Skulduggery Pleasant Competition

Okay, seriously Harper Collins? You are doing a damn fine job in the competition department. The fine folks who brought you the Department 19 Be A Character Competition have also been preparing for Derek Landy's upcoming visit to Australian and New Zealand shores.

ANZ Skulduggery Pleasant Fans, you can win a chance to meet this guy:

Okay, just to clarify, you get to meet Derek Landy, the amazingly talented author, not Skulduggery Pleasant, the wise-cracking skeleton detective. But still, right?

And not only a chance to meet Derek, but also a full set of his books. Signed. As in he touched them.

Am I getting too creepy now?

Whatever, just check it out here.

Department 19 Competition

Imagine how excited I was upon returning home from my trip to the US to find A COMPETITION WHERE YOU CAN ENTER TO BECOME A CHARACTER IN THE THIRD DEPARTMENT 19 BOOK!

Why are you still here? Surely you should have clicked on that link by now.

Seriously, this has to be one of the coolest competitions I've ever seen - not only is your name immortalised in print as a character, it's immortalised as a butt-kicking vampire (or a vampire butt-kicker).

I got this a while ago, so I'm hoping the comp is still on (I can't find a closing date - maybe they're just waiting for YOUR entry?). Now scurry, scurry my Spinechilldren! Immortality awaits!

Don't Kill Cabin in the Woods

Okay, this isn't about horror books, but it's about a horror movie, and it needs to be said.

On my recent visit to the US, I decided to see a movie - specifically, Cabin in the Woods, directed by Joss Whedon. I knew it would probably be a while before it came out in Australia, so I thought I'd get in early. I had no idea what the movie was about, other than it was a horror film. To be honest, I wasn't expecting much.

Halfway through the movie, I turned to my partner with tears of pure joy in my eyes and said, 'I think this may be single greatest experience of my life.'

Dearest Spinechilldren, this movie is amazing. Beyond amazing. Anybody with even a passing interest in horror needs to see Cabin in the Woods. I'd planned to see it at least twice more at the movies when I got back to Australia. (Though let me just warn you now that its amazingness stems from the fact you don't know what do expect. Whatever you do, DON'T read up on this movie. Don't look at any spoilers. And if anybody tries to talk to you about it in specifics, kill them painfully).

The other day I learned that Roadshow aren't giving CitW a cinema release. This is an outrage. If ever a film needed to be seen on a big screen with an audience, it's this one. It makes all the difference. There are a number of reasons why that I won't go into here, but here's a nice rundown of the situation.

So if you're an Aussie horror fan who is desperately looking for a brilliant movie, let Roadshow know you're not happy. Comment on their Facebook page, or sign the online petition. They've given no reason as to why they've made this decision, so who knows what public outcry will do, but it can't hurt. 

One of the reasons I've heard is that apparently horror doesn't sell in Australia. Rot and nonsense. Just look at the outcry already. Show them just how big horror can be in Australia and demand a release!

And to all my readers who hail from countries sensible enough to screen CitW, make sure you don't pass up the opportunity to see this amazing movie.

UPDATE: Wow, I can't believe complaining long enough and loud enough actually works... to a degree, at least. As of about two hours after posting this, Roadshow confirmed that there will be a limited run in Australia, in Sydney and Melbourne. At two cinemas. Still, it's better than nothing!

http://roadshowfilms.tumblr.com/post/22312559159/cabin-in-the-woods-release-sydney-melbourne

Doom Rider for YOU!

Hello Spinechilldren. How much do you love me? I hope it's a lot, because I'm going to be bringing you a few presents over the next couple of days, the kind wrapped in sinister-looking newspaper and dripping a little, just how we like it.

Yay! My strawberry milkshake has arrived.

The first present is one that is sure to whet your appetite. Do you remember a little while ago when I posted the cover of the forthcoming David Gatward book, Doom Rider? Well now you can check it out yourself, since Hachette has posted some sample chapters online for you to read:

http://www.hachettechildrens.com.au/9781444907698/

And I highly recommend you do go and read them to get you in the mood for Doom Rider's release date in July. I've gone on record as a big fan of Gatward's previous books, and I think this latest instalment is his best work yet.

My green skin is crawling with excitement!