A long-time Shanster called Niall sent me an email a while back, with a question.

"I am writing to you as a 28 year old man who first read your books as a 7 year old boy. Recently I have had the joy of reading Lord loss to my 7 year old daughter, Lexi. This has been a wonderful experience and I wanted to offer you my sincerest thank you for this intergenerational reading experience. I do however have a question to ask on behalf of her. Grubitsch and dervish and Co have an Irish accent like her grandmother's family (we are English) but she stumped me with the question of who does Lord Loss sound like. After many attempts of explaining to her that book characters can sound any way she wants, I agreed I would email Darren Shan on her behalf and ask him. So could I please ask on behalf of Lexi: Which accent does lord loss have? (p.s. I know Lord Loss isn't a typical 7 year old's favourite, but she thinks that his familiars are "the cutest.")"

Once I'd recovered from the shock of a 7 year old reading Lord Loss (social services will be coming for you, Niall !!!), I replied to Niall that since Lord Loss comes from a different universe to ours, his accent isn't like any that we have here on Earth. I told him -- and I'll tell the rest of you here -- to imagine the sound of a frog speaking Esperanto while being spun around in a cement mixer... That's actually nothing like his accent, but it's fun to imagine anyway, right?!? ��

I actually think I do a pretty good Lord Loss accent at my live events (especially if I have a powerful, hand-held microphone), so if you're keen to hear how he sounds coming from his author's mouth, and if you live near - or can make it to - the south-east of England next month, I'm doing my first public event in a LONG time in Tunbridge Wells on Saturday 30th April. You can find out more, and book tickets, by clicking here: https://theamelia.co.uk/tw-lit-fest/darren-shan/

The drawing of Lord Loss was done by a fan called Frank.