...is a phrase used recently by my friend Matt Farrer, along with ‘high octane idea catnip’. I feel both should be officially introduced into the language. The former refers to a passage in a work of fiction that delivers a stunning descriptive effect, the latter to anything that gets the creative juices flowing with concept overload.
Thanks, Matt - I hope you don’t mind if I use them freely.
BTW - here’s a question: does anyone know if the 1969 Hammer SF movie Moon Zero Two is available on DVD? I saw it when I was a kid, and remember it fondly, but I don’t seem to be able to track it down. Any clues, anyone?
Back to the Ghosts. OiD is almost finished...
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Away with the ghosties
So take it as read, periods of blog-silence from me = furious work sessions. Only In Death is thundering to a close like a... thundering thing (sorry, my weekly simile ration got used up writing the last chapter). It’s demanding stuff, to be honest, creatively speaking: after ten books, you’d think it would get easier (a false assumption I made when I started work on it), but with ten books in the bag, it’s actually harder. I keep thinking “nope, I’ve done that before” or “I can do better than that, this has to be bigger” etc. What’s more, when you’ve been around a bunch of characters for this much time (almost a decade) and this quantity of material (over a million words on the Ghost books alone), a big, climactic, arc-punctuating book like OiD is a intense experience to write. And, no, that DOESN’T mean I’m going to kill everyone. (Or should that be... “and no, that doesn’t mean I’m going to kill EVERYONE”?)
I’ve set myself all sorts of (sometimes conflicting) challenges with OiD. It has to be a good story, naturally, with lots of crowd-pleasing shooty death kill AND character threads... that much applies to any Ghost book I take a swing at. But OiD is also the last book of the third arc, and the last Ghost book for a while. The series is going on hiatus for a few months while I work on other groovy things for BL (news on that soon). So, like Ravenor Rogue, OiD can’t just HAVE a good ending, it has to BE a good ending, a satisfying end-stop for a run of books that wraps up all manner of story lines and ongoing threads. I want to make sure that everyone gets a moment or two to shine, not just the main characters but the background boys too (big shout out for Corporal Chiria! Noa Vadim! Rerval and Derin! Haller! Jessi Banda! Jajjo! And, all the way from RIP duties.... Merrt!). I want to make sure that if anyone does actually, you know, die, said demise is appropriately appropriate (heroic, shocking, accidental, surprising, whatever).
I also, this time around, wanted to make it claustrophobic and creepy. This is siege warfare undertaken in a deeply unpleasant place. This is a last stand at the end of the world. This is the Ghosts fighting to the bitter end in a place full of ghosts.
Oh, Xhalax? Just to put your mind at rest Ban Daur gets a lot more than one line in this book.
Okay, I’d better get back to it. I’ll be at Forbidden Planet, London, on Saturday 19th of May (1.00 o’clock), signing Brothers of the Snake (and anything else you’d like me to) and then at GW Oxford Street Plaza at 3.00 the same day. Keep those posted comments coming. We’re getting a really lively chat going, and some of the stories are priceless. When OiD is put to bed, I’ll try to respond to a few more directly.
Right, where was I..?
I’ve set myself all sorts of (sometimes conflicting) challenges with OiD. It has to be a good story, naturally, with lots of crowd-pleasing shooty death kill AND character threads... that much applies to any Ghost book I take a swing at. But OiD is also the last book of the third arc, and the last Ghost book for a while. The series is going on hiatus for a few months while I work on other groovy things for BL (news on that soon). So, like Ravenor Rogue, OiD can’t just HAVE a good ending, it has to BE a good ending, a satisfying end-stop for a run of books that wraps up all manner of story lines and ongoing threads. I want to make sure that everyone gets a moment or two to shine, not just the main characters but the background boys too (big shout out for Corporal Chiria! Noa Vadim! Rerval and Derin! Haller! Jessi Banda! Jajjo! And, all the way from RIP duties.... Merrt!). I want to make sure that if anyone does actually, you know, die, said demise is appropriately appropriate (heroic, shocking, accidental, surprising, whatever).
I also, this time around, wanted to make it claustrophobic and creepy. This is siege warfare undertaken in a deeply unpleasant place. This is a last stand at the end of the world. This is the Ghosts fighting to the bitter end in a place full of ghosts.
Oh, Xhalax? Just to put your mind at rest Ban Daur gets a lot more than one line in this book.
Okay, I’d better get back to it. I’ll be at Forbidden Planet, London, on Saturday 19th of May (1.00 o’clock), signing Brothers of the Snake (and anything else you’d like me to) and then at GW Oxford Street Plaza at 3.00 the same day. Keep those posted comments coming. We’re getting a really lively chat going, and some of the stories are priceless. When OiD is put to bed, I’ll try to respond to a few more directly.
