March 2010 Archives

Hey, all, I've finally returned from south of the equator, where I had a terrific, terrific time, meeting (literally) thousands of people over (not literally) a million events.  Seeing so many new places, too.  Excellent time.

And, yes, there's more to come!  Monsters of Men is officially released on 3 May in the UK (1 May in Australia, so a two-day bonus there!).  Waterstones.com has a special pre-order for £5 off and Amazon.co.uk has a special where you can order all three books for £21.21. 

I'll also be doing events around the publication, including a couple of Festivals and a potential appearance across the Irish Sea.  Stay tuned!

And of course my last announcement was about the book after Monsters, where I'll be taking an idea and early writing from the Siobhan Dowd and turning them into a new book.  That one, not titled just yet, will be out May 2011, and plans are in motion to make it a really cool object.  Can't wait!  I also can't wait to get to the idea after that one.  More to come...

And finally, a much belated greeting to all those new commenters from the past two weeks who I can finally properly welcome:  Cora, Steve, Peter (I remember you!), Rajal, Kathrine, Circle, Ellie, Morgs (I'd love to see the poster), Miriam, Kristine (I'm also from WA; what part?), Stephanie (mothers always welcome), Samuel, Maryam, and Zahra.  Phew!  Now I really need to do some writing...

Very, very quickly, as I'm actually still on holiday, but just to say that my publishers, Walker Books, are announcing today that the book that will follow Monsters of Men (released May 3 in the UK) will be something a little different, but still pretty damn cool. 

I'll be taking the preliminary pages from the final project of the brilliant 2009 Carnegie Medal Winner Siobhan Dowd -  before she died (far too young) of breast cancer - and I'll be weaving a new novel from them. 

Just wait 'til you see:  painful and funny and packed with some very dark mischief.  There are also plans to make it an exceptionally cool bit of design as well (as only Walker can do), so stay tuned.

I can also say that I've got some nicely evil ideas in motion for the book(s) to follow that one, so interesting days ahead, I hope.  Now leave me be, I've got writing to do...

Very busy entry today.  I'm very near the end of my Australia/New Zealand tour (which has been brilliant), finishing up yesterday through tomorrow at the Somerset Festival, who have been excellent on all fronts.  Met some great people, too, including Jack Heath and a panel today with Markus Zusak.  My last events are tomorrow (Friday) and then I'm off on a well-deserved holiday and probably won't be updating this.

So, before I go, just to say that I'm part of The Sunday Feature this Sunday on Radio 3, which is all about teen fiction.  It's on at 10pm, but will be podcastable for a week, I think.

I've also been asked a number of times about eBooks, and I can finally say that we're nearly there!  If you can believe it, the trouble has been all the different fonts.  EBook readers (this still seems incredible to me) are pretty rubbish at complicated font (I'm looking at you, Kindle).  But the first ebook of The Knife of Never Letting Go is now finally available at WH Smith online.  And the problems look to be cracked very soon for all other readers (including Kindle).  Stay tuned!

A final quick thank you to all the new commenters, and to finally, finally say that I received, just yesterday in my hotel room on the Gold Coast of Australia, the very first printed copy of Monsters of Men.  It looks awesome.  Just wait 'til you see it.

I've just arrived in Brisbane after a whirlwind couple days in Wellington and Auckland.  Great days, though, a couple of terrific school events (with lots of new comments from St Cuthbert's girls, hello right back).  I'll be doing the same in Brisbane, including one event open to the public on Monday night at Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove Campus, Lecture Room N515 from 6.30-7.30.  Booking info is on ci.publiclectures@qut.edu.au, but I think you can just pitch up, too.

Later in the week is my last set of events south of the equator at the Somerset Writer's Festival down on the Gold Coast.  One more week to go!

I've been travelling and there have been so many new comments on the site, that I haven't been able to say hi to everyone or to answer any questions, for which I'm very, very sorry.  I do read them all, though, and it's great to get every one (well, almost every one).

I've just arrived in Brisbane after a whirlwind couple days in Wellington and Auckland.  Great days, though, a couple of terrific school events (with lots of new comments from St Cuthbert's girls, hello right back).  I'll be doing the same in Brisbane, including one event open to the public on Monday night at Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove Campus, Lecture Room N515 from 6.30-7.30.  Booking info is on ci.publiclectures@qut.edu.au, but I think you can just pitch up, too.

Later in the week is my last set of events south of the equator at the Somerset Writer's Festival down on the Gold Coast.  One more week to go!

I've been travelling and there have been so many new comments on the site, that I haven't been able to say hi to everyone or to answer any questions, for which I'm very, very sorry.  I do read them all, though, and it's great to get every one (well, almost every one).

A friend found a link to my appearance on Good Morning, New Zealand.  Two important lessons learnt, though:  1) Lower your chin or you'll look haughty and 2) for God's sake, no matter how uncomfortably slouchy the couch, take a moment to smooth the wrinkles out of your shirt.

...so if you live in beautiful New Zealand, tune in!  I'm currently scheduled for 9.15am (that's Thursday, 11 March), but of course that's subject to change.  They do podcast their show for 24 hours, though (until the next episode is ready, I wager), so for tomorrow only, you should be able to watch it here.

The Sydney leg of my trip has just finished, too, culminating in a really enjoyable big event at Sydney University last night.  A big crowded room and met lots of great people.  Terrific fun.

But watch tomorrow if you can.  Or maybe not.  I've never done live telly before (it's all be pre-recorded in the past), so I could be nervous...

I'm in Sydney now, having a quick stop here to visit a couple schools (including two this morning, Fort Street and St Joey's, meeting excellent students at both).  I'm also presenting at Sydney University tomorrow night (9 March), before jetting off to New Zealand for a couple days, including appearing Thursday morning on Good Morning on TVNZ, so if you're in New Zealand, have a peek!

I also spent this last weekend in very beautiful Tasmania, a place I never thought I'd ever get to.  Great place, friendly people, and hey, Tasmania!

Lots of new commenters to welcome, a few too many to call individually by name or answer (sorry, on a very busy trip!), but I do read them all and thank you all very much for them.

Right, off to prep for tomorrow!

...has been excellent.  A lot of great events with great groups.  Geelong yesterday, Melbourne city today and looking forward to the Dandenongs tomorrow.  I even got to meet April and Tess from the comment page, who were mortified at being noticed so i'm doing it again!

It's been brilliant meeting people and a lot of the new commenters are people I've met in the last couple days.  There's a lot so, deep breath, hello right back to Viv, Xavier, Kate, Kathy, Karlene, Alice (in italian!), Ally, Kana, Annie, Layah, Tamika, Judith and Helen. 

Melbourne is also a beautiful place, and before my evening event yesterday, I even went down to Bells Beach and waded in the surf as I practised my presentation.  Lots of surfers about and I got very wet, but it didn't matter.  The Dandenongs tomorrow and then a flight to Tasmania...