Steampunk Week: The Inaugural Victorian Steampunk Society Awards 2012

This year's Weekend at the Asylum features the inaugural Victorian Steampunk Society Awards for works released during 2011. Nominations came from the general public with the shortlist being drawn from the nominations.

I am very pleased to be able to announce that I have been nominated in the BEST NOVEL category... not once, but twice! Here's the shortlist:

BEST NOVEL

Heartless – Gail Carriger

Cyrus Darian and the Technonomicron – Raven Dane

Anno Frankenstein – Jonathan Green

Red-Handed – Jonathan Green

Awards will be made following a popular vote of all AVSS members attending The Asylum. (Voting slips will be available when you register and collect your wristband.)

So, if you're going to Weekend at the Asylum and you happen to enjoy my Pax Britannia books, you know what you have to do. ;-)

Steampunk Thursday: Time's Arrow... so far...

Here's the word cloud for Pax Britannia: Time's Arrow, as it stands with two-thirds of the novel complete.

I wonder how different it might look by the time Part 3 White Noise is done.

Black Swan - the first review!

Black Swan (the second part of my latest Pax Britannia novel Time's Arrow) had been out officially for less than 24 hours when this review appeared online, courtesy of The Eloquent Page. I particularly liked this bit:

I’ve come to rely on Pax Britannia for full on steampunk inspired adventure where just about anything can, and often does, happen. Insect-obsessed anarchists, cybernetically-enhanced silverbacks, and a rather special bicycle are just a few of the delights on display in this case.

Black Swan suffers the unenviable task of being the middle book in what is effectively a trilogy. The author has to try and keep the story moving forward, while ensuring that the pace never flags for a moment. I’m pleased to say he pulls it off, and I will be waiting with baited breath for the final instalment of this episodic e-novel.

Pablo Cheesecake was first off the blocks with Red-Handed (Time's Arrow Part 1) too.

Remember, you can pick up your digital copy of Black Swan here, and maybe your review could be the second one. ;-)

Time's Arrow: Black Swan - released today!

That's right, it's the news fans of Pax Britannia and Ulysses Quicksilver have been waiting to hear, today Black Swan (Part 2 of my latest steampunk action thriller) is available to download from iTunes and the Kindle stores in both the UK and the US.

Here's the blurb from the Abaddon Books website.

Time’s Arrow:

Black Swan

by Jonathan Green

Available from Amazon Kindle Store and iTunes from Monday 7th May

An exclusive ebook release and an intriguing publishing experiment

The caper is afoot, but where it leads only YOU decide! The latest instalment of the exciting new novel from Abaddon, Pax Britannia: Time’s Arrow, is coming!

In a unique publishing experiment, readers themselves get to decide on the fate of our hero Ulysses and where the Time’s Arrow story will take them.

Our hero Ulysses Quicksilver – wanted by the French Police for murder – battles his way across Paris, from the Louvre to Notre Dame, in order to prove his innocence. Readers have been voting online on where they want the story to go and they overwhelmingly voted for Ulysses to go in search of the mysterious "M. Lumière”.

Time’s Arrow puts the reader in charge and merges the best of print and online. Each instalment is published as an ebook with readers able to vote on where THEY want the story to go at the end of each episode. The first installment, Red Handed, was published in October and once all three instalments have been published, they will be bound together into a print edition.

“Lashings of derring-do, sprinkled with just the right amount of plot development to keep a reader hungry for more.”

– The Eloquent Page on Time’s Arrow: Red Handed

In case you haven't picked up Time's Arrow Part 1 - a.k.a. Red-Handed - it's not too late. You can do so here, and while you're pondering your purchase, here's a pleasing review of Part 1 too. (If you catch my meaning.)

It's tough to review this first instalment of the new Pax Britannia book fairly, since it is only the first third of the story. On top of that, not only do I, as a reader, not know where the story is going next, neither does the author: this instalment ends on a cliffhanger, and readers can go to the publisher's web site to vote on which way they think the story should go next. The second instalment will have a similar vote, and only after the third part is published as an ebook will the whole thing be released as a complete novel.

I can say, as someone who has only read the first Ulysses Quicksilver Pax Britannia novel before I read this one, it's fairly accessible. There's quite a bit of mention of earlier stories, but while I understood that I was coming in on the middle of a series, I didn't feel particularly lost. While this story very much seems to follow on from a cliffhanger in the previous book, I felt I had enough information to still enjoy it. Plus, once that cliffhanger was wrapped up, the new story was completely fresh and accessible.