Right, where was I..?
Thursday, March 15, 2007
In other news
Variously...
Yup, I think I’ve met the Lucky Break Fairy once or twice. She has a nice smile and sweet hips.
Thank you for the quote, Toy Machine.
Tip for beating writer’s block? Uh, keep fething writing til it breaks? (sorry to be blunt, but I try to stay honest).
Iron Snakes? Well, if you think Space Marines have bland personalities, try Brothers of the Snake. If you STILL think they do afterwards, I will take some kind of ritual penance (Graham might too, as he writes the finest space marines I know of).
Robert- best post EVER. I will absolutely check out the books you recommended. Ask me some specific questions about writing and I’ll do my best to answer them.
Riders of the Dead: II (This Time It’s Hussars)
I do have a plot, and I’d love to write it. Trouble is, it’s set twenty years on, and I'm not allowed to accelerate my timeline beyond the GW studio’s timeline of events. One day, maybe...
Matt- good Ravenor goose bumps. Kudos!
Adriana - I take your point. Science will explain everything, eventually. It won’t make it any LESS weird.
Cec - I’d hang onto him if I were you (wait a minute, this has somehow become an agony column). On the subject of a 'feeling behind you', I also refer you back to my infrasound comment (would readers like me to be more forthcoming on that subject?)
Yes, I use a MAC. I love my MAC. You got a problem with that, PC boy?
Jesse, you win (sorry, Robert). THAT was the best post ever. Tell ‘G’ I’m ever so sorry. “In hindsight I should have realised he was going to have nightmares when, after finishing "Guns of Tanith," he stomped into our room and threw the book at my head.” I wish could write lines like that. Are you still out in Iraq? Where are you now?
Toy Machine: Shoggy lives! Except, oops... (just kidding... or AM I?)
Well, what an interesting can of worms I seem to have opened up. Huge thanks to all who bared their souls and talked about the odd things that had intercepted their lives. Most interesting to me were the folks who wrote about explicable odd things that were still odd.
It’s a funny old world.
To keep you all in the loop... things have been getting a little bit odder here. My wife and I woke up on Tuesday morning with the worst mindsets. Totally depressed and forlorn, both of us, for no reason. And... get this... all the clocks in the house were suddenly telling the wrong time.
Seriously... not just my wind-up watch, or my wife’s, but our computer clocks, the electronic clock on the cooker, the digital display on our massive fuck-off fridge, and the brass clock on my workroom wall.
I was a little bit freaked. Then my wife said “you’ve heard the moaning, I suppose?”
Turns out, twice, she’s been upstairs and heard a voice moaning down the hall while she was busy editing. She’s called out, presuming it was me or one of the kids.
It wasn’t.
You know, it’s actually quite fun living in a place that’s haunted.
Hey? What was that?
Yup, I think I’ve met the Lucky Break Fairy once or twice. She has a nice smile and sweet hips.
Thank you for the quote, Toy Machine.
Tip for beating writer’s block? Uh, keep fething writing til it breaks? (sorry to be blunt, but I try to stay honest).
Iron Snakes? Well, if you think Space Marines have bland personalities, try Brothers of the Snake. If you STILL think they do afterwards, I will take some kind of ritual penance (Graham might too, as he writes the finest space marines I know of).
Robert- best post EVER. I will absolutely check out the books you recommended. Ask me some specific questions about writing and I’ll do my best to answer them.
Riders of the Dead: II (This Time It’s Hussars)
I do have a plot, and I’d love to write it. Trouble is, it’s set twenty years on, and I'm not allowed to accelerate my timeline beyond the GW studio’s timeline of events. One day, maybe...
Matt- good Ravenor goose bumps. Kudos!
Adriana - I take your point. Science will explain everything, eventually. It won’t make it any LESS weird.
Cec - I’d hang onto him if I were you (wait a minute, this has somehow become an agony column). On the subject of a 'feeling behind you', I also refer you back to my infrasound comment (would readers like me to be more forthcoming on that subject?)
Yes, I use a MAC. I love my MAC. You got a problem with that, PC boy?
Jesse, you win (sorry, Robert). THAT was the best post ever. Tell ‘G’ I’m ever so sorry. “In hindsight I should have realised he was going to have nightmares when, after finishing "Guns of Tanith," he stomped into our room and threw the book at my head.” I wish could write lines like that. Are you still out in Iraq? Where are you now?
Toy Machine: Shoggy lives! Except, oops... (just kidding... or AM I?)
