Derek Landy's Blog, page 6
August 27, 2014
TDOTL Spoiler Zone
You all know the drill.
This comments section is ONLY for people who have read the final book. Even so, when you comment, try to be subtle about it. I'm always astonished that people will happily go reading stuff that has SPOILERS written all over it, and they have no idea what they've wandered into...
This comments section is ONLY for people who have read the final book. Even so, when you comment, try to be subtle about it. I'm always astonished that people will happily go reading stuff that has SPOILERS written all over it, and they have no idea what they've wandered into...
The Dying of the Light
The final book.
The last Skulduggery.
I've been writing these books since 2005, so for me it's been nine years of living with these characters, in this world. I knew saying goodbye was not going to be easy...
But I haven't had to say goodbye yet. Not really. I wrote the book. I edited. I went through it again and again. I decided on covers, on approaches. I approved tour schedules and special events. I prepared. I tweeted. I blogged. I kept busy. I kept looking forward...
But now... now (most of) the preparation is done. I just have to turn up now, and talk, or sign, or talk and sign, and meet people and go places.
It's going to sink in NOW. I can feel it.
No more Skulduggery Pleasant.
I'm going to give my usual "No Spoilers" speech now. So, like, no spoilers, people. The comment section above is for spoilers, not this one.
But even outside of this blog, please be considerate of your fellow Minions. Don't go blasting spoilers on Facebook or Twitter or Tumblr. Be subtle about it, and if you can't be subtle, go LOUD with the spoiler warning.
And when I say spoiler I don't just mean" "Oh my god, I can't believe THIS CHARACTER did THAT to THAT OTHER CHARACTER!"
I also mean spoilers in a more general sense. For example, saying things like: "Derek, I can't believe you did that! I'll never forgive you! How could you?? That was my favourite character!!"
Or: "I'm so delighted! I loved it and the ending was just what I wanted!"
You have friends, Minions, who know your hopes and dreams. They know your favourite characters. They know what you're dreading. So don't confirm any of these things when you comment, even if you make sure not to get too specific. If you love the book, tell me. If you hate the book, tell me that too. But keep in mind that other people will be reading, and if you give away what kind of ending the book has, you've just cheated them out of finding out for themselves.
I love your enthusiasm. Your enthusiasm makes these books what they are. So while you're being considerate of your friends, be sure to revel in your enthusiasm, and your excitement, and your dread, and your horror, and your happiness and your despair.
I hope you like it.
The last Skulduggery.
I've been writing these books since 2005, so for me it's been nine years of living with these characters, in this world. I knew saying goodbye was not going to be easy...
But I haven't had to say goodbye yet. Not really. I wrote the book. I edited. I went through it again and again. I decided on covers, on approaches. I approved tour schedules and special events. I prepared. I tweeted. I blogged. I kept busy. I kept looking forward...
But now... now (most of) the preparation is done. I just have to turn up now, and talk, or sign, or talk and sign, and meet people and go places.
It's going to sink in NOW. I can feel it.
No more Skulduggery Pleasant.
I'm going to give my usual "No Spoilers" speech now. So, like, no spoilers, people. The comment section above is for spoilers, not this one.
But even outside of this blog, please be considerate of your fellow Minions. Don't go blasting spoilers on Facebook or Twitter or Tumblr. Be subtle about it, and if you can't be subtle, go LOUD with the spoiler warning.
And when I say spoiler I don't just mean" "Oh my god, I can't believe THIS CHARACTER did THAT to THAT OTHER CHARACTER!"
I also mean spoilers in a more general sense. For example, saying things like: "Derek, I can't believe you did that! I'll never forgive you! How could you?? That was my favourite character!!"
Or: "I'm so delighted! I loved it and the ending was just what I wanted!"
You have friends, Minions, who know your hopes and dreams. They know your favourite characters. They know what you're dreading. So don't confirm any of these things when you comment, even if you make sure not to get too specific. If you love the book, tell me. If you hate the book, tell me that too. But keep in mind that other people will be reading, and if you give away what kind of ending the book has, you've just cheated them out of finding out for themselves.
