Day of Days!

It has arrived! My day of days, and my comp copies of "Triumff"! I'm going to take this opportunity, if I may, to introduce a new guest blogger. I know, I know, you've read a review of "Triumff" already, you might even have read two, but, frankly, I can't get enough of people saying nice things about this book. It's my baby, and it has been for a very long time, and I can't think of anything nicer to do, today, than revel in praise for it!

I was seriously considering have a competition for best review of "Triumff", but they've all been so darned marvelous that it'd be impossible to choose just one!

Jonathan Green has been a fellow Black Library writer, and a very fine fellow for more years than I care to remember. He's a jolly good writer and a jolly good egg, and I can't say enough nice things about him. I sent him "Triumff", and the dear man read it. This is what he had to say. Thank you, Jonathan, and take it away:

Triumffant
A review of Dan Abnett’s Triumff: Her Majesty’s Hero by Jonathan Green

Triumff: Her Majesty's Hero is Dan Abnett’s long-awaited and much-anticipated original fiction debut. He’s been writing for years, of course (which is patently apparent in Triumff), and is already a multi-million-selling author, but outside of 2000AD, Games Workshop and various other comic-writing and tie-in novelisation gigs, he is still, unbelievably a relative unknown. But all that is about to change with the publication of this truly original work of fiction.
The setting is the present day, only it’s a world very different to our own, the sun never having set on the glories of the first Elizabethan Age. In this alternate reality the Renaissance saw a re-emergence of the Magick Arts and hence the arresting of significant technological development. Against this backdrop of Shakespearean thesps, wily cardinals and duelling noblemen, Sir Rupert Triumff – dandy, drinker and dueller – is catapulted into a revenger’s tragedy’s worth of intrigue as he tries to uncover and put paid to a nefarious and damnably traitorous scheme.
Abnett’s world-building is assured and satisfyingly detailed, although none of this detail ever swamps the plot which moves at a rollicking rate. In fact, it reads like a Blackadder-inspired cinematic blockbuster. As a result, the alternate Elizabethan setting is instantly recognisable, populated with pastiches of historical figures as well as characters that have walked right out of your television set. There’s even a nod to hardcore Warhammer fans. Humour, action and intrigue abound in equal measure, and combine with Abnett’s idiosyncratic clockpunk stylings to create a wholly satisfying read.
To dismiss Triumff: Her Majesty's Hero as a Pratchett clone is to do it a disservice; this is classic Abnett. From the economy of description – which nonetheless conjures a vivid and fascinating backdrop – to the grand set-piece action scenes and frequent, pun-tastic humour – that extends to a scene right out of Bond – it could hardly be anything else.
If you want your buckles well and truly swashed and derring done, you know where to come. Triumff is, in a word, a triumph.

Eve of "Triumff"!

Tomorrow, "Triumff" will officially be on the bookshelves. Waterstones will have it, WHS will have it, heck, everyone will have it, and if they don't, jolly well ask for it!

To mark the occasion, it is my very great pleasure to introduce my latest guest blogger. (See, still not actually doing a whole lot of work over here, except for the several thousand words of "Prospero Burns" that I uploaded into my computer, today. So, thank you to everyone who is guesting and keeping you lot busy, here, so that I can get busy over yonder with more writing. That week off was very welcome, but now it's time to catch up.)

I digress. Let's have the guest blog. He is known far and wide for his wit and wisdom, and his all-around lovely-blokeness. Ladies and Gentlemen, it's Big... no really. Take it away, Big.



Cockspankingly brilliant!

Vivat Regina

Thanks to Matthew Churchill, I am able to indulge myself, once again, and hand over this column to another. Take it away, and thanks very much, Matthew.

Triumff: Her Majesty’s Hero is Dan Abnett’s long-awaited original fiction novel. Abnett has an extensive history of writing successfully for various science fiction and fantasy imprints, but Triumff is our first chance to see him playing with toys entirely of his own creation. Those familiar with Abnett’s writing will appreciate that such toys are likely to be full of whirly death, and will contain sharp objects not suitable for small children.

Its eponymous hero, Sir Rupert Triumff, drinks, cavorts and swashbuckles through an alternate version of present-day Earth where the sun never set on the Golden Age of Elizabethan England. Her Glorious Majesty Elizabeth XXX sits on the throne, along with a considerable weight of petticoats, bodice and pearls. A conspiracy is afoot to threaten the life of the Queen and taint the Magick that protects and prolongs her realm. And it’s down to Rupert Triumff to save the day.

The book is a rollicking good read. It has the easy grace and unpretentious style of Abnett’s Games Workshop novels, and shares his familiar blending of accessible prose, realistic characterisation, and resonant description. Triumff will expand your vocabulary with neat antique and obscure words if you care to look them up, but the writing never gets bogged down in flowery prose. Primarily, it is a comic novel, and its lightness of touch and playful language may surprise some who come to Abnett purely from the grim darkness of Games Workshop, although a deft comic sensibility has often been at the heart of Abnett’s work for 2000AD comics.

As an original novel, Triumff requires no familiarity with any of Abnett’s extensive back-catalogue. Comparisons to other writers are inevitable in the fantasy genre. Some are describing Triumff as a kind of Steampunk Pratchett, and it’s understandable. However, Abnett writes action considerably better than Pratchett, with several meaty fights and an explosive conclusion.

With its alternate Earth setting, much of the enjoyment comes from viewing our own world through a skewed mirror, and spotting the parallels. Triumff isn’t preoccupied, however, with playing this game to the detriment of the plot, but does allow for some nice cameos, including a Q’ute James Bond scene that had me laughing out loud.

Ultimately, that’s the important bit. Triumff is laugh-out-loud funny. The characters are strong and well-defined, and the neo-Elizabethan setting is handled carefully and without alienating those unfamiliar with all things cuffed and ruffed. It’s pacey, punchy, and highly enjoyable. Vivat Regina!


(This review was based on an advance proof copy. Triumff: Her Majesty’s Hero will be published in October by Angry Robot books and is available from Amazon.co.uk and Play.com)

GamesDay update and the Scottish tour

With only a few days to go before GamesDay, I'm really looking forward to it! I know I won't get to see you all, but I plan to have fun with the people that I do get to see, so buy a book and get in line.

For those of you with one of my hundred tickets, I'll see you there. I believe signing times are 11 - 12.30, 1.30 - 2.30 and 3 - 4.

For those of you who don't get a ticket, I'm really very sorry, and I will do my best to make it up to you, somehow.

The Scottish signing tour, which was to include Leeds and Gateshead has been trimmed down, so that I can only do the Scottish dates in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Falkirk. Again, my apologies, but I am unable to drive, and so I'm now flying straight to Scotland. I will add Leeds and Gateshead to my schedule as soon as I possibly can, hopefully in the spring.

Roll on GamesDay!

A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste

I'm not saying I've wasted mine, but I'm certainly going to be rewrapping it more carefully every time I put it back in the fridge from now on. At the end of last week, I had an unpleasant little episode that landed me in hospital for the day. It was, in all likelihood, related to a mild pre-existing condition called Nocturnal Epilepsy, but it wasn't very nice. Well, it wasn't very nice for Nik, I didn't know much about it. In fact, that was probably the most distressing part of it from my point of view: short term memory loss and a general befuddlement as to what was actually going on.

Anyway, I'm fine now. I feel fine. My brain works... as much as it ever did. I fully intend to be getting on with all the things I should be getting on with (and yes, that includes making sure these novels and comics come out on time). However, I've been told to take it easy for a little while, and not to do anything that might exacerbate the condition. I can foresee having all sorts of tests and examinations in the near future as nice doctors make sure I'm flight-worthy.

The principal upshot of all of this is that it will effect some of the public appearances planned over the next three months. I'm not really supposed to travel at all, but I'm not going to sit on my arse. I will have to limit the events I do, somewhat. That will mean flying to Scotland for the Edinburgh/Glasgow/Falkirk signings, rather than driving up country, which means, I'm very sorry to say, Gateshead and Leeds will have to wait until I can make it up to them for a properly dedicated visit. It also means that my face-time at GamesDay has been rationed. I'm especially disappointed about this, because I love the annual opportunity to meet and chat with as many BL readers as possible. There's always next year, and Black Library day in the spring! I'll also see if I can devise some cunning and inventive ways of making it up to anyone who missed out.

For the time being, please check the BL website and Facebook page for revised details of GamesDay and the signing tour of the north as they relate to me. I'll try to post these new details here, too, as soon as I have them.

To sum up, I'm fine. I may simply have worked a little bit too hard. Prospero Burns, and everything else that's lined up, is still very much on-course. I simply need to take a little constitutional rest or risk the tuts of Doctors and the wrath of Nik. Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible. The Emperor Protects.

That About Covers It!

The cover for "Triumff" has been finalised and I'm thrilled to be able to talk about it. Larry Rostant has done a fantastic job rendering our hero in all his muck and glory, and a very handsome man he is too - Triumff that is. (I'm sure Larry Rostant might also be considered a good looking man in some quarters, but, in this instance, I'm referring to the dashing adventurer at the heart of my tale.) I'm awfully fond of a good chimney, too, so all my requirements have been more than met. Thanks, Larry!

