British writer Joseph Delaney, author of the saga of children’s novels “The Spook”, died at the age of 77

British writer Joseph Delaney, author of the best-selling fantasy novel series The Spook died of an illness, his family announced Thursday. The 77-year-old author made a late start in literature, after a career as an English teacher. He took up writing for the first time in 1997 with the novel Mercer’s Whorewhich he writes under a pseudonym. “I was inspired by Tolkien and wanted to write like him“, explained the author on his website.

After several rejections of his manuscripts, he turned to children’s literature on the advice of his agent. “I absolutely do not regret it”, ifamused the author. It’s with The Spooky Apprentice, first volume of the saga heroic-fantasythat he will be successful in 2004. Twelve additional volumes will follow until 2017, published in France by Bayard Jeunesse.

With much sadness, the family of master storyteller, Joseph Delaney, confirms that he passed away aged 77 on 16th August. Joe is best known for the Spook’s series, including The Spook’s Apprentice. pic.twitter.com/0jGu0LeigQ

— PuffinBooks (@PuffinBooks) August 18, 2022

His book will know even in 2014 free adaptation inspired on the big screen titled Lth seventh son. joseph Delaney had also signed the series Starblade Chroniclesthat of Brother Wulf and several collections of short stories always in the fantastic style. These books, translated into thirty languages, have sold more than 4.5 million copies internationally.

In a statement, his children paid their last respects to “this wonderful father”, “extremely attentive, with a great sense of humor, specially after a glass of wine“. But also to this author “with limitless imagination” who told them during their youth “scary stories that shouldn’t have been told after dark“. The family assures in this press release, that the passionate author until the end, had continued to write “as long as he could”.