Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Things To Do At The Weekend #2: Forget Things

I forget names. We’ll come back to that, though it’s important. Who are you again?

I was going to go Blog-Zing crazy yesterday with stuff about BLL, but after my first post I realised I was tired and firing on about one-and-a-half cylinders, so it was time to sit down. Sorry about that. Still, that first post got bundles of great comments out of you, some of which reminded me about the forgetting names thing I’ve been meaning to mention.



Here's one dude I do know the name of. Russ welcomes you to BL Live.





Anyway, covering the basics I should have covered yesterday:

Yes, I like White Scars a lot.
I had a great time.
I’m not sure which I liked more - the mind-zap Horus Summit or BL Live, as they were both so enervating.
It’s been a long time since I’ve been out, so thanks to everyone for being so nice.
I want to write a book about Imperial Navy actions sometime.
I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to talk to you longer, Matthew; I’m sorry I didn’t get to talk to you at all, Sarah; I’m sorry I missed you, Big; I’m sorry we didn’t get to dissect Aliens properly, Xhalax; I’m sorry I don’t necessarily know more of you better (more of that again later).
I finally met the quite splendid Junior McNeill.
I want to thank Jim Swallow for his advice.
I want to thank Alex Stewart for the lift.
I want to thank Caroline and George for the tea.
I want to say “Hi Katie, sorry you didn’t get to go dancing”.
Just before Aaron decided to throw me to the mob to ensure his safe entry to the BL building, he, Jim and I had created a Second Founding Space Marine chapter called The Arseless Chaps.
Thanks to the Heresy Summit, I know what my next Horus book is going to be called.
No, of course I can’t tell you.
I forget names.

I don’t know how the summit could have been bettered, apart maybe for running it over several days. There’s a great thing that happens when the ideas start ricocheting around the room (“Put that thing away before you get us all killed!”). I’m not going to call it synergy, because that a pants word, but something happens that there’s probably a five dollar term for. I think it’s fair to say there were four or maybe five probably great, big ideas that came out of the afternoon, and we all, collectively, recognised them the moment they occurred. And each idea was had by one of us for one of the others to use. There was no “I’m keeping that one for myself”.

BL Live was an excellent way to spend the day. For me, it was like getting back on the horse after my recent high jinks. Thanks, everyone.



Warhamer World was its usual splendid self. This is before the gaming hordes descended.

Now, I would like to make it publicly known that I’m terrible with names. Properly terrible. Birthdays too, but that’s another story. It’s bad enough with people I don’t know, but when you’ve done a few years of Games Days etc, and the same faces are beginning to crop up more than once, I feel proper anguish that I can’t remember who people are with any degree of precision. I would never want to be rude and mis-remember people, and clearly there is a growing bunch of you that I’ve actually got to know now, but please, everyone else, don’t be shy. People can only remember so many faces anyway, and I’m crapper than average at it (especially now my synapses are mis-firing). Remind me when I saw you last, or if you haunt this blog under a colourful pseudonym, or whatever, otherwise I come away with a sense of slight regret that I didn’t recognise someone, or engage with them more than in a general, cheerful way.

Right, that’s the end of the pathetic-sounding appeal. Those of you who have queued up in the past know what it looks like as you approach the signing table.

Here's what it looked like for Graham, Neil and me.



pyro (Sarah) - ADB’s sideburns will dominate any room. Fact.

tim - I actually found being verbally redacted by the Inquisition to be quite fun, though I was trying to think of something to say that was so outrageous Alex would have had to physically tackle me and hurl me to the ground. Also, during the summit the day before, we thought (too late) of taking some mock photos of us all sitting there looking bored, like in school on a Friday afternoon. God, that would have been funny.

suneokun - Yeah, I heard they called it the Third Reich Building.

Matthew - There are no wolves on Fenris. Maybe cats...maybe...

Hagelrat - sorry you weren’t there but thank you so much for the bookmarks (in use now).

Ilmarinen - this is exactly what I’m talking about!

Big! What happened, buddy?

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

You had a beard! Why grow a beard?
okay we joking!

We so upset about missing BL 2010!
But reading BL page on Twitter and Facebook we are so happy to know about Sabbat Worlds Anthology! We really hope that in this book we could see all kinds of Imperium Forces fighting all kinds of archenemy forces! (Guard, Armour, Space Marines, Inquisition, Planes, Fleets and their equivalent on the archenemy side) Have you thinking about that! When it would be done? October release?

What about new Ghosts book. We really cant wait for the new story. The wolves of Fenris could wait. The ghosts - major priority!

And What about Double eagle 2?

To many people miss bl 2010 event -so could you answer this questions and many others in BL TV report - it would really make us very happy!
And not only your european funs but all gaunt-ghost-guddi-happy guys from all the world!

Xhalax said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Xhalax said...

Ah, now I understand....stupid being busy and half reading things.

Schaferlord. said...

Glad you had a great time, I to had a blast at BL live though didn't get to pester you at all really (did ask you what you'd kill for at the big Q&A though and at least you didn't cop out like the other chap). You did provide one of the highlights of the day whilst I was playing a participation game in the main hall and got to overhear the words "That's not Dan Abnett, that bloke has a beard, oh wait, it is him"

If you could wear a wig at gamesday or something else to provoke simular reactions I'll be appeased.

Matthew Churchill said...

The Arseless Chaps? Not to be sniffed at.
M

Anonymous said...

