I’ve just got back from a mini book tour and met some lovely people. Many thanks to the librarians, students and teachers at Birrong SHS, Ascham, PLC Croyden, Swansea, Moorebank, Callaghan, Hunter SPA and Blacktown (and one other, I know I missed someone!). You were very welcoming!

Galaxy Books signing was like dropping in on a bunch of friends, and Kinokuniya staff and Random House staff were fantastic at the Kinokuniya signing. Apologies to my peeps (especially Margo Lanagan) who I barely got to see or, if I did, barely got to speak to. You were very understanding!

Sending hugs out to Yunyu (and thanks to Lee) who wrestled heavy speakers in and out of each location. We managed to fit in a lot of giggling anyway.

10 – He’s known for his shoe making skills so you’d better not just want him for his ability to whip up copies of the latest Manolo Blahniks or Jimmy Choos. Besides, he’ll generally only make one of each shoe. Unless you’re planning on starting a new fashion trend, or have only one leg, this skill will be useless to you.

9 – He’s going to be vertically challenged. Picking him up for close contact isn’t very manly so that’ll be out of the question. You’re either going to have to be okay doing a fair bit of bending over or carry around a step stool for him to be able to reach you for kisses and hugs.

8 – Leprechauns are stereotypically really old men, but old men had to be young at some stage. If you’re lucky enough to snag a young one, be ready to have a long lasting relationship, he’ll be around longer than you.

7 – Hope you like facial hair. I’m sure it’s in the Leprechaun handbook that they all have to have some sort of face fungus. Maybe try and get him to grow a Shannon Noll flavour saver, they may look silly, but it’s better than the whole kit and caboodle.

6 – If he shows you his pot of gold, you better be ready to act nonchalant over it. The quickest way to lose your Leprechaun is to care more about his money than about him.

5 – You’ll have to like Irish music. U2 are probably the best of the worst, but if you’re unlucky enough to have a Sensitive New Age Irish Leprechaun (SNAIL) you’re going to be listening to hours of Celtic Woman, the Corrs, the Cranberries and the Riverdance soundtrack. It might be an idea to bring along your MP3 player when at his house.

4 – When heading out in public, be sure to make him leave his shillelagh at home. The Irish aren’t known for suffering fools. When wanting to knock some sense into an idiot, having a weapon at hand is not such a great idea.

3 – Be careful what you wish for. He may well offer to grant you three wishes; please say no to this offer, no matter how enticing it may be. The best way to make your dreams a reality is to work hard at making them happen. This will make you both feel better and there are less likely to be unforseen repercussions. It will probably make him respect you more as well.

2 – If he gives you a claddagh ring, be sure he puts it on your right ring finger with the heart facing towards your knuckle. This means you’re romantically involved. If your Dad sees it move to your left ring finger, your Leprechaun might want to get a head start… because on that hand, it means you’re either engaged or married. Mixing it up may be the last mistake he ever makes.

1 – There are two things nobody can argue about the Irish: they’re lucky and they have a great sense of humour. May I suggest subscribing him to Liam the Leprechaun on youtube. Funny stuff, even for us regular folk. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yrb4L2F0sXw

Good Luck!

The Mortal Instruments series

By Cassandra Clare

I’m just going to come right out with it. I’m a sucker for a pretty cover. I’ll buy a book just for the cover art. I mean, just take a peek around this page. How irresistible is Burn Bright? How could you not possibly gravitate toward it in a bookshop, need to hold it, stroke it, own it? (Um, yeah. Okay. Too much information…) These were my thoughts exactly when I spied the first book in The Mortal Instruments series, City of Bones, way back in 2007.

Back then, I’d never heard of The Mortal Instruments or the author, Cassandra Clare. I hadn’t read a review, had it recommended to me, or heard any Internet buzz. I was a Mortal Instruments virgin. So it was with some trepidation I gently cracked open the beautiful cover. Would it be one of those books – you know, the ones that are all show and no substance? Thankfully not. I devoured the story of Clary and the uber cool Shadowhunters in a little over a day. To put it bluntly, all three of the Mortal Instruments books are Awesome. Note the capital A. And yes, I’ll admit right up front I’m biased these days. Cassandra Clare has become one of my all-time favourite authors.

It’s in City of Bones that we first meet the seemingly average Clary Fray who lives with her ‘widowed’ mother, Jocelyn. Along with her best friend, Simon, Clary is a loveable geek – in the coolest sense of the word. One night, Clary witnesses a murder in a Brooklyn (NY) nightclub, and is shocked to find only she can see the culprit (a very nice looking boy called Jace) and the victim. Jace claims it was a demon he murdered, and is intrigued that Clary can see him and his two cohorts: a beautiful girl named Isabelle who can turn some lethal tricks with her silver whip, and Alec, Isabelle’s quiet and protective older brother.

