Tim Lebbon – horror and dark fantasy author

Happy New Year!  Hope you all had a great Christmas break.  We had fun … lots of socialising, some walking, and I even fitted in a few runs (one on Boxing Day, only a few miles but utterly quiet and peaceful).  So now it’s 2012, and no, the world’s not going to end.  Believe me.  If it does, call me a liar.

So what’s in store for 2012?  I’ve already talked about new books of mine that will be released this year.  And it was naughty of me not to mention my novelisation of The Cabin in the Woods, which is due for release imminently.  Check out that stunning cover!

I’m writing a script for a kids’ spooky animated movie, which should be a huge amount of fun.  Itching to get stuck into that one, for sure.  I’m also writing a solo script called The Silence (which might also be a novel), and just recently had a great idea for a new novel which I’d love to write this year called Endure.  My script Hell Came Down will be off to my agent very soon (weird, apocalyptic, and I like to think pretty original).  And there are more novels I want to write, including an exciting new fantasy novel called The Wolves.  But we’ll see which one surfaces first.

I’ll also be starting a new blog pretty soon, talking about my running and training (marathons this year, triathlons next year), getting fit in my 40s, and lots of associated stuff.  I hope you’ll try it out when it launches … check out here for details.

Meanwhile, I hope 2012 is lovely for you, full of love and fun, great food and drink, lots of sex, and a few nice surprises.  What more can we ask?

I did something in 2011 that I’ve been wanting to do for years. Many years. I got fit.

On January 1st 2011 I weighed 14st 9lbs. For my American friends that’s 205 pounds. I’m 5′ 8″ tall, and by anyone’s reckoning, I was way overweight.

I’m now 12st 4lbs, which is 172 pounds. I’ve lost 30 pounds, and gone from barely being able to run a mile to regularly running 10 miles, and racing half-marathons. I haven’t been dieting to lose weight, though I have consciously been trying to eat an improved diet. And now that I feel better than I have in decades, and am booking races and other mad adventures (more on that in a minute), I’m trying to shake the regrets that I didn’t do this years ago. No point regretting, because the past is the past. But I’m definitely making up for lost time.

The trick was to find something I love, and it turns out that’s trail running. I’m exercising because I love it, not simply for the point of exercising. As I write this it’s pissing down with rain outside, but I’m still itching to lace on my trail shoes and get out there, running through the woods, across fields, along the canal towpath, getting muddy and wet and feeling bloody great!

My mate Peter Lyons helped me a huge amount. He got fit the year before, and seeing him do it really inspired me to work harder. We’ve raced together, and frequently exchange details on runs we’ve done, and things we want to do. He’s been a massive help.

And committing to something mad was the kickstarter. Earlier this year I agreed to do the national Three Peaks Challenge with Pete and a few friends. This comprises climbing the tallest peaks in Scotland, England and Wales within 24 hours (including travel time between them). It’s something that a lot of people do every year, but it’s certainly not an easy undertaking. We did it … and if you want to read about our adventure check out my blog post here.

After that, I didn’t want to let things slip, so I started running more and entering races. This year I’ve done a few 10k races and a couple of half marathons, quickly discovering that I much prefer running off-road, whether it’s on my own or racing. And next year…

A 10k, a couple of half marathons, two full marathons. And a 140 mile, 2 day coast to coast race across Devon on foot, bike and kayak (that’s the biggie for 2012!). And they’re just the things I’ve signed up for.

Madness? Some people think so. A couple of people tell me I’ve lost too much weight. Many claim not to understand the enjoyment I get out of doing stuff like this. But there’s no downside to being fitter than I’ve ever been (and I’m not done yet), losing excess weight, and enjoying getting out into the open.

It’s helped my writing a huge amount … running really gives me the headspace to work through plot problems, and feeling better physically and mentally means I can plunge into writing projects with more energy than ever before.

It’s all good. 2011 year has been a good one, and I hope 2012 will be even better. My first marathon! My first multi-sports race! And lots, lots more running through the woods.

So, that was my 2011. Happy Christmas to you all, whether you believe in the Big Man himself or not. Be nice to each other. That’s what it’s all about.

It’s been an exciting year work-wise for me. First, The Secret Journeys of Jack London: The Wild hit the shelves. Written in collaboration with my good friend Christopher Golden, this is the first volume in a trilogy. Fox2000 optioned this mid-2010, and the book itself is one of the most beautiful I’ve ever had published, with wonderful artwork from Greg Ruth and such fine attention to detail from HarperCollins. The exciting news just in is that Fox has re-optioned the book, and 2012 should see a lot of progress on this front!

