Meeting Darren Shan

Leeds 2016

I’ve met Darren Shan three times now. You’d think that meeting your favourite childhood author loses it’s novelty once you’re practically an adult meeting him over and over again, but I still felt my heart racing and my stomach turning as I walked up to him, and tried to think of an interesting question to ask.

I’ll start at the beginning. Back when I was about 11 or 12 I was given a book by a neighbour titled Cirque du Freak, and reading the back I could discern it was about vampires and a travelling circus. Sounded decent enough, but by the time I finished this book I was completely obsessed with Shan’s writing and his world. I begged my Mom to buy me the next book in the series after I’d finished each one, and once the twelve books of the Darren Shan Saga were over, I continued on to his ten book series The Demonata and every single book he published following it.

The first time he came to Birmingham was a school day, and so I rushed to the bus stop after school with my best friend, carrying our books and desperate to be the first in line. Of course we turned up late, meaning we waited almost two hours or something to meet him. But it was worth it. We got our books signed and picked up ice-cream before my Mom drove us home. I still remember what he said to me when I posed for a photograph with him. Darren Shan strangles his fans as you have the picture, and with his hands clasped around my neck he told me, “Your hearts beating very fast, Rachel…” What can I say? I was nervous.

Meeting Darren Shan for the first time

Authors are incredibly important to young people. At the age I was, all I wanted was for somebody to tell me I could make it, and walking up and seeing Darren Shan thrilled at meeting his fans made me feel so good about myself and my writing. Not only his books, but his very presence in my life was something which inspired me for years and years. And this kind of thing doesn’t stop once you’re not a child any more. I met Kazuo Ishiguro last year in Manchester and was so starstruck that I forgot to speak. I was frozen.

The second time I met Darren Shan (with the same friend) we got there early. Third in line, my friend had decided she wanted to bring as many books as she could and so ended up hauling a suitcase through town full of sixteen of his novels. Darren signed every single one, and was pretty much astounded by our dedication. The fact that he was thanking us for being such cool fans was unbelievable. I think it’s why my face looks rather red in the photo I got with him that day.

Meeting Darren Shan for the second time

Meeting him in Leeds was pretty different, because no longer do I obsess over his books like I used to. Yet, I still consider him to be an important figure in my life, and didn’t want to miss the opportunity of meeting him again. I went with two of my new university friends, and before heading to Waterstones we went to the Leeds Museum and Henry Moore Institute. Not having gone to Leeds before, it was quite cool to actually be in a big Northern city for a day.

We were the oldest people in the line, but I didn’t really care. Darren was promoting the last book in his Zom-B series which is far from good, yet I felt the need to support him just because of how much his books meant to me. Hell, I re-read the Demonata in the last year of sixth form, and it was still amazing. I’d read them now.

The two of us have grown, weirdly, but I think the dialogue between fans and authors is so important just because of how much young writers are influenced by the faces between the words they read. When I met Darren in Leeds he recognised me from a tweet I’d sent just a few hours before. Knowing that you are that close to somebody who had made their living through writing means it doesn’t scare you as much. In fact, it gives you hope.

If you’re too shy to meet your favourite author, then I’d totally recommend you do it. Even if you have to travel for it, it’s a rewarding experience and will be something you never forget. Signed books are a treasure, and so are the people behind them.I guess it’s just Stephen King I have to meet next.