Monday 31 December 2012

12 for '12 - The Final Assessment

At the start of 2012, inspired by David Bishop (and the fact that the year had the number 12 in it) I set myself twelve targets for my writing work in the form of New Year's resolutions. Some were to be on-going, some would be one-offs I wanted to achieve relatively quickly, and in the best tradition of New Year's resolutions, some were going to be nigh-on unachievable!

I gave an update back in May, but now that we're at year's end, how did I get on overall?

 
1) Read more books
Pass! This one I managed - but only just. But at the end of the day I definitely read more books in 2012 than I had in 2011.
 
2) Buy fewer books
Pass! I still bought books in 2012, but less than in previous years, which means I've started to get to work on my 'To Read' bookcase.
 
3) Complete 12 projects
Pass! This was going to be 'Write 12 short stories' (in part inspired by a conversation I had with World Fantasy Author Winner Lavie Tidhar) but I thought it might be a better idea to make it 12 writing projects (whether that be novels, magazine articles or whatever), seeing as I have a fair number of commissions to fulfil this year already. However, as things worked out, I actually managed to write 13 short stories and complete 28 pieces of work overall! (The only downside to this is that I'm going to want to achieve even more next year.)

4) Write another gamebook App
In Progress! I've started writing it, and the Tin Man has blogged about it, but it's not finished yet.

5) Get another Hammer and Bolter commission
Pass! I was commissioned to write a new short story for Black Library's Hammer and Bolter magazine, but then Black Library stopped producing the digital mag before my story could see print. As a result Sticks and Stones should be released next year as part of BL's 'A New Short Story Every Monday Initiative' (or whatever it's going to be called).
 
6) Get a comics commission
Fail! I did write up one proposal but it was rejected. I think if this was a school report my teacher would write here 'Could try harder'. However, although I didn't write a new comic strip, I did write about an iconic comic book character in 2012.

7) Work up a new YA project
Fail! I've got the ideas, I know of publishers who've said they'll take a look at anything I send them... but I still haven't found the time (or made the time) to work them up into a saleable submission.
 
8) Reach 100 followers on this blog
Pass! As of writing this, the total stands at 116. :-)

9) Try to get an agent
Fail! I've discovered a new agency to try, but I still need to write-up something to send them.
 
10, 11 and 12) Use social media less (Facebook, Blogger and Twitter)
Fail! Fail! And Fail! And that's in part because I've been working hard on promoting myself as an author and because I've decided to run my first Kickstarter project this year. If you've not heard about YOU ARE THE HERO - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks, firstly, where have you been? And secondly, pledge your support today by following this link.

 
6 Fails, 5 Passes and 1 In Progress (which for the purposes of this blog I'm going to call Pass, so that's a hit rate of 50% which, for New Year's Resolutions isn't too bad in my book.

I've got plenty of exciting projects lined up for 2013 already so, until next year...
 

How I met the Warlock of Firetop Mountain


By Juliet E McKenna

I encountered Fighting Fantasy gamebooks not too long after they first appeared. I’d gone up to university in 1983 and that’s where I’d discovered Dungeons & Dragons, Traveller, Aftermath, Toon, Heroes, Car Wars and other tabletop role-playing games which instantly appealed to my lifelong love of fantasy and science-fiction. Such gaming offered me a whole new interactive and participatory way of engaging with such stories. After all those books which I’d read, wanting to slap some sense into the hero who persisted in doing something so dumb that surely only an moron would go ahead. Now I could shout across the table to stop the idiot paladin about to open the grim portal or ominously rune-engraved box. I could be the one suspiciously interrogating the apparently helpful peasant giving directions to the dragon’s den. Now I could be the one rolling a critical fumble and getting skewered by a kobold. (As with just about everyone playing AD&D in that era, our group played a highly personalised and modified version of the rules).
 
I have wondered since why SF&F meshes so well with table top gaming. I think it’s because speculative fiction invites engagement with the narrative to a far greater extent than other fictions. SF&F isn’t reflecting the world as we know it, offering us insights into the reality we inhabit. It’s constantly asking us to imagine ourselves somewhere else, where the rules we think we know don’t necessarily apply, whether those are the laws of physics or society. The eternal question of SF&F is ‘what if...?’ That wish to step through the barrier of the pages and participate directly in the stories ourselves naturally follows. Indeed, portal fantasy has been a staple of the genre since Alice first fell down the rabbit hole and Lucy entered the wardrobe. Who would have imagined that a handful of weird-shaped dice could satisfy that longing?
 
