The fourth volume of the Zom-B Chronicles, collecting books 7 and 8 (Zom-B Mission and Zom-B Clans) is due to go on sale on December 28th, 2017.

The 12th (and final) Zom-B paperback book goes on sale in the UK and Ireland on October 5th, 2017.

Public talk and signing. I will be reading extracts from various books (including some books chosen by fans in the audience -- so bring your favourite with you!) and talking a bit about how Zom-B ties in with issues like Brexit and Donald Trump, then signing afterwards. There are no limitis on how many books each fan can get signed -- feel free to bring books from home or buy in the shop.

Public signing at 3.00pm. Just come along and take your place in line. No limit on how many books you can get signed -- feel free to bring books from home or buy them in the shop.

This is an event to tie in with Culture Night 2017. I'll be reading some extracts, not just from my books, but from books that had a big influence on me when I was younger, answering questions and signing afterwards. (But there won't be any books on sale, so you'll need to bring them with you if you want anything signed.) Contact the Hunt Museum to find out if you need to book tickets or whether you can just turn up on the evening.

FEBRUARY
UK
Friday 6 -- 11.15am -- schools event, Cardiff, part of the Hay Scribblers Festival. 500 students.
Tuesday 10 -- 2.30pm -- schools event, Holbeach Primary School, Lewisham. A special Saga Of Darren Shan event. 90 students.
Thursday 12 -- 9.00am -- schools event, Dereham Neathered High School, Norfolk. 450 students.
2.00pm -- schools events, Wymondham High School, Norfolk.250 students.
Friday 13 -- 8.35am -- schools event, Whitgift School, Croydon. 600 students.
1.40pm -- schools events, Wallington County Grammar School, Surrey. 240 students.
4.30pm -- public signing, Waterstones Croydon. 1hr.
Saturday 14 -- 11.00am -- public signing, Waterstones Basingstoke. 2hrs 15mins.
3.30pm -- public signing, Waterstones Reading Broad Street. 2hrs 20mins.
Sunday 15 -- 11.00am -- public signing, Waterstones Tunbridge Wells. 1hr 30mins.
2.30pm -- public signing, Waterstones Maidstone. 1hr 30mins.
Monday 16 -- 11.00am -- public signing, Waterstones Birmingham. 2hrs 15mins.
2.30pm -- public signing, Waterstones Leamington Spa. 1hr 30mins.

MARCH
UK
Thursday 12 -- 8.55am -- schools event, Glenthorne High School, Surrey. 400 students.
1.30pm -- school events, The Cherry Trees School, London. 15 students.
Friday 13 -- 3.30pm -- school event, Oasis Academy Southbank, London, UK. 120 students.
6.00pm -- public event, Canada Water Library, London. 40 people.

APRIL
IRELAND
Saturday 18 -- 2.00pm -- public event, Towering Tales Festival, Lismore, County Waterford.

MAY
IRELAND
Saturday 23 -- 3.00pm -- public event, Wicklow Arts Festival, Wicklow.

JULY
UK
Wednesday 15 -- 2.30pm -- schools event, Norwich FLY Festival, Norwich, UK. 450 students.
Friday 17 -- 2.30pm -- public panel event at YALC, the London Film & Comic Con. Signed for 3hrs 15mins after event.

AUGUST
SCOTLAND
Thursday 27 -- 11.00am -- school event, Carnegie Hall, East Port, DUNFERMLINE. 150 students.
2.00pm -- school event, Auchmuty High School, Dovecot Road, GLENROTHES. 400 students.
Friday 28 -- 1.30pm -- school event, EDINBURGH Book Festival. 500 students.
Saturday 29 -- 3.45pm -- public event, EDINBURGH Book Festival. 200 people.

SEPTEMBER
UK
Friday 25 -- 9.45am -- school event, King William's College, Castletown, ISLE OF MAN, 200 students.
2.00pm -- school event, Bemahague School, Onchan, ISLE OF MAN. 200 students.
7.15pm -- public event, Youth Arts Centre, Douglas, ISLE OF MAN, part of the Manx Litfest. 20 people.

OCTOBER
UK/IRELAND
Thursday 1 -- 10.15am -- school event, Warden Park School, Cuckfield, Haywards Heath. 300 students.
1.45pm -- school event, Shoreham Academy, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex. 400 students.
5.00pm -- public signing, Waterstones BRIGHTON. 1hr.
Friday 2 -- 9.20am -- school event, Trafalgar School, Hilsea, Portsmouth. 175 students.
1.10pm -- school event, Hounsdown School, Totton, Southampton. 290 students.
5.00pm -- public signing, Waterstones SOUTHAMPTON. 1hr 15mins.
Saturday 3 -- 10.00am -- PUBLIC signing, Waterstones BOURNEMOUTH. 1hr.
1.30pm -- public signing, Waterstones YEOVIL. 1hr 15mins.
6.30pm -- public event with Charlie Higson, BATH Children's Literature Festival. 200 people.
Sunday 4 -- 10.30am -- public signing, Waterstones WORCESTER. 1hr 30mins.
1.30pm -- public signing, Waterstones COVENTRY. 1hr 15mins.
6.15pm -- public event, CHELTENHAM Literature Festival. 40 people.
Tuesday 6 -- 9.30am -- school event, St Patricks Gateway Centre, Patrick Street, Waterford. 100 students.
12.00pm -- school event, St Patricks Gateway Centre, Patrick Street, Waterford. 100 students.
4.00pm -- PUBLIC signing, The Book Centre, 25 John Robert Square, WATERFORD. 1hr 15mins.
Friday 23 -- school event, Pallaskenry National Primary School, 150 students.
Saturday 24 -- 6.00pm -- PUBLIC event with DEREK LANDY and JAMES DAWSON, Smock Alley Theatre, DUBLIN, part of Dept 51 YA Convention. 150 people.

NOVEMBER
SHARJAH
Monday 9 -- 10.00am -- school event, Our Own English High School, SHARJAH. 300 students.
12.00pm -- school event, Australian International School, SHARJAH. 100 students.
1.00pm -- school event, Australian International School, SHARJAH. 70 students.
Tuesday 10 -- 10.00am -- school event, GEMS Millennium School, SHARJAH. 100 students.
12.30pm -- school event, Latifa School, DUBAI. 120 students.
Wednesday 11 -- 10.00am -- school event, Sharjah English School, SHARJAH. 100 students.
12.30pm -- university event, American University Of Sharjah, SHARJAH. 30 people.
Thursday 12 -- 10.00am -- school event, The Millennium School, DUBAI. 250 students.
7.00pm -- public event, "Dare To Be Scared," at the Intellectual Hall, The Expo Centre, SHARJAH. 5 people.

MARCH
USA
Thursday 20 -- 5.00pm -- public panel event with 3 other writers, Books Of Wonder, New York.

CANADA
Tuesday 25 -- 10.00am -- school event, R H King Academy, Toronto. 80 students.
7.00pm -- public event, North York Public Library, 5120 Yonge Street, Toronto.
Thursday 27 -- 11.00 am -- school event, Glashin Middle School, Ottawa. 80 students.
12.30pm -- School event, Ottawa Public Library, Carlington branch. 100 students.
6.00pm -- public event and signing, Ottawa Public Library, Nepean Centrepointe Branch, Ottawa.

APRIL
UK/IRELAND
Tuesday 1 -- 9.30am -- school event, Ashcroft High School, Luton. 220 students.
1.30pm -- school event, Hazeley School, Milton Keynes. 300 students.
4.30pm -- public signing, Waterstones Milton Keynes. 1hr.
Wednesday 2 -- 10.00am -- school event, New Rickstones Academyn, Witham. 250 students.
1.30pm -- school event, Anglo European School, Ingatestone, Essex. 210 students.
5.00pm -- public signing, Waterstones Chatham, Kent. 2hrs.
Thursday 3 -- 10.45am -- school event, Lampton School, Hounslow. 300 students.
2.10pm -- school event, Chiswick School, Bulrington Lane, Chiswick. 200 students.
Friday 4 -- 10.00am -- school event, Steyning Grammar School. 250 students.
1.30pm -- school event, Dorothy Springer School, Brighton. 250 students.
Saturday 5 -- 10.30am -- public signing, Waterstones Bury St Edmunds. 40 mins -- I was surprised that only a handful of people turned up, so I left after I'd signed and spent a long time chatting with each of them. What I didn't realise was that the store had told people I would be there for 2 hours, so some others came after I had left! Sadly, no one at the store had told ME or my publicists about their schedule!!!
4.00pm -- public event, Cambridge Literary Festival. 30 people.
Sunday 6 -- 12.00pm -- public signing, Waterstones Coventry. 2hrs 30mins.
Monday 7 -- 11.00am -- school event, Easons Belfast, 40-46 Donegall Place, Belfast. 50 students.
2.00pm -- school event, Methodist College, Belfast. 300 students.
5.00pm -- public signing, Easons Dundalk. 3hrs.
Tuesday 8 -- 10.30am -- school event, Malahide Community School, Broomfield, Malahide. 270 students.
2.15pm -- school event, Salesian College, Maynooth Road, County Kildare. 250 students.
5.00pm -- public signing, Easons Maynooth. 1hr 30mins.
Wednesday 9 -- 10.00am -- school event, Dunamaise Arts Theatre, Portlaiose. 240 students.
12.30pm -- school event, Dunamaise Arts Theatre, Portlaiose. 170 students.
7.00pm -- public event, Dunamaise Arts Theatre, Portlaiose. 60 people.
Thursday 10 -- 10.00am -- school event, Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge. 180 students.
12.30pm -- school event, Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge. 180 students.
6.00pm -- public event in Easons, 40 Lower O'Connell Street, Dublin. 25 people.

MAY
UK
Saturday 10 -- 4.00pm -- public event, Brighton Festival.
Friday 23 -- 4.00pm -- public event with Alexander Gordon Smith, Norfolk And Norwich Festival, Norwich.
Monday 26 -- 2.30pm -- public event, Hay Festival, Hay-On-Wye.

JUNE
HUNGARY
Friday 13 -- 5.00pm -- public signing at Mora Books stand, Vorosmarty Square, Budapest. 5hrs.
Saturday 14 -- 11.00am -- public signing in Libri Book Store, Mammut Shopping Centre, Budapest. 4hrs 30mins.
5.00pm -- public signing at Mora Books stand, Vorosmarty Square, Budapest. 4hrs 30mins.

JULY
UK/IRELAND
Friday 4 -- 4.00pm -- public event, Hay Festival Kells, County Meath. 70 people.
Saturday 5 -- 12.00pm -- public signing, Waterstones Liverpool. 2hrs.
6.00pm -- public event, Manchester Children's Book Festival. 120 people.
Sunday 6 --12.00pm -- public signing, Waterstones Newcastle. 3hrs.
Saturday 12 -- 4.30pm -- public event with Charlie Higson, Derek Landy and Will Hill, YALC, at the London Film And Comic Con. 5hrs signing, before and after event.

AUGUST
SCOTLAND
Monday 11 -- 4.30pm -- public event, Edinburgh Book Festival.

OCTOBER
UK/IRELAND
Monday 20 -- 10.30am -- schools event, Rose Theatre, Kingston, London. 800 students.
Tuesday 21 -- 9.05am -- schools event, Forest Hill School, Dacres Road, London. 300 students.
4.00pm -- public signing, Waterstones Bromley, 1hr.
Wednesday 22 -- 11.30am -- schools event, QES Kirkby Lonsdale School, Lancaster. 350 students.
Tuesday 28 -- 2.00pm -- public signing, Waterstones Cribbs Causeway, Bristol. 2hrs 15mins.
Wednesday 29 -- 1.30pm -- public signing, Waterstones Drake Circus, Plymouth. 3hrs 5mins.
7.00pm -- public event, Exeter Northcott Theatre. 100 people.
Friday 31 -- 2.00pm -- public event, Belltable Theatre, Limerick. 180 people.

NOVEMBER
UK
Saturday 15 -- 2.00pm -- public event, Shoreditch Town Hall, London.

2013 TOUR SCHEDULE

JANUARY
UK
Saturday 19 -- 12.00pm -- lunch with the winners of a Zom-B Feast competition, Crazy Homies restaurant, London.
3.30pm -- public signing, Waterstones Finchley Road O2, London. 1hr 45mins.
Monday 21 -- 10.00am -- schools event, Merchiston Castle School, Edinburgh. 200 students.
1.15-1.30 pm -- live radio interview on the Book Cafe show on BBC Scotland.
6.30pm -- public event, Waterstones Aberdeen. 70 people.
Tuesday 22 -- 9.30am -- school event, Robert Gordon's School, Aberdeen. 300 students.
1.45pm -- schools event, Steps Theatre, Dundee. 70 students.
4.30pm -- public signing, Waterstones Dundee. 1hr 40mins.
Wednesday 23 -- 10.00am -- schools event, Mitchell Library, Glasgow. 400 students.
1.15pm -- schools event, Mearns Castle High School, Newton Mearns, Glasgow. 280 students.
4.00pm -- public signing, Waterstones East Kilbride. 1hr.
Thursday 24 -- 11.00am -- live, online, streamed schools event, BBC Scotland.
1.30pm -- schools event, Hutchesons Grammar School, Glasgow. 240 students.
6.00pm -- public event, Warerstones Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow. 80 people.

USA
Saturday 26 -- 09.30 -- talk, then signing at the ALA Midwinter Conference, Seattle Convention Center. Talk: 30 librarians. Signing: 1hr 30mins.
Sunday 27 -- 3.00pm -- public event, University Place Library, Seattle. 60 people.
Monday 28 -- 10.00am -- school event, Garfield High School, Seattle. 60 students.
2.00pm -- school event, Nathan Hale High School, Seattle. 60 students.
5.00pm -- public online event, BookTalk Nation.
7.00pm -- public event, Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park, Seattle. 13 people.
Tuesday 29 -- 5.00pm -- Live At The Lounge video chat.
Wednesday 30 -- 8.40am -- school event i, Coppell MS West School, TX. 100 students.
9.45am -- school event ii, Coppell MS West School, TX. 100 students.
1.00pm -- schools event, Coppell High School, TX. 150 students.
7.00pm -- public event, Barnes & Noble Frisco, Stonebriar Center Mall, Frisco, TX. 150 people.
Thursday 31 -- 9.15am -- school event, Harby Junior High School, Alvin, TX. 60 students.
12.45pm -- school event, Nolan Ryan Junior School, Pearland, TX. 100 students.

FEBRUARY
Friday 1 -- 9.15am -- school event, Hill Country Middle School, Austin, TX. 950 students.
2.00pm -- school event, O. Henry Middle School, Austin, TX. 250 students.
7.00pm -- public event, BookPeople, 603 N. Lamar, Austin, TX 78703. 30 people.
Saturday 2 -- 11.00am -- public signing, Main Exchange, Fort Hood military base, TX.
Monday 4 -- 9.00am -- school event i, Petaluma High School, Petaluma, CA. 100 students.
12.30pm -- school event ii, Petaluma High School, Petaluma, CA. Informal lunchtime chat.
1.30pm -- school event, Cherry Valley School, Petaluma, CA. 150 students.
7.00pm -- public event, Copperfield's Books Montgomery Village, Santa Rosa, CA. 11 people.
Tuesday5 -- 10.00am -- school event, Crocker Middle School, Hillsborough, CA. 100 students.
12.45pm -- school event, Burlingame Intermediate School, Burlingame, CA. 200 students.
7.00pm -- public event, Books Inc, Burlingame, CA. 50 people.
Wednesday 6 -- 8.46am -- school event, Ramona Middle School, Chino, CA.370 students.
2.00pm -- school event, The Wesley School, North Hollywood, CA. 100 students.
6.00pm -- public event, Mrs Nelson's Toy And Book Shop, La Verne, CA 91750. 15 people.
Thursday 7 -- 11.15am -- school event, Blair Middle & High School, CA. 100 students.
7.00pm -- public event, Los Angeles Public Library, 630 W. 5th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90071. 75 people.
Friday 8 -- 9.00am -- school event, Ruth Musser Middle School, Rancho Cucamonga, CA. 270 students.
7.30pm -- public event, Mysterious Galaxy, Redondo Beach, CA.

MARCH
UK/IRELAND
Friday 15 -- 4.00pm -- public signing, Crescent Bookshop, Dooradoyle, Co Limerick. 1hr 45mins.
Saturday 16 -- 11.00am -- public signing, Easons Galway. 1hr 30mins.
2.00pm -- public signing, Easons Athlone. 1hr 15mins.
Sunday 17 -- 12.30pm -- public signing, Waterstones Bluewater. 2hrs 15mins.
Monday 18 -- 10.10am -- schools event, Great BaddowHigh School, Chelmsford. 200 students.
1.50pm -- schools event, Philip Morant School, Colchester. 280 students.
4.30pm -- public signing, Waterstones Colchester. 2hrs 30mins.
Tuesday 19 -- 10.20am -- schools event, Kemnal School, Orpington. 200 students.
2.00pm -- live, online, streamed school event. 260 students + others worldwide.
5.00pm -- public signing, Waterstones Bromley. 1hr 45mins.
Wednesday 20 -- 10.00am -- schools event, Mayfield School, Portsmouth. 400 students.
1.45pm -- schools event, Hamble Community Sports College, Southampton. 250 students.
6.30pm -- public event, Wildern School Hall, Southampton. 100 people.
Thursday 21 -- 10.00am -- schools event, Worthing High School, Worthing. 500 students.
1.15pm -- schools event, St Robert Woodard Academy, West Sussex. 400 students.
4.30pm -- public signing, The Book Nook, First Avenue, Hove, BN3 2FJ. 30mins -- a handful of people.
Friday 22 -- 9.30am -- schools event, Shoreham Academy, Shoreham-by-Sea. 250 students.
5.00pm -- public event, Crawley Library. 90 people.
Saturday 23 -- 11.00am -- public signing, Heffers bookshop, Cambridge. 1hr 15mins.

APRIL
USA
Friday 5 -- 10:30am -- schools event, Adele Harrison Middle School, Sonoma, CA.
1:30pm -- schools event, Redwood Middle School, Napa, CA.
3:30pm -- public event, Silverado Middle School, Napa, CA.

MAY
IRELAND
Sunday 26 -- 4.00pm -- public event, Dublin Writers Festival. 70 people.

