Fan Art Friday! Featuring 4 drawings from the Saga Of Larten Crepsley. Larten and Mika, by EMILY. Larten and Vur Horston, by MAISEY. Larten and Paris Skyle, by NOEL. Larten and Wester, again, by NOEL. #cirquedufreak #MrCrepsley #lartencrepsley #books #fanart #FanArtFriday

The July issue of my monthly newsletter is online, and along with a roundup of all the latest news and updates, it sees me celebrating a pair of birthdays!! "A PAIR of birthdays?!?" you ask. To find out more, click here: darrenshan.com/shanville #cirquedufreak #booksbooksbooks #author #newsletter

It's another TATTOO TUESDAY! When I was in Budapest, a fan called SYDNEY asked me to write this on a sheet of paper, and she then had it tattooed on her thigh. I think I have terrible handwriting! But Sydney was delighted with it, and hey, the customer is always right!!! 😂😍

I came across this photo of a fan's collection of my books, beautifully displayed, and just had to share it. The fan, N S NEILL, a fellow author, posted this on Instagram, and you can find their page here: www.instagram.com/nsneill_auth... #cirquedufreak #bookshelfie #bookshelf

There was a very nice review for the Cirque Du Freak audio book, by a Mom in the States who got hooked when she started playing it for her 7 year old daughter! 😂 audiobooksoul.com/reviews/cirq... #cirquedufreak #audiobook #ralphlister

For several years, we've had caterpillars shipped to us. We move them to a netted zone when they turn into cocoons. Then, after they hatch, we release them into the wild. It's a lovely thing to do with your children if you have any - or by yourself if you don't! :-)

There’s a new interview with me on THEIR OWN DRUM podcast. It’s over an hour but if you want to hear me wax lyrical about my books, dealing with rejection, mental health and more, it’s an hour you won’t regret setting aside! open.spotify.com/episode/6k4bjLgKaf9oe6ql1OaPDR?si=w6Srn3JOQ-aJzgR1oE6-wQ

www.instagram.com/reel/DZpvWqT... A lovely short video of my recent trip to Hungary.

🎧 Cirque du Freak: A Living Nightmare by Darren Shan ★★★★ 4/5 Reviewed by Rachel Morrison https://audiobooksoul.com/reviews/cirque-du-freak-a-living-nightmare #audiobook #bookreview #audiobookreview

It's another Tattoo Tuesday!! This week we have DIEGO, who, like so many other Shansters, is hoping to be triumphant in death. Will his wish be granted??? Only DesTiny knows... 😜😂😱 #cirquedufreak #tattoo #tattootuesday

I signed for 8 hours in total yesterday. Already clocked 4 hours 45 minutes today. Budapest is a hotbed of Shsnsters!!! 😂 Here’s a short video I took when arriving this morning, showing the incredible view from my signing table. Back soon for the final session of the tour!

A busy morning signing at the Budapest Book Festival. Started before 10am, and signed without a break until 2.30pm. Having a rest in my hotel now, and treating myself to an ice cream chimney cake! Then doing it all again this evening, starting at 4pm. 👻👻👻👻

Do you like the t-shirt my Hungarian publisher made for me to wear to my signings at the Budapest Book Festival today?!? Mr Crepsley, of course, never learnt to read, so who wants to explain to him what VILF stands for?!? 😂😂😂 #cirquedufreak #budapest #bookfair

A short video highlighting the beautiful new Hungarian edition of Cirque Du Freak, and talking about my plans for the next few days here in Budapest. #cirquedufreak #CoverReveal #hungary

It's another Tattoo Tuesday! This week it's BRET, who opted for my favourite quote, paired with a neat illustration of Vampire Mountain. A beautiful piece of work -- it's just a shame those birds beneath the text weren't bats... 😂 #cirquedufreak #books #tattootuesday #tattoo

Is Cirque Du Freak really a book about online child predation at the turn of the century?!? One PhD student makes a pretty strong arugument that it might be... darrenshan.com/news/a-preda...

