Spoilers Ahead!

The time has come...

Death Bringer is trickling into some shops ahead of schedule... I was in my local bookstore today and there it was- out two days before it should be. I glared at the book, and the book blushed, for such is the power of my glare.

The official launch is today- Wednesday- in Dublin. And then Thursday it is finally, and officially, unleashed.

So the comments section for THIS blog entry are reserved for MILD SPOILERS. There is to be NO casual conversation here- that's what the previous entry is for. THIS entry is for discussions about the book. Even so, try to exercise SOME caution, because you just KNOW that someone is going to stumble onto it by accident, or they're going to pop in before they've FINISHED and then they're going to be horrified that the ending is now ruined for them...

So. If you haven't read Death Bringer, continue using the previous comments section. But once you have read it... discuss it here.

And now I'm going to bed.

Short Stories

Hello, my Minions.

Can you feel it? Can you? The 1^st of September is approaching. According to that wonderful Countdown Clock on the Skulduggery website, there is- at the time of posting- FIVE days, TEN hours, and FOUR minutes. Of course, by the time you read this, the time to wait will be even shorter- and growing shorter every moment.

(Unless you’re re-reading this at some stage AFTER the 1^st, in which case, yayyy it’s already out! Woot!)

Ahem.

All of you folks who came to the Edinburgh event have been fantastic, I have to say. I wasn’t OVERLY worried that someone would release spoilers, but the chance for someone to say the wrong thing or give the wrong hint (coughSwindlercough) was always there, lurking around the edges of every Blog and Facebook comment. So, my thanks to you, my Minions, for remaining loyal and true, and allowing your fellow readers the same chance you had to experience Death Bringer without ANY spoilers.

I have seven days until my tour begins, so I’m trying to cram as many things into this coming week as possible. I enjoy every tour when I’m out there, and it’s a great chance for me to meet the people from this Blog and the Facebook page and the Forums, so that always makes me smile. The downside of touring is the travelling, the hotels, the airports, the car rides, and the fact that you have to put your life on hold for a few weeks.

It’s like a holiday, without the relaxation or the parties.

But hey, it’s fun nonetheless.

This coming Wednesday is the official Skulduggery launch, in Eason’s Bookshop in Dublin. I have no idea what to expect. Most book launches are relatively quiet affairs, attended by friends and family, with a few other writers turning up to wish you well. When I was told that Dave from Eason was planning a launch, however, I got a chill. Because Dave... Dave doesn’t DO quiet.

The only thing I know about it is that there will be readers there, whom I BELIEVE have already entered a competition (I sincerely don’t know anything about it).  Apparently, he’s also planned a “surprise”. Oh dear God. I’ll keep you informed as best I can.

Now then, when we brought out the new paperback editions, I didn’t want you guys to buy a SECOND copy of a book you already owned just because they had (admittedly awesome) new covers. I knew there were some lunatics out there who would buy the new editions just for Tom’s artwork, so I wrote a few short stories just to give them something extra. Of course, THEN the problem became how to make those stories available to the people who DIDN’T feel the need to have multiple copies of the same book. You know- relatively SANE people.

So now, at last, two of the short stories that have previously appeared in the new paperbacks are now available on the website at skulduggerypleasant.co.uk, as well as being available on iBooks and Kindle, for the very reasonable price of NOTHING AT ALL. I love when things are free, because it means EVERYONE can afford it, and you don’t have to worry about loose change in your pocket. The Lost Art of World Domination takes place after Skulduggery Pleasant, and Gold, Babies and the Brothers Muldoon takes place after Playing With Fire. The other short stories will be released over the next few months.

And I’m going to go now, because I have things to do. Things! To do!

Ahem.

Ahh, Edinburgh...

Wow… yesterday was a long day.

It’s been a long week, actually. Aside from normal things like writing, I’m also busy with other stuff that nobody else is interested in but me- planning out a new kitchen, planning on having the floorboards put down in the living room... God, it’s all so domesticated. Isn’t the moment when you put in a new kitchen the moment you finally grow up and become an adult? It’s all so tediously dull and boring that there really is no other excuse for it.

Still, at least I have people like YOU to keep me young.

Right?

So, yesterday. Monday. I got up at five. It wasn’t that bad, getting up at five. I was brushing my teeth and it was just getting bright outside and I was thinking to myself, “This getting up at five lark, it’s really not so bad as I’d thought.” I was halfway down the stairs when I fell asleep. Not sure how I fed the dogs or the cats, but the next thing I knew I was in my car. Time sure flies when you’re sleeping.