Which was great as long as I was at university. But come the end of term time, I had to go home and in those long-ago pre-Internet days, there was no way of finding like-minded souls back in Dorset. How could I continue that direct participation in story-weaving that I’d got so used to enjoying?
 
Fan fiction? That was also something I’d encountered for the first time at university, through the dubious medium of a much-copied photo-copy of ‘Spock in Manacles’... Setting aside the literary merits of that particular work, I was familiar with the motivation behind fan-fiction. More than once, during a particularly tedious English lesson discussing the Romantic Poets, I would stare out of the window and indulge in a light reverie about Blake’s Seven, mentally writing myself into an episode never to be seen outside my own head. The thing is though, such episodes weren’t particularly satisfying and not only because I still had such vast amounts to learn about characterisation, pacing, exposition and all the other facets of writing craft. The main problem was, there were never any surprises. I knew what was hidden behind the curtain or in the talking box because I’d thought it up in the first place. All in all, I found such indulgent daydreams as unsatisfying as playing chess against myself.
 
Then someone lent me a copy of The Warlock of Firetop Mountain. I forget who it was but I’m pretty sure they were in the same fix as me outside of term time. Now we had a solution! Solo gaming within a system that played fair in the sense of punishing stupidity as well as rewarding intelligent thinking and still with the added edge of unpredictable dice rolls landing you in no-win situations. Because game systems should be fair but as the Goblin King reminds us in Labyrinth, real life simply isn’t. Which was great, because the endless variations and possibilities meant you could play the book time and again. Even once you’d won, you could go back and see where the roads not taken might have led.
 
I love the way these books endured despite the arrival of computer games. I remember playing early attempts at those and being very unimpressed, both by the quality of the writing and plotting and by the inadequacies of the graphics. Fighting fantasy game books offered far superior game play for a good long while as well as the fabulous pictures inside my own head, spun off the wonderful cover art and the line drawings inside. It’s only in recent years that computer games have come anywhere near matching such visuals, never mind such intricate storytelling and replayability.
 
So of course I’m backing this project. I am intrigued to learn more about the history of these books. How the idea first originated, how they came to be published and who was involved in their creation and development and why. Quite apart from anything else, I bet I’m not the only one currently writing epic fantasy fiction with such fond memories of flipping through an increasingly creased paperback, pencil between teeth and dice ready to hand.
 
 
Huge thanks to Juliet for taking the time to write such an excellent post at what is such a busy time of year. If it has inspired you to pledge your support to YOU ARE THE HERO - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks you can do so by following this link.

Thought for the Day and a New Year's Resolution, of sorts...

"I like to follow Stephen King’s advice that if you write a page a day in your spare time (maybe 300 words), you’ll have a book in a year. And obviously, if you’re writing a children’s book, you can write a lot of books in a year if you keep that speed up."

~ Alex Milway, children's author and illustrator


That's my aim for 2013...

Sunday 30 December 2012

YOU ARE THE HERO - One week to go!

YOU ARE THE HERO now has only seven days left to run, and under £3000 still remains to be found.

To mark this milestone, tomorrow morning I will be posting a special guest blog post written by British fantasy author Juliet E McKenna herself!

Also, if we reach the £15,000 level before the end of the YOU ARE THE HERO Kickstarter I will be announcing some awesome, new, and totally unique reward levels.

So keep pledging, keep spreading the word, and watch this space...

Ian Livingstone CBE

Yesterday, it was announced that Ian Livingstone, Life President of Eidos Interactive made the New Year Honours list for his services to the gaming industry and the education sector - again.

"Livingstone, whose honour coincides with his 63rd birthday, also co-created the Fighting Fantasy series of role-playing books," reports Digital Spy.

"I'm genuinely humbled to get something," he told BBC News. "My life has been all about games, and I think we learn an awful lot through play.

"Writing Fighting Fantasy books with Steve Jackson in the 1980s seemed to have got a whole generation of children reading again.

"I'm delighted that what we created not just manifested itself in interactive books but it's actually inspired people to join the computer games industry."

You're telling me!

YOU ARE THE HERO is very proud to have both Ian and Steve's backing, and we would like to pass on our congratulations to Ian on his latest honour.

