Gamebook Friday: YOU ARE THE HERO now available on Google Play

I have exciting news for you this Gamebook Friday. YOU ARE THE HERO - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks is now available to download to the Android device of your choice, via Google Play.

And yes, before you ask, that is the same book that has garnered 46 5-star reviews on Amazon - and nothing less! ;-)

Of course, if you prefer your books in processed tree carcass format, hard-backed and weighing over a kilogram, then you can still pick up a signed copy for yourself here.

Thought for the Day

Steampunk Thursday: Redemption '15

Tomorrow (Friday 20 February) sees Redemption '15, the Multimedia Science Fiction Convention kick off at the Britannia Hotel in Coventry. The event runs until Sunday 22 February, and I shall be there this year as Guest of Honour.

The event programme has been released and I will be taking part in the following panels during the course of the weekend:

Friday 20 February
5.00pm - Meet the Guests (panel)
8.00pm - Opening Ceremony
10.00pm - It's sh!t but we like it (panel)

Saturday 21 February
12.00pm - How to Write an Adventure Gamebook (workshop)
4.00pm - Has Steampunk Had Its Day? (panel)
I may also be taking part in...
8.00pm - Mark Gatiss Appreciation Society (panel)

Sunday 22 February
11.00am - Guest Talk
12.30pm - Signing Autographs
4.00pm - Closing Ceremony

I will be selling my books - Pax Britannia and YOU ARE THE HERO mainly - over the course of the weekend, and will also have Archimedes the Steampunk Parrot in tow.

So maybe I'll see you there...

Thought for the Day

"Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; Truth isn't."

~ Mark Twain

Redemption 15

One week today, I shall be attending Redemption '15, the Multimedia Science Fiction Convention that's taking place on 20-22 February at the Britannia Hotel in Coventry, as Guest of Honour.

The event programme has been released and I will be taking part in the following panels during the course of the weekend:

Friday 20 February
5.00pm - Meet the Guests (panel)
8.00pm - Opening Ceremony
10.00pm - It's sh!t but we like it (panel)

Saturday 21 February
12.00pm - How to Write an Adventure Gamebook (workshop)
4.00pm - Has Steampunk Had Its Day? (panel)

Sunday 22 February
11.00am - Guest Talk
12.30pm - Signing Autographs
4.00pm - Closing Ceremony

I will be selling my books - Pax Britannia and YOU ARE THE HERO mainly - over the course of the weekend, and will also have Archimedes the Steampunk Parrot in tow.

So maybe I'll see you there...

Steampunk Thursday: The Return of Ulysses Quicksilver?

Now don't get too over-excited. This is just a possibility at the moment, but talks have been taking place about possibly publishing a brand new Ulysses Quicksilver Pax Britannia novel. However, if such a thing is going to happen it's going to be down to the support of the fans. That's right, we're talking about running a Pax Britannia Kickstarter.

If you would be interested in backing such a project, you can show your support by commenting on this post on Facebook, or by replying to this blog post.

If you need reminding how cool the world of Pax Britannia and Ulysses Quicksilver really is* fan of the series Rockula Bacchus has posted this tribute on YouTube.




* Not that I'm biased or anything. ;-)

Warhammer Wednesday: Skaven - Warpstone!

The End Times are* all about the Skaven at the moment. A couple of weeks ago I posted links to my Skaven-themed stories, including Herald of Oblivion.

Those stories are not the only occasions on which I've written about the ratmen of the Under-Empire. A few years ago** I wrote an article for White Dwarf Magazine called Civil War! which was accompanied by a scenario called Warpstone!

Well some enterprising individual has posted that very scenario online, and you can find it here.

* Or should that be 'The End Times is'?

** It's probably nearer 15 years ago!

Inspirations: #2 - Dan Abnett

Dan Abnett in his office

25% off Pax Britannia!

There's currently 25% off everything at the Rebellion eBook store, and that includes my Steampunk Ulysses Quicksilver Pax Britannia novels.

So if you have a Kindle, or another eReader of choice, that's currently missing som quasi-Victorian action and adventure meta-fictional fun, then point your cursor this way and click here.

Thought for the Day

10. And the absolutely most important rule to writing fantasy: never accept advice from other authors.

SHARKPUNK Saturday: Just when you thought it was safe to go online...

Word of SHARKPUNK continues to spread - like blood through water - thanks to the blogging efforts of its various contributors*. Click the links below to read their blog posts for yourself - and don't forget to tell all your friends about the book and ask for it in your local bookshop.

Jonathan Oliver

Alec Worley

David Grimstone

David Tallerman

Josh Reynolds

*As well as a social media blitz. Like the Facebook page here and follow us on Twitter here.

Gamebook Friday: STARBURST on Bloodbones

Reviews of the Bloodbones App keep on coming and STARBURST magazine seem to have particularly enjoyed it:

For nostalgia junkies and old school games fans, Bloodbones is a great treat. Heartily recommended.
 

I like the reference to YOU ARE THE HERO that appears in the review, which you can read in full here.

And here are links to two more reviews of the app:

Touch Tap Play

Touch Arcade

Steampunk Thursday: Redemption '15

Two weeks tomorrow, I will be Guest of Honour at the opening ceremony of Redemption '15 - The Multimedia Science Fiction Convention, being held from 20-22 February 2015 at the Britannia Hotel in Coventry.

Should all go according to plan, my current schedule of events looks like this:

Friday 20 February
5.00pm - Meet the Guests panel
8.00pm - Opening Ceremony

Saturday 21 February
12.00pm - How to Write an Adventure Gamebook Workshop
4.00pm - Has Steampunk Had Its Day? panel

Sunday 22 February
11.00am - Guest Talk
12.30pm - Signing Autographs
4.00pm - Closing Ceremony

As well as all this, I will also be selling my books - Pax Britannia and YOU ARE THE HERO mainly. It will be great to get back to Coventry too. I attended the University of Warwick on its outskirts and I haven't been back for a long time.

So, if you're in the area on the weekend of 20-22 February, stop by and say hello. Maybe I'll see you there...

Inspirations: #1 - Bryan Talbot

Bryan Talbot in his studio

Tie-in Tuesday: Under Construction

Thought for the Day

Zombie Zunday: Zombie Army Trilogy

Rising from the dead soon is Zombie Army Trilogy, a terrifyingly intense third person shooter set in a gruesome alternate vision of World War II.

Berlin 1945. Facing defeat at the hands of the Allies, Hitler has unleashed one last unholy gamble - a legion of undead super soldiers that threatens to overwhelm the whole of Europe. Fight alone or team up to save humanity from the zombie menace in this apocalyptic shooter for 1-4 players!

When the first game in the trilogy came out back in 2013, I wrote a prequel story to accompany the release, entitled Götterdämmerung. The story is still available to download from Amazon, and still won't cost you a penny. Enjoy.

"Fast paced short story that would probably be a good basis for an all action Second World War film, Nazis at their eerie best."

And yes, Zombie Zunday's a thing now. ;-)