Form an Orderly Queue...

...The countdown to "Triumff" begins here. It's less than a month (October the 1st to be precise) before Angry Robot releases my first novel for them: "Triumff"! I've spoken about this a little before, and I must say, I'm beginning to get very excited about its launch. But you don't just want to hear me banging on about it: I've sent a few PDF copies out to some friends and relations of this blog to solicit their opinions and previews. As the responses come back, I'm going to run them as guest blogs, and today we have the very first. Ladies and gentlemen, let's have a very warm welcome for the indomitable and rather lovely Xhalax!

Take it away, Xhalax:


"I’ve never been much of a fan of history, even though a lot of sci-fi seems to be based on the past in a ‘history repeats itself’ sort of way. But I’m not one to prejudge, so I read “Triumff” with an open mind.

"The concept is pretty straight forward, but I have to admit that I kept forgetting that this was actually ‘modern times’ rather than the 16th century. The idea is that the UK hasn’t ‘progressed’ in a manner we’d recognise since the 1500’s. It is Elizabethan London in all it’s grotty, grimy glory.

"The setting is done to the usual Dan Abnett standard, with broad brush strokes setting up Triumff’s London to the right degree, and, as per usual, I was dropped right into the very middle of the world, and felt like this was a place where the characters could really live.

"The characters all fit the story nicely with elements of Flashman and shades of Blackadder. Not to mention the more contemporary references thrown in for good measure, and a laugh too.

"All in all, I really enjoyed this jolly good romp through London, and found myself laughing out loud on quite a few occasions, especially at the modern media references, which could necessitate another read through to try and spot more. Plus, I liked the little twist at the end, didn’t expect that one!"

What goes around comes around.

Hi all,

Our good friend, the digital artist and film maker, Matt Snyman is in the running for a YouTube HP competition. We love his work and want to support him, so if you'd like to visit the following tiny URL, and give him a thumbs-up, that'd be lovely. If you really like his work you can give him a thumbs-up every day. We will be!

http://tinyurl.com/kr2ohp

Thanks.

Scottish Tour

It seems strange to me that this time last week, I was at GamesDay Germany. To be honest, this time last week, I was actually negotiating the M25 on the way back from Heathrow, but the day had been spent in Cologne attending the positively wonderful GamesDay in Germany.

It was my first German GamesDay, and I positively had to be there, given my no-show last year. It was great. The city was great, the weather was great, the company was great, the food was great, the venue was great, and it was, simply fantastic to meet and chat to so many German readers.

Here's what my queue looked like before my queue arrived.
You've gotta love an empty rope-line, right? The crowd arrived to fill it pretty damned fast. Here's what they found themselves facing before I sat down:
Once I sat down, it was head-down elbows-out signing, and I'd just like to re-hello everybody who came to see me. Highlights for me included Packmaster (we meet at last) and Bernd and the guys from the Air Base, who I will most definitely be visiting next year for a proper guided tour (that is, if GW send me to GamesDay Germany next year). Addition highlights include the following people who turned up in costume:





... And mighty fine they looked too. For those of you who like a little tour-guide with your blog, here's what Cologne cathedral looked like as I walked over the Rhine towards it (obviously, there was a bridge, I'm not, like, Jesus). The cathedral houses the bones of the Magi in a golden ark. Allegedly. I must check that out, next year (I was pretty pushed this time, because of, you know, GamesDay.


All in all, as you can tell, it was great. I'd like to thank Mal and Mark and the German GW crew for making me feel welcome and keeping me company. Let's do it again, guys!

While I'm on the subject of photos and pictures and costumes, I would like to share this picture of Alison Smaalders, who sent me this photo of her as Saint Sabbat. I hope she won't mind me sharing it with all of you, because it's a great look.


Thanks to Nik's Photoshopping skills for the excellent backgrounds in these shots. We didn't want to upset anyone caught in the background.

A big shout out to Dave Taylor, whose website currently displays the winner of his "Design a Set of Stalk Tank Rules for Apocalypse" competition. Dave's site is damned good, and he's also one of the staunchest Ghost fans there is. That's why Blood Pact is dedicated to him. If you want to check out his blog it's at: http://tinyurl.com/dlaqbk

Finally, if my old college friend, Tom, tried to e-mail me through this site, could he do it again? As I checked out the in-box connected to this site the other day, I could've sworn I saw an e-mail from Tom, but it got swallowed by the aberrant behaviour of the internet, deleted before I could open it. If it was you, Tom, please e-mail again.

Ready for my close-up

The long-promised second batch of videos got filmed last weekend, thanks to Adelie, and she's been posting the results up on YouTube all week. The first four can be found at the following tiny URLs, and there will be more to come.

http://tinyurl.com/oevxka
http://tinyurl.com/pyb3e7
http://tinyurl.com/nr754y
http://tinyurl.com/mkyhwy

All told, I had about nine pages of questions that had come from this blog, Facebook, the BL site, and similar, and I think that I managed to answer just about everything (with varying degrees of accuracy). I'll be inviting more questions again soon, because I hope this will become something of a regular exercise, so get your thinking caps on. In addition, Black Library Television is going to quiz me next week, too, so they'll have a whole bunch of questions of their own. I guess the next film we do should be the promised bedtime reading of the first chapter of 'Triumff'.

And so to Germany, specifically Cologne, where I'm heading tomorrow. This is my first German GamesDay, and I'm really looking forward to it, particularly after I made such a howling kack-storm of attending last year. To be fair, I was bleeding, internally. I look forward to seeing everyone there, on Sunday, and I've got PacMaster's translation all ready.

Finally, I can't vouch for 'Prospero Burns', but 'A Thousand Sons' is bloody good, so far...

Pay Attention at the Back!

Two quick things I wanted to cover, this evening, whilst I was close to a laptop:

First of all, due to circumstances beyond my control (actually, I decided to update my software and didn't realise it would wipe out all sorts of settings on my imac) I haven't been picking up my e-mail feed from this blog and my website for an embarrassingly long time. This has now been rectified, thanks to the stirling work of Matt Snyman, so it should be business as usual again soon. In the meantime, let me apologise to anyone who sent me an e-mail with the reasonable expectation of an answer. I will work my way back through the e-mails and respond to as many as I possibly can. If after a couple of weeks you still feel left out or overlooked, please re-send an e-mail. I'll try to get to everybody.

The second thing is, just to quickly mention, how much I'm looking forward to attending GamesDay Germany next weekend. I was scheduled to appear there last year, but had to cancel at the last minute due to the fact that I had come down with some truly horrible lurgy. To everybody who missed me last year, I look forward to seeing you next weekend. In particular, I'm hoping to meet several long-time posters or corresponders, face to face, so let me know who you are. And somebody had better tell me how to write 'let the galaxy burn!' in German, incase anybody wants something not scribbled in English.

See you in Cologne next Sunday!

When the Books come In

Dance to the daddy,
Sing to the mummy,
Dance to the daddy,
To the mummy sing!

It's been excitement all round in our house, today, because the first copies of "Blood Pact" arrived hot off the press: one perfect UK Edition and one perfect US Edition. Very lovely they are too. It's a special something to actually get the printed work in your hands after all the time it took to produce it (especially in the case of Blood Pact). Huzzah!

October is going to be a busy time for me as Blood Pact and Triumff are both officially on the shelves that month. I can see there are going to be a lot of signings and interviews and stuff to do. In the next couple of weeks, I hope to be writing blogs specifically about the books to give you a taster, and maybe dreaming up some other inventive ways to fire your imaginations about them.

Talking of which, I have now sent out PDFs of Triumff to the English contingent (you know who you are), and I intend to send PDFs to eager American test-readers (it's like being a test pilot) in the very near future.

The cover of Triumff is coming together, and I was distracted for quite a long time this afternoon by the reading copy PDF, because it is the first time I've seen my text properly typeset with lovely Elizabethan fonts for the chapter headings etc. I started reading a chunk of it, and a) It made me laugh, and b) It got me jolly excited about it, all over again. I probably shouldn't admit either of those things out loud, but it's amazing how something as simple as typesetting can de-familiarise a piece of writing, so that you see it with fresh eyes. I can't wait for Triumff to come out. I can't wait for as many people as possible to read it.

In other news, bear in mind that we're in the middle of Perseid season. The nights of the eleventh and twelfth will be the busiest in the UK, with up to one a minute. This is shooting stars I'm talking about. On those nights, try to get out somewhere away from town light, and somewhere you can minimise the light of the moon (which will be a little bit of an interference this year. And then... make a wish.

Proof copies of Triumff

Hi all,

I have just sent out a couple of electronic review copies for people to read and post about. I thought I could get away with sending out a few more, before I get told off.

So... anyone who wants an electronic proof copy of Triumff by Dan Abnett, published by Angry Robot, just let me know why you'd be a good candidate for reviewing it, in 50 words or fewer, by Monday, and we'll see what we can do. Post your entries here, and we'll announce winners and get in touch with you. What we're looking for from you is a 100 to 300 word reviews that you'd be happy to post here, and possibly on Amazon and Play.com.