My flight was at 6:50, and I got into Glasgow at a little before 8, where I was whisked off to the Harper Collins building and told to sign 2300 brand new copies of Death Bringer. I took a moment to look at the book- it was the first time I’d seen it- and make sure the dedication and the blurb was right. Oh it’s a nice book. Oh it’s a BIG book. 603 hardback pages, compared to Mortal Coil’s 572. AND the print is slightly smaller, so we’ve crammed more words onto each page, so in reality Death Bringer is... er... well, a lot more than 31 pages longer.

So I signed the books in record-breaking time- thanks to the six or seven people around me who unpacked the books, opened the books, slid them to me to sign, slid them away, stacked them, packed them up again, and hauled them back to the warehouse- all in one continuous motion. It’s quite something, seeing something like that. And they always ask me if I’m doing okay, if my arm is sore, if I need a break- but the fact is, I’m the only one sitting down, so I’m quite rested while they’re all running around frantically. Oh it’s good to be the writer.

Once that was done, Sam and I (Sam being my publicist extraordinaire) got in a car for the hour-long drive to Edinburgh. We got there at twelve, had lunch, strolled over to the Festival.

I love the Edinburgh Book Festival. It’s so PACKED full of things and events and writers and all these people, all of these people of different ages and backgrounds and styles who come here just because they love books. The staff are so cool, real chatty and approachable, and the whole thing has a wonderful air of friendliness to it.

We went into the Author’s Tent- which is a fabulous marquee of hidden delights and forbidden pleasures- where I met Skulduggery artist Mister Tom Percival, who was over to do his own event. Tom is, as you know, the writer/illustrator behind Tobias and the Super Spooky Ghost Book and the upcoming A Home for Mr Tipps (both amazing picture books for a little brother or sister, if you have them. Or, you know, even if you don't. They're still AWESOME).

I also met up with Charlie Fletcher, author of the Stoneheart trilogy. I’d been on stage with Charlie a few years ago, when the first Skulduggery books was released, so it was nice to catch up. We know some of the same people, and we were talking movie rights and options until we were pushed onstage, where Charlie introduced me to the five hundred or so people packed into the tent.

It was a good event. Every event at a festival tends to be a good event, but this was especially good. The hour passed before I knew it, and then I was signing. Most writers for young people are taken to the Children’s Signing Tent, apparently, but because of the massive amount of people that turned up, I was taken to the MAIN Signing Tent, and signed for three and a quarter hours. In that time, I was given pictures (thank you all!), a story (thank you Zoe!), and seven- yes, SEVEN- hugs. I also met a few people who either read or comment on (or both) this Blog- Mhairi, NJ Maverick, Sarthacus and... and... argh... Doggy Bone Girl Person... (fine, that is not her ACTUAL name, but it’s close... kind of...)

By the end, I had to seriously speed up, because I had a flight to catch, but I managed to see everyone, chat to everyone, and sign all their books. Some of these people were waiting for over three hours, for God’s sake- I couldn’t just LEAVE them there. (Besides, they looked dangerous.)

When I got to the airport, though, I was told my flight had been delayed for an hour and half, which meant I could have stayed and had a long chat with EVERYONE. Curses!

Ahem.

I got home at eleven. My dogs were still alive (the cats hadn’t eaten them). I was tired. Oh boy was I tired. But I glanced at this Blog, and the Facebook page, and at our friends over at Skulduggery Forums, just to make sure that no one was posting spoilers. And of course, no one was.

But reading over the Facebook comments, it made me grin when I saw the gradual change in people who weren’t able to make it to Edinburgh. Before the Festival, everyone was saying “Don’t post spoilers! If you post spoilers I will kill you!”

But once there were actually people out there who were reading the book, some of the comments changed slightly... “Ok, ok, could you post ONE spoiler? Just one little spoiler, that’s all I ask... Nothing big, nothing major, just one teensy weensy spoiler, just to satisfy me until I can get the book myself...”

Thankfully, all that appears to be happening is that people are showing the back cover, and the blurb on the back. They’re not even giving away the dedication, or the Author Biography thing.

So, to the people who have the book, thank you very much for not posting spoilers. Now, it’s not going to be easy over the next two weeks, because curiosity is a powerful thing, and some people on this Blog, and Facebook, and the Forums, and all over, will be begging you for JUST ONE LITTLE SPOILER- but you must resist. Giving one person a spoiler could spoil it for EVERYONE- so I’m asking you once again to stay strong, no matter how much they plead or cajole or threaten... 

The Death Bringer Tour

Here you are, my Minions, all of the Ireland and UK public events are listed below. In between all these, I’ll be doing a lot of school events, but these are the ones where anyone will be able to attend.

