Took it easy in the morning. Helped Bas try to get tickets for an upcoming Take That concert -- not that I'm going to it, I hasten to add!!! I'd rather have my teeth pulled than go to a Take That gig!! Though I must admit I have a soft spot for Robbie Williams and am going to one of his concerts next year!!!!! Anyway, she got the TT tickets in the end, after hours of trying.

Went up to Milton Keynes with Nic, my publicist from Collins. I had an amazing signing session in MK the last time I went there, on the Destiny tour in October 2004. It was a lunchtime signing, so I was expecting only a handful of people, but there was a huge line when I arrived -- lots of kids had bunked off school to come to have their books signed, many with the help of their parents!!!! I thought, "These are true hardcore fans!!!" and I promised the staff at Ottakars that I'd return one day to do an after-school event. Well, Shan's a man of his word, so when Collins were putting this tour together, I asked to return to Milton Keynes (if I was wanted by the shop, of course!) and they duly set it up.

I went to a school first, where I did a fun event and signed books for some of the kids afterwards. This was only the second school event of the tour. I knew, months ago, that I'd be tired after my American tour, so I deliberately didn't commit to many school events -- even the Shan man has his limits!!! I'll be hitting schools a bit more the next time I tour, but this time I wanted to focus on signings, which are less exhausting.

After the school, I returned to Ottakars. I was a bit worried that I'd only get a small crowd, that it would be a disappointment after last year's signing. Not a bit of it!!!! There was a large line already waiting for me when I arrived, and it just kept growing as the evening wore on. In total I was signing for ALMOST THREE HOURS!!!!! I loved it!!! I don't know how other authors feel about long signing sessions, but I think it's brilliant when a load of fans turn up. I left on a high, delighted to have finished the English leg of my tour with the biggest turnout yet. Next up -- Scotland, and then my home turf.

Had a meeting with a member of the Collins web/publicity team yesterday. They want to do a bit more with my web site, to try to broaden its appeal, by adding a few extra features. Talks are still in the early phases yet, but there might be some changes in the not-too-distant future, offering more to those who sign up for the site and visit it regularly ...

Went to the Natural History Museuem after the meeting. A spur of the moment visit -- I was travelling past, realised I hadn't been there in years, and decided to pop in. VERY impressive! The dinosaurs are fab, of course, but I also loved the Birds section -- so many amazing specimens.

Went to see "Billy Elliot" with Bas next. Great stuff! I was dubious going in -- Elton John is FAR from being anywhere near my favourite pop artist! And while I liked the film, I did feel it was somewhat overrated. But they've done a fine job of adapting it, mixing social commentary with a sweet chasing-your-dreams story with servicable (if largely unmemorable) songs. I don't think it's up there with the best musicals that I've seen (like "Les Miserables" and "Blood Brothers") but it's definitely one of the bext musicals of more recent years. If you can nab a ticket for it -- go!!!!

Had dinner in a nearby Pizza Express, then went to see The Proclaimers at the Shepherds Bush Empire. Managed to get a spot at the front. It was over to the left, but it gave us a perfect view of the stage, as well as a barrier to lean on! The support acts -- Deadman, and Damien Dempsey -- were OK, but everyone was there to see the two Scottish twins and their support band, and the full house gave them a rapturous roar when they took to the stage. They wasted no time getting to the great stuff, singing "Letter from America" as their second song. They continued in high style, alternating tracks from their new album with old favourites like "Sunshine on Leith", "King of the Road", and, of course, their biggest ever hit, "I'm Gonna Be (Five hundred miles)". They played 22 songs in total, in just over an hour and a half. Wonderful entertainment. Bas and I were humming the songs all the way home on the tube.

Spent the morning working on the December issue of the Shanville Monthly. Broke for lunch at 11.30, and got a steak-and-guinness pie from the Square Pie shop in Spitalfields. Got most of the Monthly finished before setting off for Dulwich at 1.00pm. Visited the Bookshop Dulwich Village, on Calton Avenue, first, where I was just signing stock. Signed lots of books there, so if you're in the neighbourhood and fancy a signed copy, pop in quick!!!

Went to do my signing at Dulwich Books on Croxted Road at 4.00pm. Had a good turnout and was signing for nearly an hour. Afterwards I was interviewed by Cosmo, a kid from a local school. He asked lots of really good questions, and was better organised than many journalists I've met!!!

Back to Whitechapel after the signing. Bas was looking up tickets for the Rolling Stones Concert in Wembley Stadium next year. She found a site selling FRONT ROW tickets, at a truly exagerrated price!! We hummed and hawed, but eventually I said, "The hell with it -- let's go for them!!" I just have to try not to think too much about how much they cost, and keep my fingers crossed that it's a truly amazing concert!!!!!