What I ended up with was a fast-paced, science fiction, steampunk action-adventure, with some cute nods to genuine Victorian science fiction. The interactive part of the story was fun, and it's really got me looking forward to the next instalment (which is why I was willing to skip ahead in the series). And now I've got some time to get caught up!


Thanks, Penelopecat!

Red-Handed - the result!

Red-Handed, the first part of Pax Britannia: Time's Arrow, has been downloaded and read by... God knows how many people, who have, I'm pleased to say, loved it!

They've loved it so much that they've gone online in their droves and voted for how they want my latest Ulysses Quicksilver novel to continue.

Voting closed on Sunday. The votes have now been counted and verified and the result is... Well you'll just have to follow this link to find out!

Time's Arrow - Who Lives? Who Dies? YOU Decide!

Voting closes today to decide the fate of Ulysses Quicksilver in the latest Pax Britannia novel Time's Arrow.

Part 1 Red-Handed has been out for a couple of months now and fans have been reading of the British Agent of the Crown's latest exploits, then going online and voting for how they would like the story to continue in Part 2 Black Swan.

So if you've not yet voted, don't delay! Ulysses Quicksilver's fate lies in your hands!

Time's Arrow - one week to go!

That's right - voting closes next Sunday, 11 December, so you've only got a week in which to download Time's Arrow: Red-Handed and then vote for how you would like the story to continue in Time's Arrow: Black Swan.

And in case you're still wavering as to whether you should buy it for your Kindle (or other eReader of your choice), then here's another tasty snippet from early on in the adventure...

The thunderous hammering came again, the impatience and ire in the voice rising from below growing in intensity.
“This is your last chance! This is the police! Open the door or I’ll have it broken down!” There was a tremendous crash from somewhere at street level. The owner of the voice was making good on his promise.
Staggering to his feet Ulysses scoured the room for anything that might enable him to escape.
There were only two ways out of the garret room – through the door or through the window.
For the briefest moment Ulysses wondered whether he should simply open the door and wait for the gendarmes to find him, and then worry about trying to explain to them how he came to be there, alongside a dead body.
But then what was he thinking? Who was going to believe that he had travelled through space and time to end up here? And what would they make of the scorch-marks on the floorboards, let alone the corpse lying in a pool of its own congealing blood.
He took a step backwards and caught his reflection in the cracked glass above the wash bowl.
He was in a worse state than the room. He was still wearing the scruffy suit he had purloined from Castle Frankenstein. His right hand was wet with blood, as were the knees of his trousers. The eye-patch and a few days growth of stubble didn’t help either.
He no longer looked like the bachelor once voted ‘Best Dressed Man of the Decade’ by The Strand magazine. If he had been a French policeman and had walked into the attic and found a stranger looking like that – with a dead man’s blood on his hands and the victim lying next to him – he would have pronounced him guilty as soon as the next man.
Worst case? The gendarmes would shoot first and ask questions later.
He looked at the door, noticing the key in the lock for the first time. Stumbling over, he tried the handle.
The door was locked.

Time's Arrow - 10 days to go

There's only ten days to go now (or possibly less by the time you read this) before the polls close and I start writing Part 2 of Pax Britannia: Time's Arrow - a.k.a. Black Swan - based on how the public voted they would like the story to continue.

So, if you're yet to download Part 1, Red-Handed, he's a little taster to help you take that final step to making a purchase.

Gasping for breath, Ulysses took a moment to wipe away the moisture that had collected in the hollow behind his eye-patch.
And that was when he saw it.
It was emerging from the fourth floor window of a building at the end of the shadowed cul-de-sac. Eight feet tall, with arms like great sides of beef covered in thick black hair, it swung from the open window with startling grace and agility, launching itself towards the rungs of a fire escape another floor up, and reaching it with ease. From there the beast swung itself up onto the roof.
The massive ape landed not ten feet from him, its sledgehammer fists sending clouds of dust rising.
Ulysses froze.
The beast snorted and then its beady black stare fell on the exhausted, injured man, the atmosphere thickening between them. Ulysses’ heart thumped against the cage of his ribs, the bullet wound pulsing in unkind sympathy.
So palpable was the tension, he could feel it crackling from the beast and setting his hairs on end, like static electricity.