Well, what an interesting can of worms I seem to have opened up. Huge thanks to all who bared their souls and talked about the odd things that had intercepted their lives. Most interesting to me were the folks who wrote about explicable odd things that were still odd.
It’s a funny old world.
To keep you all in the loop... things have been getting a little bit odder here. My wife and I woke up on Tuesday morning with the worst mindsets. Totally depressed and forlorn, both of us, for no reason. And... get this... all the clocks in the house were suddenly telling the wrong time.
Seriously... not just my wind-up watch, or my wife’s, but our computer clocks, the electronic clock on the cooker, the digital display on our massive fuck-off fridge, and the brass clock on my workroom wall.
I was a little bit freaked. Then my wife said “you’ve heard the moaning, I suppose?”
Turns out, twice, she’s been upstairs and heard a voice moaning down the hall while she was busy editing. She’s called out, presuming it was me or one of the kids.
It wasn’t.
You know, it’s actually quite fun living in a place that’s haunted.
Hey? What was that?
Friday, March 09, 2007
Yes, I said haunted
Ta to all who posted their 'odd property' experiences here. Keep 'em coming, I love reading them. What seemed most interesting to me was the number of people who had the self-same responses I did:
1) It wasn't actually scary at all.
2) It didn't make them believe in that sort of thing.
I still don't. Having said that, 'he' was walking around again last night. Noisy bastard.
Moving on. The Xfire chat. That went well, from my POV. Felt a little like last Saturday in the Epsom store, but on line. Mob rule. But then, I'm a whiny, needy writer, and I have to get my kicks somehow. A few technical problems to begin with (technical problems include - What is this? What? What is it with this PC? It won't cut and paste!)
I'm a Mac person, and Xfire only works on PC. Luckily, my wife stepped in and typed for me (and called me a 'rubber fingered dick'). Still, it was hectic. The moderators seemed swamped. I guess that's a good thing.
Hauntings apart, let's talk about this. I went thirty years without seeing or feeling a 'ghost'. But all my life I have suffered from coincidences, to the point of madness. I have taken to referring to the 'angel of coincidences', presuming that such a being hangs over me. My wife says it's merely 'proof the universe is working the right way', but, then again, she recently told me I was a 'rubber fingered dick', so who knows?
John Inman died today. I have never watched Are You Being Served? Ever. But every clip that came on the BBC news showed Inman playing off Trevor Banister, an actor I met last weekend for the first time. I didn't know he'd been Mr Lucas in Are You Being Served? (sorry, Trevor), but everyone I spoke to afterwards said "ohhh, Mr Lucas? You met him?"
Coincidences? Anyone? Has the angel touched you? Post something and I'll tell you about the Tibetan royal family and the twin towers.
For starters.
The angel and me are like this (makes crossed fingers hand gesture, realises he is on line, stops.)
1) It wasn't actually scary at all.
2) It didn't make them believe in that sort of thing.
I still don't. Having said that, 'he' was walking around again last night. Noisy bastard.
Moving on. The Xfire chat. That went well, from my POV. Felt a little like last Saturday in the Epsom store, but on line. Mob rule. But then, I'm a whiny, needy writer, and I have to get my kicks somehow. A few technical problems to begin with (technical problems include - What is this? What? What is it with this PC? It won't cut and paste!)
I'm a Mac person, and Xfire only works on PC. Luckily, my wife stepped in and typed for me (and called me a 'rubber fingered dick'). Still, it was hectic. The moderators seemed swamped. I guess that's a good thing.
Hauntings apart, let's talk about this. I went thirty years without seeing or feeling a 'ghost'. But all my life I have suffered from coincidences, to the point of madness. I have taken to referring to the 'angel of coincidences', presuming that such a being hangs over me. My wife says it's merely 'proof the universe is working the right way', but, then again, she recently told me I was a 'rubber fingered dick', so who knows?
John Inman died today. I have never watched Are You Being Served? Ever. But every clip that came on the BBC news showed Inman playing off Trevor Banister, an actor I met last weekend for the first time. I didn't know he'd been Mr Lucas in Are You Being Served? (sorry, Trevor), but everyone I spoke to afterwards said "ohhh, Mr Lucas? You met him?"
Coincidences? Anyone? Has the angel touched you? Post something and I'll tell you about the Tibetan royal family and the twin towers.
For starters.
The angel and me are like this (makes crossed fingers hand gesture, realises he is on line, stops.)
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Haunted as in haunted
It's Wednesday, so it must be blog day. I seem to have become a once every other day blogger. Oh well, I'm trying to keep them coming regularly, so let's see if a pattern develops.
Yes, anyway. Haunted. I've never especially believed in that sort of thing, though it's always interested me. In the last ten years, I've lived in three properties that have had, well, odd properties. I was in an old, rented place about ten years ago that was genuinely freaky (I'll write about that some other time).