I love your enthusiasm. Your enthusiasm makes these books what they are. So while you're being considerate of your friends, be sure to revel in your enthusiasm, and your excitement, and your dread, and your horror, and your happiness and your despair.
I hope you like it.
August 22, 2014
TDOTL Trailer
This time next week, many of you will have the final book in your hands. Most of you will be reading it. Some of you will be finished it.
I am so utterly delighted with the book and how it turned out — I really think it's the best one of the series — and so I am thrilled with the trailer that artist extraordinaire Tom Percival has come up with.
The clocking is counting down...
I am so utterly delighted with the book and how it turned out — I really think it's the best one of the series — and so I am thrilled with the trailer that artist extraordinaire Tom Percival has come up with.
The clocking is counting down...
August 19, 2014
The Back Cover
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you: the Harbinger of Doom, the Apocalypse Kid, the Hostess with the Mostess (blood on her hands), the World-Breaker...
Darquesse.
Darquesse.
August 14, 2014
The Black Edition
Ladies and gentlemen, for those who haven't heard, head over to the Waterstones site for a very special special edition announcement...
http://www.waterstones.com/blog/2014/08/the-dying-of-the-light-black-edition/#more-59340
This is something I've had in mind for years — a super supreme limited edition of only 1000 copies— the Black Edition. Those lucky few who have managed to get your hands on a proof copy of the first book should recognise the design we're echoing, bringing the whole thing full circle...
We're working with Waterstones on this, and so the Black Edition will only be available in their shops. You won't be able to preorder these. You won't be able to reserve one online or in person. Not even Waterstones STAFF can preorder these for THEMSELVES! On the day of publication, they will be put on the SHELVES — not on a table, not in the store window, not on a table out in front, but on the SHELVES. So you'll have to go hunting for them.
We already have 5000 copies of a Special Edition that comes signed, with that stunning cover, but the Black Edition will NOT be signed, and there will be a ONE PER PERSON policy. Basically, we're torturing you. We're making you choose.
The fact is, because there will only be 1000 printed, and so each store will only get a limited amount of copies, the chances of YOU, individual Minion, managing to snag one is pretty low. Because there is no way to guarantee that you get one, you're just going to have to be EXTREMELY lucky. Oh, and you should also check Twitter that day, because the stores will be tweeting how many copies they've got left. Until they tweet, there is no way of telling how many copies a particular store will have received.
Ooooh I can't wait to get mine....
http://www.waterstones.com/blog/2014/08/the-dying-of-the-light-black-edition/#more-59340
This is something I've had in mind for years — a super supreme limited edition of only 1000 copies— the Black Edition. Those lucky few who have managed to get your hands on a proof copy of the first book should recognise the design we're echoing, bringing the whole thing full circle...
We're working with Waterstones on this, and so the Black Edition will only be available in their shops. You won't be able to preorder these. You won't be able to reserve one online or in person. Not even Waterstones STAFF can preorder these for THEMSELVES! On the day of publication, they will be put on the SHELVES — not on a table, not in the store window, not on a table out in front, but on the SHELVES. So you'll have to go hunting for them.
We already have 5000 copies of a Special Edition that comes signed, with that stunning cover, but the Black Edition will NOT be signed, and there will be a ONE PER PERSON policy. Basically, we're torturing you. We're making you choose.
The fact is, because there will only be 1000 printed, and so each store will only get a limited amount of copies, the chances of YOU, individual Minion, managing to snag one is pretty low. Because there is no way to guarantee that you get one, you're just going to have to be EXTREMELY lucky. Oh, and you should also check Twitter that day, because the stores will be tweeting how many copies they've got left. Until they tweet, there is no way of telling how many copies a particular store will have received.
Ooooh I can't wait to get mine....
August 6, 2014
August 1, 2014
A Note From Nadir
I'm watching.
I'm watching you scramble, all confused. "But this one is HARD!" "But where do we even START?"
You make me laugh. Call yourselves sorcerers when you can't even identify six of the most well-known magical alphabets in the world?
