The ‘Spook’s Nightmare Tour’ has come to an end and I am finally back to my writing. I have met my editor, Sarah, and agreed changes. So I’m now working on Draft Two of Book Eight which is now provisionally titled ‘The Spook’s Destiny’.

For now the ‘Alice Book’ has been postponed and I will not write it until next year. The reason is a good one. Because of plot developments in Book Eight (a big crisis for the main characters at the end) it works better by having the ‘Grimalkin Book’ published immediately after it in October 2011. So now I am writing about Grimalkin. So far it is going really well but, as usual, I am discovering the plot as I write.

On September 30th this year, ‘The Spook’s Bestiary’ will be published. Here is the cover image below.

Yulek Heller is the artist and his work is really impressive; he has truly brought the Bestiary to life. Below is an image he has created for the book.

Above is a skelt, the creature that lives in crevices near water. It has a long translucent bone-tube rather than teeth and sucks blood from its victims neck. Most of you will probably remember the part played by one in ‘The Spook’s Mistake’.

The launch of ‘The Bestiary’ is to be done in conjunction with the ‘Silverdell Bookshop’ in Kirkham. I’ll let you know the date and time as soon as it has been fixed.

Best wishes,

Joseph Delaney

On tour, I recently did two events arranged by Elaine Silverwood and Sue Wardell of the ‘Silverdell Bookshop’, in Kirkham. The first was at Rhyddings Business and Enterprise School, Oswaldtwistle; the second was at Baines School, Poulton-le-Fylde.

Both were excellent events with enthusiastic pupils. Elaine celebrates author visits by creating a special ice cream. She is an expert at this and her vanilla based ice cream using local Ayrshire cream and high quality ingredients (some imported from Italy) has won prizes and is, in my opinion, easily the best in Lancashire. She gave a tub to me and it was labelled ‘Joe’s Blood and Bones’. It fortified me on the journey to my next event and there were suspicious red stains in the delicious mixture that could have been blood. The Spook wouldn’t have touched it (he prefers cheese anyway) but I suspect it would become a hit with the Pendle blood and bone-witches!

With a few red stains around my mouth, I visited Pendle Vale College in the company of Tony from Pritchard’s Book Shop, Formby. Once again the school librarian, Anita Vine, had invited a really great audience. Pendle’s own pupils were augmented by teachers and children from other schools – so it was a really great event.

Waterstones, Bury, was another enjoyable visit. Other authors were also visiting at the same time and the staff got involved by wearing costumes (a young bookseller called Nathan was the spitting image of a spook) and dressing up in animal suits. There was a great party atmosphere.

On June 12th I revisited Central Lancaster High School Library at the invitation of Valerie Laycock. I first went there in 2006 to open the refurbished library and it was great to return. That library is also a resource for the community and it was great to talk to adults as well and be reminded again that not all Spook’s readers are children.

Another highlight of the tour was the event on Sunday, 13th June, at the Harris Library in Preston where I met old friends such as Jake Hope from Lancashire Libraries and Hazel from ‘BookTalk Groups’. Going there is always special to me because it is the library that I first attended as a child and where I borrowed and read my first full-length book, ‘Treasure Island’. I talked to an audience of about fifty, mostly readers who are familiar with the series – amongst them a trio of young sisters who love being witches and spend many a happy hour mixing up potions in their garden shed. Often when I give talks, posters drop off walls and I usually joke that it was a ‘boggart’. This time that didn’t happen but one boy, Evan’s tooth did fall out whilst I was talking!

Finally, here is a new public event to be added to the list. Following two days of school visits arranged by Mary, the owner of the Corner Bookshop in Garstang, on Tuesday June 29th at 4pm I will be signing there and answering questions. If enough readers turn up I may give a talk.

Best wishes,

Joseph Delaney

Today was organized by Tony, the manager of Pritchard’s Bookshop, Formby. I visited and gave talks and signings at three libraries: Maghull, Crosby and Birkdale. It was a chance to meet and thank librarians such as Leslie and Zoe who are great supporters of the series as well as readers who have read ‘Spooks Stories’ right from the very beginning. So I really enjoyed the day.

As you know you can email me directly on www.spooksworld.co.uk. I recently received an email from a librarian who wanted me to feature a librarian in my books to counter the usual stereotype. She wanted me to write about a young attractive fashionable librarian with green eyes! As you know I do not plan my books in much detail but use a big envelope into which I stuff pieces of paper, each with an idea that will feature in a future book. So I decided to use such a librarian in Book Nine (which I will start to write just before Christmas this year). Yes, the Spook and Tom will encounter her soon. Yesterday I met the librarian in question. Her name is Kirsty and her picture is featured here.

On tour with me is Linda, my international publicist, who actually lives in New Zealand and has flown to England to join me on ‘The Spook’s Nightmare Tour’. Here is a photo of us visiting one of the great sights of the Lancashire coastline – the ‘Iron Men’ sculptures which are positioned on the beach. Here you just see one but there are lots of them!