I've lived at my current address for seven years. It's old - it was a NCO's quarters for the local barracks back in Napoleonic times. A cavalry officer's house. Since we moved in, we (ie me, my wife and my two kids) have all been aware at different times of a... well, a something that stands at the bottom of the third flight of stairs. You might call it a figure, I couldn't possibly comment. It's not scary, or alarming. It's just part of the house. I realised the other day that, rather than deciding we did believe in that sort of thing after all, it had just become a fact of life (or something). An unconscious acceptance. It's become quite matter of fact. "He was about again last night," my wife will mention at breakfast.
I'm sure there's a rational explanation. Ultrasound, they reckon, don't they? Or is it infrasound? An odd natural resonance?
I don't know. All I know is that in the last few weeks, it's become more active. I was lying in bed the other night - everyone else in the house was asleep - and the whatever it is was walking around on the landing. I could hear it quite clearly. It wasn't the neighbours, it wasn't the wind, it wasn't the pipes, it wasn't the cats, it wasn't one of the kids getting up in the night for a wee.
When it walked up to the door of our bedroom and stepped inside (the door was open), I thought about looking, but decided to roll over and ignore it instead. I wasn't quite ready to deal with the possibiities at that time of night.
So there you go. Do sleep well. Don't have nightmares.
Yes, anyway. Haunted. I've never especially believed in that sort of thing, though it's always interested me. In the last ten years, I've lived in three properties that have had, well, odd properties. I was in an old, rented place about ten years ago that was genuinely freaky (I'll write about that some other time).
I've lived at my current address for seven years. It's old - it was a NCO's quarters for the local barracks back in Napoleonic times. A cavalry officer's house. Since we moved in, we (ie me, my wife and my two kids) have all been aware at different times of a... well, a something that stands at the bottom of the third flight of stairs. You might call it a figure, I couldn't possibly comment. It's not scary, or alarming. It's just part of the house. I realised the other day that, rather than deciding we did believe in that sort of thing after all, it had just become a fact of life (or something). An unconscious acceptance. It's become quite matter of fact. "He was about again last night," my wife will mention at breakfast.
I'm sure there's a rational explanation. Ultrasound, they reckon, don't they? Or is it infrasound? An odd natural resonance?
I don't know. All I know is that in the last few weeks, it's become more active. I was lying in bed the other night - everyone else in the house was asleep - and the whatever it is was walking around on the landing. I could hear it quite clearly. It wasn't the neighbours, it wasn't the wind, it wasn't the pipes, it wasn't the cats, it wasn't one of the kids getting up in the night for a wee.
When it walked up to the door of our bedroom and stepped inside (the door was open), I thought about looking, but decided to roll over and ignore it instead. I wasn't quite ready to deal with the possibiities at that time of night.
So there you go. Do sleep well. Don't have nightmares.
Monday, March 05, 2007
Kick start the week
Let's start this Monday morning with a big thank you to all who turned out to Epsom on Saturday. From the size and volume of the gathering, I'm going to guess it was a runaway success for the store. I had a great time, anyway, and it was especially nice to meet a few of this blog's regular posters in person. Newly observed signing request quirks: mobile phones and trainers. Oooo-kay.
(Pauses to make cup of tea.)
Monday morning's Read It Now recommendation: The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall. It's not that it's crammed full of amazingly cool ideas (it is), there's just something amazingly pleasing and involving about the way it's written. Read it.
Oh, and my house is definitely haunted.
(Pauses to make cup of tea.)
Monday morning's Read It Now recommendation: The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall. It's not that it's crammed full of amazingly cool ideas (it is), there's just something amazingly pleasing and involving about the way it's written. Read it.
Oh, and my house is definitely haunted.
Friday, March 02, 2007
Something for the weekend
Who's going to be in Epsom tomorrow between two and three? Apart from me, that is? Come along and we can celebrate the opening of Epsom's GW store.
Things That Occur To You Randomly On A Friday Afternon #47: considering that standing stones and dinosaurs are two subjects of which I am particularly fond, how odd is it that I live (and was born near) the only town I know of that a) is named after one of the former (the 'Maiden Stone') and b) has the latter on its civic crest? And how much odder is it that I've only recently noticed it?
Oh, and I'm pretty sure my house is haunted.
Anyway, how was your day?
Things That Occur To You Randomly On A Friday Afternon #47: considering that standing stones and dinosaurs are two subjects of which I am particularly fond, how odd is it that I live (and was born near) the only town I know of that a) is named after one of the former (the 'Maiden Stone') and b) has the latter on its civic crest? And how much odder is it that I've only recently noticed it?