JUNE
UK/IRELAND
Sunday 2 -- 12.30pm -- public event, Listowel Writers' Week. 70 people.
Thursday 13 -- skype event with Sydney Punchbowl High School, Australia.
Sunday 16 -- 1.30pm -- public event, Borders Book Festival, Melrose. 50 people.
Thursday 20 -- 9.45am -- school event, Costello School, Basingstoke. 220 students.
2.15pm -- school Event, Bishops Challenor School, Basingstoke. 200 students.
4.30pm -- public signing, Waterstones Salisbury. 1hr.
Friday 21 -- 9.00am -- school event, Norton Hill School, Midsomer Norton, Somerset. 250 students.
1.30pm -- school event, Merchants' Academy, Bristol. 180 students.
7.30pm -- public event, Bristol Central Library, College Green, Bristol. 70 people.
Saturday 22 -- 11.00am -- public signing, Waterstones Newport, 159 Commercial Street, Newport. 1hr 45 mins.
2.00pm -- public signing, Waterstones Cardiff, 2a The Hayes, Cardiff. 2hrs 30mins.
Sunday 23 -- 12.00pm -- public signing, Waterstones Swansea. 1hr.

JULY
IRELAND
Wednesday 10 -- 2.30pm -- public events, West Cork Writers Festival, Bantry. 90 people.

AUGUST
UK
Sunday 18 -- 1.30pm -- public event, Edinburgh Book Festival. 300 people.

SEPTEMBER
UK/IRELAND
Thursday 26 -- 11.00am -- schools event, Glor Theatre, Ennis. 540 students.
1.45pm -- schools event, Limerick City Library. 170 students.
4.30pm -- public signing, O'Mahony's Bookstore, Limerick. 1hr 30mins.
Friday 27 -- 11.00am -- schools event, Cork Central Library. 200 students.
2.00pm -- schools event, Cork Central Library. 100 students.
4.00pm -- public signing, Easons, 113/115 Patrick Street, Cork. 1hr 30mins.
Saturday 28 -- 10.00am -- public signing, The Book Centre, 25 John Roberts Square, Waterford. 1hr 45mins.
2.00pm -- public signing, Easons Dundrum. 1hr 30mins.
Sunday 29 -- 1.00pm -- public signing, WHSmith Arndale Centre, Manchester. 3hrs.
Monday 30 -- 9.00am -- schools event, Wellington School, Altrincham. 700 students.
1.00pm -- schools event, Altrincham Grammar School For Boys, Altrincham. 360 students.
6.30pm -- public event, Wakefield Lit Fest, The Orangery, Wakefield. 80 people.

OCTOBER
UK
Tuesday 1 -- 9.30am -- schools event, Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wakefield. 300 students.
1.30pm -- public signing, Waterstones Doncaster, 27 Frenchgate Centre, Doncaster. 3hrs.
6.00pm -- public event, Waterstones Sheffield, 24-26 Orchard Square, Sheffield. 85 people.
Wednesday 2 -- 9.50am -- schools event, Ellis Guilford School, Nottingham. 270 people.
1.00pm -- schools event, Hamilton Community College, Leicester. 200 people.
4.30pm -- public signing, Waterstones Coventry, 50-52 Smithford Way, Coventry. 2hrs 30mins,
Thursday 3 -- 10.45am -- schools event, Slough & Eton Business And Enterprise School. 400 students.
1.30pm -- schools event, Charters School, Windsor. 250 students.
Friday 4 -- 10.00am -- schools event, St Georges School, Windsor. 200 students.
1.30pm -- schools event, Barnados High Close School, Wokingham. 10 students.
4.00pm -- public signing, Waterstones Reading. 2hrs 30mins.
Saturday 5 -- 11.00am -- public signing, Waterstones Oxford. 1hr.
4.30pm -- public event, Cheltenham Book Festival. 90 people.
Saturday 26 -- 4.30pm -- public event, Guildford Book Festival.
Monday 28 -- 2.30pm -- public event, Bram Stoker Festival, Dublin. 150 people.

NOVEMBER
IRELAND
Friday 8 -- 11.30am -- schools event, YouthReach, Limerick.

DECEMBER
UK
Friday 13 -- 2.00pm -- school event, Iselworth & Syon School, Middlesex. 360 students.

I'd planned to start cutting back on my touring this year, but actually ended up doing events in every single month of the year! That was the first time that had ever happened, and will quite probably be the last -- it wasn't something I planned in advance, just the way things turned out. Events ranged from the very small (a handful of people in one bookshop) to the massive (950 students in one school). Obviously I prefer it when lots of people turn up to see me, but it's nice to be able to give more time to fans at the less well attended events, so I have a good time regardless!

2012 TOUR SCHEDULE

MARCH
DUBAI
Wednesday 7 - 10.00am - school event, Dubai College. 800 students.
Thursday 8 - 10.00am - school events, Dubai International School, 400 students.
Friday 9 - 3.00pm - public event, Dubai International Literary Festival. 500 people.
Saturday 10 - 10.00am - public panel event with David Almond, Tim Bowler and Noura Al Noman, Dubai International Literary Festival.

APRIL
UK/IRELAND
Thursday 26 - 11.30am -- schools event, Belltable Theatre, Limerick. 100 students.
7.00pm -- public event, Belltable Theatre, Limerick. 100 people.
Friday 27 - 10.30am -- schools event, National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin. 150 students.
12.30pm -- school event, Castleknock College, Dublin. 100 students.
7.00pm -- public event, Waterstones Staines, 77 High Street, Staines TW18 4PQ. 120 people.
Saturday 28 - 11.00am -- public signing, Waterstones Finchley Road, O2 Centre, Finchley Road, London NW3 6LU. Signing for 2hrs 20mins.
3.00pm -- public signing, Muswell Hill Children's Bookshop, 29 Fortis Green Road, Muswell Hill, London N10 3HP. 1hr 15mins.
Sunday 29 - 2.00pm -- public event, Stratford Circus, Theatre Square, London E15 1BX. 75 people.
Monday 30 - 1.00pm -- school event, Beaumont Leys School, Leicester. 250 people.
6.30pm -- public event, Waterstones Lincoln, 297a High Street, Lincoln LN2 1AF. 100 people.

MAY
Tuesday 1 - 9.30am -- school event, Hull Collegiate School. 250 students.
12.25pm -- school event, Kelvin Hall School, Hull. 100 students.
6.30pm -- public event, Waterstones York, 28-29 High Ousegate, York YO1 8RX. 110 people.
Wednesday 2 - 10.00am -- Conyers Secondary School, Cleveland TS15 9ET. 300 students.
3.30pm -- public signing, Waterstones Newcastle, Emerson Chambers, Blackett Street, Newcastle NE1 7JF. 2hrs.
7.00pm -- public event, Waterstones Carlisle, 66-68 Scotch Street, Carlisle CA3 8PN. 100 people.
Thursday 3 - 09.15am -- school event, LSA Technology and Performing Arts College, Lytham St Annes, Lancashire. 280 students.
12.30pm -- school event, Kirkham Grammar School, Preston, Lancashire. 100 students.
6.00pm -- public event, Waterstones Wigan, 6 Grand Arcade, Wigan WN1 1BH. 100 people.
Friday 4 - 11.30am -- school event, Stockport Grammar School, Cheshire. 300 students.
2.30pm -- school event, East Manchester Academy. 100 students.
Saturday 5 - 11.00am -- public signing, Waterstones Wolverhampton, 13-15 Victoria Street, Wolverhampton WV1 3NP. 2hrs.
3.00pm -- public signing, Waterstones Birmingham, 128 New Street, Birmingham B2 4DB. 2hrs 30mins.
Sunday 6 - 12.00pm -- public signing, WHSmith Hanley, 213 The Potteries Shopping Centre, Market Square, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 1PS. 1hr 45mins.
3.00pm -- public signing, WHSmith Derby, 5 London Road, Derby, DE1 2NS. 2hrs 30mins.
Monday 7 - 12.00pm -- public signing, Waterstones Chester, 14 Eastgate Row, Chester, CH1 1LF. 1hr 30mins.
2.00pm -- public signing, WHSmith Wrexham, 56-58 Hope Street, Wrexham, LL11 1BE. 1hr 10mins.
5.30pm -- public event, Ashton Theatre, Shrewsbury School, SY3 7BA. Part of Shrewsbury Book Fest. 75 people.
Tuesday 8 - 12.15pm -- school event, Bridgnorth Endowed School, Shropshire. 300 students.
6.00pm -- public event, St Andrews Church/The Kettering Arts Centre, Lindsey Street, Kettering NN16 8RG. Arranged by Waterstones Kettering. 200 people.
Saturday 12 - 11.00am -- public event, Central Library St Helens. Bookselling by Pritchards. 100 people.
3.00pm -- public signing, Waterstones Liverpool One, 12 College Lane, Liverpool L1 3DL. 3hrs.

AUGUST
Sunday 12 - 1.30pm - public event, Edinburgh International Book Festival. 350/400 people.

SEPTEMBER
Wednesday 26 - 10.00am -- prison event, HMYOI ISIS, Thamesmead. 20 teenage inmates.
Thursday 27 - 1.00pm -- school event, Old Buckenham High School, Norfolk. 540 students.
6.30pm -- public event, Waterstones Norwich, 11/17 Castle Street, NR2 1PB. 140 people.
Friday 28 - 11.15am -- school event, Dame Alice Owens School, Potters Bar. 250 students.
2.00pm -- school event, Lochinver House School, Potters Bar. 170 students.
7.00pm -- public event, The Bull Theatre, High Street, Barnet. 160 people.
Saturday 29 - 11.00am -- public signing, Waterstones Bournemouth, Unit 1, West Mall, Castlepoint, Castle Lane West, BH8 9UY. 2hrs 30mins.
2.30pm -- public signing, Waterstones Yeovil, 37a Middle Street, BA 20 1LG. 2hrs 30mins.
Sunday 30 - 11.00am -- public event, Waterstones Taunton, East Street, Taunton. 120 people.
3.30pm -- public event, Bath Festival of Children's Literature. 100 people.

OCTOBER
Monday 1 - 10.30am -- school event, Nova Hreod College, Swindon. 300 students.
6.30pm -- public event, Waterstones Reading, 89a Broad Street, RG1 2AP. 110 people.
Tuesday 2 - 10.05am -- schools event, Fir Vale School, Sheffield. 200 students.
1.30pm -- schools event, Fulneck School, Pudsley, Leeds. 200 students.
7.00pm -- public event, Ilkley Literature Festival, Kings Hall, Station Road, Ilkley. 150 people.
Wednesday 3 - 09.15am -- schools event, St Augustine School, Billington, Clitheroe. 200 students.
1.00pm -- schools event, Grand Theatre Blackpool. 300 students.
7.00pm -- public event, Waterstones Manchester Deansgate, 91 Deansgate, M3 2BW. 130 people.
Thursday 4 - 09.30am -- schools event, Archbishop Blanch School, Liverpool. 200 students.
4.30pm -- public signing, Easons Belfast, 20 Donegall Place, Town Centre, Belfast, BT1 3BA. 1hr 45mins.
Friday 5 - 2.45pm -- school event, Weskey College, Dublin. 350 students.
5.00pm -- public event, Easons O'Connell Street, Dublin. 60 people.
Saturday 6 - 11.00am -- public signing, Easons Newbridge. 1hr.
2.00pm -- public event, Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoighre, County Dublin. 150 people.
Sunday 7 - 12.00pm -- public signing, Waterstones Cork, 69 Patrick Street, Cork. 5 hours!!! second ever longest signing session.

USA
Tuesday 23 - 4.00pm - public event, Mulberry Street Library, New York.

IRELAND
Wednesday 31 - 4.30pm -- Halloween public signing, Easons Limerick. 2 hours.

The most up to date tour details can always be found in the Shanville Monthly, so please check for info there as well as on this page. http://www.darrenshan.com/news/shanville-monthly/

2011 TOUR SCHEDULE

FEBRUARY
UK
Friday 25 - 11.30am - public event, Bourne Hall, Spring Street, Ewell, Surrey. Sold out event. Signing for 2 hours 30 minutes.

APRIL
AUSTRALIA
Friday 1 - Melbourne - 4.30pm - public event, Dymocks Camberwell, Victoria 3124.
Monday 11 - Sydney - 3.30pm - public event, The Children's Bookshop Beecroft, NSW 2119.
Thursday 14 - Adelaide - 3.30pm - public signing, Dymocks, Adelaide. signing for 1 hour 30 minutes.

MAY
UK/IRELAND
Wednesday 4 - 11.50am - multi-schools events, Stratford High School, Stratford-Upon-Avon. 200 students.
Wednesday 4 - 4.30pm - public signing, WH Smith Welwyn Garden City. 1 hour 50 minutes.
Thursday 5 - 10.30am -- multi-schools event, Norwich. 200 students.
Thursday 5 - afternoon - intimate public event (in a small shop), Norfolk Children's Books centre. 30 people.
Thursday 5 - 6.00pm - public event, Jarrolds Department Store, Norwich. 180 people. Signing 2 hrs 15mins.
Friday 6 - 10.00am -- multi-schools event, Copleston High School, Ipswich. 400 students.
Friday 6 - 3.00pm -- public signing, Waterstones Ipswich. 2 hours.
Friday 6 - 6.00pm -- public event, Shire Hall, Chelmsford, 80 people.
Saturday 7 - 10.30am -- public event, Haileybury College, Hertford. 200 people,
Sunday 8 - 11.00am -- public signing at Waterstones Bromley, Kent. 3 hours.
Saturday 14 - 10.00am -- public signing, O'Mahony's Tralee, Co. Kerry. 40 minutes.
Saturday 14 - 3.00pm -- public signing, The Crescent Bookshop, Dooradoyle, Limerick. 3 hours.
Sunday 1 - 12.30pm -- public signing, Waterstones Cork. 4 hrs 30 mins.
Wednesday 18 - 2.30pm -- public signing, Easons Newbridge, County Kildare.
Thursday 19 - 2.00pm -- intimate schools event (small store), Waterstones Belfast. 20 students.
Thursday 19 - 4.00pm -- public signing, Waterstones Belfast. 1 hr 30 mins.
Sunday 29 - 6.00pm -- public signing at Waterstones Cardiff. 2 hrs 15 mins.
Monday 30 - 11.00am -- public signing, Waterstones Swansea. 2 hrs 45 mins.
Monday 30 - 4.00pm -- public event with Charlie Higson, Hay-On-Wye Literary Festival. 400 people.
Tuesday 31 - 10.30am -- multi-schools event, Liberty Hall, Dublin. 350 students.
Tuesday 31 - 2.30pm -- intimiate event (small venue) with Fighting Words, Dublin. 30 children.

JUNE
Sunday 26 - 10.30am -- public event, Ayot Festival, Ayot Green.

AUGUST
Saturday 20 - 1.30pm - Edinburgh Book Festival - panel event with Barry Hutchison and Alexander Gordon Smith. 500 people.
Sunday 21 - 10.30am - Edinburgh Book Festival - solo event. I did a special two hour event in which I read out condensed versions of the plots of all 12 books of The Saga Of Darren Shan to celebrate my 12th year at the festival! 500 people.

SEPTEMBER
Sunday 4 - 3.00pm - public event at the Mountains To Sea festival, Dun Laoighre.
Thursday 29 - 10.00am -- schools events, Library Theatre, Central Library, Birmingham. 300 students.
Thursday 29 - 1.45pm -- schools events, Library Theatre, Central Library, Birmingham. 300 students.
Thursday 29 - 7.00pm -- public event, Waterstones Worcester. 80 people.
Friday 30 - 11.00am -- schools event, Ralph Allen School, Bath. 200 students.
Friday 30 - 2.00pm - school event, Writhlington Secondary School, Radstock. 250 students.
Friday 30 - 7.00pm - public event with Charlie Higson, Guildhall, Bath.

OCTOBER
Saturday 1 - 11.00am -- public signing, Waterstones Bluewater. 3 hrs 15 mins.
Sunday 2 - 10.30am -- public signing, Waterstones Newport, Isle of Wight. 2 hrs 15 mins.
Sunday 2 - 3.00pm - public event, Highlight Comedy Club, Portsmouth. 100+ people.
Monday 3 - 10.00am - schools event, Bay House School, Gosport, Hampshire. 400 students.
Monday 3 - 5.00pm - public signing, Waterstones Southampton. 2 hrs 15 mins.
Tuesday 4 - 10.00am - schools event, The Trafalgar School at Downton, Salisbury. 350 students.
Tuesday 4 - 4.30pm - public signing, WHSmith Exeter. 1 hr 10 mins.
Wednesday 5 - 9.50am - schools event, King's School, Barrack Road, Ottery St Mary, Exeter. 350 students.
Wednesday 5 - 2.00pm - schools event, Honiton Community College, Devon. 150 students.
Wednesday 5 - 6.00pm - public event, Waterstones Drake Circus, Plymouth. 200 people.
Thursday 6 - 09.00am - schools event, Stoke Damerel Community College, Plymouth. 200 students.
Thursday 6 - 12.40pm - lunchtime school event, Devonport High for Boys, Plymouth. 60 students.
Thursday 6 - 4.00pm - public signing, Falmouth Bookseller. 2 hrs.
Friday 7 - 11.00am - schools event, The Library, Tallaght, Dublin. 250 students.
Friday 7 - 4.30pm - public signing, Easons, The Pavilions Shopping Centre, Swords, Dublin. 2 hrs.
Saturday 8 - 11.00am -- public signing, Easons, Dundrum Shopping Centre, Dublin. 1 hr 30 mins.
Saturday 8 - 3.00pm - public signing, Easons, Liffey Valley Shopping Centre, Clondalkin, Dublin. 2 hrs.
Sunday 9 - 1.00pm - public signing, The Book Centre, Kilkenny. 1 hr 20 mins.
Sunday 9 - 3.00pm - public signing, The Book Centre, Waterford. 2 hrs 10 mins.

2010 TOUR SCHEDULE

MARCH
DUBAI
Thursday 11 - 10.45a.m. - Schools event for 1000 students in the main auditorium in the Scientific & Cultural Association.
Friday 12 - 11.00a.m. - Public event at Al Baraha 3, Intercontinental Hotel. Several hundred people, signing for 5 hours.

HONG KONG
Monday 15 - 9.30a.m. - Schools event, Central Library Lecture Theatre.
Monday 15 - 11.00a.m. - Schools event, Central Library Lecture Theatre.
Monday 15 - 4.30p.m. - Public event, Visual Arts Centre Lecture Theatre. 70 people.
Tuesday 16 - 9.30a.m. - Schools event, Science Museum Lecture Theatre.
Tuesday 16 - 11.00a.m. - Schools event, Science Museum Lecture Theatre.
Tuesday 16 - p.m. - informal signing at Hong Kong International School.

APRIL
IRELAND
Thursday 29 - 11.30am - Schools event, Dunamaise Arts Centre, Portlaoise, Co Laois. 250 students. signing for 2 hours.
Thursday 29 - 4.00pm - Public signing, Easons, White Water shopping centre, Newbridge, Co Kildare. signing for 4 hours.
Friday 30 - 10.30am - school event, Draiocht Arts Cetre, Blanchardstown, Dublin. 280 students. signing for 1 hr 15 mins.
Friday 30 - 4.30pm - public signing, Easons, O'Connell Street, Dublin. signing for 2 hrs 30 mins.

