Monday, 7 December 2009

Rothfuss and Abercrombie - in Conversation

Have you ever wanted to see your very favouritest new-ish epic fantasy author interviewed by, say, your second favouritest? Well now could be your chance...

For over at his blog, you can witness the transcript of a conversation between award-winning, New York Times bestselling, widely highly thought of author of Name of the Wind Patrick "best new beard in fantasy" Rothfuss, and award-nominated, not quite New York Times bestselling, widely thought of author of other books which aren't Name of the Wind, Joe "could you even call that stubble" Abercrombie.

Unfortunately it was a conversation carried out via her majesty's email rather than in leather armchairs, upon a spotlit stage, with much furrowing of brows, steepling of fingers, silences exploding with meaning, and staring at the ceiling in consideration of the fantastic depth of our own thought processes before a rapt audience. But still. No less (or, indeed, more) insightful for that.

The occasion? For anyone unaware, Mr. Rothfuss last year ran a fundraiser for Heifer International which pulled in over $100,000. This year he's at it again, and he has all kinds of wonderful things to give away contributed by persons in the science fiction and fantasy community. Among them some signed copies of some book called Best Served Cold by some author who isn't Pat Rothfuss. So give today, and you can combine that warm glowy feeling (no, not of wetting yourself, of philanthropy) with the joy of self-centred acquisition.

Proof positive that the world isn't actually as evil a place as you'd think from JUST reading The First Law.

Labels: interviews, news

Friday, 4 December 2009

Progress Report

Posting has been erratic lately due to the necessity of playing Dragon Age until the small hours of the night. It's a dirty job, but someone has to take the fight to those pesky darkspawn. You all are lucky to have me and my plucky band of heroes out there fighting the good fight on your behalf. Consider that.

In the few moments I've had in between struggling against the forces of evil, disciplining my wayward children, and trying to exert control on my as yet unstarted building project, I've finished my first draft of the third of five parts of my latest book, The Heroes. Ah, it hardly feels as if I've even begun and already over half way through. 140,000 words so far, or coming up on three Great Gatsbys. I really should write some shorter books one of these days.

Still, I think it's starting to come together. Central characters are taking shape, some themes and threads are becoming more important while others fade into the shadows to be brutally murdered and dragged away to unmarked graves during the editing process. With any luck I'll plan out the final two parts over the next month and have them drafted out by spring, largely edited by summer, and therefore ready for publication Feb 2011 as previously promised with fingers well crossed behind my back. Naturally neither I nor anyone else even faintly connected with me takes any responibility for possible failures to meet this deadline. I suggest you read the small print on the contract with the reader. Those things aren't worth the paper they aren't printed on.

In other news - The Fool Jobs, my story for the Anders/Strahan edited Swords and Dark Magic, is now copy edited and done, and ready to proudly take its place as the rearguard to a fantastic collection of writers. The anthology should be along June 2010, and I'm very excited to read it myself. Well, not my story so much, I've read that one. But the other stories, definitely.

In other, other news Chris McGrath has turned in artwork for the alternative UK Mass Market edition of Before They are Hanged, and it is GREAT. Seriously, I was a little surprised by the chequered response to the alternative Blade Itself, but if anyone doesn't like this one I will turn up at your house and BURN YOU. I'll post a copy as soon as design sorceress Laura Brett has worked her evil-but-oh-so-good magic upon it, then you can all whoop and snap your outrage like the pack of mangey curs you are.

Right. Back to Dragon Age.

Labels: news, progress

Tuesday, 20 October 2009

Swords and Dark Magic

So I've dropped a couple of hints that I'd have a short story in an anthology coming out next year. Its co-editor, the very wonderful Lou Anders, has now posted the table of contents so I feel free to reproduce it, because it is a doozy, and you are going to want a piece of this, oh yes you are:

"Introduction: Check Your Dark Lord at the Door" - Lou Anders & Jonathan Strahan
"Goats of Glory" - Steven Erikson
"Tides Elba: A Tale of the Black Company" - Glen Cook
"Bloodsport" - Gene Wolfe
"The Singing Spear" - James Enge
"A Wizard of Wiscezan" - C.J. Cherryh
"A Rich Full Week" - K. J. Parker
"A Suitable Present for a Sorcerous Puppet" - Garth Nix
"Red Pearls: An Elric Story" - Michael Moorcock
"The Deification of Dal Bamore" - Tim Lebbon
"Dark Times at the Midnight Market" - Robert Silverberg
"The Undefiled" - Greg Keyes
"Hew the Tint Master" - Michael Shea
"In the Stacks" - Scott Lynch
"Two Lions, A Witch, and the War-Robe" - Tanith Lee
"The Sea Troll's Daughter" - Caitlin R Kiernan
"Thieves of Daring" - Bill Willingham
"The Fool Jobs" - Joe Abercrombie

Ouch. I think you'd have to agree, that is pretty darned heavyweight. Lou and Jonathan wanted to produce an anthology that would combine some old masters of Sword and Sorcery with some of the newer writers in the form and get a definitive look at the field, and I'd say they've succeeded with some pretty flying colours. Particularly pleased to have a short story in an athology alongside Michael Moorcock, since I read and really enjoyed his stories as a kid. Shool-an-Jivan, Lord of all that is dead in the Sea, may well still be my favourite name in all of fantasy...

The book's due out from Harper Eos, June 22 2010, but you can pre-order now. There's also going to be a limited edition from Subterranean Press in due course, I believe.

A collection not to be missed by anyone who likes sorcery with their swords, or vice versa. My own story is relatively chunky (8-9,000 words, which puts it in the novelette bracket, I believe) and features some characters from the forthcoming The Heroes, but I know next to nothing about any of the others. I'm actually really keen to get a copy myself so I can find out more...

Labels: news

Tuesday, 1 September 2009

The Emperor's New Covers

So there is to be a new UK Mass-Market Paperback Edition of THE gritty epic fantasy debut of 2006 (obviously excluding Scott Lynch's, Brian Ruckley's, or Tom Lloyd's, and no, Pat Rothfuss was 2007, you cheeky so-and-sos), The Blade Itself , appearing in time for Christmas, and it looks a-little something like this:


Oooooooooh. Somewhat of a departure, I think you'll agree.

The existing UK Mass-Market paperbacks are B-Format (slightly larger size), these will be A-Format (classic small bookstand size), and hence probably somewhat fatter (so pretty damn fat - 624 pages). The long established parchmenty treatments have, of course, served the books well on both sides of the pond:


As have the slightly updated versions with ego-swelling big name and small title:


Which will continue to be printed, in fact, and so will co-exist with the new treatments for the time being. Indeed the original covers (by design sorceress Laura Brett) have probably been the most consistently admired thing about the series. But there was a feeling that theyweren't necessarily grabbing the core epic fantasy reader as hard as they might be, or at least that an alternate, more classic cover might broaden the market, and possibly encourage better buying-in and shelving from some booksellers.

Art is by Chris McGrath who does a lot of Urban Fantasy covers but less epic-style stuff, and I reckon he's done a bang up job. Gritty, impactful, and says epic fantasy without the slightest whiff of cheesiness (which is not an easy trick to pull off). Not at all a bad representation of Master Ninefingers either. Never an easy thing for an author to see his/her characters made manifest like that. Glokta (Before They are Hanged) and Jezal (Last Argument of Kings) will be following over the next few months, at which point there'll probably be some tweaking to give it more of a unified series feel...

Labels: artwork, news

Tuesday, 25 August 2009

The Heroes

With Best Served Cold already three months out (can it really be so long?), perhaps the time has come to talk a little about my next book. Like Best Served Cold it's intended to be a semi-standalone, which can be read on its own (hopefully) but has a few characters and settings in common with the First Law.

It is called:

The Heroes

Both because the action centres around a ring of standing stones called the Heroes, and because it's about heroism and that (meant semi-ironically, of course). It mostly takes place over the course of three days, and is the story of a single battle for control of the North. Think Lord of the Rings meets A Bridge Too Far, with a sprinkling of Band of Brothers and Generation Kill. It's about war, you get me? Principally it follows the (mis)adventures of six assorted persons on both sides and different levels of command, whose paths intersect during the course of the battle in various fateful, horrible, wonderful, surprisingly violent, surprisingly unviolent, and hilarious ways. With the Northmen: a veteran losing his nerve who just wants to keep his crew alive, an ex-Prince determined to claw his way back to power by any means necessary, a young lad determined to win a place in the songs for himself. With the Union: A depressive swordsman who used to be the king's bodyguard, a profiteering standard-bearer, and the venomously ambitious daughter of the Marshal in command. But of course a fair few familiar faces show up on both sides...

