Thought for the Day

“I do not think that you can be changing the end of a song or a story like that, as though it were quite separate from the rest. I think the end of a story is part of it from the beginning.”

~ Rosemary Sutcliff

Short Story Saturday: The Serpent's Egg - A Dark Tale of the Cthulhu Mythos

First published seven years ago, as part of the Dreaming in Darkness collection, The Serpent's Egg was the first novella I self-published under the Green Man Books banner back in 2017.

But now I have given it a face-lift, with a new cover image of the Lambton Worm licensed from 2000AD and Magic: The Gathering artist Dave Kendall.

You can pick it up for just £1.99 on Amazon, or if you are signed up to Amazon's Kindle Unlimited plan, it won't cost you a penny.

So why not check it out today?

Gamebook Friday: The Storymaster's Tales

I have just sat through another live play-through of The Storymaster's Tales: The Weirding Woods. I say sat through, I should have said 'enjoyed'. What Olly Mc has done with these live Facebook events is truly astounding. But let me explain...

For anyone who doesn't already know, The Storymaster's Tales is a hybrid RPG designed by Oliver McNeil, that combines elements of fantasy role-playing, a board game, a card game, and an adventure gamebook*. It is set in a dark fairy-tale world that is instantly recognisable, and is designed for 1-5 players, aged 6 to adult.

Passing over the fact that it is a game that can be enjoyed by anyone from 6 upwards, which is an achievement in itself, the coronavirus lockdown has brought a new dimension to the game**. In The Storymaster's Tales, randomly selected cards reveal new locations, and Olly Mc has created bespoke video clips and photographic images - using fantastic costumes, masks, and even puppets - to transport players to these locations, meeting all manner of grotesque and intriguing characters along the way. In the game, these people and places are vivdly brought to life my Nick Vuimin's wonderful woodblock-esque artwork. But in the live online version they are brought to life by Olly Mc himself***!

The physical game is a thing of beauty, but the live version is also a feast for the eyes. If you have yet to experience this wonder for yourself, the next live show is scheduled to take place at 6:00pm BST on Friday 1st May, here.

But in the meantime, you can pick up The Storymaster's Tales: The Weirding Woods, as well as the Deeper into the Woods expansion, here.

And you may also like to know that the latest version of the game, The Storymaster's Tales: Dracodeep Dungeon, has just over a week left to run on Kickstarter, which is already 1,839% funded and a great way to grab the original edition of the game if you don't already own it.

* And theatre, the way Olly does it!

** As they say, every cloud...

*** And others!

Warhammer Wednesday: Herald of Oblivion

While the world is in lockdown, and Warhammer stores remain closed around the globe, Games Workshop have been pushing digital products that don't need to be packed up and posted out to eager fans desperate so hat they can still pursue their hobby during these very interesting times.

This week the focus has fallen on must-play Warhammer mobile games, and I am delighted to report that Tin Man Games' adaptation of my Path to Victory gamebook Herald of Oblivion is one of the four highlighted.

If you haven't played Herald of Oblivion yet, you will find the links to download it for the platform of your choice here.

Thought for the Day

"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream."

~ C. S. Lewis

Gamebook Friday: An ACE Adventure

Ever since Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland was first published five years ago, in 2015, publishers outside of the UK have been keen to bring the book to the attention of gamebook fans in their own countries.

I am pleased to say that, to date, Alice's Nightmare has been published in seven different territories, and by the end of the year, The Wicked Wizard of Oz will be available in Czech and German, as well as English.

Yesterday, I stumbled across a playthrough of Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland on YouTube, recorded by an Italian reader. The Italian edition of the book isn't quite out yet, so the play-through is of the English language edition, recorded in Italian, with English subtitles. It's quite creepy...

Warhammer Wednesday: Inferno! Volume 4 Review

During to the Coronavirus lockdown, a lot of people have been catching up on their reading, and that includes The Sci-Fi and Fantasy Reviewer. The latest review to go up is of Inferno! Volume 4, which features my own Thousand Sons short story Journey of the Magi, and it makes for very pleasant reading*.

"I was both surprised and delighted to see Jonathan Green’s name in the Table of Contents, because he was one of the first Black Library authors I ever read; The Dead and the Damned remains perhaps my favourite Warhammer Fantasy (now Warhammer Chronicles, I suppose) novels of all time. So I was curious to see what Journey of the Magi would deliver, and was intrigued to find a slow-paced, atmospheric and multi-layered tale revolving around three sorcerors from the Thousand Sons Legion landing on a seemingly-abandoned planetoid in search of a prize buried in the depths of a strange temple. While the trio breach its external defences easily enough, they soon find that the metallic, undying defenders inside have no intention of allowing them an easy journey. I appreciated the old-school feel of the story, with some detailed descriptions of the three sorcerers, their powers and the complex relationship between them, but also the way in which Green deftly brought the plot up to date with the latest lore and canon. It’s a striking story written with a narrative richness I think is unique to Green, as is the ending which deploys twist after twist to create a complex yet deeply rewarding story that immediately bears fruit from re-reading after finishing."

Click on the covers below to download eBook editions direct from Black Library.

     

* Especially when I am currently busy writing another new short story.

Thought for the Day

"If you want to live by your writing, you have to make it wonderful, absolutely relevant and exactly what millions of people are desperate to read. No one ever said that was easy."

~ Carmen Reid, author

Short Story Saturday: In the grim darkness of the future there are only eBooks

I was slightly surprised to open an email from Games Workshop yesterday to discover, under the Black Library banner, the cover of my second Warhammer novel Magestorm staring back at me. It's a story from the World-That-Was and it was first published 16 years ago, in 2004.

