My author copies of Scream Street 9: Terror of the Nightwatchman had arrived, and I can only presume that the sheer horror of what happens to Luke, Resus and Cleo in this book had somehow seeped out of the envelope and into the petrified postie.

In SS9, Luke and Resus are woken with the news that Cleo has been kidnapped,  Following a trailer of what they believe to be her kidnapper’s blood, they find themselves in a strange GHOUL community hidden deep inside a jungle.  From there, a terrifying figure known as The Nightwatchman has been taking children from their beds while they have nightmares – then using powerful magic to keep them asleep so he can feed off their fear.  If Luke and Resus want to save their friend, they’re going to have to go inside Cleo’s worst nightmare themselves.

Here’s a taster of the action…

By the time Luke pulled himself onto the wide branch opposite Resus, he was out of breath and his arms felt like they were on fire.  “Where did you learn to climb like that?” he puffed.

Resus was perched, cross-legged on his branch.  “Vampires are naturally good at this sort of stuff,” he said.  “It comes from centuries of trying to escape angry mobs with pitchforks and torches.”

Luke clambered warily to his feet, clinging tightly on to the tree trunk.  There was a stiff breeze, and it felt as if the tree was swaying violently – although Resus didn’t seem to have any problems balancing.

“Can you see anything?” Luke asked, trying not to look down.  He closed his eyes and pressed his face tightly against the rough bark.

Resus swung himself up onto a higher branch.  “Not a lot,” he replied, “unless you mean more trees, that is.”  The jungle stretched as far as he could see in every direction, with no sign of civilisation.  But suddenly the vampire’s attention was caught by something off to the left.

“What is it?” hissed Luke.  “What can you see?”

Resus frowned.  “Probably nothing,” he replied.  “I thought I saw a tiny glow of light for a moment, but it must just be my mind playing tricks on me.”

“Well, my mind isn’t playing tricks,” said Luke.  “It knows I’m far higher than it ever wanted me to be.”

Resus skipped over to Luke’s branch and grinned.  “Don’t tell me the wicked werewolf is afraid of heights?” he teased.

Luke swallowed hard.  “I’ll just feel better when my feet are back on solid gr-”  He stopped, staring at something behind his friend.

“What’s the matter?” asked Resus.

“Remember I said this place must be swarming with all kinds of birds?” Luke whispered.  “Well, look behind you…”

Resus slowly twisted round on his branch to see a large black bird perched nearby, watching them intently.  He let out a sigh of relief.  “It’s just a raven!  You had me going for a minute!  There are ravens all over Scream Street…”

“Exactly!” replied Luke.  “But, we’re not in Scream Street – and I don’t remember learning that they liked to hang out in the jungle.”

“It can’t be that unusual,” said Resus, pointing.  “Look, there’s another one over there.  And another.  Maybe they followed us through the Hex Hatch.”

Sure enough, there were now several of them perched in the trees around the boys, all peering intently at them with dark, beady eyes.

“This isn’t good…” Luke said quietly.

“They’re just birds,” said Resus.  “What harm can they do?”

As if on cue, the ravens all took off from their perches and launched themselves towards Luke and Resus, screeching wildly.  Within seconds, the pair were lost in a churning cloud of black feathers.

Luke shielded his face as powerful wings batted against him and jagged claws scratched at his skin.  “Resus!” he cried, but all he could see were more and more dark birds descending.

The vampire had pulled his cloak over his head and was trying to curl up into a ball.  Ravens were pecking and tearing at his cloak with their sharp beaks.

Luke knew they had to get down from the tree.  If they could get to the ground, they might be able to run deeper into the jungle where the ravens couldn’t follow.  He cautiously reached out with a scratched, bleeding hand and dug the fake vampire nails into the tree trunk.  Moving blindly, he swung himself off his branch.  “Resus, we have to – Aargh!”

It was a few seconds before Luke realised he was falling.  The fake nails had simply slipped from his fingers and he could still see them, lodged in the bark, before they were lost from view as the ravens dived after him.  A grim thought flashed across his mind as he wondered who would reach the ground first.

“LUKE!” shouted Resus.

To Luke, everything seemed to happen in slow motion.  As he crashed through the smaller branches, his vision was filled by the rapidly approaching flock of birds, their beaks wide.  For a brief moment, the ravens appeared to merge together to form a snarling, shadowy creature with blazing white eyes…

Does Luke survive the fall?  The only way to find out is to read Scream Street 9: Terror of the Nightwatchman – out in the UK on 4th October.

