I have just completed the final draft of ‘The Spook’s Nightmare’ which will be published in June. Now I have to work with the copyeditor to remove any errors and inconsistencies. The jacket illustration is under development and I saw a preview yesterday. It is excellent and really scary, probably shaping up to be the very best of the new style of covers.
Once again I feel the need to warn readers that the Spook’s books are published in America by a different publisher under a different title. So apart from the illustrations and a few spelling changes, ‘The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch’ is the same fiction as ‘The Spook’s Apprentice’. Some readers have recently bought the same book twice by mistake.
Last week I was in Australia and did talks and signings in Sydney and Melbourne. It was enjoyable with many enthusiastic audiences but for someone from chilly wind-swept Lancashire, the hot weather made talking difficult. I am in New Zealand for a few more weeks and then return to England early in March where I will continue to write Spook’s Eight (which is about half-completed) and the Alice book, which I have only just begun. I’ll also try to fit in a few events during March and April.
My own website has now been completed and the address is: www.spooksworld.co.uk.
From within the site you can send an email to me and receive a reply or even enter into the Spook’s fictional world by sending an email to one of my favourite witches - Grimalkin.
Below are a few pictures from New Zealand – including my feet standing on the geographical centre of New Zealand which is in Nelson, South Island.
Best wishes,
Joseph Delaney
February 22nd, 2010 at 2:03 pm
You mentioned the new style cover for this book, but will there also be a special edition of the old style covers brought out as well?
February 22nd, 2010 at 7:49 pm
yeah i liked the old style the best. i was very upset when i couldnt get the old style fot the spookks sacrifice
. i am really lokking forward to the 8th books because its in ireland and im in ireland!!!! xD. btw when are you going to ireland next????????????????????????????????????
February 22nd, 2010 at 10:59 pm
I love the web new web site
February 22nd, 2010 at 11:18 pm
Well finally!! An update! I’ve been checking the blog every day!!! The pictures are great….when exactly is the Spooks Nightmare released? I feel like I’ll go crazy if I don’t read it soon! Your books are addictive!
Damn it, I can’t get on the new website because our PC is really old.
Please email me!!
Áine R.
February 25th, 2010 at 8:48 pm
I saw a few minutes ago the cover of the Spook’s nightmare and it’s scary and really dark!!
February 28th, 2010 at 2:43 am
yay! i’m so happy that this next book is about alice! she’s one of my favorite characters. i love your books!
March 1st, 2010 at 5:11 am
Dear Mr.Genius,
Your new website is INCREDIBLY WICKED!!!!!!! It is so AMAZING, I LOVE it!!! I’m still looking forward to the publications of your new books (the Coven one comes out on April 23rd i believe)which are well worth the wait. Mr.Delaney keep on creating these magnificent works of art. I love your mind, it creates such interesting things. Your trip to New Zealand/Australia seemed “cool”, I bet you can’t wait to get back to “cooler” England. Haha.
Your Alice/Grimalkin-
Lauren
P.S. I will send a privvate email soon
March 1st, 2010 at 2:01 pm
Does anyone know if the last apprentice will also be published in America in June?
March 3rd, 2010 at 7:43 am
I’m LOVING the site! I got so excited when I saw the backgrounds, have them on my desktop now! Extremely excited for the Spooks Nightmare! I love your books so much! Yes, you’re going to see these comments from me a million times. Haha
It looks beautiful where you are! I hope your enjoying yourself! 
March 6th, 2010 at 12:33 am
Very excited!
You were in Australia!! I live in Melbourne, shattered I missed it.
Hopefully next time.
March 12th, 2010 at 6:55 pm
will there be be any news of the battle between Tom and the Devil?
and i realy like the new website!
your biggest fan, Harry
March 13th, 2010 at 11:32 pm
So looking forward to it i luv ur books!
But I’ve got the whole collection in the old version and its relli annoying that
I have to change it!! Personaly I much prefered the old cover but thats
just me, so is the spooks nightmare available in the old version?
PS: The Spook’s Apprentice was AMAZING maybe the best out of the series!!
March 17th, 2010 at 11:39 pm
Heyyyyyyy I’m in love with your
books I e been waiting for the nightmare one for likee A YEAR !!! But it will be worth it I’m just writing this because I want you to use my name plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. My name is Zain plzz use it I will beee so happpy
March 25th, 2010 at 8:38 am
omg i like ur books, please keep writing more, i love them all! Dont end the story!
March 25th, 2010 at 4:59 pm
It would be so cool if they had a box set, love your books.
March 26th, 2010 at 11:36 am
May I second Dan’s plea at the top (and Kiran’s; it isn’t just him) for an edition with the older cover? We started collecting just before the new ones came out and we are the kind of sad obsessives who like the books in a series to look the same, something that rarely happens these days. Besides, the older covers are in our opinion much nicer.
We’re 108 years old between us, and I’m looking forward to reading the new book to my wife who is partially sighted. We hope you will be inspired to continue the series for many books to come.
April 1st, 2010 at 12:06 am
I’m SO looking forward to the release of “The Spook’s Nightmare”!!
I’ve really enjoyed the series so far, and I really want to read more!
Good luck with the remainder of the series!!
April 12th, 2010 at 6:11 pm
the old style is better by miles.it makes you feel like you are really in the time period that the books are based on.is the last apprentice the same as the spooks apprentice?get the olden day style leather bound book back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
April 29th, 2010 at 7:23 pm
Google the last apprentice rise of the huntress and go to greenwillow books to see the cover.