My novel Echo City was released by Orbit in the UK (it was out from Bantam in the USA last year). It’s had a great reception and some lovely reviews, and I hope this is the beginning of a long relationship with Orbit. They’re wonderful to work with, and their covers are all works of art. I never understood the true science of book covers until I worked with Orbit.

My 2010 novella The Thief of Broken Toys was nominated for World Fantasy, British Fantasy, and Shirley Jackson Awards. It won none of them, but I was thrilled with it

being on such prestigious awards lists.

I was a guest at Horrorfind in Gettysburg, and had a great time catching up with loads of friends and making many new ones. It was my first US convention in several years, and it made me realise how much I miss them. Especially the breakfasts. Cake for breakfast. Oh yeah.

2011 also marked 5 years since I’ve been writing full-time, and I took a moment to reflect on whether or not it had been the right decision. A moment that lasted about 6 milliseconds. Of course it was the right decision!

So after such an exciting year, can 2012 be any better? You bet. In fact, it might well be the most exiting year of my career to date. Here’s what’s happening:

February will see the release of The Secret Journeys of Jack London: The Sea Wolves in hardback, and The Wild will be out in paperback. And Fox2000 will be progressing the movie of The Wild, of course! These books have also sold in Germany, France, Brazil, and Hungary, so we’ll see releases in those countries too (in fact The Wild is already out in Germany).

In August, my new fantasy novel The Heretic Land will be published by Orbit in the UK.

October will see two releases. Firstly, my huge apocalyptic zombie thriller Coldbrook will be released by Hammer/Arrow in the UK. And London Eye (Book One of The Toxic City) will be released by Pyr in the USA. This is the first in a YA trilogy that I’m just so excited about.

There’ll also be various short stories and novellas, as well as some forays into the ebook market.

Other stuff, equally exciting … I’ve been commissioned to write a screenplay, and more of that soon (when contracts are signed). Mark Morris and I hope to complete our collaborative YA novel in 2012. I’m working on a Top Secret collaboration, and Chris Golden and I are throwing around ideas about what to work on together next. I have a script that will be ready to go out early in 2012 called Hell Came Down, and I’m itching to get stuck into a new script called The Silence, which I’m really excited about. Stephen Volk and I hope to collaborate again next year, too. And there’s also a novel I want to write which … well, I can’t tell you anything about it. It’ll be different.

So that’s a recap of 2011 for me, and a little peek forward into 2012. If you’ve read this far that might mean that you quite like some of the words I write. If you do, I thank you, because I couldn’t continue writing so many of them without your support. I hope you’ll stay with me. Things are getting exciting.

Have a great Christmas, a safe and enjoyable New Year, and let’s have some more adventures together soon.

(coming soon, a personal look back on 2011 … the year I got fit!)

Five years ago today (30th November) was my last day in work.  Five years!  And in truth … it feels like a lifetime ago.  I spent that last day walking around the office saying goodbye to people — and receiving bottles, cards, and well-wishes in return — and then having a presentation (they bought me a coffee maker which I still use to this day, every day).  And that evening, a big bash in my favourite pub.

Since then I’ve hardly thought about my old place of work at all.  I catch up with some of my old friends from there, sometimes, and I still think about the people I used to work with with fondness.  But it was definitely a case of moving on.  And I haven’t once looked back.  It’s all going well, and this past 12 months have been good.

I spent years wanting to be a full-time writer, and even for the couple of years before I quit, I never quite believed I’d get here.  Now, it doesn’t seem as if I’ve ever done anything else.  It has its ups and downs, but is definitely what I’m here to do.

I quit work to write 5 months after my dear mum died.  I remember calling Dad to tell him what I was doing, and the first thing he said was “Your mum would be proud.”  That sealed the decision for me.

Back to work, now.  I’m currently editing a new book for Orbit UK, and writing the second in a YA series for Pyr in the USA.  Other exciting stuff going on too, which I’ll be able to reveal soon.  Books.  Movies.  All the good stuff….

A big thanks to everyone who continues to buy and read my books.  Without you … well, that doesn’t bear thinking about.

Thanks!

x

Oh hell, it’s been a while, hasn’t it?  Maybe blogs are going to the way of the ZX81 with the advent of Facebook, Twitter et al.  But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to start posting here in more detail, cos there’s LOTS of exciting stuff happening.

Give me a few days and I’ll post a big update.  And I might just start posting regular updates about my training.  I’m running two marathons next year (so far) as well as some other races, and am pretty keen on a coast2coast race next September.  So there WILL be LOTS of training to do.  Love it.

BAck to your normal viewing.  But I shall return.  Hope you’ll check back, too!