Follow this link to purchase your own copy of Red-Handed. Then, once you've read it, go here to vote for how you think Time's Arrow should continue.

Two weeks and counting...

Two weeks today I shall be sitting down to start writing the second part of my latest Ulysses Quicksilver Pax Britannia novel Time's Arrow. Part 2 is entitled Black Swan, but as to what happens within it, well that's up to YOU!

If you've not already done so, download Part 1 - Red-Handed for the eReader of your choice, read the story so far and then go here to vote for how you would like the adventure to continue. But hurry! After all, time is ticking away!

Have you voted yet?

Just a quickie to remind you that you now have just under one month in which to vote on how you would like my latest Pax Britannia novel Time's Arrow to continue.

So download Part 1: Red-Handed here, read, inwardly digest and then go here to have you say with regards to what you think should happen next.

This is your chance to be part of publishing history, so don't let such an amazing opportunity pass you by. If you haven't already done so, buy Pax Britannia: Time's Arrow Part 1 today!

Monstrous Missions - the cover

It just seems to be one of those times of year for me at the moment. I can spend ages working away with nothing obvious to show for it and then, months later, multiple projects surface all at once.

So right now I'm working on my first Warhammer 40,000 gamebook but the projects that are currently seeing the light of day include:

• Temple of the Spider God - my first digital gamebook released by Tin Man Games.
• Red-Handed - part one of my new Pax Britannia novel Time's Arrow, available as an ebook only.
• The Doll's House - a short story that appears in the House of Fear horror anthology (edited by Jonathan Oliver).
• Ephrael Von Stern: Sister of Sigmar - my Warhammer Warped Visions comic strip that appears in the complete Daemonifuge from Black Library.

And then today I discover that Monstrous Missions - which features my Doctor Who story Terrible Lizards (published Feburary 2012) - has a cover! Unfortunately it doesn't feature any dinosaurs* but it stil makes the book feel just that little bit more real.

I'm particularly excited about this release because it will be the first book of mine** that my First Born will be able to read for himself.


* The 'monster' is inspired by Gary Russell's story Horror of the Space Snakes.

** Other than Go Go, Crazy For Those Bones.

Pax Britannia at the MCM Expo - 18 hours to go

I'm now counting down the hours until the MCM Expo where I shall be promoting my Pax Britannia books (as well as Temple of the Spider God if anyone's interested).

I've turned the flat into a veritable cottage industry, producing cakes as if I'm working in some kind of Victorian factory. Let me tell you, I'm glad I'm a writer and not a baker! Anyway, if you buy a book tomorrow or on Sunday, you can have a cake for free - until they run out that is!

Edible cupcake toppers produced (at very short notice and a very high standard) by Cake Topper Designs

As I mentioned the other day, I shall also have a small number of flash drives to sell which come pre-loaded with my last three Pax Britannia novels - Blood Royal, Dark Side and Anno Frankenstein - and the first part of Time's Arrow, Red-Handed.

If you'd like one, just come and find me in the Steampunk village at the sign of the French terrorist.

Pax Britannia at the MCM Expo - 3 days to go

As I posted the other day, I shall be at the London Comic Con MCM Expo (held at Excel London) this coming weekend - Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 October. I will be attending as part of the steampunk contingent and promoting my Pax Britannia books. And today I have a rather exciting announcement to make...

I will have a limited number of memory sticks for sale, each one loaded with my three most recent Pax Britannia titles - Blood Royal, Dark Side, Anno Frankenstein - and Red-Handed, part one of my new novel Time's Arrow.

These all come in Kindle readable files and standard epub files. There are also two free short story ebooks, Eric Brown’s Blue Portal and Juliet McKenna’s The Wizard’s Coming. So there's plenty of content and on top of that you'll have a new memory stick with most of its 1 gig of memory still free!

So, if ebooks are your thing, why not drop by my table this weekend and pick up a memory stick loaded with more than a quarter of a million of Pax Britannia goodness and two bonus stories to boot?

Pax Britannia: Time's Arrow - Red-Handed

The Ether is all a buzz at the moment with talk of Time's Arrow, Abaddon Books' bold publishing experiment.

Here's what some people have been saying about it, and Red-Handed, the first part of the book that's available for download now!

