Pumpkin & Elise
Well — I made it to Sweden — but only just!!! I set out fine on Thursday morning and caught my regular Ryanair flight to Gatwick. I was early, so I had a little wander round, then decided to go upgrade myself to Speedy Boarding with my next flight on EasyJet. The lady behind the desk asked me for my name — it wasn’t on the system. So she took my confirmation code, and up I popped — the only problem was, the flight which I had been booked on flew out on WEDNESDAY!!!!! Luckily there were still seats available on the Thursday flight, so I was able to get one — phew!!! But my adventures didn’t end there! I was meant to be meeting one of my publishers at Copenhagen airport, but when I got there, there was nobody waiting for me. I rang her mobile and discovered she had gone to the WRONG airport!!!!! Thankfully the train station was attached to the airport, and it was easy to find out which train I should be on, so I managed to get to Lund by myself. I met Lena, my publisher, there and went for a couple of much-needed drinks with her and some other authors and people attached to the festival, including Bali Rai, who I’d met with briefly a few years ago.
This morning I did a couple of school events, then a public event for adults. Most of the people in attendance were teachers, librarians or people in the publishing business — but some fans had managed to come along too, including “Pumpkin” and Elise, who not only bravely helped me act out my Cirque Du Freak scene when all the adults around them were trembling with fear at the thought of volunteering — but they also gave me a huge hamper of Swedish treats and dolls based on my characters which they had created themselves!!! I was overwhelmed by their generosity, though they did have a request in exchange for the gift — they asked that I mention them in my next blog. It’s a price I’m only too happy to pay — in fact, given the size of that hamper, I felt it was only fair that I dedicate this entire blog to them and name it after them!!! So I did.
Hmmm… I have this nagging feeling that I should be mentioning something else today… October 23rd… something to do with a freaky little movie that hits the States and UK…
Nope — can’t think of what it might be — maybe next time!!!!!!
:lol
Darren Shan's Blog 
Ivor Bolton said,
October 23, 2009 at 20:06
Congratulations on your safe arrival in Sweden, Darren ! Sounds like a serious business out there, but great to hear that your fans broke through the teacher barrier ! Greetings to Pumkin & Elise from all us UK fans !
Thanks for finding the time to blog amidst all this excitement … and all 3 of our local big-screens are fully booked for tonight’s premiere !!
Ivor.
Robbie said,
October 23, 2009 at 21:52
Movie out today- a movie that hopefully has bite known as Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant. Great old blog there Darren Shan, glad you got help and rewards in Sweden- hope the third volume of the manga comes out soon as I very much enjoyed volume 1 and 2- please keep up the good work by writing more soon please!!!
lou-ann said,
October 24, 2009 at 02:07
Wow it came out today! I forgot for a minute! , I can`t wait to go see the movie , I might be able to go to see it at the movies but I will definately see it when the DVD comes out 🙂 the trailer looks very good!
lou-ann said,
October 24, 2009 at 02:08
I might not* typo.
Cassy said,
October 24, 2009 at 02:41
I just got back from the movie. As a book adaption, I hated it. As a movie- I loved it!
But the books still OWN the movie!
Lilian said,
October 25, 2009 at 20:49
I feel the same way – the movie was pretty much nothing like the books, and that bothered me. But then again, nothing CAN be as good as the books, so in movie terms, it was good.
Only, immediately after, I went home and grabbed the first book off my bookshelf and reread it just for nostalgia’s sake to find it’s still just as riveting as before! 🙂
Cadaverkid said,
October 24, 2009 at 06:12
Freakin beast! Thats my description of the movie. I think it was overall awesome on terms of entertainment butttt i do think it would have been better if they had followed the books and they did make mr tiny turn out to be a faggot which kind of screwed the movie a liitle bit
Adam said,
October 24, 2009 at 16:57
Wow. I saw it last night and I feel so bad for you. As a standalone movie not based on a book it was good, but when it bore the name of my favorite book series, it was terrible. The director/writer mixed up the whole story so that things from like the tenth book were in this movie. I don’t know. I was just really sad that the movie that my friends and I rushed to go see after we got out of school was this much of a disgrace to the Cirque du Freak name. I hope they remake it sometime with better actors/script/director/and don’t change the story as much.
Alex said,
October 24, 2009 at 18:38
I watched the movie this afternoon. I liked it and disliked it at the same time. I think some of the acting was terrible from the minor characters – namely the teacher and the parents. I don’t like that the movie is so different from the books – based on the first three books? There wasn’t much of the second book and almost none from the third. I don’t like that we know more about Mr Tiny early in in the movie, i liked the intrique in the books as to who or what Mr Tiny is. Steve and Darren fighting??? when did that happen in books 1 – 3?!?
I’m dissapointed that the movie didn’t stay as faithful. Too much is different.
Adam said,
October 24, 2009 at 20:42
EXACTLY!
Nicole Fraser said,
October 24, 2009 at 20:29
When i found out that it was going to be a moive i was so happy but it will be good if demonata was a moive but it will be one day. i love darred shan books demonata is my love i have all the books i like dervish, why did you make him die it is so sad i mean at the end of the book yeah well that is just me bye.
Alex said,
October 25, 2009 at 00:04
Anyway, off topic from the movie.
Where are the author notes for Hell’s Heroes! It’s been long enough, let’s have ’em!
Rowan said,
October 25, 2009 at 08:26
I saw the movie yesterday and I loved it – I really did.
But, it wasn’t a good adaptation of the books. They changed so much and missed so much out.
One thing that really annoyed me was how Mr C was with Madam Truska; that just didn’t make any sense what-so-ever. Got me thinking if in the next film (if there is one) if they’ll have Arra in it – I hope so (she’s like the ulitimate character ^_^)
Anyway, all that said and done, I did absolutely love the film – the fight scenes were amazing and I think the actors were great. But I still think the books are much better! XD
Rowan. X