New Zealand, eh? Lovely country, full of lunatics...
I arrived on Tuesday, checked into my hotel and met up with a friend who's living over here. By nine that night, every time my eyes closed I was in serious danger of falling asleep right there and then. Only the fact that my luggage had been misplaced somewhere between Dublin and Auckland kept me from turning in early. It's not exactly a nice feeling, wondering if you're ever going to see your luggage again. You start thinking about all the clothes you packed, about the toothbrush, about the phone charger you might never see again...
I went to bed, then was woken at 2 AM by reception- my luggage had arrived. They delivered it to my room and I wept manly tears of joy. Or, y'know, I shrugged and mumbled a thank you and went back to bed. Whichever.
It's now Friday night, and tomorrow is my last day in New Zealand. It's been astonishingly good so far. Every school I've been to has been great- really enthusiastic people, ready to have a laugh. Two schools even did a welcoming Haka-type thing, which was awesomely cool.
The public signings have been great too. This afternoon I did one in the Children's Bookshop in Christchurch, where I met a load of readers, including Jordan, a girl who had kept me updated about her status after the recent earthquakes. It's always nice to meet people I only know online, and she had many, MANY questions to ask.
Tomorrow is my last day in NZ, and so the first chunk of my tour will be over. I've really enjoyed my few days here- this was a great way to kick off the tour.
EDIT:
I've just read over what I've just written, and it's all so sickeningly POSITIVE and nice. Bah humbug! There needs to be some grouchy stuff in here in order to be genuine- so I'll just say that I STILL haven't been able to see Katie Taylor winning the gold in boxing, and I am NOT happy about that. I can't even find it on YouTube.
Bah YouTube! Bah!
Every single Irish Minion knows who Katie Taylor is, and they're as proud of her as I am. What a girl.
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About Derek
- Derek Landy
- Derek Landy writes the Skulduggery Pleasant series because getting a proper job is so overrated.
4,833 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 4201 – 4400 of 4833 Newer› Newest»(*virtual cuddles Star*)
(*pokes Ze the poofed Soph*)
:)
*virtual cuddles Jai*
*apparently came back online at a good moment XD*
*not really here - homework*
(*sighs at Star's distance*)
(You okay Kas? *hugs*)
Sorry, Kas. :(
I've just had a TON of homework this week. :(
(*looks at Seirsha*
I don't want to talk about it. Not here.
*hugs*)
(That's okay. I'm sorry for sighing at you.)
(Well, I'm going to sleep.
Going to see Big Hero 6 tomorrow so yay.
Night guys.
*Hugs everyone who wants to be hugged*)
(*hugs Gem*)
:)
You can sigh at me all you want, Kas. :) You're forgetting I have mean-but-awesome friends. :P
(Okay Kas, email's open if you want but... Your choice...)
:)
Fours, Gem. :)
*hugs*
(Apologies. It seems I disappeared briefly.)
Claire: A little... confused? But yes...
Bethany: Is there something wrong with my back?
Liliana: *they vanish in a flash of white, and Onwa feels the sensation of being squashed, before they appear in a dark room*
(Never would've guessed Soph xD)
(Bye gem! *squash cuddles*)
I'm not sure. I can't feel anything..
Onwa: *shifts, glowing slightly silver*
(Hello again, Jaimie. *hugs her tightly*)
Bethany: She cut my back... But it's probably already healed?
Liliana: Please be careful. You are inside my mind.
(I'll write an email to you, Star and Seirsha.)
(*hugs her tightly back*)
Okay..that's good..I hope..
Onwa: *extinguishes the glow*
*looks around*
Your mind? Hmm..interesting.
:)
Okay, Kas. :) *hugs*
(Okay Kas)
(Sent.)
evening weirdos.
Bethany: It is... You tried to heal me? That's good.
Liliana: I could physically touch the Parasite whilst it had invaded Bethany's body. So all we have to do is lure it into a physical form and then we can destroy it.
Of course i tried to heal you..
