I've spent the last couple of days editing Wolf Island, the eighth book of The Demonata. This will be my final edit -- after this, all that will remain is to check the page proofs when they come through, and then I'll be done!!! While I'm well past the point of making any structural changes, I'm still finding lots of little things to tweak, a line here, a word there. I always try to produce as polished a product as possible when I get to this stage of the writing process. I look to fine-tune every line, to find the smoothest, most impactful way of phrasing every sentence. The changes I make at this point are minor, and they might look like nit-picking to an outsider, but if you add up all the hundreds of tiny tweaks over the course of the book, they can make the difference between the book flowing and feeling a bit disjointed. An example is trying to make sure they are few repetitive words close to each other -- if you use, for instance, the word "excited" in two paragraphs close together, many readers will clock that and frown while reading -- it will interrupt their immersion in the world of the story, and remind them of the writer behind it. I always want to disappear from my books -- i.e. I want readers to be so engrossed in the story that they don't stop to think about the person who wrote it, that they accept it as "real" while they are reading. My writing's rarely flashy or lushly worded. I try to keep my language simple, to not belabour a book with lots of complexly structured sentences. Some people see that as a flaw -- they like to be aware of a writer when they read, to admire his or her wordplay; they want a writer to show off and preen. Personally I see it as a strength -- it lets the story take prominence, and focuses attention where I feel it truly belongs, on the plot and the characters. I don't feel the need to be thought of as clever and witty when I write -- I just want readers to enjoy the story.

Had a barbecue for some of my family yesterday, as well as my friend Kenny. It was our first BBQ of the summer, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Normally when we have one, we invite lots more people round, and it can be a bit of a struggle -- I like them, but I find them tiring. We only had 13 people in total yesterday, and it went like a breeze. There's nothing better than a nice barbecued burger in your back garden on a warm summer's evening, surrounded by family and friends. Especially here in Ireland, where nice summer evenings are rare, meaning you appreciate it all the more!!!

I was asked by Vulpes Libris, a literary blog, if I would contribute an article about age banding. I saw this as the perfect opportunity to put together my various thoughts and blogs about this matter, in a more unified, cohesive fashion, so I went ahead and did it. Much of what I say there is a repeat of what I've said on this blog, but it's a bit more structured now, with some new bits that I added as I was going along. If you're interested, click on this link: Vulpes Libris

Bas and I went for a walk in the Darragh Hills, near Kilfinane in County Limerick today. We took two of my cousins, Lorcan and Tiernan, along. I hadn't been to that part of Limerick before, and was delighted by the scenery -- it's gorgeous back there, and the walk showed off the hills and vales to perfection!! The sunny day helped too!!! Only downside was that it was a bit longer and harder than we'd been led to believe -- it was supposed to be a two hours walk, but it took us almost double that!!!!! Now, Bas and I are both carrying a few more pounds than we should be, and neither of us is particularly fast when it comes to going up a slope -- we can maintain a good pace on the flat or downhill, but we never race up steep inclines -- but still, we're not THAT far off what I would consider a regular walking pace!!! That's the trouble when a guide gives a suggested walking time for a route. Sometimes they only consider how long it would take themselves or someone of their fitness level to walk it. A good guide always takes the less speedy walker into consideration too, but it doesn't always happen -- and you never know, until you complete the walk, how accurate the guideline is!!! Neither of us minded -- it was a stunning walk, and we both want to go back to do more in the area -- but we'd have sipped our water a bit more sparingly if we'd known we were going to be up in the hills that long!! Oh well, now that we've got the measure of this particular guide, we'll know better next time!

Saw a fascinating documentary tonight, about an abstract artist by the name of Marla Olmstead, whose paintings sold for thousands of dollars at the peak of her fame. What's so strange about that, you ask? Well, at the time (2004/2005) she was 4 years old. Yup -- that's not a typo -- four!!!! It was an interesting story to begin with, but it became much more intriguing when a TV report alleged that the girl wasn't doing most of the painting, that her father was involved in the creation of the works. The director kept an admirably neutral line, even though it was hard for him, since the family had befriended him and it was clear that the parents took his sense of doubt as a personal insult. The film never answers the question of just how involved (if at all) the young girl's parents have been in the creation of the art, but that doesn't matter, since what's compelling here is all the other questions its raises -- can the work of a 4 year old be judged in the same way that you judge a piece by an adult? Is modern abstract art all a fake, a sham, the Emperor's New Clothes? Or is it a case of art merging with story-telling -- does the story behind a painting make a painting more interesting than it would be if it was viewed from a completely objective standpoint? Can we separate art from the artist? And then, of course, there are all the non-art related questions, such as is it right for parents to put a young child out there in the public eye? It's easy to say no, but if we do, where does that leave child actors, kids we see in TV commercials, child musicians (like Mozart), etc. etc. I can't recommend this film highly enough. It's called My Kid Could Paint That. And if you want to see some of Marla's (?) paintings, check out her web site: http://www.marlaolmstead.com/home.html

