Derek Landy's Blog, page 9
February 24, 2014
Ah, Darquesse...
Those lucky Minions who made it to the Imagine festival last week got the LSODM paperback early, but I couldn't let them be the ONLY ones who get to marvel at Tom Percival's back cover, so here you go...
Isn't she lovely? Isn't she wonderful? Isn't she precious?
The paperback will be released for everyone else on the 27th of March, and because we are very, very smart people, we will be releasing the paperback of The Maleficent Seven, which takes place BEFORE LSODM, on the 8th of May.
Just to confuse you.
Isn't she lovely? Isn't she wonderful? Isn't she precious?
The paperback will be released for everyone else on the 27th of March, and because we are very, very smart people, we will be releasing the paperback of The Maleficent Seven, which takes place BEFORE LSODM, on the 8th of May.
Just to confuse you.
February 11, 2014
Imagine
Apparently I'll be appearing at the Imagine Festival in London this Monday, the 17th. I had a blast last year, where I showed clips from movies, but I'm not entirely sure what I'll do this time. I might read from one of the new short stories. I'd read from the ninth book, but there is nothing from the early sections finished, and anything read from later on would be a spoiler, so...
Oh, and speaking of Book 9, I have just reached the 75,000 word mark. Judging by this, the finished book will be at least 100,000 words, which is Mortal Coil length, and could be longer. LSODM will stay the longest, I reckon, simply because of the massive amount of characters involved. But because most of those characters are now DEAD, Book 9 allows me a smaller, more intimate story — while remaining as heart-rendingly traumatic as anything I've written before.
And speaking of heart-rendingly traumatic, I've actually written the last few chapters. Not to completion, of course, but I've written enough to know what happens, and how it ends, and who lives and who dies, and all I can say is...
I am MEAN.
Oh, and speaking of Book 9, I have just reached the 75,000 word mark. Judging by this, the finished book will be at least 100,000 words, which is Mortal Coil length, and could be longer. LSODM will stay the longest, I reckon, simply because of the massive amount of characters involved. But because most of those characters are now DEAD, Book 9 allows me a smaller, more intimate story — while remaining as heart-rendingly traumatic as anything I've written before.
And speaking of heart-rendingly traumatic, I've actually written the last few chapters. Not to completion, of course, but I've written enough to know what happens, and how it ends, and who lives and who dies, and all I can say is...
I am MEAN.
February 2, 2014
This Is A Blog Entry
all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
gibber.
Work is progressing. December and most of January was taken up with short stories. I still have to edit them. I'll have to do that soon, over the next few days... But I'm also back on the book. Writing away. Skipping chunks and writing important bits. I'm on the final confrontation now, making sure everything fits together. Even though there is a lot more writing to do, loads of gaps to fill in and storylines to link up, I am TECHNICALLY writing the end of the book at the moment. Will I finally get to find out how it ends? Or will I leave that blank also, to be finished off when everything else is complete?
I don't know. I really don't.
I have, maybe, another month of writing ahead of me before the first draft is done. Every morning I wake up, lie in bed for an hour (yes, it is good to be a writer) and think about the sequence I need to write that day. Then I'm up and writing. There is very little time to think about other things, such as writing blogs or tweeting, and I know you understand that, but I do want to thank you all for your patience. I don't like being silent for this long — but soon, I won't have to be.
Soon.
gibber.
Work is progressing. December and most of January was taken up with short stories. I still have to edit them. I'll have to do that soon, over the next few days... But I'm also back on the book. Writing away. Skipping chunks and writing important bits. I'm on the final confrontation now, making sure everything fits together. Even though there is a lot more writing to do, loads of gaps to fill in and storylines to link up, I am TECHNICALLY writing the end of the book at the moment. Will I finally get to find out how it ends? Or will I leave that blank also, to be finished off when everything else is complete?
I don't know. I really don't.
I have, maybe, another month of writing ahead of me before the first draft is done. Every morning I wake up, lie in bed for an hour (yes, it is good to be a writer) and think about the sequence I need to write that day. Then I'm up and writing. There is very little time to think about other things, such as writing blogs or tweeting, and I know you understand that, but I do want to thank you all for your patience. I don't like being silent for this long — but soon, I won't have to be.
Soon.
January 12, 2014
Working Hard...
Well then.
As you know, I've been writing. Writing, writing, writing. You don't get to do an awful lot of other things when you're writing. Well, sometimes you do, but not when you have deadlines like these. The short stories I'm writing, all of them, need to be delivered by Wednesday. The first draft of Book Nine needs to be delivered by the middle of next month.
