Pax Britannia at the MCM Expo - Let them eat cake!

I spent this last weekend at the MCM Expo (held at London's Excel Centre) as a guest of the Victorian Steampunk Society. I had a fantastic time, chatted to all sorts of people about steampunk, Pax Britannia and ebooks, and saw everything from the DeLorean from Back to the Future to multiple Doctors of various regenerations, not to mention genders. There was tea, there were biscuits, there was cake.

I have to say that genre fans are a wonderful bunch of people, but steampunks are a particularly charming and welcoming lot - and they get to wear the best outfits! So a big shout to Herr Doktor, Miss Emily Ladybird, Jack Union, Ben, Peter, Michelle, Alan, Leanna, Willoughby, Esther, Frances and of course my good friend Vincent.

But enough of me gabbing on... Check out my vlog, ideally with a cup of tea in one hand and a cake in the other.

JG at Weekend at the Asylum

While you're waiting for me to update my blog regarding my experience of Weekend at the Asylum* I thought you might like to watch my latest Vlog...

* I know you're just counting the minutes until it's up there. I'm right aren't I? You're on tenterhooks and everything!

Where I work now

Almost three years ago* I posted on my Unnatural History blog about my workspace, inspired by David Bishop's post on the same subject.

Well I now have a new space in which to work - well, some of the time. There's still some sorting out to be done, but most of my books have been unpacked now, including my collection of Fighting Fantasy books that's been in storage for the last six years.

The Archive

My Games Workshop bookcase- minus a shelf and a half of hardbacks and current project-related material

My writing corner bookcase - one copy of everything I've ever had in print

My Fighting Fantasy collection - Puffin editions (top shelf), Wizard Series 1 (middle shelf), and Wizard Series 2 (bottom shelf)

To celebrate my first afternoon's work in my new office I've recorded a new Vlog answering some of your questions about my books and writing in general. I've also written a guest post for Floor to Ceiling Books (that is scheduled to appear towards the end of September) and a proposal for a new short story. We'll just have to cross our fingers and see how that one goes.

But for now you can enjoy my new Vlog (in two parts) below:

* Three years?!?

JG at The Greatest Steampunk Exhibition

I spent a very enjoyable few hours at The Greatest Steampunk Exhibition yesterday, meeting some proper steampunks and chatting with fans of my Pax Britannia books. I'd barely even set up my table of wares when I sold my first book, and left without any at all.

It's always very pleasing when somebody walks up to you and the first thing they say is, "Love your work." Among those steampunks I met were Willoughby Chase (who was wearing a fine fez), Ken (who's read all my PB books already), Jason (who bought all of my PB books there and then), and Herr Doktor (a.k.a. Ian, whom I believe is the equivalent of steampunk royalty although I think he might actually be Ulysses Quicksilver). I was also asked which of my books I would like to be taught as part of an American university science-fiction course!

I also had a chance to quickly look around the exhibition myself which looks fantastic within the setting of the museum steam hall and elsewhere.

Towards the end of my time there I gave a brief talk about the Pax Britannia series and read a chapter of Dark Side which was very well received. So it just remains for me to say thank you to all those who listened to my reading, thank you to Stuart at the museum and thank you to Tinker for having me along.

And maybe I'll see you at Asylum in September...

Vlog 7 - UK Games Expo 2011

V is for Vlogging

Vlogging (or Video Blogging) is effectively the latest stage in the evolution of that diary you filled in religiously - for about four days - when you were eight years old.

It's a practice that I've taken up to help promote myself on line, keeping people updated about what I'm working on, whether they like it or not. It's not something I do too frequently (there is such a thing as over exposure, you know) but when I have something new to say or a glut of releases coming out together (as happens sometimes when you're working up to a year in advance on some projects) then I fire up the old web cam and record my thoughts, such as they are, for all to share.

I first became properly aware of Vlogging via David Moore of Abaddon/Solaris Books. He used to vlog about once a week, then fortnightly, but in the best tradition of diary writers everywhere, I don't think he'd produced one for about six months (but then he'd probably say he's been busy).

Anyway, here's one of David vlog's.

And, in case you haven't seen them, here are some links to the vlogs I've recorded to date.

Vlog #1 - Latest Pax Britannia Releases (I was finding my feet with this one)

Vlog #2 - Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Monsters and Scotland the Brave (catchy title)

Vlog #3 - The Eve of the SFX Weekender

Vlog #4 - The SFX Weekender 2 (I like this one)

Vlog #5 - Ask Me Anything (this one actually comes in three parts)

Vlog #6 - Genre For Japan

Looking at that list, I think it's about time I posted another one soon, lest I fall into the trap of diary upkeep failure as well. Now, if only I could tell you about [CENSORED] or [CENSORED BY THE INQUISITION]. Ho hum. Another time then...

E is for Enquiry

A couple of months ago I invited readers of this blog to 'Ask me anything!' and they subsequently did. I recorded my answers to their questions and posted them as a Vlog.

I felt it worked really well and make for something much more interesting and involving that just me giving you a news update, so with the increased traffic to this site thanks to the A to Z of Blogging initiative, I'm inviting you to send me your questions again.

You can post your questions at the end of this blog post or email me at info@jonathangreenauthor.com. Alternatively you can contact me via Facebook or Twitter @jonathangreen.

So, ask away, and when I've collated enough questions I'll answer them in another Vlog.

Until next time...

Vlog 6 - Genre for Japan

Vlog 5 - Ask Me Anything

To celebrate World Book Day (it is still World Book Day, just about) I've recorded my fifth Vlog in which I answer all your questions about my books, writing in general, and even which dessert toppings I prefer. Well I did say you could ask me anything!

In the end, the finished Vlog was about 26 minutes long, which was too long for YouTube, so I've broken it down into three parts, which you'll find below.

Ask me anything*

Following in the footsteps of some of my other writer acquaintances, I'm going to record a Vlog in which I answer all** your questions about my books and my experiences of writing them.

Got a question about the world of Pax Britannia? Curious as to how to go about writing a gamebook? Wondering what it takes to write a Doctor Who tie-in? Then ask away.

You can post your questions at the end of this post or email me at info@jonathangreenauthor.com. Alternatively you can contact me via Facebook or Twitter @jonathangreen.

So, ask away, and when I've collated enough questions I'll answer them in my next Vlog.

* Well, almost anything.

** Okay, maybe not all, but most.

JG at the SFX Weekender 2

Here's what I got up to over the weekend...

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Monsters and Scotland the Brave

Vlog 2 is up...

My first Vlog

Check out my very first video log - the vlog of this blog, if you like...