Best of luck.

Crikey! That sounds almost like a competition!

Vikings? This Far Up?

There now follow a few apologies.

I apologise for the fact that many people have been saying “where the blinking flip is Blood Pact?” Also, I apologise that the promised follow-up YouTube interviews with me have yet to materialise. Oh, and that I haven’t blogged in a dog’s age. And also, that I went to Canada and never thanked the Canadians.

There’s really no excuse for any of this, but here’s one anyway.

I’ve been busy. I have been busier, by quite a margin, than I ever anticipated being in this particular part of 2009. I have been really fething busy. I’m not complaining, I’ve enjoyed every minute of it, but - oh my god! - it hasn’t left any time for the basics, like blogging, or keeping up with Facebook, or doing informal YouTube interviews, or speaking to other members of the household, or remembering to wash. Oh, and apparently Michael Jackson died. Who knew?

I can’t promise that this is me getting back on track, but a blog here, and Facebook there and maybe, in the next week or so, a few interview-casts, and we might be up to speed.

For the time being.

Blood Pact is done, and I’m really pleased with it. It’s nothing like Only In Death, but that’s the point. If Only In Death is a big climactic last stand, then Blood Pact is a far more valedictory event. With added tight, crunching, blood-soaked action. It’s much more like an espionage novel, The Khorne Identity, if you will. It’s very character-driven, and, if you’re a long time Ghost reader, I think you’ll get a kick out of seeing favourite characters in unfamiliar or unusual roles.

Now, Canada. Thank you, Canada. Thank you for having me. It was brief, but it was great. It was a total blast. I met a large number of very nice people, who seemed genuinely pleased to meet me and talk to me. I signed a lot of books. It was a three-Sharpie Games Day. I think that says it all. And you’ve got to love a country that brews great beer, serves humus and crudities at a Games Day, and uses as an ad-line for its national carrier “ninety-five percent of fatalities on Canada’s roads are caused by moose: aren’t you glad you’re flying?” Thank you, Canada. I look forward to coming back. I hope my next Games Day trip is as enjoyable. (Germany, in August... They’re not going to have any trouble with the ‘great beer’ part at least, are they?).

Just a thought: I wonder if there are any statistics for the percentage of air-crash fatalities in Canada that are caused by moose. I mean, you’d want diagrams, wouldn’t you?

So, now, as the temperature pushes into the thirties, the cats are flaked out like discarded draught-excluders wishing their fur coats were un-zippable, and Roddick and Federer fight it out to the bitter end, I’m girding my loins for the next big project. Yes, folks, it’s Prospero Burns (Mongomery’s less-well known brother).

Stop me if you’ve heard this, but, originally, I was going to tackle the Thousand Sons side of the deal, and Graham was going to handle the Space Wolves. The reason for this - and I really do understand that the following revelation is such a heretical statement that Eisenhorn might have to come and shoot me through the lungs - is that I don’t really like Space Wolves.

All right. Stop yelling. Stop it. Stop. I KNOW, okay? I know. Let me explain. I think the Space Wolves are great. They are a great, vivid, visceral element of 40K, great to play, great to collect. But for use in fiction they are, to me, too on the nose. They too obviously resemble the source of their inspiration. Think of it this way: I could write a novel about a chapter of space marines, who originated on a tough, unforgiving world of high plains and grassy savannahs. The chief way of life was as drovers, driving the million-animal herds of gigantic, and often very dangerous, grox across continents. This work bred men who were tough, weather-beaten and wily, relentless, dogmatic, reflective, but mercurially fast. They evolved quick wits and cunning, and quick reflexes, but they could also sit in the saddle for days, biding their time. They were almost empathically connected to their loyal steeds. They knew how to chase, hunt, defend the herd, bring down a big bull. And the very toughest and most promising of these drovers were selected by the mysterious warriors, who lived in their isolated fort on the isolated mountain, to be inducted into their ancient order of space marines.

Sounds pretty reasonable, doesn’t it? Sounds like a decent basis for a chapter, right?

Now what if I said the chapter was called the Six Shooters? And that their armour design included chaps, a bandana and a ten gallon hat? Oh, and spurs? And they were famous for their trademark ‘two-bolt-gun’ holsters?

You see what I mean?

The inspiration is fine. The Thousand Sons are Aztecs. The Blood Angels are goth vampires. The Imperial Fists are Romans. The White Scars are a mongol horde. The Iron Hands are robots. The Ultramarines (and, hell yeah, the Iron Snakes) are Greeks. The fact is that all of them have taken the point of inspiration and run with it. They’ve put the background idea through some kind of creative filter to make it both richer and less obvious. But the Space Wolves are exactly what they appear to be, with no filter and no remove, which makes them giant fun on the gaming table, and a giant pain in the arse in a novel.

So anyway... I finally suggested to Graham that I should take the Space Wolves, because it would force me to find a way into them. I’ve already seen the work he’s doing on the Sons, and, oh my god, it’s mouth-watering. His book, which will be called A Thousands Sons (one of those instances where the legion name is so good, you don’t need to invent a better book title), is going to be packed with great ideas. We’re knocking stuff back and forth, and a momentum is building. For my part, I’m filling my workspace with all things Norse and Viking, and Icelandic and barbarian. You wouldn’t believe the sources I’m going to. I want the Space Wolves to be ABSOLUTELY the Space Wolves all of you out there love, AND YET something you’re not expecting; something that’s gone through a filter; something that makes you all go “Christ in a longboat! I have never thought of them like that!”

Tomorrow, I may buy a bearded axe. If not tomorrow, then sometime this week. I kid you not. Sometimes, physically handling a key prop is the best way to unlock an idea. And I’ve already checked that the Rochester Armoury (that fine institution that, long time readers may remember, sold me a pilum on Good Friday), has something Danish and two-handed in my size.

More on the subject of axes and space vikings in coming weeks, I’m sure. In the meantime, I’m writing a David Tennant, Dr Who adventure for BBC Audio (all kinds of fun!), and the War Of Kings cosmic event for Marvel is getting serious praise. Other than that, it’s very warm and very quiet. I think the Hussar may have evaporated in the heat or taken to apporting in the cupboard under the stairs, where it’s dark and cool.

Oh, Federer just won. Longest men’s singles final in Wimbledubblybum history: fact.

Finally, some recommendations. The new album from White Denim is simply brilliant. The true crime book The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston is fascinating and unbearably gripping, and I recommend it to anyone who’s ever enjoyed anything with Hannibal Lector in it. The film Role Models, while in no way perfect, really REALLY tickled my funny bone. I guess that says a lot about my adolescent mind-set, though it also says a lot about my nerd-hood too. Role Models is surprisingly warm and celebratory of the concept of larping.

Forty years ago this month, America put a man on the moon. I remember it, though it didn’t seem a big deal at the time (I was four, after all). It was such a big deal. If you haven’t already been moved or inspired by the anniversary documentaries or books or articles, then go and buy a book like Moon Shot or A Man On The Moon, and stun yourself silly with details that are funny, strange, unexpected, intrepid and often insane. Remind yourself what it actually meant. For example, NASA didn’t think to fit an outside door handle on the hatch of the lunar module. If Buzz Aldrin had pulled the hatch shut behind him when he bounced down to follow Armstrong onto the surface, they wouldn’t have been able to get back in... at all... and history would have commemorated an altogether different, and more harrowing, story.

Buzz Aldrin was called Buzz because his little sisters, when they were kids, couldn’t pronounce the word ‘brother’. They said ‘buzzer’. “To infinity and beyond!” is a wonderful aspiration. “To infinity and then back home again alive!” is rather more rational.

Toronto Bash

I’m busy as a very busy thing on National Let’s Be Extra Busy Day, but there are a couple or three things I just wanted to mention. The first is Games Day Canada in Toronto this Saturday (already?!?), and I’m looking forward to seeing you there, though I acknowledge that Toronto may be a long way for some of you to come unless you’re Canadian.

Because of Toronto and the other busy things (see above), my next round of You Tube ramblings has been slightly delayed. My apologies. I will gather up all the questions put forward both here and on Facebook and get on with it as soon as I’m back. This, of course, means there is still time to get extra questions in. Feel free.

Finally, a big slap on the back recommendation for fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com, which I suggest you check out. Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist is one of the best genre blogs online, and has the added bonus just now of offering signed copies of the sexy new Ravenor Omnibus for five lucky winners. Go on, you know you want to.

Questions, questions.

Last weekend, I spent time with Adelie High, recording some stuff to camera, where I rambled on about what I do, and answered a few questions sent in via the internet. It seemed to go well. The results, 6 short films, are now up on YouTube. Just go there and put my name into the search engine. A variety of subjects is covered, including the off-cuts and outtakes.

As this dry run was successful, we intend to delve deeper, and we'd like to give you more warning so that you can ask questions. Post them here... Anything you'd like to ask me. Post them up by next Friday night (29th May), and we'll try to include them next weekend when we sit down again. Adelie is quite quick at cutting, so you can expect the next batch of clips by the following week.

Over to you.

Illuminations

To GWs Manchester and Liverpool, I want to belatedly record what a fun time I had at both of your stores. Thank you for throwing on the events at such short notice, and huge thanks to the readers and acolytes who turned out in force to meet with me. For the record, my trip to Blackpool was as sublime as last year: Lily acquitted herself splendidly in the formation teams of the ballroom, and I drew ever closer to the core of an idea that Blackpool is the setting for the most significant and troubling novel of my career.

Back home, I am working hard to produce Marvel’s Cosmic scripts on a week by week basis, while I finish up the slaughterhouse that is Blood Pact. Every time I finish a chapter, I feel I need to be hosed down. It’s wet work. I’m not sure who’s going to survive on either side. Novels like this scare me. The characters are in charge.

In the meantime, I got up at 6am and drove to Nottingham, yesterday, and sat in Bugman’s with Nick Kyme and the mighty Graham McNeill. When it comes to Graham McNeill, I think it’s obligatory for everyone to preface his name with an italic “mighty”. Graham is one of the few creatives I’ve had the pleasure of coming into contact with who can match my ideas and raise me. Not only did we thrash out some amazing things for Prospero Burns/Thousand Sons, but we came up with a transcendent idea for what we are all calling “The Dark Ages” of the Horus Heresy. This was so cool, it simply took our mutual breath away.

Of course, you’re all going to have to just wait and see, and wait and see, even for Prospero Burns. I am Space Wolves up the YingYang. There are two things I can promise you: You have never seen Space Wolves like this, and, these will be the mothers and fathers of all Space Wolves. Nik’s scared: she doesn’t get Space Wolves, and she doesn’t get what all the fuss is about. It’s going to get nasty, and it may never get nice again.

It’s getting windy here, and the rain has started. I’ve been seeing the Hussar a lot these last few weeks: in the summer house, and in the kitchen, in the corner of my eye. The fact that we’ve bought a porcelain effigy of him at an antiques fair, doesn’t seem to have slowed him down. I sometimes hear his footsteps, his breathing, his keys dropping onto the floor. I think I am better off with him than without him.

To conclude this evening, a joke:
Last night I dreamt I was in the middle of the Lord of the Rings. When I woke up, Nik said, “You were Tolkien in your sleep, again.”

Try the veal. Remember your waitress.

Nik, in Dan's absence

This is just to say that Dan Abnett and Nik Vincent are now TWITTERING as VincentAbnett. Trivia concerning underbed overhangs, the Hussar and swine flu over the cuckoo's nest, not to mention Czacza Gaborgia will appear their, in brief. Check us out. Pun-hunters especially welcome.

In all other matters, normal service will be restored shortly...

Free Comic Book Day..

... is this coming Saturday, May 2nd, and to honour it, I will be at Videosyncratic on the Cowley Road in Oxford, along with Simon Davis (Sinister Dexter and so much else), Richard Elson (Marauder and, of course, Kingdom) and 2000AD’s Tharg the Mighty, Matt Smith, in a 2000AD-themed Free Comic Book Day event! Be there or... or... we’ll be lonely! It all starts at 1.00pm! It’ll be great! I may even use another exclamation mark! Look, I did!

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?

Q: When are you coming to Manchester (as someone recently asked me)?

A: April 18th 2009!
For those who are interested, I will be conducting a small, but perfectly formed, signing tour of the North of England, around Easter time. I will be in Manchester on Saturday 18th April for an hour from 12 noon, and Liverpool on Sunday 19th April for an hour from 11 am (sorry for the early start). I realise that this is only a fortnight away, and, therefore, short notice, but please contact the local GW stores in Manchester and Liverpool for more details.

Rather looking forward to it!

See you there.

2000 FP (part II)

Just a quick note to record how much I enjoyed the 2000AD mass signing at Forbidden Planet today. It was really great fun, and fantastic to mingle and chat (and also very nice to see people I hadn’t seen in ages). Many thanks to everyone who supported the event, especially John for the company, Cassanda for saying hello (say hi to your mum and dad), and Dukeleto (sorry I kept you waiting to get your books signed). It was all a great deal of fun, and it’s not every day you get to be in the same room as two Thargs. After much consideration, we all agreed that the two Thargs should not be allowed to touch or physically interact incase they reacted like matter and anti-matter, and levelled Shaftesbury Avenue, or possibly merged in some cosmic fashion to create an anti-Tharg. Yes, us 2000AD script droids really do have conversations like that, sometimes.

2000 FP

Just a reminder to those in the vicinity (or those not in the vicinity who’d quite like to make the effort TO be in the vicinity) this coming Saturday (March 21st) is the day of 2000FP, a mass 2000AD related signing at Forbidden Planet in London to celebrate all things 2000AD AND Forbidden Planet’s birthday (it’s kind of their two thousandth signing). It starts at one o’clock, it’s a ‘free form’ come along and chat type situation, and I’ll be there along with David Bishop, Simon Davis, Rufus Dayglo, Al Ewin, Brett Ewins, Henry Flint, Frazer Irving, Robbie Morrison, Tony Lee, Simon Spurrier and Tharg himself, Matt Smith. Come along and get a copy of David Bishop’s fabulous history of 2000AD - Thrill-Power Overload! - as well as all sorts of other 2000AD-ish goodness, including the new Sinister Dexter collection, Eurocrash, which you can, of course, get me and artist Simon Davis to damage by writing on it.

See you there!

The Joy of Seks

Okay, first of all... further to the strand on this blog regarding Sek (“Name or Rank?”), I thought I’d import a little additional chat on the subject from my Facebook wall. I’m sure neither Xhalax nor Matt will mind (you don’t mind, do you guys?).

Anyway, Xhalax asked:

“In a vain effort to quell my raging curiosity the quickest (I posted this on your blog too for the others....namely Big since he's Mr. Blood Pact....despite the fact this technically has nothing to do with the Blood Pact)....I'm asking this question here too since it's bugging the hell out of me.

Is 'Sek' some sort of given title? Just with Anakwanar and Isidor both having it, and yet being two separate people, it made me wonder.

I'm starting to suspect 'Incarnate' has a very very LARGE part to play in this by being used as/instead of 'proxy'.”

To which I replied:

“I hadn’t quite thought it through like that. Isidor holds the rank 'Sek Incarnate' because he is Sek's man on Gereon, and there may be other holders of the rank. But is Sek itself a rank or a name? Hmmmmm...

Well, the other big dude like Sek is Urlock Gaur, of course, and his followers include people who hold ranks like 'etogaur' and 'demogaur', so I'm pretty sure Gaur is a rank.... ie Orlock Gaur means something like "Orlock who is the great warmaster". But Anakwaner Sek always felt like a name to me.... Sek is a gaur himself, or holds a rank just below gaur if gaur is the over all big bad warmaster.

Now, I'm not so sure. As a reader, which appeals more to you?”

Then she said:

“Personally, I think I like 'Sek' being just a name rather than any sort of rank. Reading Traitor General and having all manner of names and their meanings is making my head spin a little (Chaos never sits easy on my Imperial mindset, so to speak)

So in that respect the word 'Incarnate' is the one that becomes the word that denotes position (rather than rank since Isidor isn't an military man, and position seems to fit better than rank for non-military).....the name before it (ie. Sek i this case) just denotes pretty much who they belong to/who they save.

And on that basis, I'd imagine,maybe Urlock Gaur.....may a 'Urlock Incarnate' to denote anyone who may be 'ruling' in his name while he's out plundering the galaxy.

Oh, maybe 'Incarnate' is the equivalently of 'Governor'

I think I need to go play some computer games.......too over stimulated with wordage.”


Then she went on to mention the additional issues of “Anarch” and “Archon”. Meanwhile, Matt Farrer (always a pleasure to hear from him) chipped in all the way from the other side of the world with this:

“Hi Dan, hope you don't mind if I get in on this discussion. Like Xhalax, I rather like the idea that Sek is a name rather than a rank. Given that the growing tension between Urlock and Sek seems to be a developing story point in the series, it's an interesting way of driving home the differences between them. If "Gaur" is a rank title, then when Urlock's forces take it on they're behaving like a regular armed force, including the Imperial ones: they're accepting that they're part of an organisation that's bigger than themselves, subordinating themselves to its laws and structures. Even their supreme commander takes the title according to the system of titles, following the laws and traditions that all the Blood Pact obey.

I think I ran out of characters. Continuing in a moment.”

A brief pause later, he added:

“Right. If Sek is part of Anakwanar's name, then when his subordinates take names like the Sons of Sek or Sek Incarnate they're not pledging themselves to an army, they're declaring a highly personal loyalty to an individual commander, making themselves an extension of his person and his will. There's quite a profound difference between a military corps that even the leader makes himself a part of, and a personality cult exclusively defined by its leader's quirks and desires, and it hints at what sorts of equally profound differences there might be between Sek and Gaur as people, and how those differences might shape their leadership and their rivalry.

