BREAKING NEWS..FIRST PAID SALE!

News just in - one of the Disresponsible Nodpots has just had an article accepted for publication.

Yes, it's true - the shock waves are still rippling around the globe. Valpot's article on patron saints has just been accepted for publication by a prestigious Irish journal.

"It's like a dream," Valpot gushed. "I'm so thrilled!"

'I never doubted her for a second,' Marvin, chairtoy of the Disresponsible Nodpots said.

'I am so pleased, she has worked so hard and deserves every penny' Parsley, treasurer of the same society, was quoted as saying. No doubt this sale will also benefit the flagging coffers of the society.

Meanwhile DNOTY '06 had this to say.:
'Thanks to my presentation at the DN conference, Valerie has gone on to follow my four step programme, 'Writing is easy', to success' said Mungo.

'I'm too excited, I can't speak' Iseult, fellow DN member and former DNOTY winner said.

Reactions from the other Nodpots :

'Oh dash it' Sparkie said. Sparkie of course is currently top contender for the DNOTY '07 award.

'About time' Blueberry said. And as the DNs have been in existence ten years, I guess he's right.

"Maybe we should wait until next year before we go for the ultimate title," October said. "Too much competition this year!"

"What percentage will the DNs get from this sale?" November wanted to know.

Let's hope this is the first of many publishing successes for the DNs!

***GUEST REVIEW *** MUNGO***

We are honoured to have the following guest review from Mungo

Lottie the Half Vampire by Valinora Troy

A review, by Mungo, DNOTY 2006

It is strange to see Valinora Troy’s name associated with something other than The Lucky Diamond, but it is true, your eyes have not deceived you. Lottie the Half Vampire is the first book in her new children’s series and, like those annoying wood preservative ads on the television; it does exactly what it says on the tin. This book introduces Lottie, a preteen human girl who lives with her widowed mother, older sister and West Highland White terrier, a perfectly ordinary girl it would seem, except that her father is a vampire. Not that Lottie knows that. This book is well written, as you might expect, and there are plenty of genuinely scary and suspenseful moments. Lottie is likeable, for a girl, and while it is a human-centric tale, the animals are represented in the form of her dog, Mac, and a large white cat that stalks her.

Now, this leads to the only gripe I have with this novel, and it is a big one. This massive white cat has magical powers, is malevolent and is pretty cool, except for his name. He is called Ungom. Now, any one with any sense will realise that only a creature of light could have a name with such a delightful choice of letters, no matter what the arrangement. This must mean that Ungom is either 1. An agent for good in disguise or 2. Valinora Troy made a serious mistake in naming the character. Of course, it couldn’t be the latter, in which case I look forward to future titles to discover how Ungom’s secret scheme unfolds.

NEW DN PUBLICATIONS

Following on from last weekend's great disappointment (the non-appearance of Rainbow and The Mountain of Life), the Disresponsible Nodpot Press nonetheless produced three new titles.

The Five Muses Anthology - a collection of short stories from the pens of M. Murphy, M. Murphy, M.Murphy, P. Murphy, V. Troy, Wiggins, Rags and Leopard & Jacob.

Lottie, The Half-Vampire - first of a new "For Your Eyes Only" Imprint, designed to get those first drafts into print! Written by Valinora Troy, this is the first of a new series about a girl struggling against her inheritance (ie her father's a vampire!).

Revenge of Queen Rose (Not actual cover) - the sequel to The Lucky Diamond by Valinora Troy.

Also launched by the Disresponsible Nodpots last weekend was the ultimate version of The Lucky Diamond - illustrated by the wonderful I.M.M. Murphy.

We would like to invite our readers to submit reviews of these new titles - all reviews will be published on this blog.

NEW DN TITLES

Early in January, we published a list of the 6 titles published by the Disresponsible Nodpots during 2006.

We are delighted to report that since then, there have been two more added to the list.

In March, the DNs brought out Wilkiestop - an exciting science fiction thriller, the first joint effort by Iserie Valult.







The following month, the long-awaited and eagerly anticipated Mango: The Unlucky Monkey by Mungo was published.




Both excellent additions to the list of titles already produced by the DNs.


Hopefully there will be more to come in 2007.


By the way, HAPPY DISRESPONSIBLE NODPOT DAY everyone!

7 Days in Hell *** GUEST REVIEW***

One of the recent publications from the Disresponsible Nodpots press was 7 Days in Hell, by Iseult Murphy.





Valpot reviewed it earlier this year, and this is what she said:

7 Days in Hell is a horror story set in Ireland. Twin sisters Irene and Vicky spend the October mid-term break in a self-catering cottage in the heart of the country. Unlike the promise of the website, the "converted barn" is a tiny shack which the siblings cram into with Ronnie, Irene's dog. The landlord and his ferocious dogs are sinister neighbours, the inhabitants of the local village are unfriendly, strange howls and light in the sky are apparent nightly, and to crown it all, the car unexpectedly breaks down. Just when the sisters are considering their holiday a disaster, they stumble into the much bigger trouble, the evil which has been perpetrated in the area for decades...