Time is a-ticking, and skulduggery@harpercollins.co.uk are awaiting your responses EVER so anxiously.
I've decided that if you can't figure out where I am in the next three days, I'm going to kill one of you. Because I know who you are.
And I'm watching.
Silas
I'm watching you scramble, all confused. "But this one is HARD!" "But where do we even START?"
You make me laugh. Call yourselves sorcerers when you can't even identify six of the most well-known magical alphabets in the world?
Time is a-ticking, and skulduggery@harpercollins.co.uk are awaiting your responses EVER so anxiously.
I've decided that if you can't figure out where I am in the next three days, I'm going to kill one of you. Because I know who you are.
And I'm watching.
Silas
July 30, 2014
This Just In...
Wow.
Um, hi.
So... Silas is busy right now. He's just, like, got stuff to do. He told me to give you guys the next few questions. So, like, here I am, to...
Sorry. I'm sorry. I guess I'm kinda nervous. All you folks paying attention to what I've got to say. Heh. I've never been famous before. I've only killed, like, four people. My ultimate aim is to kill 85 people, because then my bodycount will be in the 80s, which is, like, my favourite year for movies.
Silas wanted me to give you these clues all relating to serial killer movies, but I don't like them. I know, technically, I am one, and obviously I'm one of Silas's followers, but... but those movies scare me. So I've changed it, a little, and now all these clues are from 80's movies. Yay! So, uh, I'll begin before Silas comes back and figures out what I'm doing.
First of all, I want you to figure out how many letters in the thing that Goonies never say. Then I want you to multiply that by the year Marty McFly travels back to.
Got that? Good.
Now divide that by the number of letters in the place E.T. assured Elliott he will be.
"Elliottttt..." man, that movie made me cry.
Anyway, once you've done that, subtract the number of candles that Molly Ringwald had to deal with. With me so far? Keep that total.
Now get the difference between the year that we watched Darth Vader tell Luke the truth about his lineage, and the year the Lost Boys slept all day and partied all night. Divide that difference into your total, which brings you to a new total.
Clear? Good.
Now you're gonna have to multiply something. First number is the amount of Ghostbusters there were before they started hiring. The second number... heh. The new Star Trek film has an actor playing Khan with a ridiculously long name. But how many letters in the name of the actor who ORIGINALLY played him? When you have it, multiply those two numbers, and subtract from your total.
Now I want you to find out how many Krptonian criminals turned up to face Christopher Reeve's Superman, how many rules you have to obey if you want to own a Mogwai, and how many times you must say Beetlejuice's name if you want him to appear. Then multiply all those together, and subtract from your total once more.
Oh this is FUN.
How many letters in the missing word: "Bueller? Bueller? ____?"
Subtract it from your total.
How much time has passed for Indiana Jones between Temple of Doom and the Last Crusade? Add this number to what Daryl Hannah was in Splash, and subtract from your total.
And what you get, is the next number.
Um, hi.
So... Silas is busy right now. He's just, like, got stuff to do. He told me to give you guys the next few questions. So, like, here I am, to...
Sorry. I'm sorry. I guess I'm kinda nervous. All you folks paying attention to what I've got to say. Heh. I've never been famous before. I've only killed, like, four people. My ultimate aim is to kill 85 people, because then my bodycount will be in the 80s, which is, like, my favourite year for movies.
Silas wanted me to give you these clues all relating to serial killer movies, but I don't like them. I know, technically, I am one, and obviously I'm one of Silas's followers, but... but those movies scare me. So I've changed it, a little, and now all these clues are from 80's movies. Yay! So, uh, I'll begin before Silas comes back and figures out what I'm doing.
First of all, I want you to figure out how many letters in the thing that Goonies never say. Then I want you to multiply that by the year Marty McFly travels back to.
Got that? Good.
Now divide that by the number of letters in the place E.T. assured Elliott he will be.
"Elliottttt..." man, that movie made me cry.
Anyway, once you've done that, subtract the number of candles that Molly Ringwald had to deal with. With me so far? Keep that total.
