Patrick Ness's Blog, page 25

Open Book on Radio 4 and touring

Another quick hit to say that I'm appearing on Open Book with Mariella Frostrup today on Radio 4 at 4pm (and on iPlayer for a week after) to talk about A Monster Calls. Tune in if you can.

I'm also touring this week with FREE public events in Birmingham and Dublin. Check here for details, and also it looks like I'm going to be on TV this week on Ireland AM this Thursday morning, so watch and see if I've managed to get up early enough to iron my shirt.

There's also a fantastic A Monster Calls blog tour going on, with an interview and further extracts from the book along some terrific books blogs.  It started at Mountains of Instead, moved on to Serendipity and Wondrous Reads.  Today it's at Empire of Books and finishes tomorrow at The Crooked Shelf.  Check 'em out.

Scroll down for even more news (and reviews), greetings to the brilliant new commenters, and yet more soon.

Podcast and 1st A Monster Calls review

Very quick today to say that the first newspaper review of A Monster Calls is out in the Daily Mail, and it's a very good one, which is lovely.

And also that I've recorded a podcast for the Guardian, which you can listen to.  I read for about 5 minutes and then answer questions from readers (and am very rude about Martin Amis).  More soon...

Publication Day!

And it's here!  Publication day in the UK for A Monster Calls!  Hope you like it, can't wait to hear what you think.  Around the world, it'll be out in Australia and New Zealand on 1 July, and in America and Germany in September, so not long!

To celebrate publication, I'm doing quite a few things.  There's a blog tour that's started with an interview, extract and review on the Mountains of Instead site and will be continuing through some excellent others over the next couple days.  Do definitely check them out!

I'm recording some radio interviews, and I look to be on Open Book with Mariella Frostrup on Radio 4 on Sunday and both Jim Kay and I will be on Book Cafe on BBC Scotland on Monday, but I'll keep you posted on those.  I'm doing a couple of public events next week in Birmingham and Dublin, check here for free tickets.  And then the Hay Festival at the end of the month with David Almond.

And this is exciting, looks like I'm going to be live TV on Ireland AM next Thursday morning, so tune in!

Greetings to the new commenters, but mainly just to shout that it's publication day.  Phew!

 

Publication week, cool audiobook news, and others

It's publication week for A Monster Calls!  Yep, that's right, it's out in the UK on Thursday, so keep an eye out and let me know what you think.

In cool audiobook news, I'm heading into the studio in the morning to record the authors' note, but the rest of the book will be read by a proper actor, thank god.  Even cooler, it's Jason Isaacs, Lucius Malfoy from the Harry Potter films, who I think is just perfect for this.  And I get to meet him. Nifty.

Early reviews of A Monster Calls are starting to trickle in, and here's a really nice one from just this afternoon from Ultimate Teen Book Guide. 

Greetings to the new commenters, and sorry, but I can't find a link to the NewsTalk interview either.  Remember I've got FREE public appearances next week in Birmingham and Dublin, details here.  More (a lot) soon.

A Monster Calls extract and competition (and lots else!)

You can now read chapter 1 of A Monster Calls on the Guardian Children's Books website, as well as enter a competition to win signed copies!  Good stuff (though they've had a glitch or two, so let them know if there are any further readability issues. Them, please, not me, out of my control! But it should be okay.).

The Arthur C Clarke Awards were last night, and Monsters of Men was beaten by the excellent Zoo City by Lauren Beukes, a result I'm very cool with.  Great to meet a lot of writers there, too, including Tricia Sullivan, a personal favourite of mine.

A Monster Calls is published a week from today!  Gosh, and so much to do.  Be sure to check here for details of how to come see me for free in Birmingham on 10 May and in Dublin on 12 May.  Lots of really cool radio (and TV!) to come, so stay tuned.  Welcome to the new commenters, a busy month ahead...

Public events, a new fanpage and all sorts!

I've just updated the Events page with details of some new public events.  I've got one in Birmingham at 7pm on 10 May.  Tickets are free, you just need to reserve them by calling 01384 818 406 (on a school day!). 

I'm also doing one in Dublin at Eason Bookstore on 13 May at 6.30.  Again, book a FREE ticket on 01 8583800 in Ireland.  Again, check out the Events page for more details.  I've also got some really, really cool TV and radio appearances on the calendar, which I'll tell you about when I can.

There's also a brand new OFFICIAL Facebook fanpage, which includes all the posts on here, plus videos and other info and will - so I'm told - grow and grow.  Check it out, if you like!

Also, The Knife of Never Letting Go is out today in Slovenia!  It's called Na Begu, and I've LOVE to hear from any Slovenian readers out there.

Meanwhile, welcome to the new commenters, and we're under two weeks to go before the publication of A Monster Calls.  Exciting times...

Irish radio tonight! (and Dubai radio later)

I just recorded an interview on Irish radio for The Green Room with Orla Barry on Newstalk, airing tonight from 10pm.  Tune in, tell me what you think! 

And I'll also be live on Dubai radio this Saturday at 2.30pm on Talking of Books on Dubai Eye.  Love to hear from some Dubai readers, too.

Welcome to the new commenters (from all corners, currently even Israel).  More soon.

Marathon, French Monsters and more

Sad news in that I've had to, at almost the very last minute, pull out of the London Marathon on Sunday.  I'm extremely disappointed, especially as I was so very, very close and had raised so much money for charity.  I've already entered the Dublin Marathon on Halloween, so by God, I'm going to run one!

In other news, Monsters of Men is now out in French!  It's called La Guerre du Bruit, and I'd love to hear what you think.

Meanwhile, don't forget about Monsters being on the Carnegie Shadowing Scheme (where you can watch videos of me talking about it), and check out my Events page for upcoming stuff (that I'll be adding to soon).

Greetings to the new commenters, including a book group I was a day too late for.  Answers to Amie's queries are also welcome.  More soon.

Video and events!

The excellent folk at the Carnegie Medal have put up some video of me answering questions about Monsters of Men (on this year's shortlist).  Good questions, and I'm wearing my favourite shirt.  The other authors are having videos put up, too, so check us out!

Also today, tickets are now on sale for my event at this year's Hay Festival with the brilliant David Almond on Saturday, 28 May.  Hope to see some of you there.

And also, as I said last time, I'll be doing a public event at Easons Bookstore in Dublin on 12 May, and I'll put up ticket info as soon as I have it.  Looking forward to it!

Greetings to the new commenters.  Remember I'm now on Twitter as @Patrick_Ness.  More soon (and more events soon, too!)

Top 10 "unsuitable" reads for teenagers

I wrote a Top 10 list today for the Guardian on the Top 10 "adult" books you should read before becoming an adult, and the response has been amazing!  Apparently, a lot of over-reaching young readers out there.  Brilliant stuff.

Also, a quick word to say that I'll be doing a public event at Eason's Bookstore in Dublin (one of my favourite places) on the evening of 12 May to celebrate the launch of A Monster Calls.  I'll share ticket info as soon as I have it!

Warm greetings to the new commenters, an especially wonderful batch, including warm recommendations about books I like (thanks, Ray!), your own iPod eps, and a cool website to check out.  Remember I'm on Twitter as @Patrick_Ness so follow me there, if you like.  More soon.