Tommy

With spooky new graphics, a new downloads section and more updates planned (Scream Street bookplates, anyone?), there’s a creepy new corner of the web to explore!  Check out the new-look site here: http://www.screamstreet.co.uk

Tommy

Landing on a hunk of space junk known at The Gyre, The Doctor and Amy find themselves in the midst of a disagreement between the dolphin like Sittuun and an encampment of humans who believe they are are the chosen few allowed to live on Earth.  Captured by the savage humans, The Doctor is going to have a hard time convincing his prison guards that they’re really on a galactic junkyard about to be incinerated by a flaming comet.

Packed with dialogue that really beings the 11th Doc and Amy to life, this adventure is one not to be missed by casual fans and Whovians alike.

Tommy

The Big Issue in Scotland

The Big Issue in Scotland recently asked a chapter of children’s authors (myself included) to name some of the books we feel kids ought to read if they are to develop an early love of the written word.  I’m a little late posting the results as they were announced at the start of the holidays, but here are…

You can see that I got to stick my oar in regarding Artemis Fowl and Mr Gum, although I heartily recommend every title that made the final list.

1. THE LION,  THE WITCH AND THE  WARDROBE
CS Lewis

No one can forget how they felt when they read of Lucy’s first steps into the enchanting world of Narnia, clambering into that wardrobe and seeing the lamppost in the snow. With the White Witch’s “always winter, never Christmas” motto, CS Lewis tugged at the heartstrings of children the world over. Many credit the books as the source of their passion for reading; generations of writers have been inspired by Lewis’ work.

Anthony Horowitz, Creator of the Alex Rider books
How awful it would be to think that Narnia only exists in the minds of Disney and Walden Media. Reading opens doors… and none more magical than the wardrobe door that takes the Pevensie kids on their first adventure.

John Fardell, Edinburgh-based children’s author and contributor to Viz
This is the first book I remember sitting up late in bed to finish. CS Lewis draws you into his world of Narnia and makes you want to be there.

JD Irwin, Author of Edwin Spencer Mission Improbable
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was the book that turned me into a reader. With big themes but plenty of gentle humour, it’s a classic good versus evil series.

Gemma Malley, Journalist-turned teen sci-fi writer
A timeless classic, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a wonderful fantasy that can’t fail to enchant

Eoin McNamee, Author of The Ring of Five
The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe by CS Lewis is an obvious choice, but unparalleled – the feel of the furs in the wardrobe turning into pine branches, the sudden feel of snow under the feet, the lone lamppost in the forest…

Whether involved in a mystery, a political thriller or a good old-fashioned swashbuckling adventure, stories of Hergé’s young Belgian reporter Tintin are a delight to read. The comic books have sold more than 200 million copies worldwide, and are sure to enjoy another surge in sales alongside Steven Spielberg’s upcoming Hollywood adaptation.

Peter Cocks (aka Will Peterson), TV writer on Maid Marian and Her Merry Men
I was addicted to the Tintin books throughout my childhood. I loved the stories, the fantastic pictures and Tintin’s stern, moral compass. He was a role model, right down to his quiff… and I would also tuck my trousers into my socks to emulate the boy detective. If I had to pick a favourite it would be King Ottokar’s Sceptre. No… The Crab with the Golden Claws… or Cigars of the Pharaoh…

Tove Jansson’s Moomins are iconic children’s characters. Living in their blueberry windmill down in Moomin Valley, there is no end to the enjoyment to be had reading about their tranquil lives and madcap friendships. Parents will enjoy the charming stories of Moominmamma, Moominpappa, Snufkin and the Snork Maiden every bit as much as their kids will.

Rupert Kingfisher, Author of the Madame Pamplemousse series
I loved Moominland Midwinter – the story of Moomintroll waking to find himself alone one dark midwinter when the rest of his family are hibernating. The Moomintroll books are unique in children’s literature

Debi Gliori, Author of No Matter What
Comet in Moominland. Apart from this being one of the best books of all time, it’s my top book to take to a desert island.

This is where it all began. It was with The Hobbit that JRR Tolkien introduced the world to hobbits and the Shire, to Gandalf and Middle-Earth, and to Gollum and the Ring. An adventure tale that continues to define the children’s fantasy genre, The Hobbit deserves to be enjoyed by all.