Now get the difference between the year that we watched Darth Vader tell Luke the truth about his lineage, and the year the Lost Boys slept all day and partied all night. Divide that difference into your total, which brings you to a new total.
Clear? Good.
Now you're gonna have to multiply something. First number is the amount of Ghostbusters there were before they started hiring. The second number... heh. The new Star Trek film has an actor playing Khan with a ridiculously long name. But how many letters in the name of the actor who ORIGINALLY played him? When you have it, multiply those two numbers, and subtract from your total.
Now I want you to find out how many Krptonian criminals turned up to face Christopher Reeve's Superman, how many rules you have to obey if you want to own a Mogwai, and how many times you must say Beetlejuice's name if you want him to appear. Then multiply all those together, and subtract from your total once more.
Oh this is FUN.
How many letters in the missing word: "Bueller? Bueller? ____?"
Subtract it from your total.
How much time has passed for Indiana Jones between Temple of Doom and the Last Crusade? Add this number to what Daryl Hannah was in Splash, and subtract from your total.
And what you get, is the next number.
July 28, 2014
Taunts From a Serial Killer
Those of you participating in the Theatre of Shadows, you're going to have to keep a very close eye on this blog and https://www.facebook.com/OfficialSkulduggeryPleasant — it seems a certain serial killer has started hijacking pages, and is divulging some hints as to his whereabouts.
The following has been sent out to all Theatre of Shadows registrants...
My friends,
Many of you have spotted the facebook incursion on Sunday from escaped fugitive Silas Nadir. He’s taunting us. We need your help now more than ever.The first clue to Nadir's location arrived late last night and we set our three top code-breakers to solve the puzzle.This morning, they were each found dead in their homes. On the wall beside each body was scrawled "Silas 3, Sanctuary 0."And so we must call upon you.Time is of the essence. Before they were killed, our code-breakers worked out that the clues seem to point to an unusual sequence of numbers. They managed to fill in not one space before Nadir found them: ? ? . ? ?, leaving us four spaces to fill for now. Teamwork between Operatives is always encouraged, and we'll be monitoring the facebook/ blog and twitter constantly so that the best Operatives receive just rewards.Remember Nadir's promised us three clues: so to throw him and his accomplices off the scent, the next clue will be sent out to all those registered to Theatre of Shadows. If you haven't already – be sure to sign up for free as a matter of urgency. Operatives in the US, Norway and Sweden we know that registration is an impossibility for you right now: rest assured we will need you for the third clue. You are crucial too. Here’s the first clue: 1. Take the number of letters in my magical discipline (here's a hint, idiots — it's a two-worded ability), then multiply that by the age of the Jitter Girls. Add to this the number of rooms in the Midnight Hotel and then subtract the age of a sorcerer named Petrichor. With me so far? Keeping up? Now put in a decimal point (do you know what that is?), then the amount of damns I give about any one of you, and follow this with the maximum number of Dead Men there is at any one time. Now subtract the number of babies stolen by the goblin brothers. Whatever their names are. Ugly little critters, the lot of them. Not as ugly as the babies, though. And that's all he's given us to fill in ? ? . ? ?. The Sanctuary’s resources are stretched so terribly thin… please help us find Nadir before he can kill again.And be wary. He found our first code-breakers. He could find any of you, too.Yours in magic,Grand Mage Erskine Ravel
The following has been sent out to all Theatre of Shadows registrants...