Don't forget, YOU ARE THE HERO will feature a Foreword written by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone CBE!


The ACME Corporation

Artist and designer Rob Loukotka has drawn every product the ACME Corporation ever sold to Wile E. Coyote.


In the field of (fictional) DIY mayhem, the leading brand is clearly the company where Wile E. Coyote shops for gear to catch the Road Runner. What the ACME product line lacks in reliability, it makes up for in breadth. ACME will sell you just about anything, from jet-propelled tennis shoes to cheese. Over 43 episodes, Wile E. Coyote ordered and received 126 different items from the corporation and Loukotka has made a poster that includes them all.

To find out more, click this link.

Saturday 29 December 2012

YOU ARE THE HERO mentioned in STARBURST magazine interview

Recently Ed Fortune interviewed me for STARBURST magazine about Pax Britannia, tie-in fiction, and (of course) Fighting Fantasy gamebooks.

Oh yeah. And YOU ARE THE HERO.

You can read the interview for yourself here.

Friday 28 December 2012

Gamebook Friday: YOU ARE THE HERO and CODENAME: CRUSADER

A quick update...

YOU ARE THE HERO is now 71% funded with 255 backers and 8 days to go. That's fantastic going, but we can't let off the pressure now because if the Kickstarter doesn't make £15,000 the book ain't gonna happen! So keep spreading the love or consider pledging yourself (if you haven't done so already).

And in other news... The Tin Man has let the cat out of the bag at long last.

"If you’ve been following the blog for a while you will know that we’ve been hinting for some time about a new Jonathan Green – Tin Man Games collaboration. We can announce that this will be happening this year! We couldn’t squeeze it into our Twelve Days of Gamebooks announcements (plus we currently don’t have any artwork created) so we wanted to mention it here instead. Jon’s new book will be part of our new Gamebook Adventures Masters series (alongside Gary Chalk’s Gun Dogs) and will hopefully be the first of many in his new setting. We proudly present Jonathan Green’s Codename: Crusader…"

To find out more, follow this link.

Skill 7? I mean, really! SKILL 7?

Gamebook Friday: Le Temple du Dieu Araignée

Le Temple du Dieu Araignée (the French version of Temple of the Spider God) has been out for a while now and has proved worthy of some reviews as well.

Thomas Debelle has described me as "une légende vivante" (i.e., living legend) while Esteriane has this to say about my first Gamebook Adventure:

Le système de jeu est très simple mais permet de jouer rapidement sans que les combats s'éternisent. Les défis sont bien équilibrés, sans donner l'impression que vous vous en sortirez haut la main.

L'histoire compte plus de 500 paragraphes, permettant de nombreux choix et variations. Et la maquette personnalisable permet de trouver chaussure à son pied en termes de confort de lecture.

Bref, si vous aimez les livres dont vous êtes le héros, cette collection est pour vous.

In case you're not a native French speaker yourself, that last line reads: "In short, if you like the books You Are The Hero, this series is for you."

Which is nice.

*     *     *     *     *

Just to let you know that there's still time to back my Kickstarter project YOU ARE THE HERO - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks, whatever your nationality.

Thursday 27 December 2012

YOU ARE THE HERO - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks - UPDATE!

YOU ARE THE HERO is now past the two-thirds mark and with ten days left to run is heading towards fully funding on 6 January.

Progress is going well, but we still need to raise on average £500 a day to make our £15,000 target.

So if you've not backed the project yet, but you've been meaning to, click this link and pledge your support today.

If you have already pledged, thank you - but please check that you've added the correct amount of postage. And then blog about it, post on Facebook and Tweet all your friends.

With YOUR support a copy of YOU ARE THE HERO could be in your hands by this time next year!

Thank you.

Steampunk Thursday: The most Steampunk Doctor Who story ever?

The Snowmen, on Christmas Day. So, what did you think of it?

I have to say I loved it! So much better than last year's Christmas special. I've been completely won over by Jenna Louise Coleman, I loved Doctor 'Scrooge', Moffat was clever as ever (but in an un-alienating way), loved the glimpse we received of the new TARDIS interior, I smiled at the  'It's smaller on the outside' line, it was great to see Matt Smith's face scattered across the stars, and Simeon's snow globe was like something straight out of Stormslayer. And Sir Ian McKellen!

I have to agree with the SFX reviewer that arch-baddie Richard E Grant was under-used, and surely it's only a matter of time before the Paternoster Gang get their own series. But I have one unresolved issue...

