Arthur Quinn and Hell's Keeper (28 page)

Acknowledgements

When I was younger I would read authors' acknowledgements and wonder why they felt the need to thank so many people. After all, the author wrote the book. Were all these names really recognition-worthy? 

Well now I know the answer. Yes. 

First I'd like to thank my family for their bottomless well of support; my parents Ann and Luke, my brother Paul, and all my extended family. A special mention also goes to my cousin Ciara, who was a huge help when it came to my first few (terrifying!) book events.

To my friends: I appreciate every word of encouragement, every piece of advice, every copy bought and every Facebook share. And to Paul, Dee, Ruairí, Tag and Lou in particular: you didn't complain when I named sometimes unflattering characters after you. You didn't even complain whenever I would drift off mid-sentence because I suddenly had a solution to a particularly tricky plot point. So this book is dedicated to you.

The help and support I got from booksellers, librarians and teachers cannot be understated and if I was to list them all, you'd be holding a book twice as long as this. But I would like to take the opportunity to thank Jane Alger and all in UNESCO Dublin City of Literature for choosing my first book for their inaugural children's city read.

Three cheers to the wonderful gang at Children's Books Ireland and Inis Magazine. They do sterling work both for writers and readers of children's books and deserve all the kudos they get and more. Hip-hip! Hip-hip! Hip-hip! Hooray!

Massive thanks to all in RTÉ's Elev8 for helping me name one of Ash's rebels and, of course, to Orla Doyle for helping Arthur save the world!

Thank you to everyone at Mercier Press for taking a chance on me in the first place and for all the work they've done over the past three and a bit years. And I tip my hat especially to Wendy and the editorial team. Without their invaluable input, Arthur's adventures wouldn't be as exciting/scary/funny/gripping as they are.

I also wish to gratefully acknowledge the support of the Arts Council of Ireland.

Lastly, I turn to you – yes, YOU. I wrote the stories but I believe that the reader brings them to life. So, on behalf of Arthur, Ash, Loki and all the rest –
thank you!

Alan Early

Dublin, 2013

About the Author

Born in Leitrim and now living in Dublin, Alan Early studied in the National Film School, Dun Laoghaire. Upon graduation in 2008, he co-founded Annville Films. From an early age he used to write and illustrate short stories about Banshees and ghost animals and whatever else struck his imagination. When he was ten, he visited Dublinia, a recreated Viking village and so began a love affair with Viking lore.

http://www.mercierpress.ie/author/author/alanearly

Also Available from Author

ARTHUR QUINN AND THE WORLD SERPENT

Part 1 of the Father of Lies Chronicles

Something monstrous is stirring under Dublin …

Arthur Quinn has problems. He has just moved to Dublin and started a new school, and now he's having crazy dreams about the Viking god Loki. But it soon becomes clear these are more than dreams – Arthur is actually having premonitions about a great evil that threatens the world.

With his new friends, Will and Ash, Arthur sets out to investigate what Loki is up to. Together they discover that under the streets of Dublin, buried in a secret chamber, is a creature that's been imprisoned for a thousand years, a creature that can and will destroy the world if Loki has anything to do with it.

Can Arthur Quinn defeat the Viking god of mischief?

http://www.mercierpress.ie/Arthur_Quinn_and_the_World_Serpent/575

Also Available

ARTHUR QUINN AND FENRIS WOLF

Part 2 of the Father of Lies Chronicles

978 1 85635 998 6

Arthur Quinn thinks life is back to normal. Three months have passed since he and his friends defeated the Viking god Loki and saved the world, and everything has been quiet. But then Arthur starts having the dreams again: dreams of gods, dreams of magic, dreams of a wolf. It can mean only one thing. Loki is back and only Arthur can stop him. 

With the clock ticking, Arthur and his friends find themselves in a race against time to track down the god and prevent him from putting his sinister plan in motion. 

But what they don't know is that this time, Loki has help …

http://www.mercierpress.ie/irish-books/arthur_quinn_and_the_fenris_wolf_father_of_lies_chronicles

About the Publisher

We hope you enjoyed this book.

Since 1944, Mercier Press has published books that have been critically important to Irish life and culture. Books that dealt with subjects that informed readers about Irish scholars, Irish writers, Irish history and Ireland's rich heritage.

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