MAY
UK
Saturday 1 - 11.00am - public signing, Waterstones Picadilly, London. signing for 2 hrs 15 mins.
Saturday 1 - 5.00pm - public event, Wanstead Hall, Redbridge, London. 130 fans. signing for 1 hr 30 mins.
Sunday 2 - 12.00pm - public signing, Waterstones Milton Keynes. signing for 4 hrs 30 mins.
Monday 3 - 11.30am - public signing, Waterstones Southampton West Quay. signing for 2 hrs 45 mins.
Monday 3 - 3.00pm - public signing, WHSmith Bournemouth. signing for 45 mins.
Tuesday 4 - 10.00am - schools event, Surrey Libraries, Dorking Hall, Surrey. 300 students. signing for 2 hrs.
Tuesday 4 - 6.30pm - public event, Waterstones, Worcester. 160 fans. signing for 2 hrs.
Wednesday 5 - 10.00am - schools event, Sheffield United Football Club. 400 students. signing for 2 hrs.
Wednesday 5 - 5.00pm - public signing, Waterstones Liverpool. signing for 3 hrs 30 mins.
Thursday 6 - 12.30pm - public signing Waterstones Nottingham. signing for 1 hr 30 mins.
Thursday 6 - 6.30pm - fan event, Waterstones Boston, Lincolnshire. 150 fans, signing for 2 hrs 30 mins.
Friday 7 - 12.00pm - schools event, Linton Village College. 200 students. signing for 1 hr.
Friday 7 - 6.00pm - public signing, Waterstones Bury St Edmunds. signing for 1 hr 15 mins.
Saturday 8 - 11.30am - public signing, WHSmith Chelmsford, Essex. signing for 2 hrs 30 mins.
Saturday 8 - 4.00pm - public event, via Tales On Moon Lane, Alleyn's School, Dulwich. 50 fans.
Sunday 9 - 2.00pm - public signing, Foyles Westfield, London. signing for 1 hr 30 mins.
Sunday 9 - 8.00pm - talkk at the Oxford Union Society. 25 people.
Monday 10 - 11.30am - schools event, Leicester Libraries, St Paul's Catholic School. 200 students.
Monday 10 - 4.30pm - public signing, Waterstones Birmingham. signing for 2 hrs 15mins.

JUNE
IRELAND
Sunday 6 - 11.00am - public event, Listowel Literary Festival, Co Kerry.

AUGUST
UK
Saturday 14 - 1.30pm - Edinburgh Book Festival, Scotland. 500 people.

SEPTEMBER
IRELAND
Thursday 30 - 11.30am - Schools Event, Castlebar Library, County Mayo. 200 students.
Thursday 30 - 4.00pm - Public Signing - Easons, 33 Shop Street, Galway. 2 hrs 30 mins.

OCTOBER
Friday 1 - 10.15am - Schools Event, Glor Arts Centre, Ennis, County Clare, Ireland. 500 students.
Friday 1 - 4.00pm - Public Signing - Ennis Bookshop, 13 Abbey Street, Ennis, County Clare. signing for 2 hrs 20 mins.
UK
Saturday 2 - 11.30am - Public Event - Windsor Festival, Windsor. 150 fans.
Saturday 2 - 4.00pm - Public Signing - WHSmith Brent Cross Shopping Centre, Hendon, London. signing for 1 hr 45 mins.
Sunday 3 - 12.00pm - Public Signing - Waterstones, Aberdeen, 3-7 Union Bridge, Aberdeen AB11 6BG, Scotland. signing for 1 hr 40 mins.
Monday 4 - 10.30am - Schools Event, North Inch Community Campus Theatre, Perth & Kinross, Scotland. 330 students.
Monday 4 - 4.00pm - Public Signing - Waterstones Perth, St John'sCentre, Perth PH1 5UX, Scotland. signing for 1 hr 20 mins.
Tuesday 5 - 10.00am - Multi Schools Event, The Magnum Leisure Centre, The Harbour, Irvine KA12 8PP, Scotland.310 students.
Tuesday 5 - 4.00pm - Public Signing - Waterstones, 38a The Plaza, East Kilbride G74 1LW, Scotland. signing for 2 hrs 20 mins.
Wednesday 6 - 1.45pm - Multi Schools Event at Cockermouth School. 200 students.
Wednesday 6 - 6.30pm - Public Fan Event - Eco-Centre, Cockermouth. 140 fans.
Thursday 7 - 1.00pm - Multi-schools event, Carr Hill, Kirkham, Lancashire. 160 students.
Thursday 7 - 6.00pm - Public Fan Event - Millfield High School, Thornton, Preston. 150 fans.
Friday 8 - 1.45pm - Schools Event with Bolton Libraries, Central Library Lecture Theatre, Le Mans Crescent, Bolton. 220 students.
Friday 8 - 7.00pm - Public Fan Event - Victoria Hall, Knowsley Street, Bolton. 200 fans.
Saturday 9 - 2.30pm - Public Fan Event, Playhouse Theatre, Cheltenham Festival. 200 fans.
Sunday 10 - 11.00am - Public Signing, Waterstones, 4-5 Milsom Street, Bath BA1 1DA. signing for 2 hrs 30 mins.
Saturday 30 - 1.00pm -- Public Signing, Easons, Limerick, Ireland. signing for 3 hrs 15 mins.

NOVEMBER
USA
Friday 12 - 10.19am - Two school events at Urban Assembly New York Harbor School. spoke to 90 fans in total.
Friday 12 - 5.00pm - Public event at New York Public Library, Jefferson Market LIbrary, 425 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY. 50 fans.
Saturday 13 - 2.00pm - Public event at Watchung Booksellers, 54 Fairfield Street, Montclair, NJ. 40 fans.
Saturday 13 - 6.30pm - Public event at Barnes & Noble #2288, 911 Haddonfield Road, Cherry Hill, NJ. 40 fans.
Sunday 14 - 2.00pm - Public event at Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston St, Boston, MA. 30 fans.
Monday 15 - 11.45am - Two school events at Granby Jr/Sr High School, MA. 200 students.
Tuesday 16 - 9.30am - School event at Mountain View High School, Fredericksburg, VA. 100 students.
Tuesday 16 - 12.40pm - School event at AG Wright Middle School, VA. 250 students.
Tuesday 16 - 7.00pm - Public event at Joseph-Beth Booksellers, 1 Town Center Boulevard, Suite 5800, Fredericksburg, VA. 30 fans.
Wedensday 17 - 08.30 - School event at Robious Middle School, Midlothian, VA. 400 students.
Wednesday 17 - 10.00am - School event at Brookland Middle School, 9200 Lydell Drive, Henrico, VA. 100 students.
Wednesday 17 - 2.00pm - School event at Rolfe Middle School, 6901 Messer Road, Henrico, VA. 70 students.
Wednesday 17 - 6.30pm -- Public talk and signing at Fountain Bookstore, 1312 E Cary St, Richmond, VA. 25 fans.
Thursday 18 - 9.00am -- School event at Hopewell High School, 11530 Beatties Ford Road, Huntersville, NC. 100 student.
Thursday 18 - 12.45pm - School event at South Mecklenburg High School, 8900 Park Road, Charlotte, NC. 160 students.
Thursday 18 - 5.30pm -- Public event at Park Road Books, 4139 Park Road, Charlotte, NC. 20 fans.
Friday 19 - 09.30 - Schools event at Student Literary Encounters, Miami, FL. 700 students.
Saturday 20 - 1.30pm - Public panel event with Scott Westerfeld and Ellen Hopkins at Miami Book fair International, Miami, FL. 130 fans.
Sunday 21 - 10.00am - One-on-one event at Universal Studios, Orlando, FL, arranged by the Make A Wish Foundation.
Monday 22 - 08.30am -- 30 minutes talk at the NCTE Annual Convention, Orlando FL, called "Finding Myself Among Friends And Freaks". 350 people.

DECEMBER
IRELAND
Wednesday 8 - 4.30pm - read "Twas the Night Before Christmas" at a Christmas event in the Hunt Museuem, Limerick.
Tuesday 21 - 1.00pm - opened a library at Youthreach Centre, Hospital, Co Limerick.

* * * * * * * * * *

Another busy year, with trips to Dubai, Hong Kong and the USA, in addition to my regular UK & Ireland tours. I covered a lot of ground this year!!!

2009 TOUR SCHEDULE

FEBRUARY
UK
Saturday 7 - 15.00 - Public signing at Tales On Moon Lane, Herne Hill, London.

MARCH
Tuesday 24 - Schools event at Tottenham Hotspur, White Hart Lane, London.

MAY
Monday 4 - 11.00am - Public signing at FALMOUTH BOOKSELLER, 21 Church St, Falmouth, TR11 3EG. signing for 2hrs 20mins.
Monday 4 - 2.00pm - Public signing at WATERSTONES TRURO, 11 Boscawen Street, Truro, TR1 2QU. signing for 2hrs 15mins.
Tuesday 5 - 11.30am - Schools event at Notre Dame School, Plymouth. approx 250 students.
Tuesday 5 - 6.30pm - Public event at WATERSTONES PLYMOUTH , 65-69 New George Street, Plymouth, PL1 1RJ. approx 350 fans.
Wednesday 6 - 11.00am - School event at St John Kitto Community College, Pennycross, Plymouth. approx 200 students.
Wednesday 6 - 4.30pm - Public signing at WHS EXETER, 34/35 Guildhall Shopping Centre, Exeter, EX4 3NJ. signing for 1hr 50mins.
Thursday 7 - 1.45pm - School event at St Joseph’s School, Church Rd, Laverstock, Salisbury. approx 300 students.
Thursday 7 - 7.30pm - Public event at ATHENAEUM THEATRE WARMINSTER, 18-20 High Street, Warminster, BA12 9AE. approx 25 fans.
Friday 8 - 11.15am - School event at St Katherine's School, Ham Green, North Somerset. approx 200 students.
Friday 8 - 4.30pm - Public signing at WATERSTONES BATH, 4-5 Milsom Street, Bath, BA1 1DA. signing for 2hrs 15mins.
Saturday 9 - 11.00am - Public event in NEWPORT at Charles St Community Learning Centre, Charles Street, Newport, South Wales, NP20 1JU. approx 100 fans.
Saturday 9 - 3.00pm - Public signing at BORDERS CARDIFF, The David Morgan Building, 14 The Hayes, Cathays, CF10 1AH. signing for 2hrs 45mins.
Sunday 10 - 12.00pm - Public signing at BORDERS SWANSEA, Parc Fforestfach, Pontardulais Road, Swansea, SA5 4BA. signing for 3hrs 45mins.

NORWAY - NORSK LITTERATURFESTIVAL, IN LILLEHAMMER
Friday 29 - 12.00pm - Schools event at The Cinema. approx 200 students.
Friday 29 - 5.00pm - Public event with a group of Norwegian writers in The Park, arranged by Norwegian Writers For Children (NBU).
Saturday 30 - 1.00pm - Public event at The Cinema. approx 150-200 fans.

JULY
IRELAND
Thursday 9 - 2.30pm - Public event at the Maritime Hotel, BANTRY, county Cork. approx 200 fans.

AUGUST
UK
Monday 17 - 5.30pm - Public, group reading for Amnesty International Imprisoned Writers Series at The EDINBURGH Book Festival.
Tuesday 18 - 10.00am - Public event at The Edinburgh Book Festival. approx 500 fans. signing for 4hrs.

OCTOBER
UK/IRELAND
Thursday 1 - 10.30a.m - School event at Rich Mix Cinema, Bethnal Green Road, London E2. approx 180 students.
Thursday 1 - 2.00p.m. - School event as part of StarLit Festival in Shoreditch, London. approx 30 students.
Thursday 1 - p.m. - Launch party in Central London. Invited guests only.
Friday 2 - 12.00pm - School event at St Andrews High School For Boys, Sackville Road, Worthing. approx 100 students.
Friday 2 - 4.00p.m. - Public signing at Waterstones Brighton Clock Tower, 71-74 North Street, Brighton BN1 1ZA. signing for 2hrs 10mins.
Friday 2 - 7.00p.m. - Public event at Chichester College, Westgate Fields, Chichester, PO19 1SB. approx 300 fans. signing for 3 hrs.
Saturday 3 - 10.30a.m. - Public signing at Waterstones, 11A Union Galleries, Broadmead, Bristol BS1 3XD. signing for 3hrs.
Saturday 3 - 4.00p.m. - Public event at Central Library, Chamberlain Square, Birmingham B3 3HQ. approx 100 fans. signing for 1hr 30mins.
Sunday 4 - 12.00p.m. - Public signing at Borders, 34 Coliseum Way, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire Oaks, Cheshire CH65 9HD. signing for 4hrs.
Monday 5 - 11.00am - School event at Bramhall High School, Seal Road, Stockport. approx 600 students.
Monday 5 - 4.00p.m. - Public signing at Simply Books, 228 Moss Lane, Bramhall SK7 1BD. signing for 2hrs.
Monday 5 - 7.00p.m. - Public event at Waterstones, 91 Deansgate, Manchester M3 2BW. approx 120 fans.
Tuesday 6 - 11.00a.m. - School event at Wetherby High School, Hallfield Lane, Wetherby, West Yorkshire. approx 200 students.
Tuesday 6 - 4.00p.m. - Public signing at Waterstones, 17 Newport Crescent, Middlesborough TS1 5UA. signing for 2hrs.
Wednesday 7 - 10.30a.m. - School event at Dyke House School, Mapleton Road, Hartlepool, Teeside. approx 360 students.
Wednesday 7 - 4.30p.m. - Public signing at WHSmith, Gateshead Metro Centre, Gateshead NE11 9YR. signing for 2hrs 40mins.
Thursday 8 - 11.00a.m. - Public signing at Borders, Unit 7, Gallagher Retail Park, East Dock Street, Dundee DD1 3JS. signing for 2hrs 10mins.
Thursday 8 - 4.00p.m. - Public signing at Waterstones, Unit 1, Thistle Marches, Stirling SK8 2EA. signing for 2hrs 15mins.
Thursday 8 - 7.00p.m. - Public event at Wishaw Library, Kenilworth Avenue, Wishaw ML2 7LP. approx 180 fans. signing for 2hrs.
Friday 9 - 10.30a.m. - Schools event at Adelaides Auditorium, 209 Bath Street, Glasgow G2 4HZ. approx 350 students. signing for 2hrs.
Friday 9 - 4.00p.m. - Public signing at Borders, 98 Buchanan Street, Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow G1 3HA. signing for 3hrs.
Saturday 10 - 10.10a.m. - Public signing at Waterstones, Bluewater Shopping Centre, West Village, Greenhithe, Bluewater DA9 9SE. signing for 6hrs 30mins!!!
Sunday 11 - 11.00a.m. - Public signing at Easons, Unit G1, The Pavilion Shopping Centre, Swords, County Dublin. signing for 2hrs 45mins.
Sunday 11 - 3.00p.m. - Public signing at Easons, Level 3, Unit 12-14 Dundrum Town Centre, Sandyford Road, Dundrum, Dublin 14. signing fort 2hrs 30mins.
Monday 12 - 10.30a.m. - Schools events at Ashbourne Library, Killegland Square, Ashbourne, County Meath. approx 200 students.
Monday 12 - 3.00p.m. - Public signing at Waterstones, Scotch Hall, Marsh Road, Drogheda. signing for 2hrs.
Monday 12 - 7.00p.m. - Public event at Blanchardstown Library, Civic Centre, Blanchardstown Centre, Dublin 15. approx 150 fans. signing for 1hr 40mins.
Tuesday 13 - 10.00a.m. - Schools event at Dunamaise Arts Centre, Church Street, Portlaoise, County Laoise. approx 240 students. signing for 2hrs 30mins.
Tuesday 13 - 4.00p.m. - Public signing at Easons, 9 O'Connell Street, Limerick City. signing for 2hrs (fast! had to attend the film premiere of Cirque Du Freak later - would normally have taken approx 3hrs.)

SWEDEN
Friday 23 - a.m. - Two school events in LUND, Sweden. Part of the LiteraLund Book Festival.
Friday 23 - 2.15p.m. - Conference event for adults in LUND, Sweden. Part of the LiteraLund Book Festival.
Saturday 24 - 12.00pm - Public event in LUND, Sweden. Part of the LiteraLund Book Festival.

NOVEMBER
UK/IRELAND
Friday 13 - Schools event in Swindon. approx 600 children.
Saturday 21 - 11.30a.m. - Public signing at Hughes & Hughes Book Store, Redmond Square, Wexford. signing for 2hrs.
Saturday 21 - 3.00p.m. - Public event with Eoin Colfer at Whites Hotel, Wexford. approx 200 fans.

* * * * * * * * * *

Another busy year! I visited Norway and Sweden for the first time, and had a fab time in both countries. In the UK and Ireland my tours hit higher heights than ever before, culminating in the mammoth sucess of the Hell’s Heroes tour. In terms of crowds and people turning up, it was my biggest and most successful tour ever!!! The signing sessions went on so long that I often didn't get to my hotel until late at night -- I got a lot less sleep on the tour than I had imagined!!! Some of the stats from my 13 days on the road were:

The longest signing — Waterstones, Bluewater — 6 and a half hours!!!

Average signing time at 13 signing sessions — 2 hours 50 minutes!!!

No signing was less than 2 hours!!! (The first time ever that every signing lasted at least two hours!)

Number of children at school and public events — 3110!!!

It wasn’t my longest tour ever (I’ve cut back from doing 3 or 4 week tours — I’m getting too old for those!!) but it was easily my busiest. I covered a huge amount of ground, met more fans at signings and public events than ever before, and didn’t have a single weak turnout at any session. That’s virtually unheard of on the road — you always get at least one disappointment, where the numbers are lower than average. But this time every single stop was a winner!!!!

2008 TOUR SCHEDULE

UK
JANUARY
Thursday 17 - 09.00 - School event at St Michaels School, Bermondsey, London.

