April 2011 Archives

You can now read chapter 1 of A Monster Calls on the Guardian Children's Books website, as well as enter a competition to win signed copies!  Good stuff (though they've had a glitch or two, so let them know if there are any further readability issues. Them, please, not me, out of my control! But it should be okay.).

The Arthur C Clarke Awards were last night, and Monsters of Men was beaten by the excellent Zoo City by Lauren Beukes, a result I'm very cool with.  Great to meet a lot of writers there, too, including Tricia Sullivan, a personal favourite of mine.

A Monster Calls is published a week from today!  Gosh, and so much to do.  Be sure to check here for details of how to come see me for free in Birmingham on 10 May and in Dublin on 12 May.  Lots of really cool radio (and TV!) to come, so stay tuned.  Welcome to the new commenters, a busy month ahead...

I've just updated the Events page with details of some new public events.  I've got one in Birmingham at 7pm on 10 May.  Tickets are free, you just need to reserve them by calling 01384 818 406 (on a school day!). 

I'm also doing one in Dublin at Eason Bookstore on 13 May at 6.30.  Again, book a FREE ticket on 01 8583800 in Ireland.  Again, check out the Events page for more details.  I've also got some really, really cool TV and radio appearances on the calendar, which I'll tell you about when I can.

There's also a brand new OFFICIAL Facebook fanpage, which includes all the posts on here, plus videos and other info and will - so I'm told - grow and grow.  Check it out, if you like!

Also, The Knife of Never Letting Go is out today in Slovenia!  It's called Na Begu, and I've LOVE to hear from any Slovenian readers out there.

Meanwhile, welcome to the new commenters, and we're under two weeks to go before the publication of A Monster Calls.  Exciting times...

I just recorded an interview on Irish radio for The Green Room with Orla Barry on Newstalk, airing tonight from 10pm.  Tune in, tell me what you think! 

And I'll also be live on Dubai radio this Saturday at 2.30pm on Talking of Books on Dubai Eye.  Love to hear from some Dubai readers, too.

Welcome to the new commenters (from all corners, currently even Israel).  More soon.

Sad news in that I've had to, at almost the very last minute, pull out of the London Marathon on Sunday.  I'm extremely disappointed, especially as I was so very, very close and had raised so much money for charity.  I've already entered the Dublin Marathon on Halloween, so by God, I'm going to run one!

In other news, Monsters of Men is now out in French!  It's called La Guerre du Bruit, and I'd love to hear what you think.

Meanwhile, don't forget about Monsters being on the Carnegie Shadowing Scheme (where you can watch videos of me talking about it), and check out my Events page for upcoming stuff (that I'll be adding to soon).

Greetings to the new commenters, including a book group I was a day too late for.  Answers to Amie's queries are also welcome.  More soon.

The excellent folk at the Carnegie Medal have put up some video of me answering questions about Monsters of Men (on this year's shortlist).  Good questions, and I'm wearing my favourite shirt.  The other authors are having videos put up, too, so check us out!

Also today, tickets are now on sale for my event at this year's Hay Festival with the brilliant David Almond on Saturday, 28 May.  Hope to see some of you there.

And also, as I said last time, I'll be doing a public event at Easons Bookstore in Dublin on 12 May, and I'll put up ticket info as soon as I have it.  Looking forward to it!

Greetings to the new commenters.  Remember I'm now on Twitter as @Patrick_Ness.  More soon (and more events soon, too!)

I wrote a Top 10 list today for the Guardian on the Top 10 "adult" books you should read before becoming an adult, and the response has been amazing!  Apparently, a lot of over-reaching young readers out there.  Brilliant stuff.

Also, a quick word to say that I'll be doing a public event at Eason's Bookstore in Dublin (one of my favourite places) on the evening of 12 May to celebrate the launch of A Monster Calls.  I'll share ticket info as soon as I have it!

Warm greetings to the new commenters, an especially wonderful batch, including warm recommendations about books I like (thanks, Ray!), your own iPod eps, and a cool website to check out.  Remember I'm on Twitter as @Patrick_Ness so follow me there, if you like.  More soon.

Big weekend, eh?  There was all the Carnegie Medal stuff about Monsters of Men, which was great.  It's also already up on the Shadowing Site, where you can start entering your reviews of all the shortlisted books.  And on Monday, there'll be video of me talking about it, too.

There was also a ton of coverage about the letter I delivered with CILIP to the Minister for Education in support of libraries, and I also had a review of the really good book The Sentimentalists in the Guardian.

Tickets are also on sale for my event at the Hay Festival on 28 May at 5.30 with the brilliant David Almond.  It's only Friends Booking at the moment, but general public tickets are on sale on Monday, 11 April.  There'll be more Festival news soon, I promise.

Greetings to the new commenters, and don't forget you can follow me on Twitter as @Patrick_Ness.  More soon on A Monster Calls.

Great news this morning!  Monsters of Men has been shortlisted for the very prestigious Carnegie Medal, which means that all three books in the trilogy have been.  Which is amazing and unbelievable and extremely happy-making.  Terrific books on the rest of the list, too, check 'em out!

I'm also a big supporter of the brilliant Carnegie Shadowing Scheme, so if your school doesn't have a Shadowing group yet, maybe start one up!  Get the shortlisted books from your library and start arguing.

I also did this this morning in support of libraries (which are in danger from the government's current cuts).  Do what you can, shout as loud as you're able, to support libraries.  I mean it.

Remember that I'm on Twitter now as @Patrick_Ness, so feel free to follow me there if you like.  Welcome to the new commenters (and yep, that's Laputa).  More soon, but exciting stuff today.