I finished editing Hell's Horizon today. I've done pretty much all the work I can do on it by this stage -- it's as tight, vicious and punchy as it's every going to be!! All that remains now is to check the page proofs later in the year, and then I'm done with it forever -- at last!!!!

Went to see one of my favourite bands, Fred, playing in Dolans last night. I've seen them several times over the years, and they always delight. They've never made it big, but they've just released a new album, and if there's any justice in the world, this one will sell more than their previous two. It's definitely a more polished album -- Fred started out as a jokey, poptastic band, and while they haven't lost their good humour, this is a far more mature and layered album. It's been picking up some fab reviews since its release on June 1st (http://www.fredtheband.com/framepage.htm). If you can't find it in your local store, or prefer to buy through iTunes, click here and buy it ASAP -- trust me, you won't regret it!!! FRED iTUNES LINK

On the age grading front, I collated a number of my posts and comments from various site today and submitted them to a blog called Vulpes Libris (they asked me to do a piece for them). I'll let you know when it goes live, though you'll have read a lot of it in my last few blogs.

Answered another batch of fan mail tonight -- I collected a fresh load from Pablo yesterday, so I'm still far from finished with it!!! I've also been enjoying some lovely weather here in Limerick recently, going for nice walks, sitting out back for half an hour or so most evenings, soaking up the sun and reading. We don't see the sun much here in Ireland, but when we do, the place is glorious!!!!

Edited another 100 pages of Hell's Horizon today. I'm getting through it faster than I thought I would, which is a great sign -- it means I'm almost reading it objectively, the way I would another author's book. If you can get to that stage with a book, you know that it's definitely ready to fly the coop! For better or worse, you've taken the story as far as you can, and now it's time for it to stand by itself and face the scrutiny of the public.

The age grading issue is continuing to gather steam in the publishing world -- I've never seen children's authors rise up as a collective before!! I was very pleased when my publishers contacted me today to say that they respect my right to choose, and that they won't be putting an age grade brand on my books -- hurrah!!! Some other publishers, sadly, aren't quite as liberal-minded as HarperCollins -- I read a report from a person at a certain publisher tonight, and that person basically said that authors were perfectly happy to accept age branding, and that they were pressing ahead regardless!!! It's incredible -- like standing on a block of ice in the North Pole in the middle of winter and insisting that actually, no, it's not cold at all and there's great weather ahead!!!!!

So, is that the end of the matter? I'm still not sure. While I'm obviously very happy that my books aren't going to suffer the indignity of branding, I don't know if authors with less clout and success will be forced to accept age grading. Success brings privileges -- I don't seriously think it was ever a likelihood that Philip Pullman or Terry Pratchett or Jacqueline Wilson's publishers were going to risk alienating them by forcing them to accept a brand they didn't want. But what about those lower down on the totem pole, those who haven't sold millions of books, who are maybe just starting out, or who have been labouring away for many years without ever breaking the top of the best sellers lists? Will publishers address each author individually and ask each writer whether or not they want to have their books branded? If so, I've no problem with that -- some, maybe even many, will, I'm sure, choose to go along with the exercise. As long as they have the freedom to say no if they wish, I'll retire from this battle a happy, contented man. But what if that's not the case? What if the authors with less of a voice aren't asked for their opinion? Is it right that those of us at a higher level should leave them to their own devices, at the mercies of the market? If not, what can we do to help them? To be honest, I don't know. I know that I certainly do feel a sense of comradeship with my fellow authors, and that I want to do whatever I can to support them if it transpires that they aren't being given a fair hearing and a free vote on how their books are branded (and, again, I must stress that I don't know whether they are or not). But how much can we do as a group? Will the hundreds of authors who've supported the rights of writers to choose now dissipate and go their own separate ways again? What can we do to protect the freedoms of our colleagues if they come under threat? How many of us will want to fight another person's fight? Only time will tell. I'll be keeping a close eye on developments, and blogging my thoughts and reactions as circumstances dictate. Watch this space ...