Certain elements of the Virgin novels have made it through into New Who, but in one of those stories the Doctor actually met Sherlock Holmes, whereas now Sherlock Holmes is most definitely a fictional creation inspired by the Veiled Detective!

Ho-hum! I just wish I'd written about a lizard lady from the dawn of time solving crimes in Victorian England in my Pax Britannia books somewhere.

And as to whether The Snowmen really is the most Steampunk Doctor Who story ever, join the discussion here.




And while we're on the subject of Steampunk and Pax Britannia, you can now vote for the Preditors and Editors awards, which includes a category for Best Steampunk Novel 2012 - for which Time's Arrow qualifies. You know what to do...

Wednesday 26 December 2012

Warhammer Wednesday: Black Library Weekender II

Tickets are now available for the Black Library Weekender II.

This year's event was fantastic and if you're free (and a fan of the work of the Black Library) you really should go.

Unfortunately I have a prior engagement for that weekend in 2013 so here's to the Black Library Weekender III in 2014!

Tuesday 25 December 2012

There is such a thing as too much of a good thing...

A man from Ayrshire was hospitalised last Christmas after eating too many Brussels sprouts.
The traditional Christmas vegetable contain lots of vitamin K which promotes blood clotting. However, this counteracted the effect of anticoagulants the man was taking because he had a mechanical heart.

Doctors at the Golden Jubilee Hospital in Clydebank eventually realised too many sprouts were to blame. Consultant cardiologist Dr Roy Gardner said, "Patients who are taking anticoagulants are generally advised not to eat too many green leafy vegetables, as they are full of vitamin K, which antagonise the action of this vital medication."

Jill Young, chief executive of the Golden Jubilee Hospital added, "Whilst we think this is possibly the first-ever festive admission to hospital caused by the consumption of Brussels sprouts, we were delighted that we were able to stabilise his levels."

So don't go mad this Christmas and enjoy your Christmas dinner. Just lay of the baby cabbages, okay?


Play Christmas with the Sproutifarts here.

Monday 24 December 2012

YOU ARE THE HERO around the Interwebz

I've been interviewed for various websites and written guest post for other people's blogs about the YOU ARE THE HERO Kickstarter and some are now starting to appear.

First up there's my post about Indie Publishing on William King's blog (yes, the William King of Gotrek and Felix fame!).

Then there's an interview with G*M*S Magazine.

And last, but not least, there's Matt Sylvester's interview with me over on his blog.

Still to come... More guest blogs and an interview with STARBURST magazine!

The Next Big Thing: YOU ARE THE HERO

I know I've been tagged by the Next Big Thing meme before, but it's happened again - and it really couldn't have come at a better time. So, here we go.

 
What is the working title of your next book?
YOU ARE THE HERO – A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks.


Where did the idea come from for the book?
My love of Fighting Fantasy gamebooks. The fact that 2012 marks 30 years since the publication of the first one, The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, and 20 years since my first commission, which was also for a Fighting Fantasy gamebook – Spellbreaker. And because I wrote a piece on the subject for SFX Magazine in the year, which I soon discovered barely scratched the surface of the story waiting to be told.


What genre does your book fall under?
Non-fiction, but non-fiction about the gamebook genre, specifically fantasy adventures.
 
What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?
I guess Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone would have to play themselves, as any such movie would need to be a documentary.


What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?
A 'coffee table' book celebrating 30 years of Fighting Fantasy, the publishing phenomenon created by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone, written by gamebook guru Jonathan Green.


Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
Chronicle City is actually going to publish the book, as long as the Kickstarter raises the necessary funds.


How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?
I’ve not written it yet, but I’m anticipating it will take a couple of weeks. It will be the interviews and preparing the book for publication that will take up much the time.

 
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
None. This book is unique. So back the Kickstarter today and make the fantasy a reality!

 
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
Steve Jackson, Ian Livingstone and Fighting Fantasy gamebooks, of course.

 
What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest?
YOU ARE THEHERO will tell the story of Fighting Fantasy gamebooks, from the early days of Games Workshop right up to the present day, and beyond. I have already interviewed the creators of the Fighting Fantasy series – Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone – who are both keen to have their story told. In fact, Steve Jackson once said to me, "You are the perfect person to write this book."