FAN ART FRIDAY! Starring Kurda Smahlt, the most intellectual and tragic of Vampire Princes. "Guilty" drawing by NOEL. LIV captures the moment before Kurda beat Arra Sails on the bars. Winking Kurda is by FROG. Younger, carefree Kurda, is by TAKIVAL. #cirquedufreak #fanart

Hi-def versions of CDF books 2 and 3 , which are being reissued in the UK with new covers on August 27. You can find the links for Amazon UK below, in case you want to pre-order them. Book 2: www.amazon.co.uk/Vampires-Ass... Book 3: www.amazon.co.uk/Tunnels-Bloo... #cirquedufreak #CoverReveal

I saw SINNERS at the cinema last year, and raved about it. I watched it again last night, and it definitely holds up. Along with Let The Right One In, I think it's the best vampire movie of the 21st century to date. If you haven't caught it yet, go track it down! @SinnersMovie

It's another TATTOO TUESDAY!! This week it's BETHIICA, who loves Cirque Du Freak so much, she had it tattooed across her chest! I guess that's the surest way there is of proving that a book is close to your heart... 😂😍 #cirquedufreak #tattoo #books #tattootuesday

The June issue of my monthly newsletter is now LIVE online! Upcoming signings in Hungary... new UK covers for two of my early books... an update on my next novel for adult readers... plus loads more! Read it here: darrenshan.com/shanville #cirquedufreak #books

Jubileumi díszkiadással és Darren Shan író Budapestre invitálásával ünnepli a Bookaholic Kiadó a Rémségek Cirkusza megjelenésének 25. évfordulóját. www.roboraptor.hu/2026/05/29/b...

A Shanster called LAUREN recently got a German Shepherd puppy and decided to name him... DERVISH!!! Isn't he adorable?!? I can't wait to see him with a mohawk when he hits his doggy version of the original Dervish's late-teens/early twenties!!! 😂😂😂 #demonata #dogphotos #doglover #dog #books

Fan Art Friday!! A Shanster called DANI created these incredible Major Arcana cards, based on characters from my book. So -- pop quiz, hotshots! Who knows who the characters are?!? #cirquedufreak #books #fanart #FanArtFriday #tarot #majorarcana

A fan called Natasha spotted a strange misprint on the back of her copy of Vampire War today! Can YOU spot what Natasha spotted?!? You can find out more about this, including whether or not it's worth any money, in my blog post today: darrenshan.com/news/an-old-...

There was an interesting article on THE CONVERSATION, in which the author wrote about A Series Of Unfortunate Events, and other "gothic" books: theconversation.com/scary-storie... Are Cirque Du Freak and its sequels more gothic than horror, or something else entirely? Discuss!! :-)

Tattoo Tuesday! MARIA and TORI got matching "Even in death may you be triumphant!" One added a spider. Maybe they wanted people to be able to tell the arms apart, in case they ever got hacked to bits by a wolf man, so the correct arm could be matched to the correct body... 😜😂

"The Devil Device builds to a lengthy, dizzying, thrilling denouement that will leave you feverishly turning the pages to find out how it all ends."—DARREN SHAN.

I’m having a lazy ish, catching up dah after my holiday in Orlando, so here are a final few photos from the trip. Standing in front of the entrance to Universal, hanging out in Volcano Bay, gaming in Mario land in Epic, and toasting all you Shansters from the Hard Rock Hotel. 🥂

Some more photos from my holiday in Orlando. Butterbeer - yum! Velocicoaster - my fave coaster. The best walk up to a ride, however, was Harry Potter in Epic. Finally, Mrs Shan took a stunning photo of me and my son on an old fave of mine - Manta in SeaWorld. #harrypotter #velocicoaster

The Shans are heading home after a perfectly lovely two weeks holiday in Florida. After a week in the Disney parks, we headed for the Universal end of Orlando, home of roller coasters, wild water rides… and the occasional dolphin!! Here are a few photos from our trip.

It's another FAN ART FRIDAY! I normally feature 4 pieces, but this week I've gone with just 2, as they were such a powerful pair that I didn't feel it would be right to stick anything else with them. They're both by EMILY, and feature the characters of Mika and Kurda.

To find out why I haven’t been as productive in recent years as I was in the past, see my Facebook post today: www.facebook.com/share/p/1D3t...