HUNGARY
APRIL
Friday 25 - 16.00 - Public signing at bookshop in Kecskemét. signing for two and a half hours
Saturday 26 - 10.00 - Public Q&A at Budapest Book Festival.
Saturday 26 - 11.00 - Public signing at Budapest Book Festival. signing for two and a half hours
Saturday 26 - 15.00 - Public signing at Libri Bookshop, Arena Plaza, Budapest. signing for two and a half hours
Saturday 26 - 17.00 - Public signing at Alexandra Bookshop, Arena Plaza, Budapest. signing for two and a half hours
Sunday 27 - 10.00 - Public signing at Budapest Book Festival. signing for three hours

UK / IRELAND
Tuesday 29 - 11.00am - School event at Emanuel School, Battersea Rise, Wandsworth, London.
Tuesday 29 - 1.30pm - School event at Eaton House Prep School, Clapham Common North, London.
Tuesday 29 - 5.00pm - PUBLIC event at Bexley Central Library, Townley Road, Bexleyheath, Kent. approx 200 people
Wednesday 30 - 1.45pm - School event at Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys, Nackington Road, Canterbury, Kent.
Wednesday 30 - 6.30pm - PUBLIC event at Waterstones, 20-21 St Margaret’s Street, Canterbury.

MAY
Thursday 1 - 4.30pm - PUBLICsigning at Borders, N1 Shopping Centre, Parkfield Street, Islington N1 OPS.
Friday 2 - 10.00am - School event at St Columba’s College, King Harry Lane, St Albans AL3 4AW.
Friday 2 - 2.15pm - School event at Astley Cooper School, St Agnells Lane, HP2 7HL.
Friday 2 - 6.30pm - PUBLIC event organised by FCBG, at Leighton Park School, Shinfield Road, Reading RG2 7ED.
Saturday 3 - 10.30am - PUBLIC event at All Saints Church, Lovelace Road, London SE21 8JY. This is being arranged by The Bookshop, 1d Calton Avenue, Dulwich SE21.
Saturday 3 - 3.00pm - PUBLIC signing at WHSmith, The Bentall Centre, Kingston Upon Thames, KT1 1EU.
Sunday 4 - 12.00pm - PUBLIC signing at Waterstones, Bluewater West Shopping Centre, Greenhithe, Kent DA9. signing for four and a half hours
Monday 5 - 2.00pm - PUBLIC signing at Borders, Thamesdown Dr, Swindon SN25 4AN. signing for three hours
Tuesday 6 - 9.00am - School event at Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School, Butterfly Lane, Elstree, Herts.
Tuesday 6 - 1.00pm - School event at Bushey Hall School, London Road, Bushey, Herts.
Tuesday 6 - 4.30pm - PUBLIC signing at Borders, 210 High St, Waterfield Retail Park Walk, Watford WD17 2EU. signing for three and a half hours
Wednesday 7 - 2.00pm - School event at The Mall School, 185 Hampton Road, Twickenham.
Wednesday 7 - 4.30pm - PUBLIC signing at Waterstones, 77 High Street, Staines TW18 4PQ. signing for just under three hours
Thursday 8 - 10.30am - School event at The Judd School, Brook Street, Tonbridge. approx 120 people
Thursday 8 - 1.30pm - School event at Skinners School, St Johns Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. approx 250 people
Thursday 8 - 4.30pm - PUBLIC signing at Waterstones, 32-40 Calverley Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. signing for two hours
Friday 9 - 9.30am - School event at Caterham School, Harestone Valley Road, Caterham, Surrey.
Friday 9 - 2.30pm - School event at More House School, Moons Hill, Frensham, Farnham, Surrey.
Friday 9 - 4.30pm - PUBLIC signing at Waterstones, 11 Lion & Lamb Yard, Farnham, Surrey GU9 7LL. signing for two hours
Saturday 10 - 1.00pm - PUBLIC event at Polka Theatre, 240 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London SW19 1SB. approx 50 people
Saturday 17 - 2.00pm - PUBLIC signing at Easons, Athlone Town Shopping Centre, Athlone, IRELAND. signing for two hours
Wednesday 28 - 2.00pm - PUBLIC event for Young Readers UK Festival, Centre for the Child, Central Library, Chamberlain Square, Birmingham. 200+ people (sold out)
Thursday 29 - 4.00pm - PUBLIC event at Hay-On-Wye Festival. approx 400 people

JUNE
Sunday 1 - 11.00am - PUBLIC event at Listowel Festival, Kerry, IRELAND. approx 200+ people
Friday 13 - 12.30pm - School event at Pallaskenry National School, County Limerick, Ireland. This was to officially open the school library, which has been named after me!

AUGUST
Monday 11 - 4.30pm - PUBLIC event at the Edinburgh Book Festival. close to 500 people

IRELAND
SEPTEMBER
Thursday 25 - a.m. - School event at Aquinas Drammar school, Belfast. 200 people
Thursday 25 - p.m. - School event at Methodist College, Belfast. 250 people
Thursday 25 - 4.30pm - PUBLIC signing at Waterstones, 44-46 Fountain Street, Belfast BT1 5EE. signing for 3 hours
Friday 26 - 11.00am - School event at UCI Cinema, Blanchardstown, arranged by Borders, Unit 4 Westend Retail Park, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15. 200 people
Friday 26 - 4.30pm - PUBLIC signing at Borders, Unit 4 Westend Retail Park, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15. signing for 2 hours 25 mins
Saturday 27 - 11.00am - PUBLIC signing at Easons, 40 Lower O'Connell Street, Dublin. signing for 3 hrs 30 mins
Saturday 27 - 3.00pm - PUBLIC signing at Easons, Unit G1, The Pavillion Shopping Center, Swords, Co. Dublin. signing for 3 hrs
Sunday 28 - 11.00am - PUBLIC signing at Easons, Unit 45/46, Liffey Valley, Clondalkin, Dublin 22. signing for 2 hrs 30 mins
Sunday 28 - 3.00pm - PUBLIC signing at Easons, The Square, Tallaght Town Center, Tallaght, Dublin 24. signing for 1 hr 30 mins
Monday 29 - 11.00am - Schools event at Triskell Arts Centre, Cork. 100 people
Monday 29 - 1.00pm - Schools event at Triskell Arts Centre, Cork. 100 people
Monday 29 - 4.30pm - PUBLIC signing at Waterstones, Patrick Street, Cork. signing for 4 hrs 30 mins
Tuesday 30 - am/pm - Two Schools events at O'Mahony's Bookstore, O'Connell Street, Limerick. 130 and 160 people
Tuesday 30 - 4.00pm - PUBLIC signing at O'Mahony's Bookstore, O'Connell Street, Limerick. signing for 2 hrs 15 mins

UK
OCTOBER
Wednesday 1 - 9.30am - School event at Leon School and Sport College, Bletchley, Milton Keynes. 150 people
Wednesday 1 - 1.15pm - School event at Ousedale School, Olney, Bucks. 250 people
Wednesday 1 - 6.30pm - PUBLIC event at Waterstones, Midsummer Place, Milton Keynes. 120 people (sold out)
Friday 3 - 11.20am - School event at Gresham's Senior School, Holt, Norfolk. 150 people
Friday 3 - 2.00pm - School event at Taverham High School, Norwich. 200 people
Friday 3 - 6.30pm - School event at Sprowston High School, Norwich. 80 people
Saturday 4 - 10.00am - PUBLIC signing at Borders, 146 LR Merchant's Hall, Chapelfield, Norwich, NR2 1SH. signing for 4 hrs
Saturday 4 - 3.00pm - PUBLIC signing at Waterstones, 36 Butter Market, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 1DW. signing for 2 hrs 15 mins
Sunday 5 - 11.00am - PUBLIC signing at Foyles, Royal Festival Hall, Southbank, London SE1 8XX. SLOW signing for 2 hrs -- this was an incredibly rainy day, so I got the smallest turnout of the tour, but spent lots of time chatting with those who came, and putting messages into every book
Sunday 5 - 4.00pm - PUBLIC event at Stratford Circus, Theatre Square, Stratford, E15 1BX. Arranged by Newham Bookshop. 180 people
Monday 6 - 4.00pm - Tea with winner of Leeds City Libraries competition winners.
Monday 6 - 6.30pm - PUBLIC event at Leeds Art Gallery. 200 people
Tuesday 7 - 9.00am - School event at High Archal School, Sedgley, Dudley, West Midlands. 200 people
Tuesday 7 - 1.45pm - School event at Windsor School, Halesowen, West Midlands. 240 people
Tuesday 7 - 7.00pm - PUBLIC event at Earls High School, Halesowen, West Midlands. 300 people
Wednesday 8 - 9.55am - School event at Brownhills Community Tech College, Walsall. 200 people
Wednesday 8 - 5.00pm - PUBLIC event and signing at Borders, Manchester Fort, Cheetham Hill Road, Manchester M8 8EP. signing for 2 hrs
Thursday 9 - 9.30am - School event at Barnsley Academy, Worsbrough, Barnsley. 200 people
Thursday 9 - 1.15pm - School event at Fir Vale School, Sheffield. 200 people
Thursday 9 - 4.30pm - PUBLIC signing at WHSmith, 45 High Street, Meadowhall Centre, Sheffield S9 1EN. signing for 2 hrs 30 mins
Friday 10 - 10.30am - Informal PUBLIC signing event at Waterstones, Doncaster.
Friday 10 - 1.00pm - Schools event at Doncaster Civic Theatre. 300 people
Friday 10 - 5.00pm - PUBLIC signing at Asda, Owlcotes Centre, Pudsey, LS 28 6AR. signing for 1 hr
Saturday 11 - 11.00am - PUBLIC signing at Borders, 9 Magdalen Street, Oxford OX1 3AD. signing for 1 hr 15 mins
Saturday 11 - 4.00pm - PUBLIC event at Cheltenham Literature Festival, in Cheltenham College Junior School. 200 people
Sunday 12 - 2.00pm - PUBLIC event at Ilkley Literature Festival. 270 people

U.S.A.
OCTOBER
Monday 20 - 1.45pm - School event at Ramsey Junior High, Saint Paul, MN. 65 people.
Monday 20 - 7.00 pm - PUBLIC event/signing at Red Balloon Book shop, 891 Grand Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105. 25 people
Tuesday 21 - 10.15am - School event at Jefferson Community School, arranged by Wild Rumpus book shop, MN55410. 100 people
Tuesday 21 - 1.00pm - School event at Patrick Henry High School, arranged by Wild Rumpus book shop. 50 people
Wednesday 22 - 09.00am - Two School events at Liberty Middle School, Liberty, MO, arranged by Reading Reptile. 800 people
Wednesday 22 - 1.00pm - School event at South Valley Middle School, Liberty, Missouri, arranged by Reading Reptile. 60 people
Wednesday 22 - 7.00pm - PUBLIC event at Kansas City Llibrary, Plaza Branch, 4801 Main Street, Kansas City, MO 64112. arranged by Reading Reptile in Kansas City, KS. 50 people
Thursday 23 - 12.00pm - Two School events at Coppell Middle School West, Coppell, TX. 300 people
Thursday 23 - 7.00pm - PUBLIC event at Barnes & Noble, 2601 Preston Rd, Frisco, TX 75034. 50 people
Friday 24 - 8.30am - School event at Lamar Middle School, Austin, TX. 100 people
Friday 24 - 10.00am - School event at Hill Country Middle School, Austin, TX. 400 people
Friday 24 - 2.00pm - School event at O. Henry Middle School, Austin, TX. 200 people
Friday 24 - 7.00pm - PUBLIC event at a Haunted House, 815-A Brazos Street, #498, Austin, TX. arranged by BookPeople book shop, 603 N. Lamar, Austin, TX 78703. 15 people
Saturday 25 - 7.00pm - PUBLIC event at Books & Books book shop, Coral Gables, 265 Aragon Ave, FL 33134. 30 people
Monday 27 - 10.00am - School event at John Adams Middle School, arranged by Octavia book shop, 513 Octavia Street (corner of Laurel), New Orleans, LA 70115. 200 people
Monday 27 - 1.00pm - School event at Higgins High School arranged by Octavia book shop, 513 Octavia Street (corner of Laurel), New Orleans, LA 70115. 200 people
Monday 27 - 6.00pm - PUBLIC event at Octavia book shop, 513 Octavia Street (corner of Laurel), New Orleans, LA 70115. 20+ people
Tuesday 28 - 10.00am - Library event at Main Library, 219 Loyola Ave, New Orleans, LA 70112. This is an event for librarians and educators. 3 people
Wednesday 29 - a.m. - School event at Phoenix Preparatory Academy, Phoenix, AZ, arranged by Phoenix Book Company, Phoenix, AZ. 700 people
Wednesday 29 p.m. School event at Shepard Junior High School, Mesa, AZ, arranged by Phoenix Book Company, Phoenix, AZ. 400 people
Wednesday 29 - 7.00pm - PUBLIC event at Changing Hands book shop, 6428 S McClintock Dr, Tempe, AZ 85283. 40 people
Thursday 30 - 8.45am - School event at Kyrene del Pueblo Middle School, arranged by The Phoenix Book Company. 300 people
Thursday 30 - 7.00pm - PUBLIC event at The Tattered Cover book shop, Colfax Store, 2526 East Colfax Ave, Denver, CO. 77 people
Friday 31 - 8.30am - Two school events at Newton Middle School, arranged by Barnes & Noble Lone Tree. 200 people
Friday 31 - 11.00am - Stock signing at The Bookies. Members of the public also came along. 30+ people

2007 TOUR SCHEDULE

UK / IRELAND
FEBRUARY
Sunday 18 - 17.00 - Public event at Guildhall Theatre, Derby. signing for 90 minutes +
Monday 19 - Public event at Purcell Room, Royal Festival Hall, London. signing for ninety minutes +

MARCH
Tuesday 20 - School event at Tarbert Comprehensive School, County Kerry.

U.S.A.
APRIL
Monday 2 10.00 - In-school presentation/signing, Washington Middle School, S. Jackson St., Seattle, WA.
19.00 - PUBLIC Presentation/signing, Third Place Books, 17171 Bothell Way NE, Seattle, WA. small group
Tuesday 3 - 08.00 - In-school presentation/signing, Capital Hill School, Olympia, WA.
10.00 - In-school presentation//signing, River Ridge High School, Lacey, WA.
12.00 - In-school presentation, Black Hills High School, Olympia, WA.
19.00 - PUBLIC presentation/signing, Barnes and Noble, 1530 Black Lake Blvd., SW, Olympia, WA 98502.
Wednesday 4 - 10.00 - In-school presentation/signing, Eckstein Middle School, Seattle, WA.
Thursday 5 - 09.40 - In-school presentation/signing, Notre Dame des Victoires (NDV), San Francisco, CA.
14.00 - PUBLIC signing, Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera, CA 94925.
19.00 - PUBLIC presentation/signing, Books Inc., 1375 Burlingame Ave., Burlingame, CA 94010.
Friday 6 - 10.00 - In-school presentation/signing, Kenilworth Junior High School, Petaluma, CA.
14.00 - PUBLIC in-store presentation/signing, Copperfield’s, Montgomery Village store, 2316 Montgomery Dr., Santa Rosa, CA 95405.
19.00 - PUBLIC presentation/signing, Copperfields, Napa store, 3900 Suite A, Bel Aire Plaza, Napa, CA. 94558. signing for 90 minutes +
Saturday 7 - 13.00 - PUBLIC presentation/signing, Barnes and Noble, 1149 S. Main Street, Walnut Creek, CA 94596.
16.00 - PUBLIC Presentation/signing, Oakland Public Library, Rockridge Branch, 5366 College Ave., Oakland, CA 94618.
Monday 9 - 10.00 - In-school presentation/signing, Humble, Texas.
14.00 - In-school presentation/signing, Sartartia Middle School, Sugar Land, TX.
17.00 - PUBLIC presentation/signing, Blue Willow Bookshop, 14532 Memorial Drive, Houston, Texas.
Tuesday 10 - 12.00 - Two in-school presentations/signing, Coppell Middle School West, Coppell, TX.
19.00 - PUBLIC presentation/signing, Barnes and Noble, 2601 Preston Rd., Frisco, TX 75034.
Wednesday 11 - 10.00 - In-school presentation/signing, Hurst Junior High, TX. approx 800 people
19.00 - In-school presentation/signing, Rawlinson Middle School, 14100 Vance Jackson, San Antonio, TX 78249. approx 300 people
Thursday 12 - 12.00 - Presentation, “Taking a Bite out of YA Lit”, Texas Library Association, San Antonio, TX.I did an event for several hundred Texas librarians
13.30 - Signing - Texas Library Association, San Antonio, TX.
Friday 13 - 08.30 - TWO in-school presentations/signings, Glen Crest Middle School, Glen Ellyn, Illinois.
12.55 - In-school presentation/signing, Glenbard South High School, Glen Ellyn, Illinois.
16.00 - PUBLIC presentation/signing with Magic Tree, Magic Tree Bookstore, 141 Oak Park, Oak Park, IL.
19.00 - PUBLIC presentation/signing, Anderson’s Bookshop, 123 W. Jefferson, Naperville, IL. signing for two hours +
Saturday 14 - 11.00 - PUBLIC presentation/signing, Borders Books and Music, 1 N. LaGrange Road, LaGrange, IL 60525.
15.00 - PUBLIC presentation/signing, Skokie Public Library, 5215 Oakton St., Skokie, IL 60077.
Sunday 15 - 11.00 - Stock signing, Blue Marble, 1358 S. Ft. Thomas Ave, Ft. Thomas, KY 41075.
13.00 - PUBLIC presentation/signing, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Rookwood Pavilion, 2692 Madison Road, Cincinnati, OH 45208.
Monday 16 - 09.00 - In-school presentation/ signing, Kings High School, Kings Mills, OH.
19.00 - PUBLIC presentation/signing, Borders Books and Music, 8101 Movie Drive, Brighton, MI 48116.
Tuesday 17 - 12.30 - Business lunch with Borders staff in NY - yum!!!!!!
Wednesday 18 - 10.00 - Business brunch with Little Brown staff in NY - double yum!!!!!
19.00 - PUBLIC presentation/Signing, Barnes and Noble, 187 Riverside Square, Hackensack, NJ 07601.
Thursday 19 - In-school events, Brooklyn.
12.30 - Business lunch with B&N staff in NY - triple yum!!!!!!
16.00 - PUBLIC signing, Book Mark Shoppe, 8415 Third Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11209. signing for 1 hour 40 minutes.
19.00 - PUBLIC presentation/signing, Barnes and Noble, 91 Old Country Road, Carle Place, NY 11514.
Friday 20 - 10.00 - School presentation/signing at Barnes and Noble, 33 East 17th Street, NYC 10003. 200 + people

