May 2013
2 posts
Childrens Books Ireland Conference
Irish Bestsellers Chart
April 2013
4 posts
Publication Day!
My 8th novel for adults, THIS HOUSE IS HAUNTED, is published in the UK & Ireland today.
Pennsylvania
U.S. Book Tour
I’m in the States to promote the US edition of THE HOUSE OF SPECIAL PURPOSE, published by The Other Press.
First stop: Anderson’s Bookshop, Naperville, Illinois
Shortlist revealed for radical children's fiction...
From the Bookseller, Charlotte Williams
Titles from Frances Lincoln, Templar, Walker and Random House UK have been shortlisted for the inaugural Letterbox Library Little Rebels award.
The prize looks to reward radical children’s fiction written for children aged between 0-12, and which promotes or celebrates social justice and equality.
The shortlisted titles are Azzi In Between by...
March 2013
2 posts
Paperback Publication Day
In the UK anyway.
Bologna Book Fair
Here’s where I was yesterday. At the Bologna Book Fair in Italy.
February 2013
1 post
Paris
I’m in Paris for the next 2 weeks. So there.
January 2013
1 post
Uniformity
All 8 of my adult novels are now published with similar style jackets by Transworld in the UK.
December 2012
2 posts
Santa In Need Of A Drink
I publish a new short story in today’s Irish Times newspaper for Christmas, titled SANTA IN NEED OF A DRINK. You can read it in the newspaper, on their website or right here.
Santa in need of a drink
Agatha entered the hall 15 minutes before the talk was due to begin. At least 500 people were gathered and she glanced at her watch, cursing Monty for his lateness. The frustrating thing was...
University Challenge
Coming to BBC on New Year’s Day.
November 2012
4 posts
This House Is Haunted
My eighth novel for adults will be published in the UK/Ireland by Doubleday on July 4th 2013.
Rhino
Some requests are too inventive to ignore.
Before I became a detective
I lived in a wonderful zoo
But now I solve crimes, I’m a rhino
Detective Rhinoceros Lou.
Madrid
I’m in Madrid for a few days, where THE TERRIBLE THING THAT HAPPENED TO BARNABY BROCKET has just been published by Random House Mondadori as EL INCREIBLE CASO DE BARNABY BROCKET.
I spent all day Monday and will be spending all of tomorrow locked in this room giving interviews, which I will post online when available.
IMPAC Award
My seventh novel, THE ABOLUTIST, has been nominated for the 2013 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. I was a judge for the IMPAC two years ago so know the amount of reading that the judges have to do - good luck to them all!
October 2012
6 posts
Irish Book Awards
THE TERRIBLE THING THAT HAPPENED TO BARNABY BROCKET has been shortlisted for Children’s Book of the Year at this year’s Irish Book Awards.
You can vote for BARNABY or any other of the shortlisted titles by clicking here.
Malcolm Bradbury
Tickets are now on sale for a special event at the University of East Anglia, Norwich, on 28 November to celebrate the life and work of Malcolm Bradbury. Four novelists - David Lodge, Margaret Drabble, Giles Foden and I - will be reading from Malcolm’s work and discussing his influence and legacy.
You can buy tickets here.
Irish Writing In Hong Kong
An event at the Hong Kong Writers Festival with Colm Toibin, titled ‘Ireland - Land of Literature’
8 Languages
A great event held at the Hong Kong Writers Festival where speakers in 8 different languages read selections from my novels. Thanks to the European Union to Hong Kong for organising this and the readers in Cantonese, Italian, English, Spanish, Portuguese, German, French and Swedish.
Hong Kong Writers Festival
I’m in Hong Kong for the Writers Festival. It’s my first time here.
Book Review: JK Rowling - The Casual Vacancy
I review JK Rowling’s first novel for adults, THE CASUAL VACANCY, in today’s Irish Times newspaper. You can read it on their website or here.
Casting her spell on the dark side
FICTION: The Casual Vacancy, By JK Rowling, Little, Brown, 503pp. £20
ONE OFTEN HEARS of actors, released from the confines of network television to cable, who cry freedom at the lack of restraints put on...
September 2012
11 posts
More from Gothenburg
On stage with Irish novelist Paul Murray and Icelandic novelist Sjon.
Gothenburg Book Fair
I’m in Gothenburg, Sweden, for the annual book fair.
Next of Kin
My fourth novel, NEXT OF KIN, first published in 2006, is re-published this week by my UK publisher Black Swan / Transworld.
All my novels are now published by Transworld in the UK.
You can order it from Amazon here.
Cairns Tropical Writers Festival
Last day of the Australian / New Zealand book tour brought me to Cairns for the Tropical Writers Festival. A great event to close with. Tomorrow, I begin the long journey home.
Mossman
Eating People Is Wrong
Today sees the publication of new editions of all of Malcolm Bradbury’s novels by Picador UK. Each is introduced by a writer who had a particular connection to Malcolm, including Ian McEwan, Giles Foden, David Lodge and Margaret Drabble.
I’ve written the introduction to Malcolm’s debut novel EATING PEOPLE IS WRONG. Malcolm taught me on the Creative Writing MA at the University...