Started another edit of Hell's Horizon, my second D B Shan novel, which will be released in the UK and Ireland in February 2009. This will probably be the last edit I do, except for checking the page proofs -- it's in just about as fine a shape as I can craft it, and the changes I'm making on this one are minimal. I can always tell when a book is ready to go to the printers when I read through it and can't find much that I want to change!!

Following on from yesterday's blog about age branding, I found out today that I wasn't the only author concerned and outraged by this! I received an email from the Bookseller, in which I learnt that a petition was being launched by a group of writers, seeking to have age branding rejected. I was delighted when I went to the site that's been set up to find the name of just about every children's author currently at work!!! I was pretty sure that other authors would feel the same way I did, but didn't want to suggest that without any evidence to support my claim -- I always think it's dangerous when you state another person's beliefs without checking with them first! Now the proof is out there -- click here to see who else is on my side of the fence: http://www.notoagebanding.org/

I really think the publishers have made a big mistake with this. We're in the same game, and our aims are the same -- to deliver quality books to as many readers as we possibly can. But by taking this crazy stance, and not including authors in the decision making process, the publishers have drawn a line in the sand between them and us, forcing writers to take a stand against them. I just can't understand why intelligent, well-intentioned people would do that (and virtually all of the people in the publishing industry that I've worked with ARE intelligent and well-intentioned). Perhaps part of the problem is that there's no writers' union (at least not that I'm aware of). Each writer pretty much exists in a little world of their own when it comes to dealing with publishers. Most of us have an agent to fight our battles for us, but it's always a personal fight. I have little or no idea of what other writers get in terms of advances or royalties, what terms they have to agree to when selling their books, how they get treated, what happens to them if they get into a creative argument with their publishers, etc. Writing is, by its nature, a solitary profession, and a result of that is that most of us tend to lead very solitary, insular lives. I think, if there was a union for writers, this would never have happened. Because there isn't, I think that publishers felt they could just steamroll ahead with their plans and ignore their writing stables, confident in the belief that their authors couldn't band together to contest their proposals -- perhaps they didn't even pause to consider the possibility that they might have to deal with a unified group; it may never have crossed their minds to think of writers outside of the individual boxes that each inhabits.

It filled my heart with joy and pride when I found out today that, disparate as we might be, most of us have managed to pull together and make our objections known as a unified group. It will be interesting to see how publishers react to this show of unity and strength, whether they'll take our opinions on board and re-think their plans, or if they'll force a showdown. There was writer's strike in Hollywood last year that wreaked havoc with movies and TV shows. Could the same thing happen here with children's books??? I'm hoping publishers all across the UK have the commonsense and respect for their authors not to put us into a position where we have to find out ...


This all reminds me of my favourite song from the Billy Elliot musical -- "Solidarity, Solidarity, Solidarity for ever!!!!"

Another tour bites the dust!!!

Came back to Ireland on Saturday, then travelled down to Listowel (only an hour away by car) on Sunday to do the final event of the Death's Shadow tour. I got a very large crowd -- the venue was almost full -- and it all went splendidly! The actors I picked did a great job, the crowd reacted in all the right ways in all the right places, there were lots of interesting questions, and people brought loads of books for me to sign -- perfect!!!! It was the ideal end to a hugely enjoyable tour.

I've spent the past couple of nights replying to the mountain of fan mail that built up while I was on the road. I'm making good progress (I answered about 20 letters each night), but there's still another 20 or 30 to go. I also typed up and posted the June issue of the Shanville Monthly today, which you can find on my web site: www.darrenshan.com It contains all the latest news, as well as details of a competition in which you can win an exclusive, signed T-shirt worn by me on the road while touring!!!