To say I am a tad busy would be something of an understatement.
Of course, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, and why would Jack want to be a dull boy? I've been doing things. Reading things. Watching things.
Take this evening, for instance. This evening I watched the last Sherlock of the current season. The first episode of the season was oddly character-driven, at the expense of the central mystery, but I didn't mind that in the least. The second episode, the wedding episode, was hilariously sublime. And the final episode, having Sherlock face off against a truly unique villain... well. It was just wonderful stuff.
And I've been reading. Stephen King, mostly. Going over his early works. His classics. When I was a kid, I went straight from The Three Investigators and the Hardy Boys to Stephen King and these wonderfully violent and detailed Gold Eagle books like The Executioner and Able Team and Phoenix Force, books that gave you diagrams of the weapons they used at the back of the book. Basically, I graduated from kids books to horror and action. And after a few Stephen King books like Cujo (the first King book I can remember reading) I went on to James Herbert and Shaun Hutson — overtly violent and brilliantly horrific.
And now, after all this time, I'm going back to Stephen King, and loving it all.
Recommendations? Read The Stand. Then read It. Two MASSIVE books. You won't be sorry.
So these things have been my break from the writing. Christmas, for me, was mostly about the short stories. But there was one story...
It started off fine. Exactly as I planned. It would be a new kind of story, something I hadn't really tried before. It would probably end up as one of the longer stories of the collection, though, but not by much.
I thought.
I have just finished it. Half an hour ago, I finished it. At the moment, before edits, it is over 20,000 words long. That's twice as long as The End of the World. So you'll be reading through Armageddon-Outta-Here (haw!), and hopefully enjoying the stories, and then you'll get to this brand new novella, a good, solid chunky story, and I think this story alone will make the collection worth the money.
I think. I hope. Right now I'm far too tired to form a coherent opinion. All I know is, I've been working hard. And it's not over yet.
As you know, I've been writing. Writing, writing, writing. You don't get to do an awful lot of other things when you're writing. Well, sometimes you do, but not when you have deadlines like these. The short stories I'm writing, all of them, need to be delivered by Wednesday. The first draft of Book Nine needs to be delivered by the middle of next month.
To say I am a tad busy would be something of an understatement.
Of course, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, and why would Jack want to be a dull boy? I've been doing things. Reading things. Watching things.
Take this evening, for instance. This evening I watched the last Sherlock of the current season. The first episode of the season was oddly character-driven, at the expense of the central mystery, but I didn't mind that in the least. The second episode, the wedding episode, was hilariously sublime. And the final episode, having Sherlock face off against a truly unique villain... well. It was just wonderful stuff.
And I've been reading. Stephen King, mostly. Going over his early works. His classics. When I was a kid, I went straight from The Three Investigators and the Hardy Boys to Stephen King and these wonderfully violent and detailed Gold Eagle books like The Executioner and Able Team and Phoenix Force, books that gave you diagrams of the weapons they used at the back of the book. Basically, I graduated from kids books to horror and action. And after a few Stephen King books like Cujo (the first King book I can remember reading) I went on to James Herbert and Shaun Hutson — overtly violent and brilliantly horrific.
And now, after all this time, I'm going back to Stephen King, and loving it all.
Recommendations? Read The Stand. Then read It. Two MASSIVE books. You won't be sorry.
So these things have been my break from the writing. Christmas, for me, was mostly about the short stories. But there was one story...
It started off fine. Exactly as I planned. It would be a new kind of story, something I hadn't really tried before. It would probably end up as one of the longer stories of the collection, though, but not by much.
I thought.
I have just finished it. Half an hour ago, I finished it. At the moment, before edits, it is over 20,000 words long. That's twice as long as The End of the World. So you'll be reading through Armageddon-Outta-Here (haw!), and hopefully enjoying the stories, and then you'll get to this brand new novella, a good, solid chunky story, and I think this story alone will make the collection worth the money.
I think. I hope. Right now I'm far too tired to form a coherent opinion. All I know is, I've been working hard. And it's not over yet.
December 31, 2013
My Year in Review
Ah, 2013... I knew you well.
It was a good year for me, all things considered. A busy one, of course- but when is it ever any different? The Maleficent Seven and Last Stand of Dead Men were both released, delivering to me the most shocking revelation of all — that there's only one Skulduggery Pleasant left. Yes, technically I KNEW it was coming, but it still kinda took me by surprise to find myself writing the final book in the series.