Onwa: *tilts head*
Would that kill the host? And how do we lure her into someone's body?
(Hello, Emerald. How have you been?)
Bethany: I know. But that means I'm not in pain now... Thank you. *she cuddles Silente*
Liliana: Not if the host is already dead, like Bethany was. She could do it naturally as a way of attempting to scare us? I hope...
(Hey Emmm!)
*cuddles her back*
Don't thank me...its my fault you died in the first place..
Onwa: So the question is, who dies?
(HEY EM OMG SOX DIDNT SEE YOI!!!)
I'm alive... unfortunately.
Tired as hell and back.
How is everyone else doing?
(*hugs Em gently*
Being alive is good..
I'm okay..)
Being alive is bollocks, I only do it for 2 people in my life, Ciaran and Rose. If those 2 people weren't in my life, I would have been gone years ago.
I'm glad you're doing okay.
(At least you have someone to live for..better than having nothing?
Thanks. Just gotta keep above it all, right?)
(Yeah...
I hope you'll-
I don't know what to say. I want you to live.
*sighs*
*gently hugs Em, and doesn't know what to say*)
Bethany: It isn't your fault... Honestly.
Liliana: We can simply create a dead body in our realm.
*sighs and pulls on a smile*
Well..I..kinda don't want to sleep now..um..
Onwa: That's a bit obvious..
All we can do is try.
And I'm still staying here as unfortunate and exhausting as it is.
Thanks for the hugs *hugs*
(*hugs back*
Hugs don't need thanks, but you're welcome.
And in those small moments, staying is worth it. Just hold on for those people and those moments..)
Bump.
(*dives on the dedication grenade*)
Claire: Sleepover?
Liliana: Or allow her to kill someone herself. Perhaps a guard.
http://noellepurcellsuaessayblog.blogspot.com/?m=1
http://insanityinmybrain.blogspot.com/?m=1
*goes*
*smiles*
Sleepover with your parents? Sounds very fun.
Onwa: *nods*
That works. And if she kills one of us again?
Bethany: But I suppose it's a nice idea?
Liliana: It is our realm. Revive them.
(I will be back soon.)
*nods*
It is. Okay then..
Onwa: *nods*
Okay..does that mean you wish for me to disassemble the energy shields?
(Me and dad are watching 10,000BC and discussing survival tactics.)
*appears in one of her kitchens in her treehouse*
*this is a special kitchen that doesn't actually have food, but other kinds of ingredients*
*the door can also be locked*
*is behind the locked door*
*clinking of glass and a clatter of silverware can occasionally be heard*
*stays in there for a few hours*
*comes out, holding up a vial of pink liquid, is also holding a second vial with blue liquid*
*sloshes the pink one around in the glass and stares at it intently*
*mutters*
Hope I did this right...
*stuffs both vials into her hat*
*disappears*
GUESS WHAT
GUESS WHAT GUYSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
I'VE ALMOST FINISHED ALL MY HOMEWORK~
BEARING IN MIND that although I did nothing yesterday, I spent all of Saturday doing homework, and all of Friday night, and all of Thursday night, and all of Wednesday night, and I can't remember what happ-
and nearly all of Tuesday night too, and don't go expecting me to remember Monday, but MY POINT IS -
my point IS, I've been doing a STORMLOAD (that is now a word, people, that is now a word) of homework recently, then I am VERY HAPPY that all I have to do is draw a few more titles for art. <3
But I'm not doing that tonight. I'm doing that tomorrow. Also tomorrow at lunch I need to spend all lunch break doing biology coursework FUN and I'll also get given another maths exam paper to do FUN FUN (well, it is actually, I like maths past papers) BUT STILL. :P
Bethany: I could give you both energy to keep you awake...
Liliana: And come back to the castle, yes.
(Back! 10,000BC is interesting...
OMG star HOW MUCH HOMEWORK?!)
Then you won't have energy..
