Gamebook Friday: ACE Gamebooks at the Frankfurt Book Fair

Next weekend, I will be at the Frankfurt Book Fair, with the German publisher of my ACE Gamebooks series, Mantikore-Verlag.

For the occasion, the German language edition of The Wicked Wizard of Oz has been reprinted with a new cover. The publisher is clearly hoping to appeal to the Wicked fanbase, which is fine by me.

The new German cover.

The original German cover.

The original English cover.

I had a great time at the Frankfurt Book Fair back in 2018, where Alice im Düsterland was being promoted, and I spent two hours signing books for devoted Alice fans.

Don't forget - next year I will be publishing a 10th annviersary hardback of The Wicked Wizard of Oz. So, watch this space for more details...

Gamebook Friday: Drácula, la maldición del vampiro

I realise it's been four weeks since I last posted on here, so apologies for the radio silence. Part of the problem is that I've been busy, but also managed to have a brief holiday. But another part of the problem is that while I've been busy working on gamebook projects, I've either not any significant news to pass on, or I'm sitting on significant news that I can't talk about yet.

However, there is one piece of news that I can now share, and that is... Dracula: Curse of the Vampire is coming to Spain, courtesy of Celaeno Books.

Celaeno Books has now announced the Verkami crowdfunding campaign that will fund production of the book, along with a German gamebook called 1888, Who is Jack the Ripper, by M H Steinmetz, and originally published by my German publisher Mantikore-Verlag.

To find out more about this gruesome gothic twosome, click this link.

Another piece of news I can share is that Raven Distribution announced that they will be publishing the Italian language edition of my first Arkham Horror Investigators Gamebook The Darkness Over Arkham during PLAY Bologna 2025.

Gamebook Friday: Dracula in Deutschland

It's been a long time coming, thanks to issues affecting the worldwide publishing community in 2022, but I'm delighted to report that Dracula: Interaktiver Horror-Roman is now available in hardback from Mantikore-Verlag.

„BLUT IST LEBEN“ 1897. Der Nervenarzt Dr. Seward ist fasziniert von seinem neuen Patienten, dem ehemaligen Anwalt Mr. Renfield. Dieser kehrte kürzlich von einer Reise nach Transsylvanien zurück und leidet seitdem an Wahnvorstellungen. Renfields Nachfolger, Jonathan Harker, wird entsandt, den Auftrag zu Ende zu bringen. Seine Reise führt ihn in eine unwegsame, von Wölfen heimgesuchte Gegend und zu einem abgelegenen Schloss, das von dem mysteriösen Grafen Dracula bewohnt wird. Was Jonathan dort erlebt, treibt ihn an den Rand des Wahnsinns... In diesem Gothic-Horror-Spielbuch schlüpfst Du in die Rolle eines Vampirjägers oder in die Rolle des Grafen Dracula höchstpersönlich. Begib dich auf eine Reise durch das finstere Transsylvanien oder durchstreife das nächtliche London. Bewaffne dich mit Weihwasser, Kreuz und Knoblauch und kämpfe gegen Dämonen, Werwölfe und Vampire. Doch sei wach-sam, denn die Toten reiten schnell … Interaktiver Vampir-Roman aus der Feder von „Alice im Düsterland“-Autor Jonathan Green.

"THE BLOOD IS LIFE" 1897. The neurologist Dr. Seward is intrigued by his new patient, former attorney Mr. Renfield. He recently returned from a trip to Transylvania and has been suffering from delusions ever since. Renfield's replacement, Jonathan Harker, is sent to complete the job. His journey takes him to a remote region infested with wolves and to an isolated castle inhabited by the mysterious Count Dracula. What Jonathan experiences there drives him to the brink of madness... In this gothic horror gamebook you slip into the role of a vampire hunter or the role of Count Dracula himself. Embark on a journey through dark Transylvania or roam through London at night. Arm yourself with holy water, cross and garlic and fight against demons, werewolves and vampires. But beware, for the dead travel fast... An interactive vampire novel penned by Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland author Jonathan Green.

