 |
GREETINGS!
Welcome to the
June edition of
the Shanville
Monthly!
No time for any
preamble,
because we've
got a BIG one
for you this
month. There's
LOADS of news to
report, starting
with the release
in the UK and
Ireland of
Blood Beast
(hurrah!!).
There are a
couple of great
competitions
being launched
in the UK by
major chain
stores to
promote sales of
Blood Beast,
as well as a
special BB
trailer -- you
can find out
about them
further down,
along with all
the other hot,
Shan-related
news. Plus
there are
details of web
updates I've
made over the
last few weeks,
including an
exciting new
crop of fan
art!!!! And all
my latest tour
news!!!! So much
to tell you
about, and so
little time!!!
Anyway, let's
not
procrastinate,
but instead dive
straight into
the news,
beginning with
...
BLOOD BEAST
UNLEASHED!!!
In the UK,
Blood Beast
-- book 5 of
The Demonata
-- goes on sale
on June 4th.
But my books
often turn up
earlier than
their release
date. It has
already appeared
in certain shops
in Ireland, so
it might be on
the shelf of a
bookstore near
you right
NOW!! Blood
Beast and its
sequel (books 5
and 6 are a
two-part
storyline) are
two of my
favourite books
out of the
entire series,
and early
responses from
fans on my
message board
seem to suggest
that the rest of
you might end up
sharing that
view!!! If you
prefer to buy
online, you can
now get Blood
Beast
through
Amazon.co.uk at
an excellent
discount. Just
click on the
following link
and you'll soon
be running wild
with Grubbs,
Dervish, Bill-E
and co. --
AMAZON UK -
BLOOD BEAST
BEC
PAPERBACK ON
SALE
As well as the
the hardback of
Blood Beast,
the paperback
edition of
Bec is now
also on sale in
the UK and
Ireland. It
features a cool,
creepy
glow-in-the-dark
cover --
possibly the
spookiest yet in
the series!!!
You should be
able to find the
paperback
version of
Bec in any
halfway decent
bookstore. You
can also order
it online
through Amazon
UK by clicking
here:
AMAZON UK - BEC
BLOOD BEAST
COMPETITION # 1!
WATERSTONES
CHALLENGE
There are two
great Blood
Beast-based
competitions
running in the
UK this
month (and
before anyone
asks, sorry but
they're ONLY
open to
residents in the
UK). First up,
in alphabetical
order,
Waterstones
are running a
challenge with
the groovy
tagline: HAVE
YOU GOT
THE GUTS FOR
DARREN SHAN?
In this
competition,
fans are being
asked to
undertake a
series of
Darren
Shan-themed
challenges,
in order to
prove that
they have the
guts to be a
true Darren Shan
fan!!!!
By clicking on
the link at the
top or bottom of
this section,
you will be
taken through to
a specially
created site (it
doesn't go
active until
June 1st) where
you can create
your own profile
page and take
various
challenges to
prove your
'worth'. There
will be 10
challenges in
all, and they
involve holding
a spider, acting
out your
favourite scene
from Blood
Beast, and
more!!! The 10
challenges won't
all be revealed
at once --
you'll have to
keep going back
to the site over
the course of
the competition
to find out what
the new
challenges
are. When you
complete a
challenge, you
will have to
provide proof by
uploading a
photo of
yourself
completing the
challenge on
your profile
page. You can
also e-mail a
link to your
friends so they
can see too! (So
you can have
mini-competitions
with your
friends to see
who completes
the most
challenges the
quickest!!!)
Every fan who
completes five
of the
challenges will
get a
certificate
"signed" by
Darren Shan!
(i.e. the
signature will
be a photocopy)
And one lucky
competitor will
also win an
Xbox 360!!!!
It's a
fantastic,
highly original
challenge, which
should also be
lots of fun for
those who take
part. You can
find out more
about the
competition,
inlcuding full
rules and how to
submit your
entry, either by
visiting your
local
Waterstones shop
or clicking on
the following
link (details
will be made
available from
June 1st):
WATERSTONES
CHALLENGE
BLOOD BEAST
COMPETITION # 2!
