Issue 37 - August 2003
01 August 2003GREETINGS!
Welcome to the August issue of the Shanville Monthly! As it has done for the past 4 years, August means EDINBURGH for me!!!! Yes, I'm back at the Book Festival, where this year I'll be doing 4 events -- 2 solo, and 2 group events -- my most to date!! More about those below, along with all the other news. So, without wasting any more time -- I have to practise for my shows!!! -- here we go ....
EDINBURGH
The schedule and full details of the Edinburgh Book Festival are now online at http://programme.edbookfest.co.uk/ You can see who's going to be there, what they'll be doing, and order tickets NOW!!! If you want to order by phone, the number to ring is 0131 624 5050. For details of the 4 events which I'll be part of, click on the following link: http://programme.edbookfest.co.uk/people/person-132 Or just read the following!!!
Saturday August 9th, 10.30am - solo event - "The Song Of Darren Shan" - where I'll be performing the plots of books 7, 8 and 9 set to rhyme!! This is my third year doing the "Song" and it's gone down a treat each time so far!! I'll also be answering questions and signing books afterwards, as I'll be doing at all of the events. (And, yes, you can bring along ALL of your Darren Shan books to have signed if you wish -- I never mind signing copies of my books!)
Saturday August 9th, 17.30pm - group event with Garth Nix & Theresa Breslin - where the three of us will be talking about fantasy books. (I'm in the middle of Lirael at the moment, and it's great!!)
Sunday August 10th, 11.00am - solo event - "Shanta Claus" - a Christmas play, in the middle of August?!? Why not!!!! Lots of familiar freakish faces, ghoulish fun, and the chance (probably a once-in-a-lifetime chance!!) of hearing me SING!!! (Or try to!) Miss it at your peril!!!!
Sunday August 10th, 18.00pm - an event with Annie Dalton to talk about the superb WarChild anthology, Kids' Night In. I'll be chatting about my inspiration for my story ("Hagurosan"), reading some of it, and telling you all about my connections to Japanese Mountain gods ...
All of the events cost £3.50 each to enter (if tickets are still available). They're VERY different events, so if you can get to all 4, my advice is to splash out and do them all!!! :-)
I'll be looking for volunteers for my 2 solo events, to come up on stage and help me act out scenes. I'll be choosing 4 people for each event. Usually I just pick volunteers from the audience, but I'm offering YOU LOT the chance to beat the rush!! I'll be outside the Author's Tent (it's usually in the corner of the square, to the right of the entrance -- an Arabian shaped tent!) at 10.00 on Saturday and 10.30 on Sunday. If you want to be part of the act, come along at the right time, and you'll get first shot at it! (If more than 4 of you turn up on either day, I'll pick all four volunteers from among you.) And if you get there a few minutes late, or you get there on time but can't spot me, don't be shy -- ask the nearest attendant for me!!!!!!
That phone number again, for tickets, is 0131 624 5050.
BOOK 8 TAKES JAPAN BY STORM!!
Book 8 of the Saga was released in Japan in June. It got to Number 2 in the overall bestseller chart (including adult books!!!!!), kept off the top spot, I believe, only by a certain young wizard by the name of Harry Potter ... The initial print run was 200,000 copies (!!!!). And, just two weeks later, it had already been reprinted!!!!
COMPETITION!
The winners of the July competition were: Ya-Hui Chiu - Taiwan. * Jonathan vd Sande - Netherlands. * Harmony Wong - Hong Kong. * Jherico D Frias - USA. * Bryan Michael Burham - USA. * Ally Rowell - UK. * Ruth Roden - UK. * Emma Gordon - UK. * Leo James Butt - Ireland. * Chow Chun Kit - Hong Kong. Congratulations to you all, and better luck next time to those who didn't win!!!
SHORT STORY
Kids Night In - the anthology in which you can find my short story, "Hagurosan" - has been a huge success and is currently at #19 in the Children's Bestsellers chart!!!! (Kept out of the top 10 only by 7 Harry Potters, 3 Artemis Fowls, and some Jacqueline Wilsons!!) If you haven't already bought a copy, you can get one at your local store, or through Amazon, by clicking on this link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0007157983/qid=1056994800/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_0_1/202-1567906-4868644
VAMPIRE BLOOD IS COMING ...