Had a curry on Brick Lane, in a newish establishment called Chutney's. Very nice restaurant, with tasty, well-cooked food, though my main prawn dish was a bit on the tasteless side. But Bas loved all of hers, so I think I just chose poorly!

A day off from touring tomorrow -- we're going to see "Billy Elliot", and, later, The Proclaimers!!! All together now ... "I would walk five hundred miles, and I would walk five hundred more ......."

Got back to the Malmaison (very nice hotel, by the way) after 10.00pm. Had a drink with Emma to relax after a long, cold, up-and-down day, then hit the sack. Had a nice lie-in, then went to look at some pictures in the Art Lounge in the Mail Box (one of my favourite art galleries). Had a phone interview with Caroline Horne, who runs the www.readingzone.com web site. She's collected questions from fans, and my answers will appear on the site within the next few days.

Caught the train to Manchester and did a signing at Borders in the Trafford Centre. Got a very good crowd and was signing for over an hour -- very enjoyable. At the same time, I think we'd probably have got a bigger crowd if we'd arranged the signing for later. We're experimenting with 4.00pm signings on this tour, but I don't think they work as well as later times -- lots of fans can't get to the shops from their schools. I think, in future, we'll try for night events, as we did on the Destiny Tour in October 2004. Oh well -- you don't know until you try!!! Anyway, like in Birmingham, I signed stacks of books, so those who couldn't make it on the day should be able to pick up a signed copy (or as many as they want!) during the next couple of weeks.

Answered lots of fan mail on Sunday night. There's still lots to get through, but at least I'm making SOME progress!!! Got a good night's sleep, then went over to Euston to travel up to Birmingham for the third day of my UK tour. Met a new Collins publicist, who was travelling with me -- Emma. Very nice, knowledgable and enthusiastic -- as, indeed, all of the Collins publicists have been over the years!!!!!

The day was fine as we left London, but dark clouds gathered as we closed in on Birmingham, and it was snowing hard when we pulled in. We went to our hotel, had a drink, then were met by a photographer and his assistant, who were there to take a photo for the SFX piece. We stared out the window at the swirling snow. They wanted to do the shoot in the hotel, but the Malmaison staff member on duty refused permission. So they suggested doing it outside the futuristic-looking Selfridges building instead -- the only problem was the snow ...

We decided to give it a try and drove over to Selfridge's. While Emma sheltered inside, I posed on a snow-flecked balcony while the photographer shot me from below. It was difficult, given the ever swirling snow flakes -- and it got even more difficult when a group of kids on the balcony above decided to use me as a target for their snowballs!!!!! After a direct hit, I turned and subjected them to a very crude hand gesture -- childish, I know, but instinct kicked in!!! Luckily they saw the funny side and, after returning the gesture with much laughter, they moved on, probably to mug some little old granny. Bless the young rapscallions!!!!

Eventually we got some (hopefully!) good photos. The cameraman and his assistant returned home, while Emma and I went to Borders in the Bullring for the first signing of the day. Unfortunately the weather caused havoc and only a handful of people turned up -- the first time in a few years that I've had a truly poor crowd at a UK event. But this was the first time in almost six years that I've been a victim of bad weather, so I guess I can't moan too much -- I've got off pretty lightly so far!!!! I signed LOADS of stock there, so anyone in Birmingham who wanted to come but couldn't make it -- don't worry!! If you get down to Borders within the next week or two, you should be able to buy a signed copy of any of my books.

There was a panicked phone call after the signing. I was due to do a large event in Hales Owen. Almost three hundred tickets had been sold for it (many people had to be denied, since demand outweighed the capacity of the hall!!). But because of the weather, loads of fans couldn't come. A couple of bus companies, who'd been supposed to bus in large groups, cancelled because of insurance risks!!! It looked at one stage as if NOBODY would be able to make it!!!! Ros, the organiser, offered me the chance to cancel, since it wasn't certain whether I'd be able to make it out to the event in time, even if anyone got there. But I said I'd give it a go and we'd see what happened.

Ros's daughter, Becky, drove me and Emma from Birmingham to Hales Owen. It took much longer than normal, but we got there before the scheduled start. There was a small group gathered in the library in the school -- the event was supposed to have been held in a hall, but since there were so few people, Ros had decided to move it to a smaller venue. We decided to delay the start of the event by a few minutes, in case any others trickled in. And then ... somehow ... out of the snow ... fans began to arrive!!!! The library quickly over-filled, and Ros had to shift everything back to the hall!!!! We gave it a few more minutes, and then I started. There were still lots of empty seats, but 100 or more people managed to make it through in the end!!!! I was amazed and delighted -- these truly WERE hardcore Shansters!!!!!