Oh, and I'm pretty sure my house is haunted.
Anyway, how was your day?
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Good ideas at bad moments
So there I was, sitting at my desk, Gaunting busily away, aware that BL is awaiting delivery, and I had this idea. After weeks - months, maybe - of background thinking, I suddenly and unexpectedly got the plot structure of my next Horus book, in full detail, ping!
I knew roughly what I wanted to do, but - when I wasn't looking, as it were - it suddenly popped into sharp focus.
Thanks, brain. What am I going to do with that? It's pushing all the Gaunt stuff out of my ear, and the Gaunt stuff is good. AND ON A DEADLINE!
Next time on Whiney Writers And Their Pathetic Problems, Dan loses his pen.
I knew roughly what I wanted to do, but - when I wasn't looking, as it were - it suddenly popped into sharp focus.
Thanks, brain. What am I going to do with that? It's pushing all the Gaunt stuff out of my ear, and the Gaunt stuff is good. AND ON A DEADLINE!
Next time on Whiney Writers And Their Pathetic Problems, Dan loses his pen.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Is it Monday already?
Just coming up for air from the throes of Gaunt long enough to direct your attention to such sites as Newsarama, Comic Book Resources and Marvel's own news page where all sorts of Nova-related fun and games have been officially announced this weekend.
And, chuffed as I am for Helen Mirren and the long-overlooked Martin Scorcese, the Oscar that really made me happy was Alan Arkin's. He's missed out twice before (1967 and 1969, I believe) so this definitely falls in the 'about bloody time' catagory. I mean, has the world forgotten Freebie And The Bean?
And, chuffed as I am for Helen Mirren and the long-overlooked Martin Scorcese, the Oscar that really made me happy was Alan Arkin's. He's missed out twice before (1967 and 1969, I believe) so this definitely falls in the 'about bloody time' catagory. I mean, has the world forgotten Freebie And The Bean?
Saturday, February 24, 2007
The Doctor is out
Well, what a gratifyingly broad response my needy whining produced. Well done, everyone. May I compliment Xhalax in particular for her wonderful remark about unresponded blogging and quality conversations. Also, Sredni - Gadget Gaunt made me laugh.
I just got back from the signing event at Tenth Planet, and I'd like to say thank you to every one who came along to see us. Apart from the Torchwood books (my fellow "best-selling Torchwood authors" Peter and Andy were there), we were promoting the new Dr Who audio production, Nocturne. Written by yours truly, it features Sylvester McCoy, Ace and Hex, and guest stars Trevor Banister, an actor probably best remembered as Mr Lucas in Are You Being Served? Trevor had come along to the event, and it was real pleasure to meet him.
Also a pleasure was actually listening to Nocturne for the first time. I hadn't yet heard it (my copies arrived in the mail only yesterday) so I made use of the journey to and from Tenth Planet to play it in the car. I'm very pleased with the results, and I hope you like it too. Compliments to all actors and technical personnel involved, especially director John Ainsworth.
As we chatted aimlessly during the signing, Peter and Andy reflected (don't ask me how we got onto this topic) that as the slogan for Highlander was "There can be only one", surely the slogan for Highlander 2 should have been "There can be only another one." Or possibly "It appears we may have miscounted."
On the subject of movie slogans and tag-lines, I mentioned the poster tag from the new Hannibal Lector flick, which wins the prize for ultimate stupidity. It reads "It started with revenge".
Think about it...
I just got back from the signing event at Tenth Planet, and I'd like to say thank you to every one who came along to see us. Apart from the Torchwood books (my fellow "best-selling Torchwood authors" Peter and Andy were there), we were promoting the new Dr Who audio production, Nocturne. Written by yours truly, it features Sylvester McCoy, Ace and Hex, and guest stars Trevor Banister, an actor probably best remembered as Mr Lucas in Are You Being Served? Trevor had come along to the event, and it was real pleasure to meet him.
Also a pleasure was actually listening to Nocturne for the first time. I hadn't yet heard it (my copies arrived in the mail only yesterday) so I made use of the journey to and from Tenth Planet to play it in the car. I'm very pleased with the results, and I hope you like it too. Compliments to all actors and technical personnel involved, especially director John Ainsworth.
As we chatted aimlessly during the signing, Peter and Andy reflected (don't ask me how we got onto this topic) that as the slogan for Highlander was "There can be only one", surely the slogan for Highlander 2 should have been "There can be only another one." Or possibly "It appears we may have miscounted."
On the subject of movie slogans and tag-lines, I mentioned the poster tag from the new Hannibal Lector flick, which wins the prize for ultimate stupidity. It reads "It started with revenge".
