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DRAMATIC,
eccentric and
mystical are
just some of the
words used to
describe the
writings of
Limerick author
Darren Shan, who
appeared in
Waterstones book
store in Scotch
Hall last
Thursday.
However,
these words
could just as
easily be used
to characterise
the persona of
Shan himself.
Darren was in
Drogheda to
promote the
fifth book of
his Demonata
children’s
series, entitled
Blood Beast.
He laughed
and cajoled with
fans as he
signed copies of
the new book and
pulled ghoulish
faces as he
posed for
photographs,
perhaps trying
to recreate some
of the
characters from
his wonderfully
creative novels.
Darren Shan
is the pen name
of 35-year-old
Darren
O’Shaughnessy.
He began writing
at an early age
and penned his
first novel as
the tender age
of 17.
He has
written adult
novels in the
past, but has
become famous
for his
children’s
books.
‘I enjoy the
children’s books
more,’ he said
as he signed a
copy of Blood
Beast for
12-year-old
Keith Farrell
from Brookville.
‘It’s a
different
challenge to
writing adult
books, but I
enjoy it very
much’.
Darren has
sold over 10
million copies
of his books in
35 different
countries and is
in the enviable
position of
being able to
make a living
doing what he
loves.
‘It’s what
I’ve always
wanted to do,’
he said. ‘It’s
wonderful doing
it for a living,
but I would be
doing it anyway
even if I wasn’t
being paid for
it.’
Darren has
built up a huge
supporter base
across the world
and hundreds of
his Drogheda
fans turned up
at Waterstones
to see the
author for
themselves.
12-year-old
Mark Carrigy
certainly didn’t
mind queuing to
see his hero.
‘I’m a big
fan and I’ve
read all his
books,’ he said
excitedly as he
inched closer to
Shan. ‘They’re a
sort of a
mystery and you
never know
what’s going to
happen next,’ he
explained.
Doireann
Gordon from
Monasterboice
couldn’t wait to
meet Shan. ‘His
books are so
exciting and
make you want to
read on and I’ve
read them all,’
the 10-year-old
said.
Among the
other fans at
Waterstones on
Thursday were
sisters Alison
and Lyndsay
Ritchie, as well
as Philip Smith
and his dad
Dermot.
Shan was due
to leave
Waterstones at
5pm, but due to
the size of the
crowd he decided
to stay on. An
hour later he
was still
signing books
and joking with
as much vigour
as ever.
He had
earlier appeared
at a number of
Drogheda primary
schools and was
due back in
Dublin on
Thursday evening
before flying to
London the next
day. From there
he will travel
to Asia on the
next leg of his
world tour.
‘It’s fairly
whirlwind,’ he
remarked. ‘But
this is the fun
part of it for
me. This is what
I love doing.’
http://www.drogheda-independent.ie/news/monster-tales-from-author-darren-705647.html |