I hope this is making sense, I'm doing my internetting in the small hours again.”

I thought it made a lot of sense. I also thought that reproducing these bits and bobs here might be interesting to other readers. I’d add that some of these subjects get further explored in the pages of Blood Pact.

What’s next? Rob’s very funny story about Barnes and Noble reminded me that there is a fairly broad range to the work I do. Indeed, I find that I often meet fans of a particular thing I do who have no idea at all that I also do something else. The best example of this that I can think of was at a convention recently, where I found myself having a simultaneous and very friendly chat with three ‘fans’. One was a major Warhammer reader, the second was a 2000AD regular, and the third was a major Marvel US fanboy. None of them had any real interest in, or knowledge of, the subjects of the others’ enthusiasms. To them, I was three different people, and I essentially found myself speaking three different ‘languages’, and translating certain comments so that the 2K guy picked up the Marvel Universe reference, and the 40K guy understood the SinDex comment etc etc. It was, on the whole, a pretty peculiar experience.

So... I’ve always imagined that the majority of people who read this blog, and who post their comments, are Warhammer oriented. I’ve always assumed that they account for the bulk of the traffic here, so I thought I’d widen things out a little (and blow my own trumpet into the bargain). Here’s what I do when I’m not in Black Library mode:

First off, other novels. There’s a Torchwood (“Border Princes”), a Doctor Who (“The Story of Martha”) and a Primeval (“Extinction Event”) out there already, not to mention various original audio books, including Torchwood: Everyone Says Hello (read by Burn Gorman) and Doctor Who: The Forever Trap (read by Catherine Tate). As Rob mentioned, there’s also a fine body of Wallace and Gromit work. Then there’s 2000AD. I’ve written for Tharg for over fifteen years now, on all sorts of strips, but the big one would be Sinister Dexter, which I created and which I’ve written every episode of. There are a number of trade paperback collections available to help get you up to speed, and a new one (“Eurocrash”) is going to be published soon. Sinister Dexter is probably my favourite thing. I am immensely fond of it.

If you check out the Judge Dredd Megazine at the moment, you can read Insurrection, which is me staging an all out space war in the Dredd universe with the help of the great Colin MacNeil. Read it for the art alone. I wrote the VCs for 2000AD for quite a while, and the entire run is also about to be collected in a trade. There’s also Kingdom, the strip I created with the very talented Richard Elson. The first two stories are collected in a trade, and we’re just starting work on the third. Kingdom is... well, I don’t know. It’s got a particular quality. Every time I read it, I go ‘wow, did we do that?’ I’m very very proud of it, and Richard’s art’s gorgeous. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, go and get the trade.

Speaking of trades, I hear the first nine or so issues of the Knights of Pendragon, an eco-superhero-Arthurian comic from the early nineties, is also about to be collected. Co-created with John Tomlinson, Steve White and Gary Erskine, and co-written by me and John, it remains a high water mark in my output, and is one of the first major things I did. People still ask me about the series.

Then there’s the US. Working as DnA with Andy Lanning, I write The Authority for DC/Wildstorm, which is their heavyweight super hero team book. We’ve been writing it since it relaunched about ten issues ago, and is worth reading because of the interesting setting: this is post-apocalypse superheroes. Wildstorm took the very bold step of destroying their Universe a little while ago... properly, not temporarily. It’s an interesting place to work.

Finally, Marvel. Andy and I are the cosmic boys at Marvel. We write the regular monthly books Nova (a solo space cop superhero title) and Guardians of the Galaxy (a cosmic super team), which are interrelated. To read either or both regularly, you need to get them from your friendly neighbourhood comic shop, but there are lots of trade collections to get you up to speed (Nova’s been running longer), and you can buy those in a high street bookshop. I saw the Guardians hardback trade in my local Waterstones the other day. Andy and I have been writing for Marvel for a long time, but we’ve never had critical acclaim like we’ve had on these books. I love working on both. Nova’s an old school superhero series. Guardians... well, I think Guardians is one of my all time favourite things too. Given that a lot of you Warhammer readers seem to particularly dig my character-driven stuff, I can’t believe you wouldn’t like these books. I can’t believe, for instance, that Xhalax wouldn’t love Guardians.

Anyway, Nova and Guardians lead us into the War of Kings, the next big ‘event’, which Andy and I are in charge of: a six issue mini series that crosses over with both books and showcases a stupendous interstellar war between the Inhumans and the Shi’Ar Empire. This starts in about a month (though there’s a one shot prologue out there already) and it’s going to be huge. Andy and I firmly believe that stuff should happen in event books. You don’t just play and then put all the toys back in the box. And this event also links the Marvel Cosmos up: The Shi’Ar are very much X-Men continuity, and the X-Office is letting us play with them. Though the Marvel Universe is one big fictional space, it’s a rare privilege to get to connect up the various editorial fiefdoms.

As a post script... and I said I was going to blow my own trumpet... BL informs me that Legion got to the number eight spot on the top 5000 Science Fiction and Fantasy books for 2008. There are several of my books on the list, but number eight? That’s amazing, especially for a tie-in. The top of the list goes Pratchett, Tolkien, Rowling, Iain M Banks, and I’m down below them between Raymond Feist and another Pratchett. I mean, come on!

Okay, my trumpet’s blown. I’ll shut up now.

DnA Secrets Revealed

For some reason, my blogging muscles aren’t yet up to strength after the Christmas lull, so I apologise about that. I’ve been meaning to post rather more frequently, but... meh.

Any road up, this is just an interim “I must post this info” post, a public information service if you will. This weekend it’s the New York Comic Convention, which I was due to attend with my comic (cosmic?) writing partner Mr Lanning. Long story short, we’re not going to make it after all. We’re deep into War Of Kings at the moment, and we can’t really leave the white heat of the writing lab, not even for a larky jaunt to NY. A long weekend of conventioneering would put too big a hole in our delivery schedule. Sorry about that, just wanted to let you know in case you were thinking of looking for us there. Maybe next time (Andy and I are both pretty peeved we’re going to miss the fun).

Highway asked how Andy and I write together. Well, Highway, the famed DnA writing team finds it best to write alternate words using different coloured crayons. Seriously, the truth is, we sit facing one another and type on back-to-back typewriters, and then riffle-shuffle the pages together to make a script. No, no, we strike each other repeatedly with dictionaries like two manic contestants from It’s A Knockout until random words are shaken loose, then we sweep them up, feed them through a meat grinder, and expertly form the resulting mince into script sausages which–

All right, all right. We get together once or twice a week and brainstorm. These brainstorms, which involve sometimes literally throwing ideas at each other in a locked room, result in beat sheets and outlines which, once they’re approved editorially, I take away and turn into full scripts, while Andy returns to his ‘other’ job as a world-renowned comic book inker.

We’ve been doing it for twenty years and we find it works because, well, it’s fun. How many things can you say that about?

I’d like to thank Satan for the musical tips (not THE Satan, obviously), and advise his wife that the third (and final) Inquisitor trilogy will begin as soon as I can get to it. I‘m as anxious to see how it all ends as you are (clue: it’s not going to be pretty).

Roderick - a rhyming sword, historically, is one of a matching pair of ceremonial or ornamental weapons that had (because they were a set) the halves of a rhyming couplet etched onto each blade. In Ravenor, the idea is a little more mystical and esoteric. So esoteric, in fact, I can’t remember it exactly right now. But that’s the REAL definition.

Information will follow shortly about the rumoured Scottish tour, as well as other events that I or one of my clones are going to be popping up at. I’d like to take this opportunity to become wildly enthusiastic about my recent trip to Paris, which was fantastic. Thanks to every one who came to the three events, to the shop crews, and, of course, to fine people of the Bibliotheque Interdite, especially Mathieu and Dju. It was great to see everyone. Behold, below, some lovely snaps of the weekend, many of which reveal the fun times had by all.


StarPlayer


Fnac


GW Bastille


Commissar, anyone?


Research, research, research.


That last pic is the double-barreled holster pistol I’ve now seen in an antique shop window two years running. It’s huge, and will be appearing in as many 40K stories as I can subtly manage to sneak it into from now on (rest assured, I’ll only do it if it’s subtle. Ideas include “Giant Double-Barreled Holster Pistol versus the Blood God”, “ Giant Double-Barreled Holster Pistol Rides Again” and “What Giant Double-Barreled Holster Pistol Did Next”). Paris is a very 40K city: just wandering around the streets, museums, galleries and churches, I was overloaded with ideas, most of which filled the pages of my ubiquitous notebook.

Anyway, must close. A final word regarding Mr Dave Taylor, whose blog I hereby propel you headlong towards. Dave is a veteran GWer, and was (I’m sure) the first person I ever came across who’d built a Ghost army. Now he’s onto a Blood Pact army, which I’m sure will interest many of you. Take a look at http://davetaylorminiatures.blogspot.com/. It also helps that Dave is a very fine fellow indeed.

More news, and Hussar-esque activities soon. Enjoy the snow.