As a long time fan of the 'Pax Britannia' series I was looking forward to 'Time's Arrow' anyway; with Green at the helm as always the tone shouldn't be affected at all but it will be interesting to see where the readers take the story. ~ Graeme's Fantasy Book Review

Once again Jonathan Green has written something that is, most importantly, great fun to read. From character names that will raise a smile to knowingly reverential nods to classical literature it is always a delight to see just what is going to happen next. I always come away from a Pax Britannia novel feeling thoroughly entertained. ~ The Eloquent Page

It's tough to review this first installment of the new Pax Britannia book fairly, since it is only the first third of the story. On top of that, not only do I, as a reader, not know where the story is going next, neither does the author... While this story very much seems to follow on from a cliffhanger in the previous book, I felt I had enough information to still enjoy it. Plus, once that cliffhanger was wrapped up, the new story was completely fresh and accessible... What I ended up with was a fast-paced, science fiction, steampunk action-adventure, with some cute nods to genuine Victorian science fiction. The interactive part of the story was fun, and it's really got me looking forward to the next installment... ~ Amazon.com

Time's Arrow - Who Lives? Who Dies? YOU Decide!

Big news on Abaddon Books re-vamped website today...

Red-Handed - part one of Ulysses Quicksilver's eighth adventure, Time's Arrow - is available for download here. And not only that, but the voting site has gone live too.

And the first review is already up on The Eloquent Page, as well. Here's a highlight:

Once again Jonathan Green has written something that is, most importantly, great fun to read. From character names that will raise a smile to knowingly reverential nods to classical literature it is always a delight to see just what is going to happen next. I always come away from a Pax Britannia novel feeling thoroughly entertained.

And here's another:

As eReaders are only going to continue to grow in popularity (I’ll be getting my hands on a Kindle Fire as soon as is humanly possible) it is great to see that publishers, like Abaddon Books, are taking these developments in technology into account when producing content. Kudos to Mr Green for his writing and the team at Abaddon for their tech wizardry. You all continue to do Mr U. Quicksilver Esq proud.

So, what are you waiting for? Buy Red-Handed for the eReader of your choice now! Then, once you've read it vote for how you want the story to continue here.

Oh, and inspired by this MAJOR PUBLISHING EVENT and Abaddon's spring (or should that be 'autumn'?) clean, I've given my own blog a bit of a makeover.

Out with the old...

Time's Arrow, Anno Frankenstein and House of Fear

Just a couple of things for you this autumnal Monday morning...

First up, the first part of my new Ulysses Quicksilver Pax Britannia novel Time's Arrow is available for download now. If you've not heard, this is officially A Big Deal. You can find out more here.

Secondly, another great review of Anno Frankenstein has gone up on Amazon. Here's a highlight:

Green keeps the action setpieces coming thick and fast, and the motley assortment of villains, being Nazis, are eminently hissable. Together with the refreshing new setting, which I suspect the author will be returning to, this is possibly the best Pax novel yet.

You can read the review in its entirety here.

And last of all, but by no means least, there's another great review of House of Fear, the horror anthology just out from Solaris Books that includes my short story The Doll's House.

More conventional (but no less effective) tales are provided by Jonathan Green and Paul Meloy, both Villanova and the Doll's House are disturbing, and each builds to a powerful conclusion.

You can read the rest of the review here.

Pax Britannia: Time's Arrow - Red-Handed is here!

Ulysses Quicksilver: agent of the throne, dandy and hero. Heart-broken, battered, mutilated and shot, he’s been driven backwards and forwards in time... but appearing in the middle of a crime scene is never the best way to start your visit to Paris...

Time’s Arrow offers the reader a unique opportunity – to decide the course of this latest Pax Britannia adventure!

In the tradition of Charles Dickens himself, Abaddon Books will be publishing Time’s Arrow in three ebook instalments. At the end of parts one (‘Red-Handed’) and two (‘Black Swan’) readers will be able to vote on how the adventure progresses via the Abaddon Books website at www.abaddonbooks.com. The entire text will then be published in a paperback edition in 2012.

Don’t miss out on the chance to become a part of publishing history. Pre-order Pax Britannia: Time’s Arrow today!

Time's Arrow - Red-Handed

This is what's open on my laptop at the moment...

And I'm loving this too...

That's right, there's only two weeks to go until the first of three eBooks chronicling the latest of Ulysses Quicksilver's adventures hits Amazon's Kindle store.

To find out more, click here.