So my son is a huge Darren Shan (of Cirque du Freak fame) and he made an appearance at the Boston Public Library today. The man is an excellent writer, but even more, he is a gifted reader and amazingly generous with his time for his fans. His apperance was free to those attending. He promised and delivered on the promise to sign every book someone brought with them - and by the way, he not only signed his signature, but also added quotes and comments. My son brought 24 of his treasured tomes which he schlepped in a backpack throughout Boston. As authors and reporters, my husband and I have both done a lot of readings, but this guy is the gold standard for public appearances. He was warm, genuine and animated beyond compare. We hope he does his own recorded books. No one else should read these aloud but him. We loved his message that teens - and adults for that matter - shouldn't just read one genre, or they might miss important allusions and references in books. His, for example, are influenced by no less an eclectic crew as Twain, King, and Dickens to name a few. And did we mention his great English accent with Irish overtones? The next time you can see Darren Shan read, don't miss him. Here's a photos of him with my son.