IRELAND
Saturday 28 - Public event at Cuirt Festival, Galway. 100 + people

JUNE
Tuesday, 5 - 11.00a.m. - Schools/public event at the Belltable Theatre, Limerick. 250 people
Tuesday, 5 - 1.00p.m. - Schools/public event at the Belltable Theatre, Limerick. 250 people
Tuesday 5 - 4.30pm - PUBLIC signing at Easons, O'Connell Street, Limerick. signed for 90 minutes
Wednesday 6 - 10.00a.m. - School events (2 sessions) at Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar.
Wednesday 6 - 4.30p.m. - PUBLIC signing at Easons, 33 shop st, Galway.
Thursday 7 - AM - School events (2 sessions) in Drogheda.
Thursday 7 - 4.00p.m. - PUBLIC signing at Waterstones, Unit 12, Scotch Hall, Drogheda. signing for two and a half hours
Thursday 7 - 8.30p.m. - Dinner with media with booksellers -- YUM!!!!
Friday 8 - 10.30a.m. - Schools event at Mill Theatre, Dundrum.
Friday 8 - 4.00p.m. - PUBLIC signing at Easons, Liffey Valley Shopping Centre, Unit 45/46, Clondalkin, Dublin 22. signing for two and a half hours
Saturday 9 - 1.00p.m. - Stock signing at Waterstone’s, 8 St Peter’s Street, St Albans, AL1 3LF. phone: 01727 834 966.
Saturday 9 - 3.00p.m. - PUBLIC event at The Maltings Arts Theatre, St Albans. signed for an hour
Sunday 10 - 1.00p.m. - PUBLIC signing at Waterstones, Unit 72, Midsummer Place, Milton Keynes. signing for two hours
Monday 11 - 10.00a.m. - School event at Bignold Middle School, Norwich.
Monday 11 - 3.00p.m. - PUBLIC signing at Waterstones, 11-17 Castle Street, NR2 1PB, Norwich.
Monday 11 - 7.00p.m. - School/PUBLIC event at Broadland High School, Tunstead Rd, Hoveton, Norwich, NR12 8QN. This event is being coordinated by Norfolk Children's Book Centre.
Tuesday 12 - 11.00a.m. - School event at Perse Prep School, Cambridge.
Tuesday 12 - 4.00p.m. - PUBLIC signing at Waterstones, 15-19 Buttermarket, Ipswich IP1 1BQ.
Tuesday 12 - 6.30p.m. - PUBLIC event at Copleston High School (in the library), Copleston Road, Ipswich, IP4 5HD. This is being organised by the Federation of Children's Book Groups.
Wednesday 13 - 11.30a.m. - School event at Sweyne Park School, Rayleigh, Essex.
Wednesday 13 - 4.00p.m. - PUBLIC signing at Waterstones, The Royals Shopping Centre, Southend-on-Sea. signing for two hours
Thursday 14 - 9.30a.m. - School event in Crown Woods School, Greenwich, London.
Thursday 14 - AM - School event in London.
Thursday 14 - 4.00p.m. - Stock signing at a number of central London bookshops.
Friday 15 - 1.45p.m. - School event at Highgate School, London N6.
Friday 15 - 4.00p.m. - PUBLIC signing at Children’s Bookshop, Fortis Green Road, Muswell Hill, London N10 3RY. Phone: 020 8444 5500.
Saturday 16 - 9.30am - PUBLIC event at Creative Writing on the Wirral.
Saturday 16 - 2.00pm - PUBLIC signing at Waterstones, 14-16 Bold Street, Liverpool L1 4DS. signing for two hours +
Sunday 17 - 12.00pm - PUBLIC signing at Borders, 34 Coliseum Way, Ellesmere Port, Merseyside CH65 9HD. signing for four hours
Monday 18 - 10.00a.m. - School event at St David’s High School, Saltney.
Monday 18 - 4.00p.m. - PUBLIC signing at Waterstones, 14 Eastgate Row, Chester CH1 1LF.
Tuesday 19 - 10.00a.m. - School events (2 sessions) arranged through Waterstones Aberystwyth.
Tuesday 19 - 4.00p.m. - PUBLIC signing at Waterstones, 27 Great Darkgate Street, Aberystwyth, Wales SY23 1DE.
Wednesday 20 - AM - Schools event in Cardiff.
Wednesday 20 - 4.00p.m. - PUBLIC signing at Waterstones, 2a The Hayes, Cardiff CF10 1WB.
Thursday 21 - 10.00am - Schools event at the Lyceum in Sheffield. (It holds 1000 people!!)
Thursday 21 - 4.00pm - PUBLIC signing at Waterstones, 27 Frenchgate Centre Interchange, Doncaster DN1 1LJ.
Friday 22 - 10am - School event at Hull Collegiate, Tranby croft, Anlaby.

JAPAN
JULY
Thursday 5 - Dinner with Japanese publishers.
Friday 6 - Interviews, and dinner with Japanese manga team.
Saturday 7 - Two public signings in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. signing for two hours at each
Sunday 8 - Two public signings, in Kyoto. signing for two hours at each
Monday 9 - School event in Kyoto.

TAIWAN
Friday 13 - Interviews and dinner with Crown staff.
Saturday 14 - 13.30 - Signing session at Kingstone Bookstore, Taipei.
Saturday 14 - 18.30 - Reading and signing session at Hess Bookstore, Taipei.
Sunday 15 - 13.00 - Signing session at Kingstone Bookstore, Kaoshiung.
Sunday 15 - 19.00 - Signing session at Fnac Bookstore, Taichung.
Monday 16 - "Tea party" with a selected group of 40 fans at Crown Offices in Taiwan, and KTV later!

HONG KONG
Tuesday 17 - Interviews, and dinner with crown of Staff Hong Kong.
Wednesday 18 - School visit, and interviews.
Thursday 19 - 11.30 - Seminar at Hong Kong Book Fair.
Thursday 19 - 13.00 - Signing at Hong Kong Book Fair. signed for three hours
Friday 20 - 13.00 - Signing session at Hong Kong Book Centre. signed for 105 minutes
Friday 20 - 15.30 - Public event with 40 fans at Crown Bookstore.

UK / IRELAND
AUGUST
Wednesday 15 - 17.00 - PUBLIC event with Mark Walden at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. approx 100 people
Thursday 16 - 16.30 - PUBLIC event at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. 8 years in a row!!! 450 + people

SEPTEMBER
Saturday 29 - 10.00 - PUBLIC event at the Bath Festival of Children’s Literature. signed for three hours
Sunday 30 - 12.00 - PUBLIC signing at Waterstones, Unit 1, West Mall, Castlepoint, Bournemouth BH8 9UY.

OCTOBER
Monday 1 - 09.00a.m. - School event at Woodlands Community High School, Southampton.
Monday 1 - 1.00- 2.00p.m - PUBLIC signing at Waterstones West Quay Shopping Centre, Southampton. signing for an hour
Monday 1 - 4.00p.m. - PUBLIC event at Waterstones, The Brooks, Winchester. signing for an hour
Tuesday 2 - 09.15a.m. - School event at Toynbee School, Ampfield, Winchester. Arranged by Waterstones Winchester.
Tuesday 2 - 11.00a.m. - I will be signing stock at Waterstones, The Swan Centre, Eastleigh.
Tuesday 2 - 3.00p.m. - I will be signing stock at Waterstones, Commercial Road, Portsmouth.
Tuesday 2 - 6.30-7.30p.m. - PUBLIC event at The Hayling Island Community Centre, Hayling Park, Hayling Island. signing for two and a half hours
Wednesday 3 - 10.30a.m. - School event at Worthing High School, West Sussex.
Wednesday 3 - 4.00-5.00p.m. - PUBLIC signing at Waterstones, 28 Montague Street, Worthing. signing for an hour
Thursday 4 - 10.00a.m. - School event at Ryton Comprehensive, Tyne and Wear.
Thursday 4 - 1.00p.m. - School event at Cramlington Community High School, Northumberland.
Thursday 4 - 4.00p.m. - PUBLIC signing at WH Smith, Metro Centre, Gateshead, Tyne on Wear.
Friday 5 - 10.00a.m. - Schools event at Kendal Leisure Centre, Burton Rd, Kendal, LA9 7HX.
Friday 5 - 6.30p.m. - PUBLIC event in County Hall, Preston. Arranged by Borders Books, Deepdale Shopping Park, Blackpool Rd, Preston, Lancashire PR1 6AF.
Saturday 6 - 10.00a.m. - PUBLIC informal signing at Borders, 95-96 Briggate, Leeds LS1 6NP.
Saturday 6 - 11.30a.m. - PUBLIC signing at Waterstones, 61-62 Bishopgate Walk, The Riding Centre (shopping centre), Wakefield WF1 1YB.
Saturday 6 - 3.00p.m. - PUBLIC signing at Waterstones, 93-97 Albion Street, Leeds.
Sunday 7 - 12.00p.m. - PUBLIC signing at WH Smith Arndale Centre, Manchester, M4 3AD.
Sunday 7 - various - I will be signing stock at the following stores: Waterstones Deansgate. Waterstones Trafford Centre.
SUNDAY 7 - 4.00pm - PUBLIC signing at Borders, Fort Shopping Park, Cheetham Hill Rd, M8 8EP.
Monday 8 - 10.30a.m. - School event at St Peter’s Memorial Hall, St Olavs, York.
Monday 8 - 4.00-5.00p.m. - PUBLIC signing at Waterstones, 28-29 High Ousegate, York YO1 8RX. phone: 01904 628 740.

CANADA
Monday 15 - 12.30 pm - School event at Windsor Secondary, North Vancouver.
Monday 15 - 2.15 pm - School event at Argyle Secondary School, North Vancouver.
Monday 15 - 7.00 pm - PUBLIC event at Highlands Community School, 3150 Colwood St, North Vancouver. arranged by Vancouver Kidsbooks. signing for an hour +
Tuesday 16 - 9:00 am - School event at Strawberry Hill Library.
Tuesday 16 - 11:00 am - School event at Cloverdale Library.
Tuesday 16 - 1:37 pm - School event at Semiahmoo Secondary.
Tuesday 16 - 7:00 pm - PUBLIC event at St. James Community Square, 3214 West 10th Ave. (corner of 10th and Trutch), Vancouver. arranged by Vancouver Kidsbooks. signing for 90 minutes
Wednesday 17 - 7.00 pm - PUBLIC event at Indigo Yonge & Eglinton, 2300 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario, M4P 1E4 Canada.
Thursday 18 - 2.00 pm - School event at The York School, Yonge St.
Thursday 18 - 4.30 pm - PUBLIC event at The Flying Dragon Bookshoppe, 1721 Bayview Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M4G 3C1.
Friday 19 - 1:20 pm - School event at Glenhaven Senior Public School, Mississauga. approx 350 people

* * * * * * * * * *

A VERY busy year on the road!! A huge American tour, two full-on tours of the UK and Ireland, as well as trips to Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Canada!!!!! This was also the year when crowds at public signings in the UK and Ireland increased dramatically -- I'd been getting good crowds for a few years, with occasional massive lines, but now virtually every signing drew a large group. I began to get used to late nights, as I rarely finished signing at the schedule stopping times!!!!

2006 TOUR SCHEDULE

U.K. / IRELAND
JANUARY
Friday 20 - 10.00 - School event at Oaklands School, Old Bethnal Green Road, London. 200 + people
12.00 - Stock signing at Foyles, Charing Cross Road, London.
13.15 - School event at Emmanual College, Battersea Rise, London.
14.30 - Signing at Ottakar's Bookshop, 70 St. Johns Rd, Clapham Junction, London.
16.30 - Public signing at Ottakar's Bookshop, 6-6a Exchange Centre, High St, Putney, London
Monday 23 - 12.00 - School event at Richard Lander School, Tresawls Rd, Truro, Cornwall.
16.00 - Public signing at Ottakar's Bookshop, 11-12 Boscawen St, Truro, Cornwall.
18.30 - Public event at Ottakar's Bookshop, 11-12 Boscawen St, Truro, Cornwall.
Tuesday 24 - 13.30 - School event at St Boniface's College, Tavistock Road, Plymouth.
18.30 - Public event at Plymouth College, Ford Park Road, Plymouth.
Wednesday 25 - 10.00 - School event at Plymstock School, Church Road, Plymstock, Plymouth.
16.30 - Public signing at WHSmith High Street, 47-50 Fore St, Taunton, Somerset. signing for 90 minutes
Thursday 26 - a.m. - School event at Alleyn's College, Dulwich. approx 250 people
a.m. - School event at JAG's, Dulwich.

FEBRUARY
Saturday 25 - 11.00 - Public signing at Ennis Bookshop, in County Clare, Ireland. signing for two hours

MARCH
Thursday 2 - a.m. - School event at Borders, Islington, London. For World Book Day.

MAY
Wednesday 17 - 11.00 - School event at Navan Arts Centre,County Meath. approx 300 people
15.30 - Public event at Dunboyne Library, County Meath.
Thursday 18 - 10.00 - School event at Hughes & Hughes, Omni Shopping Centre, Santry, Dublin.
12.30 - School event at Hughes & Hughes Junior, St Stephens Green Shopping Centre, Dublin.
Friday 19 - a.m. - Three school events, arranged by The Children's Bookshop, Pinner.
16.00 - Public signing at The Children's Bookshop, Pinner. signing for two hours
Saturday 20 - 14.00 - Public event at Kingston Reading Festival, London. signing for 2 hours +
Sunday 21 - 14.00 - Public event at Brighton Festival, Main Hall, Old Market, Hove, Brighton. approx 300 people
Monday 22 - 10.30 - School event at Woodkirk High Specialist Science School, Tingley, Wakefield.
13.30 - School event at Leeds Grammar School, Huddersfield.
15.45 - Public signing at Sonia Benster's Children's Bookshop, Huddersfield.
20.00 - Public event at Rastrick High School, Brig House. approx 200 + people
Tuesday 23 - 11.30 - School event at Waterstones, 93 Albion Street, Leeds.
12.30 - Public signing at Waterstones, 93 Albion Street, Leeds.
Wednesday 24 - 10.00 - School event at Montrose Town Hall, Melville Gardens, Montrose.
14.00 - School event at Kirriemuir Town Hall, 28/30 Reform Street, Kirriemuir.
Thursday 25 - 10.30 - Two school events at the Beach ballroom, Beach Promenade, Aberdeen.
Friday 26 - 10.30 - Three school event at Elgin Library, Cooper Park, Elgin, Moray.
Saturday 27 - 12.00 - public event/signing at Waterstones, 2-6 Hill St, Richmond, Surrey.
Tuesday 30 - 14.30 - Public signing at Waterstones, 22 Sidney St, Cambridge. signing for two hours
Wednesday 31 - 15.15 - Public event at Hay Festival, Hay-On-Wye, Wales. approx 400 people

AUGUST
Saturday 12 - 14.00 - Public event at Kilkenny Arts Festival. approx 200 people
Monday 14 - 16.30 - Public event at Edinburgh Book Festival. seventh year in a row!! approx 450 people

OCTOBER
Saturday 7 - 11.00 - Launch event for Bec at Craggaunowen, County Clare. My third launch party, and the first to be made accessible to the public. A very special day.
Monday 9 - 10.00 - Schools event at Bundoran, County Donegal.
13.30 - School event at Letterkenny, County Donegal.
Tuesday 10 - a.m. - School events in Derry.
16.00 - Public signing at Easons, Foyleside Shopping Centre, Derry.
Wednesday 11 - 10.00 - School event at Royal Belfast Academical Institution, Belfast, County Antrim.
14.00 - School event at Corpus Christi College (boys), Belfast, County Antrim.
16.30 - Public signing at Waterstones, 44-46, Fountain St, Belfast, County Antrim. signing for two and a half hours
Thursday 12 - 10.00 - School event at Methodist College Belfast, County Antrim.
Friday 13 - 10.00 - School event at Bow Secondary School For Boys, London E3.
13.00 - School event at Ilford Central Library, Clements Rd, Ilford, Essex. I also collected a Redbridge Award for Best Children's Book of the Year at this event -- nice!!
16.30 - public signing at Newham Children's Books Centre, Newham bookshop, 745-747 Barking Rd, London.
Saturday 14 - 11.00 - Tea with prize winner of a National Library for the Blind competition, in the Alias Hotel, Cheltenham. This was an auction, where the winning bidder got to have a private meeting (and tea!) with me. All funds raised went to support the NLB.
12.45 - Public event at the Cheltenham Book Festival.
Sunday 15 - 17.30 - Public event at the Ilkley Book Festival.
Monday 16 - 10.00 - School event in Doncaster, arranged through Doncaster Library Services.
12.30 - Public signing at Waterstones, 27 Frenchgate Centre Interchange, Doncaster.
16.00 - Public signing at Borders Books, 1-5 Davygate, York.
Tuesday 17 - 10.00 - School event at Borders Books, 94-96 Briggate, Leeds.
Wednesday 18 - 11.00 - School event at Shannon Library, County Clare.
13.45 - School event at Ennis Library, County Clare.
16.00 - Public signing at The Ennis Bookshop, County Clare.
Thursday 19 - 10.15 - School event at Nenagh Library, County Tipperary.
13.45 - School event at Excel Theatre, Tipperary, County Tipperary.
Friday 20 - 10.00 - School event at New Ross Library, County Wexford.
12.30 - School event at Wexford Town Library, County Wexford.
16.00 - Public signing at Hughes & Hughes, Redmond Square, Wexford.
Saturday 21 - 11.00 - Public signing at Hughes & Hughes, Omni Shopping Centre, Santry, Dublin 9.
15.00 - Public signing at Hughes & Hughes, Marine Road, Dun Laoighre, Dublin.
Tuesday 24 - 16.00 - Public event at Dooradoyle Library, Limerick.
Wednesday 25 - 16.00 - Public signing at Waterstones, 77 High St, Staines, Middlesex. signing for two hours
Thursday 26 - 11.00 - Public signing at The Lion & Unicorn, 19 King Street, Richmond, Surrey.
14.30 - Public signing at Waterstones, 100 The Glades Shopping Centre, Bromley.
Friday 27 - 11.00 - Public event at the Guildford Book Festival.
16.00 - Public signing at Waterstones, Broad Street, Reading. signing for two and a half hours
Saturday 28 - 11.00 - Public signing at Borders Books, MSU8, Bullring, Birmingham.
13.30 - Public event at Stourbridge Town Hall, arranged by FCBG (the Federation of Children's Books Groups)
Sunday 29 - 15.00 - Public signing at Waterstones Bluewater, Wets Village, Greenhithe, Kent. signing for three and a half hours
Monday 30 - 10.00 - School event at Bushey Manor Junior School, Grange Road, Bushey.
17.30 - Public event at Waterstones Picadilly, London. I got my publicists, Geraldine and Mary, up to sing with me at this event -- they still give me dirty looks about it now!!!

* * * * * * * * * *

This was the first year that I didn't do any events outside of the UK and Ireland!!! There were a few reasons for staying at home. After so much touring abroad during the previous few years, I was feeling tired, and needed a rest from long-haul flights! Also, my events in the UK were become much bigger than they had been, and demand for events was fierce -- I did two big tours of the UK and Ireland in 2006, and could have easily toured for several more weeks!! Mainly, it's good to have variety when you do a lot of touring -- I hadn't done a huge amount of events at home over the last couple of years, so it was nice to do the rounds here again!