WHSMITH
is also
running a
Blood Beast
competition
this month
-- you
lucky, lucky
people!!! In
this
competition,
you and a
friend have
a chance to
get a
limited
edition
poster with
a facsimile
of my
signature,
and you also
have the
opportunity
to win a
meeting with
Darren
Shan!!!
To enter,
you'll need
to pay a
visit to
your local
branch of
WHSmith and
pick up a
FREE
Blood
Beast
booklet
(it features
a chapter
out of
Lord Loss,
to whet the
appetites of
those who
haven't yet
sampled the
delirious
delights of
The
Demonata!!).
The booklet
will provide
you with a
web link
where you'll
be able to
submit your
details and
enter the
competition.
BLOOD BEAST
TRAILER
My
publishers
in the UK,
HarperCollins,
have created
a
movie-style
trailer for
Blood
Beast,
which
they're
using to
generate
interest in
the book.
It's pretty
cool,
featuring
some text
from the
book, video
images and
nice, creepy
music!! The
video will
be posted to
a number of
sites,
including
Google Video
and
YouTube.
If you want
to check it
out, click
on the
following
YouTube
link. (The
video
quality
isn't great
on YouTube,
but it's
OK.) This is
the first
time we've
done
something
like this,
so it would
be fab if
you could
leave a
comment to
let us know
what you
think. Also,
if you could
forward the
link on to
your
friends, it
would be
much
appreciated
-- spread
the love,
people,
spread the
bloody
love!!!!!
GOVERNMENT
APPROVED!!
In the UK,
to help
encourage
boys to
read, a list
of the
Top 160
books for
boys has
been
released --
and Blood
Beast is
one of the
chosen
books! The
Education
Secretary,
Alan
Johnson, has
promised to
give every
secondary
school in
England the
chance to
chose 20
books from
the list
free. You
can read the
full article
by clicking
on the
following
link:
TIMES ARTICLE
And you can
check out
the full
list (it's
arranged in
categories,
such as
Horror,
Classics,
etc,
although
confusingly
the list
doesn't show
the category
headings!!!)
by clicking
here:
FULL LIST
THE DEMONATA
ARE COMING
TO ITALY!!
I'm
delighted to
be able to
announce
that my
Italian
publishers,
Mondadori,
have bought
the rights
to my
Demonata
series, so
the books
should be
going on
sale in
Italy in the
near future!
My vampire
books came
out at a
fast and
furious rate
in Italy
over the
last couple
of years, so
if my
publishers
keep to the
schedule
they've set,
they'll
probably
catch up
with my
British
publishers
soon --
great news
for all my
Italian
fans!!!!
SHROUDED
BY DARKNESS
For anyone
who's
interested,
the
signed,
numbered,
limited
edition
hardback
of
Shrouded By
Darkness
is now on
sale. The
anthology
features a
host of
short
stories by
many of
today's
leading
horror
writers,
including a
reworked
version of
my short
story,
"Life's a
beach". The
special
edition has
been signed
by everyone
who
contributed,
so it
includes the
signatures
of Neil
Gaiman,
Clive
Barker,
Ramsey
Campbell,
Michael
Marshall
Smith,
Graham
Masterton,
Richard
Christian
Matheson
and a whole
lot more. It
costs £50.
If you want
to treat
yourself,
you can buy
a copy (or,
if you don't
have money
to burn, a
copy of the
regular
paperback
edition
for
£12.99!!!)
by clicking
on the
following
link:
You will
find the
book listed
in the
Original &
Classic
Fiction
part of the
web site.
All the
royalties
are being
donated to
DebRA, a
national
charity
working on
behalf of
people with
the genetic
skin
blistering
condition,
Epidermolysis
Bullosa
(EB). So as
well as
being a
brilliant
read and a
highly
sought-after
collector's
item, the
book will
raise money
for a great
cause too.
