Monday, 1 March 2010

Dubai Literary Festival

Don't ask me how this happened, but a clerical error appears to have occured as a result of which I and my wife have been invited to the star-studded international extravaganza that is the Emirates Festival of Literature in Dubai. Perhaps in a freezing garret flat somewhere an important literary author called Jon Obercrombie is frothing with rage at being overlooked. Or perhaps they were after Marcus Sakey? Anyway, whatever the mistake, I have the e-tickets now, and I'm not letting go of them, god damn it! They have somewhere towards 100 writers there, including little-known persons like Martin Amis, Alexander McCall Smith, and Kate Mosse, but I'm still number one on their list of authors. Alphabetical order, you say? Number one is still number one, say I.

We'll be there throughout, from Thursday 10th to Saturday 13th, and I'm not honestly sure where I'll be or what I'll be doing on the whole, but I've got a one hour slot at 10am on Saturday 13th, during which I'll be giving an hilarious little talk about cliches in fantasy, doing a reading, taking questions, and signing anything presented to me. So if any of you should happen to be there, do drop by, I shall be delighted to have some kind of an audience. Even if they are there to hear about Obercrombie's latest plumbing of the depths of the human condition...

Labels: appearances

Monday, 8 February 2010

Weekended

I have returned from the SFX weekender, and overall I'd have to say I had a great time, although I freely admit to spending the vast majority of it in the bar, one way or another, blathering with a fine assortment of authors and editors. It was grand the way that common cause was made between the people of Gollancz (including Richard Morgan, Chris Wooding, Tom Lloyd, Justina Robson, John Meaney and Stephen Deas) and the people of Tor UK (including Peter F Hamilton, China Mieville, Mark Charan Newton, Paul Cornell and Adrian Tchaikovsky), even though they had fancy beach-front digs while we languished in Stalag 13. I mean Pontins.

As for the events themselves, the two panels I took part in were a little hard to get into because they took place in the main arena early in the day, the room was very dark and very big and so there was no rapport with the audience, which is really the thing that makes panels work in my experience. Author readings and Q&As took place on a small stage at one end of the bar. I get the feeling some of the writers didn't enjoy the background noise and the general feeling of disinterest too much (certainly competing with the cheers and jeers of the rugby was a big ask), but I actually really enjoyed the relaxed feel of it. Thanks to Dave Bradley from SFX for setting me off with a few questions, though his comment about my titles being pretentious will have to be paid for. In BLOOD.

Accomodation was not of the five star variety but, hey, I've stayed in worse. For real. Food was more of a problem. If I never eat another hot dog it'll be too soon. But in spite of a few teething problems I daresay I'd do it again. The authors, the guys from SFX, and above all the punters were all hugely friendly. My thanks to anyone who turned up to my events. Actually, no, come to think of it, you were HONOURED to be there.

Labels: appearances

Sunday, 31 January 2010

SFX Weekender / Gemmell Award

I have received a schedule for the SFX weekender, taking place at no less a location than Pontins at Camber Sands. Apparently there may still be some changes as the details get ironed out, but for the time being, here is my schedule:

Friday, 12.45-13.30 (Main Void) - Gollancz panel, along with imprint stablemates Dave Moody, Chris Wooding, Justina Robson, Tom Lloyd, John Meaney, and Richard Morgan, and who knows, perhaps one or other of the magnificent Ozzes who make it all happen from behind their curtain...

Saturday 5th Feb, 10.00-10.45 (Main Void) - David Gemmell Legend Award Panel, along with award organiser Debbie Miller, and authors Stan Nichols, Richard Morgan, Adrian Tchaikovsky.

Saturday 6th Feb, 16.00-16.30 (Slaughtered Lamb) - Me, alone - my incandescent brilliance undimmed by the presence of other authors as the tiny moon briefly occludes the majestic fiery orb of the sun during a solar eclipse - reading readings from books written by me, probably including something from the forthcoming The Heroes, to an awestruck crowd (should there be one) and answering questions (should there be any).

Anyone who's attending the Weekender, and would like anything signed, can by all means collar me at any of these places, though I'll also more than likely be happy to oblige if you collar me elsewhere, which probably, I shouldn't wonder, for the rest of the time, means in the bar. Books should be available from dealers there as well, though I couldn't absolutely swear to that.

