Valiant - a Dystopian Age gamebook

Wednesday, 6 October 2010

33 Richmond reading - the aftermath

So, it was the 33 author reading at Richmond Library last night...

Bobby Nayyar, Pat Binding and Susannah Rickards all gave excellent readings from their short stories. I, on the other hand, tried something a little different.

My story for the anthology, I Love Richmond, was something of an experiment as it's all told via Twitter. The reading last night was something of an experiment too, with the story unfolding in real time as if the two Tweeters (is that the right term?) were typing replies to each other's missives as they went along. The ones reading the 'story' were the audience.

Like I say - it was experiment. A couple of people had very nice things to say about it at the end. (Apparently I nearly made one audience member cry, but I didn't think it was that bad!) However, others weren't backwards in coming forwards and making it plain that they hadn't got a clue what was going on. Maybe that's a failing of me as a writer, or of the way I presented the story, but I prefer to put it down to the fact that the audience was slightly - how should I put this - closer to collecting their bus passes than me.

Anyway, like I said, ignoring my multimedia effort for a moment, the stories were very well received and Bobby had even sold out of books by the end of the event!

Thanks to Jonas and Peggy for making us so welcome, and thank you to those who came. Apparently Bobby videoed part of my presentation, which might make it onto here at some point - and, then again, might not.

What you need to do now is follow this link to Susannah Rickards publisher, to read more about this amazing author, or go here to buy her new short story anthology, the fabulously titled, Hot Kitchen Snow.

Tuesday, 5 October 2010

33 Author Reading at Richmond Library tonight!

Just a quick reminder that I shall be at Richmond Library tonight reading an extract from my short story that appears in 33. The event kicks off at 6.30pm and I'll be there along with Patrick Binding, Susannah Rickards and publisher Bobby Nayyar.


Here's what the mayor of London himself, Boris Johnson, has to say about this unique short story anthology:

‎'I want Londoners to open the door and step in. These stories are a fascinating insight into the lives, behaviour and experiences of ordinary people, set against the backdrop of an amazing, multi-dimensional, innovative and world class city – London'

Gamebook Adventures: Slaves of Rema - the promo trailer

Sunday, 3 October 2010

Being a good writer...


The Cruel Fate of Jared Shurin

As followers of this blog will already know, Jared Shurin (he of Pornokitsch fame) won a walk-on part in the forthcoming Pax Britannia: Dark Side. That walk-on part turned into a major role in the novel, as you can read for yourself later this month.

Last night I was very lucky to attend a special presentation for Jared's recent birthday, for which his wife had produced a unique anthology of works based upon a story Jared wrote as a child. I had contributed a short story, as had as author Rebecca Levene and editor-cum-author Jonathan Oliver.

Jared is desperate to learn the fate of his namesake in Dark Side but I didn't give anything away, tempted as I was all the same. And you, like Jared can discover what happens when the book is published later this month.

Pax Britannia: Blood Royal

UK readers have been able to enjoy the delights of Pax Britannia: Blood Royal for some months now but, as yet, readers in the US have been denied those pleasures... but not for much longer!


Pax Britannia: Blood Royal is released in the US on 12 October, which just happens to be my birthday! So consider it a birthday present, sent from me to you!

Friday, 1 October 2010

Pax Britannia - breaking news!

There's been an update on the Abaddon Books' website today regarding forthcoming Pax Britannia releases and with the brand new, first look at the re-formatted cover for Dark Side.


To read more about this, Al Ewing's Gods of Manhattan and the first Ulysses Quicksilver Omnibus, follow this link.