Best wishes,

Joseph Delaney

After two hectic days out selling books with dynamic Tony from Pritchards, Formby, today was very peaceful. I just had one event at the Blackpool Collegiate High School.

This proved to be very interesting because I shared the platform with another author, Jonathan Eaves, whose first book, ‘Rude Awakenings: A Tale of Terra Infirma’, was published this year. We were both returning to our old school. Joanathan attended as a pupil and I actually taught there. Not only that, I taught Jonathan for six whole weeks back in the 1980s!

After answering questions in the library’s ‘Starbooks Cafe’ we both gave a short talk to a mixture of pupils from different schools and some older students from ‘The Blackpool Sixth Form College’ where I also once taught. We tried to vary the usual Q and A session and started by asking each other questions (which had been devised by Jonathan).

Example Question: ‘If you were a politician, what cabinet position would you like and what single piece of legislation would you introduce?’

I replied that I would like to be the Minister responsible for overseeing the torture of witches. As for legislation I would stop swimming witches because it’s very unreliable (most sink and are believed innocent). I would make it compulsory to use the method of jabbing them with a bodkin to find the Fiend’s mark. But I would make sure that Quisitors were properly trained and they would be subject to regular appraisals and have their salaries linked to performance.

To that same question, Jonathan considered how hotel receptionists might be similarly regulated. It was funny and that is his strength. Whereas my books are dark and serious Jonathan’s are full of humour. If you Like Terry Pratchett you will like ‘Rude Awakenings’.

Best wishes,

Joseph Delaney.

The ‘Spook’s Nightmare Tour’ began on Wednesday 26th June 2010. The first two days were arranged by Tony Higginson of the Pritchard’s bookshops and involved visits to the Sefton and Liverpool areas.

The very first event was at De La Salle School where I gave two talks to enthusiastic audiences. In the afternoon we visited St Jerome’s Primary School followed by a detour to Pritchard’s Formby shop where I did my first shop signing of the tour. In the evening I stayed in sunny Southport and was able to relax with a pint of Guinness and gather my strength for the following day.

We began Thursday promptly with two talks at Meols Cop High School followed by lunch at Range School, Formby where I met some old friends and signed their books. After a trip to St Edwards in Liverpool (to do a follow up to a group I talked to early in the year) it was a drive through heavy traffic to Pritchard’s Crosby shop which was full of readers waiting to get their new books signed. It was unfortunate that we’d kept them waiting but everybody was very patient and in good spirits. The signing rounded off two very busy days.

Another four weeks of touring await and I feel exhausted already. But it is a part of the job that I really enjoy. It is great to meet readers and get feedback and probing questions. Whilst talking to each group I have been telling them about the two websites (www.spooksbooks.com and www.spooksworld.co.uk) and about the competition. The seven winners will become spook’s apprentices, accompany me on a tour of spooky places and win books for themselves and seven friends.

Best wishes,

Joseph Delaney

The Spook’s Nightmare will be available in shops from May 27th.

“The Spook, Alice and I were crossing the Long Ridge on our way back to Chipenden, the three wolfhounds, Claw, Blood and Bone, barking excitedly at our heels………”

Little do they know what awaits them in the future. This is the stuff of nightmares. Will the Spook live to see the morning? Is his apprentice ready to face the dark alone?

“The moon went behind a cloud, plunging us into darkness, and all I could see was a pair of glowing red eyes. Then it bellowed loudly - a fearful cry that made the ground - and the very trees - shake. So terrifying was that cry that I was rooted to the spot, unable to move.”

The details of the ‘Spook’s Nightmare Tour’ are now being finalised. Here are some of the public events where I will be signing.

Wednesday 26th May
Pritchards Bookshop, Formby
For signing 4.30-5.30

Thursday 27th May
Pritchard’s Bookshop, Crosby shop
For signing 4.30 to 5.30

Saturday 29th May
Waterstones, Preston
12.30 to 1.30

Tuesday 1st June: LIBRARY DAY
Maghull Library 11-12
Crosby Library 1.30-2.30
Birkdale Library 4-5

Saturday 5th June
Bury Waterstone’s for signing.
13.00 – 15.00
Address: 4 Union Arcade, Bury BL9 0OF

Sunday 6th June
Waterstone’s Trafford Centre:
1.00pm
Address: 42 Regent Crescent, Trafford Centre, Barton Dock Road, Manchester M17 8AP

Friday 11th June
Derbyshire Literature Festival
6.30 – 8.30 Long Eaton Library, Tamworth road, Long Eaton, Derbyshire NG10 1JG - Public event

Sunday 13th June
1.00pm Public event – talk and signing at Harris Library
Address: Harris Library, Market Square, Preston Lancs PR1 2PP

Monday 14th June
Lancaster Cornmarket Waterstones
3.30pm – public signing

Saturday 19th June
Wigan Waterstone’s
10.00 – talk and signing
Address: 6 Grand Arcade, Wigan WN1 1 BH

Waterstone’s Bolton
3.30pm – public signing
Address: 32-36 Deansgate Bolton BL1 1BL

Please visit the sites to see additions to the above.

