Darren Shan
Darren Shan
Darren O'Shaughnessy, who commonly writes under the pen name Darren Shan, is an Irish author. Darren Shan is the main character in Shan's The Saga of Darren Shan young-adult fiction series, also known as the Cirque Du Freak series. He followed that up with The Demonata series and the stand-alone books, Koyasan and The Thin Executioner. Then came The Saga of Larten Crepsley which is a prequel to The Saga of Darren Shan. He has most recently finished a 12...
NationalityIrish
ProfessionYoung Adult Author
Date of Birth2 July 1972
CountryIreland
Underneath me, Sam Grest - who'd been my friend and saved my life - lay perfectly still and slipped further and further into the final sleep of an unfair and horrible death.
Every generation likes to think that children don't read as much as they used to when they were young! You listen to some adults saying they were going around reading 'Ulysses' when they were seven or eight! I think children are voracious readers if you give them the right books and if you make those books accessible to them.
One of the things I wanted to do with my own books was bridge the gap between 'Goosebumps' and adult horror.
I grew up on all sorts of horror - Hammer Horror and Vincent Price's 'Theatre Of Blood.' I loved the hidden, scary layers, but there wasn't that much around for youngsters in terms of horror books. I can remember reading Stephen King's 'Salem's Lot' and 'Cujo,' but I thought there should be more for teenaged horror fans.
I have music on when I write. I don't like the isolation otherwise and find the silence deadening.
Many people think that it is important to have a title before you begin writing the book, but I think you should never sit around waiting for the right title to strike before you start writing. Crack on with the story, put in the hard work, and the title will come eventually.
The only way to learn and hone your craft is by working hard and writing regularly.
I think sometimes parents and teachers can push children away from reading by telling them it's something they must do, the same way they must eat their greens and must pass their exams in school. Poppycock! Read or don't read - that's your call.
I think you can spread yourself across any number of genres when you're a writer as long as you have a deep, abiding love for each of them.
I was lucky because my mum was a teacher and showed me how to read and write. But most importantly, she encouraged me to use my imagination.
I always loved horror, but I read all sorts of books. My favourite as a child was 'The Secret Garden' which has a big influence on Lord Loss, believe it or not!
Your spikes have gone floppy,
One of the things is that in times of severe disorder, you can't worry about the dead, only the living.
I'm starting to understand that fear is like cancer - you can beat it back, but if it returns, it can be worse than ever.