes always open if you wanna chat ... Keironmate ..)

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  68. @Jack From what little I know about you two... you're good together. Try not to hurt Chloe and you'll be okay...

    @Starryeyes Can I help?

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  69. (*leaves a marshmallow for jack*

    *leaves *)

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  70. Oh, hi.

    Also, is it normal not to have voices in your head???

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  71. Don't leave Chloe.....

    tjank you k,for helping

    Kas. I'd never hurt Chloe, never ever

    Sorry Jai...

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  72. ( I don't have voices in my head kas... well one it's mine... it changes and tells me things ranging from SHe's so perfect all the way to THey need to die for their sins... ect lol sooo I mean the only voice is me)

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  73. Her parents. Going to be disappointed at her if she gets Bs in her GCSEs.
    She already had fucking anxiety. She's been stressing about her results for WEEKS. I mean, I thought I'd been anxious recently - at worst my breathing has gone funny, but she gets palpitations and can't breathe. Had a horrible two-week holiday because she was so anxious.
    Her cousin just got two As and two Bs in his AS levels and all her extended family is disappointed in him (because his older sister got thirteen A*s in her GCSEs)
    And like
    and like
    she's so scared because she knows she'll probably get some Cs in her GCSE results and her whole family will be disappointed in her
    and like
    fuck
    fuck
    fucking
    fuck
    what the fuck
    WHAT THE FUCK

    *crying in frustration and anger*

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  74. @Kas: It's not normal, but Cat hallucinates a lot and she's fine.

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  75. Well, I mean, she's not currently fine right at this moment because SHE'S SO FUCKING ANXIOUS but y'know

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  76. *Zips herself underneath Alastaor's jacket with him, so it's like she is attached to his front* *Her little head pokes up*

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  77. *hugs Jack and Chloe*


    *frowns at Star*
    Huh. That's hardly fair!

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  78. I REALLY don't like it when parents have such HIGH expectations of their children and it's like wtf they should be proud of them no matter what they get because that's like what parents are for. :/ People can only try their best and no matter what their best is it should be good enough. :/

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  79. @Dugglyn You don't say.

    @Dragona: *nodsnodsnods*

    And I'm sort of crying in rage rn but that's only secondary emotion so I'm fine

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  80. (fuck them... like omg no!

    Like when I have kids i will be happy for them just to get what they get, i'm not going to be forcing them to get A's ... like maybe push them a little tell them to try their best but not to that extent... *hits her parents* I seen a girl crying in my year because she got a B in the same subject as me, she came up to me and asked me what I got as I was soo happy I said a C :P :/)

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  81. star: for this year, my parents will have plain A expectations of me, cuz i failed last one :P

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  82. @Keiron: *nods*

    I just
    sometimes I want to have kids just so I can show people how it's done
    but I reckon in reality when you're stressed and doing other stuff and have to deal with kids every day of your life, you won't be as ideal as you'd like to be
    and also, y'know, that's not enough reason for me to want to have kids

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  83. star: It is a lot harder than you'd think. trust me.

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  84. Star er what is a good reason? XD *genuine question*
    Like no matter what your reason is for wanting them it comes down to you wanting kids, so if that's your reason for you wanting kids then I don't think it can be any less valid than any other reason because you came to the same conclusion???
    Like...
    1+2 = 3.
    6-3 = 3.
    They both reach the same conclusion and neither is more right than the other because er they're both right???

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  85. Give her a good hug and reassure her it'll be okay...

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  86. @Dragona: I didn't mean it wasn't a good enough one, I meant it wasn't a strong enough one.

    Sorry. I think that crying made me tired. :/ I apologise for anythign I say from this point on.

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  87. Ah, okay XD Sorry Starfish. *hugs Starfish* :)

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  88. (Jack... I'm sorry for being such a bitch

    You are so kind and caring and sweet and loving... And I hurt you...

    I'm sorry)

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  89. star: i get it... they say, kids are the way to live forever. It may not be you, but your child has your genes, so in a sense, it is you.

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  90. Inky https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hFyYUAwgWw

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  91. @Fera: I don't believe in having kids so you can pass on more of yourself or so you can have a mini you.
    I think you should appreciate your child as its own person for its own worth. You should be doing parenting for THEM, not for you.
    I was scribbling in my diary today and I realised how one-sided parenthood was. I mean, if you have a romantic relationship where one person does everything for the other and the other does nothing, everyone would say how unfair it was and tell the first person to break up with the second - but in a parent&child relationship, that's pretty much what it is. And you haev to give a HECK of a lot to that child.
    You really need a shedload of love and selflessness to do that, and if your reasons for havign a child are selfish . . . well, that won't really work out too well.