Best wishes,

Joseph Delaney

I did a signing and gave a talk at Garstang Library on Thursday, April 22nd, where I did my first ever reading from the next Spook’s adventure. I had to use the manuscript because I don’t have a copy of the book yet. The event was arranged by Mary Wynburg from the Corner Bookshop.

I enjoy this type of occasion because you get a good audience mixture which usually includes new readers, existing fans of the books, children and adults. This was no exception and the visit went well. I will be doing events with Mary during ‘The Spook’s Nightmare Tour’ in June. I will also be visiting her shop late in May to sign the latest book for customers.

The following day I was at the Darwen Aldridge Community College as guest of the librarian, Janet Arnott. I was interviewed by two well-informed students who had devised some excellent questions; that interview and the subsequent talk were both filmed for other students to watch.

My writing is still going well. Within two weeks I hope to get Draft One of Spook’s Eight (it still hasn’t got a title yet!) to my editor and I can then devote the whole of my attention to the Alice Book (provisionally titled ‘The Alice Deane Diaries’).

The emails to Grimalkin, via the Spooksworld website are becoming more frequent. I must apologize if she has made threats against anyone. I would like to reassure you and say she doesn’t mean it but that wouldn’t be true. She is often in a witchy mood, pondering her next kill, and takes offence very easily. I have had to intervene on at least two occasions when she was searching for the location of those readers in a mirror and getting ready to sharpen her knives. So please don’t threaten her. I have little control over her now and it’s getting worse.

Once again in response to many enquiries I have to admit that I have no further news of the film. I know that some of you have expressed an interest in playing the parts of either Alice or Tom. If open auditions are held I will immediately advertise that on both websites.

Best wishes,

Joseph Delaney

There have been several requests to see the witch’s hand…
so here it is!

On Thursday April 8th I flew from Manchester to Dublin to do a question and answer session at the Eason Book store in O’Connell Street. It was a panel event with Derek Landy, the writer of the ‘Skulduggery Pleasant’ Series and William Hussey whose new book, ‘Witchfinder: Dawn of the Demontide’ has just been published. I have just read it and enjoyed his book very much. It’s the first in a series and I’ll certainly be reading the rest.

The event went well and was followed by a signing. It was a chance to talk to both existing and new readers. It was my second trip to Ireland as a writer and although I was only there one day (and it meant getting up two days running at 6am for the travel) it was well worth it.

My flight back was memorable because the staff at Eason gave each of the three writers a token to remember the event. Some token! It was a big witch’s hand on a pedestal. Bigger than a human hand, it has sharp claws and could do some serious damage in the grip of someone dangerous like Grimalkin. I only took cabin luggage with me and was nervous about getting it through airport security - It brought a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘hand luggage’! When my bag went through the x-ray machine I half expected to be pulled to one side and accused of trying to smuggle a dangerous blue witch’s hand onto the plane!
But it got through without any trouble. No doubt that sort of thing goes through the machine all the time! Now it has pride of place next to my books in my living room. If I ever get time to tidy up my study it might be promoted to a position there. Did I say it was blue? In artificial light it looks green and out of the corner of my eye sometimes the fingers seem to twitch. I really like it.

I’d just like to remind everyone who’d like to come (and within travelling distance) that my next open event is at Garstang Library, Lancashire on Thursday April 22nd at 4pm.

Best wishes,

Joseph Delaney

I have just completed ‘The Spook’s Nightmare’ and gone through the proof-reading process. The artwork is probably the best of the new-style covers and features a daemon called a ‘buggane’. I thought you might be interested to see three images which show the development of the cover. The first is the text over the artwork in grey before the addition of colour.

The second is just the image itself in colour. Some time and care was taken to select the most dramatic colour. I think this is perfect.

Finally we have the full jacket.

I’m now back doing events in England again.

On Thursday March 25th, I am with Tony, the manager of Pritchard’s Bookshop, Formby. We are scheduled to visit St Eddie’s School and probably others yet to be decided.

Other visits still being arranged are to Dublin, Ireland, April 8th (linked to the Eason’s bookshops) and also to the Wigan Festival on April 16th.

But already confirmed is an open visit to Garstang Library, Lancashire at 4pm on Thursday April 22nd. I will be with Mary from ‘The Corner Bookshop’.

At the moment a very busy June tour is being planned for the publication of ‘The Spook’s Nightmare’. As soon as I know the details I will post them on my next blog

I found out recently that ‘The Spook’s Sacrifice’ is on the shortlist for the Lancashire Children’s Book of the Year Award. This will be the fourth time that a book from the series has done so. I find that particularly pleasing on two counts: firstly Preston, where the award ceremony is held, is the town where I was born; secondly the books (from shortlist to winner) are chosen entirely by the children. I don’t expect to win but it’s great to be on that list. I always go to the award ceremony anyway to meet the readers of the series and sign their books.

There is still no further news about the film but I am crossing my fingers having just signed another option contract. So it is going ahead despite the delay.

Best wishes,

Joseph Delaney.