Onwa: Are you sure you wouldn't prefer I just draw it away? There's less chance of it going wrong and ruining someone's life..
Huzzah!
I like the word stormload, I think I'll use it.
(Stormload is cool..)
(It sounds really mid fantasy, like the guys who dressed in muted Greg would use it.)
(*muted grey. GREY. Not muted Greg, stupid american autocorrect.)
,,,
I enjoy being different.
*hugs Fabsi*
Hello.
Hello, Trip.
[hugs]
Hello, Alastair.
How are you both?
Herrow Alistair. What's going on?
*hugs* How are things?
I'm as good as I always am, thanks. I made some real headway into my map today, which was good.
*appears on a tree branch, close to the trunk*
*looks down at the scene she sees, bored, but not really wanting to join the conversations*
*similar to a certain character she knows*
[waves to Hope]
[nods at Trip] That's good.
*waves back*
*sits on the branch and falls back, now hanging upside down from her knees*
(Hello.
Deleted comment?)
*pokes Hope so they swing back and forth a little in an amusing fashion*
Yeah, I like it. How did the life size portrait go?
Herrow Tia. How are you?
I am fine.
Hello, Hope.
Oh good, Al.
@Kas: *raises a hand, or rather, has it hanging down*
*glances at Trip and disappears*
*reappears on the ground, sitting by the trunk*
Oh, it's not done. Just the section I needed, which was the outline, the sort-of hingey-things so I can fold it up and put it in my portfolio, gesso over both sides of all six pieces of foam core, and the textured paper for the skirt.
I'm working on the hands and feet next, going to combine charcoal and pastel... I think... It's not going well. I've been sort of...stuck in a hole lately.
Hello Kas.
(Hello?)
*nods to Al*
I'm sure you'll do fine, Moss.
Hi Shannon. Long time no see.
Hello, Shannon.
*pokes Tia* The universe doesn't suck as much as it seems, you know. Somewhere out there, a doctor is saving a life.
Well I'm still excited about it, it sound's awesome.
Herrow Shannon. I believe we've met have we met I think we have.
(Hello, Trip, Hope, Alastair and Shannon.
@Shannon *laughs cruelly* Welcome.)
(Hello Lavvy *hugs* )
(Hello Fabi *hugs* )
(Hello Trip *hugs* )
How is you all?
(Ahh, hey Fabi!
Esquibeth distracted me :S)
Yes we have met trip
I think...
Hi Kas *hugs*
Hello Tia, and Shannon.
I should probably go.
There are these black and white pixels, and I need to figure out what color they are.
Or possibly type ten pages of gibberish.
We'll see.
Anyway, goodbye.
Hello Alastair )
My recess exploded in my bag... :'(
(*hugs everybody*
*was playing CS:GO and for some reason was very proficient with the pistol in the final battles*
Weird.)
*sighs, disappearing again*
*this time, not reappearing anywhere*
*only her voice can be heard, a little above everyone else*
But just because you can't see me, doesn't mean I'm not still hanging around...
*her mouth reappears, some ways off the ground, an upside down smile, then it vanishes with a pop*
(Bye, Fabi!
*cuddles Danni*
What is a recess?)
I'm quite bad at remembering this things, so sorry if we have, and nice to meet you if you haven't, how are you?
Bye Fabi! Good luck!
Oh, that's gonna require some cleaning, won't it Death? I would offer to help, but yeah...
(Bye Fabi ! )
(Bye Lavvy? *is confused* )
(good job Kas (?) )
Hello Rose, have we met before? )
*makes confetti fall from the sky to celebrate Monday, spots the cat and pokes it*
I know. Sorry for not replying before, it seemed that you wanted to be left alone.
I be good but tired thank you Trippington (yes I just made that up )
I'm going on a hike tomorrow
How be you?)
*again, only her voice can be heard*
Bye Moss.
Hello, Danni. That sucks, but how could it explode?
...
I'm not really good at keeping quiet, am I?
*thinks to reassess her name*
(*sighs deeply*
I miss Clara.