Clary is then thrust into a bizarre world-within-a-world – that of the Shadowhunters and Downworlders. When her own mother is attacked by a demon, Jace takes Clary under his wing, and back to the place he and the other Shadowhunters call home – The Institute. Invisible to ‘Mundanes’ (those pesky human folk) and ‘Downworlders’ (demons, vampires etc), The Institute is an old gothic cathedral protected by a glamour and multiple protection charms. There, Clary meets Hodge, guardian of Jace and gets a proper introduction to his adoptive siblings, Isabelle and Alec Lightwood.

She also learns the mysterious truth as to why she can see them.

City of Bones, City of Ashes and City of Glass, the first three books in the series, have everything a speculative fiction fan could want. There are warriors, demons, warlocks and vampires; werewolves, faeries and angels; numerous love triangles, missing parents and a mysterious bad guy named Valentine. Politics, monks, runes and tattoos – it’s all here. The action is non-stop, and the world is to die for (literally). The Mortal Instruments is epic urban fantasy at its crazy best, the ride heart-stoppingly fast with pages that turn themselves. The relationship between Clary and Jace will have you cheering, then horrified, then cautiously whooping again.

Cassie Clare is writing buddies with another well-known author: Holly Black, author of the Spiderwick Chronicles, and more recently, White Cat. Fans of Black will enjoy seeing some of her characters cross over into the Shadowhunter’s world, especially when Clary and co visit the Faerie Realm. I’m also told it works the other way – apparently Jace makes an appearance in White Cat. I’ll let you know soon – that one’s on my TBR pile.

Book four, City of Fallen Angels is due for release in April this year, and will be followed by City of Lost Souls in 2012 and City of Heavenly Fire in 2013. And last year, the first of Clare’s prequel series, The Infernal Devices was released. Clockwork Angel will soon be followed up by Clockwork Prince and Clockwork Princess. Set 130 years ago in a steampunked Victorian London, we get to meet the family this time round. Descendants of the Lightwoods and other notable characters from The Mortal Instruments series are all here… as well as a couple of err, long-living characters we’ve met in the modern world. Again, Clare does an amazing job of making London her own – just as she does with New York. The steampunkery of zombie-demonbots is shear genius. But really, The Infernal Devices deserves its own post, so I’ll stop that right here.

The other huge news in the Shadowhunting world, is that The Mortal Instruments has been optioned for a movie, with a director (Scott Charles Stewart), screenwriter (Jessica Postigo) on the job, and casting is underway (with Lily Collins confirmed to play Clary).

The Mortal Instruments is one of those series that do need to be read in chronological order to get the most out of the storyline. The Infernal Devices could be read completely independently, but I’d recommend waiting until you’ve read at least the first three Mortal Instruments first – even if it’s just to get some of the ‘in’ jokes and the a-ha moments when a familiar name or character  pops up.

So for now, I’m hanging out for April and looking forward to catching up with some old fictional friends. Apparently, City of Fallen Angels delves a little deeper into the Downworlder’s side of things… namely that of a recently turned Vampire…

Cels Says

The image that pops into your head when you first think of Demons will most likely be of denizens of Hell, led by fallen angel, Satan. Creatures of nightmarish proportions and the most evil of all creation. The concept of Demons actually pre-dates Christianity and, like most to do with the Supernatural, each religion and part of the world has its own spin on this intriguing force of great power.

The word  “demon”, or “daemon”, comes from the Greek word Daimo`n and its meaning was a being believed, in ordinary circumstances, to be malevolent. The school of thought for the ancient Jews was that demons were the unclean spirits of the dead who roamed the earth looking for absolution–perhaps the equivalent to a modern day “Ghost” (considered to be mostly harmless if left alone). It seems that the idea of Demons that follows us today began in Medieval times, and evolved with the change from the old Pagan religion to Roman-Christianity. A popular belief is that Demons do not exist as separate entities but that they are, in fact, members of the league of fallen Angles who, for one reason or another, left Heaven to try life down here on Earth and are not necessarily out to cause harm.

Whatever you choose to believe, one recurring theme I found in the research I’ve done is that Demons are better off left alone; if you do come across one, and are not blessed with the powers to defeat them it, you’d better keep clear, and hope like Hell you’re not in their sights.

Some Demon/Fallen Angel tales to add some fright to your world:

Embrace-Jessica Shirvington Enticed- Jessica Shirvington (March 29, 2011)

Dark Touch Series(Shadows, The Hunt, Fever) Amy Meredith

Halo– Alexandra Adornetto

MUSIC: Supersuckers – Born With a Tail

Devildriver – Clouds Over California

We’re all really excited to see the Burn Bright ads on the Dolly website. There’s one in the very top header and one in the right hand sidebar. They’ll only be up for a couple of weeks, so make sure you call by and have a look. Click on the trailer link, so they know you’ve been.

Darkly sensuous and crackling with menace ….