Debi Gliori
This can be a struggle – the language takes no prisoners and the plot develops slowly – but the rewards are colossal. What an epic story, exquisitely crafted, in an imagined world so real you could taste it. Plus, when you’re 11, you’ll be meeting plenty orcs, trolls and dragons at high school, so the sooner you learn about their nastiness, the better.

AG Taylor, Author of Meteorite Strike
Giant spiders, riddles in the dark and a dragon – what more could you want from an adventure?

While staying at his aunt’s house, Tom discovers a secret garden occupied by ghostly children and befriends Hatty, a lonely child who grows significantly older or younger every time he enters the garden. Philippa Pearce’s second book is one of the most famous literary experiments with time.

Julia Green, Author of Drawing with Light
Something extraordinary happens when the clock strikes 13… Tom finds himself back in time, in a garden that is no longer there, and meets a girl called Hatty… This magical story is beautifully written and has a perfect, touching ending. I recommend it for imaginative children (and adults) who are confident readers. It’s my favourite story of all.

Tracey Turner, Author of Deadly Peril and How to Avoid It
The places and characters in this magical, haunting classic will stay with readers for a lifetime.

The top book from our most recommended author. Packed with dark humour, every child will be clamouring for a golden ticket of their own after reading about Charlie’s adventures with the Oompa Loompas.

Gemma Malley
Who wouldn’t want to win a golden ticket to Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory? A wonderful story that backs up everything you’ve ever told your children – that they shouldn’t watch too much television, eat  too many sweets,   chew gum…

JD Irwin
Your heart bleeds for poor Charlie Bucket and his loving family. The wonderful characters and surreal humour make this an absolute classic!

Despite what Kenneth Grahame might say, his masterpiece is far more than four animals “simply messing about in boats”. The tales of Mole, Ratty, Toad and Badger explore the meaning of friendship and morality.

Gill Harvey
Author of The Egyptian Chronicles series As well as being a beautiful story, this book reflects my love of nature and the British countryside, and is an inspiration to preserve the loveliest aspects of it.

Alex Milway, Author of The Mousehunter trilogy
How can you top Mr Toad as a character? I still rank this as one of my favourite books of all time. Poop poop!

Debi Gliori
Please read this, because it is a core part of our island literary heritage. Watching the film is not the same thing at all. All of life is here, in one slender book.

The semi-autobiographical work describes the Ingalls family’s relationship with the wild world around them. The idea of finding harmony with nature is as relevant today as it ever has been.

Meg Rosoff Carnegie Medal-winner for Just In Case
First of the Little House books, and still the best. Red-knitted mittens for Christmas, maple sugar-making in the snow, and Pa playing his fiddle through the long Wisconsin winter nights.

Julia Green
My father read this aloud to me and my sisters when I was about eight or nine, and I loved it so much. It was great to have a story with an active, strong girl as the main character. I loved all the details of her exciting and adventurous life in a log cabin
in the Wisconsin woods with her loving family.

EB White’s endearing classic is one of the best-selling books of all time. Charlotte the spider saves Wilbur the pig from slaughter and the two become firm friends. What follows is one of the most emotional tales in kids’ literature.

Sarah Webb, Author of the Amy Green series
An oldie, but a goodie. Heart warming.

Julia Green
As a child I loved this story. It is very unsentimental about animals, and deeply moving. Reading it now as an adult, I appreciate its themes: the importance of friendship and about coming to terms with loss.

Although as yet without a Hollywood adaptation, Earthsea is a realm of wizards, dragons and shadows to rival Middle-Earth and Narnia. Le Guin was writing about a boy at a magical school before JK Rowling could even walk.

Amanda Mitchison, Journalist and author of Mission Telemark
Set in the mythical world of Earthsea, this is one of the greatest books ever written about magic. It will stay with you forever.

Philip Womack, Author of The Other Book
Thoughtful, intelligent and thrilling, a thoroughly-imagined fantasy for young children  to get their teeth into.

The original pirate adventure story is a treasure in itself.Popular with readers of all ages, Stevenson’s classic coming-of-age tale has pirates, parrots and peg legs galore.

Marcus Sedgwick, Author of Revolver
One of the classics that is actually worth reading, forget Pirates of the Caribbean, this is the real thing – dark and really, really scary.

