I’m delighted to reveal the cover for Scream Street 8: Attack of the Trolls – to be published in April 2010.

I think this is one of the best covers of the series so far – and the book itself is packed with action, plot twists and rather smelly troll droppings…

Tommy

Well, I’m back from Scotland where I was honoured to take part in this year’s Scotia Travelling Book Festival, arranged by the wonderful people at Scotia Books.

I couldn’t have had a better time, with three action-packed school events and getting to spend time in the Scotia Books warehouse, from where some of the best books available are dispatched worldwide with, frankly, frightening efficiency!  Plus, these guys really know how to look after an author (fellow children’s writers – you will NOT regret getting in touch with these people!)

Schools I’ve already visited will know that I use Scotia Books to deliver copies of Scream Street to my events for pupils to buy and have signed – but I recommend them to anyone who needs anything from a single book to an entire Accelerated Reader library, and prefers to use an experienced, friendly independent supplier over a faceless chain of superstores.

You can contact Scotia Books on 01236 826041 or by emailing info@scotiaandchameleon.com Chances are, you’ll probably find me back up there having a cup of tea or planning another curry!

Tommy

Well, I left it a few days to see if Ali was going to mention it herself – but she hasn’t, so I will…

The utterly brilliant Frozen in Time by TBM’s own Ali Sparkes has been shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book Awards!  Nominated in the category of Book I Couldn’t Put Down, Frozen in Time will be competing against Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce and The Boy Who Fell Down Exit 43 by Harriet Goodwin.

Here at Trapped By Monsters, we’ve all got our fingers (and tentacles) crossed that Ali’s exciting tale of culture clash will be the winner!

Click here for a video extract from Witchfinder – Dawn of the Demontide, by William Hussey. And get ready to shiver.

The book’s not out ’til March 2010. I’m already a fan of William’s writing for adults, so I was intrigued when I heard about his upcoming YA trilogy. Now, having seen this video, I can hardly wait!

Someone who wishes to remain anonymous contacted me via my own website today, enclosing a photograph they thought I might find interesting. The photograph is of the Queen’s London residence – Buckingham Palace – and it shows… Well, why not look for yourself? Click the image to make it larger.

I’ve got a hundred things I really should be doing today, but rather than tackle anything constructive I’ve put together an Invisible Fiends wallpaper for your computer desktop.

There are two sizes available at the moment. To put Mr Mumbles’ charming face on your desktop, simply click one of the images below. Then, when it has loaded in a new window, right click on the image and choose “set as desktop background”, “set as wallpaper” or something along those lines (depending on which browser you’re using). That should be all you need to do.

Desktop 1: 1280 x 1024

1280 x 1024

Desktop 2: 1024 x 768

1024 x 768

JETHRO’S ACE OF HEARTS

a thirteen-part story, EXCLUSIVE to Trapped By Monsters

story (c) Sam Enthoven / illustrations (c) David Melling, 2009. All rights reserved.

(Click here for previous slices: First ; Second)

-Third Slice-

‘Sorry?‘ asked Jethro.

Mr Theophilus leaned forward. His cape fell open as he did so, revealing his fine three-piece suit of dark brown velvet and the pale flower he was wearing in his buttonhole. The flower looked like a rose, but one still in bud, its colour not yet formed. Though his head continued to nod, Jethro’s eyes fixed on the flower, which glowed pale green from Mr Theophilus’ shapely lapel. He may have noticed the tiny blue and red veins in the delicate petals. He may have smelt the strange, sweet smell.

‘I too have an interest in serial killers,’ said Mr Theophilus, still nodding hypnotically, ‘and I possess certain techniques, certain proofs, that may answer all your questions about “Saucy Jack” and his brethren once and for all.’ He paused. ‘I live just a short distance from here. Would you like me to show you?’

Abruptly Jethro appeared to realise he’d been nodding too.

‘I guess,’ he said. He gave another wobbling shrug. ‘Sure. Yeah: OK.’

‘Splendid! That’s settled, then. Step this way! Oh, and do allow me to introduce myself: I’m Mr Theophilus.’ His eyebrows lifted, ‘I didn’t quite catch…?’

‘Jethro,’ said Jethro.

‘Ah yes, quite so.’ Mr. Theophilus’ tongue flicked around his teeth. ‘Well then, Jethro,’ he said, as if tasting the name, ‘follow me!’

-Click here for Slice Four-

Two items of Q&A for you.

The first is something I was asked this week via the MySpace page of Jagmat from The Black Tattoo. Huge respect and kudos – partly just for not letting the whole shapeshifting blancmange monster thing put him off! – to Mykell, from Maryland, USA, who wondered:

What kind of research do u do when u are writing ur books?

Research… hmm. If you’re talking about facts and figures, details of setting and time and place and action… it depends.

I think details are important, especially in a fantasy story: they give the reader something to hang onto; they make things seem real. For instance, I got the fight scenes in Black Tat checked out by genuine martial artists. While I was writing the book, I met a lady at a party who turned out to be the ranking Number 3 North European Women’s Sabre Champion! She was wonderfully sporting about reading Black Tat‘s swordfights for me: I got these excellent emails from her saying, ‘Well, ok: if I was fighting a thirty-foot-long hedgehog centipede beast, I suppose I’d start off on the back foot, with this sort of a grip…’ and off she went. I hope those kinds of details give some realistic weight and crunch to Black Tat‘s fights. And if a story needs other kinds of information, I’ll find out everything I can.

But here’s the thing: that stuff should only ever be in service to the story. The story comes first. Because no amount of detail is going to make the readers care if they’re not involved in the scene, feeling for the characters, wondering what’s going to happen next.

The story is the hard bit – the main thing to focus on – it seems to me.

…Which brings me to my second question.

Slice Three of JETHRO’S ACE OF HEARTS, the thirteen-part story I’m currently serializing here on TBM, goes live for your delectation tomorrow (Friday) at 12 noon GMT.

My current plan is to have Slice Four go up this Monday, Slice Five go up next Friday, and so on. But a couple of my fellow prisoners (looking at you, David and Barry!) think I should go up to three episodes a week – posting on Wednesdays, too.

You, reading this: Hello! What do you think?

I think savouring the story slowly would be best – three slices a week might dominate the blog, and the story would finish very quickly. Or am I just being mean and stingy?

Leave a comment either way. I’m all ears.

…No, Bluggsvo Multilug, don’t get up: I was speaking metaphorically. No (sigh) I’m not really ‘all ears’: if you had eyes as well as ears you would be able see that. Of course I think you have ‘nice lobes’ but no, we’re absolutely not ‘destined to be together’. No: leave me alone! NO! Stop! The wax! THE WAGGLING! AAGHlp

Visual proof that we are allowed out from time to time. Mark and myself did such a good job (apparently), at The Bookstore, Abingdon last weekend, we’re doing it again this weekend. On Saturday 7th November, we’ll be at Waterstones, Oxford from 10.00am. Please come. If you don’t we’ll be shoved back in the cave before you can say ‘please don’t sit on us with those wet tentacles.’