I don't pluck coins from behind people's ears (although I CAN). I am not onstage, pulling rabbits out of a hat. 'Trick'? 'TRICK'? I don't do TRICKS, my friend. What's the best magic trick you've ever done? I've been an Elemental since I started learning magic, when I was just a boy. You're an Elemental - what does that mean?Įlementals have the ability to manipulate the four elements- air, fire, water and earth. I never have a bad hair day, I don't get sunburnt, and I look good in suits. How can THAT be scary?Īre there any advantages to being a skeleton in the living world? Just because I happen to be a skeleton does NOT make me scary. There is a common misconception that I am a scary person. I'd be a magical skeleton who collected stamps, or pictures of butterflies, or pebbles.ĭo you enjoy spooking and scaring people?

What would you be if you weren't a magical crime-solving skeleton? Have you always wanted to become a detective? I suppose she's a quick study, though, but don't tell her I said that. She's all too eager to leap into the fray or say something at the wrong time or just generally annoy me, but I have a lot to teach her about being a detective. Stephanie, or Valkyrie as my associate is now called, has a lot to learn when it comes to deductive reasoning. Vengeous is just MEAN.Īre you still crime-solving with Stephanie in the new book? At least Serpine laughed occasionally, even if it was a laugh of the maniacal sort. Let's just say I am not the biggest fan of Baron Vengeous. Is the villain in the new book as full-on-scary as Serpine from book one? It gives me something to get out of bed for, you know? (If I had a bed.) Basically, the bad guys want their dark old gods to return, and we're doing our best to stop that from happening. There's a new villain and a new threat, but the overall evil scheme is still in place. Playing With Fire is the new book, out on 31st March. I swear to you, if they knew how much she fell over, they wouldn't think she was quite so cool. She is always on the Internet, checking what people are saying about her. I stay out of the limelight as much as possible, but my associate is loving it. It is an interesting experience, I have to admit. Part of my job is dealing with unruly types, troublemakers and the like, so the only stories I have to tell involve lots of hitting, screaming, and my associate falling over in an amusing fashion.Īre you enjoying your new found fame as the star of your own book series? Nothing that would interest you, I'm sure. How are you? What have you been up to today? I have an associate who keeps telling me I'm egotistical, but she falls over a lot, so I don't really listen to her. I don't do many interviews, if I'm to be honest, but I am going to try my best to be humble. Skulduggery is fine, and hello to you, too. Hello Skulduggery! Or do you prefer Mr Pleasant?

Playing with Fire by Derek Landy