I miss Snow.
I-
Never mind.
*cuddles Danni, ...*)
(*crawls over to Trip*)
Hope Cheshire, Mad Hatter of Hearts?
Wow, that combined all of them... But a little too much...
*continues brainstorming, staying quiet and unseen until the next time she speaks*
*also decides to change her position*
Hope Cheshire, Mad Hatter of Hearts?
Wow, that combined all of them... But a little too much...
*continues brainstorming, staying quiet and unseen until the next time she speaks*
*also decides to change her position*
*tacklehugs Kas* Hi
Sadly, you are not the first, Shannon. But you may carry on using that name, if you wish. I like it.
(Snow comes on from time to time, still. Anikka is fairly regular. *pats his head* Things are always better than they seem.)
*watches the confetti stuck in Hope's fur move*
Okay... And thank you trippington! *hugs* )
*hugs Shannon*
*frowns at the confetti*
*shakes it off before disappearing again*
(Good name, Hope.)
(*is tacklehugged*
Hello.)
(@Trip ...)
*sighs and reappears*
*moves to sit at her tea table and pours herself a cup*
Anyone is welcome to have some tea. There's plenty of room here.
*takes a sip*
(*smiles* thank you Trip )
(*looks at Kas and smiles*
Well.... This is nice )
Think so, Kas?
Hmm... I guess it could work. Shorter name than the one I have now, that's for sure.
Click the stupid button, Moss.
Click it, before you drive yourself insane...
Black and white isn't brown.
Stupid stupid stupid.
What's happened to your ability to think?
*hugs Moss*
Stay calm. Don't rush art. You can do this, Moss!
*smiles encouragingly*
*takes a cup of tea for himself and sips it* Yes Tia?
I like it also, Hope.
And Fabi, you still have it, your brain is just moving too fast to spot it. Just breathe in, really slowly. Take about five seconds, then exhale, slower. Take about thirty seconds on that and repeat until calm. Then take another look.
*had a carzy thought*
*laughs*
Hope Kitty, tea drinking lover of beheadings. A new spin on the characters. XD
(Shannon, are you okay? What about your author, if you have one?)
(No-one show Fabi cookie clicker.)
(*drinks a considerable amount of tea with Hope*)
(New spins are good spins*
*spins*
*rolls*)
(@Trip Our Auroras will blot out the sun.)
((Yes I know you moved over to the Mustang but the point still stands, their logo said "TEST SQUARDON" for four months before anyone noticed so you can rest assured that its members have the intelligence needed to clog up the enemy's cannons with the debris of their own ships.))
(I'm okay thank you and so is me author (Shannon is my author name you know
My given name )
Are you okay? )
Fabi, follow the advice Hope and Trip gave it'll help (I think )
*hugs Hope* )
It's not art. I've already done five hours of art today. That's enough.
75%
That's... Not going to make me flunk the course?
*nods to Trip*
Thanks.
*smiles*
*takes more tea and snacks out of her hat, refilling the table*
Hmm... Brainstorming story crossovers.
*narrows her eyes in a concentrated thinking look*
((I award this squadron five Putins.))
Yay! Not flunking!
*waves hand in front of Hope's concentrating face*
My word, you really are concentrating aren't you? *sips tea*
*pops out of her thoughts suddenly*
Man, my wifi is horrible!
*is hugged, hugs back*
*disappears again, reappearing in her treehouse*
*goes into the kitchen with the locked door and starts making something*
*as the door is locked, no one really knows what she's up to, only that it's taking her a while to come back out*
*slips a piece of paper under the door saying: can I come in? You're making an awful lot of noise *sips tea*
*murmurings and the clatter of plates and glasses could be heard though*
I get the feeling I shouldn't have drunk that tea.
(Crossovers XD)
(*looks at Shannon, one eyebrow raised*)
(I like these guys. Apparently, of the 700,000+ backers, only 10% have played so far. So having a community as active as they are is rare, if not unique.