Talking of the David Gemmel Legend Award, which it looks like I will be at the Weekender, I note that Nic Clarke has completed a probing examination of last year's shortlist at Strange Horizons (part I here, and part II here). It's interesting reading, and not just because she clearly realises what the internet-using population of the world was clearly TOO DAMN THICK, WRONG-HEADED or PROFOUNDLY EVIL to realise, that mine iz the bestest ritten out of that hole load of bookz.

This caused author Mark Charan Newton, who is running a very thoughtful and insightful blog (curse him), to reflect upon the absence of serious discussion about last year's Gemmell Award, or at least serious comparison of its nominees:

"I must admit to finding it bizarre that any award can have a shortlist where titles are barely compared to each other. How can you call a book the "best" without such an analysis? Getting as many people to vote online seems a spurious way to go about this, when clearly no one could have read so many titles."

I certainly agree about the online vote aspect, I much preferred the idea of a public vote on the longlist - which would have meant a decent amount of public involvement and a relatively commercial shortlist - then a panel to decide the winner, which would hopefully encourage debate, reduce any chance of vote-stuffing, and hopefully prevent the award endlessly going to the most popular series currently going (I'm a little worried it'll just end up going to, say, the final three books of the Wheel of Time three years in a row, which there probably isn't much point in. Awards are at their most useless when they just point Catholics towards the Vatican, as it were.) as well as meaning that the people making the choice do actually have to read and compare the books, rather than just vote for the one they've read.

But overall, though I'd like to see more, I'm not honestly sure lack of in-depth discussion is that important. Firstly, it's a new award, and it takes time for these things to bed in and be taken seriously, and a lot of what determines how seriously it'll be taken and by who is who actually wins the awards - the character of this has yet to really be established. In due course it may wither or it may become important. It's also interesting that despite everyone saying a public vote would be incredibly predictable, no one actually predicted the outcome at all last year. Secondly, the award generated some debate in those places that people talk about these kind of books, which generally aren't the same ones where people talk about other awards, since other genre awards really don't tend to go to these kind of books - follow me? Thirdly, I'm not sure debate on blogs should be the barometer of success for an award. The Gemmell did get a little attention outside of the genre, and it did get a little attention from booksellers, all in its first year. The more knowledgable can by all means correct me, but my understanding is that genre awards are not terribly significant commercially, and some of the bigger ones are getting less significant by the year. Be nice to have something that can actually get some books in a window, wouldn't it?

Anyway, just talkin'. I like serious criticism as much as the next guy. I look forward to Mark's in-depth comparison of this year's entire DGLA longlist.

Labels: appearances, reviews

Thursday, 21 January 2010

Bristolcon and other Appearances

A little heads up, some time in advance, to let anyone who might be interested know that I'll be attending Bristolcon 2010 on November 6th this year. This is an event in its infancy (second year only), and consequently will probably be a reasonably small and intimate affair. One day only, so if you're in the region there'll be no need to shell out for a hotel. Guests of Honour are yours truly and well-known writer of novels, comics, and Doctor Who, Paul Cornell, though I wouldn't be at all surprised if a few other local authors and industry types were to show their faces. The program has yet to be announced, but I would imagine it will include such things as panels, readings, Q&As, and I'm sure anyone who wanted anything signed by me could do so. More news as I get it.

A quick reminder of other confirmed appearances - I'll be at the SFX weekender at Camber Sands from 5th-7th Feb (Brrrrr!), I'll be at (if you can believe this one) the Dubai Literary Festival from 9th-14th March (not brrrrr!), and I'll be at Eastercon 2nd-4th April.

Labels: appearances

Monday, 5 October 2009

Fantastyval

So I'm off to be a guest of honour (I know, stop laughing, they are clearly using 'honour' in its broadest possible sense) at Fantastyval, a fantasy festival (No!) in Holland from 16th-19th October. The schedule shall be:

Saturday 17th
11.30-11.50 Reading
13.00-14.00 Lecture (Probably about expectations in epic fantasy)
15.30-15.50 Reading
16.30-17.30 Informal chat, Q&A, and signing

Sunday 18th
11.30-11.50 Reading
13.00-14.00 Panel "Writing across borders"
15.00-15.20 Reading
16.00-17.00 Informal chat, Q&A, and signing

So a lecture (which I have given before but *ahem* some members of the fantasy-buying public have yet to hear it), plus some informal Q&As and four readings. Still wondering exactly what to do for the readings, but probably at least one from the First Law, one from Best Served Cold, and one from the forthcoming and as yet entirely-un-exposed-to-the-public The Heroes (ooooooooooh, how incredibly exciting). Perhaps I shall look forward to seeing some of you there...

Labels: appearances

Wednesday, 22 July 2009

Radio Ga Ga/Verbal Smackdown

So it would appear I am due to be guesting on a Radio 5 Live spot hosted by Dotun Adebayo on the morning of Monday 27th of July all about fantasy fiction. Well, it's kind of the night of the 26th, unless you get up really, really early, since it's taking place between 0200 and 0330 on the morning of the 27th. What time did you think they'd be talking about fantasy fiction on the radio? Anyway, discussion will focus on a recent book and a classic, in this case Richard Morgan's The Steel Remains (Woo! Read it!) and Fritz Leiber's stories of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser (shit, I've read some of those too, what were the chances!) And then will wander into the realms of caller's questions and who knows what fantastical lands (not too far afield, I hope, lest I quickly end up somewhere I don't know what I'm talking about). Tune in, if awake, and I'm sure I can soon send you off to the land of nod.

In other news, the first exploratory chest-slaps in my heavyweight verbal wrassling match with Brent Weeks have already taken place at Border's Babel Clash, with heeeelarious consequences. Currently we're arguing about whether writers should blog or not, but I daresay the topic will shift rapidly to other pastures. Hey, why not stop by and lay down some smack of your own? You could even suggest some different subject matter for us to linguistically suplex each other over...

Labels: appearances, news

Thursday, 9 July 2009

Forthcoming Appearances

Notification of a few writerly trips, some considerable time in advance, and all subject to change, of course:

17th-18th October: Fantastyval in the Netherlands. Yes, I have been invited back to Holland to speak, panel, and read once again. My second book is coming out there in translation in September, I believe, so it is in some senses timely. They're still at the organisational stage, so more details as I learn them.

5th-6th February 2010: The SFX Weekender at Pontins, no less, Camber Sands, Sussex. This is an extensive cross-genre event organised by the magazine SFX, and includes all manner of film, tv, comic and book related fun from everything Sfnal and Fantastic. And if none of that works for you, you've still got the British seaside in early February! Score! Also already announced on the bill are writers like China Mieville, Peter F. Hamilton and Paul Cornell, actors like that John Barrowman and that James Marsters, and no doubt many more to be confirmed. You shall know when I shall know.

10th-13th March 2010: The Dubai Literary Festival. Ha ha. No, I'm not joking. I wouldn't be at all surprised if it's some kind of mistake, though, as my name does not appear on their list of already confirmed writers. Maybe they just can't believe they've landed such a big literary fish as me, and dare not announce it for fear the dream will end. Or maybe they just don't want it to be the first name that appears on the list before Martin Amis, since, you know, I am the king of alphabetisation. Shut up, Abbot! So, any keen followers of this blog who were planning to attend the Dubai Literary Festival (yeah, right), I'll let you know more as and when (and if)...

Labels: appearances

Monday, 29 June 2009

Back from Scandinavia

I have returned from my trip to Scandinavia, and it went most well. It was a flying visit - a day in Stockholm, a day in Gothenberg, and a day in Oslo, with four hours in airports, five hours on planes, and ten or eleven on trains in between - and hence slightly knackering. I spent the whole time in a slightly disoriented state of mild bafflement. Even more so than usual. But I got to meet my Swedish publisher, who are releasing The Blade Itself in Swedish in August (split in two books, but released together). They are actually keeping something close to the original title as well, unusually. Their translation comes close to 'the tempting steel' apparently. Ooooh. Tempting.

I also got to do some events at some great specialist bookstores, and meet a lot of very keen Swedish and Norwegian readers. Particular respect has to go to the guy who turned up at Oslo having only just been discharged from hospital with tongue cancer, had half his tongue removed and was sporting scars that would've made Black Dow proud to know him. Now that's dedication.

Some things that I learned about Sweden and Norway from my brief encounter:

Scandinavia is very clean compared to London.

Scandinavians speak ludicrously good English.

And hence read a lot of books in English.

Scandinavians like fantasy and sci-fi a lot.

And hence have excellent, very well stocked and informed specialist fantasy and sci-fi bookshops with real senses of community and involvement about them.

This is a good thing.

Scandinavian trains are great.

Scandinavia is not necessarily cold. In fact it was boiling hot, brilliant sunshine pretty much the whole time I was there. I really needn't have packed my ice-pick.

So thanks again to all the publishers and booksellers that put me up, fed me and looked after me, and also to all the good folks who came out to get books signed or listen to me talk rubbish. Maybe I'll see you again some time...

Labels: appearances, news

Saturday, 6 June 2009

Tour Finishes, Email begins

Well, my mini tour of the UK promoting Best Served Cold has now come to an end. Seemed to go very well, on the whole. Talk in Manchester was good, despite at one point losing my train of thought and standing staring into space for an awful lot longer than was comfortable. An informed and enthusiastic audience - got to be a good thing. Then got the train back to London, took a brief tour of book stores there to sign stock. Then another little talk, q&a and reading at Forbidden Planet in Covent Garden. Only fitted in a couple of questions because of time constraints, which was a shame because in spite of everyone standing (or perhaps because of it), there was a nice informal feel to the event. Finally to Bath, this morning, where again there was a decent turnout, maybe thirty or so, and then to my knackered house full of boxes.

So my heartfelt thanks to all those who came out to show their support at any of those places, and especially to those who bought books. All in all, another few hundred copies signed. My hand hurts. Ah, and someone gave me an amusing and accomplished First Law-influenced cartoon, which shall get pride of place on my noticeboard.

While I was away the broadband fairies visited the new house and left a lovely new internet connection, so now I can catch up on various blogging responsibilities, start to chisel away at the massive email backlog I've built up over the last month, and, who knows ... maybe even do some writing. The question I got asked most often, after all, while presenting a new book to the world?

When's the next book coming out?

There's just no pleasing some people...

Labels: appearances, news

Saturday, 9 May 2009

Best Served Cold UK Tour '09

It's only three weeks until Best Served Cold comes out in the UK. Can you feel the excitement? Can you? To celebrate the occasion, I will be doing an exhaustive tour of the UK, where you will be able to get lovely new beautiful hardbacks of Best Served Cold signed, and perhaps even lined and dated, in my flowing, fantasy-esque script. Other books too, maybe. Details are still being confirmed, but I thought I'd let you know what we do know so you can cancel your holidays/reschedule weddings or funerals/sell your children in order to attend one if not more of these once in a lifetime literary sensations:

Thursday 4th June, 7pm, Manchester
Talk and signing at Waterstones,
91 Deansgate,
Manchester M3 2BW
Tel: 0161 837 3000

Ah, my old hunting grounds in Manchester, where I attended University. Well, when I say attended, obivously I mean sat for three years in an array of freezing/filthy student houses playing Street Fighter II for 3 years. Happy days. When I think of my college buddies, Ryu, Guile and Blanka, it brings a tear to my eye. We used to call ourselves the four amigos. Ha ha ha. The stuff we got up to. Dragon punching, and Sonic Booming, and all that. Great times, man, great times. Haven't been back for a long while, so I'm quite looking forward to this one. There'll certainly be a reading, a Q&A, and some signing, plus maybe a bit of chat about the new book, we shall see...

Friday 5th June, evening, time TBA, London
An event of some kind at Forbidden Planet,
179 Shaftesbury Avenue,
London WC2H 8JR
Tel: 020 7420 3666

Thence to London, where I'll be doing something at Forbidden Planet on Shaftsbury avenue. The signing for Last Argument of Kings there was actually really well attended, so this year we're hoping to do something more. Possibly some kind of talk. Possibly some kind of Q&A. Possibly some kind of informal circulation, like that Barrack Obama doing town halls, only without the handsomeness, charisma, eloquence, power, appreciation, or sense of history obviously. So not like Barrack Obama at all. Except for the standing and talking.

