Patrick Ness's Blog, page 14

All Saint's Day

No, it isn't, but then it isn't my birthday either (not even close) and lovely folks on the comments pages are wishing me well anyway.  But not a lot is going on lately except that I'm writing, writing, writing (lots and lots! there's lots of stuff coming, I promise), so in the meantime, how about an All Saint's Day iPod ep for your listening pleasure:

St Jimmy, Green Day - Like a zip-gun on parade, he's insubordinate...

Only Love Can Break Your Heart, St Etienne - Holy cats, this is a great song.

Saint Augustine In Hell, Sting - in which the devil has a solo.

St Elsewhere, Gnarls Barkley - I used to be a dedicated fan of the actual show.

St Swithin's Day, Dubstar - A forgotten band that had a few really great songs.

In the meantime, greetings to all the new commenters (I do read all of them, and some of them this time are unbelievably beautiful) and more soon, I promise...

Hear A Monster Calls reading online

That 10-part reading of A Monster Calls that's going on this week and next on the 4 O'Clock Show on Radio 4 Extra is availble to hear online, too.  Just go here, and they're available for a week.  This week's shows include interviews with me every day.  Check it out.

Also, there's an additional version of A Monster Calls now out!  It sits side-by-side with the illustrated version, so you're welcome to choose whichever one you like.  I even saw one in Tesco!

Greetings to the new commenters from all over the world (including Tuscon, Arizona, hello there).  As always, more soon.

A Monster Calls on the 4 O'Clock Show

FINALLY back from travelling, so I've at last been able to update the Comments pages (and answer a few questions and pass along a few requests to the appropriate folks!).  In the meantime, the big news is that A Monster Calls is going to read over ten days (instead of the usual five) on 4 O'Clock Show on Radio 4 Extra starting on Monday, 10 September.  Just like Book at Bedtime.  Except at 4.

Also, I've been interviewed by the host, Mel Giedroyc, and that'll be aired every day before the reading.  Good stuff, and it'll all be available digitally, I think almost everywhere in the world.  Which is very cool.

So, now I'm back to work, working hard on a readable draft of the next YA novel (which'll come very soon after The Crane Wife), so lots to do, more to come.  But I'm back, at last...

A Monster Calls shortlisted for an Inky (so vote!)

Amazingly, I'm still travelling, so yet another quick one:  A Monster Calls has been shortlisted for the Silver Inky, the big children's book prize in Australia.  It's open for voting for Australians 12-20, and the lists are really good.  So vote!  Doesn't have to be for me, they're great lists. 

My censorship keynote: video and text

Another quick hit as I am (still) travelling, but yesterday, I delivered one of the five keynote addresses at the World Writers Conference at the Edinburgh Book Festival.  Mine was on censorship, and you can read the full text of it here on the Guardian.

And you can now also watch the whole thing here on Youtube.  The marvellous Chika Unigwe opens, and I speak from about 10 minutes in, then Chika and I discuss for a few minutes, then the debate takes off.  Watch as you will.

Greetings to the new commenters...

Live-streaming of Edinburgh event

Hi, there, I really am travelling still, so just a quick hit to say that my censorship polemic at the Edinburgh World Writers Conference on Monday looks like it's going to be live-streamed on their website.  So, no pressure then, eh?  It starts with me speaking for 15 minutes, then (hopefully) followed by an hour and a half of rousing debate.  That's the plan, but it's live, so who knows what could happen?

August on the road...

I'm travelling for quite a bit of August, so maybe not so many updates, but some of that is events you can see!

Don't forget first of all that I'm at the Edinburgh Festival for three events.  First up, I'm one of the five keynote speakers (along with Ali Smith, Irvine Welsh, Ahdaf Souef, and Aharon Appelfeld) speaking at the Edinburgh Writers' Conference. I'm on the Monday, the 20th of August. Come give me some support. Or argument.

Also on the 20th of August, I'm chairing China Mieville's big event. We're in conversation, so if you like him (or me), it's a good 'un.  And I'm doing my own event about A Monster Calls, though at the moment, this is sold out.  But keep checking back in case more tickets open up.

Then on 11 September, me, China Mieville and Lauren Beukes - as the past three winners of The Kitschies (the coolest award in the book world) - will be on a panel at the Free Word Centre in Farringdon, discussing genre and social change. Looks like it'll be great fun, so do come along.

Greetings to the new commenters, and now I'm leaving on a jet plane...

Vote for me on NPR

Real quick after yesterday's post, but both the Chaos Walking books and A Monster Calls have been listed in the final 100 vote for NPR's Best Teen Books of All Time.  So vote for them, if you like!  You can vote for up to 10 titles, so that leaves you eight to do with as you wish.  :-) 

New co-edition of A Monster Calls (and comments!)

Some of you have been asking me on Twitter about the new version of A Monster Calls out on 6 September in the UK.  What it is is a really nice, standard-sized version of the book without the illustrations.  There's been some worry about this, but fret not!  All is very well indeed.

The slightly larger illustrated version (with Jim's gorgeous work) will be absolutely available everywhere forever (or, well, you know).  This new version is simply an additional one that sits alongside that one.  We're doing it for the simple reason that we want the story and Siobhan's original idea to also reach those who may think an illustrated book isn't meant for them.

I'm really good with that and so is Jim.  We don't all read books the same way, and I'm really happy with however a book needs to reach people.  I have a feeling it might lead those readers right back to the illustrated version, which'd be a win all around.  All good and positive, though, I promise.

Greetings to all the new commenters from far and wide (including Latvia! Hello!).  A quick note that I have been getting a really high number of requests to do wonderful things through the comments pages, and that's really great of you folks.  BUT I'm afraid I get rather too many (at the moment) to be able to handle them, so if you could please approach my publishers instead, who handle my big calendar for the whole world, that'd be great!  You've all been so kind, it kills me not to be able to respond to everyone individually.  More soon, as ever.

London Event!

Despite living here, I don't actually seem too all that many events in London.  Sorry about that, but here's one!  On 11 September, me, China Mieville and Lauren Beukes - as the past three winners of The Kitschies (the coolest award in the book world) - will be on a panel at the Free Word Centre in Farringdon, discussing genre and social change.  Looks like it'll be great fun, so do come along.

And I'm back from holiday, so greetings to all the new commenters while I was away.  More soon.