While I remember...

A Happy New Year to all. Thanks for your posts and messages over the holiday season. I hope you all had, as Xhalax put it, a “Happy Candlemass”.

We all had a lovely quiet Candlemass of our own here at the Fortress of Turpitude, except the Hussar, who was suddenly very active again. He’s clearly trying to tell us something. I’ll blog more about that soon. Make sure you have a glass of warm punch and a crackling log fire ready.

Had a great day up at The Black Library last week, where Graham and I planned even more devious and astonishing elements to add to our Wolves vs Sons (“One Wins, One Runs Home To Tell Mummy”) fethfest, with help from Nick Kyme, Alan Merrett and James Swallow. We also kicked around a few ideas to throw into Jim’s BRILLIANT new notion for a Horus book. I cannot wait to read it.

I also want to take a moment to note the respective passings of Oliver Postgate and Forrest J. Ackerman. Two minutes silence for each, please, minimum.

May I also recommend the new album by White Denim, which I first heard when I went to see the Mighty Boosh play the O2 with Junior Daughter. You’ll find it comes at you like a bag of kestrals, sir.

The proper purpose of this blog entry is to tell you about Paris. We’ll always have Paris. Now you can have Paris too. I’ll post details of my mini-tour of Scotland when we firm them up: right now, we want to make sure Blood Pact is finished and printed before I lead my Clone Forces over the border to sign it. In the meantime, I will be in Paris between the 22nd and 24th of January, in a little signing trip arranged by the fine gentlemen at Bibliotheque Interdite. More details can, I understand, be obtained from (http://fr.games-workshop.com/news/news.asp).

The three Paris signings are:

Thursday 22nd: Signing at the Games Workshop Bastille store, from 5:00 to 8:00pm.
This will be a signing for GW fans in a closed store, apparently.

Friday 23rd: Signing at the Starplayer store, from 6:00 to 8:00pm. This will also be a closed store signing with me doing a little (translated!) Q&A at the end. Buy tickets in advance from their web site.

Saturday 24th: Signing at La Fnac in Les Halles, from 4:00 to 6:00pm. This is a regular, open to all-comers signing.

I will be the one looking windswept and interesting, with a Gauloise Blonde, a scarf shrugged artistically over one shoulder, and a small glass of pastis, muttering to myself such things as, “I see speculative fiction as an amphibious landing craft of...”

Yeah, maybe not. See you there, anyway.

Christmas with a Tanith accent

I won’t begin this blog entry with predictable apologies for not having blogged much recently, or any excuses about how busy I’ve been, except to say I’m sorry I haven’t blogged much recently, but I’ve been really busy.

Before I forget, can I remind you all to visit the all-new, all-singing, all-dancing Black Library website, where you can enjoy BL’s blog, and catch up with all sorts of inside information. I think the Black Library website will become increasingly interactive and participatory, although you will all need to interact and participate.

May I also, while I remember (and while Clone 16 has got the web address written down) suggest you check out www.marvel.com/news/comicstories. to watch the “War of Kings” trailer. This little piece of marketing is advertising the cosmic event that Andy Lanning and I are orchestrating for Marvel. It spins out of the two (highly acclaimed, if I may say so) books we are writing, “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Nova”, and is going to be an epic clash between the Inhumans, commanding the Kree Empire, and the Shi’ar Imperium. With origins going back to “Secret Invasion”, Marvel’s most recent company-wide event, this is going to be pretty huge. Andy and I are very excited about the way it’s shaping up, and we’re very pleased with the story we’ve managed to put together. The art, principally by Paul Pelletier, is fantastic. Although Andy and I have worked for Marvel and DC for nearly twenty years, this last year or so, working on Marvel’s cosmic books, has been an absolute blast, and this is where everything steps up a gear.

Early in the New Year, I’ll publish a list of the various signings that are coming up in 09, but it’s worth mentioning that they will include a mini signing tour in Paris and another one in Scotland.

I’ve enjoying the wild and varied posting that has been going on since the last blog, and, of course, I’m delighted to see you all on Facebook. The subject of accents is an interesting one that I probably shouldn’t get drawn into, as my personal theory is that it should be up to the readers to decide what works best for them. This is certainly my policy when it comes to pronunciation of names (Nik and I even argue about how certain character names ought to be pronounced, and you wouldn’t believe how many variations there are for Ravenor, for example. My policy is that the correct way to pronounce it is the way you pronounce it). Having said all that, I thought I’d volunteer the following: I have always imagined the Tanith to be, essentially, a Celtic regiment. In my head, that places them more Welsh or Irish, but there’s just as much justification for them being a little Scottish or even Cornish, or something more exotically Celtic. To me, the Verghast have a very strong Russian or Polish vibe going on: Vervunhive was a very Stalingrad city in my mind and there was an awful lot of mining and smelting. Gol Kolea is a great big bear of a miner. The Belladon, I don’t know about. There’s something quite dashing about them in a French way. The Belladon have a very particular personality in my head, but it doesn’t translate ethnically in the way that, say, the Tanith do. I would have to cast an actor in the role of a Belladon, rather than a national type. Wes Maggs, for instance, is Hugh Jackman playing Wolverine. Interestingly, as I’ve just been discussing with Nik, I’ve realised that I have no idea what Baskevyl looks like, or who I would cast in his role. He’s become such an important character and he has an extremely strong personality that comes through whenever I think of him, but I have no idea at all what colour his hair is. I mention this as an oddity because other characters have left indelible visual impressions in my mind: Gaunt, obviously, Rawne, Larkin, Corbec, Tona Criid, Varl, Ban Daur, Hark etc. Several of you were spot on when you suggested that the Roane Deepers are ANZACs, and the Vitrians are, indeed, black. As for the Narmenians, I did rather imagine them to be Russian too, and the Volpone were just very aristocratic and haughty, so they could have been French or German, or English. They had that old regimental tradition thing going on.

The aforementioned Black Library website has indeed announced that my next Horus Heresy novel will be called “Prospero Burns”. As far as I know, to answer the question that many of you have asked on the blog, or by e-mail, I believe I will be handling the Space Wolves side of the action, with Graham focusing on the Thousand Sons in his follow-up companion piece. We are, of course, talking about novels here, and they are big, complicated, unwieldy and sometimes uncooperative animals, so the end result is likely to be less clear-cut than that. All I can promise for definite is that Prospero will burn.

Anyway, let me get to the main purpose of this blog, which is to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a healthy and successful New Year. I hope Santa brings you everything you want.
As we say in our house:
“It’s gonna be,
Chrimbly bimbly be!
What’s it gonna be?
Tissmas!”

I thank you.

Forthcoming Event

So how about that for a cover? Did I ever, in all my born years, expect to write a book that had a posed picture of a member of S Club 7 on the front of it? And like it? I’m pleased with the way the Primeval novel has turned out, so I hope you get a kick out of it too, even if you don’t watch Primeval. There are dinosaurs a-go-go, and when I say dinosaurs, I mean proper dinosaurs in large numbers. There’s also plenty of Russian military hardware, and Cutter, Connor, Abby and the rest. I’m especially proud of the dinosaurs, though. I think I give good therapod. In January, when it’s published to tie into the start of the third season on TV, you can judge for yourselves.

Last weekend, I tripped up to Colchester to attend the 16th birthday celebrations of the Colchester GW store. A very fun time I had, and I would like to thank Bunny and all her crew for making me feel so welcome. Hello to the 4TK guys as well.

Next weekend, the 14th and 15th, I will be attending the ingeniously titled Abertoir, the Aberystwyth Arts Centre Horror Film Festival. I’ll be signing on the Friday evening and then, again, on the Saturday lunchtime. I’m not sure why I’ve been invited to a horror film festival, unless it’s because I wrote a “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” graphic novel. But I’ll be there, willing and able, and if you’re there too, it’ll be fun. Check the Abertoir site for details.

Also just out from the pen of yours truly is “The Forever Trap”, a Doctor Who audio adventure I wrote earlier this year, which has been read on CD by Catherine Tate. She does great voices, and I’m completely chuffed with the end product.

I would also like to alert you to the publication of the trade paperback compilation of my “Kingdom” strip for 2000AD. It collects both of the series that I wrote, drawn by Richard Elson in spectacular fashion. “Kingdom” is nothing like as well known as Nova or Gaunt, say, but the people I’ve given my spare copies to have loved it, and it’s Nik’s favourite comic strip. If you like my novels, you might want to track it down on Amazon, or similar purveyor of published material.

Xhalax - Yes, I do think you have lost your mind to the dark elves. You should know that Shaun has provided Nik with enormous creative fodder. And when it says “Dan Abnett added you as a friend on Facebook” it’s probably referring to the fan Facebook site rather than the real Facebook me. However, if you do join Facebook, I will happily add you as a friend. Does that make you feel less wibbly wobbly?

Forthcoming attractions

I’ll be back to my old blogging self once I’m past the current uber-deadlines, but I did want to make sure I reminded anybody who needed reminding of the following two events that are coming up soon.