Saturday 6th June, 1pm, Bath
Signing at Waterstones,
4-5 Milsom Street,
Bath BA1 1DA
Tel: 01225 448 515

And finally Bath, which will, by this point, be my manor, so to speak, since we're packing up and leaving London on the 21st of May. Farewell big smoke, hello Georgian splendor. Well, you know, Georgian splendor partially ruined by rubbish, compromised, Prince Charles-esque bullshit modern development with no architectural merit. Don't get me started. Oh, you didn't? Sorry. Anyway, town planning will be neither here nor there at the Bath Waterstones (which is a fine Waterstones) on Saturday the 6th. Fantasy fans of southwest Britain, I expect to see you there...

Other dates, plus the details of the Forbidden Planet event, will no doubt be announced in due course.

EDIT: The FP event will consist of a reading and Q&A, followed by signing of books. Lack of seating prevents anything more elaborate...

Labels: appearances

Thursday, 30 April 2009

Scandinavians Rejoice!

Why? Because you have some of the most progressive governments, longest life expectancies, best education systems, aesthetically pleasing modernist furniture, and finest public services in the world? No, not that nonsense! Because of this:


I am coming to visit you!

Yes indeed, from the 25th to the 28th of June this year, to read from Best Served Cold, sign (and sell) that and other books, and answer all those questions you dare not ask by email. The itinerary looks a little something like this:

25th June 18.00 - Stockholm
SF Bokhandeln, Vasterlanggatan 48, 10317 Stockholm

26th June 18.00 - Gothenberg
SF Bokhandeln AB, Ostra Larmgatan 16, 41107 Gothenburg

27th June 14.00 - Oslo
Outland, Ostbanehallen, Jernbanetorget 1, 0154 Oslo

Man. It's enough to make me wish I was Scandinavian. Just look at that poster. See how I smoulder. Look at the eyes, the eyes. Are you on fire yet? ARE YOU?

Labels: appearances

Tuesday, 28 April 2009

Klatching on

I mentioned earlier that I would be appearing on a panel at sci-fi London on this Sunday May 3rd at 11.00, discussing the new heroic fantasy along with Stephen Deas, Adrian Tchaikovsky and my dear personal friend and bitter rival Tom Lloyd. Don't miss it. As a further irresistible inducement, I can now confirm that later in the day I will be doing a Coffee Klatch, as they say, or Kaffeeklatsch, or whatever. An informal little round table thing where a handful of people can pick my enormous brains about whatever subject should please them. I imagine a lot of corduroy, a spotlit affair in which faces taut with emotion occasionally edge from the inky darkness. A bit like a high-stakes televised poker game. An event where you will not only be able to hear and see me, but smell my characteristic odour. What could be finer?

It's free, but numbers are limited, and tickets are on a first come first served basis. I urge you to apply here.

I would hate to be klatsching alone, after all, if that is even possible...

Labels: appearances

Thursday, 2 April 2009

Heroic Fantasy at Sci-Fi London

Heretofore, Sci-Fi London has been mostly a festival for the sci-fi film, but this year they're also running some literary events, discussions with proper, honest-to-goodness authors such as that clever China Mieville, that insightful Charles Stross, that talented Chris Wooding, and yes, you guessed it, that unbearably smug Joe Abercrombie. You can see the full schedule of films and events here, but of course the one that really interests US is this particular panel:

Sunday 3rd May at 11:00 - The New Heroic Fantasy
The days of by-the-numbers 'swords and scorcery' seem to be well behind us and modern fantasy writers have brought a new type heroic fantasy to the masses. Is that a conscious effort by today's fantasy writers or just a new sensibility for a modern world? How has the massive rise in popularity of fantasy fiction changed the writers approach? How hard is it to maintain a fresh approach to such a well-defined genre?

Panellists: Joe Abercrombie, Stephen Deas, Adrian Tchaikovsky

I may also be participating in a few bits and pieces later on in the day, more news as I get it, but I'm sure there will be many other talks and workshops of interest to folks like YOU, despite the insurmountable handicap of me not being directly involved...