Think about it...
Friday, February 23, 2007
Tumbleweed
You see? This is what I was afraid of (the vain, self-obsessed funtwit that I am).
I start blogging on a regular, daily basis, and everyone goes "Oh, look! Dan's blogging!" And then the novelty wears off and I'm left here all alone.
Hello? Your comments are far more interesting than my bloggage.
BTW - thanks and re-hellos to all the folks who came to the Grinning Demon re-opening today and asked me to deface their books and comics. Especially, Matt, Dean and Alan. Let's get a game going... with Necrons, please?
(For purely research purposes, you understand?)
I start blogging on a regular, daily basis, and everyone goes "Oh, look! Dan's blogging!" And then the novelty wears off and I'm left here all alone.
Hello? Your comments are far more interesting than my bloggage.
BTW - thanks and re-hellos to all the folks who came to the Grinning Demon re-opening today and asked me to deface their books and comics. Especially, Matt, Dean and Alan. Let's get a game going... with Necrons, please?
(For purely research purposes, you understand?)
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
A clarification and a 'huh?'
Just thought I'd clarify, in light of the recent 'to kill or not to kill' opinions voiced in your posts (thanks to all, what a lovely range of comments, keep them coming), that Only In Death is the last book in this arc, The Lost, but it is not the last Ghosts novel (although there may be a short hiatus while I work on some other juicy books for BL). Just thought I'd say.
Came across this great 1:32 ready made scale model of a German eight ton troop carrier the other day, very detailed and beautifully finished, but eight inches long and made of lightweight plastic. On the carton it said "this model is not designed to carry heavy loads, so please do to attempt to sit or ride on it".
Huh?
See you tomorrow... literally, if you're coming to the Grinning Demon re-opening.
Came across this great 1:32 ready made scale model of a German eight ton troop carrier the other day, very detailed and beautifully finished, but eight inches long and made of lightweight plastic. On the carton it said "this model is not designed to carry heavy loads, so please do to attempt to sit or ride on it".
Huh?
See you tomorrow... literally, if you're coming to the Grinning Demon re-opening.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Would I lie to you?
Hmmm...
Well, I'm not sure if I WAS fibbing the other post or not. Like I'm going to give stuff away just like that. But I know what the rumours have been, and it's fascinating to hear your various comments, suggestions and reactions to the possibility. Keep 'em coming. They feed the brain (that's the brain of number 4 clone, who's on duty this week).
If you're attending the comic con in New York this weekend, please be sure and say hi to my partner in crime, Andy Lanning, the A of DnA, who's over there to appear. The Marvel panel on Saturday night is sure to bring some interesting announcements from the House of Ideas.
Meanwhile, the second issue of the Warhammer 40k comic from Boom! is due to ship this week. Look out for it at all good comic retailers, including the Grinning Demon in Maidstone. See what I did, there?
Well, I'm not sure if I WAS fibbing the other post or not. Like I'm going to give stuff away just like that. But I know what the rumours have been, and it's fascinating to hear your various comments, suggestions and reactions to the possibility. Keep 'em coming. They feed the brain (that's the brain of number 4 clone, who's on duty this week).
If you're attending the comic con in New York this weekend, please be sure and say hi to my partner in crime, Andy Lanning, the A of DnA, who's over there to appear. The Marvel panel on Saturday night is sure to bring some interesting announcements from the House of Ideas.
Meanwhile, the second issue of the Warhammer 40k comic from Boom! is due to ship this week. Look out for it at all good comic retailers, including the Grinning Demon in Maidstone. See what I did, there?
Monday, February 19, 2007
The long dark night time of the guilty
Couldn't sleep (too much Gaunt, been writing all evening). Decided to blog instead. Seems I'm not able to do that either.
Checked out Graham M's site and blog. Go over and see it (link provided). Graham does blogging properly, oh yeah. Puts me to shame. And he goes to the gym too. Puts me to shame (again). I know where the gym is, does that help?
Thanks for all the suggestions about books. There's a couple I intend to try. Keep the ideas coming, readers.
Looking back on what I've written tonight, it appears I might have just killed Gaunt. Hmm. Was that wrong of me?
Oh well, the book finds its own way...
Of course, he smiled, I could be lying.
Checked out Graham M's site and blog. Go over and see it (link provided). Graham does blogging properly, oh yeah. Puts me to shame. And he goes to the gym too. Puts me to shame (again). I know where the gym is, does that help?
Thanks for all the suggestions about books. There's a couple I intend to try. Keep the ideas coming, readers.
Looking back on what I've written tonight, it appears I might have just killed Gaunt. Hmm. Was that wrong of me?
Oh well, the book finds its own way...
Of course, he smiled, I could be lying.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Of books, variously
Today's twenty or so words of drivel...
Working on Only In Death, a feverish pace to get in finished. It's officially the creepiest Gaunt book ever (lots of action in it too, mind, fight fans). Nik read the first few chapters and remarked that it had a really chilling, menacing undertone. In a good way. You have been warned.
Saw my first printed copies of Ravenor Rogue. It looks gorgeous. Can't wait to hear what the Ravenor/Eisenhorn readership thinks.
Speaking of books, I need something good to read. Any suggestions? What was the last good book you read?
Working on Only In Death, a feverish pace to get in finished. It's officially the creepiest Gaunt book ever (lots of action in it too, mind, fight fans). Nik read the first few chapters and remarked that it had a really chilling, menacing undertone. In a good way. You have been warned.
Saw my first printed copies of Ravenor Rogue. It looks gorgeous. Can't wait to hear what the Ravenor/Eisenhorn readership thinks.
Speaking of books, I need something good to read. Any suggestions? What was the last good book you read?
Friday, February 16, 2007
Grinning Demon
Further to yesterday's bits and bobs, let me add that the Tenth Planet do is from 12 to 2 next Saturday. And I completely forgot to mention that Maidstone's fine comic and card shop, the Grinning Demon, is having a grand reopening this Thursday (22nd Feb) and I'll be along there in the afternoon, around 2.30, to show my support.
In longer range news, and for the benefit of my friends in the US, it looks like I will be a guest at Games Day in Chicago this July.
Several people have emailed the blog with questions about getting started as a writer and getting published and submitting etc. I'll talk about that in detail soon, maybe with the help of some proper editor type folks.
In longer range news, and for the benefit of my friends in the US, it looks like I will be a guest at Games Day in Chicago this July.
Several people have emailed the blog with questions about getting started as a writer and getting published and submitting etc. I'll talk about that in detail soon, maybe with the help of some proper editor type folks.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Note to self...
...blog more!
Sorry, after a good show of regular bloggery at the back end of last year, the wheels have really come off. I will make amends, mainly by following Marc Gascoigne's advice and trying to blog a little every day (yeah, that'll happen). So please get ready to excuse what may be twenty or so words of pure drivel every day from now until I hone my blogging muscles.
What's new? I'll be joining in the Dr Who/Torchwood signing at Tenth Planet in Barking next Saturday (24th of Feb), and the following Saturday I'll be at GW in Epsom from 2 - 3, signing copies of Ravenor Rogue (yes,the third one is now here!). I'll also be doing an online chat on Xfire at 9pm GMT on Thursday 8th of March.
Thanks to all of you who've been buying the Torchwood novels, by the way. There must be an awful lot of you, because Andy, Peter and I have spent five weeks in the top ten hardback fiction list.
Just finished redecorating the bathroom (like you need to know that, just hang on, there's a joke coming) and I had to get rid of the rubbish, so I rang up a local builder and said 'I want a skip outside my house'. He said 'I'm not stopping you'. (copyright Tommy Cooper, 1803).
Sorry, after a good show of regular bloggery at the back end of last year, the wheels have really come off. I will make amends, mainly by following Marc Gascoigne's advice and trying to blog a little every day (yeah, that'll happen). So please get ready to excuse what may be twenty or so words of pure drivel every day from now until I hone my blogging muscles.
What's new? I'll be joining in the Dr Who/Torchwood signing at Tenth Planet in Barking next Saturday (24th of Feb), and the following Saturday I'll be at GW in Epsom from 2 - 3, signing copies of Ravenor Rogue (yes,the third one is now here!). I'll also be doing an online chat on Xfire at 9pm GMT on Thursday 8th of March.
Thanks to all of you who've been buying the Torchwood novels, by the way. There must be an awful lot of you, because Andy, Peter and I have spent five weeks in the top ten hardback fiction list.
Just finished redecorating the bathroom (like you need to know that, just hang on, there's a joke coming) and I had to get rid of the rubbish, so I rang up a local builder and said 'I want a skip outside my house'. He said 'I'm not stopping you'. (copyright Tommy Cooper, 1803).
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Off we go again
And a Happy New Year to all.
Well, I had a great holiday. I hope you did too.
Ten high points:
1) Making my daughters laugh (in a good way) by getting very slightly loaded on Christmas Eve (better known as my wife’s birthday).
2) Getting a bright red, radio-controlled dalek from Lily (thanks, Lils).
3) Crackers. Gotta love the old “Universal Calculator”. And the fickle fish of destiny.