In the U.K. and Ireland, the collection of the first 3 books of The Saga Of Darren Shan - entitled Vampire Blood - is due for release early in September. But, as long-time Shansters know, my books often make it to certain book shops earlier than scheduled, so you might well spot copies on sale in August!! You certainly can't miss it -- it's got a cool orange/red/black cover, and is nice and thick!!! You can check out the cover by clicking here: http://www.darrenshan.com/gallery/shancovers/othercovers.html Or order it from Amazon by clicking here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0007143745/shanville/026-3499276-2932450
... AND A VAMPIRE PRINCE!
Likewise, in the U.S.A., book 6, The Vampire Prince, is due for release in September, but should be in lots of shops in August -- i.e. THIS MONTH!!!!!! Yes -- the wait is almost over!!!!! If you don't want to get it in your local store (or can't find it!), check out the Shanville SHOP at http://www.darrenshan.com/us_site/usshop/usshop.html where there are links to both Amazon and Barnes&Noble (B&N say they'll have copies on August 6th, but I'm not sure if that's accurate ...)
GET A FIRST BY STUDYING DARREN SHAN!!!
Design student Linzi Foxcroft decided to base her final year project around the characters of the Cirque Du Freak, designing costumes which she felt they might wear. She put the costumes and designs on show at the end of the year, and as well as impressing those who came to see the show, she impressed her examiners too -- she got a First!!! You can check out Linzi's freakishly fabulous efforts by clicking on the following link:http://www.darrenshan.com/shanography/linzi.html
JAPAN PHOTOS
There are 3 pages of photos from my events in Japan (see last month's Monthly) on the Shogakukan web site, at: http://www.shogakukan.co.jp/darren/news/news23_01.html I hope to add lots more photos to Shanville within the next couple of months, if I can just find the time ...
DEJÁ VU
I've added new cover images from various editions of my books from the following countries: Brazil (book 4), Indonesia (books 3 & 4), Norway(books 2 & 3) and Taiwan (book 5). I'm especially keen on the book 5 Taiwanese cover -- very different to all the others, and very impressive! I've also included the rear Taiwanese cover, since that's such a strong image too!! To access all the images, and to view the covers of ALL of my books, go to the main gallery page at the following link: http://www.darrenshan.com/gallery/gallery1.html
IT'S A WRAP
And that's it for this month! I'm off now to practise some more for Edinburgh -- though my advice, if you're coming to the Sunday solo event, is to bring good ear plugs!!!!! I hope you all enjoy your summer hols. See you back here next month for the September updates. Until then, all the bloody best, Darren Shan x x x
Welcome to the August issue of the Shanville Monthly! As it has done for the past 4 years, August means EDINBURGH for me!!!! Yes, I'm back at the Book Festival, where this year I'll be doing 4 events -- 2 solo, and 2 group events -- my most to date!! More about those below, along with all the other news. So, without wasting any more time -- I have to practise for my shows!!! -- here we go ....
EDINBURGH
The schedule and full details of the Edinburgh Book Festival are now online at http://programme.edbookfest.co.uk/ You can see who's going to be there, what they'll be doing, and order tickets NOW!!! If you want to order by phone, the number to ring is 0131 624 5050. For details of the 4 events which I'll be part of, click on the following link: http://programme.edbookfest.co.uk/people/person-132 Or just read the following!!!
Saturday August 9th, 10.30am - solo event - "The Song Of Darren Shan" - where I'll be performing the plots of books 7, 8 and 9 set to rhyme!! This is my third year doing the "Song" and it's gone down a treat each time so far!! I'll also be answering questions and signing books afterwards, as I'll be doing at all of the events. (And, yes, you can bring along ALL of your Darren Shan books to have signed if you wish -- I never mind signing copies of my books!)
Saturday August 9th, 17.30pm - group event with Garth Nix & Theresa Breslin - where the three of us will be talking about fantasy books. (I'm in the middle of Lirael at the moment, and it's great!!)
Sunday August 10th, 11.00am - solo event - "Shanta Claus" - a Christmas play, in the middle of August?!? Why not!!!! Lots of familiar freakish faces, ghoulish fun, and the chance (probably a once-in-a-lifetime chance!!) of hearing me SING!!! (Or try to!) Miss it at your peril!!!!
Sunday August 10th, 18.00pm - an event with Annie Dalton to talk about the superb WarChild anthology, Kids' Night In. I'll be chatting about my inspiration for my story ("Hagurosan"), reading some of it, and telling you all about my connections to Japanese Mountain gods ...