I did a long reading, answered lots of questions, then signed stacks of books. It was a pity so many fans couldn't make it through, but the night had threatened to be a complete disaster, so in the end it was a wonderful surprise of an event -- one of my most memorable ever!!!! And, for those who couldn't make it -- I'LL BE BACK!!!! I promised Ros to do my utmost to return in 2006, and those who bought tickets for the event will be able to use them next time round. More info to follow when we sort out the details later ...

Went to WHSmith in Croydon (34 North End) for my first signing of the day. This was my first time here, so I wasn't sure what sort of a crowd I'd get. I was delighted to see a small line when I arrived, and that increased as the session wore on, with some fans finding out about it by chance and happily joining it -- one guy even bought the entire series to have signed, even though he had them all at home already!!!! One family had come all the way over from Cardiff, in Wales, to see me!!! I feel a bit guilty that I haven't been to Wales on any of my recent tours. My tours are arranged by my publicists, so it's not that I've been deliberately avoiding a return to Wales!! But I'll put in a request to go there the next time I'm going on a biggish tour ...

I was signing at the shop for over an hour. Then went for lunch with my editor, Stella, and a lady called Jayne Nelson, who writes for the magazine SFX. She interviewed me, and the interview will appear in the issue of SFX which goes on sale in January -- so watch out for it!!!! Had a bit of a scare after lunch -- our driver had got a bit lost on the one-way systems in Croydon and was half an hour late picking us up!!! Luckily we made good time to our next event, in Ottakars in Bromley, and I was able to start signing a bit early, as planned. I had a great crowd at the second event, even more than at the first, and was signing solidly for over an hour and a half! I also signed lots of books for fans who couldn't make the event but who'd ordered books in advance. And I signed loads of stock too, so if you hurry, you should be able to get some signed copies of my books if you're in the area. (You might be able to ring the store and have books delivered -- I'm not sure. I don't have their phone number, but the address is 100, The Glades Shopping Centre, High Street, Bromley, Kent BR1 1DJ.)

Was driven over to Waterloo after my event, where I went to see "Richard II" at the Old Vic with a big group of family and friends. Kevin Spacey was starring in it, and Trevor Nunn directed. (He's the most famous theatrical director in the UK at the moment.) I thought the play was good, and Spacey too, but I didn't enjoy it as much as a version I saw at The Globe a couple of years ago. I'm not convinced that Spacey's really suited to the Old Vic. I think he might enjoy more success running an American theatre than an old, traditional British one. I know his shows are packed out pretty much every night, but that's just because people want to see Spacey in the flesh. If the plays had to bank on reviews, the theatre would be in BIG trouble now!!!!

It was the last night of the play, so there were lots of celebrities in the crowd. The most famous person I sa was Patrick Stewart, who, of course, played Jean-Luc Picard in "Star Trek: The Next Generation". It was fun watching people's reaction -- virtually everyone who saw him did a double-take, then followed him with their eyes until he passed out of sight. Some people (Trekkies, no doubt) looked like they'd had a religious experience!!!! When I went to the toilet at the interval, I ended up stading beside him at the sinks as we both washed our hands. I used to have a model of his head (I collected models of actors' heads for a short while -- don't ask me why!!), and thought of saying something like, "I used to have your head in my house!!!" But that would have made me sound like a COMPLETE nutter, and besides, I'm sure he'd much rather not be bothered by star-struck fans when he's on a night out, enjoying himself.

Went for a few drinks with some of the gang after the show, and ended up in the Roadhouse, where we drank some more and bit a little bit of dancing. Got home quite late (3ish), went to bed and slept until midday. Went to my grand-aunt Nora's for dinner, stayed a few hours afterwards, took a couple of my young cousins (Jordan and Yasmin) to play in a nearby park, then came back to my flat. Next up -- a nice, hot bath. Then I'll probably answer some fan mail and turn in for an early night, before heading north for Birmingham in the morning.

I got a very nice e-mail from a kid called Kevin, who I met recently on my USA tour:

I went to one of your Seattle book signings. I would like to thank you. I love writing, so I asked you for some tips for young writers, such as myself. You replied "Don't right away try to write a big book and get it published. Start with short stories and eventually you will be able to write longer ones as you practice." This little piece of your wise advise was the best advice I have ever heard.  I tried what you told me to and it worked! I wrote a one page long short story and it was okay. Then I kept writing more short stories and more and more until now, I can write five page long stuff. Your wisdom has changed my life and I just thought I should thank you, Darren.

I get asked for advice from young would-be authors all the time, and really there's not much I can tell them except write often, keep writing, and gradually improve as you go along. Writing's a long, slow process and there aren't any shortcuts -- the more you practise, the more you learn and the better you get. I think a lot of those who ask are dissatisfied with that answer. They think there's some magical advice that I'm holding back which would allow them to make huge leap forwards if I shared it with them. And I can totally understand that -- as a teenager, I thought and hoped for the same thing too!!! But there is no magic in writing, just hard work and luck -- if you work hard, you'll improve and learn to write to the best of your abilities, and if you're lucky, people will want to read what you've written and you'll make money out of your work. (Not all good - even great - writers get lucky. Many top-notch writers make very little out of their books, simply because they never get a lucky break.)