As usual, whole sections will be missed out, because every year I try to visit different regions. So if I’m not going to be anywhere near you this year, I’ll probably be there in 2012. Maybe.

Sept 3^rd

10 AM, WHS Brent Cross, London- public signing.

3 PM, Waterstones Bromley- signing.

Sept 4^th

1 PM, Glenearn Community Campus Hall, Perth, Scotland –event.

6 PM, Waterstones, Stirling, Scotland - event.

Sept 5^th

5:30 PM, Waterstones, Sauciehall St, Scotland – event.

Sept 7^th

1 PM, Seven Stories, Newcastle – event.

4 PM, Waterstones, Blackett Street, Newcastle – signing.

Sept 8^th

3:30 PM, Waterstones, Meadowhall Centre, Sheffield – signing.

7 PM, Waterstones, Pescod Square, Lincolnshire – event.

Sept 9^th,

3:30 PM, Waterstones Cambridge – signing.

7 PM, University of Hertfordshite, Hatfield – event.

Sept 10^th,

10:30 PM, Muswell Hill Children;s Bookshop, London – signing.

3 PM, Waterstones, Bluewater, London – signing.

Sept 11^th,

4 PM, Mountains to the Sea Festival, Dublin, Ireland – event.

Sept 15^th,

11:30 AM, Tallaght County Library, Dublin – event.

4 PM, Easons, Newbridge – signing.

Sept 16^th,

10:30 AM, Liberty Hall, Dublin – event.

4:30 PM, Easons, Swords, Dublin – signing.

There'll probably be two more signings around Ireland on the 17th, but I don't know where yet.


Oh, and on the 15th and 16th of October I'll be at the Frankfurt Book Fair!

You can bring whatever you have and I'll do my best to sign everything. Naturally, if the queue is huge and time is running out, I may only be able to sign one thing per person, but I'll try my best. If you're lucky, only half a dozen people will actually turn up and then we'll have LOADS of time to chat! Oh, and if this "one book per person" rule comes into effect, try not to take it personally.

When I was over in Australia I'd been signing for two or three hours and I was seriously running out of time, so we announced that I'd only be able to sign one book per person in order to get through everyone. Now, all the people standing in the queue were very cool and understanding about it, they didn't mind one little bit...

... apart from this one particular boy.

I'm sure he regrets it now, but he started to stamp his feet when his mother told him that no, Derek couldn't sign everything. And then he started whining. And then he started crying. And his face was all red and blubbery and I was trying to explain, as quickly and as kindly as possible, that I just didn't have the time, but he kept stamping his feet in front of EVERYBODY and I was trying my best not to break out laughing. The poor little lad. So I said fine, okay, and I scrawled my name on his books and his mother took him away, hanging her head in shame. 

It was, and I really don't want to be mean here, hysterically funny, and even remembering it now has me laughing...

So, beware of this rule! As more and more people read the books, and as more and more books are released, I obviously don't have the time I used to. But if everything goes according to plan I should have plenty of time to sign, doodle and- most importantly for me- chat to you guys while I'm sitting there. 

Oh, and hugs are encouraged (time-permitting). 

Edinburgh

Well now... this IS interesting.

As you may or may not know, I’m heading over to Edinburgh on the 15^th of August for the Book Festival. It’s a big festival, one of the best-known in the world, and I’m happy to be a part of it. Some of you from this Blog are going, and a few weeks ago one of you asked if Death Bringer would be available to buy on the day. I laughed, shook my head in a wise sort of way, and gently told the lad that no, it will not be available, and that he’d have to wait a further two weeks like everyone else. The start of September, I said, is when it will be unleashed. Not even the legendary Edinburgh Book Festival will get my publishers to change their mind about THAT.

Ahem.

And so I must backtrack, and eat my words, and announce that yes indeedy, Death Bringer will be available to buy at the Edinburgh Book Festival...!

We’re releasing it two weeks early so that the readers who attend the event can be the first to get the book signed- but there are some rules.

Rule Number One: The book will ONLY be available to buy for FOUR HOURS on the 15^th. Once those four hours are up, the remaining books will be packed up and hidden away until the proper release date.

Rule Number Two: Those who DO attend and who DO buy the book must swear a solemn oath to NOT divulge ANY spoilers, not matter how much others may beg. ESPECIALLY not the twist in the middle!

Rule Number Three: Do not talk about Fight Club.

Over the next few days we’ll be putting up various things on the Skulduggery website and Forums and Facebook pages with more details about what’s going on, ticket information, things like that. For those of you who can go, the chance to get the book early is pretty cool. For those of you who can’t go... well... at least you’ll only have another two weeks to wait...