I read on the Achuka web site (a site devoted to children's books) that there had been a heated debate at the Hay festival after I was there, about "age branding". This is an idea that has been knocked around for many years in children's books -- many people want to have an industry-wide age branding tag slapped on every children's book published in the UK. It would be a bit like a cinema certificate. As a children's author, I've always been firmly opposed to this -- I don't think it's necessary; I think it treats the public like morons; and I also think it's a move towards censorship, giving publishers and booksellers more power than I think it's healthy for them to have -- at the end of the day, I think the reading of a book is a very personal experience, and it should be the right of every reader (or every reader's parent or teacher or librarian) to choose a book that they believe is suitable for them on an individual level. Several weeks ago, I heard from my publisher that "the industry" had decided to implement age branding, because someone did a survey which stated it would be good for the business, and that authors would sell more books because of it.

I immediately objected and said I didn't want any age branding on my books. I was going to make my objections public at the time, but kept quiet because I was hoping that if enough writers objected to their publishers, that the idea would be dropped like the stupid, harmful, insulting hot potato that it is. (I'm still stunned by the fact that no writers were included in the decision-making process!!!) I never like having to have a go at publishers in public, and I was hoping they would see sense and spare themselves the embarrassment of starting a public war with their authors. Unfortunately they don't seem to have taken the hint and are still pushing ahead with age bradning, although apparently, according to an article in The Guardian (click here), they are prepared to reconsider if enough of their authors object. So object I have!!! The following is my response to the article, as published on the ACHUKA site. Please feel free to copy and paste it on any message boards where you think it might stir interest, or send it to any newspaper, magazine, web site, blog etc.

I am 100% against this, as I see it as (a) a very stupid idea, (b) a definite, irrevocable step towards censorship, and (c) a way for publishers to exert even more control over their authors, to make writers conform to THEIR idea of what a book should be, how it should be pitched and marketed, and - even more crucially and worryingly - how it should be written in the first place. I think it's very telling that authors were not asked about this in advance of the "decision" being made -- I just got an email one day telling me it was going ahead. My response? Well, to quote the late Charlton Heston, "from my cold, dead hands!!!" I have refused point-blank to allow age branding be put on my books, and will fight tooth and nail to keep it off. I advise all other children's writers to do the same, and would ask those who back the measure to look into their souls and answer the following question truthfully: in the email I was sent, great play was made on the "fact" that age branding would be very good for sales, the concept being that adults have no idea how to buy a book for a child, and that millions more would rush into shops and buy books for kids if there was a sign on the books saying "for such or such an age" -- so my question is, "Are you giving this your seal of approval because you honestly think it's a good thing, or because you're looking to make more money?" There's absolutely nothing wrong with making money, so I've no complaints if that's your reason -- just be honest and open about it. And if you're not giving it the thumbs up because of the money - if it's something you truly, passionately believe in - then can't you just put the age branding on your own books? Do you really think it's fair and just that you enforce YOUR opinions on ME or any other writer who doesn't share them? We don't NEED an industry standard where age branding is concerned. And I for one don't WANT it. And I'm going to do whatever I can not to have it.

In a world of ever-decreasing liberties, books have remained the one place where common sense and personal judgment has remained largely untouched. This is a blow against freedom, sneakily aimed at the youngest end of the market -- if they get away with it here, other publishers will follow. Let's not allow people behind the shelves to start laying down the law for those of us who love to read and cherish the freedom to make up our own minds and read whatever we like.

My Death's Shadow tour is almost at an end. I flew over to Birmingham on Tuesday, then did an event there on Wednesday. It was sold out, so I was playing to a packed house in a theatre in Central Library. It all went nice and smoothly, and I was signing for nearly two and a half hours afterwards. Bas and I then had a very nice Indian meal with Geraldine, my publicist -- but it was very filling!! We all waddled home and I pretty much collapsed onto my bed!!

On Thursday morning we were driven to Hay On Wye for the Book Festival. This was my third appearance there. I got a very big crowd, and like at Birmingham, I did what I think is my best event -- the Cirque Du Freak scene, the Lord Loss scene, Q&A, then an extract from the first book of the four book series I'll be releasing at some stage when The Demonata finishes. Those are the scenes I most enjoy reading out, and the ones which work best with a large audience. I do try to work in other extracts and little plays when I tour, to keep things fresh for myself, but when I just want to have fun and entertain, that's the tried and trusted format!!! I signed for 2 hours after the event, then we went for dinner with Gillie (one of my editors), Bas's parents (they were in Hay on hols), my publicist Sam, and Derek Landy, the author of Skullduggery Pleasant. It was my first time meeting Derek, and we had a good old chat over dinner -- he's a very cheery soul. I'll have to try to read the book soon ...

