Chill, Dark Lord

Dirk Lloyd book 2 A Fiend in Need is published today. That's all I wanted to say, really. Nothing to add to what I said earlier in the week, except to reiterate that it's great, and if you are or were ever the kind of kid who dreams/dreamed of world domination - or know such a kid with a birthday coming up - then you'll love it.

Here's my favourite bit, for reasons that are immediately obvious:

Suddenly there was a loud cry and a black flurry of feathers burst into the room. Chris leaped back in shock.

‘What the…’ he stuttered as a black crow, as black as blackest night flew in through the window and alighted gracefully on Dirk’s shoulder. Dirk didn’t bat an eyelid and continued to work on Chris’s phone.

‘Hello, Dave,’ he said. ‘Meet Christopher.’ The Black Storm Crow cocked its head and eyed Chris with evil intent, its red eyes glowing. It lifted one claw and extended its talons in his direction.

‘Now, now Dave, Christopher is a friend. Do you understand? Friend!’ With that the crow gave a disappointed caw, and settled down on Dirk’s shoulder.

Chris just stared, gaping. Dirk looked over, a mischievous grin on his face. ‘He’s a Black Storm Crow. They are drawn to the Dark, to those such as I.’

Chris shook his head in amazement. Yet another freaky Dirk thing! And what had he called it?

‘Did you just call it Dave?’

‘Yeah! Dave. Dave the Black Storm Crow.’

Jamie is doing a tour of schools and bookshops in Sussex this week, and later in the month you'll find him at the Games Workshop in Crawley. (Dirk liked the name of the town.) All of this is very UK-centric, I'm afraid, but some good news for US readers: Dirk Lloyd book 1 is being published in American hardcover edition in October.