Joseph Delaney meets the young Spooks in Priestown
Last Friday, fantasy author Joseph Delaney, could be found signing copies of his latest Spook’s book, The Spook’s Stories: Witches at The Corner Bookshop, Garstang, near Preston (or Priestown as it is known in his Wardstone Chronicles).
Preston-born Delaney met fans who were dressed up as their favourite Spooks character for the launch of the book, which comes out next month. The Spook’s witch stories are set in the dark hag-ridden heart of the County (Lancashire). The fictional Witch Dell, which is close to the brooding mass of Pendle Hill, features in three of the stories, and other locations familiar to readers of the series are used: Chipenden (Chipping); Caster (Lancaster); Staumin (Stalmine) and the bleak Anglezarke Moor.
The Spook’s Stories: Witches synopsis
For years, the local Spook has been keeping the County safe from ghosts and boggarts, but more especially from witches. The Spook’s Stories: Witches features stories from the Spook’s own collection; the stories include child-eating witches, witch assassins, Celtic witches, dead witches and witches so beautiful they can break a man’s heart… these are certainly not to be read after dark!
About the author
Joseph Delaney lives in Lancashire. His home is in the middle of boggart territory and his village has a boggart called the Hall Knocker.
- The Spook’s Apprentice book review
- The Spook’s Curse book review
- The Spook’s Secret book review
- The Spook’s Battle book review
- The Spook’s Mistake book review
- The Spook’s Sacrifice book review
We, here at Fantasy Book Review, have received a review copy of The Spook’s Stories: Witches. Read it, loved it, full review to follow shortly… If you are a fan of the Wardstone Chronicles got out and buy it, you will not be dissapointed!
Posted: October 3rd, 2009
Author: Lee
Categories: Joseph Delaney
North West youngster’s given chance to shine
The search is on to find youngsters with star quality to compete in Wyre’s Got Talent.
It will include circus skills, free family sports, discounted swimming at the neighbouring Fleetwood Leisure Centre, Lord of the Rings stage fighting and a book signing by Spook’s Apprentice writer Joseph Delaney.
Joseph Delaney is a retired English teacher living in Lancashire. His home is in the middle of Boggart territory and his village has a boggart called the Hall Knocker, which was laid to rest under the step of a house near the church. The Spook’s Apprentice spent 7 weeks in the Best-seller charts and sold over 35,000 copies in the first few months. The Spooks series is published in 24 countries: UK, USA, France, Germany. Hungary, Italy, Japan, Poland, Portugal, Brazil, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, The Netherlands, Greece, Israel, Thailand, Turkey and Indonesia. Life Sales World Wide across all titles are over 1 million copies!
From singing to telling jokes, children aged 16 and under are being invited to show off their talents in a bid to win a £50 cash prize and six months free scholarship to the Paul Nicholas School of Acting in Thornton.
Auditions will take place between 10am and 5pm at the Marine Hall on Friday July 24. Youngsters under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
Illusionist Richard DeVere, Simon Green (aka Betty Legs Diamond from Funny Girls), top Mystique show dancer and choreographer Marc Lawlor and Karen Roberts from the Paul Nicholas School of Acting will be on the panel of judges.
Five winners from these auditions will go through to the grand final which will be held during the Summer Play Day family event at the Marine Hall on Saturday August 1 between 11am and 2pm.
The talent show and fun day are being organised by Sure Start Fleetwood in partnership with Wyre Council, the Paul Nicholas School of Acting and the YMCA.
The free Summer Fun Day is part of a National Play Days event, with this year’s theme being "making time with children".
All entries for Wyre’s Got Talent must be received by Friday July 17. Application forms are due to be sent round to schools in Wyre but entrants can also phone the Paul Nicholas School of Acting on (01253) 851144.
Source: The Gazette
Posted: July 1st, 2009
Author: Lee
Categories: Joseph Delaney
Audio-book review: The Spook’s Apprentice read by Daniel Weyman
Thomas Ward is the seventh son of a seventh son and has been apprenticed to the local Spook. The job is hard, the Spook is distant, and many apprentices have failed before Thomas. Somehow, Thomas must learn how to exorcise ghosts, contain witches and bind boggarts. But when he is tricked into freeing Mother Malkin, the most evil witch in the county, the horror begins.
