Tim Lebbon – horror and dark fantasy author

Close to the end of 2019, I’m saying goodbye to a pretty fun year work-wise, when two of the most exciting events of my whole career came to pass.

First, the release of The Silence from Netflix. I could write a book about the whole experience––and if you followed me here and on social media for the first half of this year, I pretty much did––but suffice to say it was a dream experience from beginning to end. I’m told by people who’ve been there that I was lucky enough to have the perfect Hollywood experience! The whole team was terrific, and I’m still friendly with them all (producers, film company, the Netflix crew, and the splendid director John Leonetti). My visit to set in 2018 was so much fun, and the actual release of The Silence was a pretty mind-blowing couple of weeks. My wife and I were in LA on release day, for a screening at Netflix (as well as other meetings and events), and I remember waking at 3 in the morning and, foolishly, checking my social media. The film was already being watched in the UK, and so the madness commenced.

What an incredible experience. I think the film turned out great, and it was a major hit for Netflix. I still sometimes pinch myself when I think about it! And in any other year it would have had no competition for highlight.

But …

2019 was also the year when I became a concert promoter, arranging a gig by my very favourite singer/songwriter/entertainer/rocker Frank Turner, to launch the anthology Ten-Word Tragedies from PS Publishing (co-edited with Chris Golden). Frank was a true gent from beginning to end, singing a stunning ten song set at The Lexington in London for 120 enthusiastic fans, then hanging around for 2 hours to sign books and have his picture taken with everyone. A really magical evening … during which, I have to admit, I got pretty messed up drinking tequila with Frank.

So, those were two very different but equally memorable moments during my working year. 2019 also saw the release of The Edge, third and final book of the Relics trilogy, as well as the movie tie-in edition of The Silence, and quite a few short stories in anthologies.

I also had a very enjoyable visits to Leipzig, courtesy of the excellent Olaf and Yuka Buchheim (to launch the stunning German edition of The Silence), and also Dublin, courtesy of Sean O’Connor and Matt Heyward, for a great bookshop event at Hodges Figgis. Fantasycon (loads of fun, as ever) was in Glasgow, in a hotel that was also a hospital and which looked like a prison from the outside. So that was interesting!

So, what does 2020 have in store work-wise? First, there’s a TV series in development based on one of my books (I can’t say more right now, but it’s moving on apace). I’ve spent some time this year developing my own original TV series idea, and I hope to advance this in the new year. My Firefly novel, Generations, will be released later in 2020. And last but not least, my brand new novel Eden will be hitting the shelves in April, supported by a host of terrific blurbs from some of my very favourite writers, and a short UK signing tour. Lots more info about Eden soon, so watch this space!

Away from the keyboard and screen, I’ve had a busy year racing too, the highpoint of which was undoubtedly Ironman Canada in July, which I raced on my 50th birthday. My family and I had a lovely two weeks in Canada––truly the holiday of a lifetime––and I fell in love with Whistler. I’d love to go there again. And, strangely, the TV series idea I’m developing is set in Canada!

I’m not doing an ironman in 2020, but I’ve already marked my calendar with the Fan Dance (this coming Saturday!), Outlaw Half, Brutal Half, Windsor Triathlon, and the epic Wales in a Day (180 miles on a bike, north to south Wales, in one day). So … not exactly having a rest, but as usual I’m itching to get into racing again.

It’s also the end of a decade! Recently on Twitter I posted a pic of my #bookdecade and the pile was 30 books high. That includes some novellas and collaborative books, too. I wonder what my #bookdecade photo will look like in 2029?

If you’ve read this far, I’d like to send a huge thanks for your interest in my work. You keep reading it, I’ll keep writing it! I have so many exciting projects I hope will come to fruition next year.

Happy New Year to you all.