BOOKSHELFIES! 👻 The upper shelf (with only books) was shared with me by JAMES. The lower shelf (with the plushies and other bits and pieces included) was shared by LANCE. How does YOUR Darren Shan shelf stack up next to these two?!? 😜😂 #cirquedufreak #books #bookshelfie

It's another TATTOO TUESDAY!! This one comes from a Shanster called ZACK, who went with my most popular quote, but put a fiery fonted spin on it! I like your style, Zack!!! 😂😍 #books #cirquedufreak #tattootuesday #tattoo

Cover reveal! New editions of The Vampire’s Assistant and Tunnels Of Blood are being released in the UK on August 27, and these are the fab covers. Let me know what you think and if you have a preference! #cirquedufreak #books #CoverReveal

After my boo-boo yesterday, where I mixed up which side of the USA that I’m on, here are some more photos of the Shans holidaying in Disneyland FLORIDA — not, despite my senior moment, California!!

The Shans have been in Disneyland California for the past week. We’ve had an amazing time, seen some amazing shows, and gone on LOTS of rides! 3 of my faves were Everest, Avatar Flight, and Tron and here are a few photos. More to come over the next couple of days! #disneyland

It's FAN ART FRIDAY!! I love these posts -- it's so rewarding for an author to see their creations brought to life by artistic fans. This week, all four are of everyone's favourite snakeboy, EVRA VON, and all four were also drawn by the same artist --

In the run-up to last Halloween, AOL ran a list of The Best Classic Halloween Movies of All Time: www.aol.com/definitive-l... To my delight, the Cirque Du Freak movie was included, rubbing shoulders proudly with the likes of Nosferatu, Midsommar, and The Shining! 👻👻👻

It's another TATTOO TUESDAY!!! This tattoo can be found adorning the arm of a Shanster called LUCIFER. I love the bold font -- although I'm going to be featuring another tattoo next week, with the same quote, but with an even wilder font, so stay tuned!! #cirquedufreak #books #tattoo

A Japanese fan called LUCY sent me this drawing of a young Steve Leopard and his mother, who Lucy felt very sorry for when she re-read the books as an adult. I think that’s the first time in 26 years that I’ve seen fan art of Steve’s mother! You guys can always surprise me! ❤️

It's FAN ART FRIDAY! A few years ago, STEPH created a load of one-page Mr Crepsley comic strips. I shared most of them, but somehow the final two got lost in the mix - so here, belatedly, they are! I've also included Steph's BLUSHING FACES MEME, which is a nice addition.

For an update about my next Darren Dash book for adults, including an idea of when we might expect it to be released, click here: darrenshan.com/news/darren-...

I did a lovely online event with some of the students of FURNESS VALE Primary School last week. Teachers and librarians can pitch for me to do online events any time of the year, by emailing me at: [email protected]

I'm delighted to be running another TATTOO TUESDAY POST! This week we have the left arm of JOSHUA, who went with my most famous quote. This is the quote Mr Crepsley would have gone for, if... y'know... he'd been able to spell... 😂😂😂 #cirquedufreak #books #tattoo #tattootuesday #booktattoo

My publishers in the UK released a limited edition of BEC twenty years ago (October 2006). There were 666 numbered copies, and NIALL was lucky enough to nab the final one of the 666 that I signed! Since it was the last one, I dated and wrote in the time and added a short message.

The May issue of the Shanville Monthly is LIVE! A new edition of Cirque Du Freak in Hungary... "highlights" clips for the CDF movie wracking up huge views... I fooled LOTS of Shansters on April 1st... and more. darrenshan.com/shanville #cirquedufreak #author #books #newsletter

A very interesting review for the first Zom-B book. Also comments on the subject of standalone books vs series, and how they can work differently for different readers. Highly recommended. sbhowell.com/2025/08/zom-...

This popped up on my Facebook page just now. 15 years ago. My Granny is long dead and gone, and so is most of my hair, BUT… that shirt is still going strong!!!! 😂😂😂 My advice to you young uns out there. Dance with your grannies as often as you can, while you can. ❤️❤️❤️