Today we got the train back to London, I checked my email, we went for a walk, had a new painting delivered and hung, then went to see Marguerite, a new musical by the creators of Les Miserables. Oh dear. If you can't say anything good, don't say anything at all!!! I don't see it having a long run -- it's poe-faced, badly paced, weakly written, and the songs are completely forgettable. Les Mis it ain't!!!!

Oh, one last thing -- I found out when I was on the road that Willem Dafoe has joined the cast of the Cirque Du Freak movie!! He's one of my favourite actors, from way back in films like Platoon and Wild At Heart, so I'm delighted to see him in the film. He'll be playing Gavner Purl.

Bas and I decided on Friday evening, during a walk to Curraghchase (our nearest park here in Limerick), that we would go to Inis Mor on the Aran Islands for the weekend. I've been meaning to go there for a long time, and though Bas had been there a couple of years ago, it had been raining heavily and she hadn't seen that much of the island. So, having checked the weather forecast (sun all weekend!!) we set off early on Saturday, drove to Galway and caught the ferry over. We hired bikes where we arrived and cycled to our hotel. It's been a few years since I was last up on a bike, so I was worried I'd have a sore bum by the end of the day -- and I did!!!! In fact it's still throbbing now!!!!!!!!

But that was the only downside -- otherwise it was an amazing little holiday. The Aran Island are spectacular -- rock virtually everywhere you look, with little tufts of grass and wild flowers jutting out sporadically; wind sweeps in all the time, and the waves of the Atlantic batter the coast 24-7. Once we'd checked into our B&B (Ard Einne -- recommended for anyone who's thinking of going), we cycled down to the end of the island closest to us, and went for a long walk along the cliff. We were the only people there, and I was in seventh heaven as we clambered over rocks, caught the spray from the sea, and stretched out in a rare grassy patch beneath a beautiful blue sky. We saw a couple of fields FULL of rabbits -- more than I've ever seen anywhere else!! Lots of birds and insects. Weird rock formations. It was wonderful.

After a brief stop back at our room, we went to one of the island's famous forts -- this one was called The Black Fort. It was a real trek to get to it -- we had to walk up a long dirt track, then cross a vast rocky expanse, before carefully edging in. I say carefully, because the fort is set right at the edge of a high cliff, and the entrance is at a point where the exterior wall meets the cliff edge -- we had about 4 or 5 feet of land -- one stumble and we were history!!! There wasn't much to see inside, except for the huge, tiered wall of the fort, but I could lie down and look over the edge of the cliff, and we could clamber up the wall and study the scenery from on high. We were the only people there, and it was like stepping back through time. The wind was blowing my hair every which way (it's like Medusa's hair at the moment!), but I didn't care. It was fantastic!!! I hated having to leave, but it was getting late, and eventually we re-traced our steps, went for a bite to eat and a drink at a local pub (where, bizarrely, a group who must have been part of a church choir were singing choir-type songs in one corner!!!), then got an early night.

We were both stiff when we woke on Sunday, but we soon worked the creaks out of our bones and set off for an eight hour cycle round the island. We went along the coast first, saw some seals (well, their heads -- they were out at sea), and visited Dun Aengus, the island's most famous fort. It was incredible, though it didn't stirke me as much as The Black Fort, partly because I'd seen the other fort the day before, but also because it was much more accessible. I love getting off the beaten path, away from the crowds, but Dun Aengus is fairly well developed for tourists -- there's a visitor's centre, a path all the way up to the fort, and busloads of tourists visit it every day. It's a vital feature of the island, and brings in thousands of tourists every year (it's the main reason I wanted to visit the island), but for me the Black Fort was more of a treat, because of its isolation. Still, Dun Aengus was great too. After that we explored some more of the island, then cycled back home (pausing en route for another drink). We had a rest, then got a cab into Kilronan to have dinner. Then we had another early night.

We got up this morning, went for an hour's walk, then cycled back to the ferry and made the long trek home. I was sad to leave the island behind, and I definitely hope to visit again in the not too distant future. Hard to believe it's been on my doorstep all these years and I only got around to visiting now!!! Still, that's often the way -- the places easiest and quickest to get to are often the places we visit last, if at all!!! I sometimes think we only really see the wonders of the world when we set forth as tourists, but it's hard to act like a tourist in your own backyard!!!

