Hello, readers! Sorry for the lack of posts this month; I was lost in an enchanted forest on the island of Yakushima. I’m back now though, and I promise we’ll get back to our usual witchy programming really soon – but first, I’ve got some updates to share about my upcoming book!
Firstly – My debut children’s novel, The Vampire Knife, is now coming out on August 1, 2017. That’s only 77 days away, and is a month earlier than was first expected. If you enjoy reading about vampires, wolves, and very bad weather, August 1 is the date to mark on your calendar!
Secondly – To help chronicle my adventures as an author, I’ve started an Instagram account! It’s still early days, but the account will ultimately be a creative companion piece to the blog – although I’ve recently been a tad preoccupied with the creepy things people have been leaving outside my house. You can follow that story here: @jack.henseleit
Thirdly – Now that my book launch is less than three months away, the good witches of Hardie Grant Egmont have kicked off the marketing campaign! You can now read about my book on their website, or even look them up on Facebook or Instagram to see the special VIP packages that were sent out last week. If you really dig around, you can even find some exclusive marketing documents that feature early sketches of my heroes, Anna and Max!
(There’s no final cover design yet, but I’m told that it won’t be far away…)
So: that’s everything that happened while I was lost in the woods. The Vampire Knife is coming out sooner than expected, and I’m really excited about it. I’m also back at my writing desk this week, so if you’ve been enjoying the blog so far, be assured that the Year of the Witch is ready to continue!
Thanks for reading – and happy witching!
JACK HENSELEIT 
What a significant date August 1 is turning out to be!
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My daughter Sophie (11) has just finished reading your book after 3 very silent days. She was so excited by the story, when she finished it we looked you up to see where we could get the next book – you should have heard the sigh…. she is a huge fan of your work and can’t wait for the next book to be released. Thank you for great writing and original storyline 🙂
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Hi Carly! I’m absolutely thrilled to hear that Sophie enjoyed The Vampire Knife – thanks for letting me know! I’m sorry that you’ll have to wait a little bit longer for book 2, but as a tiny sneak preview, please tell Sophie that the second book will be set in England, and that it contains an old stone bridge, a cage made out of bones, and a man named Mr Candle. It might even be scarier than book 1! If all goes to plan, it should be available in February next year, but I’ll post an update to my blog if anything changes. Cheers!
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We’ve only read to chapter eight so far, but we are really enjoying the adventure we are going on with Anna and Max. We all like it because it’s scary and we like how there’s always a piece to the puzzle to be discovered.
We look forward each week to our library lesson where we read a new chapter or two.
Ann O’Brien and Year 3/4 at Sacred Heart School, Preston
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Hello Ann, and hello Year 3/4! Sorry for the lateness of my reply – the weeks surrounding Halloween are a very busy time for me, as I must spend many hours attending to the garlic crop that surrounds my house, and even more hours sneaking into the nearby forest to retrieve wooden stakes. Fortunately, I have managed to survive another October, and can now tell you how pleased I am to hear you are enjoying The Vampire Knife, and how delighted I am that no harm has befallen you while reading it. I know that Ann will be looking out for you all, but to ensure your continued good health, please promise that you will never go for a walk in the woods after nightfall, and especially not during a full moon. You have been warned.
Happy witching!
Yours truly,
Jack Henseleit
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