Written with verve, charm and a very modern sense of humour, Artemis Fowl proves an absorbing alternative to typical fantasy tales.

Tommy Donbavand, Author of the Scream Street series
One of the most exciting books I’ve ever read. It’s Die Hard, with fairies!

JD Irwin
A fast-paced and hilarious novel with ingenious use of the anti-hero.

Roald Dahl’s second on the list tells the tale of George and his grumpy grandma. Wonderfully illustrated by Quentin Blake, George’s Marvellous Medicine is outrageously entertaining.

Glenn Murphy, Author of the Science: Sorted! series
I’d recommend anything by Roald Dahl. But this one – with its suitably silly and gruesome plot – was a personal fave of mine at age 10.

Dr Seuss’ wildly imaginative books are loved the world over.The Cat in the Hat is an icon of anarchy.

Tracey Turner
Two children, an anarchic cat and an anxious fish star in Dr Seuss’ beloved creation. Lots of children will have enjoyed the fun hundreds of times before they’re 11, but anyone who hasn’t read it should grab a copy now, whatever age they are.

Sent to bed without supper, Max sails off to the land of the Wild Things to become king and dance a wild rumpus. Recently adapted by Spike Jonze, this remains one of the best-ever picture books.

Tanya Landman, Author of the Poppy Fields Murder Mysteries
With a lyrical text and stunning illustrations, this is the perfect picture book.

A giant metal man causes chaos throughout the countryside before finding friendship in the most unusual place and fighting a dragon from outer space.

OisÍn McGann, Author of the Mad Grandad series
A simple, dark and haunting story about an unlikely friendship between a huge mysterious robot and a little boy. The iron giant causes chaos by eating metal and machinery wherever it finds it. But is it a monster or a guardian? A story that stays in your head long after you’ve finished reading.

“If you take a bad boy and make him dig a hole every day in the hot sun, it will turn him into a good boy.” Follow the trials and tribulations of Stanley Yelnats in this strangely compelling tale.

Jim Carrington, Author of Inside My Head
I love everything about this book – the brilliant characters, the dusty setting and the fantastically interwoven plots.

Marcus Sedgwick
One of the cleverest and oddest books I’ve read, with a hero you’ll cheer for.

It’s raining and Alfie’s roof is leaking! It’s up to Alfie, his sister Annie Rose and their babysitter to stop the flood.

Floella Benjamin, Former Play School presenter
This was one of my favourite books to read when I did Play School because there is a little Alfie in all children.

Eoin McNamee
As much for the illustration as the story – the careworn and loving adults, the lived-in interiors, the sense of a childhood looked back on.

Mr Gum is a grumpy old man who leads a quirky old life. Follow his adventures in this wonderful series of books, which won won the first Roald Dahl Funny Prize.

Tommy Donbavand
I love You’re A Bad Man, Mr Gum! It’s the first in a brilliantly quirky and funny series. Laughs guaranteed!

JD Irwin
No grand themes here, just extremely silly and very, very funny! Some of the most laugh-out-loud books ever written for children!

Pullman’s epic exploration of alternate dimensions and the meaning of God has made him one of the most controversial authors on our list.

Gill Harvey
Philip Pullman makes big ideas manageable with this fantastic
fantasy story.

Alex Milway
The Northern Lights is a terrific romp through ice and snow, with a feisty heroine and an armoured bear. Everyone wants a daemon after they’ve read this.

When Barney meets a caveman in the old quarry, he isn’t prepared for the incredible friendship and adventures they will have.

Peter Cocks (aka Will Peterson)
The story of a modern boy discovering a caveman in a local quarry. I was fascinated when I read this. I believe the setting was Kit’s Coty, a bronze age barrow near where I grew up in Kent. It inspired a love of archaeological mysteries in me and the idea of ‘what if?’ What if there was a real caveman at the end of your garden… or an alien buried in the local graveyard?

Friends Gracie and Daniel ignore the warnings of the Birdman and get stranded on the mysterious Samson Island.

Alex Milway
A classic tale of growing up in a world that’s our own, but seemingly still full of magic. The storyline and setting captivated me as a child.

