*SITE PROBLEMS*

The Shanville web site was down for several days towards the end of September, and I was unable to receive e-mails from late Sunday night, September 29, to early Tuesday morning, October 1 -- so if you sent an e-mail to me during that time, I won't have received it, and I'm afraid you'll have to send it again. This was because of work being done to my web server's system. Sorry I wasn't able to warn you in advance -- but I only found out about it after it had gone off-line!!! That's the first real problem there's been with the site in a long time, so hopefully we'll get another good clean run under our belts before the next crash .......

(BELATED) GREETINGS!!!

So, anyway -- welcome to the October issue of the Shanville Monthly! I was away on holiday earlier this month -- I went to Russia, to visit Moscow and St Petersburg. I had a great trip -- the cities are amazing, loads to see and do, the people were a lot friendlier than I expected, the food was scrumdiddlyumptious! The only downer was that I went to a football match, to see Ireland play Russia, and we lost 4-2! Otherwise I loved it and would definitely love to go back some day and see even more of the country. But enough of the travelogue!!! Let's get down to this month's news, starting with ...

BOOK 8 GOES ON SALE IN UK & IRELAND!

Although the official release date for Book 8, Allies of the Night, is November 4, the books are due to be shipped from the warehouse on October 14, so they should be hitting book shops some time around the middle of the month (maybe a bit later, maybe even a bit earlier -- who knows?!?). So keep watching those shelves!!! I'm really excited about the release of books 8 and 9 -- they're 2 of the quickest moving of the Saga, a return to the pace and style (not to mention city!) of book 3, Tunnels Of Blood. I think they could prove to be two of the most popular books of the series -- though, of course, that's for YOU LOT to decide!!!!! I'll be adding a Book 9 forum to the Message Board later this month -- feel free to add your opinions about the new book once you've hunted it down and devoured it! (p.s. be warned -- book 8, like book 5, finishes on a HUGE cliffhanger, which means you won't find out how the story finishes until book 9 next Febraury!!!)

SHAN ON TOUR

Like I said last month, I'm undertaking a MASSIVE promotional tour of the UK and Ireland in October and November. I'll be doing lots of school and library events, including a few public appearances. Please note: most library events are school-specific (meaning they invite classes from a local school), but it's usually possible for individuals to attend too. So, if I'm in your area, performing at your local library, and you're able to get time off school (perhaps by agreeing with your teacher to write a report about the event!), feel free to come and see me -- though you should check with the library first, to make sure that's OK. Now, on with the (frightening!!) schedule:
OCTOBER
10 - Thursday - St Joseph's R.C., Bermondsey, London
11 - Friday - 09.00-11.00 - Great Baddow High School, Chelmsford, Essex
11 - Friday - 14.00-15.00 - Barbican Children's Library, London
12 - Saturday - 11.00-12.00 - PUBLIC EVENT - Muswell Hill Children's Bookshop, 29 Fortis Green Rd, London N10
13 - Sunday - 17.45-18.30 - PUBLIC EVENT - Cheltenham Festival Of Literature [more details next month]
14 - Monday - 10.00-12.00 - Charlton School, Wellington, Telford
15 - Tuesday - Carlton Le Willows School, Nottingham (3 events)
16 - Wednesday - morning - Eaton Bank School, Congleton, Cheshire
16 - Wednesday - 13.00-15.00 - Leafo Castle [*contact Hammicks in Birkenhead for more details*]
17 - Thursday - morning - Wallasey Children's Library, Earlston Rd, Wallasey, Wirral
18 - Friday - morning - George Watson's School, Edinburgh
18 - Friday - evening - *CANCELLED* - Ottakers, Unit 6, Buchanan St, Glasgow *CANCELLED*
19 - Saturday - 11.00-12.00 - PUBLIC EVENT - Beverley Picture Playhouse, Beverley, East Yorks. [book tickets by ringing this number: 01482 391673/867430
22 - Tuesday - 10.00-11.00 - Mallow Library, Cork
22 - Tuesday - 14.00-15.00 - Douglas Library, Cork
23 - Wednesday - 10.00-11.00 - Waterford Library, Brown's Road Branch
23 - Wednesday - 14.00-15.00 - New Ross Library, Wexford
24 - Thursday - 10.00-11.00 - Coolock Library, Dublin
24 - Thursday - 12.00-13.00 - Finglas Library, Dublin
25 - Friday - 10.00-11.00 - Dooradoyle Library, Limerick
25 - Friday - 11.30-12.30 - Adare Library, Limerick
25 - Friday - 14.00-15.00 - Abbeyfeale Library, Limerick
26 - Saturday - 12.00-13.00 - PUBLIC EVENT - The Ennis Bookshop
26 - Saturday - 15.00-16.00 - PUBLIC EVENT - O'Mahony's Bookshop, Limerick
29 - Tuesday - 10.30-11.30 - Foynes Library, Limerick
31 - Thursday - 11.30-12.30 & 13.30-14.30 - The Showroom Cinema, Paternoster Row, Sheffield
NOVEMBER
5 - Tuesday - Northern Children's Book Festival, Durham [details TBC]
6 - Wednesday - Northern Children's Book Festival, Darlington [details TBC]
PHEW!!!! We might add a few more dates for late October/early November. If so, I'll send out an e-mail to everybody later this month.

CONTEST

I'm running a new contest! I received a bundle of Book 9 covers from my British publishers, HarperCollins. Basically this is the genuine cover, with the front image and back-cover blurb, only without any pages within (This is the way the covers come -- the pages are later bound within them). It's on an uncreased piece of cardboard and would look great framed or on your wall -- especially as I'm going to personally autograph it for you!! I have 10 (ten) of the covers to give away. To be in with a chance of winning and getting your hands on a copy of the cover, simply e-mail your Name (in the subject box of your e-mail, is possible), FULL POSTAL ADDRESS and e-mail address to [email protected] Please note -- if you don't include your full address, you won't be included in the draw! Also, only one entry per person -- anyone sending multiple entries will be disqualified. Closing date is Midnight, Saturday, October 19, GMT. I'll be making the draw on Sunday the 20th, and will post off the covers to the winners as soon as possible after that. This competition is open to readers in all countries, so everyone can enter!

DEJÁ VU!

Missed an issue of the Shanville Monthly? You can check out past issues by clicking on this link: http://www.darrenshan.com/news/archive.html I think some of the older issues still have to be transferred to the new site (they were overlooked when Shanville was re-designed earlier this year) but most of them are intact.

IT'S A WRAP

And that's it for October! I hope those of you in the UK & Ireland (along with those from elsewhere who order copies from the UK!) all enjoy your meeting with the Allies of the Night later this month. I'm off on tour from the 10th, so I should be seeing quite a few of you in the coming month and half -- make sure you introduce yourself to me as a Shanville member if our paths cross! I'll be back to post the next issue of the Monthly near the start of November. Until then, all the bloody best, Darren Shan x x x