Patrick Ness's Blog, page 40

It's all a dream, just keep telling yourself that

Went to see Life is a Dream at the Donmar Warehouse last night.  Excellent show (despite a single diabolical perfomance by a supporting actor old enough to know better).  It had Dominic West - McNulty from The Wire, which was enough for me the snap up a ticket - who was great, as was Kate Fleetwood.  And what a tangy little ending, too.

In Event news, I'm going to be at the Cambridge Festival of Ideas on Saturday at 1.30pm.  I'll be in Lady Mitchell Hall on the Sidgwick Site at Selwyn...

Back home at last, plus Facebook and a good day

Well, phew!  I'm back from my trip up north, where I visited schools and bookshops and a lot cities beginning with N.  Highlights include Moor Park School in Preston (plus all the great people I met at Borders, Preston, later that day), Fernwood School in Nottingham, and Norwich School on the cathedral grounds.  An excellent trip.

Welcome, too, to new commenters Sarah, Jack, Jane, Jen and Alice.  Excellent to hear from you all, thank you!  And comments, by the way, are the best way to speak...

Prize announcements and a week up north

In case you missed it, I announced the winner of the 2009 Guardian Children's Fiction Prize on Thursday.  (I won it last year and was a judge this year).  The winner is Mal Peet's Exposure, which is a great book you should all read.  The party was fun, too.

Welcome to the new commenters (David (who eventually decided it wasn't boring), the Wilks Cousins (who said the right things) and Sara (not for a while yet, Sara, sorry)).  Also, please know I won't generally approve comments that contain s...

Dunraven School and another signing appearance

I had a great visit to Dunraven School in Streatham yesterday.  And a great group they were, too.  Good questions, good energy, and even a new comment by one of them on the Visitors page who swears I wouldn't read it (wrong!).  But welcome to him and to Kimberley and Ann, the two other new comments (and, Ann, the iron man is at the Studio Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, outside of Tokyo, the most perfect small museum in the world).

Also to say that in addition to that signing at the Preston branch...

German Ask, an appearance in Preston, and musical comments...

The German version of The Ask and the Answer is now out!  The first translation of it anywhere in the world.  It's called Das dunkle Paradies ("The Dark Paradise"), so if you're German-speaking, check it out!  Kudos, too, to my excellent German translator Petra Koob-Pawis.

I also wanted to confirm one of the comments (who got there before I did) that I'll be signing at the Preston branch of Borders Books on Tuesday, 13 October, at 5pm.  Call 01772 703856 for info.  Hope to see you there.

And...

Site refresh and your comments...

Just a quick note to say that I've had a few of the pages on the site refreshed (by Ralph Cowling, the original programmer, who did some difficult tech stuff behind the scenes, too; cheers, Ralph!), so feel free to poke around again, particularly the Books and Journo pages.

I've also changed the Contact page to clear some things up that seemed to be causing needless confusion (my fault!).  But I do want to emphasise that I do indeed read every comment that gets made on the Visitors page. 

And ...

Those National Rail Posters I was talking about...

Here's one!  In Bristol Temple Meads Station.  Keep your eyes peeled for others.

Booktrust Teenage Prize & train posters!

It was announced today that The Ask and the Answer was shortlisted for the Booktrust Teenage Prize.  Which is great!  I won it last year, so a very nice surprise to be shortlisted again.  And there's a nice thing in the Guardian where they interviewed me about it.  Good stuff!

Also good, starting today there are meant to be whacking great posters on train stations around the country for both The Knife of Never Letting Go and The Ask and the Answer.  I haven't seen one yet, but they were...

The Wall Street Journal and a fond farewell

I've been reviewed in the Wall Street Journal, and really well, too!  Who knew they did kids' books?  Pretty cool.  Also in the Chicago Tribune, so a good week for the US!

I've also posted my very last blog as the Booktrust Writer In Residence.  A hardworking and very fulfilling six months.  Great good luck to Nii Parkes, the new guy!

More soon.

I'm back!

I was away.  You may have noticed.  But I'm back now.  With news...

First up, The Ask and the Answer is out in the US!  Hoorah!  I know you've been rather annoyed that the UK version has been out for a bit, but at last, you can buy it in the US.  Which is where I've been, coincidentally.  So enjoy.  Let me know what you think.

In addition, the paperback for The Ask and the Answer is out in the UK!  So all of you who were waiting, here's your chance.

I've also had a couple nice reviews of Ask...