This abridged reading of the first book in Joseph Delaney’s delightfully dark Wardstone Chronicles is professionally told by Daniel Weyman. He gives all the characters life; in particular The Spook himself that Weyman gives the gruff and no-nonsense demeanour that fans will recognise from the book. And Thomas Ward, the young lad whose tale this is, is given the innocence, naivety and wide-eyed wonder that perfectly matches his character in the book.
There are moments in the book that were brilliantly creepy and fraught with tension and the narrator has managed to retain these emotions in his tellling. This is a brilliant book, well told, and definitely recommended.
Running Time: 2 hours and 56 minutes. First published in July 2007 by Random House AudioBooks.
Daniel Weyman has appeared in Sam West’s Sheffield Crucible production of As You Like It and the Chichester Festival Theatre’s production of David Edgar’s The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby. He has also narrated Avenger, Meltdown and Payback, all titles by Andy McNab.
Joseph Delaney is a retired English teacher living in Lancashire. His home is in the middle of Boggart territory and his village has a boggart called the Hall Knocker, which was laid to rest under the step of a house near the church. The Spook’s Apprentice spent 7 weeks in the Best-seller charts and sold over 35,000 copies in the first few months.
Posted: April 20th, 2009
Author: Floresiensis
Categories: Joseph Delaney
Borders UK celebrate World Book Day
Over the years World Book Day has become firmly established as the biggest annual event promoting the enjoyment of books, and this year is no exception with every Borders store hosting a range of in-store promotions and activities.
JP Hunting, Children’s Buyer at Borders UK, summed up the enthusiasm building for Thursday by saying: ""We’re really excited about this year’s World Book Day. Each Borders store will feature a front of store WBD display unit, and we have many events planned for this week. We will be promoting the back-lists of the biggest featured authors in our ‘3 for 2′. There has been HUGE demand from our stores who have arranged some really great events and school parties for the 5th. Borders always gives its full support to literacy events like this, and we’re sure that this year’s WBD will be the most successful yet. If I had to pick my favourite from this year’s selection, it would have to be the Mr Gum / Beast Quest title; it’s an exciting combination of two of my favourite series, and I’ll be picking up my copy on Thursday!"
One of the event highlights is the exclusive London appearance of Marian Keyes at Borders Oxford Street at 1pm on Thursday lunchtime. The undisputed ‘Queen of international women’s fiction’ will be at the store with the fastest rising and hottest ‘must hear retro diva’ VV Brown. Elsewhere, at Borders Islington, there will be stories and activities based around a selection of special new World Book Day stories, visits from schools and by World Book Day authors Cathy Hopkins and Jenny Valentine. And at Borders Preston, bestselling local children’s author Joseph Delaney [link to biography] will be in store talking about the ‘Spook’ series (Wardstone Chronicles) and the latest title written especially for World Book Day, ‘The Spook’s Tale’.
Information about all Borders World Book Day events can be found at www.borders.co.uk/local
Posted: March 7th, 2009
Author: Floresiensis
Categories: Joseph Delaney
Lucky Lancashire reader wins iPod and Wardstone Chronicles
One Lancashire reader scooped top prize at a special ceremony on the 16th of January as part of Lancashire Reads and the National Year of Reading 2008 celebrations.
Tina Jones from Barton was picked from over 200 correct entries for the ‘How well do you know Lancashire?’ quiz which invited people to answer a series of questions about the people, places and buildings of our historic county.
The quiz was organised by Lancashire County Council’s Library and Information Service together with Lancashire Museums and the Lancashire Record Office to celebrate Lancashire Reads, a county-wide initiative to get people in Lancashire reading and talking about the same book as part of the National Year of Reading 2008.
The county council selected the popular children’s horror fantasy novel, ‘The Spook’s Apprentice’, a story of witchcraft, myth and magic set in historic Lancashire and part of a series of books, The Wardstone Chronicles, by local author Joseph Delaney.