Thanks a ton for taking the time to sign my copy of Triumff at the end of the SC Session - much appreciated Sir. (I was worried I had accidentally created a mass signing stampede for a minute there!!)

Had a cracking day - I've made it to both BL Live events and they were both great fun, and my friends and I got a lot out of it. The SC Sessions (also attended Graham's) were a fantastic idea - Can't wait til the next event!

I really think you should stop apologising for the delay of the book though - You've nothing to say sorry for. Health->Family->Friends->Work->Fans in that order I reckon. We'll wait - we know by now that it will be well worth it.

Having said that, Glad to hear you are almost back to (ab)normality!

Rock On, and I hope to catch you at Games Day!

Barry (was sat in Mr McNeill's seat apparently!)

Shadowheim said...

Your face...is beard!?
Seeing all these awesome tidbits of information and pictures and - stuff - from BLL 2010 makes me sad. Work commitments kept me away unfortunately.
On the plus side, of course, much awesomeness to be 'looked forwarded' to, 2010 should indeed be an exciting year.

-= Tom =-

Xhalax said...

And there is no need for you to apologise to me Mr. Abnett. Especially when I acosted you for that 5 minutes to Tim could ask his questions that he never got to ask you in the Seer Council because he's not as loud as I am. Well that and to say 'Hi'

Big said...

yes i was recalled due to a mishap my "Middle child" had.She is a "Middle child" and suffers from "Middle kid" syndrome hence needs that extra attention to let her know she's loved.Anyhows she wanted me bad enough her Mum called me.I new it must be important because she knows its the one of 2 days a year i get to be a FAN, rather than the Boss.One of my Fundamentals is to always be there when the need me (and yes i have been corny enough to give them the Leman Russ speech about returning when they need me lol)so off i shot for another 2.20 hr drive home only to find she playing with her sisters after having bumped her head,still alls well that ends well!
I was however very tired on account up being up till the wee hours of the morning rescueing a horse from a Dyke (no Matthew not a crazed lesbian)at great expense to the county.It was scared a struggled alot, so i thought "shall i just knock it out"
but i thought i might get the same reaction from the owner as i did from my next door neighbour when i knocked out his horse for attacking me! who knew horses were so violent when females were around.
Crazy stuff
so sorry i missed ya, Big

Cor said...

surely that great new bernard shaw type beard could easily outmuscle ABD sideburns.

The arselesschaps now youve come up with that im sure some conversions will soon surface, and why oh why tease us with anothe rnew Heresy book when you cant reveal anything..... ABBBNETTTT !!!!! (Cue fist shakeing)

Anonymous said...

Was an awesome event and I felt very honoured to be able to attend the seers councils for both yourself and Gramham.

I got alot out of the event as well as plenty of new reading material.

Thanks again.

Scotty

Ilmarinen said...

:D

While I'm on a roll about the White Scars, I recently heard someone mention some fluff from the original HH board game...

Sanguinius says "Let's hold the line" and the Blood Angels go "Yes" and Dorn goes "Yes" and the Imperial Fists go "Yes" and Khan goes "That's dumb! I'm going to capture the Spaceport." Hehehehe. And if he hadn't then the defenders would have been totally overwhelmed. So very cool. :)

Oh, and there's nothing wrong with being a beardy-weirdy!

Kane's Dad said...

It was my second BL Live and the second time I had the opportunity to have a chat and didn't take it.
I actually have so much to ask and so much to say. I wonder if I actually get a little star struck.

Maybe next year...

All was brilliant, everyone was very nice and hopefully next year I'll get their early enough to get on a Seer Council, stay long enough to get some books signed and get another chance to have a chat.

And Dan, ignore them all, anyone who's anyone should have a beard.
Ask God.
And Santa.
And Gandalf.
And Beckham.

Well, Maybe not Beckham.

Phillip said...

Mr. Abnett I have a dream. Sounds familiar? Well, obviously. That King chappy. And I don't mean Bill.

Anyway, my dream is to have a GW event other than Games Day on a Sunday. I cannot now, nor will I ever be able to attend a Saturday event which means I will miss out on every opportunity to meet and chat with you apart from the biggest event of the GW calendar where the queues will be massive!

I think by now you have some sway with them folk 'tup north. How about saying, just once, "What about a Sunday then?". I know...dream on.

Craig said...

Thoroughly enjoy BL Live, and I dont mind you couldnt remember my name Dan, i know I wasnt the only one, the look of 'im sure ive seen you somewhere before' was enough for me.

And thanks for the chat with Aaron aswell, was greatly appreciated.

And once again, liking the beard.

Flekkzo said...

Nametags people, nametags. That way the poor librarian of the arseless chaps don't need to waste time on remembering names and can waste that time on the fans instead:)

Is that big Cats next to Russ or did I totally miss some joke? For Russ and the allfather!

Anonymous said...

No answers. As always! Damn

Xhalax said...

Flekkzo - We speak of A Thousand Sons.

Xhalax said...

And anonymous....to be fair you're asking questions which have already been answered to the best of Mr. Abnett's ability. He gave what answers he could months back, if you look through the blog entries you should be able to find them.

And to be fair, in my opinion....and I adore the Ghosts, Heresy takes presendence over Ghosts right now. The tale of Prospero is only half told and I need people to read things from Russ's perspective so they'll stop calling him names.. Plus killing main characters solely for killing sake surely would be deterimental to the story as a whole and I do believe Mr. Abnett only kills people when the time is right even if he doesn't realise it.

Xhalax said...

Woo hoo!

Aliens is on Film Four.