Patrick Ness - Diary

I'm on "Good Morning" on TVNZ tomorrow!

2010-03-10T07:25:01Z

...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...

Sydney and Tasmania

2010-03-08T07:56:59Z

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!

Melbourne

2010-03-04T06:02:29Z

...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...

Perth

2010-02-28T09:36:32Z

Perth has been excellent. Unbelievably hot (seriously, Thursday was 42C, 107F), but a very friendly, well-organised Festival with good, smart crowds. A pleasure, even in the heat. Everyone's funny and nice and helpful. Not a bad part of the world at all, eh?

Plus, I took a boat ride out to Rottnest Island and got some Indian Ocean snorkelling in. It's not a bad life.

I came back to the website to see a whole ton of new commenters, far too many to thank individually, so just to say that yes, indeed, I do read them all and appreciate them all.

Off to Melbourne tomorrow for a number of events, including Thursday at the Centre for Youth Literature, with Isabelle Carmody (though I think it may be sold out). More to come, but I catch a very early plane...

Australia/New Zealand tour starts this week

2010-02-21T16:43:57Z

Thursday, to be precise, my first events at the Perth Writers Festival, followed by visits to quite a few places in Australia and New Zealand. I'll be visiting quite a few schools, doing more than quite a few interviews, and will be doing a large number of public events that anyone can come to, so check out my Events page.

Can't wait to finally meet all you fantastic Australians and New Zealanders who've been writing in over the past two years! Maybe even see some of you on Thursday. In the meantime, a very, very, very long plane journey awaits.

So a bon voyage welcome to the new commenters Psyche, Zari and Aimee, and I'll see the rest of you down under.

Interview on BBC Radio 3 and also leaving soon...

2010-02-19T08:51:21Z

I'm leaving for Australia and New Zealand on Monday, so the updates here could slow down a bit pending travel time, wireless availability, a lack of desire not to come out of the sun... But I'll be meeting quite of few of you in person anyway, so that'll more than make up for it.

Yesterday (it was done a bit early because of that very trip), I recorded an interview for The Sunday Feature programme on BBC Radio 3 to air on 21 March (don't worry, I'll remind you). This one is presented by Louise Doughty, who did the interviewing (and produced by Beaty Rubens, who was lovely, too), and will be entirely about YA fiction, with interviews with other writers and a teenage panel of readers. Should be great fun; I'll keep you posted.

And finally, a whole host of commenters to welcome: Becky, Haley, Sophie-Anne, Ghausia, Najee, Kris, "Kilian", tks (writing tips here), Zead, Sarah Lily (I do indeed read them all), and Michael (who had no misspellings anywhere).

Monsters US Cover!! Exclusive!

2010-02-15T15:30:48Z

So exclusive, apparently, I need exclamation points! But, yes, here it is. The US cover of Monsters of Men. I think it's pretty excellent and looks great lined up next to the other American covers. Kudos to Candlewick, my lovely US publishers.

To have a look (and compare and contrast) at the UK cover, take a look here. As soon as I have other covers from around the world, I'll share them, too.

And hello to the newest commenters: Jeri, Ghausia, Ronan, James (you can always write me letters care of my publisher, whose address will be in the book, cheers!), Caroline, Ronan, and Diane (not a teen, but very welcome)

LSE event and French release

2010-02-12T16:15:07Z

The panel event last night at the London School of Economics Literature Festival went really well, despite the last-minute withdrawal of our chairman (who also pulled out at the last minute last year; there may be a lesson here), so I ended up chairing. There were great questions from a number of schools who came and terrific meeting the teenage writing competition entrants afterwards at the reception. An excellent event.

I've also heard today that the official release date of the French version of The Ask and the Answer will be out in France on 16 April. It's called Le Cercle et la Fleche (The Circle and the Arrow), and I'll have a cover up here as soon as I can.

And speaking of covers! I'll have an exclusive first look at the American cover of Monsters of Men (that link is to the UK cover) on Monday! Keep an eye out.

And finally, big hello to all the new commenters (I leave the website for a day or two and come back to zillions). Deep breath for hellos to: Courtney, Sadie, Stephanie, Elizabeth, Morgan (try this link, Morgan), Leslie, Michael, Najee (hi back to the Philippines!), Brin, Indigo, Jason, Tasha, RiotRave, Eric, and Emily.

One more New Zealand event

2010-02-07T09:36:17Z

I've added one more New Zealand event, in Auckland, to my Australia / New Zealand itinerary, on the evening of 12 March, at a school in Epsom. Bookings through Jabberwocky Children's Bookstore. Be great to see you there.

And don't forget if you're in London this week, I'll be appearing at the LSE Literary Festival discussing "The Future of Teen Fiction" with Mark Walden (of H.I.V.E. fame) and Alex Scarrow on Thursday, 11 Feb. It's free, but you'll need to request a ticket here.