I'm just finishing up the first draft of the second part of five, so two fifths of the way through, about 85,000 words in. Which means the whole thing is looking like about 220,000 words - similar length to Best Served Cold and Last Argument of Kings. Really want to write some shorter books one of these days. REALLY want to. Provided I keep writing relatively smoothly (which is by no means a certainty given that we've got a massive building project starting over the next few months), the whole first draft will hopefully be done spring next year. A fair bit of editing will no doubt be required, though, meaning that an October publication is just too tight. For small fry like me November through January is pretty much the zone of death, which means February 2011 is probably the soonest you guys can expect to see it lighting up the shelves, alas.

That'll mean 20 months between books, which is a fair bit more than I'd like in general but, hey, maybe I'll be able to get a head start on the next thing (yeah, right). It also means no book from me in 2010, though I'll have a short story out in an anthology. So, the headlines:

The Heroes. It's about War. February 2011 (hopefully).

Labels: announcements, news, process

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

Monday, 20 July 2009

America Catches Up! (and reviews)

Great news for Americans! Finally, you have caught up with the British. No, not in economic, diplomatic, industrial, constitutional, military, scientific, sporting or cultural ways, obviously, but in something FAR MORE IMPORTANT. Yes, indeed, it would appear that you can now get a US Hardcover of Best Served Cold, for as far as I can tell amazon.com are now shipping the book.

No doubt the US release will lead to a new wave of reviews and opinions, which I am naturally chomping at the bit to see. A few have floated past my consciousness in the last month or so, though. Interzone did an in-depth review and interview this month, and said, among other things:

"Abercrombie's narrative twists and turns, playing with but also against the reader's expectations. His characters do likewise; as a result it is easier initially to indetify with them, but their realistic unpredictability means that it's almost impossible to determine what will eventually happen. Rather, in fact, like life, and for me, one of the great pleasures of Joe Abercrombie's fiction is that his characters are lifelike."

Come forth and be pleasured. By lifelike characterisation. Writer Tim Stretton has also had a look at the book over at sf&fantasy enthusiasts. He is enthusiastic:

"Best Served Cold is every bit as bleak, gory, funny and accomplished as its predecessors ... this is a vigorous, morally complex book, vivid in its depictions of war and its grown-up cousin diplomacy. Best Served Cold is highly recommended."

But I dunno, are you allowed to be unenthusiastic over there? You can certainly be unenthusiastic at Neth Space, though, and Ken was, just a little, in his review of Best Served Cold:

"The First Law Trilogy was a refreshing offering in the often stale genre of epic fantasy. Hoping for an equally refreshing read in Best Served Cold, I found that any novelty remaining quickly wore off."

Hmm. This complaint about everything feeling a little familiar feels a little familiar. Where did I read it before, now? Ah! In Ken's review of Before They are Hanged.

"Before They Are Hanged does all this (and more), but since this is the second book of the trilogy, the novelty of the approach has worn off. With the novelty gone, things almost become tiresome in places."

Hmm. One might almost be tempted to say something like - "the more-of-same approach of Ken's reviews entertains, yet becomes tedious at times and unfortunately left me wanting more of that special something that I'm convinced he can give." But of course I've got way more class than that. WAY MORE. Not as much as the folks at ferretbrain, though, who are prone to write some criticism both insightful, amusing, and well-written while yet being conversational (yes, I can be nice when I'm in the rare mood). And there's a very interesting and in-depth reaction to Best Served Cold from Kyra Smith , who you could say has a love it/hate it relationship to my work, and finds herself once again conflicted:

"By the end I wasn't entirely sure what I thought, although the fact I got there at the speed I did proves one thing at least: the man can write a gripping story. And, even though I have yet to fully establish whether I actually like what he writes, I'm still hopelessly intrigued by his books."