The Final Trilogy

It’s an unusual sensation, finishing a book.

After all those months of increasingly obsessive work, of deadlines and edits and word counts, when you send in the final draft you’re suddenly free... and you have no idea what to do with yourself.

I usually wander around for a few weeks, gazing blearily into the sun while I struggle to remember how to talk to people. A lot of housework gets done. Rooms are cleaned and shelves are put up. Bulbs are replaced. Cars are serviced. I spent three days last week putting together seven glass cabinets and rearranging my shelving system. When I was finished I stood back, nodded in approval, and then wondered what the hell was I going to do next.

Faithful Minions, ever since I finished Death Bringer I have been at a loss.

Yes, I’ve been working on The End Of The World, but that’s practically finished. It just needs another few hours of writing and it’ll be done. I’m delaying that as much as possible, actually, because I need to have something to write.

I usually play video games when I finish a book, but I finished Infamous 2 weeks ago and I still haven’t started the new Red Faction... it’s sitting there, waiting for me.

I’ve been training, of course. I have the most wonderful black eye that you’ve ever seen, courtesy of a swinging elbow that smashed into my face. Oh the fun...!

But it hasn’t all been black eyes and shelving units. For the past few days I’ve been thinking about the final three Skulduggery books. Only three left. Good God. We’re almost at the end. Well, kind of. We have three years left, which doesn’t sound so bad.

I know EXACTLY what Book Eight is about, and I know EXACTLY what Book Nine NEEDS to be about. But Book Seven... Book Seven is my last chance to come up with a brand new story idea. It has to tick all the boxes and fulfill the requirements and contain certain key moments and scenes that will lead us into the final two books, but apart from that it can be about anything. So, for the past few days, that’s what I’ve been thinking about. For the past few days I’ve been daydreaming, coming up with the next book...

I still haven’t decided on it. I thought it would go one way, then changed my mind and wanted it to be about something else, then changed my mind again. The fact is, I don’t know yet what it’ll be about, but I do know that I’m close to deciding. And when that happens, well... I’ll have started on the Final Trilogy, and in my head at least, I’ll have started to say goodbye to Skulduggery and Valkyrie. It’ll be another three years until I bid them a proper farewell, but it all starts here.

The End Of The World

Ah, Skulduggery, my old friend. Look how much you’ve changed my life. When you popped into my head six years ago (to the very MONTH) I had no idea what it would mean. Valkyrie came to me within sixty seconds of your arrival. In the next three minutes, I had China and Ghastly and Tanith and Bliss and Serpine- and suddenly I was writing a book. More than one, actually.

A nine book series. Thank GOD I envisioned this as nine books. What if I’d only envisioned it as a trilogy? Then it would have ended two years ago, and these characters who I love writing about would be finished, with no more stories to tell.

It isn’t JUST the nine books, though, because now there are a host of short stories I’ve written, and a lot more I’ve yet to write. These stories are a way for me to write about things or characters or ideas that I just don’t have the space for in the books. At the moment, these stories can only be found in the paperback editions, and while we’re looking into ways of making them available to everyone, for the moment the paperbacks are the only way you can own them. I’d love if there were a way for you to hand over a few cents or pence in a bookshop so you could take that short story home with you, but we can’t do that just yet.

However, next year you’ll be getting something a little special.

World Book Day is a worldwide celebration of reading and books. In Ireland and the UK it’s usually held at the start of March, while the rest of the world tends to hold it in April. I don’t know why it can’t be held on the SAME day, but there you go. To encourage people to pick up a book and start reading, a select few are sold for one pound, or exchanged for Book Tokens. They’re fairly small books, it has to be said, and so they’re REALLY a sort of extended short story… But even so, it’s a wonderful enterprise, and I’m honoured to have been chosen to write a BRAND NEW Skulduggery adventure for World Book Day 2012.

I’m writing it at the moment, actually, in between edits of Death Bringer. I’ve managed to get my publishers to agree to make it 15,000 words long- which is the most they could manage (the average Skulduggery short story is anywhere between 3000 and 5000 words). Frankly, I wanted to make it the longest book it could possibly be within the World Book Day limits because I want to make it worth your while to pick up. In terms of a page count, 15,000 words is roughly equivalent to 90 pages of the Mortal Coil paperback, so it’ll probably be around one sixth of the length of Mortal Coil. It isn’t a full length book, but it’s something cool and new and AFFORDABLE to add to your collection.

The story takes place a few months after Death Bringer and it’s called The End Of The World. Apart from anything else, it’ll be a nice way to bridge the gap between Death Bringer and Book Seven, which will be released in September 2012- as planned- and which is called, er… Dave.