And finally, hello to the new commenters: Maude (the French version of Ask will be called Le cercle et la fleche and looks to be out in April), Megan, Danielle, Lara and Stef.

Me on New Zealand television, Monsters in German and lots more

2010-02-04T14:12:33Z

The "really cool" thing that I referred to as part of my tour of Australia and New Zealand has been confirmed: I'm going to be on TVNZ's Good Morning programme! What fun, eh, live TV? I'll be appearing the morning of Thursday, 11 March, and I'll also doing a public event later that day. I've added both to my Events page and hope to be confirming a Wellington event soon, too.

I can also announce that the German version of Monsters of Men will be called Das brennende Messer ("The Burning Knife", and not to be confused with The Knife of Never Letting Go) and will be out in October! They've done a great job in Germany. Can't wait to see it.

Don't forget I'll be appearing at the LSE Literary Festival on Thursday, 11 February (next week). It's free, but you'll need to request a ticket here.

And hello to all the new commenters: Denise, Amber, Ann, Ellen, Damla, Lauren, Ness and Isabelle (yes and no, Arcade Fire's a good starting point...)

Twitterview results and more Aust/NZ info

2010-02-02T14:36:15Z

Yesterday's interview on Waterstone's Twitter page @Waterstones was great good fun. Lots of great questions, and they've laid them all out nicely today on their Facebook page if you'd like to see how it went.

I've also updated some of the Australia/New Zealand schedule, including adding (at last) an event in Wellington, NZ. There should be more to come for New Zealand, too, so stay tuned!

And a quick hello to the new commenters: Jesse, Angie, Emma, Emily and Matt (Mr) Bakewell. Cheers!

Twitterview tomorrow and Australia schedule up!

2010-01-31T14:58:02Z

Just a quick reminder that I'm being interviewed on Waterstone's Twitter @waterstones tomorrow, 1 February at 5pm and the questions are coming from you! You can log on live and ask questions there, or send questions in advance to tag #patrickness. Lots of good questions already coming in. Don't miss out!

And, equally importantly, my Australia Schedule for my visit in Feb/March is up on the Events page. These are all my public events (I'll also be visiting tons of schools), and booking and ticket info are included. So, if you're an Australian fan and want to see me, here's your chance!

I expect to be doing at least one public New Zealand event, too (and possibly something else extra-cool in NZ as well), so stay tuned.

In the meantime, hello to the first-time commenters: Luke, Stephenie, Chris and Eliza.

Costa Book Awards

2010-01-27T10:44:01Z

I went to the Costa Book Awards Ceremony last night, which was great good fun. The Ask and the Answer won the Children's Book Award, and the very nice Christopher Reid, from the Poetry Category, won Book of the Year. Saw lots of celebrities and went home with a big cheque! Can't complain. And ended up, too, with a surprisingly good photo of myself in a suit. A rare sighting indeed.

Don't forget I'm answering your questions on Waterstones Twitter @Waterstones on Monday, 1 February at 5pm. You can come on live or twitter your questions in advance with the tag #patrickness.

And hello to the new commenters: Cambria (great picture!), Megan, Ingrid, Ashley, Alicia, Lauren and Ian.

Ask me questions on a Twitter interview!

2010-01-24T11:54:30Z

This could be fun. On Monday, 1 February, at 5pm (GMT), I'll be taking over I’ll be taking over the @waterstones twitter for an hour to answer your questions about The Knife of Never Letting Go, The Ask and the Answer, and Monsters of Men. Come online then with what you'd like to ask. Or you can tweet them in advance, making sure to include tag #patrickness. See you there!

Tuesday (26 Jan) is the announcement of the Costa Book of the Year, which I'm up for as winner of the Costa Children's Book of the Year. Only one children's book has ever won, and it's tough competition, so fingers crossed. It'll be a fun night whatever happens, though.

And a quick hello to the new commenters: Damla, Maggie, LaylaViolet, Christie, Annie (and her daughter), Sean, Garrett and Zead (you've heard more than I have, Zead, so let's call that a tentative date for now and when I get final word, I'll put it up here).

Waterstone's page!

2010-01-21T15:24:14Z

I've just got my very own Author Page on Waterstones.com. It's got downloadable chapters and podcasts and a nifty new picture of yours truly. Check it out. And maybe buy some books while you're there.

Busy week ahead (more when I'm allowed to tell you). The Costa Book of the Year is announced on Tuesday. A children's book has only won it once, but you never know!

And hello to the new commenters, Jo, Heather (May for UK, Ireland, Aust; Sept for the US), Michelle, LaylaViolet (he's talking to both him and us, I think), Chris, Mickayla, Doel (love to hear what your uncle thinks!), Stacey and Emily. Great to hear from you all.