tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22572108115366125602024-03-13T16:05:23.269+00:00Diary of a NothingistWhere The Third Pig Detective Agency likes to hang out from time to time.BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712832783749303461noreply@blogger.comBlogger124125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257210811536612560.post-17745651785352105172015-11-14T14:01:00.001+00:002015-11-14T14:01:17.473+00:00Inside the Artist's Studio (sort of)At one of the recent library sessions, one of the questions asked was about where I worked. I explained that the garage had been converted into a study and that's where I usually wrote. I also promised to post pictures as, for some unknown reason, someone wanted to actually see it. So, without further ado (and suitably positioned to skillfully cut out all the crap lying around BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712832783749303461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257210811536612560.post-49861459891382120952015-10-17T12:13:00.000+01:002015-10-17T12:13:09.886+01:00October is Children's Book Festival MonthOctober in Ireland is Children's Book Festival Month and writers, artists, illustrators and all the great and good of Irish (and other) writing get to, among other things, visit libraries and schools. These visits are always great fun, the audiences are generally attentive, eager to get involved and can ask a variety of interesting questions.
This year I was invited down to Kerry to BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712832783749303461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257210811536612560.post-65208957049662917322015-10-10T19:52:00.000+01:002015-10-10T19:52:11.365+01:00Oh You Name DropperOver the years I've been lucky in that, not only do I get to interview other authors, but in all cases they were writers that I was a fan of anyway. Talk about a busman's holiday! The various interviews have been published in Inis magazine so I've taken the opportunity to put links to them here (or at least those I could find!).
Charlie Higson: http://www.inismagazine.ie/BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712832783749303461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257210811536612560.post-66892548173638183742015-09-05T11:56:00.000+01:002015-09-05T11:56:29.968+01:00What a Long Strange Trip It's BeenJust checked and, wow, it's been the guts of three years since I last blogged.
Am I lazy? Partially - but much more has transpired since. Let me summarise:
The Third Pig Detective Agency: The Complete Casebook was published earlier this year. It's, as the title suggests, all three Harry Pigg books in one nice, self-contained paperback.
More importantly:
Went to doctor, BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712832783749303461noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257210811536612560.post-24681066920561111302012-09-04T17:54:00.002+01:002012-09-04T17:54:46.672+01:00Reading Away the DaysThe sharp-eyed among you may have noticed the somewhat eye-catching, flowery and very non-Third Pig banner currently decorating the top of the blog. Reading Away the Days is a month long children's books event hosted on Megan McDade's book blog, Reading Away the Days. All through September she'll have interviews, giveaways, articles, reviews and compos so it'll be well worth dipping BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712832783749303461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257210811536612560.post-67652029999589851932012-09-01T10:55:00.003+01:002012-09-01T10:55:54.200+01:00A Nice Write UpSomehow or another I had missed this article in The Sunday Business Post when it appeared in July. It's short but pointed and I like the reference to engaging boys in reading - which is something I do feel strongly about (next post will also reference this).
Apologies for quality of the scan; I suspect the scanner bed needs a good clean.BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712832783749303461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257210811536612560.post-6046236751958833502012-07-04T11:51:00.001+01:002012-07-04T11:51:35.717+01:00We came, we saw, we launched.The launch of The Curds and Whey Mystery went off well (no one died, the place didn't burn down and no-one mistook me for Hilary Mantel). A decent crowd turned up and many books were sold and signed.
A huge crowd struggles to stay awake
After some avant-garde experimentation with microphone feedback, I took the opportunity to thank everyone, slagged off the Leinster and BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712832783749303461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257210811536612560.post-57831508544054217802012-06-18T18:55:00.002+01:002012-06-18T18:55:43.497+01:00Harry Pigg is LaunchingThe Curds and Whey Mystery should be hitting the shops this Thursday, June 21st. The first copies have already arrived on the publisher's desk so I'm eagerly awaiting the postman to drag his sorry ass up the driveway with my copies.
As we've never had a formal launch of the earlier books, we thought it'd be a good idea to mark the occasion of the release of the third book with 'BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712832783749303461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257210811536612560.post-4532128983648283552012-05-03T18:52:00.003+01:002012-05-03T18:54:07.647+01:00Composite CoversWith the arrival of The Curds and Whey Mystery imminent (June 21st), I thought it might be nice to show all three covers together in all their glory. So, without further ado...
Don't they play well together?BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712832783749303461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257210811536612560.post-57890188883493257492012-05-03T14:56:00.001+01:002012-05-03T14:56:33.509+01:00I liked it then I still like it now, so there! #2Possibly one of the finest pop songs ever written...(just ignore the Noel Edmonds waffle at the start!)
BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712832783749303461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257210811536612560.post-15078727994068057222012-05-01T13:42:00.003+01:002012-05-01T13:43:21.350+01:00Review: Brothers to the Death by Darren ShanThe Saga of Larten Crepsley (of which Brothers to the Death is the final volume) has been a thoughtful and restrained series. It still has many of the horrific set pieces that the author is famous for, but they're not as prevalent as in his other series, allowing more time for character development . Focusing more directly on a single main character, Shan has given us a well BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712832783749303461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257210811536612560.post-52959337296927031102012-04-19T17:25:00.002+01:002012-05-03T14:56:59.413+01:00I liked it then I still like it now, so there! #1BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712832783749303461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257210811536612560.post-84453577955948746832012-04-03T13:13:00.000+01:002012-05-01T14:31:02.163+01:00The SequelmeterI read a lot - especially when I should be writing! This means I get through a lot of books, many of which are the first in a series. I've now worked out a very non-scientific, very-subjective, it's-my-system-and-I'll-use-it-if-I-want-to method of working out if I really enjoyed any book in a series: do I really want to read the sequel/next volume. With that in mind and utilising the BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712832783749303461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257210811536612560.post-1964925403377224252012-03-19T15:05:00.003+00:002012-03-19T15:26:26.940+00:00The End is Nigh (well, one of them at any rate)Caroline Smailes (a fellow Friday Project author) is an immensely talented lady. Should you require proof, check out her books In Search of Adam or Black Books (those are the ones I've read) or Like Bees to Honey. Her latest book, 99 Reasons Why, is, however, a book with a difference: it is only being published as an e-book and comes with 9 different endings which readers can navigate using BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712832783749303461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257210811536612560.post-77482916461837277832012-02-23T16:33:00.002+00:002012-02-23T16:39:23.139+00:00Cover MeI'm not sure if this is the final draft or not, but below is the current cover for the Curds and Whey Mystery. Look, cogitate, weep, laugh hysterically etc etcBBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712832783749303461noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257210811536612560.post-598641861514473622012-02-20T07:00:00.001+00:002012-02-20T07:00:11.458+00:00A Visit from Cornelius QuaintTo mark the release of ‘The Lazarus Curse’, the 3rd book in the Cornelius Quaint Chronicles published exclusively on ebook today, I have organised something a little special, and Bob has kindly allowed me to hijack his blog for the day to explain...* For the initiated, the Cornelius Quaint series began way back in 2008 and follows the adventures of Victorian conjuror and his troupe of circus BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712832783749303461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257210811536612560.post-31460245836345051652012-02-19T18:41:00.002+00:002012-02-19T18:58:01.756+00:00Quick Update from the Land of the LivingIt's been a while so a quick update...I've received the cover for The Curds and Whey Mystery and it's a belter. I'll post it for your delight and delectation over the next few days.I'm just finishing going through first proofs of the book. Only a few minor tweaks so looking good.Publication is still May. I don't have an actual date yet but should have shortly.Also, tomorrow the blog will be BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712832783749303461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257210811536612560.post-70722069648043359502011-11-23T14:25:00.005+00:002011-11-23T14:31:24.150+00:00Art for Alexandra AuctionI'm just popping in quickly to mention the post below from fellow author Celine Kiernan. It speaks (quite eloquently) for itself so if anyone is interested... In 2009, Alexandra Trotsenko, a Russian artist living in Ireland, had her fingers cut off. This happened during the course of a vicious knife attack in her own home. The attacker has since been jailed for 16 years, but without expensive BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712832783749303461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257210811536612560.post-8925563434995742472011-10-05T11:41:00.002+01:002011-10-05T11:44:11.767+01:00I'm Sorry But...every time I see this poster on a streetlampthis is what I actually seeBBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712832783749303461noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257210811536612560.post-63509765838389163182011-09-28T13:24:00.008+01:002011-09-28T14:21:33.139+01:00The Third Pig on TourOctober is Children's Book Month in Ireland and that can only mean one thing...Bookfest. Writers, storytellers, musicians, artists and all other manner of amazing folk will descend on libraries during the month to be all writerly, artistic and musical.I got involved last year and had a blast. Seemingly I didn't embarrass myself too much either because they've asked me to come back and do some BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712832783749303461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257210811536612560.post-71098810046578367982011-08-30T11:40:00.003+01:002011-08-30T11:44:39.951+01:00Want to Win a Book? Course you do!The rather excellent Celine Kiernan has a new YA book coming out in September. If anyone fancies snaffling a free signed copy of Into the Grey, along with a signed flat of the Australian cover then do go here and give it a lash...
You know you want to (and it'll be worth it, trust me)
BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712832783749303461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257210811536612560.post-74419128080116650072011-07-31T12:58:00.002+01:002011-07-31T13:16:57.708+01:00Some Bits and PiecesSo, where are we then?Well, I've just finished the latest round of edits on The Curds and Whey Mystery (the third Third Pig Detective Novel). They've gone back to the publisher for excising and dismembering so we'll see how that goes. The editing process is an interesting one, Frequently the editor comes up with great ideas that most definitely make the story better and this was no exception.BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712832783749303461noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257210811536612560.post-22075668404135631872011-05-18T10:37:00.004+01:002011-05-18T10:53:43.844+01:00Bisto Book Awards 2011 - The WinnersAnd here they are...The Bisto Book of the Year Award – Chris Haughton’s A Bit LostThe Eilís Dillon award for a first children’s book – Chris Haughton’s A Bit Lost (as far as I know this is the first time two awards have gone to the same author)The Honour Award for Fiction – Sheena Wilkinson’s Taking FlightThe Honour Award for Illustration – Caitríona Hastings and Andrew Whitson’s Mac Rí BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712832783749303461noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257210811536612560.post-36476420243909233962011-04-27T09:39:00.002+01:002011-04-27T09:41:51.126+01:00Poly StyreneA little tribute to Poly who died yesterday.BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712832783749303461noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2257210811536612560.post-37931082812127616682011-04-19T14:14:00.006+01:002011-04-19T14:22:27.808+01:00Bisto Awards 2010 ReduxNow that the 2011 Awards are imminent (see post below), I have to return the very nice indeed Eilis Dillon Award glass sculpture I won last year. It has taken pride of place in the Burke living room over the past twelve months. I'll miss it but I know it will be passed on to a more than worthy recipient this year.All is not wailing and gnashing of teeth however as I do get to keep this rather BBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14712832783749303461noreply@blogger.com0