A number of themed events and activities were held throughout the county as part of Lancashire Reads exploring topics such as what makes our sense of place, our spooky heritage and celebrating all things Lancashire.
As the winner, Tina won an iPod along with signed copies of The Wardstone Chronicles. She was presented with her prizes by Councillor Anne Brown at a special presentation held at Lancashire Record Office and also received a personal guided tour of the county’s archive building by senior archivist, Vicci McCann.
Councillor Anne Brown, cabinet member for Adult and Community Services at Lancashire County Council said:
“I’d like to congratulate Tina on winning first prize in the quiz. I’m delighted with the success of Lancashire Reads which encouraged reading in all age groups across the county and during which nearly 300 events were held with over 6000 people attending. I’m also pleased that our Libraries, Museums and Archives are able to work together on projects such as this and promote our excellent services to all our citizens.”
Joseph Delaney is a retired English teacher living in Lancashire. His home is in the middle of Boggart territory and his village has a boggart called the Hall Knocker, which was laid to rest under the step of a house near the church.
Most of the places in the Spook’s books are based on real places in Lancashire. And the inspiration behind the stories often comes from local ghost stories and legends. The Spook’s Apprentice, The Spook’s Curse and The Spook’s Secret have all been shortlisted for the Lancashire children’s Book for the Year Award. The Spook’s Apprentice is the winner of both the Sefton Book Award and the Hampshire Book Award.
The Spook’s Apprentice spent 7 weeks in the Best-seller charts and sold over 35,000 copies in the first few months. The Spooks series is published in 24 countries: UK, USA, France, Germany. Hungary, Italy, Japan, Poland, Portugal, Brazil, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, The Netherlands, Greece, Israel, Thailand, Turkey and Indonesia. Life Sales World Wide across all titles are over 1 million copies!
Posted: January 25th, 2009
Author: Lee
Categories: Joseph Delaney
World Book Day 2009
Reading is one of life’s great pleasures and for more than a decade millions of readers, young and old, have shared the thrill of a good read on World Book Day – 2009 promises to be no different!
Sometimes reading can be even more fun if it is a guilty pleasure rather than a virtuous one. This year World Book Day will be finding out which books people really delight in and what are the nation’s guilty reading habits. Are the books we secretly love different to the ones we talk about to impress? Do we ever turn to the back of the book to find out what happens before we have finished? A survey online at www.spread-the-word.org.uk/guilty-secrets/ will find out during the next two months, before the nation’s secrets are revealed on World Book Day.
Brand new for 2009 are World Book Day £1 Books flipbooks which combine two books by two different authors in one book, offering more stories for each child to enjoy when they redeem their free World Book Day £1 Book Token. There are five flip books, suitable for all ages and one stand-alone picture book for early years. A sixth flip book will be published specially for Ireland with one story in Irish and one in English. The World Book Day £1 books include new stories by Joseph Delaney, Andy Stanton and Julia Donaldson.
Adults are also asked to remember the joy of reading on World Book Day. 2009 sees the return of Spread the Word, an initiative encouraging people everywhere to talk about the books they have enjoyed reading. Booklovers will be encouraged to discover unfamiliar gems and spread the word about hidden treasures that they’ve read, as the nation embarks on a search to find The Book to Talk About in 2009. The ten shortlisted books will be announced on 30 January and the public will be able to vote for the winner at www.spread-the-word.org.uk
For the fourth year running, there is a new series of ten Quick Reads published on World Book Day, which this year includes non-fiction titles. This innovative and popular range of short and accessible books is aimed at the millions of people who just don’t have time to read or who struggle to finish a book. This year’s Quick Reads include titles by some of Britain’s most popular and engaging personalities, including Sherrie Hewson, Ian Rankin and Kate Mosse, as well as a new adventure featuring television favourite Doctor Who.
Posted: January 7th, 2009
Author: Lee
Categories: Joseph Delaney
Joseph Delaney opens Ribblesdale library
Staff and pupils welcomed acclaimed author Joseph Delaney to celebrate the opening of their revamped school library. Over the summer, Ribblesdale High School Technology College, Clitheroe, was treated to a massive make-over to create a new learning resource centre/library. Pupils were happy to see Mr Delaney, well-known for his teenage book collection the “Wardstone Chronicles”. He had been chosen as the author for the Lancashire Reads Project throughout libraries in Lancashire over the past three months and the county focused on one book in particular, “The Spook’s Apprentice”.