4) Winter Pimms. Thanks for introducing me to that, Paul, even if recommending it makes me sound like a seventy year old retired colonel.
5) Singin’ In The Rain. Best movie EVER.
6) The Rockford Files. Jess bought me season one on DVD, ‘cause I went on and on about James Garner while she was watching 8 Simple Rules on ABC. Rockford Files is cool (as Ben Folds said). Really cool. Dubba-dum-dum, dee-waaaah dubba dum dum, dubba dubba dum dum, dum etc. Best THEME ever.
7) Boxing Day Panto with the family (22 members). Aladdin with a dalek. No, really, a dalek. No, really.
8) The annual game of Monopoly.
9) Stopping for a moment.
10) The fact that neither of my cats attempt to scale the north face of the Christmas tree this year. For a change.
So, what did you get?
Well, I had a great holiday. I hope you did too.
Ten high points:
1) Making my daughters laugh (in a good way) by getting very slightly loaded on Christmas Eve (better known as my wife’s birthday).
2) Getting a bright red, radio-controlled dalek from Lily (thanks, Lils).
3) Crackers. Gotta love the old “Universal Calculator”. And the fickle fish of destiny.
4) Winter Pimms. Thanks for introducing me to that, Paul, even if recommending it makes me sound like a seventy year old retired colonel.
5) Singin’ In The Rain. Best movie EVER.
6) The Rockford Files. Jess bought me season one on DVD, ‘cause I went on and on about James Garner while she was watching 8 Simple Rules on ABC. Rockford Files is cool (as Ben Folds said). Really cool. Dubba-dum-dum, dee-waaaah dubba dum dum, dubba dubba dum dum, dum etc. Best THEME ever.
7) Boxing Day Panto with the family (22 members). Aladdin with a dalek. No, really, a dalek. No, really.
8) The annual game of Monopoly.
9) Stopping for a moment.
10) The fact that neither of my cats attempt to scale the north face of the Christmas tree this year. For a change.
So, what did you get?
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Compliments of the season
I would imagine compliments of the season might include "That's an impressive Yule log" and "Your beard is looking particularly fluffy and white" and "Nice manger".
Anyway, I'm off to Christmas-land (by way of my wife's birthday-land, which happens on Christmas Eve) so I just wanted to wish everyone who stops by here a smashing Christmas and a splendid New Year, and I hope Santa brings you what you wanted.
Which reminds me, my daughter once sang (before she knew the real words) "Santa baby, put a sabre under the tree for me."
Pah rappa pum pum, everyone.
Anyway, I'm off to Christmas-land (by way of my wife's birthday-land, which happens on Christmas Eve) so I just wanted to wish everyone who stops by here a smashing Christmas and a splendid New Year, and I hope Santa brings you what you wanted.
Which reminds me, my daughter once sang (before she knew the real words) "Santa baby, put a sabre under the tree for me."
Pah rappa pum pum, everyone.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
The secret's out
Well, hurrah. Seems I can finally mention that Big Secret Project in public.
This summer I was approached by the Beeb to write one of the first tie-in novels to the (Dr Who spin-off) TV show Torchwood. My book - Border Princes - is one of three that are going to be released early in the New Year. It was huge fun to write, and made all the more fun by the fact I got to read scripts, see the pilot in advance, and visit the set, all so I could arm myself with enough data to write a novel.
I’m pleased with the result (and the other two novels - by Andy Lane and Peter Anghelides - are positively jim dandy too), so come and see what I do when I’m plunked down in a contemporary setting for a change, without the scenery of the Imperium to hide behind.
Oh, and big thank you to all the posters - regular, semi-regular and newbie - who’ve been commenting on these blogs. Quite a dialogue, and I thank you for it. Keep the comments rolling in.
Joke of the week
Q: How many salesmen does it take to change a light bulb?
A: I’m just working the figures out now, but I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
This summer I was approached by the Beeb to write one of the first tie-in novels to the (Dr Who spin-off) TV show Torchwood. My book - Border Princes - is one of three that are going to be released early in the New Year. It was huge fun to write, and made all the more fun by the fact I got to read scripts, see the pilot in advance, and visit the set, all so I could arm myself with enough data to write a novel.
I’m pleased with the result (and the other two novels - by Andy Lane and Peter Anghelides - are positively jim dandy too), so come and see what I do when I’m plunked down in a contemporary setting for a change, without the scenery of the Imperium to hide behind.
Oh, and big thank you to all the posters - regular, semi-regular and newbie - who’ve been commenting on these blogs. Quite a dialogue, and I thank you for it. Keep the comments rolling in.
Joke of the week
Q: How many salesmen does it take to change a light bulb?
A: I’m just working the figures out now, but I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
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