Tim Lebbon – horror and dark fantasy author

Here’s a wonderful review of THE ISLAND.

It seems that red wine cures coughs and colds.  Really.  I’m going to make a fortune.

Busy day today, but a couple of quick links for you … nice to wake up to this sort of thing:

Rich Sampson has compiled a list of his top 5 short stories of all time…

THE ISLAND is in the running for this year’s David Gemmell Legend Award …

Three years ago today I was sitting at my desk – this very desk – as a full-time writer for the first time.  I was a little hungover.  The night before I’d had a leaving do from work at The Hanbury Arms in Caerleon, drank too much Reverend James, and generally celebrated leaving work to live my dream.  That last day in work was a lot of fun … wandering around to say goodbye, collecting leaving presents (bottles of whiskey and wine … they know me so well).  And that first day of full-time writing I spent on the first chapter of my 30 Days of Night movie novelisation.  I remember it well, because I had to scrap it three days later when the updated shooting script came through and I realised all the relationships had changed … but since that day to this, I’ve had the best time of my life.

It’s been three years.  I worked at my old day job for six times that, yet I only have vague memories of the place: I remember the people, many of whom still remain friends.  I remember cheese and bacon toasties on Friday morning.  I remember being in a tea-group of one and having to steal other people’s milk from the fridge (yes, everyone … it was me!)  But it’s rare that I sit and dwell on my time there, because that was another life.

Since starting to write full time I’ve written so many novels, shorts stories, and novellas that I’ve lost count – they include two 30 Days of Night novels, Hellboy: The Fire Wolves, Echo City Falls (coming soon), The Island, Fallen, two Hidden Cities books with Chris Golden, the first of the Secret Journeys of Jack London books (also with Chris), the novella The Reach of Children … and there I was, hoping I’d turn prolific.

I’ve also started branching out into some screen work, something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.  I’m collaborating on an exciting new screenplay, and I’m also currently developing two TV series.

And last week, as if to celebrate my impending 3-year anniversary, I had some Very Good News.  Thrilling, exciting news.  But more on that soon.

I’m very, very lucky.  I commute to work past the dog, sit in my own office with all my books and other stuff around me, make stuff up, write it down, and sell it.  I walk the dog in our lovely local woods at lunchtimes, and occasionally go out for lunch with friends.  I always wanted to get here, but was never sure I would.

Thank you, to everyone who enjoys buying and reading my books.  That means you.  You keep buying them, and reading them and liking them, and I’ll keep writing them.  There’s lots on the horizon.

So without further ado … I’m writing a novella about a thief of broken toys. I must away.

Lovely review here for THE ISLAND.  What?  You haven’t bought it yet?

Went to London yesterday for some meetings.  Met a great producer and chatted about books and movies and stuff, had a lovely time and a fine Thai duck curry.  Oh yes.  Then moved on and caught up with the very splendid Ed Hughes, my UK screen agent.  After that, onwards to the Dog & Duck for a couple of pints with Caspian Dennis, my UK literary agent, where all manner of things were discussed.

On the way back to the Tube station I got soaked to the skin, which wasn’t very nice.  But it did mean that the platform was Wet Tee Shirt World which, in some cases, was quite pleasant.  In some cases, not.

Time for a last pint at Paddington, then a train back home with a dick sitting in front of me who patently did not understand the meaning of Quiet Carriage.

I’ve discovered that I love working on trains.  I took my laptop and wrote 2,000 words on thw way up, and on the way back I sketched the outline of a movie proposal.  No distractions, see.  Apart from Loud Mobile Phone Man, and wet Tee shirts.

It’s a mad time right now with two very pressing deadlines, but I’ll still be blogging here as often as possible.  Please check back …

SFX Magazine have given THE ISLAND a fantastic 4-star review, part of which says:

The magic and technomagic are fresh and quirky, the horrors effectively nasty, and the narrative drive remorseless.  Lebbon knows the old Hollywood advice: “Start with an earthquake, and build to a climax.”  He does this rather well.

Nice.  In the UK you can get the hardback for £14.99 from Amazon, and in the USA check here.

Nice review of THE ISLAND here.

And will someone turn down this bloody heat?  I hate it.  Give me cloudy and cold any day.

Tonight at 6:30 I’ll be at Cardiff Waterstone’s signing my books THE ISLAND and FALLEN … come on, can you seriously tell me you have anywhere more important to be?  The pub, you say?  Fear not, we’re going there afterwards.

And so, all good things must come to an end.  Here we are at the end of the Blog Tour, and those nice folks over at SFX have allowed me to monopolise their blog for a bit to talk about the whole blog toury process.  Go and read it here.

Then go and buy the books.  Really.  What, you think all this was for free?

THE ISLAND is out in hardback in the UK today, and as a special promotion you can buy it for a tenner (RRP is £19.99) through the SFX website (scroll down to the bottom of the blog).  And go here to check out some of the stunning reviews the book has received so far.

FALLEN is available in mass market paperback.  It too has had some lovel reviews, some of which you can read here.

HUGE thanks to all the blogs and website that welcomed me over the last three weeks – I’ll be posting a big recap here soon – and also massive thanks to my publicist Chiara at A&B.  And my stylist, couldn’t have done it without you.  My hairdresser, Manuel.  My bodyguard Buster.  My personal trainer Mike.  Hell, thanks to everyone.

To celebrate the UK launch of my novels THE ISLAND in hardback and FALLEN in paperback, both from Allison & Busby, I’m having a fun-filled book launch at:

Cardiff Waterstone’s, 19th June at 6:30 pm.

And to celebrate the book launch, I thought we could then march onward to a suitable hostelry for some real ale and splendid chat.

I’d love for you to join me, and I’d love even more for you to forward this to anyone else you think might be interested (individuals, websites, blogs … spread the word!)

We’re almost done!  I’ll be visiting the SFX Magazine blog on Monday, but meantime here’s the latest blog on the tour, the Mad Hatter’s Bookshelf & Book review.  Please pop along and see what I’ve got to say about this whole being-a-writer thing …

Motorhead rocked.  Tonight, it’s a quiet evening with wine and a movie.  We can’t all party that hard.

And while I’m here, THE ISLAND has had a great review in Booklist, part of which says: “…a pulsepounding adventure with visceral thrills and Lebbon’s signature moral ambiguity.”