This is the second foreign language edition of Dracula: Curse of the Vampire. The German edition was supposed to have come out in time for Halloween last year but was delayed, which allowed the Polish edition from Muduko to pip it to the publication post in November.

In other news, the Czech edition of Beowulf Beastslayer will be coming to retailers in Czechia and elsewhere soon, courtesy of Mytago! Here's the cover.

Gamebook Friday: ACE Gamebooks News

This week, Alknost Editions updated backers of their gamebook crowdfunder on the progress they have made with the eleven titles they hope to release this year. The good news for ACE Gamebooks fans is that the French editions of Beowulf Beastslayer and NEVERLAND - Here Be Monsters! are ready to go to layout, while The Wicked Wizard of Oz has already been sigend off. However, it now has a new title; rather than being called The Great and Terrible Oz, it will now be known as The Machination of Oz, or La Machination d'Oz.

There's also less than a month to go before the German edition of Dracula: Curse of the Vampire is published by Mantikore-Verlag.

The Box of Delights RPG is still funding on Kickstarter and needs your support! After one week it is halfway to its funding goal. Can we hit fully funded within the next week?

Watch the Kickstarter video below...

MantiCon 2019

This weekend I will be in Germany, at a castle near Heppenheim, for MantiCon 2019. Mantikore-Verlag are celebrating the 10th anniversary of this intimate gamebook convention, and I am one of the guests attending, along with the likes of Russ Nicholson, Gary Chalk, Ben Dever and Vinzent Lazzari.

On Friday afternoon, from 5-6pm, I will giving a talk about my word, with the very capable German gamebook author Jens Schumacher moderating and translating for the non-English speakers. I also expect to sign one or two copies of Alice im Düsterland over the course of the weekend.

So if you happen to be attending MantiCon yourself, do come over and say "Hallo!"

Gamebook Friday: Forthcoming Gamebook Events

I had a great time at the UK Games Expo 2019, last weekend, and it was great to see so many of you there. Although the Expo is usually the biggest event in my calendar I have some more gamebook-related events coming up, one of which is particularly close to my heart.

Four weeks tomorrow on Saturday 6th July I will be in Oxford for Alice's Day, and giving a lecture* at the Weston Library about Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland.

In August, I will be a guest of Manticon, in Germany, from Thursday 15th - Sunday 18th August.

And not long after that, I will be attending* Fighting Fantasy Fest 3 on Saturday 31st August, at the University of West London in Ealing.

* Or should that be 'running'?

Steampunk Thursday: Pax Britannia im Deutschland

It's been a few years since my first two Pax Britannia books were published as German language editions, but now they're back, with German titles this time, and brand new cover art. And very impressive they look too!

Unnatural History is now Welt aus den Fugen, while Leviathan Rising has been rechristened Gefahr in der Tiefe.

Bother titles are due to be released on 31 May 2019, courtesy of Luzifer-Verlag.

Don't forget, my steampunk-inspired take on Alice's Adventutres in Wonderland is also available in German, as Alice im Düsterland, and can be purchased here, from Mantikore-Verlag.

Gamebook Friday: Alice im Düsterland at the Frankfurt Book Fair

This time last week I was on my way to the Frankfurt Book Fair for what turned out to be a very special birthday weekend indeed. I was there as a guest of Mantikore-Verlag, the German language publisher of Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland, who were launching my spielbuch at the event.

Alice im Düsterland! 

I arrived at Frankfurt airport to be greeted by publisher Nicolai Bonczyk holding a sign with my name on - a first for me! After checking in to my hotel, we made our way to the Book Fair where I met Nicolai's partner in business, and life, his lovely wife Karolina, and Alex, who works as a translator and proofreader for Mantikore, and who has his own YA fantasy novel coming out next Spring.

I had a scheduled signing slot at 3:00pm for an hour, but as soon as I arrived I found myself with pen in hand*, signing books for people, and posing for selfies. I was also interviewed by various book bloggers, including DieTeenX (who was wearing an Alice-themed dress) and Susanne (a.k.a. Solaria300). You can actually watch my interview with Susanne on YouTube.