As it turned out, the reason for the appearance of this title is that in this time of lockdown, like many publishers, Black Library are promoting their digital products, and Magestorm is one of the eBooks you can download direct from www.BlackLibrary.com. There are several short stories of mine also available as eBook downloads, including two that feature the ancient alien Necrons; my most recent Warhammer 40K story Journey of the Magi, and But Dust in the Wind, first published in 2010.

So why not click the image above and check out what's on offer?

The future's dark. The future's grim...

Gamebook Friday: Beowulf Beastslayer and the Night of the Kraken

A glowing review of Beowulf Beastslayer was posted on GamebookNews.com this week. It's very scholarly, and quite long, but this summary should tell you what you need to know.

This evening at 6:00pm BST (Friday 10 April) Olly McNeil of The Storymaster's Tales, will be giving a live readthrough of my second Doctor Who gamebook Night of the Kraken only on the Doctor Who Infinity Facebook group.

Lastly, for this Gamebook Friday, if you missed the Kickstarter for my latest ACE Gamebook, DRACULA - Curse of the Vampire, you can still place a Late Pledge here.

Remember, stay home, stay safe, and keep well, and I'll see you next week,

Steampunk Thursday: Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland - RPG of the Year?

I am delighted to report that the Portuguese language edition of my Steampunk-themed gamebook Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland - Alice no País dos Pesadelos, published in Brazil by Jambô Editora - is up for an award.

Having been nominated in the RPG OF THE YEAR category, it has made it through to the final round of the Ludopedia Prize 2019.

Although there are only five entrants in the category, it's not going to win because it's up against both Dungeons & Dragons and The Call of Cthulhu - but that's not bad company to be in!

Alice no País dos Pesadelos is just one of three Jambô Editora products that have made it from the the final round.

If you are able to vote (and it's easy to register to do so) it would be great if you could throw your support behind Alice no País dos Pesadelos and the others.

Tie-in Tuesday: Night of the Kraken Readthrough

Are you a fan of Doctor Who, specifically the Twelfth Doctor? And are you a fan of interactive fiction?

Well, if you answered 'Yes' to both those questions, then you should join Olly Mc on Facebook, on Friday evening at 6:00pm for a readthrough of my Doctor Who Choose The Future adventure Night of the Kraken.

Here's the blurb from the book's back cover:

When one choice can lead to triumph or failure, life or death, glory or destruction . . . which will you choose? With Choose the Future, YOU decide how, when, where and with whom the Doctor will fight to save the world!

In this brand new adventure, Night of the Kraken, the Twelfth Doctor meets a roguish time-smuggler and faces a terrifying creature from the deep with a plan to destroy the Earth.

The fate of the Doctor and the universe he protects are in your hands...

Basically it's Doctor Who meets Poldark meets H P Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos. What more do you need to know?

Thought for the Day

"How to be a writer:
First, plant the tree on which the leaves of your book will be printed.
Next, hatch the bird from whose quill your ink will flow.
Water the tree.
Feed the bird.
Learn the patience of things that grow and the joy of things that sing.
Make tea: you've got time."

~ Joanne Harris, author

Short Story Saturday: Fabled Journey

This one rather slipped under my radar, as it actually came out in January, but available now from Remastered Words is the audio anthology Fabled Journey IV.

Here's the blurb:

"This collection of fantasy short stories are from the three winners of Remastered Words 2019 audio anthology, including a tale from Jonathan Green with "Who Walks with Death" which was first published in Legend, an anthology released in 2013 in honour of David Gemmell.

Once again, a theme has developed when there were none prescribed and each story follows a significant journey in the life of its protagonist. Whatever the direction though and wherever the roads may lead, you'll be glad of a warm fire and comfy chair whilst the fabled journey plays out."

Who Walks with Death is narrated by me old mucker Sam Burns, who was also one of the narrators on the Sharkpunk audiobook.

So if you fancy listening to one of my stories, rather than reading one, why not download Fabled Journey IV today?

Gamebook Friday: Old Knights, Late Pledges, and Grinning Cats

Every once in a while I stumble across an illustration someone has produced, based on one of my old art briefs for the Fighting Fantasy gamebooks I have written. (You can find out why this keeps happening in YOU ARE THE HERO Part 2.)

Anyway, yesterday I stumbled across another one. This time it was a new take on the Old Knight's Ghost you encounter in Night of the Necromancer. Here he is, as drawn by the gamebook's original illustrator Martin McKenna...

And here he is, as re-imagined by Alicia Poon, who now works as a 2D artist at Serenity Forge...

In case you hadn't noticed, Dracula - Curse of the Vampire funded on Kickstarter earlier this week, in the end raising 150% of its original funding goal. I hope you've enjoyed the respite from remorseless Facebook, Twitter and Instagram updates since then. However, if you happened to miss the Kickstarter, and would now like to get in on the action, you can place a Late Pledge here.

If you're in lockdown at the moment, it may be that you have some more time on your hands. If that's the case, maybe you've finally got round to playing one of my previous ACE Gamebooks. And if that's the case, please can I ask you to post a review on Amazon once you're done?

One of the gamebooks you might have played/read, is the first ACE Gamebook, Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland. And talking of re-imaginings, Kev Crossley recently re-imagined his Cheshire Cat illustration from the book, as a Joker/Batgirl homage. Enjoy...

International Children's Book Day 2020

Today is International Children's Book Day*, an occasion to celebrate children's literature from right around the world.

Three classics of children's literature inspired the first three titles in the ACE Gamebooks series, Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland, The Wicked Wizard of Oz, and NEVERLAND - Here Be Monsters! which are all available as eBooks as well as paperbacks.

      

* And Hans Christian Andersen's birthday.