    (I mean, I know nothign about parenting and am just a sixteen-year-old (I am sixteen, going on seventeen~) speculator, but yeah.)

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  92. *hugs Dragona back*

    *looks at Chloe&Jack with concern*

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  93. *generally agrees with Starfish* *but er don't the children look after the parents when they get old?* *although it doesn't like make up for the time spent looking after the child idk it's a lot like getting a dog* *you look after the dog because you love the dog and they're adorable and awh and in return the dog loves you unconditionally and that's totally worth it*

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  94. (I think it's mean to have a kid so you can have a mini you..)

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  95. star: yeah, i wasn't saying they should be like you, I was just stating one really good reason to make kids XD :P

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  96. (I should hope me and jack are more than friends dragon... )

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  97. Eh you can't have a girlfriend/boyfriend without the word friend???

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  98. Would anyone like to buy a Steam copy of Five Nights at Freddy's for £0.03?

    I mean it's cheap...

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  99. *doesn't have 3p to spend on Steam at the moment XD*

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  100. @Fera Do you have Paypal and £0.03 on it?

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  101. I mean I have a Steam key that I'll sell for £0.03 PayPal monies.

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  102. @Drgaona: Oh, you can have a girlfriend/boyfriend without being their friend, you just can't have a GOOD girlfriend/boyfriend without being their friend. ;)

    And, yeah, that's what I mean. If the kid loving you isn't reward enough, then yeah.

    And I also think 'oh they'll look after me later' is a bad reason, beacuse once again, it's selfish, and like I said you need a shedload of selflessness to get through parenthood decently.

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  103. I've got a debit card, and £60 on it, HOWEVER i also have 69p(lol ironically) on my steam account :P

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  104. @Fera I only take PayPal. Unless I can remember my bank details (I really can't) but I need £0.03 and I'm trying to raise funds by selling the only Steam key I have.

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  105. kas: lol, I can't connect my paypal to my card, cuz apparently i need some kind of security number that i haven't sorted out yet...umm, yeah, but i would really like FNAF :P

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  106. @Starfish = true. :)

    See idk because having the kid love you is like kind of a result of having a child and that might be enough to keep looking after them but idk whether it'd set people off wanting a child though and plus "I want a child because I want the child to love me" is selfish XD

    I don't think you need a lot of selflessness to START parenthood though just to get through it. :)

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  107. *time to listen to some wise words by yoda :P

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  108. kas: I know, I will but i cannot right now...do u really need that 3 p? :P I mean, i wouldn't mind giving more for it, but i cannot do that through paypal right now...

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  109. Yes, I really need that £0.03 as that will let me buy something online. And I can't just pop £0.03 onto my account as I'm abroad. So I need to sell something online.

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  110. I think I'll go to sleep now, good night!

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  111. *hugs Starfish*

    Hey Alastair!! Can I call you Salad? I won't poke you with a stick. :)

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  112. I don't care very much what you call me, so long as it isn't a title.

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  113. Salad will do. :) Your profile picture is green after all. :) Yay! *so far has Starfish, Raisin, Superman, Pudding and Salad*

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  114. Noelle are you and Salad going out???

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  115. No, we are not dating.
    For one, I'm not going to date anyone without a fictional body. That's unhealthy.
    For two, he's married.

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  116. It probably is unhealthy XD A bit like dating a teddy bear although a teddy bear has a physical body and a fictional personality. Er not calling you a teddy bear Salad. :) But with Salad I think it's the other way around like a real personality but fictional body? Same kind of idea though. :)
    Who's he married to???
    Can I give you a nickname Noelle???

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  117. I am married to Adra Cruciatus. *gestures to Noelle's display name*

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  118. OHHHHHH NOELLE'S CHARACTER AND YOU AND HER AUTHOR ARE FRIENDS TOO THAT'S SO COOL. *totally impressed*

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  119. Yes. Adra is my wife, and Noelle is my dearest and only friend.

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  120. Awh. Cute. :)

    Your last name is a curse from Harry Potter. *just noticed* *is impressed* How old are you Salad???

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  121. Isn't Alastair's author a girl? That would pretty much eliminate Noelle dating Alastair. Unless Noelle preferred girls, but that is another topic. Where do Adra and Alastair live?

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  122. Oh my god Duggy....you were right!

    Oh and Alice- I like Salad as a nickname. Males you less terrifying.

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  123. Eh well there could be some combination of it working. :) And plus like idk it'd be possible to go out with someone without ever meeting them? Er well kind of, anyway. *idk* *isn't an expert in relationships* XD
    Can I give you a nickname Grant? :)

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  124. Hey Zanida can I give you a nickname too? XD *likes giving people nicknames* *its fun :)*

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  125. @Grant: No, if Noelle went out with Alastair, then she would just never meet Alastair's physical body. Like dating someone on the other side of the world.

