Malcolm Barter now attending Fighting Fantasy Fest 2014

I am pleased to be able to announce that The Forest of Doom artist Malcolm Barter is also going to be attending FIGHTING FANTASY FEST 2014 on Sunday 7 September.

Malcolm's illustrations of the Fire Demon, Yaztromo's Tower, the Werewolf, and the like, are well known to Fighting Fantasy fans, and have recently had colour added for the Tin Man Games' app version of the gamebook.

If you first experienced Malcolm's work when you were a child, you could introduce your own child to the man himself, by purchasing one of the Adult and Child tickets that are now available (in strictly limited numbers).

To find out more, click this link.

Thought for the Day

Happy Father's Day!

Remember how your father used to inspire you by sharing with you all the things that he enjoyed as a child? My dad shared with me his love of books, and his keenness for constructing plastic Airfix kits.

For many of us growing up in the 1980s and '90s, Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks were a massive part of our lives, and now it's time to pass that love on to our children. And what better way to do so than at FIGHTING FANTASY FEST 2014, the world's first ever convention dedicated to Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks?

Meet the co-creators of the series, Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone, along with fantasy art legends Russ Nicholson, Malcolm Barter, Chris Achilleos and Tony Hough. Enjoy book signings, talks, an exhibition of rare FF collectibles, the official book launch of YOU ARE THE HERO - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks, an auction of items from the Jackson and Livingstone archive, and the chance to drink at the Black Lobster Tavern. (Soft drinks are available for the children.)

So head over to the Eventbrite ticketing site and order your Adult and Child ticket today. (You will receive one Adventurer's Backpack, while your child will receive a free Fighting Fantasy gamebook which they will be able to get signed during the day.) There are limited numbers of Adult and Child tickets available, so book now to avoid disappointment later.

We shall look forward to seeing you both there.

Oh, and Happy Father's Day!

Gamebook Friday: DestinyQuest - Unlucky for some

It can't have escaped your notice that today is Friday the 13th, and for one gamebook series, this week certainly seems to have come with more than its fair share of bad luck.

On Wednesday, Michael J Ward announced that Gollancz have called time on his DestinyQuest series, and that development of Book 4 is now enjoying an indefinite hiatus. DestinyQuest had been one of the gamebook success stories of recent years, re-inventing the genre for the Xbox generation and securely a print publication deal with a major genre publishing house.

But what does the cancellation of the DestinyQuest series mean for the future of gamebooks and print gamebooks in particular? While my forthcoming YOU ARE THE HERO looks back to the creation of the gamebook genre, it also considers its future. And as I have various interactive fiction ideas in development, I have a vested interest in what DestinyQuest's fate means for the future of gamebooks.

Can print gamebooks only work now as crowd-funded projects, supported by a small, but loyal and dedicated, fanbase? Does their future lie in apps only, such as Warlock's Bounty, and Temple of the Spider God? What do you think?

And while we're considering the future, consider this.

FIGHTING FANTASY FEST around the Internet - Part 3

More on FIGHTING FANTASY FEST from the World Wide Web.

This piece appeared on the Starburst Magazine website on Monday...

And on the same day, FFF 2014 was mentioned in a news round-up on SFX.co.uk.

Warhammer Wednesday: Orks Ebundle

The latest eBook bundle from Black Library is all about the brutal greenskins of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, and one of the short stories that's included is my very own Black Templars story The Relic.

You can pick up seven novels, four novellas and nine short stories in total for £50 here.

YOU ARE THE HERO and the problem with Kickstarter projects

I often find myself feeling guilty that YOU ARE THE HERO is six months overdue and still not out yet, although I feel less guilty than I used to, especially when I've been doing this all evening...

And when we have something akin to a publication date in place...

I think many people underestimate how long it will take them to (a) run their Kickstarter campaign, (b) finish their project, and (c) get the thing made/published/downloaded so that everyone who pledged to the project can enjoy the finished product. I know I certainly did. Which got me thinking about all the various Kickstarters I backed in the run-up to launching the YOU ARE THE HERO campaign, during it and since it successfully funded.

So here are some fun, throwaway stats for you:

• To date, via Kickstarter, I have run 2 projects. One funded, raising 142% of its target funding goal. One failed to fund, only achieving 40% of its target before it ran out of both time and steam.
• However, I have backed 31 projects. Of these, one was cancelled and one failed to fund. 
• Of the remaining 26, 9 I supported without asking for any reward. That leaves 17.
• Of those 17, I have received the finished product from 10. 
• That still leaves another 7 unaccounted for. Of those 7, all but one are overdue, the worst by over a year.

YOU ARE THE HERO is going to be about 8-9 months late by the time it comes out, but at least it is coming out, and it's ended up being three times the length originally anticipated. And you could join myself, Steve Jackson, Ian Livingstone, Russ Nicholson, Chris Achilleos, Tony Hough and Philippa Dickinson at the official launch of the on Sunday 7 September.

May I'll see you there...