It's a pleasure to read a horror story based in a familiar "ordinary" environment, with normal people - though you might think twice about going self-catering after reading this. The story holds your interest from page one with a mixture of humour, suspense, horror and pathos. The sisters are well-developed, likable characters from the start, and the minor characters are equally deftly drawn. The story flows smoothly from the pen of its accomplished author, and it is difficult to believe that the bulk of this book was written in twelve days. The language is polished and skillful - as you would expect from this writer. The scene is expertly set, the plot is well-paced, and the denouement an original variation on its theme. It is a book where you are conscious of disappointment at the end - not because of the conclusion, but because you are finished. Highly recommended.

Marks out of 10: 10/10 Shines like The Lucky Diamond

SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH...

Sunday 22nd April saw the long awaited launch of Mango: The Unlucky Monkey.

Cover of Mango: The Unlucky Monkey

As usual with anything Mungo is involved in, the launch was a great success.

Mungo and his new book

Excerpts were read by Iseult (the illustrator and rival DNOTY) and Pamela ("the judge") Murphy. Noted author Geri Valentine then said a few words about Mungo and his brilliance, and the author himself hosted a Question & Answer sessions.

Mungo with Iseult, the illustrator

Mungo with fellow author Geri Valentine

There was a big turn out for the event, and Mungo and his new book was greeted with riotous applause.

Needless to say, Mango sold out almost immediately.

Janna can't believe how lucky she is to meet Mungo

We will be reviewing Mungo's latest on this blog in the near future, but we're confident it will be another brilliant work of art!

Mungo with his fans!

Looking forward to your next book launch, Mungo!

BOOK UPDATE - INKPOT

16. FIRESONG by William Nicholson
The third instalment of the Wind of Fire Trilogy. I liked the developments in this book and he wrapped up the tale very neatly, however I didn’t enjoy it as much as Slaves of the Mastery. – 7/10 Not Bad

17. DEATH DU JOUR by Kathy Reichs
Why did I read this book? I don’t really know. It must be hard to be Dr Temperance Brennan, heroine of this book. Everywhere she goes skeletons leap out at her and people try to kill her. – 3/10 Almost Darren Shan

18. THE TIME TRAVELERS WIFE by Audrey Niffenegger
Ms Niffenegger’s debut novel, The Time Traveler’s Wife intrigued me because of the time travel, not the wife. However, it turns out the book is more about the latter than the former. The book is told through the point of view of Henry, a man who has a medical condition that makes him travel randomly through time and space, and Clare, Henry’s wife, who has loved him since he first appeared to her when she was six. The subject matter is very skilfully woven and the lives of these two people are written with depth and understanding. It is a compelling read, however I don’t particularly like any of the characters in the book, so not one that I would recommend.
7/10 Not Bad

19. DAYWATCH by Sergei Lukyanenko
I very much enjoyed NightWatch, the first in the trilogy of books about the forces of Light and Dark that make up the Moscow division of the two watches, but I was very disappointed in this offering. The Dark Others come across as selfish and the Light Others come across as fools and, apart from that, there is very little difference between them. The insight into the Russian way of thinking was interesting, but otherwise the book wasn’t great.
6/10 The Curate’s Egg

20. LUCINDA’S SECRET (THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES 3)
by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black
Another chapter in this very dull, but very short series of books. I only read this to boost my book count. It took less than 30 minutes to read and I borrowed it from the library, so I can’t really lose, can I?
1/10 Darren Shan-tastic

DNOTY 05'S EARLIEST WORK

Courtesy of The Blackrock Bosh, the earliest known publication of Inkpot's work:



If any of our readers have an earlier publicaton, please let us know!

LEAF - In Search of Ramune ***Guest Review***

A review of Leaf

By Drakles

Leaf is the first book written by Judge Mungo (who is also Nodpot of the year 2006 and an award winning actor).

It is the story of Leaf, a monkey who lives in Arborea, which is a lovely happy place but lacking in the excitement and adventure that Leaf craves. However, things change for him when he witnesses a brutal slaying, his best friend, Rainbow, is kidnapped and he is given an urgent quest which, if left undone, will lead to the destruction of the Kingdom.

So there is Leaf, alone in a strange hostile world, with no idea where he is heading, where they’ve taken Rainbow, indeed, with nothing except unbounded confidence in himself and a bag of strange fruits given him by a dying bear. And so his adventures begin and Leaf, true to his brave resourceful nature, is not too fazed by all the strange, exciting, dangerous and near impossible situations he finds himself in.

Rainbow, after her initial trauma, seems to have landed on her feet a bit more than Leaf, but this is deceptive and it turns out she is just as deeply embroiled in danger. So the fate of the whole kingdom rests on the slender (and shapely) shoulders of the 2 little Arborean monkeys.

This is an excellent book. Extremely well written, it engages the whole attention of the reader from the word Go. The characters are all endearing, the adventure is engrossing and the kingdom captivating. There is never a dull moment in the kaleidoscope of magic and colour that is Leaf.

