Issue 25 - August 2002
01 August 2002GREETINGS!
Welcome to the August issue of the Shanville Monthly! Sorry it's a bit late, but July was a very busy month for me -- I celebrated my 30th birthday by doing a parachute jump (tremendous fun!!), and bought a new house (tremendous headaches!!). But the Shanville show must go on, so let's get down to business with the BIG news of the month:
MOVIE NEWS!!!
At last -- movement on the movie front! Although Warner Brothers bought the rights to my books two and a half years ago(!!), that didn't mean they would actually make a movie of them. As I've kept telling people, selling your book is just stage one of the movie-making process, and most books bought by film companies never make it beyond that first stage.
Well, the Saga of Darren Shan has just made it to stage two!! A scriptwriter has been hired by Warner Brothers to pen a screenplay!!!! Of course, there's still no guarantee that a film will be made -- there are loads more "preliminary stages" to go through before we even get to the green light stage -- but this is a BIG step forward! Only time will tell if the screenplay measures up to scratch, or if it's taken any further. But right now things are looking reasonably positive. Then again, that's what Darren Shan thought when he let Steve Leopard play with Madam Octa ...... Oh, and before any of you start asking me where to go for auditions -- we're nowhere near that stage yet, and even when and if we are, I won't have any direct input into the casting process, so I won't be able to help out. Sorry!!!
EDINBURGH FESTIVAL
***UPDATE: In addition to my Book Festival events in Edinburgh in August, I'll also be signing books at Waterstones, 128 Princes Street, on 12th August at 2.00 p.m. So if for some reason you can't make it to any of my events at the festival, you know where and when to find me!!!***
I'm back in Edinburgh for the annual Book Festival this month -- my third year in a row! I had a great time there in 2000 and 2001, and I can't wait to return! You can check out the full list of events, and find out how to book tickets, by going to the official festival web site at: http://www.edbookfest.co.uk/programme/children.asp
My first event is on Monday, August 12, at 10.30. I'll be performing (with the assistance of some brave audience members) "The Song Of Darren Shan", covering books 4, 5, 6 and 7!! This is a follow-up to last year's events, where I treated audience members to verses 1, 2 and 3. Basically, it's the plots of the books set to rhyme.
Later on Monday, August 12, at 16.30 (and NOT 14.30, as I mistakenly stated previously -- oops!!!), I'm taking part in another event, organised by the NCH, where I'll be talking about one of my favourite childhood books -- there will be other authors at this event, also talking about their favourite books.
On Tuesday, August 13, at 13.30, I'm going to be focusing on the first 3 books, and will be performing (with some help from audience members!!) a brand new mini-play, based on the plots of the first 3 books!! At the events, I'll also be taking questions from the crowd, and I'll be wrapping up each event (except the NCH event) with a reading of an extract from Book 8 of the Saga (a different extract at both events). It should be lots of fun -- if you're in the area and have the means to be there, miss me at your peril!!!!!!
HELP WANTED!!! Those who came to the previous shows know that I like to involve audience members as much as possible, and get volunteers up from the crowd to help me out. This year, to give Shanville users an advantage over everybody else, I'm going to offer you the chance to volunteer early! On Monday and Tuesday, I'm going to be at the entrance to the Author's tent (normally in one of the corners of the square) a half hour before the event begins (i.e. 10.00 on Monday, and 13.00 on Tuesday). If you want to participate in the play or song, come along at the stated time and I'll pick my volunteers from among those who turn up -- we'll also do a bit of rehearsal beforehand! Be warned: you'll need to be a good reader, have a strong voice, and be prepared to do a bit of acting!!!!
SIGNED BOOKS
For anyone who's interested, I think you can still buy signed copies of my first six books (UK editions) at carpenter.seekbooks.co.uk/
TAIWAN SITE
My publishers in Taiwan have created their own Darren Shan site at http://www.crown.com.tw/darrenshan/index.htm It's pretty cool and definitely worth checking out, even if you can't read Taiwanese!!!
