Patrick Ness's Blog, page 32

Monsters of Men - Publisher's Weekly starred review

A quick hit to say that in the build-up for the US release of Monsters of Men, Publisher's Weekly have just given it a highly-coveted starred review.  Excellent stuff, really, really pleasing.  Roll on September!

Auction over (and new review)

The ebay auction for the original artworks from the Play The Shape Game book is over, and we've managed to raise (by my count) over £11,000 for The Rainbow Trust.  The big ones were by Sir Peter Blake (who went for £2,650) and the brilliant Shirley Hughes (£1,000).  My, ahem, "artwork" went for a more modest but still flabbergasting £82.51, which was somehow more than both Ken Livingstone and Ian MacEwan.  Many thanks to all the bidders!

Also, a terrific review for Losing It over the weekend i...

Bid for original artwork by me (for charity!)

I've talked here about contributing a piece of, ahem, artwork for the Play The Shape Game book for Children's Laureate Anthony Browne along with writers, illustrators and celebrities like Emma Thompson, Anthony Horowitz, Andy Stanton and Phillip Pullman.  Every penny of profit goes to The Rainbow Trust.

Well, now, for this week only, there's an online auction where you can bid for all the original artwork, including my own, signed by me.  There are staggeringly beautiful ones by Catherine...

Play The Shape Game book

This week launches the Play The Shape Game book by Children's Laureate Anthony Browne, where he asked a bunch of celebrities, artists and writers to play the shape game for charity.  The result is a pretty spiffy picture book with all the proceeds going to The Rainbow Trust.

I'm in the book (with a very modest drawing), along with people like Emma Thompson, Philip Pullman and Quentin Blake.  Lots more about it here and here and here (which has a wee gallery).  You'll be able to buy the...

Big Publishers Weekly profile (and a sneak-peak at the title of my next book)

There's a very nice profile of me just out in the new Publishers Weekly in the United States in the lead-up to the US publication of Monsters of Men.  It says some really kind things about the books, including from some US booksellers, which is great.

It also reveals some more info about my next book!  Including, perhaps a little earlier than I might have liked, the title.  As I announced here, my next book will be taking the last work of the most excellent Siobhan Dowd and turning it into a ...

Podcast about writing

Just a quick note today to say that a podcast I recorded for the Sydney Writers' Centre in Australia is now online!  It was recorded trans-continentally, -oceanically and -equatorially, so the connection is a touch rusty and the transcript records my every mid-sentence change of mind, but it's me talking about my writing process and writing the books, etc.  The Writers' Centre has loads of writers' resources, so check it out!

Be sure to scroll down for other recent info, including upcoming...

London event & Edinburgh

Just a reminder that next Thursday, 22 July at 6.30pm, I'll be at Foyles Bookshop on Charing Cross Road in London taking part in a launch event for Losing It.  Tickets are free, email events@foyles.co.uk for info (and if you bring along Chaos Walking, I'll happily sign those, too.)

And also that tickets are now on sale for my Sunday, 22 August event at 4.30pm at the Edinburgh Book Festival, where I'll be talking about Monsters of Men.

Great new set of comments, too, including one by Jack which ...

Starred review, Losing It released, and more

The first official US print review of Monsters of Men, and it's a starred review in Booklist, which is brilliant.  There've been loads of blog reviews, too (like here and here and here, for a few examples among many, which is very cool).  And again, I'll be in the US in October.

Today is also the publication day of Losing It, a short story collection revolving around the issue of teenage virginity.  Less controversial and a lot more touching and funny than it sounds.  I've got a new story in i...

Play The Shape Game, and new Knife French edition

Another thing I'm involved with this month is the new book Play The Shape Game by the Children's Laureate Anthony Browne.  45 celebrities, including Jo Brand, Emma Thompson and Quentin Blake, play the shape game by adding to a shape that Anthony Browne drew.  All proceeds go to charity, and somehow I've ended up in it, too (though my own contribution shows quite clearly that not all writers can draw). 

There'll also be charity auctions for the original artwork for each of us, with again all p...

US Monsters, US tour and more!

Things are hotting up for the US release of Monsters of Men on 28 September.  There've been some fantastic early blog reviews and it's just received a starred review in the new Booklist, which is brilliant.  There's also the recent news about audio books, the US trailer, and I can also say that I'll be coming to the US in the Fall for a tour!  I know, cool, huh?  More details as I can share them...

Speaking of events, don't forget I'll be appearing at Foyles Bookshop on Charing Cross Road on...