So what else did I get up to in 2013? Let's recap, shall we?
January - dipped my toes into Twitter. Discovered Twitter to be basically quicksand, and so was unable to pull toes out. Still being dragged under.
February - I did an event at the Imagine festival in London, showing clips from movies that inspired Skulduggery. So much FUN.
March - Went to Germany. As usual, had an insane amount of fun and was kept incredibly busy for the entire time. The Maleficent Seven was unleashed upon an unsuspecting world.
Also met Steven Moffat and compared notes on how to traumatise people. (Speaking of which - The Time of the Doctor, eh? I'll miss Matt Smith, and it was so good seeing my beloved Amy back for a few seconds...)
April - was spent writing.
May - Started yapping to Ronda Rousey's mum. Which is, I think, an event worthy of an entire month.
June - this month consisted of me editing, touring, playing video games and watching movies. Not a bad way to spend a few weeks.
July - Read Geek Girl. Met Holly Smale. Holly Smale fell in love with me. It happens.
August - Last Stand of Dead Men released. Could life get any better?
September - My doggy died. This year I have had to put down my three dogs. I now have no dogs left. Ali's death sucked most of all.
October - My Doctor Who short story was released. Yay!
November - Writing for Book Nine.
December - Writing for Book Nine.
And how shall I be spending my New Year's Eve, you wonder? Will I be partying? Will I be singing? Carousing?
Nope. I'll be writing. And I'll be writing happily.
In closing, I'd like to thank all of you for your support, thank you for reading, thank you for being nice to each other, and for supporting each other. It's because of you that I am able to do the thing I love every single day.
I hope 2014 is kind to us all.
But especially me.
It was a good year for me, all things considered. A busy one, of course- but when is it ever any different? The Maleficent Seven and Last Stand of Dead Men were both released, delivering to me the most shocking revelation of all — that there's only one Skulduggery Pleasant left. Yes, technically I KNEW it was coming, but it still kinda took me by surprise to find myself writing the final book in the series.
So what else did I get up to in 2013? Let's recap, shall we?
January - dipped my toes into Twitter. Discovered Twitter to be basically quicksand, and so was unable to pull toes out. Still being dragged under.
February - I did an event at the Imagine festival in London, showing clips from movies that inspired Skulduggery. So much FUN.
March - Went to Germany. As usual, had an insane amount of fun and was kept incredibly busy for the entire time. The Maleficent Seven was unleashed upon an unsuspecting world.
Also met Steven Moffat and compared notes on how to traumatise people. (Speaking of which - The Time of the Doctor, eh? I'll miss Matt Smith, and it was so good seeing my beloved Amy back for a few seconds...)
April - was spent writing.
May - Started yapping to Ronda Rousey's mum. Which is, I think, an event worthy of an entire month.
June - this month consisted of me editing, touring, playing video games and watching movies. Not a bad way to spend a few weeks.
July - Read Geek Girl. Met Holly Smale. Holly Smale fell in love with me. It happens.
August - Last Stand of Dead Men released. Could life get any better?
September - My doggy died. This year I have had to put down my three dogs. I now have no dogs left. Ali's death sucked most of all.
October - My Doctor Who short story was released. Yay!
November - Writing for Book Nine.
December - Writing for Book Nine.
And how shall I be spending my New Year's Eve, you wonder? Will I be partying? Will I be singing? Carousing?
Nope. I'll be writing. And I'll be writing happily.
In closing, I'd like to thank all of you for your support, thank you for reading, thank you for being nice to each other, and for supporting each other. It's because of you that I am able to do the thing I love every single day.
I hope 2014 is kind to us all.
But especially me.
December 25, 2013
Twelve Days of Fandom
MERRRRRRRRRY CHRISTMAS!
I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas day, whether you celebrate it or not. I hope this day is fun and filled with laughter and that you spend it surrounded by friends and family.
And to set you on your way, here is the Twelve Days of Fandom video (actually two videos, because apparently Youtube can't handle that much editing in one go). Thanks to everyone who took part — it has taken up two days of my life putting all this together, but it was so worth it. Some of you can really sing! And some of you really CAN'T. The videos I saw were funny, sweet, genuine, wacky, impressive, silly, and some of them were downright CUTE (Melissa and her doggy — I mean COME ON!)
The lyrics were written by myself and Laura Jordan (not Valkyrie-Laura, but an awesome Laura just the same!) and it features a special appearance by one Miss Holly Smale.
Have a great Christmas, everybody.
