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Welcome, finally, to my website. Visit, graze, leave a comment, follow me on Facebook or Twitter, then go out reading...
February 2012 Archives
So I was on BBC Breakfast this morning, as I may have mentioned, and you can watch me here, starting about the 12 minute mark, after Emeli Sande.
In other cool news, A Monster Calls has also been shortlisted for the LA Times Book Award and the Bram Stoker Awards. Tremendous stuff, I'm delighted.
Hello to the new commenters! Busy day...
Quick hit to say that I'm booked to be on BBC Breakfast tomorrow (Tuesday) around 845ish. Have a look, if you're up. See how I do on live national TV with millions watching. No pressure.
Hey, all, sorry for a quiet week (I was on holiday), but I returned yesterday for the Red House Book Awards, and not only did A Monster Calls win its category, but it won the overall Book of the Year, too! Which is brilliant! Based on the votes of 83,000 young readers, it's an amazing award to win.
It was presented at the Queen Elizabeth Hall at the Southbank Centre in front of 900 young readers, all provided with noisemakers (which was brilliant). Jim Kay was there, too (here are some good photos from the Achuka blog), and we both got these amazing portfolios made by reading groups around the country, as well as an amazing silver statue presented by Michael Morpugo. A fantastic day all around and a huge honour.
Greetings to all the new commenters, and now I'm back in the swing of things...
In addition to the new entry below, yes, I know, there's been some confusion on Amazon about the A Monster Calls paperback, but that's the collect link there. It's correct on Waterstones and Foyles and of course on the shelves of your local bookstore!
I've got a number of things coming up soon, like the Red House Book Awards on Saturday, an appearance in Cardiff on the Scribblers Tour, and looking over a whole host of foreign-language versions of A Monster Calls (French, Italian, Korean, Norwegian, Taiwanese...). But I do too much business here. I haven't done an iPod EP in ages, so here's one for you, yes?
One Day Like This, Elbow - A brilliant song to forget a winter's day.
Two Divided By Zero, Pet Shop Boys - Their best non-single.
Three Babies, Sinead O'Connor - At her best, she'll break your heart.
Four Seasons In One Day, Crowded House - Great song in concert, too.
Five Get Over-Excited, Housemartins - Makes no sense at all if you're not English.
Six Months in a Leaky Boat, Split Enz - I once used this in a story.
Seven Sisters, Tori Amos - Not usually a Tori fan, but this last album is quite good.
Dinner at Eight, Rufus Wainwright - If I could sing, I'd sing this.
Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty-Four), Eurythmics - Not what it sounds like; from the Orwell novel.
There Goes A Tenner, Kate Bush - No one quite like Kate, though this also baffled me as a lad.
And welcome to all the new commenters! I'm so sorry I can't answer all questions, but I do read them all and I love to see them. More soon, I promise.
Now, this is awesome: A Monster Calls has won the Red Tentacle Kitschie. What's brilliant is that this is an adult book award with an incredible pedigree (last two winners were Lauren Beukes and China Mieville). Seriously, check out all their lists here. Really great stuff, I'm chuffed to bits.
AGONISINGLY, though, because of that freight train derailment outside Euston, I couldn't bloody go! I had to sit at home, sick with disappointment, watching everyone tweet about how great the awards party was. Grumble, grumble. Still, though, check 'em out.
Also, A Monster Calls has just been released in Japan and was featured in Friday's Weekly Book Review. I hope some of you were able to catch it.
Greetings to the new commenters. I write this snowbound...
I've completely neglected to say that the A Monster Calls paperback is out tomorrow! It's lavishly illustrated, includes everything from the hardcover, and frankly, a complete steal at £8.99. Check it out!
I also wanted to take a moment to point you to the Siobhan Dowd Trust. Before she died, Siobhan arranged for all of her earnings from her books to be put into a trust, which now does AMAZING charitable work getting books into the hands of those young readers who might not be able to afford it. Definitely have a look, a very good thing.
Greetings to the new commenters (or one, if they're all the same Jack). Some very cool stuff coming up soon...
