THIS IS AN INTERVIEW I GAVE FOR A HUNGARIAN PUBLICATION: EKULTURA. I HAVE TRANSLATED IT INTO ENGLISH USING GOOGLE TRANSLATOR, SO IT IS A BIT ROUGH, BUT YOU CAN GET THE GENERAL GIST! YOU CAN READ THE HUNGARIAN VERSION HERE.

Better late than never. In this spirit, a small delay, but given the involvement of April 2005th 23, XII. Budapest International Book Festival Darren Shannon, the author of vampire books made from our exclusive interview.

What were your first impressions of Hungary, especially in the first Debrecen dedikálásról?

On Thursday I arrived in Budapest, so I went into the city to see the attractions. We walked around the castle. Very nice. It is really nice. The next day we went to Debrecen is the first book signing. Since this was my first visit here, obviously I did not know what to expect. Many people come to or not, would be slower to sign the books that appear longer than the whole? And hundreds of people were waiting for me. It was really amazing.
When we got there, we started to look for a book deal, because a large shopping center organized the thing and we did not know where to find it. So when we looked around, we discovered a huge line. Oho! Rather many people gathered. Overall, nearly four and a half hours dedicated.

Four and a half hours?

As one of the longest ever. It was great. Really enjoyable.

How satisfied are you with the Hungarian publisher, and with the Hungarian edition?

I really like your issue. My books presented twenty-eight countries, and in most places in its cover planned. Some countries cover small changes used in English, but most of their own. The Hungarians are my favorites, and I'm not just saying that because I'm here in Hungary. In my website I have mentioned several times already. The tenth volume of the cover of one of my favorites.
And I think it is great for the outside, and put them together really great. I think it's one of the reasons for their success because of a book that looks good and solid in your hand, people prefer to buy it. Obviously, the story also has to be good, but if you are nice finish on the shelves, all the way to help. Yes, I believe extremely appealing books.

Can you say a few words about the impact you had? In addition, similar to Stephen King's literary predecessors, so I know the comics also had an impact on you.

Indeed it is. Obviously, for a wide variety of effects. Anything can give you ideas. Of course, books, and movies or comics. I read a lot of comics. In particular, the stories of superheroes not.
You know, I grew up in Ireland, in the countryside. Not many comics come to us. Until I read things like when I was little, like the Beano or the Dandy, and then, when I became a bit more British comics like 2000 AD, and so on. In addition, American independent, such as Love and Rockets, the Cerebust, and the like.
So, yes, the comics seriously affected me. I read a lot, quite a lot of manga as well. What about the film. A lot of movies also draw water. I love the movie. The szabadidőmből probably spend watching movies more than anything else. Just one or two of the films are still running watch.

And what about the music? Gothic Metal listen to while writing?

No, of course not! Many ages have been crossed. Even teenage fan of alternative music. The ensemble is required, as the Smiths and Joy Division. But I also listen to a lot of music today. A lot. People like the Beatles, the Doors and the Rolling Stones. Much of today are skipped. But Radiohead is one of my favorite bands. And listen to music while writing. When I write, it is always about something in the background.

It is important for you?

Well, yes, I feel it helps. I like it when it is about something. I found that if I write in silence, to somehow unnatural. However, if music is playing in the background, easier to find a rhythm, and even fun.

I see. And also gives you inspiration?

I do not think that would provide inspiration as such, but will facilitate the writing process. And also serves as a kind háttérritmussal well. To compare it, as when we watch a silent movie. If we eliminate the noise completely, then the film will be towed. It is quite another. It's hard to explain, but it feels different.

You mentioned your website. How important is it for you to the internet website?