Labels: appearances

Monday, 26 January 2009

January Ends

Hmmmm. Trying to move house, at the moment. Well, found a house, now we need to sell our flat. Good moment to buy. Not such a good moment to sell. We shall see.

But you come here to hear about writing, right? Not houses.

I'm researching.

Alright, you got me, I'm playing Total War.

And I'm tinkering with my short story, which features Curnden Craw, Mistress Wonderful, Jolly Yon Cumber, Brack-i-Dayn, Never, Scorry Tiptoe, and Shimla of Bligh. Oh, and the Father of Swords, which the valley-folk worship as a God.

So there.

My thanks to those who turned up to the ten-author signing at Forbidden Planet, by the way. Especially those who bought books, of course. My thanks to the other authors that attended and allowed me to bask in their reflected glory, especially David Devereux, who was the one who actually had a book out. It seemed like a great success, though, so perhaps there'll be other like events in future. Since someone was asking, I'll probably be doing a signing there in June for Best Served Cold when that comes out, some day around the 18th, I would've thought. More when I have a date.

Right, got to go.

Total War doesn't play itself, you know...

Labels: appearances

Sunday, 4 January 2009

Magnificent Eight

Thanks to master of the occult, security consultant, keen pilot, social gadfly, and even occasional writer David Devereux, who when asked to do a signing for his new book, asked a few other authors if they fancied joining him.

The result will be an eight-way signing/chat/blather-fest to be conducted at Forbidden Planet, 179 Shaftesbury Avenue on the 22nd of January (a Thursday evening) and featuring the following personable and higly talented authors (and me):

Joe Abercrombie
Alex Bell
Mark Chadbourn
David Devereux
Jon Courtenay Grimwood
Tom Lloyd
Suzanne McLeod
Steve Savile

Man, I love alphebetisation. No one beats me at alphabetisation. I, and indeed everyone else in my family, are the lords of alphabetisation. Unless you know anyone called Abbot. Get them away from me! They are my kryptonite.

Anyway, if you should desire to buy books from, have books signed by, hurl abuse at, pick the brains or bask beneath the sunny smile of any or all of these authors, come along from five until ... don't know. Closing time?

Unless your name's Abbot.

Labels: appearances

Tuesday, 16 December 2008

Back from Holland

I have returned from my whirlwind trip to the Netherlands. The midwinter fair was kind of crazy. Takes place in an archeological park where prehistoric and medieval buildings have been recreated. Lots of folks dressed in medieval garb. And I mean lots. More than half the people have made some effort in that direction, I'd say. Some have made a LOT. Shops selling mystical knick-knacks, mead, and foam-rubber swords. Goth bands and more faithful medieval instrumentation mingle upon the air. Very well attended, though, and a hugely friendly feel.

But the literary aspect is very much a sideline. Professor Roland Rotherham packs 'em in for barnstormingly entertaining lectures on mysticism and related subjects (and brilliant performances they are too), with maybe 100 attendees a go. I will confess my own gripping talk on Expectations in Epic Fantasy plus brief reading from Best Served Cold was marginally less well attended. Two members of the public on the Saturday. By Sunday, word of my awesome crowd-pleasing abilities had evidently spread, because I had doubled my attendance to four. Although I'm reasonably sure one of those had only come in because it was warm, and his eyelids were very definitely drifting down at times. Still, the Dutch writers who were in attendance all pitched in, and we made an intimate chair circle and it was actually a lot of fun. And a couple of people still made the effort to come all the way specifically to see me, which moved me deeply (in so far as it's possible to strike sparks of warmth from my flint of a heart). So my deep thanks to Erik and Tamara for making the effort on the Saturday, and to Wilfred for driving up there on the Sunday. Wilfred, if you read this, send me an email to the address on the contact page, and in due course I will send you something back to say thanks.

Great thanks also to the Dutch authors who made every effort to make me feel loved. Particularly to Wim Stolk/WJ Maryson (for they are the same man), who not only went to the trouble of organising the event, but also took on the driving duties, and is, it would appear, a very nice fella to boot (aside from an occasionally troubling fire behind the eyes...)