On Saturday the 1st of November I will be at Games Workshop, Colchester, between 1 and 3pm for some signing and general badinage. Look forward to seeing you.

On Friday the 14th of November I’ll be making the first of two appearances at the Abertoir Horror Festival at the Aberystwyth Arts Centre. I’ll be doing a signing on the Friday at 5-30, and another one the following lunchtime at 12-30. There may even be time on either occasion for a bit of chat and a Q&A. I speed you in the direction of the Abertoir website for full details of timings and locations.

In the meantime, I’m going to party like it’s my daughter’s eighteenth birthday. Which it is. Happy birthday, Jess!

Fantasy Book Critic

Just a quickie to draw your attention to the very excellent Fantasy Book Critic website (www.fantasybookcritic.blogspot.com) which is well worth a visit at the best of times, but is presently offering the lucky few a chance to win a signed copy of my Titanicus or Graham's The Killing Ground. Thought you'd all like to know. Let's give a big 'hoorah! Well done!' to Robert Thompson of Fantasy Book Critic.

Mr Abnett has left the building.

Dan has taken the day off, it being his birthday and all, to play with his all-singing, all-dancing Millennium Falcon (and his family). Regular service will resume after a bit more food and a good sleep.

A brief message from the Late Cretaceous

Zing!

Let us pause for a moment, and toe the dust with our shoes, and consider the passing of great men. Paul Newman. I’m not, for a moment, pretending we don’t have ‘proper’ film stars these days, but we will not see the like of Paul Newman again. He was almost the last of the old-fashioned movie stars, who combined glamour with looks and an ability to utterly hold the attention. So, let us pause for a moment, and toe the dust with our shoes and consider the passing of great men.

Anyway, I’m sorry I haven’t posted recently. Places to go, people to see, Gaunt novels to write, Primeval novels to finish. Things have been a little busy since before GamesDay. My Primeval novel is now hurtling to a conclusion, and I think it’s rather good, though I say so myself (so do I - Nik). The lovely Primeval people promised me that my novel would be considered canonical, and they encouraged me to let loose with an imagination budget that would make it “Primeval the Movie”. So, I let rip. I think I spent the entire drama budget of ITV and Film 4 in my first three chapters, but what the hell? Cutter, along with Abby and Connor, get whisked away to Siberia in time to watch the Russian Federal Army do battle with Late Cretaceous dinosaurs. I love dinosaurs, me. This is like dinosaur heaven. There are dinosaurs, and there are soldiers and tanks attacking them. Oh, and did I mention, there are dinosaurs? It’s like all the games I played on the carpet when I was a kid with my Airfix soldiers and my anatomically and geologically incorrect plastic monsters.

I went to Tring on Saturday. It’s not often you get to write that sentence. Sitting down and having a lovely chat with a good many fine folk such as Jim Swallow and Juliet Mckenna would have been reason enough to go, in my opinion, but Gamesfest 3 had other things to recommend it. It was well organised and extremely friendly. I hope it happens again next year, and I hope more of you put it in your ‘must attend’ calendars. Gamesfest was a great opportunity to spend the day in a splendid location, to play games and talk with like minded individuals, and properly chat with artists and writers in a relaxed way, without the pressure of queues and timed signings etc. For my part, being invited to draw the raffle tickets and being escorted into the main hall by a squad of Imperial Stormtroopers was worth the 90 minute drive on its own. As it turned out, I wasn’t the droid they were looking for.

Of Iron Snakes and other sundry matters

Pausing only to mention how much I am looking forward to seeing all of you (and when I say 'all', you all know who you are) at the extraordinary suprafabulatory wonderama of awesome sauce that is Games Day UK this coming Sunday (I'll be there all day, try the veal), and to comment in a passing, throw-away fashion how much fun I had in NY, I hereby hand over the controls of this blog entry to John Roberts.

To explain, John emailed me a little while back to ask if there was anything written up on the organisation and structure of the Iron Snakes, and I had to admit that there wasn't as far as I knew, and that I hadn't formalised it myself. I suggested that if he had the time and inclination, he was welcome to take a pass at it, and if he sent the results to me, I'd post it here for all to enjoy. Or, as I suspect, discuss at great length.

Anyway, he emailed me back with the following, and a jolly lovely job he's done IMHO. I've reproduced his entire email for the sake of clarity:

"Hi Dan,

To be honest, I think you have a perfectly good organization as it is given the nature of the chapter. With specialist squads I can imagine the following scene:

Seydon: Petrok, can you double check the chips again? We really need at least 2 assault squads for this undertaking and I only see Squad Alexios in here.....

So, keep them all tactical. As far as vehicles, keep them as you have. Rhinos and Drop pods to get to the fighting, landspeeders for speed, and Dreadnoughts for heavy weapon platforms.

So we have:
99 Tactical squads comprised of: Sgt, apothecary, weapons specialist, 7 brother marines
1 Terminator Squad comprised of: Sgt, Apothecary, weapon specialist, 7 brother marines
Rhinos
Drop Pods
Landspeeders
Dreadnought
Fleet

This makes the Iron Snakes extremely nimble as they don't have to wait for much in the way of armor, which is ideal given what seems to be their two most common roles: Chasing down Dark Eldar and Rapid Strikes against Chaos.

So, not very creative on my part. You did all of the heavy lifting and I did a little codification. As soon as I have the latest Space Marine Codex I'll draft an army list. Actually, I'll probably draft 2: one where I try to minimize the homegrown rules to make it more palatable for strangers, and the other where I pretty much give myself free reign. I'd be more than happy to shoot you a copy of each if you'd like. Also, I've included as a postscript a write up I did to help me form up my thoughts of your Iron Snakes. If you like that sort of thing, it's there. If not, stop reading at my signature. I can imagine the type of mail you must get.

Anyway, I also want to mention how much I appreciate the response to my query. I seriously would have been satisfied with a link to a blog article I might have missed or some such.

Thanks again!
John Roberts






PS:
The Iron Snakes

Organization:

The Iron Snakes are a codex divergent Space Marine Chapter. They do maintain a 1000 Marine strong presence broken down to 100 squads of ten marines per squad (referred to overall as the Phratry). 99 of the squads are organized primarily as tactical squads with several variations: 1) The squad members maintain a greater number of close combat weaponry on their person (in the form of a short sword and a throwing/jabbing spear, in addition to a small, round shield). 2) Each squad is accompanied by an apothecary (which creates a rather sizeable apothecarium of about 100+ members, including the unattached apothecaries responsible for the augmentation of new recruits). 3) Each squad maintains only a single weapon specialist, usually equipped either with a flamer, plasma gun or melta gun. There is only one squad that isn’t organized as a tactical squad and it is also the only squad in the entire chapter armored in tactical dreadnought suits.

The squads themselves aren’t organized on any greater level, other than the chapter entire. There aren’t any companies to speak of. All task forces are assembled ad hoc from the available squads with squad leaders designating themselves as ready for the mission, or undertaking, as the chapter refers to it. A squad leader does so by depositing a marker with their squad symbol into a large drinking vessel known as a kylix. Squads are also designated not by the name of their current leader but by the name of the original leader at the founding of the chapter. The current squad leader also maintains some sort of talisman from the original leader, sometimes either utilitarian or symbolic in nature (i.e. a lightning claw, bolter, helmet, etc…). The squads maintain their own history, foster rivalries (although very rarely to the point of violent contention), and ultimately are formed around a core of “Notables,” which would be the rough equivalent of a codex chapter’s elite, comprised of 5 squads (one of which happens to be the terminator unit). The squad membership is for life, unless a member is promoted to become sergeant of a reformed squad or, in the case of an unfortunate apothecary, the rest of the squad is wiped out. Promotion to captain or, if the individual is so inclined, librarian might also free a squad member from inclusion into the squad, but there are captains who have been promoted who stayed with their original squad. The squads replenish losses from a body of petitioners, as they are referred to, who are tested to ensure they would be worthy additions to the Phratry. The petitioners only take to the battlefield once they are full marines; the Iron snakes maintain no scout organization.

The leadership of the Iron Snakes is currently under Chapter Master Seydon. Members of the standing librarium, the chaplainry, and also those captains that are unattached to individual squads assist him in his role. The entire officer corps, which includes the above mentioned and those officers attached to squads (both sergeants and captains), weighs matters of the greatest import. The main purpose of the Chapter Master is to ensure that the chapter as a whole is prepared. He answers requests for aid and decides on the actual number of squads that will be required for the undertaking. He then selects the squads based solely on which squad leaders have consented to the undertaking by indicating their readiness and that of their squads.

Support for the entire organization is limited mainly to rhino or drop pods for transportation, landspeeders for reconnaissance, and dreadnoughts, which act as heavy weapon platforms in addition to tactical advisors. The chapter comports itself on the battlefield as a fluid, mainly infantry army, utilizing it’s fleet assets to redeploy when necessary. The entirety of the Forge is dedicated to these tasks and maintains a large number of chapter serfs to assist with these varied tasks."