It is very important. Initially, I wrote in my parents' house on a really old computer, was just terrible, which was not much to start with, but it has inspired. Then the introduction of the Internet, so towards the end of 1999, and specifically found enjoyable, and then suddenly one of my friends bought me a book on how to create their own websites in a single day.
And I thought, just try it out and made the darrenshan.com cent. It is now planning a corpse professional website builder, but still update itself, so every month I compile the monthly Shanville and prepare a newsletter, always look through the pictures and photos, everything. I feel it is an excellent way to create a relationship with the reader himself with the writer.
When I was a kid, I knew absolutely nothing about the writers, their life. Of course I read their books. A lot of Stephen King and Roald Dahl read it, but I knew nothing about the mindennapjaikról. So far, however, you can learn more about the person, we become much more accessible, useful to go to learn about our lives, is used to tell the fans where to travel ... I know for example, that many of the site were notified of the dedikálásokról. I love it. Really important to me to do it. I think a great thing.

And many letters, emails that get his fans?

Yes, a lot of emails and letters. Each letter in person to answer. I think that anyone who takes the trouble to lekörmöl a letter, then an envelope you and take you to the post office, deserves to answer for him. I mean the real letters.
The email is not to write as often as you choose. Because these days I get a lot, and also because most email ask questions that are on the website you can get a reply. So I feel a little lazy, and would have found out the site is what they want.

And now that translated into more than two dozen books in the language, but rather provides a global audience?

In fact, always been so written. Not in terms of readership, because when I wrote the CIRCUS of Horrors, I did not think so. I knew nothing about the child literature. I did not know what is on the market, what is salable, what should and what should not write it. This was in 1997. Even before it appeared in the Harry Potter books, children's books before the Kaposi been considered. Back then, everyone was held in the children's books that can not make money. I did not like that someone wrote to earn money with it, but because he enjoyed. So I thought of the Circus of Horrors of the basic idea, which formed the whole, a little guy is a vámpírcirkusszal contact, and I liked the idea. When I wrote myself wondering how I was when I was eleven or twelve years old, what books to read, what books have impressed me, because at that time there were no horror stories that are written specifically for kids. Stephen King at the age of twelve I began to read. You have not existed in the Goosebumps [R. L. Stine horror series for kids - Ed.], Or similar sequences. So I pictured to myself earlier, but I was thinking while writing, it is better to go for sure, and if the book is sold in other countries, you also need to understand the Shanghai office. Why not mention a single name space either. The Circus of Horrors never mention where the story takes place, and whenever I am asked readers where it's set, I answer: "Where you live. There takes place, where you want it. " The first book my place in Limerick and London combination, as the two cities I know. After all, I was born in London, and I've lived most of my life in Limerick. So it was in my mind when I was writing. But not Limerick and London the venue, just for me. Not because the market had in mind, but because I wanted you to have put my books. Therefore always simply written. This is one reason for the success of my books. The stories are quite complex - a lot of players and a lot of twists and turns, but the language is very simple. Anyone who can read can read my books. Regardless of nine, ten, eleven, twelve, one, easy read for anyone. At the same time enjoyable. Again, it did not worked out that way because the market focused, that can be sold and tried to write, but I also like that because I wanted to read. Young writers often ask my advice, and I think - apart from the need to write a lot - the most useful advice is to write anything that we ourselves are also welcome to read. So write what you like! Do not try to satisfy the needs of others! Write something that you are also welcome to read it, then I hope that others will like it!

What do you think the success of the Harry Potter books? Sold better from your books, too?

Definitely. In the case of children's literature has always been the biggest problem, especially before the appearance of Harry Potter, to the media's attention. The children's books were not communicated to rave reviews in newspapers, on television programs not found, and therefore did not sell many of them in particular. The children read the book, then offered their friends and brethren, and over long periods, the book is famous dumpling slowly as more and larger fat, but it is a very slow process. The Harry Potter books have changed this situation, and all of a sudden become a best-selling children's book as well. And benefited from Philip Pullman, Anthony Horowitz, and myself. I believe everyone has benefited, in particular, the children's book writers. It is not necessary that someone should be one favorite author. It's not like football where you rooting for a team, then no other team does not like me. If anyone read a good book, you still want to read more good books. So if someone reads the Harry Potter books, you begin to look more like a book. In short, rászoktatja the kids to read.

And how you managed to get your head not your reputation?