2005 TOUR SCHEDULE

JAPAN
JANUARY
Saturday 22 - 10.00 - Two public signings at Maruzen Book Shop, Marunouchi Main Shop, Tokyo. 250 people at each signing .
Sunday 23 - 11.00 - Two public signings at Junkudo Book Shop Main Shop, Dojima, Osaka. 250 people at each signing

TAIWAN
APRIL
Saturday 2 - 13.30 - Public event in Kingstone Bookstore, Taipei. approx 250 fans
Saturday 2 - 17.00 - Public event in FNAC Bookstore, Taipei.
Saturday 2 - 22.00 - Public event at Eslite Bookstore, Taipei.
Sunday 3 - 14.00 - Public event at Eslite Bookstore, Taizhong. approx 200 fans

NETHERLANDS
Sunday 10 - 14.00 - Public event in Donner Bookshop, Rotterdam. approx 100 fans

IRELAND
Friday 15 - 10.00 - Two school events at the Wexford Book Festival. This was the first time I read out an extract from Lord Loss. It's the scene from the end of chapter 1/start of chapter 2. After the Cirque scene, this is the one I've performed most often in the years since.
Friday 15 - 16.00 - Public signing at Wexford Book Shop, Main Street, Wexford.

HUNGARY
Friday 22 - p.m. - Public signing in Debrecen. approx 300-400 people
Saturday 23 - 10.00 - Public signing at Budapest International Book Fair, Budapest Congress Centre. approx 400-500 people
Saturday 23 - 17.00 - Public signing at Mammut Libri Book Palace, Budapest. approx 600 people. Hungary took me by complete surprise -- I was expecting a quiet weekend, and instead I got my busiest signing sessions ever!! On Saturday I was signing for 9 hours in total -- and signing FAST!!
Sunday 24 - 10.00 - Public signing at Budapest International Book Fair, Budapest Congress Centre. approx 300-400 people
Sunday 24 - p.m. - Public signing in a book store in Budapest. approx 150 people

U.K. / IRELAND
JUNE
Saturday 4 - 11.00 - Public signing at O'Mahony's Bookshop, O'Connell Street, Limerick.

AUGUST
Friday 19 - 17.00 - Public event at the Edinburgh Book Festival. 6th year in a row! Did a talk about my vampire books at this one. approx 100+ people
Saturday 20 - 13.30 - Public event at the Edinburgh Book Festvial. At this one I spoke about Lord Loss. approx 400 people

U.S.A.
OCTOBER
Thursday 20 - 10.00 - School event at Salmon Bay School, Seattle, WA, arranged by SECRET GARDEN.
12.15 - School event at Whitman Middle School, Seattle, WA, arranged by SECRET GARDEN.
19.00 - Public event at SECRET GARDEN, 2214 NW Market Street, Seattle, WA.
Friday 21 - 09.00 - School event at YOUTH SERVICE CENTER, E. Alder St, SEATTLE, WA.
13.00 - Two school events at Auburn High School, WA.
16.30 - Public signing at All For Kids, 2900 N.E. Blakely St, Seattle, WA
18.30 - Public event at Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park, WA
Saturday 22 - 14.00 - Public event at B&N #2573, 2700 NE University Village, Seattle, WA.
Sunday 23 - 11.00 - Public event at HENDERSON DISTRICT PUBLIC LIBRARIES,Henderson, Las Vegas, NV.
13.30 - Public event at Sahara West Library, Las Vegas, NV.
16.00 - Public event at GREEN VALLEY LIBRARY, LAS VEGAS, NV.
19.00 - Public event at BORDERS BOOKS AND MUSIC, North Rainbow Rd., Las Vegas.
Tuesday 25 - 09.00 - School event at LAMAR MIDDLE SCHOOL, Crandall Rd., Irving, TX.
11.30 - School event at THE ACADEMY OF IRVING ISD, N Macarthur Blvd, TX.
15.30 - Public event at FORT WORTH PUBLIC LIBRARY, Summerglen Branch Library, Fort Worth, TX.
19.30 - Public event at Barnes & Noble #2060, 2601 Preston Road ~1204, Frisco, TX.
Wednesday 26 - 14.00 - School event at Kingwood Middle School, Kingwood, TX.
17.00 - School event at Fort Settlement Middle School, Elkins Road, Sugar Land, TX.
19.30 - Public event at BORDERS BOOKS AND MUSIC #140, Fountains on the Lake, Houston, TX
Thursday 27 - 08.30 - School event at Moorhead/Caney Creek School, Conroe, TX.
14.00 - School event at Jackson Middle School, San Antonio, TX.
19.00 - Public event at B&N #2684, 12635 IH 10 West, San Antonio, TX.
Friday 28 - 08.30 - Two school Event (with Stony Point 9th grade center) and signing at Texas Book Festival, Austin, TX.
14.00 - School event at O Henry Middle School, West 19th Street, Austin, TX.
16.30 - School event at Barrington School, Cooper Drive, Austin, TX.
Saturday 29 - 11.00 - Public event and signing on the Guys Read panel at Texas Book Festival, Austin, TX.
13.00 - Public event and signing (by myself) at Texas Book Festival, Austin, Texas.
17.00 - Public event and signing at Book People, 603 N Lamar, Austin, TX.
Sunday 30 - 18.00 - Public event and signing at B&N #2622, 55 Old Orchard Center, Skokie, IL. approx 120 people
Monday 31 - 07.45 - Two school events (and two more signing sessions) at BENITO JUAREZ HIGH SCHOOL, S. Laflin St., Chicago, IL.
a.m. - School event at Ruiz School, Cihcago, IL.
13.30 - School event at Pickard School, West 21st Pl, Chicago, IL.
19.00 - Public Halloween Party (hurrah!!!) and signing at ANDERSON'S BOOKSHOP, 5112 Main St, DOWNER'S GROVE, IL.

NOVEMBER
Tuesday 1 - 09.00 - School event arranged by Anderson's Bookstores, 123 West Jefferson, Naperville, IL. approx 400 people
15.30 - Public event at SCHAUMBURG TOWNSHIP DISTRICT LIBRARY, 130 South Roselle Road, Schaumburg, IL.
19.00 - Public event at Skokie Public Library, 5215 Oakton, Skokie, IL.
Wednesday 2 - 09.00 - School event at CICS-West Belden Campus, N McVicker Ave, Chicago, IL.
14.00 - School event at Dakota Jr-Sr High School, Campus Drive, Dakota, IL.
19.00 - Public event at Harry W. Schwartz Bookshop, Shorewood, WI.
Thursday 3 - 09.00 - School event at COMMUNITY LIBRARY, 24625 89th Street, Salem, WI.
Friday 4 - 10.30 - School event at D.C. Public Library, 901 G ST NW, Washington, DC.
16.00 - School event at East Middle School, Carroll County Arts Council, Westminster, MD.
19.30 - Public event at BORDERS BOOKS AND MUSIC #29, Vienna, VA.
Saturday 5 - 11.00 - Public event at Howard County Library/Miller Branch,Columbia, MD.
Monday 7 - 09.00 - School event at Kickemut Middle School, Child St., Warren, RI.
15.00 - School event at FRIEND'S ACADEMY,North Dartmouth, MA.
p.m. - Public event at BORDERS BOOKS AND MUSIC #445, Kingston, MA.
Tuesday 8 - 15.00 - Public signing at BUTTONWOOD BOOKS, Rt 3A, Shaw's Plaza, Cohasset, MA.
19.00 - Public event and signing at B&N #2966, 98 Middlesex Pkwy, Burlington, MA.
Wednesday 9 - 08.00 - School event in Portsmouth High School, Alumni Circle,Portsmouth NH.
10.45 - School event in Hampton Academt, Academy Ave, Hampton NH. approx 300-400 people
14.00 - School event at MANCHESTER CITY LIBRARY, MANCHESTER, NH.

U.K. / IRELAND
Friday 25 - a.m. - Signed stock in several central London book store.
16.00 - Public signing at Muswell Hill Bookshop, Fortis Green Road, Muswell Hill, London.
Saturday 26 - 11.00 - Public signing at WHSmith Croydon, 34 North End, Croydon, London. signing for an hour
16.00 - Public signing at Ottakar's Bromley, 100 The Glades Shopping Centre, Kent. signing for 90 minutes
Monday 28 - 16.00 - Public signing at Borders, MSU8, Bullring, Birmingham. a handful of fans -- a snow storm hit the signing hard!!!
19.00 - Public event & signing at Earls High School, Furnace Lane, Hales Owen, Dudley. approx 100 people (would have been 300 - it was a ticketed event, and it had sold out) but an unexpected snow storm meant lots of people couldn't come!!)
Tuesday 29 - 16.00 - Public signing at Borders, 51 Regent Crescent, The Trafford Centre, Manchester. signing for an hour +
Wednesday 30 - 14.30 - Signing stock at The Bookshop Dulwich Village, 1d Calton Avenue, London.
16.00 - Public signing at Dulwich Books, 6 Croxted Rd, London. signing for an hour

DECEMBER
Friday 2 - 14.00 - School event in Milton Keynes.
16.00 - Public signing at Ottakar's, 72 Midsummer Place, Milton Keynes. signing for 3 hours
Monday 5 - 16.00 - Public signing at Waterstones, 128 Princes Street, Edinburgh. signing for 2 hours
Tuesday 6 - 10.30 - School event at St Aloysius College, Hill St, Glasgow.
16.00 - Public signing at Ottakar’s, Buchanan Galleries,220 Buchanan Street, Glasgow.
Wednesday 7 - 11.00 - Public signing at Easons Dundrum. signing for an hour +
16.00 - Public signing at Easons O'Connell Street. signing for an hour +
Thursday 8 - 11.00 - Public event at City Library, Galway.
13.00 - Public signing at Easons, Galway. signing for almost 2 hours
Friday 9 - 10.30 - Library event at Torytop Library, Cork.
12.45 - Library event at Douglas Library, Cork.
15.00 - Public library event at Mayfield Library, Cork.
17.00 - Public signing at Waterstones, Cork. signing for 90 minutes
Saturday 10 - 13.00 - Public signing at Easons O'Connell Street, Limerick. signing for two and a half hours.

2004 TOUR SCHEDULE

THAILAND
MARCH
Thursday 25 - a.m. - Book launch event for Tunnels Of Blood in the offices of my publishers, NanmeeBooks, in Bangkok. This was a fabulously fun event -- the publishers transformed the ground floor of their building into a "Darren Shan zone", and invited a select group of Shan fans.
Friday 26 - p.m. - Public signing at the Bangkok Book Fair.
Saturday 27 - 10.30 - Public signing at the Bangkok Book Fair. The line was massive for this! I signed for eight hours with only a half hour break, and then another hour at a more relaxed pace.
Sunday 28 - 10.15 - Public signing at the Bangkok Book Fair. Another hugely busy day -- I signed for almost eight hours, although there were some breaks in the line over the course of the day.
Monday 29 - a.m. - Public signing at the Bangkok Book Fair.
Tuesday 30 - a.m. - Public signing at the Bangkok Book Fair.
Wednesday 30 - a.m. - Public signing at the Bangkok Book Fair. Later, I attended the official opening of my publisher's new building.

TAIWAN
APRIL
Thursday 1 - 14.00 - Public event in Taipei.
Friday 2 - 19.00 - Public event in Eslite Bookstore, Taipei.
Saturday 3 - 14.00 - Public signing at Kingstone Bookstore in Taipei.
Saturday 3 - 19.00 - Public event at Page One Bookstore.
Sunday 4 - 13.30 - Public signing at Kingstone Bookstore in Taizhuong.
Sunday 4 - 17.30 - Kingstone Bookstore in Kaoxiong.

U.S.A.
Monday 26 - 11.00 - Several school events at La Jolla Country Day School, La Jolla, CA.
18.00 - Public event at Tierrasanta Library, 4985 La Cuenta Dr, San Diego, CA.
Tuesday 27 - 10.00 - School event at Yellow Book Road, 8315 La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa, CA
14.00 - School event at Marshall Middle School, 11778 Cypress Canyon Road, San Diego, CA.
17.30 - Public event at Mysterious Galaxy Books, San Diego, CA.
Wednesday 28 - 10.30 - School event at Vista Grande Elementary School, Tierrasanta, CA.
15.30 - Public event at San Diego Library, Santee Branch, #17 Santee, CA.
p.m. - School event at Wagenheim School, San Diego. approx 100 people
17.00 - Public event at Barnes & Noble, 10775 Westview Parkway, San Diego, CA.
Thursday 29 - 10.00 - School event at Mrs. Nelson’s, 1030 Bonita Avenue, La Verne, CA.
13.30 - School event at St John’s Episcopal School, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA.
16.00 - Public event at Whale of a Tale, 4199 Campus Drive Suite A Irvine, CA.
Friday 30 - 09.00 - School event at DePortola Middle School, Tierrasanta, CA.
16.00 - School event at Milligan News & Sunnyvale Middle School, Sunnyvale, CA.

MAY
Saturday 1 - 14.00 - Public event at Oakland Public Library, 125 14th St, Oakland, CA.
Saturday 1 - 19.00 - Public event at Cody’s Books, 1730 4th St, Berkeley, CA.
Sunday 2 - 14.00 - Public event at Borders, 588 Francisco Blvd West, San Rafael, CA. 2 people -- the only small turnout of the entire tour -- a big change to my first trip to the States!!!
Monday 3 - 09.00 - School event at Silverado Middle School, 1133 Coombsville Road, Napa, CA.
12.30 - School event at M is For Mystery, 86 East Third Avenue, San Mateo, CA.
17.30 - Public event at Dark Carnival, 3086 Claremont Avenue, Berkeley, CA.
Tuesday 4 - 10.00 - School event at Linden Tree, 170 State Street, Los Altos, CA.
13.30 - School event at American Canyon Middle School, 300 Benton Way, American Canyon, CA.
15.30 - Public event at Rakestraw Books, 409 Railroad Avenue, Danville, CA.
Wednesday 5 - Public event at IRA Convention, Reno, NV
Friday 7 - 11.00 - School event at Tucson Public Library.
Saturday 8 - 14.00 - Public event at Changing Hands, 6428 S McClintock Dr, Tempe, AZ.
16.00 - Public event at Southeast Regional Library, 775 North Greenfield Road, Gilbert, AZ.
Monday 10 - 10.00 - School event at South High School, 3131 19th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN.
12.30 - School event at The Bookcase, 607 E. Lake St, Wayzata, MN.
Tuesday 11 - 10.30 - School event at Skokie Public Library, 5215 Oakton St., Skokie, IL.
15.30 - Public event at Barbara’s Books, 1100 Lake St, Oak Park, IL.
19.00 - Public event at Des Plaines Public Library, 1501 Ellinwood St., Des Plaines, IL.
Wednesday 12 - 10.00 - School event at Chicago International Charter School - West Belden, Chicago, IL.
17.00 - Public event at Highland Park Public Library, 494 Laurel Avenue, Highland Park, IL.
19.00 - Public event at Anderson’s Bookshop, 5112 Main St, Downer’s Grove, IL. largest crowd of the tour -- was signing for 3 hours
Thursday 13 - 10.00 - School event at Joliet Central High School, 201 East Jefferson Street, Joliet, IL.
19.00 - Public event at Barnes & Noble, NYC, upper east side, 240 East 86th Street, New York, NY.
Friday 14 - 11.30 - School event at Tuxedo Park School, Mountain Farm Road, Tuxedo Park, NY.
14.00 - School event at Hamilton Avenue Magnet School, 184 Hamilton Avenue, Greenwich, CT.
15.30 - Public event at Just Books, 28 Arcadia Road, Old Greenwich, CT.
19.30 - Public event at Elizabeth Public Library, 11 South Broad Street, Elizabeth, NJ.
Saturday 15 - 14.00 - Public event at Book House of Stuyvesant, 1475 Western Avenue, Albany, NY.
19.00 - Public event at North Shire Book Store, 4869 Main Street, Manchester Center, VT.
Sunday 16 - 14.00 - Public event at Bank Street Bookstore, Broadway & 112th Street, New York, NY.
16.00 - Public event at Donnell Library Teen Center, 20 West 53rd Street, New York, NY.

U.K. / IRELAND
JUNE
Tuesday 1 - 11.30 - Public event at Hay-On-Wye Book Festival.

AUGUST
Saturday 21 - 11.30 - Public event at the Edinburgh Book festival.
Sunday 22 - 10.00 - Public event at the Edinburgh Book festival. This was my fifth year in a row coming to the Festival, and the first year when I played to an audience in the Main Tent, which holds 500 people. Success!!!!!