Kevin has taken a vital step forward -- he listened when I told him it was all about hard work, and has made the decision to put the hard work in. It's a long road he's started down, and there's no telling if he'll keep going to the end -- many lose heart along the way, when they realise how tough it is. But he stands a chance. He's going in the right direction. And if any of the rest of you want to stand a chance too, you should follow Kevin's example, start small, work hard, build slowly ... and keep doing that for the next five, ten, fifteen years and beyond.

My "Thief in the Night" tour (as I've dubbed it) started today. Went up to the West End to sign stock in several book shops in the morning. Met my publicist from Collins, Nicola, and then signed LOADS of books in the following shops, so if you're in the area over the next few weeks you can get copies in any of them; you can order copies from most of the shops too, and in some cases have them mailed to you, so I've provided links to them where I can.

Went over for a meeting with my agent, Christopher Little, and his assistant, Kellee Nunley, this morning. It was just a little pre-Christmas get-together, to discuss little odds and bobs. "Lord Loss" is selling splendidly in the UK -- over 62,000 copies of the hardback sold in under six months -- excellent!!!! And "The Saga" continues to sell VERY strongly, even though it finished more than a year ago. Apparently the movie script is coming along nicely and the search for a director will hopefully begin in the not-too-distant future ...

Went up the West End after the meeting, met Bas and went to see "Otherwise Engaged" at the Criterion Theatre. Very amusing, with some great acting, especially Richard E Grant in the lead role. Not one for kiddies though -- there's a lengthy topless scene in the first half which might stir up all sorts of new sensations in innocent teenage boys!!!!!!   :-)  It was also enjoyable to see Anthony Head, who plays Giles in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", though he didn't have a huge role.

Had dinner in Brown's in Covent Garden, then went back for our last play of our marathon session -- six in three days!!! It was "Heroes" in Wyndhams Theatre, starring Ken Stott, Richard Griffiths, and - one of my all-time favourite actors - John Hurt. The play is nice, funny and moving, but nothing spectacular. But the acting was superb -- three first-class actors at the top of their game. A fitting way to finish up!

Spent the morning writing out Christmas cards. Got through a lot, though I have some more to do. I'm not a fan of Xmas cards, and would just as happily send and receive none every year -- but I don't want people thinking I'm an old Scrooge, do I?!?

Headed up the West End with Bas around midday. I bought an old Rolex watch (from 1924) earlier in the year, and it's been losing time recently, so I took it back to the shop for repairs. The shop is the Vintage Rolex ship in Burlington Arcade -- worth going to have a look at if you like old watches, as it's the only dedicated antique Rolex shop in the world!! While there, I spotted a lovely Oyster watch from 1940, and decided to treat myself to it as an early Christmas present!!! I usually get crap pressies from family and friends, so if I don't splurge out on myself, nobody else will!!!!!!   :-)

Bought a couple of paintings by a newish artist, Alison Mills, after that. They both depict vague figures in snowy landscapes. Not the usual sort of pictures I'd go for, but I liked these a lot, so decided to buy. I really like buying "new" art -- it's exciting to wonder if the artist will go on to bigger, better things, and if a painting bought for a relatively small amount now will shoot up in value over the years. I collect for fun, paintings that I like -- but it would certainly add to my pleasure if I turned out to have a keen eye for fine art!!!! Not that I think I have -- unless I wear extra strong glasses!!

Went to our first show of the day after that, "And Then There Were None" at the Gielgud. I'd seen the old movie of it some years ago, but couldn't remember it very well, so I didn't twig to who the murderer was until quite late in the play. I'm not a huge Agatha Christie fan, but I like to watch plays of her work every now and then. The play was originally called "Ten Little Niggers"!!!! Hard to believe that was once considered an acceptable title for a play, but that's the way the world changes! Makes me wonder if any of MY titles will one day be considered obscene!!!!!!!

Had dinner at TGI Friday's, one of my favourite restaurant chains -- I usually eat there at least once a month! Then we went to see "Mary Stuart" at the Apollo. An intriguing political play about Mary Stuart (Queen of Scots) and Elizabeth the First. Not the easiest play to sit through, but it was beautifully acted, and built superbly to a thoroughly satisfying finale. Sitting two rows behind me was the ex-Prime Minister of the UK, John Major!! Given the subject matter of the play, I found his presence especially pleasing, and kept looking for parallels between the characters in the play and the twisted relationships between members of recent UK governments -- and there were plenty to find!!!!! The more things change ...