It’s been almost three years since my last blog post. Blimey. That’s a hamster’s lifetime. But for all the tumbleweed, you can rest assured I’ve been busy with events and new projects. Full disclosure: not every project has worked out. But that’s something I’ve learned to accept. As I’ve told many a budding young author: failure is important. Failure is useful. And in that sense, it’s never truly failure; more a stepping stone on the path to success.

And on the subject of success, I’m chuffed to say I have not one but two new books on the way. One of them is an incredibly special collaboration with illustrator Keith Robinson. I can’t say much about that just yet, but watch this space. The other book is something you may have seen on my socials:

Not too shabby, eh? This gorgeously creepy cover was illustrated by Natalie Smillie (who’s been an incredible artist and champion of the book) and animated by Tom Martland (more on Team Pushkin below).

So what’s Thirst about? Here’s the blurb:

Nobody talks about the strange happenings in Maimsbury. No one speaks of the hooded figures glimpsed in the woods, nor the children’s game that went so horribly wrong. But most of all, nobody dares whisper their doubts about the river they have worshipped for centuries.

Like everyone in Maimsbury, Gorse is used to the sacrifices made every spring to the River Yeelde. The life of a farm animal – in return for a year of plenty – seems a fair trade. That is, until a tragedy leads Gorse to a blood-curdling discovery.

Because this year is a Brim Year, and after giving so much, the river needs more than an animal’s life to sate its thirst…

Thirst is a folk horror novel aimed at teens, though YA and adult readers will find much to enjoy too. It’s dark, creepy and tense, though free of the sex, drugs and so on you’ll often find in YA. My publisher, Pushkin Press, feels Thirst will cater for the somewhat neglected teen readership that’s too old for middle grade but too young for YA. I really love the idea of this. 12+ is an age at which many young readers give up on books, so I’m keen to offer something that’ll keep them picking up novels. All the better odds of becoming lifelong readers. Wouldn’t that be something?

Thirst was announced with a cover reveal on 12 May and life’s been hectic ever since, thanks largely to mad dashes across London and the Midlands to hand-deliver early proofs to booksellers and librarians.

I’ve had great feedback from booksellers, who are particularly enthused by the aforementioned targeting of teen readers, and by Thirst‘s throwback to classic folky fiction in the vein of Alan Garner and Susan Cooper.

Thirst proofs have also been finding their way to bloggers and authors, and early responses have been grand.

You can find a couple of early full reviews at Beth’s Bookcase and the World’s Smallest Library. I’ve got to say, it’s quite pleasing – as an author who’s having their first go at the outright creepy – to see readers shocked and delighted by how dark Thirst gets. Mission accomplished.

I’ll end this post with a shout-out to my new publisher, Pushkin Press. I’m hugely indebted to Pushkin Children’s Editor at Large, Sarah Odedina, for taking Thirst on and for being a joy to work with during every stage of editing. The entire team at Pushkin have been so enthusiastic and attentive, and I think I’ve found a wonderful home for what I do. I’m feeling very blessed while typing these words.

As I mentioned before, there’s no such thing as failure. That’s something I’ve truly come to believe over the last few months. There are only steps – whether they look like failure or not – towards eventual success. So whatever you’re doing and however it’s going: believe, be kind to yourself, and persevere.

Much love,
Darren