Yesterday was a great day.  I ran the Cardiff Half Marathon – my first half, after having run a couple of 10k races and clocking up maybe 20 miles per week running.  I didn’t really know what to expect.  I was told by someone who ran it last year that it was horrible, with people shoving, vomiting, and using the roadsides as a toilet.  But I saw (hardly any) of that … and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience, from arriving early enough to have a coffee (and use Costa’s facilities, which meant I didn’t have to queue an hour to use a portaloo), to the race itself, and then the post-race reception held by Barnardo’s (I raised money for them through sponsorships).  Great, great day.  My legs hurt now.

Oh, and I finished the race in 1 hour 54 minutes … really pleased to break the 2 hour mark.

Since I’ve started running and exercising more this year, I’ve come to realise that finishing something like this is without a doubt the greatest high.  During one of the particularly difficult stretches of the race yesterday – a long dual-carriageway section – I mused upon just what we were all doing there.  15,000 people running, sweating, and hurting, racing themselves as well as everyone else.  And looking around, at least half of the runners were obviously running for charity.  Some were in fancy dress – a giraffe, fairy, etc.  These were Good People.  If 7,500 people ran for charity yesterday, and they all raised roughly the same as me (about £150 … thanks to everyone who sponsored me!), then in the space of a couple of hours, over a million pounds was raised for charity.  I suspect the actual figure was much higher.

Post-race, I spent the day on a real high.  And even today, when my legs ache and I had to hobble to walk my son to school, I can’t think of anything I’d have rather been doing yesterday.  I’ll happily admit that I’m one of those people who’ve found running later in life … and who now can’t get enough of it.  It has no down-side.

And there will be more.  Next month I do the Sodbury Slog madness, and I’ve already entered a full marathon for next year.

Just a day or two off now, though.

Here’s one big bit of news I’ve been hinting at … my new novel COLDBROOK will be published in March next year by the one and only HAMMER.  Here’s the press release.  I’m absolutely thrilled about this, as you can imagine.  A book.  Of mine.  with ‘Hammer’ on the spine.

Coldbrook is a huge, sprawling apocalyptic zombie novel about the end of this world … and others.

More soon.  I’m off for a glass of wine.

Coming soon …. a HUGE book announcement.  Watch this space.

And some more big news I can sort-of reveal … I’ve sold a YA trilogy to a wonderful publisher in the USA.  Lots more news and details on this when I can spill the beans, but suffice to say I am delighted.  Oh yes.

Last Saturday I completed the Mountain Trail Challenge with my mates Pete, Russ, and Phil.  It was a 20 mile walk across some of the most beautiful landscape in the country, the Brecon Beacons.  We had a great time––mud, streams, marshes, rain, sun, mountaintops, forests, trails, moorland.  And then afterwards there was curry and beer.  Lots of fun was had, and next year Pete and I are hoping to run the same course.  Hoping to, at least.

Had a lovely summer … a week in France with my family, a few days at home, then a week in the USA, first at Horrorfind convention, then staying with my buddy Stephen Susco and his lovely wife and son.  Far more fun than I deserve.  But now I’m back at the coal face, and as I hinted at above there will be some exciting news to share with you all soon.

Workwise … I’m currently working on some novel revisions, as well as a couple of secret projects.

More soon!

Hello again!  It’s been a while.  I love what you’ve done with your hair.  Got a few things to mention, so I’ll jump right in.

My novella collection WHITE AND OTHER TALES OF RUIN is now available as an ebook from Necon Ebooks.  Ordering details and other stuff here.  There’ll be more ebooks of mine coming out soon, so watch this space for details.

In two weeks I’ll be at Horrorfind, where I’m one of the Literary Guests.  I’m so looking forward to catching up with some old friends who I haven’t seen for years, but it’s nice making new friends too.  Please come up and say Hi.  I’ll be at a table in the Celebrity Room during the day, and at the bar in the evening.  There’ll be books for sale, and you can also bring books along to be signed.  In fact, I’ll sign anything.  Within reason.

My ‘suddenly got a bit fit and am doing a bit of mad stuff’ craze continues, this time with the Mountain Trail Challenge on 17th September.  I’d love it if you sponsored me––doing stuff like this is fun enough, but it’s satisfying to know I’m also raising money for a good cause.  Later this year I’ll be asking again … I’m running the Cardiff Half Marathon in October, a mountain bike race the same month, then the Sodbury Slog in November.  There are also some Coastal Trail races I’m going to enter, and next year I’m already considering entering a trail marathon or two (as well as tackling the Welsh 3000s with the same gang I did the Three Peaks Challenge with).  Love it!

I’m currently working on revisions on my new novel for Orbit (if you read ECHO CITY, please do leave a review on Amazon), a new novel with Chris Golden, and loads of other stuff I’m itching to tell you about.  And there’s Big News coming soon.

Watch this space!

The very splendid James Lovegrove, on ECHO CITY: