Ben Crystal and Shakespeare on Toast

Ben Crystal is an actor and a writer with a thing for Shakespeare. Now I know that probably doesn't narrow it down very much, but he's also the author of Shakespeare on Toast, which is published by Icon Books.

His reason for writing it? In his own words: "I wrote Shakespeare on Toast because I became aware of too many people who think Shakespeare is dull, or boring, or inaccessible, and who don’t want to read books that ‘bluff’ your way into the plays. Toast doesn’t do that. It makes Shakespeare's writing accessible, without dumbing it all down."

You can find out more about the book and Ben himself at the book's website. You can also hear (and see) Ben talk about Shakespeare on Toast at Meet the Author. And currently over at The Book Depository you can find out what he rates as his top ten books.

So why not take a look and find out more for yourself?

21 and counting...

Back in 1992 I was commissioned to write my first book, a Fighting Fantasy adventure gamebook entitled Spellbreaker. Last week I finished writing my twenty-first book, a steampunk science fiction horror thriller called Human Nature.

In between I have written everything from Sonic the Hedgehog and Doctor Who books for children to factual books for adults. The entire list reads something like this.

1. Spellbreaker (1993)
2. Knights of Doom (1994)
3. Curse of the Mummy (1995)
4. Theme Park Panic (1995)
5. Stormin' Sonic (1996)
6. Go Gos Are Go Go! (1997)
7. The Dead and the Damned (2002)
8. Crusade for Armageddon (2003)
9. Magestorm (2004)
10. Iron Hands (2004)
11. Necromancer (2005)
12. Conquest of Armageddon (2005)
13. Bloodbones (2006)
14. Unnatural History (2007)
15. Howl of the Werewolf (2007)
16. Leviathan Rising (2008)
17. The Horror of Howling Hill (2008)
18. Match Wits with the Kids: A Little Learning for All the Family (2008)
19. Go, Go Crazy For Those Bones (2008)
20. What is Myrrh Anyway? (2008)
21. Human Nature (2008)

Next up is...

22. Evolution Expects (2009)

... and there are more to come after that.

Expect the unexpected

Having put Human Nature to bed, I'm now preparing to get started on my tenth - yes, tenth! - novel, the fourth of Ulysses Quicksilver's Pax Britannia adventures and the culmination of the first story arc. (Yes, there is a master plan behind the whole thing!)

And it's not only me who's been getting ready for the next alternative history Victorian-esque action thriller; ace Abaddon cover artist Mark Harrison has as well. He's produced four cover roughs for the next book Evolution Expects (out April 2009), featuring three very different characters from the book.

The powers that be at Abaddon Books and myself have mulled over Mark's designs, throwing ideas back and forth, and have settled on one, but I won't say which one just yet. However, I can give you a glimpse of each of the four cover concepts. (Mark's comments spoken by the various characters had me in stitches!)

On top of that, Mark has produced a concept sketch for one of the characters from the book which is phenomenal - good enough to be a cover all by itself, as it stands! And in time I hope to reveal more here, but again, not just yet.

In the meantime, it's certainly going to help me when it comes to having some visual reference when I come to write the relevant sections of the book.

So cheers, Mark!

Important note: Abaddon Books, the Pax Britannia setting, all text and artwork from the novels are © & ™ Rebellion A/S and reproduced here with kind permission.

Coming soon to a dark, gothic, alternative Victorian world near you...

At 11.45pm on Friday night I emailed my editor the completed manuscript of Human Nature - my third Pax Britannia adventure, ninth novel and twenty-first book! And it felt good.

But now it's Monday morning and it's back to work. There's a new novel to start, short stories to plot and pitches to write, but for the time being at least I'm basking in the warm afterglow of knowing that it's another job well done. (It also means that, come December, I will have passed the 1.3 million published words mark!)

Human Nature is out this December from Abaddon Books. You can reserve your copy here.

What is Myrrh Anyway? Hits the ground running!

What is Myrrh Anyway?, published by Icon Books, is available from all good bookshops now!

I happened to be in the Richmond branch of Waterstone's today, so if you're passing that way tomorrow you'll find a festive message scribbled in the front accompanied by a scrawl that happened to be my signature.

Consider it an early Christmas present from yours truly. ;-)

Doctor Who Day

Just a quick post to let you know that I will be taking part in Doctor Who Day at Ealing Central Library on Saturday 22 November 2008. So why not come along and join in the fun?

You'll be able to meet a Dalek at 10.00am-12.00pm and 2.00pm-4.00pm, and also at 2.00pm author Nick Griffiths will be talking about his book Dalek I Loved You. There will be games, quizzes, and competitions to take part in, and of course you'll be able to get your copies of The Horror of Howling Hill signed too!

And while we're on the subject of Doctor Who, My Cultural Experience has reviews of all the Decide Your Destiny books, and I have to say that The Horror of Howling Hill doesn't come off too badly at all.

Also on the subject of everyone's favourite Time Lord, the 400th issue of Doctor Who Magazine is all now, complete with an artist's impression of every DW/Lego fan has been waiting for!

What is Myrrh Anyway? Released today!

Yes, it's like all your Christmases have come at once - What is Myrrh Anyway? is finally released today!

It should be in all good bookshops now or, failing that, you can buy it online.

And in case you're new to this blog and wondering where the title of the book comes from, click the video link below.