Have you read into Operation Pitchfork? It's bad news. The dev team will make it canon though.)
*spots the note*
*scribbles on it quickly and slides it back out*
*continues her job*
*the note reads: Sorry, this is something secret, you'll see soon*
(Bad news? It sounds massively profitable!)
Well if that isn't ominous...
(*As in, it's rare to have an active organisation with so few people interacting in such early builds.)
(Yeah, but have you seen the main gun on the Kingship?)
(It's the ultimate casual organization, what do you expect?)
(Nupe. Why?)
*comes back out in time to hear Trip*
Don't worry, the tea's fine. Though it does sometimes have certain helpful properties, depending on what kind of tea it is, but this is just normal black tea. I personally like Earl Grey, but yours is to your own liking.
*mumbles quickly and quietly*
Now that just has to sit for a bit, and I can finish making the table.
Wait. I'm so confused.
Didn't Rhos come on under the name of Shannon....?
Sorry if I'm wrong. It could have been a dream.
Nothing ominous about it. Just the things in this particular kitchen are special and magical, which is why it's locked. To keep people from doing things they shouldn't.
Also, I didn't mean a secret, it's a surprise.
No idea, Dug. And hi to you!
Oh good we have a two hour delay too
-Zaf
*sighs*
It's times like this that I wish I could type as fast as I could speak...
(Hello, Dugglyn. You just had to say it... :/
Oh, well. Maybe you're right and maybe you're not.)
(@Trip it's about 140 metres long and can likely destroy any ship sold so far in one shot (except the Javelin.)
Zaf you're stealing all of our snow!!! :P
Hey Lav!
(Hello, Zafira.)
(Damn right, Hope. Try speaking and recording your speech, then typing it out later.)
Hi Zaf! For school? Nice!
*a timer beeps in her pocket*
Oops, it's finished!
*runs back into her treehouse and the kitchen*
*stays in there for about an hour, more murmuring can be heard*
@Kas hmmm? No, I'm seriously confused and worried about my sanity. I keep confusing my dreams for real memories and :/
All right, but I've got my eye on you.
Hey Zaf.
(This is bad because...?)
(I still remember the best dream I ever had.
*looks sad*)
Hey Trip!
*supermegahuggletacklesofdoomvils*
Also hi Dug! *hugs* Sorry, I'm trying to keep up. Getting old, you know?
Actually you don't, do you? Good. Stay young forever, Dug.
(@Trip because Operation Pitchfork will have Auroras charging at 140 metre long railguns.)
I can't remember my good dreams...
Only the bad. And while the idea of them is bad I didn't really feel any emotion in them until recently.
(Good dreams give false hope and end with stolen happiness.)
Tis ok!
And nope! I don't know! :D I'll try! I mean, I have to grow up a bit to deal with life and what not but I shall try to always keep part of my personality young.
*nodsnods*
But good dreams make me happy and I love telling my friends about my carzy, cool, happy dreams.
The bad ones I don't tell them...
(Shannon?)
That's the spirit. (Says the fourteen year old, oh my god xP)
(Good dreams make lovely stories, though.)
(But it also has these ridiculous capital ships. All of whom will need food, fuel and ammunition. Supplied by me.)
I'm sorry Shannon...
*comes back out with normal looking plates and teapots*
Well, in another book, coincidentally also called Ever After School, they have thing thing called the table of never ending refills. I looked around in my hat, and found potion and magic spell books.
Anyway, even though it's called a table, I think the real magic came from the plates.
*holds them up a bit higher to indicate these ones*
*sets them on the table, removing the normal ones, and mutters one last spell*
*cookies, cakes, sweets, and tea appears on, and in, each plate and pot*
Yay! I think it works!
The magic allows the tea never to get cold, unless one wants an iced tea, and once the last item on the plate is gone, more reappears. I sort of combined the magic of Wonderland and Ever After School. It's interesting.
Wait, Trip you're only 14? Hmmm, for some reason I thought you were older.
