Manimal Abnettism...

... as I said, just the other day. Yes, sometimes I make no sense, even to me.
Black Library Live! went live last Saturday, and a properly fabulous event it was too. I gather it was enough of a resounding success for there to be more in future, so I heartily encourage all of you who didn’t attend to attend next time.
It was a busy and lively event, with lots of signings, talks, readings and seminars, plus games (set up in the marvelous surroundings of Warhammer World) based on settings and characters from the books. In fact, the bustle and energy felt like a good Games Day, but it was still small enough to be informal and fun. There was enough time to talk, to take some time to answer questions and wander off the point and, of course, everything was Black Library specific.
There was a great turn out by BL writers: the mighty Graham, the equally mighty Jim Swallow, the just-as-mighty-as-all-the-other-mighty-ones Sandy Mitchell, Neil “Mister Horus Covers” Roberts, Nick Kyme (wearing his BL editor AND his superstar author hats), Aaron, Richard... yeah, it was great. It was fantastic to be able to preview a couple of chapters of Blood Pact (us BL authors haven’t had the opportunity to do readings since Games Day shifted out of the NIA - the acoustics in the NEC just won’t allow it), and Graham tells me he also really relished the chance of doing a reading. Most of my afternoon was taken up with the serious signing event - me, Graham and Neil in a signing trifecta that lasted almost three hours. It was simply fabby to see Xhalax and Matthew C (where was Big?) plus a lot of other folks who’ve become very welcome and familiar faces from signings these last few years. I think, in the end, what really made it for me was noticing that the BL staff the (Mark, Christian, Nick, Caroline, Mal, Rik, George and the rest - thanks for giving up your Easter Saturday, guys!) were having such a good time. They all had smiles on their faces. They were all really happy with the way things seemed to be going. It was NOT a miserable afternoon spent working on a weekend. I took this as real proof of the event’s success. The only downside, it seemed, was that Anita found it unbearably warm (Anita? Graham? I secretly think Sawney’s an excellent name, BTW).
In summary, if you weren’t there you should have been, and you should make fething sure you’re there next time. If you were there... wasn’t it just a whole heap of good fun?
And so to Manchester and Liverpool next weekend. I’ll be bringing a hunka Blood Pact in case there’s an opportunity for some reading. I’ll be signing. I‘ll be chatty. I’ll be open to your questions, comments and suggestions (ahem - within reason). I’ll be windswept and interesting. Will you be there? Check out the previous blog entry and the BL site for specific timings and details.
So, things you should be doing. You should be reading Matt Farrer’s excellent blog, for starters. It’s a quiet piece of genius. You should be reading [Marvel’s cosmic event written by yours truly and Mister Lanning] War of Kings, because, well, it’s frickin’ excellent is what it is. Buy it for Paul Pelletier’s art alone. The man is touched by the proper spark of comic-stuff, the incandescent material that suffused Kirby, Buscema and Romita Senior.
And you should also be reading... me. It’s just been announced (so, therefore, I can talk about it) that I’ve signed a three book deal with Angry Robot, the new Harper Collins imprint. I will be interleaving these books - original Dan Abnett novels, accept no imitations! - in between my BL commitments (he added hastily, before all the Gaunt fans hyperventilated and collapsed in a swoon). Up first, this autumn, will be Triumff, a swashbuckling tale set on an alternate Earth where the Elizabethan Age never ended and the Industrial Revolution rediscovered magic. Our eponymous hero Rupert Triumff kicks ass and takes names in a lusty yet ill-advised effort to halt a conspiracy to kill her royal majesty Queen Elizabeth XXX.
Trust me, it will be either:
the funniest piece of adventure you’ve ever read, or,
the most adventuresome piece of funny you’ve ever read.

After that, in 2010, brace yourself for Embedded, an extremely hard-edged piece of combat SF that I think you’ll REALLY like.

So I guess that makes me Mister Busy, doesn’t it?