Then it was off to Amsterdam where I got put up in a hotel much too good for me, and on the following was day placed in a small room with two chairs while a variety of interviewers were brought through one at a time, each hour, on the hour. Talking about myself for four hours straight. You can imagine how much I hated that experience. Then straight into a cab, off to the airport, and back here. Shame I couldn't stay longer, because Amsterdam really is very beautiful. Oh, one other weird occurence which some of you may find amusing. I was sitting having breakfast, looking across Herengracht, one of the major canals, and a van drove past with Sony Ericsson written on the side. So what, right? It's not like it's even spelled the same way as fantasy author Steve Erikson.

It was directly followed by a lorry with BAKKER written on it in huge letters.

Strange, isn't it? Most people would just have seen a van then a lorry drive past, nothing to remark upon. I was laughing for about ten minutes.

Labels: appearances

Wednesday, 10 December 2008

Midwinter Fair and etc.

OK, so I'm definitely going to be at the Midwinter Fair at Alphen aan den Rijn this weekend. Schedule is as follows:

Saturday 13th:
4.00 pm - Brief talk on expectations in epic fantasy, brief reading from Best Served Cold, opportunity for questions and signing.
4.44 pm - Buried under a hail of abuse and rotten vegetables by the 6 irate Dutch fantasy fans who stayed until the end.

Sunday 14th:
14.30 pm - Brief talk on expectations in epic fantasy, brief reading from Best Served Cold, opportunity for questions and signing, now somewhat nervous after the hail of abuse and rotten vegetables yesterday.
15.29 pm - buried under a hail of abuse and rotten vegetables again.
15.30 pm (or as soon as vegetables are cleared) - Panel - Sense of Wonder, with Anne West, Thomas Olde Heuvelt and W.J. Maryson.

Monday 15th:
No less than four interviews with assorted fantastical press in Amsterdam - even I'll be sick of talking about myself after that lot (alright, you got me, I won't at all) - before hopping on the flight back to London. Home before midnight.

First significant foreign publicity trip I'll have done, not to mention the first talk I'll have given to readers, and the first reading I'll have done, for that matter, so I am somewhat excited/nervous. The first book has only just come out in Holland, so it seems unlikely I will be besieged by fans, but I guess they read quite a lot in English out there anyway, so we will see...

Labels: appearances

Tuesday, 11 November 2008

Midwinter Fair On - Aetherica Cancelled

The lord he giveth and the lord he taketh away...

Sorry to say Aetherica, the new convention in Chester that I was due to be guest-of-honouring at in June 2009, has been cancelled. Poor economic circumstances and some unforeseen problems with the venue are apparently to blame. And not at all outrageous demands on the part of the guests of honour, I assure you. I would have made those as the lights went up and the people were waiting, like Chuck Berry used to. A shame, but these things happen. Thanks to those who worked hard to put it on, apologies to those who were planning to attend.

But on the upside, it appears that I'll be guest-of-honouring at the Midwinter Fair at Alphen aan den Rijn in Holland, on the 13th-14th of December this year (so in a mere month), partly to promote the Dutch edition of The Blade Itself, which is out this week. Not totally sure what I'll be doing there, but some combination of reading, signing, and answering questions will almost certainly be involved. More as I hear it...

Labels: appearances, news

Monday, 25 August 2008

Aetherica '09

So I'm due to be a guest of honour at a new Fantasy Convention next year, called Aetherica, to be held in Chester, June 19th-21st. Peter Beagle, of The Last Unicorn fame, is currently the other Guest of Honour. Not sure what my involvement will consist of, but I'm guessing probably a Q&A of some description and perhaps even some kind of reading, probably with powerful hand gestures. Plus presumably contributing my ignorance to various panels...

Anyway, further details on their website, and more as I learn it.

Labels: announcements, appearances, news

Saturday, 1 March 2008

Magic March

March is upon us and, by heavens, I do declare that it will be the biggest month yet here at joeabercrombie.com. We're all very excited. Well I am, anyway. There is no we. There's only me here. But let's not dampen the enthusiasm, but look forward, forward, to good things this month! Appearances on TV and in person! Releases by the bucketload! New books! Old books! You lucky f*ckers!