I have also interviewed many other people who’ve been involved with Fighting Fantasy over the years. These include authors and editors – such as Dave Morris, Robin Waterfield and Marc Gascoigne – the artists – people like Russ Nicholson, Martin McKenna, John Sibbick and Leo Hartas – and fans of the series, such as New York Times bestselling author Graham McNeill, founder of Tin Man Games Neil Rennison, and author, actor and comedian Charlie Higson.
I want YOU ARE THEHERO to be something special, a book worthy of commemorating such an extraordinary achievement and the impact Fighting Fantasy gamebooks have had on the world. As a result, the first print run of YOU ARE THE HERO will be a limited edition. The book will feature brand new, specially-commissioned cover art by Martin McKenna, as well as original artwork from the series, and a foreword written by Steve and Ian themselves.

Not only will YOU ARETHE HERO tell the amazing story of how Fighting Fantasy gamebooks changed the world, it will also cover everything from spin-off novels and puzzle books, to foreign editions, board games and video games. It will even delve into such areas as the gamebooks that never were, the myths and legends surrounding the series, and how Ian Livingstone’s newest gamebook – Blood of the Zombies – almost never happened.

Thanks to Kickstarter we have a once in a lifetime opportunity to create a book about the history of Fighting Fantasy. But now it’s up to YOU! The more YOU pledge, the more impressive this book will be –with more artwork, higher spec production values and more content. I would love this first limited edition to be a hardback, and with YOUR help it could be. But without your support YOUARE THE HERO can never happen.

If you have any interest whatsoever in the British games industry, adventure gamebooks or fantasy fiction, then this book is for you. Check out the rewards on the YOU ARE THEHERO Kickstarter page and pledge your support today!

Remember – only YOU can make this book happen, because, thanks to Kickstarter, YOU ARE THE HERO!


You can find out more (and pledge your support) by clicking this link.
 

Sunday 23 December 2012

New interview with Yours Truly now online

A new interview with me has gone up on Matt Sylvester's blog. In it I talk about my writing career, Fighting Fantasy gamebooks in particular, and the YOU ARE THE HERO Kickstarter project.

You can read it for yourself here.

Freestyle Bane

Does exactly what it says on the tin, so to speak.



(Courtesy of Geek Syndicate.)

Saturday 22 December 2012

YOU ARE THE HERO - Halfway there!

The YOU ARE THE HERO Kickstarter is now passed the halfway mark (in terms of the time it has to run), has already raised over £9,000 and is well on the way to being two thirds funded.

If you've been thinking about backing but haven't committed yet, then watch the pitch video below and then click this link to pledge.



And if you're still not convinced after watching that, then watch this!


Joy to the World!


Friday 21 December 2012

Thursday 20 December 2012

Steampunk Thursday: A new Time's Arrow review

This one's from Gareth Wilson, of Falcata Times, and very pleasing it is too.


I'm a huge fan of the Ulysses Quicksilver titles from Abaddon yet whist continuing in the same vein, this book is something that is totally unique - it was crafted by the author following the readers' wishes as to what would happen in various parts. It's cleverly done, works wonders for the advancement of the world and with so many different options, it really does go to show the author's skills in allowing the reader to direct it whilst allowing it to appear organic alongside planned.

Add to this some wonderful twists, cracking prose and of course a storyline that just keeps you gripped. All in a cracking novel with a concept that could well catch on. Great stuff.



Remember, you can pick up a copy of Pax Britannia: Time's Arrow - Ulysses Quicksilver's eighth novel-length adventure - here.

Wednesday 19 December 2012

A Little Christmas Shopping

Not sure what to get that special someone in your life, or wondering what to ask others to get you? Well if you (or they) are fans of speculative fiction, might I suggest the following?

Black Library Novels and Short Stories


Dark Heart - A Collection of Short Horror Fiction


And for a truly unique gift, why not pledge your support to the YOU ARE THE HERO - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks Kickstarter?

Tuesday 18 December 2012

YOU ARE THE HERO Update!

We're now past halfway on the YOU ARE THE HERO Kickstarter!

However, there's still some way to go before funding is achieved. So if you're looking for a unique Christmas present for the gamebook/RPG fan in your life*, why not back the project now?

  • £25 gets you a copy of the book.
  • £30 gets you the book, but with your name (or that of your loved one*) in the acknowledgements.
  • £40 gets you the book, dedication and an Adventurer's Set (2 dice, a pencil, an eraser, and a badge).
  • £50 gets you all of the above plus I'll sign it for you...