My friends,
Many of you have spotted the facebook incursion on Sunday from escaped fugitive Silas Nadir. He’s taunting us. We need your help now more than ever.The first clue to Nadir's location arrived late last night and we set our three top code-breakers to solve the puzzle.This morning, they were each found dead in their homes. On the wall beside each body was scrawled "Silas 3, Sanctuary 0."And so we must call upon you.Time is of the essence. Before they were killed, our code-breakers worked out that the clues seem to point to an unusual sequence of numbers. They managed to fill in not one space before Nadir found them: ? ? . ? ?, leaving us four spaces to fill for now. Teamwork between Operatives is always encouraged, and we'll be monitoring the facebook/ blog and twitter constantly so that the best Operatives receive just rewards.Remember Nadir's promised us three clues: so to throw him and his accomplices off the scent, the next clue will be sent out to all those registered to Theatre of Shadows. If you haven't already – be sure to sign up for free as a matter of urgency. Operatives in the US, Norway and Sweden we know that registration is an impossibility for you right now: rest assured we will need you for the third clue. You are crucial too. Here’s the first clue: 1. Take the number of letters in my magical discipline (here's a hint, idiots — it's a two-worded ability), then multiply that by the age of the Jitter Girls. Add to this the number of rooms in the Midnight Hotel and then subtract the age of a sorcerer named Petrichor. With me so far? Keeping up? Now put in a decimal point (do you know what that is?), then the amount of damns I give about any one of you, and follow this with the maximum number of Dead Men there is at any one time. Now subtract the number of babies stolen by the goblin brothers. Whatever their names are. Ugly little critters, the lot of them. Not as ugly as the babies, though. And that's all he's given us to fill in ? ? . ? ?. The Sanctuary’s resources are stretched so terribly thin… please help us find Nadir before he can kill again.And be wary. He found our first code-breakers. He could find any of you, too.Yours in magic,Grand Mage Erskine Ravel
July 26, 2014
A Little More Detail
Right, some more detail as to the TDOTL Ireland/UK tour...
28th August: Requiem Ball in London. Tickets can only be won. Keep an eye out for details how.
29th August, 11AM: Waterstones, The Furlong Centre, Ringwood — signing.
3PM: Waterstones, West Mal Castlepoint, Bournemouth — signing.
30th August, 1PM: Waterstones, Bluewater — signing.
31st August: Dun Laoghaire, Dublin — fan event and signing.
5th September, 6:30PM: Village Books, Dulwich — fan event and signing.
6th September, 11AM: WHS, Midsummer Parade, Milton Keynes — signing.
3PM: WHS, 30-40 Fargate, Sheffield — signing.
7th September, 12 Noon: Waterstones, Emerson Chambers, Newcastle — signing.
11th September, 4PM: Easons, Galway — signing.
13th September, 11AM: Easons, Donegal Pl, Belfast — signing.
14th September, 2PM: Easons, O'Connell St, Limerick — signing.
19th September, 6P: Hodges Figgis, Dublin — signing.
27th September: Theatre of Shadows, Dublin — MASSIVE fan event and signing.
To those readers who want to come along to the Dublin event on the 31st of August — do you have any suggestions as to what it could be..? I'll do the usual question and answer thing if we can't think of anything special, but it'd be nice to have some sort of theme, like the event I did about movies that have influenced the books...
Any ideas, tweet them to me. I command you.
28th August: Requiem Ball in London. Tickets can only be won. Keep an eye out for details how.
29th August, 11AM: Waterstones, The Furlong Centre, Ringwood — signing.
3PM: Waterstones, West Mal Castlepoint, Bournemouth — signing.
30th August, 1PM: Waterstones, Bluewater — signing.
31st August: Dun Laoghaire, Dublin — fan event and signing.
5th September, 6:30PM: Village Books, Dulwich — fan event and signing.
6th September, 11AM: WHS, Midsummer Parade, Milton Keynes — signing.
3PM: WHS, 30-40 Fargate, Sheffield — signing.
7th September, 12 Noon: Waterstones, Emerson Chambers, Newcastle — signing.
11th September, 4PM: Easons, Galway — signing.
13th September, 11AM: Easons, Donegal Pl, Belfast — signing.
14th September, 2PM: Easons, O'Connell St, Limerick — signing.
19th September, 6P: Hodges Figgis, Dublin — signing.
27th September: Theatre of Shadows, Dublin — MASSIVE fan event and signing.
To those readers who want to come along to the Dublin event on the 31st of August — do you have any suggestions as to what it could be..? I'll do the usual question and answer thing if we can't think of anything special, but it'd be nice to have some sort of theme, like the event I did about movies that have influenced the books...
Any ideas, tweet them to me. I command you.
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