After chatting with children, staff and partaking in book signings, Mr Delaney unveiled a plaque opening the facility. Mrs Ruth Hargreaves, chairman of governors at the school, said: “I was pleased to be able to attend the opening and was glad that, because of my library connections, I was able to invite Joseph Delaney to be part of the ceremony.
Joseph Delaney is a retired English teacher living in Lancashire. His home is in the middle of Boggart territory and his village has a boggart called the Hall Knocker, which was laid to rest under the step of a house near the church.
The Spook’s Mistake arrived in 2008 to become the fifth instalment in the best ongoing fantasy series for young adults. The Wardstone Chronicles by Joseph Delaney are delightfully dark and a must read for children and adults alike.
The Spook’s Apprentice book review
The Spook’s Curse book review
The Spook’s Secret book review
The Spook’s Battle book review
Posted: January 3rd, 2009
Author: Lee
Categories: Joseph Delaney
Fantasy Book Review: The Spook’s Curse by Joseph Delaney
The Spook and his apprentice, Thomas Ward, have travelled to Priestown to defeat the Bane, a powerful, evil creature that lurks in the catacombs of the cathedral and is corrupting the County. As Thomas and his master prepare to battle with the Bane, they soon realize it isn’t their only enemy in Priestown. The Quisitor has arrived, searching the County for those who meddle in the dark – witches, warlocks and spooks! Can Thomas and his master survive the horror that follows…?
The Spook’s Curse – full book review
The scare-factor is still pretty high for a young-adult novel – we have burnings, suicide and “pressings” but nothing that will greatly disturb a young adult (they will in fact love it). I would be very interested to discover how many parallels there are between the content in the Spook’s series and the author’s own life. Was Joseph Delaney’s mother Greek? Did all the colloquial sayings come from his Dad? Sometimes the second book can be a let down but this is not the case here; we are once again treated to a magnificent tale that thankfully is but the second instalment in a five-book series. Many questions are raised here and I can’t wait to read the third book to once again be frightened and to have them answered.
Go out and buy this series now. It does not matter if you’re 8 or 80, male or female; this series is just one of those rare gems that can bridge genres and bring delight to all who enjoy reading.
Joseph Delaney is a retired English teacher living in Lancashire. His home is in the middle of Boggart territory and his village has a boggart called the Hall Knocker, which was laid to rest under the step of a house near the church.
Posted: October 25th, 2008
Author: Lee
Categories: Joseph Delaney
Learn a new quill skill
The Lancashire Record Office is inviting families to learn how to write with a quill and ink pen. The event is part of the Lancashire Reads project to get as many people as possible reading Joseph Delaney’s book The Spook’s Apprentice.
As well as quill and ink, participants will get to draw pictures and play games and quizzes along the Spooks’ theme. The event takes place from 10.30 to 3.30pm on Saturday, November 8, at the LRO on Bow Lane.
Joseph Delaney is a retired English teacher living in Lancashire. His home is in the middle of Boggart territory and his village has a boggart called the Hall Knocker, which was laid to rest under the step of a house near the church.
The Spook’s Apprentice spent 7 weeks in the Best-seller charts and sold over 35,000 copies in the first few months. The Spooks series is published in 24 countries: UK, USA, France, Germany. Hungary, Italy, Japan, Poland, Portugal, Brazil, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, The Netherlands, Greece, Israel, Thailand, Turkey and Indonesia. Life Sales World Wide across all titles are over 1 million copies!
Posted: October 25th, 2008
Author: Lee
Categories: Joseph Delaney
Spooky county reading challenge officially launched in Pendle
LANCASHIRE County Council has officially launched a countywide reading challenge at a special event at Pendle Heritage Centre as part of the 2008 National Year of Reading campaign.