And so on. Let's face it - it's easy to spend £50 (or more) on tat at Christmas, so why not spend it on a premier collector's edition of a unique book?

Check out the rewards here, and pledge your support today!

Thank you.



* Which, let's face it, could be you!

Monday 17 December 2012

Sunday 16 December 2012

YOU ARE THE HERO update

MJ Eccles has blogged about the YOU ARE THE HERO Kickstarter over on his blog here.

And to give you a quick update, we've now passed the £7000 mark - in less than ten days! That means there's only £8000 to be collected (over the next 21 days) and YOU ARE THE HERO will achieve funding!

Remember - keep spreading the word!

Saturday 15 December 2012

Short Story Saturday - Judge Dredd: Psimple Psimon

I've been sitting on this news for a while, but now that the Judge Dredd Megazine #331 has gone out to subscribers I can at last announce some very exciting news.

I've written a Judge Dredd story!

Yes - you read that right - I really have written a Judge Dredd story!

Now, admittedly, most people spend years writing for 2000AD (or the Megazine) - first working on Future Shocks, or Tales from the Black Museum, and then, if they're lucky, developing series and characters of their own - before being let loose on the House of Tharg's premier strip. I've yet to even have a Past Imperfect story appear in 2000AD, but I've snuck in the back door, as it were.

Regular readers of the Megazine will know that in recent months short fiction has made a reappearance in the monthly mag, so I got in touch with editor Matt Smith and... the rest is history.

What genuinely surprised me was that Psimple Psimon was my first pitch, and the first draft was accepted as finished. (That said, it was an idea I'd had filed away for a long time.) So why not pick up Megazine #331, and check out my story for yourself. It's got everything you'd want from a Dredd story: violence; puns; and pithy put-downs.

Now, what to do for a follow up...?


Short Story Saturday: Dark Heart - now available in paperback

That's right, you can now buy my first collection of short horror fiction Dark Heart in paperback!

So, in classic Blue Peter-style, here's one I made earlier...


(If you'd rather own Dark Heart in eBook form, follow this link.)

Friday 14 December 2012

Time's Arrow - review and giveaway!

"This is silly fun at its best, and it gets to the heart of the steampunk genre. It doesn’t take itself seriously, isn’t at all bothered about history and simply exists to be the wildest tale it can be."

That's what Ed Fortune has to say over at the Starburst Magazine website about Pax Britannia: Time's Arrow. But I think he likes the book since he's also given it 9 out of 10 stars.

You can read Ed's review in its entirety here, and if after reading it it makes you want to read the book, then you might be interested in Upcoming4's giveaway here.

Gamebook Friday: La Nuit du Necromancien

This arrived from Gallimard last Friday, but I was a rather too taken up with my YOU ARE THE HERO Kickstarter to post the pictures at the time.



If you are a French-speaker or a Francophile, you can buy La Nuit du Necromancien here. (And it's already been awarded two 5-star reviews on Amazon.fr!)

Thursday 13 December 2012

Steampunk Thursday: The Great Detective

It's less than a fortnight until Christmas, which means that it's less than a fortnight until Doctor Who returns for what looks like it might be one of his most steampunk adventures yet. So roll on 25 December!



Wednesday 12 December 2012

Jonathan Green and Bryan Talbot talk Steampunk on the Radio

That's right, you read that right, I'm going to be on the radio, talking about the cult of Steampunk with legendary British comic creator Bryan Talbot - tonight!

If you're in the London area, you can tune in to the one hour live show on Atomic Bark! at 9.00pm this evening on 104.4FM, and live on the net too at www.resonancefm.com.

The show will also be repeated tomorrow, Thursday 13 December, from 11.00am to 12.00pm, with podcasts to follow a few weeks after that.

So if you're in London, and able to tune in tonight or tomorrow, let me know what you thought of our discussions via the usual channels.

Until next time...


Warhammer Wednesday: Mission GW - The Plaza and Covent Garden (again)

So, last Friday I was in town for this. I arrived in London a little early and so had time to pop in to both the Plaza and the Covent Garden Games Workshop stores.

The Plaza store had a fantastic Helbrute on display...


...while the Covent Garden store had an inspiring Vampire Counts display.


And while we're on the subject of Games Workshop and Space Marines, have you seen this yet?