I still live in Ireland. I still live in the village where I lived with my parents at the age of six and my friends. While Darren Shan, a famous writer I am, of course, a very good feeling, Darren O'Shaunessy stayed at home and still have their old habits. Of course, a lot has changed, when I'm at home. Every year cruise around the world a few months. But when I go home, everything is the same as it used to. A schedule is the same, the same things I do. I do not care about the party, the fényképezgetés. I love to write, and I love my life so far in Ireland.

In addition to writing children's books, trying to convert the established clichés about vampires too. Anne Rice tried the same. What is your opinion of the writer woman?

Perhaps at the age of twelve I read the interview with vámpírralt is terribly pleased, therefore, to feel the effect of it on the books. Rice, however, still sticks to a lot of old vámpírkliséhez. Clearly much has changed on it, but I still recognize the ancient vampire type. I myself, however, I wanted to be completely new. I love Dracula, the Salem is still one of my favorites, but as a writer I did not want to repeat what others had written before me. This sort of thing never interested. Darren Shanként wanted to put down the card. Each volume is a different adventure, a different scene is about and changing nature of the story. The first three volumes of horror, but after that the series is more fantasy-adventure story or stream, which a lot of twist in the shocking incident. So I did not want an ordinary vampire book to write, in which the vampire turn kills people, then comes the hero and destroy the vampire. One like I've read a lot and wanted to do something different. The basic idea was a boy who meets a circus with a vampire and becomes his assistant, he decided while writing, how can I change how I can do it myself and not interesting to the reader. And as a writer earned the right style for the slower parts. Therefore, you pepecseltem it.

Originally designed by the series of twenty volumes esre. However, he stopped after the twelfth volume. Why is that?

When I was younger a lot of times I've heard writers declare that when they write a book only once a life of its own. And it's really true. The more one writes, the more you learn, the more able to control this process. However, the story is getting stronger tie the hands. It will eventually get to a point where you write about the story, the characters and become independent. For example, someone who is quite incidental or consequential, suddenly becomes important.
Well, when the twelfth volume ... I actually have a year ago, I wrote a twelfth volume ... I realized that it is possible that the series will end in the twelfth volumes. But I do not want to. Therefore, I have written a very different twelfth volume, and then wrote the thirteenth. The story was originally divided into three parts. The first six volumes before his divorce from Darren vámpírherceggé said, and then the twelve volumes of the vampire, Darren Prince, the third stage is more, I would have brought a different level from the seventh to the story. But as I wrote the story did not wish to continue to develop, particularly Darren as makacsolta character himself. The whole story is told of his growing up without having to have evolved Darren mature character. I got to the twelfth, thirteenth volume where Darren mature character was revealed and suddenly the book did not seem kid story. Until someone else could. So I got to the end of the thirteenth book, and I told myself that I should stop here. The story is nothing wrong, but Darren's character is no longer a child. The kids will not care anymore. A whole year passed, and finally made my decision. I did not want to do, ever been talking, tormented myself, but I thought about all the arguments. And I realized that the only serious argument, which is said to continue, was that twenty volumes promised. Finally, I realized that we should not continue to write and not to think of others. The story has to end in the twelfth volumes. Despite all this, I keep all cselekményvázlatát third part of the series, and it is possible that one day I will write a series of continuations of Darren Shan, which would be based on the same ideas, but a very different type of story, the other protagonist and quite different players. But over the next four or five years, I will deal with demons. New series I got into it, which was awarded The Demonata title, and it's going to have to book four or five years.

The last question is that they are adult after going to write a book?

Actually, I've written a lot of adult books, basically because I wanted to be adult writer. The Circus of Horrors began as a kind of extension activities, which wanted to do in my spare time. Roughly 2,002 to the children's books to adult literature were rotated, but as Darren Shan volumes are becoming more popular, I began to travel around the world and had less and less time to write. Until 1997, I spent writing twelve months, now only a year left on it for six or seven months. So I have to choose. And since such a large success of these books, and because I enjoy them so much, yet remain the only children's books. I intend to write more adult books, but I do not know how and when I can find time to megírásukra. Maybe next year or the following year, I write one. We'll see.