March 4th - Official release date of Before They are Hanged, US edition courtesy of the wonderful Pyr Books. The shine has been taken off this a tad because the book's actually been available on amazon for about a month already. Will it stop me celebrating this very special day? No, it won't.

March 5th - The Worlds of Fantasy on BBC4 at 9.00pm, repeated at midnight - proper television, mind you - will be on the subject of the creation of fantasy worlds, focusing on writers the likes of Tolkien and Peake. It will feature comments from, among other proper authors such as Philip Pullman, China Mieville, and Terry Pratchett, me. That's right, if you've ever wanted to see me looking uncomfortable and talking bollocks in a darkened room, this is your chance.

March 12th - SFX 168 goes on sale, with a profile of that Joe Abercrombie guy - ha ha ha, that there is one rising star of the UK fantasy scene that always cracks me up - plus a lead review of his latest book, Last Argument of Kings. I've seen it already. It's good. Very good. The review, that is, not the book. Though the book is also very good. But don't take my word for it, take SFX's. On March 12th.

March 13th - Release of the UK Mass-Market edition of Before They are Hanged. You like it small and floppy? Handbag size BTAHs should be available in all good bookshops from this date, in good time for...

March 20th - Here's the big one, folks. It's only the UK release date of the final thrilling installment of The First Law trilogy, Last Argument of Kings! 11,000 copies sold already, incidentally, and it isn't even on the shelves yet. To mark the occasion I'll be signing books at Forbidden Planet on Shaftesbury Avenue from 6pm to 7pm or even beyond, if necessary. If you've ever wanted to see me looking uncomfortable and talking bollocks in a well-lit cellar, this is your chance. If you want a book signed, this is your chance as well. Take those chances, people. Take them.

March 21st-23rd - Orbital. Eastercon will be taking place at the Radisson Heathrow, accompanied no doubt by the lilting purr of low-flying aircraft and the gentle whoop-whoop of drunken genre authors. I'll be one of them. Authors, that is, not aircraft.

I'll be there Friday, Saturday overnight, and Sunday, and I will be appearing on 2 panels, believe it or not. Adapting Tolkien from book to film, Tetworth Room, Saturday at 11.00 and Roughening up Fantasyland, Tetworth Room, Sunday at 21.00. All attendees are of course welcome to come along and see me make an ass of myself. Otherwise I'll be attending other panels and listening to some of the guests of honour, hanging around the bar, or around Gollancz's stand in the dealer room. If anyone wants anything signed, by all means come along to either of those panels or just collar me about the place. If anyone wants to buy any of my books, they should be available at the Gollancz stand, and of course I'm happy to sign those too. If anyone wants to attack me, not in the face.

And I think that will just about wrap it up for March. Are you as stoked as me? What's that? You're MORE stoked? Get out of here!

Labels: appearances, news

Friday, 18 January 2008

Forthcoming Appearances

So you've probably bought one or two of my books, read them, maybe even liked them. You've turned up to my blog, read it, maybe even cracked a little smile, here or there. Come on! Just a little smile! You're doing it now!

But what next? Is this all there is? You want more, I can see, but how do you continue your journey into the world of all things Abercrombie?

I'll bloody well tell you how. You meet me IN PERSON. Yes, that's right - over the early part of this year I will be extending to you the opportunity to breathe the same air as ME, proper fully published in more than one language and multi-award-elligible author, Joe Abercrombie.

I will therefore be at world-renowned genre bookstore Forbidden Planet on Shaftsbury Avenue in Covent Garden on the evening of Thursday March 20th (in theory from 6-7 but potentially for a bit longer than that) to sign books, among them new hardback and trade paperback editions of Last Argument of Kings, and mass-market paperbacks of The Blade Itself and Before They are Hanged. But hey, bring along some unsigned copies of my books with you and I'll happily sign those too. I'll sign anything you want, in fact. I may even stoop to exchange proper spoken words with you. How good is that?

As though this were not enough, I will be at Eastercon at Heathrow in March. Certainly on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd, possibly also on Friday 21st and Monday 24th. What will I be doing there, you ask? Well, that remains to be seen, but the chances are high it will include booze, talking rubbish, and some form of self-glorification. More details as I have them...

Labels: appearances, news