NETHERLANDS NEWS
Book 6 of the Saga (DE VAMPIERS PRINS in Dutch) will be released in the Netherlands in November 2002. The cover is pretty much the same as the UK cover, which you can find on the UK part of Shanville.
COMPETITION!!!
The 3 lucky winners of last month's competition are:
MALCOLM KETH, AUSTRALIA ---- KATRINA WHATELY, U.S.A. ---- SAYURI TAKEUCHI, U.S.A.
They each receive a signed set of all 7 of my UK books. Thanks to everyone who entered -- this was the most popular contest yet!!! Regrets to all those who didn't win -- but I promise to run another competition sometime soon
SHANVILLE UPDATES
I've added 4 new book covers to Shanville, from Germany, Japan and Taiwan. To check them out, click on this link: http://www.darrenshan.com/newcovers.htm
I've also added some new reviews and an interview to the site. You can access them at the following links:
New reviews for Books 2 and 3 on the USA site at http://www.darrenshan.com/us_sit...0main.html
New reviews for the first 4 books on the UK site at http://www.darrenshan.com/uk_sit...iews1.html
New interview on the UK site at http://www.darrenshan.com/uk_sit...-list.html
As well as all that, I've added new letters to the site (for the first time in ages!!) on both the USA section, at http://www.darrenshan.com/us_sit...ers01.html and on the Global section, at http://www.darrenshan.com/contact/letters.html I hope you enjoy them!
DARREN SHAN QUIZ
One young Shanster - Tim Jackson - has created a series of Darren Shan quizzes, which are a lot of fun. So, if you want to test your knowledge of all things Shanorific, click on the following link: Darren Shan Quiz
DEJÁ VU!
Want to know about my background? Then check out my brief biography at Biography Page 1 You can also access the FAQ section, where many of the most common readers' questions are answered.
IT'S A WRAP
And that's it for August! I'm looking forward to seeing all those who can make it at the Edinburgh Festival -- and to performing the new material!! To those who can't get there, I'll be doing a BIG tour in October and November, in England, Scotland and Ireland -- more details about that next month. Until then, all the bloody best, Darren Shan x x x
Welcome to the August issue of the Shanville Monthly! Sorry it's a bit late, but July was a very busy month for me -- I celebrated my 30th birthday by doing a parachute jump (tremendous fun!!), and bought a new house (tremendous headaches!!). But the Shanville show must go on, so let's get down to business with the BIG news of the month:
MOVIE NEWS!!!
At last -- movement on the movie front! Although Warner Brothers bought the rights to my books two and a half years ago(!!), that didn't mean they would actually make a movie of them. As I've kept telling people, selling your book is just stage one of the movie-making process, and most books bought by film companies never make it beyond that first stage.
Well, the Saga of Darren Shan has just made it to stage two!! A scriptwriter has been hired by Warner Brothers to pen a screenplay!!!! Of course, there's still no guarantee that a film will be made -- there are loads more "preliminary stages" to go through before we even get to the green light stage -- but this is a BIG step forward! Only time will tell if the screenplay measures up to scratch, or if it's taken any further. But right now things are looking reasonably positive. Then again, that's what Darren Shan thought when he let Steve Leopard play with Madam Octa ...... Oh, and before any of you start asking me where to go for auditions -- we're nowhere near that stage yet, and even when and if we are, I won't have any direct input into the casting process, so I won't be able to help out. Sorry!!!
EDINBURGH FESTIVAL
***UPDATE: In addition to my Book Festival events in Edinburgh in August, I'll also be signing books at Waterstones, 128 Princes Street, on 12th August at 2.00 p.m. So if for some reason you can't make it to any of my events at the festival, you know where and when to find me!!!***
I'm back in Edinburgh for the annual Book Festival this month -- my third year in a row! I had a great time there in 2000 and 2001, and I can't wait to return! You can check out the full list of events, and find out how to book tickets, by going to the official festival web site at: http://www.edbookfest.co.uk/programme/children.asp
My first event is on Monday, August 12, at 10.30. I'll be performing (with the assistance of some brave audience members) "The Song Of Darren Shan", covering books 4, 5, 6 and 7!! This is a follow-up to last year's events, where I treated audience members to verses 1, 2 and 3. Basically, it's the plots of the books set to rhyme.