OCTOBER
Saturday 2 - 14.30 - Public event at West Lodge School, West End Avenue, Pinner. approx 200 people. This was the start of my mammoth Destiny Tour -- the first time I did a tour in the UK and Ireland which included a lot of public signings and events. It was to promote the release of Sons of Destiny, the final book of my vampire series.
p.m. - Public signing at The Children's Bookstore, Pinner.
Sunday 3 - 17.30 - Public event at the Polka Theatre, 240 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London.
Monday 4 - 10.30 - School events arranged by Ottakar's Bookshop,High St, Putney, London.
18.30 - Public event at Ottakar's Bookshop, High St, Putney, London.
Tuesday 5 - 09.45 - School events arranged by Ottakars, 71 High St, Guildford.
16.30 - Public signing at Lion & Unicorn Bookshop, 19 King Street, Richmond, Surrey.
Wednesday 6 - 10.30 - School event at Black Swan Theatre, Newcastle Arts Centre, Westgate Road, Newcastle.
16.30 - Public signing at Waterstones, 104 Grey Street, Newcastle. 3 hours signing session
Thursday 7 - 10.30 - School event arranged by Borders Books & Music, Stockport Cheshire.
16.30 - Public signing at Waterstones, Deansgate, Manchester.
Friday 8 - 13.30 - School event at The Belgrade Theatre, arranged by Ottakars, Coventry.
Saturday 9 - 13.00 - Public event at Cheltenham Book Festival.
Monday 11 - 10.45 - School event arranged by Ottakar’s, 12 Boscawen Street, Truro, Cornwall.
12.30 - Public (lunch time) signing at Ottakar’s, 12 Boscawen Street, Truro, Cornwall.
19.00 - Public event at Devonport High School for Boys, arranged by In Other Words, Plymouth.
Wednesday 13 - 10.00 - School event at Lode Heath School, Lode Lane, Solihull.
16.30 - Public signing at WHSmiths, 29 Union Street, Birmingham.
Thursday 14 - 10.00 - School event arranged by Ottakars, 72 Midsummer Place, Milton Keynes.
12.30 - Public (lunch time) signing at Ottakars, 72 Midsummer Place, Milton Keynes. signing for three hours -- there were a lot of "sick" kids in Milton Keynes that day!!!
18.30 - Public event in Heffers, Grafton Arcade, Cambridge.
Friday 15 - 10.00 - school event in the Simpson Room, in Waterstones Picadilly, London.
16.00 - Public signing at The Children’s Bookshop, Muswell Hill, London.
Sunday 17 - 17.00 - Public event in the "Main Guard" courthouse in Clonmel, Tipperary.
Monday 18 - 10.00 - School event in Westport Library, Mayo.
12.00 - School event in Castlebar Library, Mayo.
15.30 - Public event in Ballina Library, Mayo.
Tuesday 19 - 10.00 - School event at Navan library, Meath.
11.30 - School event at Trim library, Meath.
13.30 - School event at Dunboyne library, Meath.
16.00 - Public event at Ashbourne library, Meath.
Wednesday 20 - a.m. - School events at Sutton Park School, and North Bay School.
15.00 - Public signing at Eason's, O'Connell Street, Dublin. Eason's were worried about having this event -- it was my first public signing in Dublin, and they weren't sure they'd get a good crowd. In the end, it was a massive turnout!!
Thursday 21 - 10.00 - School event at Pembroke Library.
12.00 - School event at Finglas Library, Dublin.
14.00 - School event at Cabra Library, Dublin.
16.00 - Public event at Central Library, in the Ilac Centre Library, Dublin.
Friday 22 - 10.30 - School event at Ballyroan Library, Rathfarnam, Dublin.
12.00 - School event at Castletymon Library, Dublin.
14.30 - School event at Tallaght County Library, Dublin.
Tuesday 26 - 11.00 - Public event at St Mary's Road Library, Cork.
14.00 - Public event at Children's Library, Grand Parade, Cork.
16.00 - Public signing at Waterstones, Cork.
Wednesday 27 - 10.00 - Public event in Newcastlewest library, Limerick.
12.30 - Public event in Adare library, Limerick.
14.30 - Public event in Dooradoyle library, Limerick.
Thursday 28 - 16.00 - Public event at Borders Books and Music, 98 Buchanan Street, Glasgow,
Friday 29 - 10.30 - School event in The Queen's Hall, Edinburgh.
16.00 - Public event at Waterstones, 128 Princes St, West End, Edinburgh.
Saturday 30 - 14.00 - Public event at The Whitby Book Shop, 88 Church St, Whitby, North Yorks.

* * * * * * * * * *

After my quiet year of touring in 2003, I hit the road with a vengeance in 2004!!! This was also the year when I noticed a marked difference in my stature when out on tour. My trip to the Far East went very well, far better than expected -- I never thought I'd be that busy in Bangkok!!! And then my American tour was a resounding success! I was very worried going into it, in case it would be like my first trip, but by this time word had spread, my fan base had grown, we had plenty of time to prepare for it, and it went brilliantly!!! I think the internet maybe played a part as well -- although I had my web site up and running since 2000, it hadn't attracted a huge number of users in its early years, but now I was getting a serious number of hits every day, and lots of people were joining the site, registering their details, making them easier to contact. The hardest part of doing a tour with lots of public events is actually informing the public that you're going to be there!! The web site has helped tremendously in spreading the word, and although the success of a public signing still rests largely with the venue hosting the event, I usually get at least a handful of people -- sometimes more -- who found out about it through Shanville. And those handfuls can make a big difference when you're out on tour!!!

The biggest, most noticeable difference in my touring pattern, however, came with the Destiny Tour. This was my first big tour of the UK and Ireland for two years, and I was astonished by how things had grown. School events were mostly bigger than they ever had been, and lots of kids at them were familiar with my books. This was the first time we'd included lots of public events and signings -- we were really worried that people wouldn't turn up, but we got huge crowds almost every time! The Destiny tour provided us with the template for all my successive tours of the UK and Ireland. The only thing to change over the next few years was that we started relying less on libraries and more on book shops to organise school events. This was purely practical -- my tours cost my publishers a lot of money, since they have to pay for travel, hotels, food, etc. To justify the running costs of a large tour like this, my publicists needed to be able to show immediate results, and that meant book sales and chart positioning. That meant involving books stores (and particularly the big chains) more closely than previously, in order to boost sales and help the books up the chart.

2003 Tour Schedule

UK / IRELAND
MARCH
Saturday 2 - 14.00 - Public signing at Easons, Limerick.
Thursday 6 - 09.00 - School event at Gaelscoil O'Doghair, Newcastle West, County Limerick.
Saturday 22 - 14.15 - Did an event at the Annual AGM of Schools Libraries Association, Dublin. I was talking to lots of school librarians, but I did it as a normal event, and even got them to act out the Cirque Du Freak scene with me!!!

MAY
Thursday 29 - 11.00 - Public event at Listowel Book Festival, County Kerry. This took place in a room next to a court house, so we had to keep the noise down!!!

JAPAN
JUNE
Saturday 14 - 09.30 - Four public events in a theatre in Tokyo. The theatre had been transformed into a "World of Darren Shan", with elaborate displays about me and my books, cardboard cut-outs of some of the characters, a coffin for me to enter through when I came on stage, etc. etc. I even acted out a scene in Japanese!!! It was a massive, theatrical affair, great fun!!! There were approx 250 people at each event, making a total of about 2000 over the two days.
Sunday 15 - 09.30 - Four public events in a theatre in Tokyo. As above.

SOUTH KOREA
Friday 20 - a.m. - Two school events in Seoul. This was my first time doing a school event in the Far East, and it was very interesting!
Saturday 21 --a.m. - Public event in Seoul. I was meant to carry on with the Far East tour, to China, Taiwan and Thailand, but an outbreak of SARS meant we had to cancel!!!

UK / IRELAND
JULY
Saturday 5 - 11.00 - Signing sessions at War Child Launch event, Waterstones Picadilly. This was an event to celebrate the launch of Kids' Night In. There were two panel events. I wasn't able to take part in them, because I'd originally been scheduled to still be on tour in the Far East, but I did turn up to take part in the signing sessions.


AUGUST
Saturday 9 - 10.30 - Public event at Edinburgh Book Festival. My fourth year in a row! I did Part 3 of "The Song of Darren Shan", covering books 7 to 9. Signing for 2 hours after.
Saturday 9 - 17.30 - Public panel event at Edinburgh Book Festival. This was a discussion about fantasy books. I did it with Garth Nix and Theresa Breslin.
Sunday 10 - 11.30 - Public event at Edinburgh Book Festival. For this one, I did my "Shanta Claus" play, in which I turned the short Christmas story on my web site into a play! I sung too!!!!!
Sunday 10 - 17.30 - Public panel event at Edinburgh Book Festival.This was an event to promote Kids' Night In, which I did with Annie Dalton and Garth Nix. I read out some of my short story, "Hagurosan", and spoke about how I was inspired to write it.

SEPTEMBER
Saturday 27 - 17.30 - Public event at Polka Theatre, Wimbledon, London. approx 220 people -- one of the largest public events I'd done in the UK to that date.

OCTOBER
Thursday 2 - 15.45 - Public signing at Children's Bookshop, Muswell Hill, London.
Saturday 4 - 09.30 - Public signing at O'Mahony's Bookshop, Limerick.

AUSTRALIA
Saturday 11 - 12.00 - Public signing in Sydney, at Angus and Robertson, Shop 445, Westfield, Chatswood, NSW 2067.
Saturday 11 - 14.00 - Public signing in Sydney at Borders Macquarie Centre, Herring Road, North Ryde, NSW 2113.
Saturday 11 - 16.00 - Public signing in Sydney at Shearers Gordon, 790 Pacific Hwy, Gordon.
Sunday 12 --11.00 - Public event to promote Kids' Night In, in Sydney at Dymocks, George St, Lower Ground Floor, 424 George St, Sydney NSW 2000. I was part of a group of authors who did an event and signed copies of Kids' Night In.
Monday 13 - 16.00 - Public signing in Melbourne at Angus and Robertson, Shop 1014, Southland shopping centre, Nepean Highway, Cheltenham.
Tuesday 14 - a.m. - School event in Melbourne.
Tuesday 14 - p.m. - Public Kids' Night In event in Melbourne. I was part of a huge group of authors who did an event and signed copies of Kids' Night In.
Wednesday 15 - a.m. - School events in Brisbane, arranged through The Book Garden.
Friday 17 - 18.30 - Public Kids' Night In event in Brisbane at Avid Reader Bookshop, 193 Boundary Road, West End, Brisbane.

NEW ZEALAND
Friday 31 - a.m. - School events in Auckland, arranged through Whitcoulls.
Friday 31 - 16.00 - Public signing at a bookstore in Remuera, Auckland.
Friday 31 - 19.30 - Public Halloween Event with Childrens Literature Foundation at Auckland College of Education.

NOVEMBER
Saturday 1 - 12.30 - Public event at Whitcoulls Botany Downs, Auckland.
Friday 7 - a.m. - Schools event in Wellington at Heretaunga College, arranged through Bookends Kapiti.
??????? - p.m. - Public event at a book store in Christchurch.

* * * * * * * * * *

A MUCH quieter year on the road!! In fact, I virtually took the year off! I did a few events close to home, and the Edinburgh Festival, but not much more in the UK and Ireland. I was supposed to do a big trip of the Far East and USA in the middle of the year, but SARS put paid to most of the Far East events, and my American publishers decided to wait and bring me back later. And I only did the Australia and New Zealand events because I was over there on a long holiday and it made sense to do a few events while I was there. This was actually an important year for me -- not touring meant I was able to spend more time writing, and get well ahead of my publication schedule. It's a delicate juggling act, mixing long tours with writing. I never write on tour, so I always have to ensure I give myself enough time at home over the course of any year to get my work done. I was feeling a bit pressured after three years on the road, so it was time to take a break and focus on my books -- after all, they're the most important things, and without good books to promote, there's no point touring!!!

2002 TOUR SCHEDULE

UK / IRELAND
FEBRUARY
Saturday 2 - 12.00 - Public event at O'Mahony's Bookshop, Limerick. This was the start of my Vampire Prince tour in the UK and Ireland, the first time I had specifically toured "with" a new book.
Monday 4 - 10.30 - Two school events at Waterstones 128 Princes Street, Edinburgh.
Monday 4 - 18.00 - Public event at Edinburgh Dungeons. This was one of my favourite events to date! approx 100 people.
Tuesday 5 - 11.30 - Two School events at Waterstones, 1-5 Bridle Gate, Nottingham. I left my plastic hand behind in Edinburgh, by accident, so I had to go and try and find a new hand in Nottingham! I found a battered-looking specimen in a second-hand store (no pun intended!!), and decided it would do for a short-term replacement. But I enjoyed using it so much - it looks VERY realistic! - that I ended up keeping it and am still using it all these years later!!!
Wednesday 6 - 11.00 - School event at Hammicks, Grange Precinct, Birkenhead, Merseyside.
Wednesday 6 - 13.30 - School event at St Alban's school, Merseyside.
Thursday 7 - 11.00 - Two school events at Waterstones, Bentall Centre, Wood St, Kingston Upon Thames. It was at this event that a young lady who introduced herself as Bas came up to me and asked if I'd give her a short story for a book she was putting together. She ended up getting not just a story, but me as well!!!!!
Friday 8 - a.m. - Two school events at Waterstones, 20-22 Sidney St, Cambridge.
Monday 11 - a.m. - School event at Sutton Central Library, St Nicholas Way, Sutton.

MARCH
Monday 11 - 18.00 - Public event at Waterstones, Canterbury.
Tuesday 12 - 09.50 - Two school events at St Paul's School, London.
Wednesday 13 - 11.00 - School event at Churchill Theatre, High Street, Bromley, Kent (arranged through Bromley Library). approx 800 people -- by far my largest event to that date, and still one of my biggest all these years later!
Thursday 14 - 10.00 - School event on The London Eye. For World Book Day, The London Eye was taken over for a few hours, and a children's author was assigned to each pod, with a small group of kids, the idea being to do an event in the time it took for the wheel to revolve once (half an hour). Lots of the writers complained about it afterwards, and didn't feel it was a suitable venue, but I had quite a good time with my bunch!!!
Thursday 14 - 13.40 - School event at the Tate Modern. This was also part of the World Book Day extravaganza, and I did an event with a good-sized group of kids in the Tate Modern Art Gallery after my turn on the wheel.
Friday 15 - 09.30 - School event at Heffers Bookshop, Grafton Centre, Cambridge.
Wednesday 20 - 09.30 - School event at Nas Na Riogh shop, Naas, Kildare.
Thursday 21 - 10.00 - School event at Tallaght library, Dublin.
Thursday 21 - 12.00 - School event at Castletymon library, Dublin.
Tuesday 26 - 11.00 - Two school events at Haberdashers' Aske's, Pepys Road, New Cross, London.

ITALY
APRIL
Thursday 11 - p.m. - An event at the Bologna Book Festival, for publishers from many of the countries where my books are published. I did the Cirque Du Freak scene and got several of my publishers to help me act it out! A very fun night!!!

U.K. / IRELAND
Monday 15 - 12.00 - University event at Roehampton University, London. This was the university where I went as a student. I accepted an invite to return and do an event for a group of English students who were mostly specialising in children's literature.
Wednesday 17 - a.m. - School events (3 or 4) arrange by The Children's Bookshop, Pinner.
Wednesday 17 - 19.30 - Public event in Grimsdike School, Sylvia Road, Pinner, arranged by the Children's Bookshop.
Tuesday 23 - 11.00 - School event at King Alfred's School, Manor Wood, North End Road, NW11, arranged by Bookworm Bookshop, Finchley Road, Golders Green.

MAY
Saturday 4 - 13.15 - Public event at Stourbridge Town Hall, Birmingham.
Tuesday 28 - 10.00 - Public debate, followed by event, at Young People's Parliament Millennium Point, Birmingham. I took part in a debate about whether books should be seen (as a movie) or read, and I had to be on the movie side of the argument. Enjoyed the debate a lot, then did a normal event and signing afterwards.

JAPAN
JUNE
Sunday 9 - 12.00 - Two public events in Asahi Yashoten bookshop in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. This was my first exposure to true Shan mania!! I went to Japan for the World Cup, to support Ireland, and did two events while I was there. The books were HUGELY popular (some of them even topped the overall bestseller chart!), and I was far more famous out there than at home. I met 300 fans at each event, handed them a book each, and posed for photos. There was no time to sign books, unfortunately. I had bodyguards, fans were weeping and shaking ... it was bizarre! But in a totally great way!!!

UK / IRELAND
JULY
Monday 8 - a.m. - School event in London, at a school where Bas's sister-in-law worked.

AUGUST
Monday 10 - 10.30 - Public event at the Edinburgh Book Festival. My third year in a row. I did "The Early Years" at this event, where I focused on the first 3 books of the series and wrote a short play, in which the plot of each book was seen from the view point of another character -- Steve in Book 1, Sam in Book 2, Murlough in Book 3. I still do these scenes occasionally, but not often.
Monday 10 - 14.00 - Public signing at Waterstones, 128 Princes Street, Edinburgh.
Monday 10 - 16.30 - Public panel event at Edinburgh Book Festival. This was an event where authors were asked to talk about one of their favourite books, and read a short extract from it. I chose The Secret Garden. Vivian French and Humphrey Carpenter were the other two authors.
Tuesday 11 - 13.30 - Public event at Edinburgh Book Festival. In this one I did "The Song of Darren Shan - Parts 4 to 7", which was the plots of those books set to rhyme. (This was a follow-up to the event I did there the year before, when I set the first 3 books to rhyme.)

OCTOBER
Thursday 10 - 09.30 - School event at St Joseph's R.C., Bermondsey, London.
Friday 11 - 09.00 - School event at Great Baddow High School, Chelmsford, Essex.
Friday 11 - 14.00 - School event at Barbican Children's Library, London.
Saturday 12 - 11.00 - Public event at Muswell Hill Children's Bookshop, 29 Fortis Green Rd, London N10.
Sunday 13 - 17.45 - Public event at Cheltenham Festival Of Literature.
Monday 14 - 10.00 - School event at Charlton School, Wellington, Telford.
Tuesday 15 - a.m. - Three school events at Carlton Le Willows School, Nottingham.
Wednesday 16 - a.m. - School event at Eaton Bank School, Congleton, Cheshire.
Wednesday 16 - 13.00 - Schools event at Leasowe Castle, Merseyside. This was a huge event, with several hundred kids in attendance.
Thursday 17 - a.m. - School event at Wallasey Children's Library, Earlston Rd, Wallasey, Wirral.
Friday 18 - a.m. - School event at George Watson's School, Edinburgh.
Saturday 19 - 11.00 - Public event at Beverley Picture Playhouse, Beverley, East Yorks.
Tuesday 22 - 10.00 - School event at Mallow Library, Co Cork.
Tuesday 22 - 14.00 - School event at Douglas Library, Cork.
Wednesday 23 - 10.00 - School event at Waterford Library, Brown's Road Branch.
Wednesday 23 --14.00 - School event at New Ross Library, County Wexford.
Thursday 24 - 10.00 - School event at Coolock Library, Dublin.
Thursday 24 - 12.00 - School event at Finglas Library, Dublin.
Thursday 24 - 14.00 - School event at Ballymun Library, Dublin.
Friday 25 - 10.00 - School event at Dooradoyle Library, Limerick.
Friday 25 - 11.30 - School event at Adare Library, County Limerick.
Friday 25 - 14.00 - School event at Abbeyfeale library, County Limerick.
Saturday 26 - 12.00 - Public event at The Ennis Bookshop, County Clare.
Saturday 26 - 15.00 - Public event at O'Mahony's Bookshop, Limerick.
Tuesday 29 - 10.30 - Public event at Foynes Library, County Limerick.
Thursday 31 - 11.30 - Two school events at The Showroom Cinema, Paternoster Row, Sheffield. Part of the Off The Shelf Book Festival.

NOVEMBER
Tuesday 5 - a.m. - School events at St Williams R.C. School, Durham, part of the Northern Children's Book Festival.
Tuesday 5 - 13.30 - School events at Wingate Junior School, Durham, part of the Northern Children's Book Festival.
Wednesday 6 - a.m. - School events in Darlington, part of the Northern Children's Book Festival.
Saturday 9 - 13.00 - Public signing at Waterstones Belfast.
Tuesday 12 - 18.00 - Launch party for Allies of the Night, at Simon Drake's House of Magic. I don't do many launch parties -- this was my first since Cirque Du Freak in 1999, and I wouldn't do another until Bec in 2006 -- but when I do them, I do them with style!! This was a great night in a spooky, magical house.
Friday 29 - 16.30 - Public signing at The Ennis Bookshop. When I went there earlier in the month, copies of Allies of the Night (the book I was promoting) failed to arrived in time, so I agreed to return to sign copies for disappointed fans.
Friday 29 - p.m. - School event in Western Limerick.
Saturday 30 - 12.00 - Public signing at O'Mahony's Bookshop, Limerick. When I went there earlier in the month, copies of Allies of the Night (the book I was promoting) failed to arrived in time, so I agreed to return to sign copies for disappointed fans.

