Well this is a bit wacky! Here’s a podcast review of my novelisation of 30 DAYS OF NIGHT. I really like the idea of podcast reviewing , and although the guys chatting seem sorta hazy about how the book came about – graphic novel, to movie, to novel – it’s good to hear that the reader’s favourite scene is the polar bear scene … which is the one major scene in the book that is my own creation, and not translated from the screenplay.
That polar bear is also indirectly responsible for the Jack London books I’m writing with the most excellent and unfeasibly sexy Christopher Golden. But more on that another time.
Check out this stunning cover for the forthcoming anthology The New Dead, edited by Christopher Golden and featuring my story In The Dust.
Returned home today from a quick, exhausting and very enjoyable trip to London. My wife and I are knackered, and tomorrow it’s the kids’ sports day in school, and then directly aftre that Tracey and the kids are going to Devon for the weekend with a couple of her mates and their children. I’m staying at home with the dog, mainly to work on an exciting proposal … more of which soon, hopefully. So yes, it’s like a holiday for me too, I guess … though I’ll miss them all terribly.
Some highlights from London:
Catching up with my good mate Christopher Golden and his lovely family, and Steve Volk and his charming wife Pat, and Guy Adams, and Lee Thompson, and Sally and Paul, and Sarah Pinborough and her phone, and eating quality Italian food. Beef carpaccio …. oh yes.
Sitting on the balcony of our apartment until one in the morning with Steve and Pat, drinking wine and talking about witches, cats (though unconnected), and idiots.
The London Eye. It’s big. Bloody big. I’m sure I could see my house from the top.
Borough Market this morning, where I bought some hot ginger fudge which was, I have to say, one of the finest tasting things I’ve ever tasted (stop snickering at the back).
And finally … bumping into Peter and Anne who I used to work with (when I had a proper job and didn’t scrape my living making up stuff and selling it).
A brilliant trip, and we’re now determined to take the kids to London later in the year. And oh yeah, over dinner Chris and I mapped out another two trilogies … so that’s the next 6 years sorted.
My wife and I finished watching the final season of THE SHIELD on the weekend, and I’m still reeling. Never has a TV programme possessed me so completely. I was utterly invested in the fate of these characters, and the final 3 episodes especially were emotionally draining and beautifully crafted. I’ll post something more detailed about it here soon … but siffice to say, I think it’s the best TV ever.
Off to London tomorrow for a couple of days with my wife, then upon my return it’s back to work doing revisions on CALLS OF THE WILD (The Secret Journeys of Jack London – Book One) for Harper in the USA … a collaboration with the very excellent Christopher Golden.
Thrilled to announce that my story In The Dust will appear in THE NEW DEAD, a brand new zombie anthology due from St Martin’s Press early next year. Here’s a write-up at editor Christopher Golden’s website.
And more zombie news coming soon …
This anthology which I co-edited with Christopher Golden and James A Moore is shipping now. It’s a collection of all new horror stories from British writers, both established and relatively new to the field. And we happen to think it’s very good indeed.
You can buy BRITISH INVASION direct from the publisher, or from your usual indie dealers.
This is the third anthology I’ve co-edited, but the first that has been published (the tales behind the previous two, Tales from the Teeth Park, and Nightshades, are long and complex, buy me a drink one day and I’ll tell you). I’m very, very proud to have my name on a book as editor – editing an anthoklogy has long been an ambition of mine, and here’s hoping I get to do some more in the near future. I hope you like the book … do let me know!
Cemetery Dance report that BRITISH INVASION, the anthology I co-edited w
ith Christopher Golden and James A Moore, is on the way! Click the link above to see full contents, and just take a look at this fantastic artwork by the very excellent Les Edwards. If you’re a contributor … you’ll be getting your copy soon. If you’re not, you really should invest in this. It’s an excellent collection, even if I do say so myself (and in fact, other people say so too … see below):
“From Gord Rollo’s transcendentally eerie tale of a comatose young boy’s revenge to Mark Morris’s cautionary tale about a pair of unorthodox vampires, the 21 original stories in this anthology establish the strength of British horror writers.” – Library Journal
“their authors are exceptionally articulate in the universal language of horror.” – publishers Weekly
Click Here to buy.
Tomorrow … how with my 40th fast approaching, I’m starting to feel my age.
I received my advance copies of The Map of Moments today, the dark fantasy novel I’ve written with my most excellent collaborator Christopher Golden. The book looks fabulous, is attracting some great reviews, has already attracted some movie interest, and goes on sale at the end of the month. But pre-orders are Very Good Things, so if you’re interested pop along to your local bookseller and put in a request. Or order it on amazon.
Had a nice New Year’s present from Gwent Police – a speeding ticket! Haven’t heard how much I’ll be fined yet, but it’s three points on the licence. Good job they haven’t got any real criminals to catch grumble grr.
It’s been a good week workwise. I’m well into my new novel ECHO CITY FALLS, having a great time with it – though today it took a three mile run for me to think myself out of a corner I’d successfully written myself into (no mean feat for a post-Christmas fat bastard like me) – and I can’t wait to see how this one turns out. That’s an exciting part of any novel writing project for me … I produce a detailed synopsis to set up the deal with the publisher, then when I’m writing that often gets defenestrated at the first plot turn. And I always look forward to seeing what happens at the end!
Have a great weekend! Sometime over the weekend I’ll be posting a new Recommendation or two for you. Watch this space!
Following on from the Publishers Weekly starred review of the forthcoming dark fantasy novel with the exceedingly excellent Christopher Golden, The Map of Moments, here’s another great review from SFRevu. A nice way to start the new year.
And talking of starting something, I began my brand new dark fantasy novel ECHO CITY FALLS today! I fell into the swing of things pretty quickly, and I’m really pleased with the prologue I wrote. This really is dark fantasy ….
A big Happy New Year to you all!
I always love January. Many people get depressed, but for me it’s everything back to normal (kids to school, and me back to the keyboard), and the onslaught of consumerism seems to fade off, just a little. There’s still the Mega-Sales, of course, and holiday companies exhorting you to buy their packages, and supermarkets trying to sell you dieting products when they’ve spent the last three months trying to get you fat. But generally for me, Janauary is calm. January is good.
2009 is set to be a busy, exciting year for me. There are lots of projects lined up, including my new huge fantasy novel ECHO CITY FALLS which I’ll be starting tomorrow. I’ll also be working on the third Hidden Cities book with my mate Christopher Golden, as well as another novel later this year which I can’t announce just yet.
There’ll also be another novel released in my homeland – hoorah! – as well as an as-yet unannounced screenplay project. In fact, lots of what I’m working on this year has yet to be announced, for various reasons (contracts not signed, or official announcement not yet released by publisher etc). So please do watch this space, as over the next few weeks I’ll be revealing what they are.
There are also several books due this year, you can check here to catch up on what they are. I hope you’ll take a chance and check them out – I’m very proud of all of them.
2008 was a difficult year for almost everyone, and 2009 looks set to be worse in many ways. Here’s hoping that we can weather the storm. As for me … all I can do to to sit down and write, so after another day off today – a long walk up the mountain, having a nice (healthy) meal later this afternoon, and reading – it’ll be back to the keyboard.
I can’t wait.