Mareeba
A lot of schools in the Bush area of Northern Queensland don’t ever get writers coming to visit. As part of my trip to the Cairns Tropical Writers Festival I made a visit to Mareeba today.
Brisbane Writers Festival
It’s been an amazing week at the Brisbane Writers Festival. Signed hundreds and hundreds of books, spoke to huge audiences, shared stages with some great writers, caught up with good friends, and had a brilliant time. On my last morning here I did an event with one of Australia’s most popular authors, Andy Griffiths.
Three Writers
A great day in Brisbane today. I did 2 events in the morning, then caught up with my old mate Tristan Bancks, a great Australian children’s writer, in the afternoon, then on to the Brisbane Writers Festival party in the evening where I ran into Joanne Harris.
Brisbane Writers Festival
Still on tour… now I’m in Brisbane for the Brisbane Writers Festival. My 5th time in Australia but my first time in this city and so far it seems very beautiful…and sunny. Lots of events over the next few days.
Wellington, New Zealand
My Barnaby Brocket-promoting tour of Australia and New Zealand has brought me to Wellington, NZ. It’s my second time here, the first was on a book tour for The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas in 2007.
I visited a few schools and did a theatre event where I was interviewed by my old Waterstone’s colleague and current head of the New Zealand Book Council, Noel Murphy. Good times.
August 2012
8 posts
Christchurch Writers Festival
Following a great Melbourne Writers Festival, I’ve moved on to New Zealand for the Christchurch Writers Festival. The festival has been cancelled for the last few years due to the earthquakes but it’s great to see the city re-emerging from difficult days. Here’s some pictures from my first event, discussing THE ABSOLUTIST at the Geo-Dome.
Melbourne Writers Festival
I’ve arrived in Melbourne for a 5 day stint at the Writers Festival. It’s my 2nd time at this festival (the first was in 2009, when I was promoting THE HOUSE OF SPECIAL PURPOSE.)
Here’s a couple of pictures so far, one from my first Australian reading of THE TERRIBLE THING THAT HAPPENED TO BARNABY BROCKET and the other meeting one of my great heroes, Australian author Tom...
Australia / New Zealand Book Tour
I’ve arrived in Sydney to begin a month long book tour of Australia and New Zealand to promote THE TERRIBLE THING THAT HAPPENED TO BARNABY BROCKET.
In Australia, I’ll be reading in Sydney and taking part in the Melbourne Writers Festival, Brisbane Writers Festival and Cairns Tropical Writers Festival in Australia. In New Zealand I’ll be reading in Wellington and taking part in...
Kilkenny Arts Festival
I was down in Kilkenny yesterday, reading from THE TERRIBLE THING THAT HAPPENED TO BARNABY BROCKET at the Arts Festival and being interviewed by an old friend and fellow writer Sarah Webb.
Children's Classics
Here’s an article I wrote for today’s Independent (UK) newspaper on children’s classics, to coincide with the launch of the Vintage Children’s Classics series. You can also read it on the Independent website.
The Essay: John Boyne argues that great books can break through every barrier of age
A confession: when I completed The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas in 2005, it was...
Publication Day !
Today marks the UK / Aus / NZ / Ireland publication of my third children’s novel THE TERRIBLE THING THAT HAPPENED TO BARNABY BROCKET.
Waterstone's Children's Book of the Month
July 2012
12 posts
Book Launch on Thursday
If you’re in Dublin, please do come along. You can pre-order the book from Amazon here or Waterstone’s here.
Brisbane Writers Festival
Tickets are now on sale for this year’s Brisbane Writers Festival, which runs 5-9 September. I’ll be taking part in a number of events as part of my Australia / New Zealand book tour. I’ll be posting the full book tour details next week.
In the meantime you can purchase tickets for Brisbane here.
New York Times Book Review
Christchurch Writers Festival
I’ll be taking part in this year’s Christchurch Writers Festival as part of my Australia / New Zealand book tour in August-September. Tickets are on sale for the events now here.
Coming on August 2nd...
Melbourne Writers Festival
Tickets have gone on sale for this year’s Melbourne Writers Festival, which runs from 23 August - 2 September.
I’ll be taking part in a number of events over the festival, some for children, some for adults and also teaching a masterclass on writing historical fiction.
To buy tickets for any of the events listed below, click here.
Saturday 25 Aug 2012 at 05.00 pm
NATIONAL...
Covent Garden
I read from THE ABSOLUTIST last week in Waterstone’s Covent Garden. Thanks to all the kind people who showed up.
Interview Magazine
The US magazine INTERVIEW interviewed me about the THE ABSOLUTIST. You can read it on their website or right here. Interview by Royal Young.
John Boyne’s novel The Absolutist (Other Press) tells the haunting story of a young soldier’s doomed romance with a fellow soldier. The protagonist, Tristan Sadler, is a young gay man disowned by his family. He finds company and camaraderie...
USA Publication Day
Today sees the publication of 2 of my books in the USA.
My seventh novel for adults, THE ABSOLUTIST, is published by The Other Press. You can buy it from Amazon here.
And the paperback edition of my 2nd children’s novel, NOAH BARLEYWATER RUNS AWAY, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers, is published by Random House Children’s Books. You can buy it here.