All of the events cost £3.50 each to enter (if tickets are still available). They're VERY different events, so if you can get to all 4, my advice is to splash out and do them all!!! :-)
I'll be looking for volunteers for my 2 solo events, to come up on stage and help me act out scenes. I'll be choosing 4 people for each event. Usually I just pick volunteers from the audience, but I'm offering YOU LOT the chance to beat the rush!! I'll be outside the Author's Tent (it's usually in the corner of the square, to the right of the entrance -- an Arabian shaped tent!) at 10.00 on Saturday and 10.30 on Sunday. If you want to be part of the act, come along at the right time, and you'll get first shot at it! (If more than 4 of you turn up on either day, I'll pick all four volunteers from among you.) And if you get there a few minutes late, or you get there on time but can't spot me, don't be shy -- ask the nearest attendant for me!!!!!!
That phone number again, for tickets, is 0131 624 5050.
BOOK 8 TAKES JAPAN BY STORM!!
Book 8 of the Saga was released in Japan in June. It got to Number 2 in the overall bestseller chart (including adult books!!!!!), kept off the top spot, I believe, only by a certain young wizard by the name of Harry Potter ... The initial print run was 200,000 copies (!!!!). And, just two weeks later, it had already been reprinted!!!!
COMPETITION!
The winners of the July competition were: Ya-Hui Chiu - Taiwan. * Jonathan vd Sande - Netherlands. * Harmony Wong - Hong Kong. * Jherico D Frias - USA. * Bryan Michael Burham - USA. * Ally Rowell - UK. * Ruth Roden - UK. * Emma Gordon - UK. * Leo James Butt - Ireland. * Chow Chun Kit - Hong Kong. Congratulations to you all, and better luck next time to those who didn't win!!!
SHORT STORY
Kids Night In - the anthology in which you can find my short story, "Hagurosan" - has been a huge success and is currently at #19 in the Children's Bestsellers chart!!!! (Kept out of the top 10 only by 7 Harry Potters, 3 Artemis Fowls, and some Jacqueline Wilsons!!) If you haven't already bought a copy, you can get one at your local store, or through Amazon, by clicking on this link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0007157983/qid=1056994800/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_0_1/202-1567906-4868644
VAMPIRE BLOOD IS COMING ...
In the U.K. and Ireland, the collection of the first 3 books of The Saga Of Darren Shan - entitled Vampire Blood - is due for release early in September. But, as long-time Shansters know, my books often make it to certain book shops earlier than scheduled, so you might well spot copies on sale in August!! You certainly can't miss it -- it's got a cool orange/red/black cover, and is nice and thick!!! You can check out the cover by clicking here: http://www.darrenshan.com/gallery/shancovers/othercovers.html Or order it from Amazon by clicking here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0007143745/shanville/026-3499276-2932450
... AND A VAMPIRE PRINCE!
Likewise, in the U.S.A., book 6, The Vampire Prince, is due for release in September, but should be in lots of shops in August -- i.e. THIS MONTH!!!!!! Yes -- the wait is almost over!!!!! If you don't want to get it in your local store (or can't find it!), check out the Shanville SHOP at http://www.darrenshan.com/us_site/usshop/usshop.html where there are links to both Amazon and Barnes&Noble (B&N say they'll have copies on August 6th, but I'm not sure if that's accurate ...)
GET A FIRST BY STUDYING DARREN SHAN!!!
Design student Linzi Foxcroft decided to base her final year project around the characters of the Cirque Du Freak, designing costumes which she felt they might wear. She put the costumes and designs on show at the end of the year, and as well as impressing those who came to see the show, she impressed her examiners too -- she got a First!!! You can check out Linzi's freakishly fabulous efforts by clicking on the following link:http://www.darrenshan.com/shanography/linzi.html
JAPAN PHOTOS
There are 3 pages of photos from my events in Japan (see last month's Monthly) on the Shogakukan web site, at: http://www.shogakukan.co.jp/darren/news/news23_01.html I hope to add lots more photos to Shanville within the next couple of months, if I can just find the time ...
DEJÁ VU
I've added new cover images from various editions of my books from the following countries: Brazil (book 4), Indonesia (books 3 & 4), Norway(books 2 & 3) and Taiwan (book 5). I'm especially keen on the book 5 Taiwanese cover -- very different to all the others, and very impressive! I've also included the rear Taiwanese cover, since that's such a strong image too!! To access all the images, and to view the covers of ALL of my books, go to the main gallery page at the following link: http://www.darrenshan.com/gallery/gallery1.html
IT'S A WRAP
And that's it for this month! I'm off now to practise some more for Edinburgh -- though my advice, if you're coming to the Sunday solo event, is to bring good ear plugs!!!!! I hope you all enjoy your summer hols. See you back here next month for the September updates. 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