Anyway, I loved my little escape to Aran, and though I'm physically very tired now, I feel refreshed at the same time. I'm heading back to the UK on Tuesday for a few days, to do events in Birmingham and Hay, then I finish up on Death's Shadow tour in Listowel, back here in Ireland, on Sunday. If anybody in the UK or Ireland hasn't caught me in action yet, this will be your last chance until the Edinburgh Festival, and then a short October tour when book 8 comes out ...

I've spent the last couple of days adding loads of new fan art to my site. This is something I always mean to do on a more regular basis, but inevitably I end up putting it on the long finger and only get round to it once a year or less. But when I DO finally knuckle down, at least that means I have lots of new images to add!!! I've put all the demon pics online, and I'm about halfway through the vampire lot. You can find the demon drawings here: DEMON PICS and the vampire ones here: VAMPIRE PICS

I went in to Limerick to watch the European Champions League final (the most prestigious cup in European soccer) on TV with my friend Kenny on Wednesday. He's a Manchester United fan, and I was cheering on Utd as well, not just because of Kenny, but because they were playing Chelsea, and as a Tottenham Hotspur supporter I always love to see Chelsea and Arsenal get beat!!!! Childish, I know, but that's what football does to the minds of grown men!!!!! It was a tight game, that ended in a draw after extra time, meaning a penalty shoot-out -- which Man Utd won!!!!!!!! I cheered almost as much as I would have if Spurs had won the cup!!! It's been a pretty sweet season all around, really -- Spurs won the Carling Cup (beating Chelsea in a glorious final), Chelsea and Arsenal won nothing, and even Celtic came from far behind to claim the league in Scotland (like most people in Ireland, I have a passing interest in the fortunes of Celtic). Apart from the failure of Ireland every time they played, it couldn't have worked out much more enjoyable!!!!!!!!



http://www.darrenshan.com/vampires/fanart/index.html

Death's Shadow held onto the 1 spot on the UK Children's Best Sellers Chart for an incredible third week in a row!!! I'm over the moon about this! It was great to get to the top, brilliant to hold that position for a second week, but absolutely amazing to still be there!!! As I've said before, charts don't always tell the true story -- Demon Apocalypse actually sold better than Blood Beast, but because lots of other popular books were released at the same time, it didn't get to the top, while BB did. A book with poor sale might top the chart in a weak week, whereas a book with strong sales might not place very highly in a strong week. But in this instance I'm delighted that the new book is doing well in the chart AND selling very strongly -- the best of both worlds!!!!! I'll always takes sales over chart positions -- but it's delicious to have both!! HarperCollins very kindly sent me a bottle of top-notch champagne to celebrate, and I'll be cracking it open VERY soon to toast Death's Shadow's very fine health!!!!

I finally finished archiving my tour dates!! It was a much bigger job that I thought, and I've been working on it non-stop since the weekend, even doing some night shifts! But now it's finally up in place, every date, every event, every signing. I'm sure there are one or two errors in there, events that were cancelled, or last-minute additions which I forgot to add to my site at the time. But for the very most part it's accurate -- and exhausting!!! You can find the tour archive page in Secret Shanville (you'll have to join if you haven't already) by clicking here:


Hard to believe I've covered that much ground, given that many talks and signed that many books!! It was interesting to see how much I'd forgotten -- for instance, I took most of 2003 off from touring!! That goes to answer the questions I posed here a few days ago -- my sales rocketed in the UK during the two years when I wasn't doing much touring here, which I guess proves that at a certain point you DON'T have to tour to boost sales!!! I think it's a bit like a landslide -- if you can get it started, it takes on a life of its own. I certainly think touring definitely helps during an author's first few years, but as word spreads, and sales snowball, it probably becomes less vital. Then again, who can say for certain -- maybe sales would have been even stronger if I'd toured for those 2 years!!!!!! Anyway, it's all academic, because I'm going to continue touring regardless, partly because I like it -- as I often say in interviews, meeting fans is the fun part of the job! -- and also because I think I owe it to you guys, and I like to give as many of you as possible the chance to come and meet me, have a little chat, and have your books signed.