I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas day, whether you celebrate it or not. I hope this day is fun and filled with laughter and that you spend it surrounded by friends and family.
And to set you on your way, here is the Twelve Days of Fandom video (actually two videos, because apparently Youtube can't handle that much editing in one go). Thanks to everyone who took part — it has taken up two days of my life putting all this together, but it was so worth it. Some of you can really sing! And some of you really CAN'T. The videos I saw were funny, sweet, genuine, wacky, impressive, silly, and some of them were downright CUTE (Melissa and her doggy — I mean COME ON!)
The lyrics were written by myself and Laura Jordan (not Valkyrie-Laura, but an awesome Laura just the same!) and it features a special appearance by one Miss Holly Smale.
Have a great Christmas, everybody.
December 21, 2013
Video
And because I don't have ENOUGH to do at this time of year...
Alrighty then, here's a fun little thing I've been working on, and I need your help. I'm editing together a video (and I'm very new to editing, so I haven't a clue what I'm doing) of many people singing what is basically the 12 Days of Christmas, but with a difference.
If you want to be a part of this, all you have to do is send an email to skulteams@hotmail.com, giving me permission to use your video in making MY video. We, in turn, will get back to you with the lines I need you to sing. You then go off, sing these lines into your phone or camera or whatever — it can be you, it can be you and a friend, you and your family, or a group, or a pet, or a puppet, or your favourite kettle — and send these (SHORT!) videos back to the skulteams address so you can be edited in.
(Oh, and one minor details, for those of you under the age of 18... GET YOUR PARENTS' OR GUARDIANS' PERMISSION!)
If you could keep the lines you sing to yourself— i.e. don't tweet them! — that would be very helpful! The lines will be given out tomorrow, the final deadline is Monday night, with the full video to be released on Christmas day, right here on my blog.
Provided I learn how to edit by then.
Alrighty then, here's a fun little thing I've been working on, and I need your help. I'm editing together a video (and I'm very new to editing, so I haven't a clue what I'm doing) of many people singing what is basically the 12 Days of Christmas, but with a difference.
If you want to be a part of this, all you have to do is send an email to skulteams@hotmail.com, giving me permission to use your video in making MY video. We, in turn, will get back to you with the lines I need you to sing. You then go off, sing these lines into your phone or camera or whatever — it can be you, it can be you and a friend, you and your family, or a group, or a pet, or a puppet, or your favourite kettle — and send these (SHORT!) videos back to the skulteams address so you can be edited in.
(Oh, and one minor details, for those of you under the age of 18... GET YOUR PARENTS' OR GUARDIANS' PERMISSION!)
If you could keep the lines you sing to yourself— i.e. don't tweet them! — that would be very helpful! The lines will be given out tomorrow, the final deadline is Monday night, with the full video to be released on Christmas day, right here on my blog.
Provided I learn how to edit by then.
December 20, 2013
'Tis The Season...
... to be jolly, fa la la la laa, la la la laaaaaaa...
My Christmas tree is up. It actually went up a few weeks ago. It's not a REAL Christmas tree. I mean, it's real ENOUGH. It's not IMAGINARY. If you threw it at someone, it'd hit them. But it's made from assorted plastics and stuff. Also it's black. It looks awesome, but lacks that Christmas tree smell. But I don't mind that. My folks have a real Christmas tree up, and that's where Christmas happens anyway, so who cares if my house doesn't smell of pine needles? Not me. Not really.
Not... really...
Anyway, yes, the tree. It's up. The presents are bought. They're not wrapped, but they're bought. Most of them. Okay, I haven't a clue what to get my dad, but he's a dad. He'll be happy with socks. Fathers are simple creatures.
So... tree up. Presents bought. These are things I set aside time to do, because I needed to set aside time. I've been so busy lately that if I hadn't set aside this time, I just wouldn't get around to it. There are loads of things I just didn't have time for, like sending out Christmas cards. I love sending out cards. I try to combine it with answering all the letters from readers, so when I send off a reply, they get a Christmas card too. How lovely! But not this year. Answering all those letters, sending all those cards, would take two days at a minimum, and they are two days I can't afford to take off writing.
The writing is going well, by the way. I've been focussing on short stories these last three weeks, building up quite a collection of new stuff. Each of these stories will be told in a different "voice" than the one you're used to. You'll see what I mean when you read them.
