Joseph Delaney

For other people named Joseph Delaney, see Joseph Delaney (disambiguation).

Joseph Delaney
Delaney at Salon du livre 2008 (Paris, France)
Born	Joseph Henry Delaney 25 July 1945 Preston, Lancashire, England, U.K.
Alma mater	Lancaster University
Influences J. R. R. Tolkien

Joseph Henry Delaney is a British former educator and currently an author of science fiction and fantasy books.

Life and career

On first leaving school, Delaney started work as an apprentice engineer. Upon the completion of his schooling, he went on to become an English instructor, with his initial literary specialization being in the area of vampire lore. In his capacity as an educator, he worked to establish the Media and Film Studies department at Blackpool Sixth Form College.

His writing career began with the release of a sci-fi book, written under the pen-name of J.K. Haderack. This was followed up by releases under his real name, including his first children's novel, which was in part based upon actual experiences and memories he had as a youth. Additional works were produced to expand that single work into a series of titles tailored primarily at Young Adult and Adult Fiction audiences. The books that he wrote after his first pen-name book were The Wardstone Chronicles.

Delaney retired from his position as an educator in order to devote his energies to a full-time writing career. He has three children and seven grandchildren.

His legacy carries on however in Newtownards, Northern Ireland in Regent House Grammar School as "Delaney-fever" has swept the school with his photo cropping up all around the school.

The Wardstone Chronicles (UK) / Last Apprentice (USA)

The Wardstone Chronicle Series is an examination of a Master / Student relationship particular to the supernatural.

"The County", as written about in the books, is based upon Lancashire in the North of England. The locations concerned are also largely based upon those known to Delaney, for example: the town of Priestown is based loosely on Preston, where he was born; Lancaster becomes Caster; Blackpool is now the Black Pool; and Chipping is Chipenden. He still lives in the same area that "The County" is based upon.

The Wardstone Chronicles

1. The Spook's Apprentice (Reprinted in the USA as: Revenge of the Witch) - 2004
2. The Spook's Curse (Reprinted in the USA as: Curse of the Bane) - 2005
3. The Spook's Secret (Reprinted in the USA as: Night of the Soul Stealer) 2006
4. The Spook's Battle (Reprinted in the USA as: Attack of the Fiend) - 2007
5. The Spook's Mistake (Reprinted in the USA as: Wrath of the Bloodeye) - 2008
6. The Spook's Sacrifice (Reprinted in the USA as: Clash of the Demons) - 2009
7. The Spook's Nightmare (Reprinted in the USA as: Rise of the Huntress) - 2010
8. The Spook's Destiny (Reprinted in the USA as: Rage of the Fallen) - 2011
9. Spook's I Am Grimalkin - October 2011
10. The Spook's Blood - June 2012
11. Spook's I Am Alice - October 2012 or June 2013
12. The Spook's Ten - October 2013

The rights for the first feature-length film of this series have been acquired by Warner Bros. Joseph Delaney has also written other novels on the Wardstone Chronicles;

• The Spook's Tale - 2009, as part of World Book Day
• The Spook's Bestiary - 2010.
• Spook's Stories: Witches (Reprinted in the USA as: A Coven of Witches) - 2009

External links

• Spooks Books
• Fantastic Fiction Author Page
• Author interview with FantasyBookReview.co.uk
• Joseph Delaney at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
• Joseph Delaney on the Encyclopedia