Firing On All Cinders

It just gets pleasanter and pleasanter for Derek Landy. First up is the news that the sequel to SKULDUGGERY PLEASANT will be SKULDUGGERY PLEASANT: PLAYING WITH FIRE, which is slated for release on April 7 next year. Quoth the blurb elves:

Just when you think you’ve saved the world!
“You will kill her?” the Torment asked. Skulduggery sagged. “Yes.” He hesitated, then took his gun from his jacket. “I’m sorry, Valkyrie,” he said softly. “Don’t talk to me,” Valkyrie said. “Just do what you have to do.” Valkyrie parted her tunic, and Skulduggery pointed the gun at the vest beneath. “Please forgive me,” Skulduggery said, then aimed the gun at the girl and pulled the trigger …
With Serpine dead, the world is safe once more. At least, that’s what Valkyrie and Skulduggery think, until the notorious Baron Vengeous makes a bloody escape from prison, and dead bodies and vampires start showing up all over Ireland. With Baron Vengeous after the deadly armour of Lord Vile, and pretty much everyone out to kill Valkyrie, the daring detective duo face their biggest challenge yet. But what if the greatest threat to Valkyrie is just a little closer to home!?

Yep, we’re loving the sound of yon Baron Vengeous. Meanwhile, HarperCollins have introduced their first 15 titles available to download on your mobile phone, and SKULDUGGERY PLEASANT is in the vanguard of the radical new technology. Reading novels on a cell phone? It’s big in Japan, of course, but it’ll never catch on over here. Like, y’know, that whole karaoke malarkey … Finally, the news that Landy has been long-listed for the 2008 Carnegie Prize comes courtesy of Bookwitch (a list which also includes Eoin Colfer for THE LEGEND OF THE WORST BOY IN THE WORLD and the late, lamented Siobhan Dowd for THE LONDON EYE MYSTERY). Crumbs – now that’s what we call a damn good week …