One thing that I haven't decided on yet are the Christmas Skype calls I was planning on making. Essentially, I was going to take an hour one day and just fit as many three-minute Skype calls into that hour as I could. It seemed like a lovely idea at the time, but I'm not so sure anymore. Not everyone who wanted a call would be available on that hour, and so I'd have to field quite a few complaints. Then there'd be the people who'd want a one-on-one chat, when I'd only be comfortable chatting if there were two or more people in the room with you. Basically, my idea would end up causing a whole lot of hassle that I could really do without, so I just don't know.
Okay then, enough jibber-jabber. I have work to do.
Be cool, my Minions.
My Christmas tree is up. It actually went up a few weeks ago. It's not a REAL Christmas tree. I mean, it's real ENOUGH. It's not IMAGINARY. If you threw it at someone, it'd hit them. But it's made from assorted plastics and stuff. Also it's black. It looks awesome, but lacks that Christmas tree smell. But I don't mind that. My folks have a real Christmas tree up, and that's where Christmas happens anyway, so who cares if my house doesn't smell of pine needles? Not me. Not really.
Not... really...
Anyway, yes, the tree. It's up. The presents are bought. They're not wrapped, but they're bought. Most of them. Okay, I haven't a clue what to get my dad, but he's a dad. He'll be happy with socks. Fathers are simple creatures.
So... tree up. Presents bought. These are things I set aside time to do, because I needed to set aside time. I've been so busy lately that if I hadn't set aside this time, I just wouldn't get around to it. There are loads of things I just didn't have time for, like sending out Christmas cards. I love sending out cards. I try to combine it with answering all the letters from readers, so when I send off a reply, they get a Christmas card too. How lovely! But not this year. Answering all those letters, sending all those cards, would take two days at a minimum, and they are two days I can't afford to take off writing.
The writing is going well, by the way. I've been focussing on short stories these last three weeks, building up quite a collection of new stuff. Each of these stories will be told in a different "voice" than the one you're used to. You'll see what I mean when you read them.
One thing that I haven't decided on yet are the Christmas Skype calls I was planning on making. Essentially, I was going to take an hour one day and just fit as many three-minute Skype calls into that hour as I could. It seemed like a lovely idea at the time, but I'm not so sure anymore. Not everyone who wanted a call would be available on that hour, and so I'd have to field quite a few complaints. Then there'd be the people who'd want a one-on-one chat, when I'd only be comfortable chatting if there were two or more people in the room with you. Basically, my idea would end up causing a whole lot of hassle that I could really do without, so I just don't know.
Okay then, enough jibber-jabber. I have work to do.
Be cool, my Minions.
December 11, 2013
Oooh Shiny...
Look what arrived a few days ago...
Ohhh, all those lovely Doctor Who stories, all in one place! And look what ELSE arrived in the same box...
Toys! Wonderful, wonderful TOYS!
I was indeed a happy writer.
So what else have I been up to lately? Well, I've been writing, amazingly enough. I have taken two weeks off Book Nine to focus on coming up with new stories for Armageddon-Outta-Here (haw!) which'll be out next summer.
As a sample of what the new stories will feature, we're talking the Dead Men in the Wild West, the story of how Valkyrie met Caelan, a Billy-Ray Sanguine solo adventure, and Skulduggery Pleasant and Gordon Edgley at a horror-themed masquerade ball, set 25 years ago.
Time is tight, deadlines are onrushing, but I'm having FUN, so none of it seems quite like work. And hopefully it never will.
Ohhh, all those lovely Doctor Who stories, all in one place! And look what ELSE arrived in the same box...
Toys! Wonderful, wonderful TOYS!
I was indeed a happy writer.
So what else have I been up to lately? Well, I've been writing, amazingly enough. I have taken two weeks off Book Nine to focus on coming up with new stories for Armageddon-Outta-Here (haw!) which'll be out next summer.
As a sample of what the new stories will feature, we're talking the Dead Men in the Wild West, the story of how Valkyrie met Caelan, a Billy-Ray Sanguine solo adventure, and Skulduggery Pleasant and Gordon Edgley at a horror-themed masquerade ball, set 25 years ago.
Time is tight, deadlines are onrushing, but I'm having FUN, so none of it seems quite like work. And hopefully it never will.
November 22, 2013
Ta Da!!!!!!
Layyyydeeeeeez an gennelmennnnnnnn...
I give you the wonder of wonders...
the marvel of marvels...
the paperback cover of paperback covers...
The Maleficent Seven!!!
Tom Percival, you've done it again...
I give you the wonder of wonders...
the marvel of marvels...
the paperback cover of paperback covers...
The Maleficent Seven!!!
Tom Percival, you've done it again...
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