Winning words
Uji Thapa and brother Kiran quiz Red House Children's Book Award winner and Skulduggery Pleasant creator Derek Landy for NG Kids
Uji: What does it mean to you to win this award?
Derek Landy: It's amazing, it's really cool, especially 'cos it's voted for by children, and I took the award from the people I'm writing for. I'm not really used to winning anything; I don't really win things, so this is a marvellous surprise and it's awesomely cool and I’m just… basically I'll be smiling for the rest of the week like a complete goon, but yeah, that's me.
Kiran: Who is your favourite character from Skulduggery?
DL: My favourite character is probably Skulduggery himself, because I like to think of him as a thinner version of me. A thinner, intelligent, slightly more competent, slightly more confident, slightly more…in fact he's nothing like me at all. Anyway, yeah he would be my favourite character because he gets to do all the coolest stuff. Yeah, he's who I want to be when I grow up.
Uji: Do you plan on writing any more books?
DL: Yep. There will be nine Skulduggery books in all. The second has just been released, the third one will come out in April 2009, and in every April from then on, a new book will be released, so yeah, loads more.
Kiran: Where do you write your books?
DL: I split my time between my parent's house and my house. In my parent's house, I write in my old bedroom, with my dog asleep on my bed, behind me. She is a German shepherd and she is MASSIVE!
Uji: What about when you are writing at home?
DL: When I go home to my house, I write in my study and my cats are around me and they fall asleep on the keyboard and on my head… you know they are really annoying but they are so cute. So, I don't really mind. I will write anywhere 'cos I love writing.