Derek Landy is far too modest to talk about any accolades his books may have garnered. He will not, for instance, mention that his first book, "Skulduggery Pleasant: Scepter of the Ancients, " was named a Best Book for Young Adults by the American Library Association, or appeared on Oprah's Book Club Kids Reading List, or indeed was a "Publishers Weekly" Best Book of the Year. Similarly, he gets downright "embarrassed" when he has to admit to the awards won by the follow-up Skulduggery novels- "Playing with Fire" and "The Faceless Ones". It's simply all too much for a simple lad from Ireland.