DECEMBER
Monday 2 - 18.30 - 10 Downing Street event. Went to a party to celebrate children's books at 10 Downing Street, where I got to meet Tony Blair and his family. Lots of authors were here, and I think I was a last-minute addition to the list -- my invite came VERY late!! For a full account, click here to read my tongue-in-cheek report: http://www.darrenshan.com/monthly/archive/2002/12-dec.html
Monday 19 - 15.00 - Public signing at The Children's Bookshop, 1 Red Lion Parade, Bridge Street, Pinner, Middlesex.

* * * * * * * * * *

A definite step up to another level on the touring front. I did a huge number of events, including my first really successful foreign events (in Japan), culminating in the massive October/November Allies of the Night tour. I had a real sense by this stage of the books grinding forward at an advanced rate in the UK, attracting more and more fans, making the sort of waves which they didn't in the first two years. I still wasn't a bestseller in the UK, by any stretch, but I was buzzing along nicely in Ireland, where the three books I released in 2003 all went to the #1 spot on the children's chart!!! And Japan was just amazing!! The books were also doing well in lots of other countries around the world, and it wouldn't be much longer before my tours would go truly global. The Allies tour built on the touring experience of 2001, but it's interesting to note I still hadn't reached the level where we felt comfortable giving me lots of public events. I did a few at the weekends on tour, testing the waters more than anything else, but three years into my touring career, we still didn't think it was the right time to do lots of after-school events or signings.

2001 TOUR SCHEDULE

UK / IRELAND
JANUARY
Wednesday 24 - 11.10 - Two School events at Park Hill Junior School, Croydon, London. I THINK this might have been the first time that I used a fake plastic hand in my Cirque Du Freak scene!! I noted in my diary that this was "one of the highlights of my tours so far".
Thursday 25 - p.m. - School event at Centre for the Child in Birmingham City Library.
Thursday 25 - 18.00 - After-school event with Northfields Teenage Reading Group. approx 9 people
Friday 26 - a.m. - School event in Ealing, arranged by Children's Book Centre.

FEBRUARY
Wednesday 28 - 10.30 - School event in Eason's, Dublin. approx 30 people

MARCH
Thursday 1 - 10.00 - Two school events at Longsight Library, Manchester, for World Book Day.
7th to 9th - I was scheduled to do events in Dublin on these dates, but a Foot & Mouth outbreak led to all public events of htis kind being cancelled for a while!!!
Friday 30 - a.m. - School event at Sutton Park School, Dublin.
Friday 30 - p.m. - Two school events at Mount Temple Comprehensive, Dublin. This was where the boys from U2 went to school when they were kids!!

THE NETHERLANDS
APRIL
Saturday 7 - a.m. - Two public events at the ELF Fantasy Fair, Alphen a/d Rijn. My second trip abroad, and another disaster!! This was the fair's first year, and they hadn't quite thought it all through. When I got there, I discovered they hadn't arranged a place for me to give my talks! They stuck me in an utterly inadequate, echo-filled room for my first event, then in a public walk-through for my second go! I was meant to do a third event, and three more the next day, but I'd had enough! I stormed out and caught an early flight home!!!!

UK / IRELAND
MAY
Thursday 3 - 08.45 - School event in Croom, County Limerick.
Wednesday 16 - a.m. - An event for HarperCollins sales representatives.
Monday 21 - 08.10 - Two school events in Birmingham Library.
Monday 21 - p.m. - Public signing at Waterstones in Birmingham, with Jenny Nimmo. Nobody came to see me -- my second no-show!!! Jenny fared better -- one fan came to see her!!!
Tuesday 22 - a.m. - Two school events in Gorsemere Primary School.
Tuesday 22 - 19.30 - Public event in Halesowen theatre.
Wednesday 23 - a.m. - Two school events in Earl's High School.

JUNE
Friday 1 - a.m. - School event in Gaelscoil O'Doghair, Newcastle West, County Limerick. I launched Vampire Mountain at this event.
Sunday 3 - night - Went on a Haunted Tour of Edinburgh with a small group of children.
Monday 4 - a.m. - School event at Royal High School, Edinburgh.
Tuesday 5 - a.m. - Two school events in Waterstones Newcastle.
Wednesday 6 - a.m. - Two school events in Halfax, arranged by The Children's Bookshop in Huddersfield.
Thursday 7 - a.m. - Two school events in Sutton, arranged by The Children's Bookshop in Sutton.
Friday 8 - a.m. - Three school events in Pinner, arranged by The Children's Bookshop in Pinner.
Friday 8 - p.m. - Public signing in The Children's Bookshop, Pinner. This was my first public signing (as opposed to public event) where I got a large crowd. In my diary I said "I felt like a real star -- just a pity it had to end!!!"
Saturday 23 - 14.00 - Public signing in Easons, Limerick. Was signing for an hour.

AUGUST
Sunday 19 - 16.15 - Public event at Edinburgh Book Festival. Bigger crowd than year before. Signing for an hour.
Monday 20 - 10.30 - School event at Library in Leith.
Monday 20 - 16.30 - Public event at Edinburgh Book Festival. I did a second solo event at the Festival this year, in which I spoke about the creative process of writing my books. Didn't enjoy it much, and haven't done events like that very often in the years since. It's why I never do workshops or the like -- I prefer having fun at my events!!!

OCTOBER
Thursday 11 - 11.00 - School event at the Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea.
Thursday 11 - 13.15 - School event at Waterstones, Swansea.
Monday 15 - 14.00 - School event in Wexford library. approx 30 people
Tuesday 16 - 10.00 - School event at Raheny Library, Dublin.
Tuesday 16 - 11.30 - School event at Charleville Mall library, Dublin.
Tuesday 16 - 14.00 - School event at Donaghmeade library, Dublin.
Wednesday 17 - 11.00 - School event at Clondalkin library, Dublin. small group
Wednesday 17 - 12.30 - School event at Lucan library, Dublin.
Thursday 18 - 11.00 - School event at Ballyroan library, Dublin. small group
Thursday 18 - 12.30 - School event at Castletymon library, Dublin. small group
Friday 19 - 10.00 - School event at Shannon library, County Clare.
Friday 19 - 13.30 - School event at Ennis library. The library hadn't confirmed with schools that they were actually bringing in students, so nobody turned up!!! They managed to rustle up a small group of girls from a nearby secondary school and I did my event for them.
Friday 19 - 16.15 - Public event at Killaloe library, County Clare. approx 5 to 10 people
Monday 22 - 11.00 - School event at Ennistymon library, County Clare.
Monday 22 - 14.00 - School event at Corofin library, County Clare.
Monday 22 - 16.00 - Public event at Ennis bookshop.
Tuesday 23 - 10.30 - School event at Dooradoyle library, County Limerick.
Tuesday 23 - 13.30 - School event at Adare library, County Limerick.

U.S.A.
Friday 26 - 14.00 - Signed stock at Alexander Book Co, San Francisco, CA. They only had a handful of copies in the store!!! Not the most promising of starts to my first ever American tour!!!
Friday 26 - 19.00 - Public event at Kepler's Bookshop, Belmont, CA. approx 20 people
Saturday 27 - 09.30 - Public signing at Milligan News, San Jose, CA. A book fair where people came to buy books at a discount.
Saturday 27 - 16.00 - Public event at Barnes & Noble, San Jose, CA. approx 10 people
Sunday 28 - 12.00 - Signed lots of stock in Copperfields Bookstore, Petaluma, CA.
Sunday 28 - 16.00 - Public event in Codys bookstore, Berkeley, CA. approx 20-25 people
Monday 29 - p.m. - Signed stock in Storyopolis, Los Angeles, CA.
Monday 29 - 15.30 - Public event at Torrance library, CA. a handful of people
Tuesday 30 - 16.00 - Public event at A Whale of a Tale bookshop, Irvine, CA. a handful of people
Tuesday 30 - 19.00 - Public event at Newport Beach Libraray, CA. approx 15 people
Wednesday 31 - 10.00 - School event at Yellow Book Road, La Mesa, CA. approx 100 people

NOVEMBER
Thursday 1 - 10.30 - School event at White Rabbit Bookstore, La Jolla, CA. exactly 2 people!!! The store owners "couldn't get" a class to come in, but rather than cancel, they let me come, then rustled up two bewildered girls to come and chat with me. Worst school event I've ever been involved with!!!
Thursday 1 - 19.00 - Public event at Borders, San Diego, CA. the first really good turn-out of the tour.
Friday 2 - 12.30 - Signed stock at Marshall Fields, Chicago, IL. A few people dropped in to have their books signed while I was there, including a boy who had driven 5 hours to see me -- my first encounter with the kind of hardcore American Shan fans who would make later tours of the States a true pleasure!!!!
Saturday 3 - 14.00 - Public event at Amderson's Bookstore, Naperville, IL.
Sunday 4 - p.m. - Public event at Crocodile Pie, Libertyville, IL. a handful of people
Sunday 4 15.00 - Public event at The Bookstall, Chestnut Court, Winnetka, IL. a handful of people
Monday 5 - 09.15 - School event at Waubonsie Valley High School, IL. approx 60 people
Tuesday 6 - 16.00 - Public event at Tatnuck Booksellers, Worcester, MA. a small group
Wednesday 7 - 10.00 - Two school events at Gates School, Scituate, MA.
Wednesday 7 - 12.30 - School event at Deerhill School, Cohasset, MA.
Wednesday 7 - 15.00 - Signing event at Buttonwood Books, Cohasset, MA.

FRANCE
Tuesday 20 - p.m. - School event in a bookstore in Strasbourg. approx 120 people. This was the first time I did a translated event. It went more smoothly than I feared, though obviously it was a bit more stop-start than my usual events!
Wednesday 21 - 11.00 - Signing session at a bookstore in Paris. As at my last signing event in this city, nobody showed up!!! Another no-show in Paris -- merde!!!!!
Wednesday 21 - 15.45 - Another signing session at a store in Paris. This time I got a handful of people -- hurrah!! In my diary I noted, "More proof - if any was needed - that public signing sessions just don't work." And I stand by that statement -- if you're a children's author, you need to have a VERY strong, established fan base to make a public signing worthwhile.
Thursday 22 - a.m. - School event in a book store in Lille. a small group.

U.K. / Ireland
Friday 23 - p.m. - School event in Sheffield, at the Lyceum Theatre. I was here for the Sheffield Children's Book Award -- Cirque Du Freak was nominated, and it received 2nd place, behind Holes by Louis Sacher. It was my first award -- and it would be a long time until my second!!!

NOVEMBER
Saturday 1 - 14.00 - Public signing at Easons, Limerick. A great crowd -- was signing for two and a half hours, my longest signing session to date!!! A nice way to finish my touring for the year.

* * * * * * * * * *

This was a year of learning curves. I'd done a lot of touring in 2000, but this was the first time I did a lot of concentrated touring, with many events packed into a short space of time. The tours I undertook in June and October became the template for what would eventually become my regualr touring pattern -- hit fast and hard!!!! It was a frustrating time in many ways -- two years after the release of Cirque Du Freak, I still hadn't built up the sort of fan base which would allow me to do lots of public events or signings, and I was still having to endure lots of small school and library events. But that was all part of the growing process. Things rarely happen quickly in the world of children's books, and even if your books are doing well (and while I wasn't coming anywhere near bothering the top of the charts in the UK or the USA, my books were selling very well), you have to go out there and EARN your audience. As small as many of the school and library events were, and as sparsely attended as the public events and signings were, I gave my all and put on the best show I could, and those who did come went away impressed, and told their friends, and spread the word ... and that played a very important role in getting word out there and helping the books to reach much bigger audiences. Touring when you're a new author takes a lot of time, and it can be disappointing, and you have to work hard, and there will be days when you feel like you're achieving nothing -- but in the long run it IS worth it, and a writer must always have at least one eye on the long term!!!!!

2000 TOUR SCHEDULE

IRELAND
MARCH
Thursday 9 - 09.00 - School event at an all girls primary school in Booterstown, Dublin. MY FIRST EVER EVENT!!!!! approx 50 - 60 people
Thursday 9 - 11.15 - School event at ILAC Centre Library, Dublin.
Friday 10 - 10.00 - Three school events in O'Mahony's Book Shop, Limerick, for World Book Day. approx 50 -60 at each event
Wednesday 22 - 10.00 --Two school events in O'Mahony's Book Shop, Ennis, County Clare. (THIS WAS ALSO THE DAY THAT MY WEB SITE WENT LIVE!!!!)
Thursday 23 - 11.30 - School event in Baltimore, County Cork. (This was video-linked to another school in Cork -- the first time that I've done an event to two schools at the same time!!!!!)
Thursday 23 - 13.30 - School event in Skibereen library, County Cork.
Friday 24 - 11.00 - School event in Schull, County Cork. (This was also video-linked to another school -- the second and, to date, final, time that I've done an event to two schools at the same time!!!!!)
Friday 24 - 13.30 - School event in Bantry, County Cork.
Friday 31 - afternoon - Two school events at Askeaton primary school, County Limerick.

APRIL
Wednesday 5 - a.m. - School event at library in Donaghmeade, Dublin.
Wednesday 5 - p.m. - School event in Coolock library, Dublin. (Had to cut this one short, as rather than monitor the students, the teachers stood at the back, talking rather loudly, which led to chaos!!)
Thursday 6 - a.m. - School event in Ringsend library, Dublin.
Thursday 6 - a.m. - School event in Pembroke library, Dublin.
Thursday 6 - p.m. - After-school event in Rathmines library, Dublin. ("Flighty" librarian arranged what proved to be my first PUBLIC event -- 6 kids were there!!!!)
Friday 7 - 10.00 - Two school events at an all girls school in Terenure, Dublin. (First time I used a microphone at an event!!) approx 100 people in each event

MAY
Saturday 20 - 11.30 - CBI event at Marino Institute of Education, Dublin. This was an event for adults, mostly librarians and teachers -- my first ever event for grown-ups.
Tuesday 23 - 10.30 - School event in New Ross library, County Wexford.
Tuesday 23 - 15.30 - Public event in Waterford library. My first official public event -- got a pretty good crowd.
Friday 24 - p.m. - Two school events in Glin, County Limerick.
Tuesday 30 - p.m. - School event in Pallaskenry primary school, County Limerick.

JUNE
Friday 2 - a.m. - Panel event at Listowel Writers Festival, County Kerry.
Saturday 17 - 13.00 - Public event at O'Mahony's bookshop, Ennis, County Clare. This was my first public event at a weekend -- it was disastrous, with a crowd of just 7 or 8 kids!!!

JULY
Tuesday 11 - p.m. - Public event at Ballymun library, Dublin.

AUGUST
Saturday 26 - 10.00 - Public event at the Edinburgh Book Festival, Scotland. This was my first time at a Book Festival. I had a crowd of about 50 people, which I was delighted with! I fell in love with Edinburgh and the Festival, and have been back every year since!!!

OCTOBER
Monday 16 - 11.30 - School event at Tallaght library, Dublin. approx 80 people
Tuesday 17 - 10.45 - School event at Ballymun library, Dublin. approx 110 people
Tuesday 17 - 13.00 - School event at Ballyfermoy library, Dublin. approx 20 people
Wednesday 18 - a.m. --Two school events in Galway city library. approx 60 people at each event
Wednesday 18 - 15.30 - Public event in Tuam library, County Galway. 10 kids turned up! As I noted in my diary, "post-school gigs are a BAD idea!" New writers about to launch your careers -- take note!!!!
Thursday 19 - 10.30 - Two school events in Eason's, County Limerick. approx 30 people in each event

U.K.
Monday 23 - p.m. - Public event at The Walker LIbrary, Newcastle. This was my first event in the UK, and it was an unmitigated disaster!! The train up to Newcastle from London took 4 hours, it took 4 and a half hours to get back, and only 20 or so people turned up the event!!! To cap it all, when I got back to my hotel that night, there was no hot water!!!!!!! A very inauspicious start to my UK touring career ...
Tuesday 24 - 11.00 - School event at Electric Theatre, Guildford.

FRANCE
Wednesday 25 - 15.00 - Public signing at WH Smith, Paris. This was my first ever public signing, and some genius had the idea of letting me make my public signing bow in a foreign country, where there was no translated version of my books available, only English language copies. Nobody came. Not even one. Quel surprise!! Even all these years later, I'm still astonished by how somebody, somewhere thought this was a good idea!!!

U.K.
Tuesday 31 - a.m. - Two school events in Mayflower School, Billericay. These were big groups, and they bought lots of books. Was signing for an hour and a quarter, my busiest signing session to that date.

November
Wednesday 1 - a.m. - Did four (!!) school events in City Of London School, London.
Thursday 2 - a.m. - School event at Smallwood School, London.
Thursday 2 - a.m. - School event at Melcombe Primary School, London.
Friday 3 - p.m. - School event in Hampstead, London.
Friday 3 - p.m. - School event in Elliott School, Putney, London.

IRELAND
Monday 6 - a.m. - School event in Gaelscoil O'Doghair, Newcastle West, County Limerick.
Monday 27 - a.m. - School event in Monaleen National School, County Limerick.

* * * * * * * * * *

An interesting first year on the road! The difficult thing when you're a new writer is trying to take your work to people. If you can establish yourself, it's easy -- schools, book stores and libraries come looking for you. But in the early days you have to struggle to convince them to take a chance on you. The staff at Collins had to actively go hunting for libraries and schools and stores to take me in. It wasn't easy, and every event was a notch on our belt of success, even those where the numbers were small. As word spread that I was good at talking to kids, and that kids were interesting in my books, ears pricked and invites began to trickle in. But we had to work VERY hard to stimulate that interest. You can't afford to be picky when you're starting out in this business -- you have to go wherever you're wanted, say yes to as many events as you can squeeze in, and do all that you can to create a bit of noise, to attract attention and move on to bigger things. I was lucky, living in Ireland -- because it's a small country, word spread quicker than it might have in a larger place, and I was able to build up a buzz here which helped propel me on to tackle the UK and other countries. I've never forgotten how much I owe those librarians, teachers and book sellers who gave me a chance in the early days -- it's why, no matter how popular I've become abroad, I always work in at least a few Irish events every year -- for me, this is my home territory, where I learnt most of my lessons, and without the early support here, I might never have gone on to have my success elsewhere.