Later on Monday, August 12, at 16.30 (and NOT 14.30, as I mistakenly stated previously -- oops!!!), I'm taking part in another event, organised by the NCH, where I'll be talking about one of my favourite childhood books -- there will be other authors at this event, also talking about their favourite books.
On Tuesday, August 13, at 13.30, I'm going to be focusing on the first 3 books, and will be performing (with some help from audience members!!) a brand new mini-play, based on the plots of the first 3 books!! At the events, I'll also be taking questions from the crowd, and I'll be wrapping up each event (except the NCH event) with a reading of an extract from Book 8 of the Saga (a different extract at both events). It should be lots of fun -- if you're in the area and have the means to be there, miss me at your peril!!!!!!
HELP WANTED!!! Those who came to the previous shows know that I like to involve audience members as much as possible, and get volunteers up from the crowd to help me out. This year, to give Shanville users an advantage over everybody else, I'm going to offer you the chance to volunteer early! On Monday and Tuesday, I'm going to be at the entrance to the Author's tent (normally in one of the corners of the square) a half hour before the event begins (i.e. 10.00 on Monday, and 13.00 on Tuesday). If you want to participate in the play or song, come along at the stated time and I'll pick my volunteers from among those who turn up -- we'll also do a bit of rehearsal beforehand! Be warned: you'll need to be a good reader, have a strong voice, and be prepared to do a bit of acting!!!!
SIGNED BOOKS
For anyone who's interested, I think you can still buy signed copies of my first six books (UK editions) at carpenter.seekbooks.co.uk/
TAIWAN SITE
My publishers in Taiwan have created their own Darren Shan site at http://www.crown.com.tw/darrenshan/index.htm It's pretty cool and definitely worth checking out, even if you can't read Taiwanese!!!
NETHERLANDS NEWS
Book 6 of the Saga (DE VAMPIERS PRINS in Dutch) will be released in the Netherlands in November 2002. The cover is pretty much the same as the UK cover, which you can find on the UK part of Shanville.
COMPETITION!!!
The 3 lucky winners of last month's competition are:
MALCOLM KETH, AUSTRALIA ---- KATRINA WHATELY, U.S.A. ---- SAYURI TAKEUCHI, U.S.A.
They each receive a signed set of all 7 of my UK books. Thanks to everyone who entered -- this was the most popular contest yet!!! Regrets to all those who didn't win -- but I promise to run another competition sometime soon
SHANVILLE UPDATES
I've added 4 new book covers to Shanville, from Germany, Japan and Taiwan. To check them out, click on this link: http://www.darrenshan.com/newcovers.htm
I've also added some new reviews and an interview to the site. You can access them at the following links:
New reviews for Books 2 and 3 on the USA site at http://www.darrenshan.com/us_sit...0main.html
New reviews for the first 4 books on the UK site at http://www.darrenshan.com/uk_sit...iews1.html
New interview on the UK site at http://www.darrenshan.com/uk_sit...-list.html
As well as all that, I've added new letters to the site (for the first time in ages!!) on both the USA section, at http://www.darrenshan.com/us_sit...ers01.html and on the Global section, at http://www.darrenshan.com/contact/letters.html I hope you enjoy them!
DARREN SHAN QUIZ
One young Shanster - Tim Jackson - has created a series of Darren Shan quizzes, which are a lot of fun. So, if you want to test your knowledge of all things Shanorific, click on the following link: Darren Shan Quiz
DEJÁ VU!
Want to know about my background? Then check out my brief biography at Biography Page 1 You can also access the FAQ section, where many of the most common readers' questions are answered.
IT'S A WRAP
And that's it for August! I'm looking forward to seeing all those who can make it at the Edinburgh Festival -- and to performing the new material!! To those who can't get there, I'll be doing a BIG tour in October and November, in England, Scotland and Ireland -- more details about that next month. Until then, all the bloody best, Darren Shan x x x
Darren Shan USA
Darren Shan Japan
Darren Shan Taiwan
Zom-B UK Site
Darren Shan Sweden