Suitable for toys of any age, it will also be appreciated by humans, young and old alike. Finally there are some great minor characters, the best being a wonderful pig and duck, who really deserve a book of their own.

THE LUCKY DIAMOND *** GUEST REVIEW***

Our latest guest review is by Geri Valentine, well known children's writer and author of the St Brigid's series.





She recently read The Lucky Diamond by Valinora Troy, and this is what she had to say about it:


A review of The Lucky Diamond

By Geri Valentine

I would highly recommend this book to everyone who likes a really good adventure story well told.

I don’t want to give anything away, so I will merely say that it is about what happens to five orphan children in a world that is different to ours, but as it develops it is hard to put the book down.

Well written and original in its concept and plot, with a very good ending which is quite unexpected too.

V. Troy writes extremely well and one looks forward to more of her work.

Disresponsible Nodpot Publications

2006 saw the start of Disresponsible Nodpot publications.



Leaf: In Search of Ramune was the first book by a Disresponsible Nodpot (Mungo) in print. Although originally published by Mungo is Great, it subsequently appeared under the DN imprint. Available in both hardcover and paperback, with the same cover illustration. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the story was received with critical acclaim. In the near future, a review of this story will be published on this blog.

The Original 24 Hours was next to appear in print. This is a collector's item, as the authors - Iserie Valult - say that this is an early version of the story, which will not be generally available. A review of this book is already available on this blog.



This second version of the original story 24 Hours is extremely rare. Only two copies are known to ever be in existence, and their authors are extremely cagey about the whereabouts of these. Therefore, unfortunately, and no matter how much we like the cover, this book will not be reviewed on this blog. Nor anywhere else.




2006 also saw the long awaited publication of The Lucky Diamond, pictured above in both hardback and soft cover. Rumours are that it took the best part of 35 years to produce so you might well wonder if it was worth waiting for. Find out on this blog in the near future!

November 2006 saw the start, finish and publication of two horror novels, written by Nodpots - a new genre for the Disresponsible Nodpots. The bulk of both these tales were written in 12 days, and we at nodpots applaud such industry.

7 Days in Hell was the first to be publicly available, a mixture of humour and horror. As with all worthwhile publications, it will be reviewed here shortly.



Black Rabbit Island, a traditional tale of gore, also appeared in December. It too will be reviewed on this blog in the near future.


Overall, not a bad selection for the Disresponsible Nodpots publications to commence with. We expect the list to be added to greatly during 2007.

Watch this space, to read about it first!

24 HOURS ***Guest Review ***

A Review of 24 Hours

By Michele Murphy

24 Hours is the first book written by Iserie Valult (a Preston Child type combo of Iseult Murphy – The Moonwolf Chronicles, 7 Days in Hell etc. and Valinora Troy – The Lucky Diamond, Black Rabbit Island, etc.). It is a sci fi futuristic thriller, but mainly just a thriller – that is, a non stop action, page turning, cliff hanging, who’s getting the chop next kind of thriller.

A group of travellers are on a space shuttle to Oilers city when their shuttle stops for a refuelling on the deserted planet of Ely with its two suns and non-interrupted views of uninhabitable desert. There, in the glaring suns, the shuttle is stolen, by a ruthless killer, escaped convict and master of disguises leaving the passengers to the tender mercies of the refueller and his daughter – both slightly (and charmingly) other worldly and eccentric. So far so good, they only have to wait 24 hours (albeit in relatively primitive surroundings) for another shuttle. Except strange things start happening… of course strange things start happening.

First of all the vicious killer crashes the shuttle, why? He is seriously injured but the killings go on. Why? And then the dead bodies disappear… and the body count rises… and soon it’s not safe inside and its not safe outside and it’s not even safe when the new shuttle comes…

Of course, in keeping with the genre, there is something decidedly fishy about a lot of the passengers – each has his or her agenda which prevents full disclosure and honesty which ultimately makes it worse for them.

There’s nothing much more I can say about the plot without giving a lot away. As a plot it’s nothing special although it’s very good – it’s tight, it’s fast moving and it resolves fairly satisfactorily. While I would have preferred a little more plot, it’s certainly adequate. It’s a thriller that relies more on the ‘inescapable menace’ factor and the ‘we’re all trapped in the dark’ factor rather than twists and turns and surprises. Not to say that there aren’t twists and turns and surprises, there are, and they are well spaced and nicely timed but they don’t drive the plot.

I had the privilege to read the original version, written in tandem by the authors in little more than 24 hours and I have to say this impressed me tremendously. Each of the 2 writers wrote alternative chapters without reading the intervening ones. In reading the book, you will not notice this, it is seamless. In fact it reads like one author only and I think that is an amazing achievement. The characters are great, very deftly drawn, they live from the minute they grace the page. Even the quick sketches of the first victims breathe enough humanity for the reader to feel pity at their demise.

I also love the world created, again it is very deftly done, just a few throw away lines and comments but it lives – completely believable and easily imagined. In fact a world which hints as being multi-dimensional and interesting but never dominating the characters or situation.

In conclusion, 24 hours is a rattling good yarn but with more, great writing, characters you want to know more about and a fascinating world.