Tim Lebbon – horror and dark fantasy author

Here we are again, edging towards the end of another year beneath a wave of mince pies, sprouts, and Secret Santa presents that are probably slippers.  I’m that age, after all.  Every year my wife and I say, ‘Next year we’ll buy each other a few presents to open’, but something always means that we don’t bother.  This year it was having to have a new boiler fitted, 4 new tyres for the car, and then a speeding ticket to top it all off.  Happy Christmas.

So  … this was 2014 on the work scene for me.  And the biggie was that I had a movie made!  Nicolas Cage, no less, starred in PAY THE GHOST, directed by Uli Edel, and also starring Saray Wayne Callies.  Filming has finished, but as yet I have no info regarding a release.  But as it’s a Hallowe’en movie I’m guessing … well, you join the dots.  I’m incredibly excited about this, and will be relaying any more information I receive as and when it comes in.

2014 saw the release of my novels Alien: Out of the Shadows and Coldbrook (in the USA), as well as the novella Shifting of Veils.  But my main activity as a writer this year was … waiting.  Any writer reading this will know what I’m on about, but more than any other year, 2014 held its long periods of waiting for news on deals (both book and screen), frustrations, low periods, and finally some good news.  It’s the waiting that really hits me hard.

But now I can look forward to 2015 with new deals signed (or about to be signed), and some exciting new projects to announce.  VERY exciting news is that my first thriller will be out in 2015, and although I’m itching to reveal more (and if you do some detective work on Amazon, you’ll find out for yourself), the official announcement is coming soon from the publisher.

I’m also writing a new trilogy for Titan called The Rage War, featuring some movie monsters you might be familiar with (Predator and Alien).  And I’ll also be writing some other original novels for Titan which will also be announced properly soon.

The Silence will be released in 2015.  I’ve been thrilled by initial feedback on this novel, and I can’t wait to see it out there.  I’m also hopeful that there will be good news about screen projects, including the spooky animated kids’ movie My Haunted House, and Playtime (co-written with Stephen Volk).

So, writing-wise 2014 has been mixed, but 2015 looks to be very busy.  As for that other thing I do…

2014 should have been Ironman Wales year, but I pulled out several months before the race because of my dodgy knee.  A big part of me wishes I’d carried on and tried it.  But another part of me knows that I might have regretted it.  As it is, my knee’s feeling OK right now, and withdrawing from IMWales didn’t mean I didn’t have fun!   Races completed in 2014 included the Goshawk Challenge mountain bike race, Tour of Pembrokeshire sportive, Abergavenny Sportive, Outlaw Half Ironman, Gower Triathlon, Stroud Duathlon, Blaenafon Triathlon, Long Course Weekend (minus the run), and the Costwolds Standard Distance.  Not bad!

So what of 2015?  Well, I’ve already signed up for some exciting events.  The Tour of Pembrokeshire last year was apocalyptic, a 79 mile bike ride in 45mph winds and rain, horrific hills, a truly torturous route that left me shaking and traumatised, so naturally this year I’m doing the 100 mile route.  Also signed up are the Cotswolds 113 (half ironman), the Immortal Half, and …. THE OUTLAW.  That’ll be my iron distance race next year, 2 days before my 46th birthday.  And on my new bike, which I luckily bought 2 weeks before our boiler broke.

Here’s hoping you all have a very Happy Christmas and a peaceful and healthy New Year.  If you’re reading this, that probably means you read my books, and for that I thank you.  You keep reading them, I’ll keep writing them.  There are some exciting projects in the future, and I hope you’ll come along for the ride.

Cheers,

Tim