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Bestselling
Limerick author
Darren Shan has
released his
latest horror
novel much to
the delight of
his legion of
young fans.
Slawter is
book three in Darren's
The Demonata
series. This
book is set a
few
months after the
events of the
first book,
Lord Loss,
and sees
Grubbs and his
friend
Bill-E
discovering that
the
monsters on a
movie set they
are visiting are
not
as fake as most
of the cast
and crew
believe.
Mr Shan, whose
real surname
is
O'Shaughnessy,
was born in 1972
in London
to Irish
parents.
When he was six
years
old the family
returned to
Ireland and
settled in
Limerick. He
lives in
Pallaskenry.
He said of his
name
change: "I
decided to
change it in
order to blur
the lines
between reality
and fantasy. My
first
series of books
is called
The Saga of
Darren Shan
which blurs the
lines further. It's
just a literary
device. Most
readers know
the truth but
like to pretend
it's real."
He has always
wanted to
be a writer and
since getting
his first
typewriter at
age 14 has never
looked
back.
"My parents are
delighted
that it has all
worked
out as there
really are no
guarantees in
this business.
They have always
been supportive
even in
the lean years,"
he said.
He started off
writing novels
for adults but
it was his
children's books
that brought him
real success.
"One of the
reasons I
decided to write
this genre
was because
there wasn't
any horror books
for children
when I was
younger.
It's good to
have horror
for children,
it's fun.
I've had the
occasional
complaint
from teachers
who say they are
banning
my books from
their classroom
but generally
I've had few
negative reactions
so far," he
said.
The Saga of
Darren
Shan
has sold over 10
million
copies
worldwide, has
been translated
into 20
languages and is
sold in 30
countries.
The
series is to be
made
into a movie
soon with a
script by
Oscar winner
Brian Helgelund
and distribution
by Universal
Pictures.
"At the moment,
Universal are
looking for a
director. I hope
it goes
ahead and gets
made but
I'm just letting
them get
on with it. As a
writer I've
no real control
over it.
"I've always
hoped that
I'd do well
enough to earn
a living from it
but I am
surprised by the
success I've
had, it's been a
dream," he said.
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