I'd like to thank John for all his efforts, and invite (creative and constructive, not toxic) comments from anyone who feels like it. I think, at the very least, a big and hearty 'Go, John!' is required from all of us.

That's it for now, except to say "go and see Tropic Thunder with your chums if you want to laugh like a goon". Sunday beckons (which is odd, because as far as I know, days don't have fingers)...

New York, New York

Short notice, I know, but due to a script conflab with Marvel, Andy and I will be in NY this coming weekend, and will be putting in an appearance at both Midtown Comics and Jim Hanley's Universe. Jim Hanley's is likely to be the Monday night at around six, but check their website/newsletter. We'll probably hit Midtown on Saturday, mid-afternoon. There's not enough time to arrange proper signing 'events', but we'll sign up their stock, and if you're in the neighbourhood for a chat etc...

It all goes quiet and then suddenly he's bloody everywhere

Postcards from apology city for the delay in bloggage. Busy type business has been taking up my time of late, though I am now much, much better, thanks for asking. Writing my Primeval novel at the mo, and just girding my loins to get into Blood Pact, the next Gaunt. Also, had fun and games up at Black Library HQ yesterday with the BL crowd, and Graham and Jim, as we plotted and brain-stormed what the next serving of Horus would be about. Looks like Graham and I will be dividing one of the big events up between us... and there was a blinding idea too about what Jim might do next.

Gosh, it’s going to be exciting. My next Horus, due after Blood Pact, looks like it’s going to be my biggest Horus yet, in terms of shooty-death-kill per square inch... and I can’t believe I’ve volunteered to write about Space W-

Opps! Did I say too much?

Anyway, back to a quick events round up. Thanks to Nik, you know all about me at the Witney festival on September 3rd (see last post). Can I also draw your attention to the following (it’s a busy fortnight):

I’ll be a guest at Gen Con UK in Reading next Friday (29th of August). See their website for details. I’m booked to be there around 2.00 for a chat, a Q and A and a signing. Was loads of fun last year, so no reason to believe it won’t be again this year.

The following day (Saturday 30th) I will be at Forbidden Planet in London along with Andy Lanning, Ian Edginton and Simon Coleby to sign and promote our various Wildstorm books (Authority, Storm Watch etc), all of which are launching big time this month as part of Wildstorm’s radical ‘World’s End’ post-apocalypse revision of their universe. We’re there from 1 to 2. With all four of us there, expect more lunacy than usual. Actually, with Andy there, expect more lunacy than usual... (BTW - I’m sure copies of Nova, Guardians of the Galaxy, 2000 AD, Black Library novels etc will be cheerfully signed too)

Sunday 14th of September is of, of course, Games Day UK or the ‘big one’ as we call it. NEC Birmingham, all day, all living colour. Me, Graham, Jim, Sandy, Gav, Nathan, Mike (Lee) etc... the whole gang, plus artists like Clint too. Oh, and copies of Titanicus to buy, along with a special Gaunt’s Ghosts story done exclusively for the day. See the BL site for details. It’s going to be the biggest yet.

Satuday the 4th of Octorber, I’ll be dropping into Gamesfest in Tring during the afternoon. See their site for details of where and how.

One way or another, I’ll see you somewhere, right?

Witney Book Festival

Hi all, Nik here. Dan asked me to let you know that he is recovering nicely and will do a proper blog before too long. In the meantime he asked me to let you know about dates for your diary... or one date, at any rate.

Witney Book Festival has invited Dan to speak at the Gallery Room at the Corn Exchange, Witney on September 3rd. Doors will open at 6-30pm and the ticket price is £2-50 with £2- redeemable against purchases.

Dan is more than happy to speak and answer your questions, but here's the thing... 'Titanicus' and the paperback of 'Only in Death' are being released early for this event!

Tickets for the event are available at Waterstones, Witney branch or phone 01993 703525. (Witney, for anyone who is unsure is in Oxfordshire). Don't all rush at once... On second thought, rush... Run as fast as you can... Book early to avoid disappointment!

Other dates are in the pipeline and will be announced as soon as they are confirmed.

Games Day Germany

Expect a regular blog bulletin again soon. I just wanted to send out a swift public apology. With enormous regret, I find I am unable to attend this weekend's Games Day in Germany. I am REALLY sorry to let the German readership down, and I'm also sorry for myself, to be perfectly honest, because this was going to be my first German Games Day, and I was looking forward to meeting the readers there face-to-face, especially regular posters like Packmaster. Pack, I hope you'll be able to forgive me for this last minute disappointment.

Basically, I'm been pretty unpleasantly ill these last few days, and I'm not getting well enough again fast enough. The advice is, don't fly (it's something exotically viral - I'm having tests done). I have already told BL to book me up for Germany next year, and in the meantime I will see if there's anything else that can be done to make up for my spectacular failure to appear. Watch this space.

Once again, I'm sorry, folks. I hope you all have a great Games Day.

Better late than never.

Zing! It’s Tuesday! Sorry about that, but I was distracted on Friday.

I’ve been reviewing my top ten list, and “Raquel Welch in a suede bikini” seems like the most convincing argument for any of the films.

Big - If you’re going to steal first post, kindly zing! That’s what everyone does, even me (see above).

Belfast Rory - It would indeed be awesome to turn the Gaunt’s Ghost series into a graphic novel. I’m not the man to ask. I suggest you pester Black Library.

Hrothgar - The Han/Leia exchange at the climax of “Empire” is, of course, the crowning moment of that film. When I saw it, first, as a teenager in Leicester Square, a kid in the row behind me cried out, “I love you too!” when Carrie Fisher announced her line. It spoilt the whole film for me. “Anchors Aweigh” is an undoubtedly fabulous film, but turn your attention to “Singin’ in the Rain” and you’ll see Gene Kelly at his best, and out-danced by Donald O’Connor, and out-sung by Debbie Reynolds. As Nik reminded me, Ginger Rogers once said, and I paraphrase, “I don’t know what the fuss is about Fred Astaire. I did everything he did, but backwards and in heels!”

Theydrilledholesinmyteeth - I also don’t share the view that a film can be raised to the ranks of the truly great, merely based on their soundtracks. “The Magnificent Seven” is the one exception, in so far as it is a great film, anyway. “Apocalypse Now” is a thumping good movie, but I prefer “Hamburger Hill” or “A Midnight Clear” when it comes to great war films. I take your point on “Batman Begins”... As the name suggests, it is fantastic at the beginning. My main complaint relates to the end of the movie, when the plot gets all fatooshed. It’s the greatest super-hero movie of all time, except for the last third. But the first two-thirds are really good. “The Duellists” is, of course, an absolutely brilliant movie, and “Ghost Dog” is a very fine film indeed.

Rob - “Barry Lyndon” is a pretty good movie, too. I haven’t yet seen “There Will be Blood”, but I intend to. You reference the John Woo, Hong Kong movies, but I don’t think that anything can better “Hard Boiled”.

Everyone - So, they fudged the regeneration and Tenant didn’t leave. I’m actually quite happy about that, because Tenant is my favourite Doctor in ages, but I’m pretty f**ked off about the cheating cliffhanger. There are all sorts of things about the final episode of season IV that were fantastic, but there were also all sorts of niggling and hanging sillynesses that made me shake my fist at the screen. If you enjoyed it, as I must admit, I did, then Hurrah! If you press me over the next few weeks, I might deconstruct the cliffhanger and show you what p**sed me off about it. Whatever, Russell T Davies has done an amazing job in resurrecting Doctor Who and I applaud him for it.

Cor - You may care to enjoy the David Tennant and Catherine Tate audio that I have just written for BBC audio.

Rory - I really like Donna. I really like the fact that Catherine Tate has acted her boots off, and been a proper character, a proper companion. I won’t hear a word said against her.

Xhalax - I applaud your list and it’s very age-appropriate. I would question “The Lion King” in favour of “The Jungle Book”, and I would question “Hot Fuzz” in favour of the entire “Spaced” series, but that’s just me.

Nik - Bernard Cribbins is simply wonderful. I may be wrong, but didn’t he help thwart the Daleks in the ‘60s? With paint on their eyestalks? And Roy Castle was pretty dashing as well, especially with the McWhirter brothers on the Guiness Book of Records show.

Chilon - Welcome. The Monty Python films lurk in my top 30, especially “Holy Grail” and “Now for Something More Interesting”. I also have a very soft spot for “The Meaning of Life”, and, for Ingmar Bergman. I think that a list of the top 10 worst movies of all time would be quite compelling, but it depends upon the criteria. Just totally crap films? Or, films that are quite compelling, yet sh*t? There isn’t going to be a Harlon Nayl trilogy. The third, and final, Inquisitor trilogy is going to be the Bequin trilogy.

Mob - Thank you for saying that I have a great radio voice. It goes with the face. Black Library podcasts would be a great idea.

Big - Thunderchild! Best moment, ever!

Leo - “Onwards, my hawk men!” You just have to shout it.

Tom - Nice top ten, close but no banana.

Big and Who - You know it makes sense.

I’m off to regenerate, but I’ll still be David Tenant.

Vworp! Vworp!