Tim Lebbon – horror and dark fantasy author

I’m thrilled to announce that the most excellent PS Publishing will be releasing  a big new collection of mine in 2011.  Currently titled GHOSTS AND BLEEDING THINGS (though that is likely to change), it will collect some of my very best short fiction and novellas from the past few years, including Discovering Ghosts, The Body Lies, Meat, and the British Fantasy Award-winning novella The Reach of Children.  There will also be new material, as yet unwritten, as well as extensive story notes, and an Introduction from the wonderful F. Paul Wilson.

Watch this space for news about artist involvement, limitations and price.

I’m absolutely delighted to be working with PS on this.  And it’s not the only PS book of mine coming soon …

If you feel so inclined you can pop along here and watch me picking up my British Fantasy Award for The Reach of Children.

Come and gone in a flash, Fantasycon 2009 will live with me for a long time.  It was the usual mix of meeting old friends and chating as if you saw them last week, not last year … meeting and making new friends, and feeling as if you’ve known them for years (Hi Mark, Anna, Rio, Bill, Catherine, Gary U, Julian, John, and a dozen more) … chatting with people at the bar without even asking their name and getting their contact deails, and knowing it’ll be a year before you get to catch up again (the guy with the new fantasy book, the two young ladies who recently lost their mother) … drinking too much too soon and trying to battle on anyway … buying too many books, spending too much money, talking too much, sleeping too little, doing business drunk at 2 in the morning …

Ahhh, Fantasycon.  And this was a great one.

I won a British Fantasy Award for Best Novella for THE REACH OF CHILDREN, which was absolutely wonderful.  My fourth British Fantasy Award, if ever there was one I was shortlisted for that I wanted to win, it was this one.  Anyone who’s read the novella will know why.  Thanks to everyone who voted.  And sorry for the couple of people I made cry with my speech (this time I think because it was a little moving and a little personal, not so crap like the one I made for DUSK two years ago).  A major congrats to all the other winners, especially Sarah Pinborough, and Joseph D’Lacey for winning Best Newcomer.  Though I still think it should have gone to Ramsey Campbell.  You can see the list of winners here.

The banquet …… ahhh, that was fun.  The last couple of years the food has increased dramatically in quality from toxic shite to barely-palatable-if-there’s-not-a-McDonald’s-around (and McDonald’s barely registers as foodstuff in my mind).  This year it reached new levels of disgustingness that I’m not sure actually exist on our plane of existence.  The soup was passable, but the main course was the devil’s shite.  Ed Diablo Catering Services must have visited the building.  At least I had great company on my table, and freeflowing wine, and little bottles full of bubbles.   Most of us had a go inhaling helium from the balloons and talking in a funny voice, but when Sarah Pinborough tried she sounded just the same.  Oh well.

I spent most of my time chatting, meeting people, doing a bit of business, chatting some more, drinking, eating, and chatting some more.  I didn’t go to any panels (apart from the midnight panel I was on with Mark Morris, Nick Royle, Conrad Williams, Steve Volk and Simon R Green … but probably the less said about that the better), but I did thoroughly enjoy John Lenahan‘s stand-up/magic show after the awards.  A very funny guy, great company (we had a good chat at the bar before and after the awards), and also the author of new novel Shadowmagic.

Right … it’s time to get back to work.  Fantasycon is fading into the past quickly, as it always does.  But there’s always next year.

Utterly thrilled to see that THE REACH OF CHILDREN has been shortlisted for a British Fantasy Award.  For those who don’t know, this was a novella that Humdrumming published (sort of) just before they went bust … resulting in only about 125 copies getting out there.  It’s also an intensely personal piece of writing, and one of the best things I’ve written in years.

You really should nip along and vote: British Fantasy Awards .  You can vote if you’re a member of the BFS, or if you attended Fantasycon last year, or if you’re registered to attend this year.  And if you’re not registered yet, what the bloody hell are you waiting for?  Fantasycon is a highlight of the year for me, meeting up with loads of old friends and drinking and chatting til the sun rises …. then drinking and chatting some more.  Let’s hope the hotel gets their stocks in this year.

In other news … coming to the end of the third Hidden Cities book with Christopher Golden, currently titled TELL MY SORROWS TO THE STONES (thought that title might change).  Exciting hardback news on this book soon.

Also, I’ve sold another big collection of short fiction and novellas … look for an announcement soon!

The last day for voting in the British Fantasy Awards is Sunday May 31st.  If you’re eligible (a member of the BFS,  attended Fantasycon last year, or are attending this year) you really should pop along and cast your vote.  It’ll only take you five minutes, and it’s important to use your vote.

My novella THE REACH OF CHILDREN, is on the longlist for Best Novella.  And speaking of REACH, a new publication has now been confirmed after its all-too-brief appearance from the late lamented Humdrumming.  Watch this space for exciting news soon!

The long list for the British Fantasy Awards has been released, and I’m thrilled to see The Reach of Children on there.  You can go here to see the full list and to vote.

In other news, yesterday I finished my new novel ECHO CITY FALLS in first draft.  It’s the longest book I’ve ever written, and I’m sure it’ll remain that way even after rewrites and edits.   So I’m giving myself the weekend off before plunging in to that …

There’s another great review of The Reach of Children in the current Hub magazine, just to remind you what you’re missing if you didn’t manage to get one of the 100 or so copies out there, grumble, grrr.   I’m sure this novella will see print again one of these days, but grr grumble moan.

Oh well … several new books due out over the next couple of months, so mustn’t whinge  too much!  Check out the Forthcoming Books bit on the right, and also watch this space … this one, right here …. for more news soon.

Here’s a nice review for The Reach of Children.  Pity no one can buy it anywhere, but I’m working on something to hopefully change that … watch this space.

The book itself is rarer than rocking horse shit, but it’s still nice to see such a glowing review of THE REACH OF CHILDREN.   I’m humbled and flattered by the great reaction this novella has been getting …. out of maybe 100 people who have a copy, I’ve probably had 40 emails telling me how much you’ve enjoyed it.  That means a lot, especially considering what the novella was all about and how personal it is to me.

One day it’ll see print again, but probably not for some time.

Two years ago today was my first day working as a full-time writer.  Leaving work to write for a living was a big decision, but definitely one of the best I’ve ever made, and through the downs as well as the ups I haven’t regretted it for a moment.  It seems a lot longer than two years ago that I last left Monmouthshire County Council’s dodgy old building (it’s effectively falling down), and looking at the amount I’ve written since then, perhaps there has been a time-warp thingy going on somewhere.  Here’s a rough list:

• 30 Days of Night
• Fallen
• Mind the Gap (with Christopher Golden)
• The Map of Moments (with Christopher Golden) – forthcoming
• The Secret Journeys of Jack London: Book One (with Christopher Golden) – forthcoming
• Hellboy: The Fire Wolves - forthcoming
• The Island - forthcoming
• The Toxic City: London Eye
• A Whisper of Southern Lights
• The Reach of Children

As well as those novels and novellas I’ve done several short stories, two screenplays (The Everlasting and The Dregs), and plenty of other stuff.  It does make me wonder how the hell I wrote so much when I was working, but the fact that I’m still working just as hard after two years is great.  I’ve still got plenty of work on … and a big THANKS is due to you discerning readers who continue to buy my books!

And on it goes …!  I wrote a novelette this weekend for a US market (sending it to the editor for consideration today), brainstormed a new screenplay with a good friend of mine, and this week it’s back to the Yukon to finish off book one of the Jack London series.

Many more announcements coming soon, including a new short story option.  So please do keep popping by, and in another year I hope the above list will be much, much longer.