MAY
COMPETITION
WINNERS
I ran a cool
competition
in May to
celebrate
the 10 year
anniversary
since I
started
writing the
first draft
of Cirque
Du Freak.
I made the
draw in the
middle of
the monent,
and the list
of winners,
in the order
they were
drawn, is:
MYLENE
COTE,
CANADA.
ALANA &
JESSIE
COLTART, UK.
VERENA
SCHULTE,
GERMANY.
DANIELLE
PRIECE, USA.
SATUTI
AGGARWAL,
USA.
CHRISTABEL
GUTHRIE, UK.
JANINE
HESSE,
GERMANY.
REGINA
GRAVES, USA.
BRANDY
DZIENGEL,
USA.
SARAH
BROMLEY, UK.
There were
683 correct
answers in
total -- the
highest
entry ever
for one of
my
competitions!!!!
Congratulations
to the lucky
winners.
Regrets to
those who
entered and
didn't win
-- better
luck next
time!!!!
NEW
FAN ART!!!
I've added
lots of new
fan art
based on the
characters
and monsters
of The
Demonata
and The
Saga Of
Darren Shan
to my web
site. I
don't add
art as often
as I'd like
(I have to
scan in,
edit, and
upload all
of the art
myself, so
it's very
time-consuming!!),
but I'm
always very
pleased when
I managed to
update the
pages, since
so much of
the artwork
is amazing!!
You can
check out
the chilling
new images
by clicking
on the
following
links:
NEW
DEMONATA
REVIEWS
I've added
LOADS of new
reviews of
Slawter
and Bec
to my web
site. You
can find
them, as
well as
reviews of
the first 2
books of
The Demonata,
by clicking
here:
DEMONATA
REVIEWS
NEW
COVERS
I've added
the
paperback
covers for
the
American
editions of
Books 10, 11
and 12 of
Cirque Du
Freak to
my site, and
they're
pretty nifty
little
numbers!!!
I've also
four cool
new
Italian
covers
(books 8 to
11) , plus
new covers
from
Czechoslovakia,
Denmark,
Japan
(the third
manga
cover),
Lithuania,
and
Sweden.
You can find
them all by
clicking
here:
VAMPIRE
COVERS
I've also
added new
Demonata
covers to my
site, from
Hungary
and
The
Netherlands.
You can find
them here:
DEMON COVERS
UPDATED
SHOPS
I've updated
the shops in
the
Demons
and
Vampires
sections of
my site, so
you can now
easily buy
any
available
editions of
my books.
Click on any
of the links
below.
UK
Demonata
shop --
DEMONS
SHOP UK
USA
Demonata
shop --
DEMONS
SHOP USA
TOUR UPDATES!!!
Below you'll
find the latest,
revised schedule
for my
Ireland/UK
"Blood Beast"
tour. I've added
a couple of new
events (in
Dublin on
Friday 8th, and
Southend
on Wednesday
13th) and
updated details
of several
others. It's
worth
double-checking
the revised
schedule before
you come to any
of my events,
just to be
certain (a) that
I AM
coming, and (b)
that you get the
right venue,
date and time!!!
Every tour, at
least one fan
comes to the
wrong place on
the right day,
or the right
place on the
wrong day --
take care that
YOU
aren't that fan
on this
tour!!!!!!
JUNE
IRELAND/U.K. TOUR
|
Tuesday,
5th |
11.00a.m. |
Schools/public
event
at
the
Belltable
Theatre,
Limerick.
SOLD
OUT! |
|
Tuesday,
5th |
1.00p.m. |
Schools/public
event
at
the
Belltable
Theatre,
Limerick.
Tickets:
10
euro
for
adults,
6
euro
for
children,
4
euro
for
school
groups.
Phone
this
number
for
tickets:
061
315871. |
|
Tuesday
5th |
4.30pm |
PUBLIC
signing
at
Easons,
O'Connell
Street, Limerick. |
| |
|
|
|
Wednesday
6th |
10.00a.m. |
School
events
(2
sessions) at
Linenhall
Arts
Centre,
Castlebar. |
|
Wednesday
6th |
4.30p.m. |
PUBLIC
signing
at
Easons,
33
shop
st,
Galway. |
| |
|
|
|
Thursday
7th |
AM |
School
events
(2
sessions) in
Drogheda. |
|
Thursday
7th |
4.00p.m. |
PUBLIC
signing
at
Waterstones,
Unit
12,
Scotch
Hall, Drogheda. |
|
Thursday
7th |
8.30p.m. |
Dinner
with
media
with
booksellers
--
YUM!!!! |
| |
|
|
|
Friday
8th |
10.30a.m. |
Schools
event
at
Mill
Theatre,
Dundrum. |
|
Friday
8th |
4.00p.m. |
PUBLIC
signing
at
Easons, Liffey Valley
Shopping
Centre,
Unit
45/46,
Clondalkin,
Dublin
22. |
| |
|
|
|
Saturday
9th |
1.00p.m. |
Stock
signing
at
Waterstone’s,
8 St
Peter’s
Street,
St
Albans,
AL1
3LF.
phone:
01727
834
966.
This
isn't
an
official
public
event,
but
if
you
contact
the
store,
they
will
be
able
to
get
books
signed
for
you.
It
might
even
be
possible
to
come
along
and
meet
me,
but
you
should
speak
to
someone
at
the
store
first
to
check. |
|
Saturday
9th |
3.00p.m. |
PUBLIC
event
at
The
Maltings
Arts Theatre,
St
Albans.
Tickets
£4.50.
Phone:
01727
844222.
Web
site:
http://www.stalbans.gov.uk/mat/ |
| |
|
|
|
Sunday
10th |
1.00p.m. |
PUBLIC
signing
at
Waterstones,
Unit
72, Midsummer
Place,
Milton
Keynes. |
| |
|
|
|
Monday
11th |
10.00a.m. |
School
event
at
Bignold Middle School,
Norwich. |
|
Monday
11th |
3.00p.m. |
PUBLIC
signing
at
Waterstones,
11-17
Castle
Street,
NR2
1PB,
Norwich. |
|
Monday
11th |
7.00p.m. |
School/PUBLIC
event
at
Broadland
High
School,
Tunstead
Rd,
Hoveton,
Norwich,
NR12
8QN.
This
event
is
being
coordinated
by
Norfolk
Children's
Book
Centre.
For
more
info,
please
visit
their
web
site
for
contact
details:
http://www.ncbc.co.uk/NCBC/Home.html
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tuesday
12th
|
11.00a.m. |
School
event
at
Perse
Prep
School,
Cambridge. |
|
Tuesday
12th |
4.00p.m. |
PUBLIC
signing
at
Waterstones,
15-19
Buttermarket, Ipswich
IP1
1BQ. |
|
Tuesday
12th |
6.30p.m. |
PUBLIC
event
at
Copleston
High
School
(in
the
library),
Copleston
Road,
Ipswich,
IP4
5HD.
This
is
being
organised
by
the
Federation
of
Children's
Book
Groups.
See
their
web
site
for
contact
details
if
you
wish
to
find
out
more:
http://www.btinternet.com/~martin.kromer/ |
| |
|
|
|
Wednesday
13th |
11.30a.m. |
School
event
at Sweyne Park School, Rayleigh,
Essex. |
|
Wednesday
13th |
4.00p.m. |
PUBLIC
signing
at
Waterstones,
The
Royals
Shopping
Centre,
High
Street,
Southend-on-Sea,
SS1
1DQ.
Phone:
01702
461
655. |
| |
|
|
|
Thursday
14th |
9.30a.m. |
School
event
in
Crown
Woods
School,
Greenwich, London. |
|
Thursday
14th |
AM |
School
event
in
London. |
|
Thursday
14th |
4.00p.m. |
Stock
signing
at a
number
of
central
London
bookshops.
Keep
an
eye
on
my
blog
--
once
I've
signed,
I'll
post
the
details
there!!
|
| |
|
|
|
Friday
15th |
1.45p.m. |
School
event
at
Highgate
School,
London
N6. |
|
Friday
15th |
4.00p.m. |
PUBLIC
signing
at
Children’s
Bookshop,
Fortis
Green
Road,
Muswell
Hill,
London
N10
3RY.
Phone:
020
8444
5500. |
| |
|
|
|
Saturday
16th |
9.30am |
PUBLIC
event
at
Creative
Writing
on
the
Wirral.
|
|
Saturday
16th |
2.00pm |
PUBLIC
signing
at
Waterstones,
14-16 Bold
Street,
Liverpool
L1
4DS. |
| |
|
|
|
Sunday
17th |
12.00pm |
PUBLIC
signing
at
Borders,
34
Coliseum
Way,
Ellesmere
Port,
Merseyside
CH65
9HD. |
| |
|
|
|
Monday
18th |
10.00a.m. |
School
event
at
St
David’s
High
School,
Saltney. |
|
Monday
18th |
4.00p.m. |
PUBLIC
signing
at
Waterstones,
14
Eastgate
Row, Chester
CH1
1LF. |
| |
|
|
|
Tuesday
19th |
10.00a.m. |
School
events
(2
sessions) arranged
through
Waterstones
Aberystwyth. |
|
Tuesday
19th |
4.00p.m. |
PUBLIC
signing
at Waterstones, 27 Great Darkgate Street,
Aberystwyth,
Wales
SY23
1DE. |
| |
|
|
|
Wednesday
20th |
AM |
Schools
event
in
Cardiff. |
|
Wednesday
20th |
4.00p.m. |
PUBLIC
signing
at
Waterstones,
2a
The
Hayes, Cardiff
CF10
1WB. |
| |
|
|
|
Thursday
21st |
10.00am |
Schools
event
at
the
Lyceum
in
Sheffield. (It holds 1000 people!!) |
|
Thursday
21st |
4.00pm |
PUBLIC
signing
at Waterstones,
27
Frenchgate
Centre
Interchange,
Doncaster
DN1
1LJ. |
| |
|
|
|
Friday
22 |
10am |
School
event
at
Hull
Collegiate,
Tranby
croft,
Anlaby.
|
JULY
JAPAN
TOUR
I will
be visiting
Japan on
tour
from
July 5th
to 12th. I
will be be doing
public events
in Tokyo and
Kyoto, and I
might also be
doing one or two
school events in
the Kyoto
region. There will be
more info about
this tour
later -- so
keep checking
back!!
If you are
living in Japan and
would like to
find out more
details from my
publishers, Shogakukan,
please see
thier web site
by clicking on
this link:
http://www.shogakukan.co.jp/darren/
JULY
TAIWAN
TOUR
This is the
tentative plan
for my Taiwan
tour in july.
Please see the
Crown website
for full,
updated details
closer to the
time. Click here
for more info:
CROWN
|
Saturday
14th |
13.30
-
16.30 |
Signing
session
at
Kingstone
Bookstore,
Taipei. |
|
Saturday
14th |
18.30
-
20.30 |
Reading
and
signing
session
at
Hess
Bookstore,
Taipei. |
| |
|
|
|
Sunday
15th |
13.00
-
15.00 |
Signing
session
at
Kingstone
Bookstore,
Kaoshiung. |
|
Sunday
15th |
19.00
-
21.30 |
Signing
session
at
Fnac
Bookstore,
Taichung. |
JULY
HONG KONG
TOUR
This is the
tentative plan
for my Hong Kong
tour in July.
Please see the
Crown website
for full,
updated details
closer to the
time. Click here
for more info:
CROWN
|
Wednesday
18th |
14.30
-
16.00 |
School
visit. |
| |
|
|
|
Thursday
19th |
| | | |
