Posted on 07.09.08
I hope those of you who have read Ice Claw remember the whole mystery of my arch villain, Tishenko. If Max did not stop his activities a massive ecological disaster was going to take place that would kill hundreds of thousands of people. Well, the people he believed he had surpassed in scientific research - CERN - the European Organization for Nuclear Research - are about to do what Tishenko did! Mind you, without giving too much away for those who have not got to that page yet - Tishenko was one step ahead - or should that be behind - CERN?
Anyway, they're going to press the button, as it were, on the Large Hedron Collider, the world's highest energy particle accelerator. They're looking for the Higgs boson particle - the so-called 'God particle'. Some people think they're going to create a black hole, and writers love this stuff. So, don't blame me if they've read Ice Claw and decided that maybe Tishenko's idea really was the Big Bang of all time. And if we're all peering into the darkness on Thursday - make sure you've got a torch so you can finish the book!
There'll be nothinbg else to do.
Fingers crossed.
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Posted on 07.09.08
In Ice Claw I introduced a character, Sophie Fauvre, who Max recognizes as being 'Parkour' - an Urban Free Runner - one of those amazing athletes who use such a complex and creative technique in tackling man-made obstacles. Well, I see there was the first ever World Freerun Championship recently. Did anyone see any of it? It didn't get much television time - maybe everyone's scared that kids will try and emulate these athletes. No one should try, that's for sure, unless they've been trained. I've bounced off the tarmac a few times over the years - no, nothing to do with freerunning - but luckily I had been trained how to roll and protect myself. But it still hurts if you get it wrong.
Anyway, look it up - it's amazing stuff.
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Posted on 01.09.08
So, for everyone who's got to the part where Max finds the chateau - here's a picture. (And if you haven't then I've just spoiled your imagination).
I found this amazing place when I was travelling across the Pyrenees and drove down to the coast near the Spanish border. There was a blind entrance on the bend of the road (just as I described it in the book) and it looked as though there was nothing there - in fact I thought I was probably going down a long, private drive and someone was going to come and moan at me in French - which would not have meant much anyway.
But, being nosey, as are all writers - I turned the car and went in. And here it was, the most wonderful, interesting place.
This picture is of the main entrance and the moment I stepped inside I knew this was where Max was going to find his clues for the Ice Claw story.
I'll post a couple more pictures over the next week or so and show you the crocodiles on the steps (you might see them if you enlarge the image) and the huge snake carved into the wall.
I know you're all dying to get back to school but I hope the Danger Zone series give you a place to escape to - in your head, at least!
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Posted on 29.08.08
I just thought I would shout that out the window so everyone could hear what I think of it so far. I hope you managed to find a bit of sunshine somewhere. And if you were stuck indoors I hope you managed to read a couple of books - at least.
I am coming to the end of writing Blood Sun, Book 3 in the Danger Zone series and it's been a long haul. There was a huge chunk I didn't like so I changed it all, although it did entail cutting out the bit where the bad guy, a real control freak, had dental floss stuck in his teeth and about to order Max Gordon's death. He ordered Max's death anyway. There's a frighteningly ruthless killer out to get Max and I think the ending has one of the toughest fights Max has had to endure.
I've just had a shipment of The Devil's Breath from America as they've asked me to sign the hard cover edition for librarians and teachers. We might just hear their shrieks when they read about the lions crunching human skulls in the Valley of Bones chapter.
My tekky guys have posted a couple of extra photos for me on the Photowall from the Edinburgh Festival - where I followed up my launch of Ice Claw.
I'm off to see the the Red Arrows tomorrow from a very special vantage point high on a hill - so the guys thunder past just beow me. Last year when they all disappeared one of them had done a huge loop and came up behind us at very low altitude and scared all the old ladies to death. Me? I was rolling down the hill like a hedgehog.
Get out there and do what you do! School is just around the corner.
And nevermind the weather - your skin is waterproof.
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Posted on 27.08.08
You might remember I went to the Manchester Book Awards earlier this year where the Devil's Breath was chosen as one of the six finalists. If you go to the Blog Archive on the Home Page you can see more of this - but there was a competition for the best review (won by Idiris) and best alternative cover which was won by Sohail.
The picture was sent to me and got badly broken in the post but I've now had it fixed and here's a closer look at it. It's a cracking good cover - and Idiris's review on the day made me blush!
Anyway it's now hanging in my study to remind me of a really cool day we had there.
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Posted on 25.08.08
My wonderful French publisher raved about The Devil's Breath - there was a real bunfight between her and her husband as they passed the manuscript between them. That's nice isn't it? See how I bring harmony into the home?
Anyway, here's the French cover for The Devil's Breath. Why now? Because the European publishers are bringing out Max Gordon's Danger Zone adventures a year later than UK. They have to translate it of course and that must be a very difficult job - so here's a chance to practice your French - on the cover at least - and see how you manage. I wonder what Ice Claw will be in French? In fact I wonder if they realize just how much of Ice Claw is set in France?
And I'll be posting pictures of some of those locations soon. In fact I'm going off to Max's last haunt in a couple of weeks.
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