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  126. If you want, Dragona. I'm not sure what you want though. I only named myself to roleplay as Grant Ward. My actual name I never said.

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  127. *nods at Starfish* *kind of said that XD*

    Grant you shall be forever named... Gravy.

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  128. Zanida you're going to be Stairs. :)

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  129. I see, Star. Noelle, if I offended you, I apologize. I'm not fully aware of how Alastair, his author, and yourself all communicate.

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  130. Can I be a rainbow? Asgard is famous for rainbow bridge! And Zaffy is simply Golden because we all know who she dated.

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  131. *for some reason decided to ask google what some of these Cards Against Humanity cards were on about so I could write the definitions on the cards so it would make it easier for us during the game*
    *I am googling some weird shit right now, I tell you :P*

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  132. *She snuggles up with Alastair*
    Honestly, I don't care about sexual orientations. I don't care about labels. Labels separate people, instead of unifying.

    *Pap pap pap* *On alastair*

    It would be unhealthy because I would never get to see him, and it would be foolish of me to let myself believe that he could ever gain a physical body, etc. It would be mixing reality and illusion. I happen to be a realistic person.

    *Pets alastair*

    *And then pulls her Niccolo out as well* *And snuggles on both* *Two is better than one* *Marginally*

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  133. One moment XD Basically I type in your name into my phone and pick the first name sounding thing that the AUTOCORRECT says. :)
    OKAY ZANIDA YOU CAN BE STUMBLE. *nods* Stumble sounds cool. :)

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  134. You are very entertaining haha

    *sighs*

    Yay onw more college visit in September then pick where I wanna go...

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  135. No, I don't want a nickname

    I've had enough in my lifetime

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  136. There's Raisin, Starfish, Superman, Salad, Novel, Gravy and Stumble. GOD THIS SOUNDS LIKE THE SEVEN DWARVES OR SOMETHING.

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  137. Okay that's fine Noelle. :) *crosses of Novel* :)

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  138. @Noelle: Labels also help communication. I mean, all words are basically labels. If you didn't have words for different things, then putting up a tent would be a hard thing to do as a group activity. "Pass me the, uh, the, uh, thing" "*holds up tent pole* This?" "No" "*holds up mallet* This?" "No" . . .
    so much easier to be able to label things.
    That's a very oversimplified version, but yeah. Labels can be useful.
    Also, although if you have people labelled as straight and gay etc. it can divide the world into straight and gay etc. . . . because people identify with their labels, you can get a lot more unity within the eg. gay community because of people all identifying with one label . . .
    And, yeah, the knowledge that that everyone, whatever religion, race, gender or sexual orientation (I think that was a Supernatural quote I just did there), is human just like us is a major thing we should be aiming for, but I don't think that means that all division is bad . . . I think it just means that divisions should not be very strongly enforced, and that people should learn to look past divisions. I mean - there are ALWAYS going to be lines, and you can't change that whether you label them or not, but you can . . . try to look past the lines.
    But like I was sayign the other day, everyone doesn't have to like and fit in with everybody. You're not goign to like everyone in the world, but y'know, maybe you want to use the labels you identify with to find others who identify with that label so you can share common experiences and stuff, and maybe you'll fit in with this group of people slightly better due to that shared aspect. And, yeah. Sorry, I'm getting tired and my words keep dying. :P And, yeah, you use labels to find those groups. And, yeah, I think groups should exist. Like book groups and church groups. *nods* Yeah.
    Yeah, sorry, words really dying. :P

    Tehn again, I have my opinion and you haev your opinion, and I don't mind your opinion because it's not a bad opinion to have. It's just not my opinion. *nods* Yeah. :)

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  139. *also thinks that a genderblind sexblind Iceland society will probably bog work and idk not be good because DIFFERENCES* *LIKES DIFFERENCES*

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  140. Derek, as long as you continue to tread new and exciting ground, every book will be awesome. I'm highly interested in Demon Road and I'm sure it will be just as good, if not better than SP, I mean it will at least be better than the very first book in the SP series as you have developed your style a lot further. :)

    #Experience

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  141. *does not know enough about this Iceland thing to comment*

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  142. For things like orientation, race, gender, sex, etc, I prefer to think that people ought not categorize themselves.

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  143. @Noelle: *shrugs*
    *can see your point*

    *continues listening to AC/DC and cutting out Cards Against Humanity cards*

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  144. *wishes Derek good luck with selling the book*
    *may or may not be here*

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  145. *still here*
    *still cutting out Cards Against Humanity cards*
    *music now shuffled onto Arctic Monkeys*

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