Between September and November, the county council’s Library and Information Service is inviting young and old alike to get reading and talking about the same book – ‘The Spook’s Apprentice’ by local author Joseph Delaney.
The launch of Lancashire Reads was attended by a number of county councillors including the Leader of Lancashire County Council, Councillor Hazel Harding and cabinet member for Adult and Community Services for Lancashire County Council, Councillor Anne Brown. They welcomed the author Joseph Delaney and local readers of the Spook’s Apprentice to talk about the book and why reading is important to them.
The county council has carefully selected the popular children’s horror fantasy novel, ‘The Spook’s Apprentice’, which takes you on a thrilling, mystical and terrifying adventure full of ghosts, witches and boggarts. The book is part of the ‘Wardstone Chronicles Series’ and is popular with people of all ages.
The author, Joseph Delaney, was born in Preston and has lived in Lancashire for over thirty years so residents of Lancashire will particularly enjoy this book which is firmly rooted in the landscape of Lancashire, its history, folklore and traditions. You may even recognise some of the fantasy locations such as ‘Chipenden’ ( Chipping ) and ‘Priestown’ ( Preston ) as real places in our very own county!
Every library in the county is recruiting local celebrities to read and adopt the book and then be ambassadors for the pleasure of reading. Recruits so far include Preston soccer ace Sir Tom Finney and dozens of county councillors and local personalities.
Although some cities have tried this reading challenge before, it has never been attempted by a county the size of Lancashire.
Lancashire Reads challenge is part of a wider campaign to get people learning, reading and enjoying books.
Gill Entwistle, area manager for Lancashire County Council’s Library and Information Service, said:
“Reading is a skill that many of us take for granted but the truth is that a staggering 5.2 million adults are estimated to have only very basic reading skills. We want to use the remaining months of 2008 to remind people just how wonderful reading is, and as well as encouraging individuals and families to read and talk about this book, there will be ample opportunity to do lots more.”
During this challenge there will be events and activities in libraries across the county that the whole family can enjoy.
The Library and Information Service has also teamed up with Lancashire Museums and Lancashire Record Office during Lancashire Reads to offer a wide programme of activities in different venues.
Look out for writing and craft workshops, visits from authors, cookery demonstrations, and spooky story times for adults as well as young people.
For more information on the Lancashire Reads challenge and events in your local library visit www.lancashire.gov.uk/libraries
Posted: October 1st, 2008
Author: Lee
Categories: Joseph Delaney
Book of the Month
Apartment 16 by Adam Nevill
Some doors are better left closed . . . In Barrington House, an upmarket block in London, there is an empty apartment. No one goes in, no one comes out. And its been that way for fifty years. Until the night watchman hears a disturbance after midnight and investigates. What he experiences is enough to change his life forever.
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Competition: Win a signed copy of Graham Hancock's Entangled
Graham Hancock is the author of The Sign and the Seal, Fingerprints of the Gods, Keeper of Genesis, Heaven's Mirror, Supernatural and other bestselling investigations of historical mysteries. His books have been translated into twenty-seven languages and have sold over five million copies worldwide. Written with the same page-turning appeal that has made his non-fiction so popular, Entangled is his first work of fiction. We have five signed copies of Entangled to give away as prizes. Email us the answer to the following question and the lucky winner, chosen at random, will receive a copy of the book, signed by the author.
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Book View Cafe is a cooperative site created by a group of writers - including internationally renowned authors Katharine Kerr, Ursula Le Guin and Vonda N. McIntyre - who want to take advantage of the internet's possibilities for reaching a wider audience and to distribute their work directly to their readers. The Book View Cafe is a place where you can find free, original fiction plus the authors' best and out-of-print work for a fee. Fantasy Book Review spoke to Book View Cafe member, science fiction author and memoirist Chris Dolley in February 2010.
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Lewis Carroll, the elusive author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, has been the subject of enduring fascination for the past hundred years. The destruction of many major documents about his personal life by his descendants has only magnified the mystery. Jenny Woolf's biography, published to coincide with the release of the new Tim Burton Alice in Wonderland film, lays waste to the myths and suspicions that have obscured Carroll's reputation by placing him firmly in the context of his own time.