But 14 is ancient. Oh gosh I'm gonna be ancient soon!
*runs around in circles, waving her arms in the air*
SOMEONE HELP MEEEEEEEEEEE!
You think 14's ancient? Try turning almost NINETEEN
*faints*
*awakens*
On my gosh, three more months!
I've been meaning to get food in the bar for ages... How long will you be needing this for?
Bye Shannon.
(@Hope getting a strong Warlock-town-from-SP vibe here.)
(@Trip ...
Pirates will get you.)
19 is.. is.. uh, really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really ancient.
*nodsnods wisely*
(Not yet, but close enough to basically be. And I'm nearly two blog years old! This sort of thing happens to other people!)
(Not if I'm flying around with the biggest war fleet Star Citizen has ever seen they won't >:D)
("Biggest war fleet Star Citizen has ever seen"
Statistics show that you can get attacked by ships if you're near ships. *nods*)
*smacks her forehead*
STUPID WIFI I AM NOT REPEATING MYSWLF AGAIN THAT TOOK TOO LONG AS IT WAS.
*keeps smacking her head in frustration*
It's always weird (at least to me) finding out people's ages or given names or what they look like. I guess I just think of people as their taken names and their profile pictures. Idk.
*quickly hands Lav a pillow to smack her head with*
*appears in the vicinity of Trip* Do you have a moment?
I KNOW EL YOU'RE ANCIENT. WHEN WE MET I WAS WORRIED YOU WERE GONNA FALL OVER!
:P,',',',',','
(Hey, Elleni.)
Same, Dug. When someone changes either or both, I get confused. Also, I sort of remember people by their picture instead of their name.
(Yes, but there'll be people to help me.)
Aye, Dug. It's like: whoa, you're two people? The one I knew, and this one too?
It's like seeing the film versions of book characters.
(Hey, Alastair.)
Hmm, I don't get confused but I prefer to call them by whatever name I knew them best as, which is why I don't typically call people by their given name.
I have many moments, Alistair, yes. What would you like to talk about?
Hi El!
*uses the pillow, smacking her whole face*
Yeah. Like, I don't really think of Elleni like they way she looked in real life. It was kinda like meeting a different person.
((Hello.))
I would like to know what you did with the coat that you took from me.
(@Hope please, no deleting comments.)
*keeps the pillow to her face, breathing heavily, trying to calm herself*
*suddenly puts it down and walks over to her table*
*takes her tea and drinks it, calming down some more*
Sorry, but I hate seeing my comment twice...
236.
*Stands to put her shirt on after her shower*
*Feels a tickle on her leg*
*Sees a line of blood almost to her knee*
*Immediately begins to clean up better*
Noelle... *hugs tightly*
Sorry! I meant my face!
Arghlblegdarhdksoneh
*hugs Noelle too*
Hi Elleni.
*hugs Adwa tightly*
I have one your coats?
(Noelle...)
*doesn't want to smush Noelle so she leaves a hug for later*
*goes back to her kitchen*
*begins making another plate set of never ending refills for Trip*
*stays in there for a few hours*
You, or someone you know, presumably. You put it in a box before you encased me in concrete.
*Red through the multiple layers, and shivers delicately* *Shudders, then, and goes back to her room*
Oh, I thought you stole it back after you stole all the joy in my life.
I can get it, but where it is isn't close, I'll have it for you tomorrow.
*cuddles Noelle, and hopes she is alright*
(*gently hugs Noelle, urging her to be more careful*)
(Hmm... Insanity.)
(I'll be going to sleep now, enjoying my insanity. Good night!)
I was rather occupied with healing Adra after you left her in Hell for a month.
Thank you.
Where she would not have been had you not decided that she looked like a fun plaything.
And what d you think it was like for me emotionally in that month beforehand, because I certai only wasn't in rainbow pony land.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have tea to drink.
You could have saved her if you wanted to. And afterwards, I never asked her to stay with me.
Enjoy your tea. *vanishes*
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