Julia Green
This was the book that introduced me to the Isles of Scilly, which are the setting for my own novel for teenagers, Breathing Underwater. My children loved it when we read it together on our first visit to the islands. It’s a story about the important relationship between people and the natural world, and about not judging people who seem ‘different’ from us. Morpurgo is a brilliant storyteller: I recommend his many other books too.

Rudyard Kipling’s imaginative explanations for ‘How Rhinoceros Got Its Skin’ and ‘How The Camel got its Hump’, and much more.

Helen Grant, Author of Carnegie-shortlisted The Vanishing of Katharina Linden
Beautifully written and very funny – especially the tale of Suleiman-bin-Daoud and The Butterfly that Stamped, which makes me laugh every time I read it.

The timeless adventures of Julian, Dick, Anne, George and their dog Timmy have sold more than 100 million copies worldwide.

Lauren St John, Author of The White Giraffe
Politically incorrect and grammatically dodgy, but who – if they’re honest – can resist the timeless appeal of Julian, Dick, George, Anne and Timmy the dog?

These 13 amusingly gothic tales follow the Baudelaire orphans as they try and escape from the evil Count Olaf.

Robert Llewellyn, Android Kryten in hit sitcom Red Dwarf
One of those Harry Potter-type books that once my son started reading he didn’t stop. I have failed in many areas of parenting but both my kids read a lot so I’ve got one thing right. This was the start for my son.

Jim Carrington
This is a bit of a cheat, seeing as there are 13 books in the series. The baddies are brilliantly, daftly evil and the good children are ridiculously good natured, clever and have an incredibly disadvantaged life, since the fire that claimed their parents. These stories are fantastic for children who have a dark, dry sense of humour.

Yes, it’s official – Scream Street has gone digital!

You can read all about the release for The Kindle in the publishing industry magazine, The Bookseller, here… http://bit.ly/d9rBqs

…and download the books for The Kindle or Kindle App on your iPhone, iPod or iPad, here… http://amzn.to/cXb3zx

Tommy

PS – Don’t forget you can also read the Scream Street books as standalone apps for the iPhone, iPod and iPad here… http://bit.ly/djj0ri

…and as ebooks for your computer via the Waterstones website here… http://bit.ly/2hFFt8

I’m going to be at the Mountains to Sea Book Festival in Dún Laoghaire next month and, as part of the fun, you can now book a place at the Monster Mountains to Sea Author Lunch.  A barrel full of top children’s authors will be present (and me as well!), each hosting a table for young readers and book fans!  Plus, as if fighting us for the last cheese sandwich wasn’t enough, you can hear us all talk about our favourite novels, get copies of your favourite books signed, ask us burning questions, and much, much more!

The authors hosting tables will include: Sarah Webb, Niamh Sharkey, P J Lynch, Gordon Snell, Mary Murphy, Tommy Donbavand, Judi Curtin, Joe O’Brien, Don Conroy, Marita Conlon McKenna, Sarah Rees Brennan, Claire Hennessy, Oisin McGann – and perhaps more!

Check out this page for details: Monster Author Lunch

Tommy

Scream Street 5: Skull of the Skeleton features a visit by The Headless Horseman but, when the head-loose hero’s skull is stolen and used to complete a home-made demon, it looks as though Luke, Resus and Cleo will have their hands full finding the fifth relic.

In Scream Street 6: Claw of the Werewolf, Luke discovers that the final founding father is still living in Scream Street.  He must find that person, make them angry enough to transform into their werewolf and then – somehow – get one of the furious creature’s claws!

Will Luke, Resus and Cleo succeed in their quest to open a doorway back to the real world?  You only have to wait until 10th August to find out!

My author copies of the Chinese version of Scream Street popped through my letterbox this morning, and I’m absolutely delighted with them!  They look and feel fantastic and – in a completely unexpected move – the publisher has split book 7, Invasion of the Normals, into two volumes!

My plan to eventually dominate the world continues…

It was wonderful to see Joe again – but even better to watch the way he conducted his own interview with the media team.  Here it is, in two separate and silly parts…

It’s a shame I couldn’t hang around to catch up with top Hero.com author, Andy Briggs – but I was able to watch his interview online afterwards…

Thanks to everyone at Homesdale, especially Caroline Roche, for arranging such a memorable visit.  I look forward to dropping by again sometime soon!

Here’s what happened on day 2 of my visit…

…and I found time to squeeze in another quick interview.  Watch out for the moment we’re interrupted by the tannoy…