The inaugural Black Library Weekender

So (just in case you've not check my blog over the last month or so) this past weekend I was in Nottingham for the first ever Black Library Weekender. And it was awesome.

I could spend ages here waxing lyrical about all the wonderful people I met, how as soon as I arrived I was nabbed to sign books, how fascinating the panels were, and what the evening ents were all about, but instead I'll restrict myself to a few photos and a list of things I didn't know before the event butI do now.

After all, I've been inspired by my two days in Nottingham in November and there's work to be done!

The weekend was as awesome as this banner suggests. 

 Matt brought along his collection of JG 40K fiction to be signed. Which was nice.

Cthulhu (courtesy of Clint Werner) and a glass of wine (courtesy of one of Graham McNeill's fans).

 These two really should have won Pitch Factor.

 New friend Matt Sylvester and old friend Rob Sanders. Fantastic to see both of them.

 Signing after the Gamebooks panel during which Christian Dunn claimed that I've written more gamebooks than anybody else. (This claim is yet to be verified.)

 Clint Werner (who sounds just how you imagine from this photo) and Yours Truly.

 

My book stash from the weekend.

Ten things I didn't know before the BL Weekender but which I do now

1) The Kingdom of Billdonia is under threat from the emerging state of Danistan.
2) Raymond Swanland can wax lyical about the merits of illustration and commercial art for ages.
3) One fan from Washington D.C. didn't have a passport when he booked his place at the Weekender.
4) Michael Knight and Christian Dunn are natural showmen.
5) Laurie Goulding does a mean Bane impression.
6) Rob Sanders may just be an Untouchable.
7) Josh Reynolds isn't the hero Black Library needs right now, but he's the hero it deserves.
8) Graeme Lyon is editing The Book of the Lion.
9) Black Library are publishing a 100 page original Horus Heresy graphic novel written by Dan Abnett and illustrated by Neil Roberts.
10) Shadows over Sylvania is out in February!

SFX Book Club: The Warlock of Firetop Mountain

SFX Magazine #225 is available now from your local newsagent and, as part of The SFX Summer of SF Reading, this month's Book Club is all about the original Fighting Fantasy adventure The Warlock of Firetop Mountain - written by Yours Truly.

Because The SFX Summer of SF Reading is sponsored by Black Library, m'colleague Rob Sanders is also interviewed inside the mag. You can read more about Rob's interview over on his blog.

My piece has already garnered some interest. Here's what G D Pompa had to say:

Loving the new issue. I must say my favourite features are the book club page (very annoyed with myself giving away all 20 of my Fighting Fantasy books recently after reading that article.)


If you've yet to pick up the latest issue, why not subscribe to SFX today?

Writers Round-up

That's right, it's time for another round-up of what other writers have been saying lately on the Internetz.

Here's my editor Jon Oliver on choosing the right story.

Here's Sarah Pinborough on happiness.

Here's Graham McNeill on where he gets his ideas from.

Here's Rob Sanders on Jabberwocky - my own inspiration for White Rabbit.

Here's Nik Vincent on people who write too much.

And finally, here's Dan Abnett on the benefits of looking out a window.

The best advice? Don't give any advice

At least that's what the author of this piece - Ten Bits of Advice Writers Should Stop Giving Aspiring Writers - seems to be saying.

But then it's always been the purview of those who have reached a certain level of success to offer advice, although just because they're a multi-millionaire bestseller doesn't mean you have to take said advice.

More writers on writing

Some Black Library-related updates today...

Josh Reynolds has published a video in which comics legend Alan Moore gives some... interesting, shall we say?... advice to the unpublished writer.

William King has blogged on the commitment of regular blogging.

There's an in depth interview with Clint Werner over at The Black Library Bolthole.

And Rob Sanders (who does a great line in soundtrack advice) has been interviewed about his work for the Black Library over at Imagined Realms.

Writers on writing

Yes, it's time for another round-up of what other writers are saying about the process that gives them their raison d'être.

First up we've got James Swallow on how bad cover art can scupper sales of your magnum opus.*

Then we have William King on the distractions of the internet.

Next up is my editor Jonathan Oliver talking about the insecurities we all suffer as writers.

Rachel Aaron then feeds even more fuel into the fires of our insecurities with this blog post about how she went from writing 2,000 words a day to writing 10,000 words a day!

And to top it all we've got Matt Forbeck talking about the time he wrote a novel (91,000 words long) in two weeks!

Sheesh! The guy must be a machine!

I'll leave you with Rob Sanders on the subject of bad sex.**

* Note to self: really must put together a blog post on this subject myself some time.

** If I have the guts I'll produce a blog post on this myself... one day.

Victories of the Space Marines - another review

This time from Three Color Minimum...

Next up is But Dust in the Wind. An Imperial Fists story. This story didn't really seem to go with the book title. But Necrons fighting anyone, even the Emperor's Finest usually doesn't go well. Not bad at all.

'This story didn't really seem to go with the book title...' Ahhh, well there you see you haven't understood the nature of the victory... But enough of my whinging. If you've not read it yet why not download But Dust in the Wind from here?

Congrats to Rob Sanders for winning the coveted Best Story in the Anthology Award and Sarah Cawkwell for all the love Primary Instincts has been getting - and deservedly so, I might add.