My first book blog interview was with DieTeenX.

By the end of the day, Mantikore had a slight problem, in that they had sold out of copies of Alice im Düsterland! However, there was another geek con taking place nearby and so Nicolai was dispatched to collect several boxes of books.

It also happened to be my birthday last Friday and so the Mantikore team took me to dinner, where we were joined by superstar German gamebook author Jens Schumacher and his partner Mia. I sampled the local apfelwein and some very smooth spirit or other, as well as enjoying a feast of schnitzel, pork knuckle, and a special birthday apple strudel**. (I was also delighted to discover that we had been out on Franksteiner Strasse.)

Schnitzel und apfelwein!

When I arrived at the Book Fair on Saturday, it was to find people queueing to meet me and buy the book and - after a heading off to explore and grab some food - when I returned to Mantikore's stand in the afternoon it was to find even longer queues of people, some of whom had been waiting up to two hours! It was very flattering and all a little surreal***.

Having sold out again(!) Karolina then broke out the treats she had prepared especially for the event - cans of 'Drink Me' energy drink or prosecco, and little boxes of 'Eat Me' popcorn! There were even Düsterland-themed bottle openers, trinkets, and fantastic Cheshire Cat bags.

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

At dinner that night we were joined by more Mantikore authors, including Dominic Schmeller, and gamebook specialists Swen Harder (he of Rider of the Black Sun fame) and Jörg Benne (author of Verax: Das Experiment). Much discussion of gamebooks followed, not only concerning how we write them and the mechanics we employ, but also how in German they have made the successful transition to being regarded as suitable for adults whereas in the UK we are still struggling for them to be seen as any other than books for children. We also talked about how we might best capitalise on the success of Alice im Düsterland.

Sunday came and with it one last book of books, all of which sold out within five minutes. I then resorted to signing postcards while people filled in pre-order forms for the book, which has had to be reprinted. Which is nice.

The Mantikore-Verlag stand at the Frankfurt Book Fair.

There was then a chance for one last look round - Frankfurt Book Fair is like the London Book Fair and MCM Comic Con all rolled into one - and pick up something for the family, before heading to the airport. I left summer sunshine, clear skies, and temperatures of 26 degrees in Germany, to return to a cold and wet autumn in England. But it's okay - I'm already planning a return visit.

Other highlights of the weekend including meeting long-time reader, and Pax Britannia translator - Michael Knarr, meeting Game of Thrones German superfans Frank and Marion, and also meeting Bulgaria gamebook author Nikola Raykov (creator of GameTale).

Michael Knarr and Yours Truly.

It only remains for me to say another huge danke schön to Nicolai, Karolina and Alex, for looking after me so well and making such a fuss of me on my birthday, as well as all the authors, who so patiently spoke English for the entire weekend because my German is so poor****, and last, but my no means least, to all the fans. Alles gut und wunderbar!

* As well as a bottle of German beer!

** That was the second time that day that a group of German people sang Happy Birthday to me.

*** The other authors on the stand also started calling me a rockstar author!

**** Although it did improve when the beer was flowing, and I now know the German for both 'Curiouser and curiouser' and 'Welcome to Wonderland'.

Gamebook Friday: JG at Frankfurt Book Fair

This weekend I will be at the Frankfurt Book Fair, on the Mantikore-Verlag stand, helping to promote Alice im Düsterland, the German edition of my first ACE Gamebook Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland.

I will also be signing on the stand, so if you're attending, do stop by and say hello, and maybe even pick up a copy of Alice im Düsterland!

In other gamebook-related news, Beowulf Beastslayer is currently standing at 108% funded, with 18 days left to run on Kickstarter.

Steampunk Thursday: Neugieriger und Neugieriger*

Germany, are you ready for Alice im Düsterland?

This German translation of Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland is coming later this year from Mantikore-Verlag.


* Or as Alice would say, "Curiouser and curiouser!"