Well, I guess that's a lot better than being hopelessly bored by 'em, eh? She finishes with a conclusion not dissimilar to Ken's actually, though perhaps more positively expressed:

"It's set in the same world, it has a similar approach, similar characters and, hell, even the same damn cover. It has the comparable strengths and weaknesses of The First Law Trilogy, except the weaknesses bothered me less and the strengths seemed more pronounced. In short, if Joe Abercrombie is a one trick pony, it'll be a fucking stallion by the time he's done."

Hi ho silver!

And finally, to possibly the strangest review of my works I've ever come across, from BC Woods at Dunce Upon a Time, an amusing yet slightly scary piece which begins with an examination of the First Law and ends (or perhaps I was hallucinating) with the torture of giant talking Penises. For real. And he really liked the books. I can only imagine what he has to say about books he doesn't like. Actually, scratch that. I CAN'T imagine it.

Labels: news, reviews

Tuesday, 14 July 2009

Weeks's Bane

Will you lookee here. Overnight-sensation fantasy-wunderkind extended-NYT-bestselling-author-of-Way-of-Shadows Brent Weeks has thrown down the gauntlet, and I is going to be opening a can of proverbial verbal whoop-ass on his ... ass. Apparently. There are, in fact, some factual inaccuracies in his post. Chiefly that I haven't weighed ten stone since 1992. But also his assertion that I wear lily-white trunks when everyone knows I go for pink leopard print with gold and silver tassles. I am FAMOUS for my trunks, and he KNOWS this.


Just look at him. Just LOOK at him. Mr book-every-month, with his oh-so-carefully manicured chinny beard. Doesn't he know that Brent is a London Borough, not a proper christian name at all? I mean what's next, an edgy fantasy duology written by Camden Months? A twelve-book series released over twelve hours by Marylebone Years?

And do you know what else? I don't reckon he really can write a book a month. I mean who does he think he is, Brandon Sanderson? I reckon he spent ages writing all three books, and then they just released them over a three month period! Yeah! How about THAT?

Anyway, to the point. Me and Brent will be sharing guest duties at the Border's Book Blog (sfnal section) for a month from, I believe, the 21st July, where they have already enjoyed starring appearances from writers such as the aforementioned Brandon Sanderson, China Mieville, Kim Harrison et al. Never before however have they hosted a DUEL TO THE DEATH (or mild embarrasment) between two GIANTS OF THE FIELD (or pygmies of the subgenre). Probably we'll actually agree on everything of importance but we'll do it in a REALLY ADVERSARIAL WAY. Anyway, drop by, comment, join in the fun as we TEAR EACH OTHERS BEARDS OUT HAIR BY HAIR. Or perhaps just discuss the fine points of authorial responsibility in a civilised manner.

Nice shirt, by the way. I think MY GRANDAD HAD ONE.

Labels: news

Friday, 10 July 2009

more e-books - Kindle

Following hot on the heels of e-books in the uk, and since a couple of folks were asking about the chances of a Kindle version in response to the other post, it would appear Best Served Cold will be available on Kindle via Orbit in the US at the same time as the US hardcover version (July 29th).

And this one will cost you but 10 bucks, which will almost certainly be cheaper than the hardcover, even heavily discounted. Which seems much more realistic and attractive pricing to me - a lot closer to the business model I'd like to see. I reckon now is the time - while the technology is still in its infancy - to be bringing people into the fold with pricing that seems generous. That way people will buy readers knowing there'll be a decent amount of books available at a decent price (after all, an e-reader's only as good as the books you can get on it), and hopefully get into the habit of buying them legitimately. Rather than encouraging folks to pilfer them off the darknet via prohibitive pricing, and making that a more and more widely used and accepted way of doing things. It seems publishers and booksellers are prone to see this as a threat rather than an opportunity. Clearly books and music aren't quite in the same boat, as a paper book still offers advantages that an e-reader probably won't for some time to come, while a downloaded song and one played from cd are pretty much identical, but it would be a shame if we were to repeat the mistakes of the music industry...

Labels: news

Thursday, 2 July 2009

e-books, limited editions, and exciting anthologies

Pleased to note that Best Served Cold, and the First Law Trilogy, are now available on e-book via Waterstones.com:

The Blade Itself
Before They Are Hanged
Last Argument of Kings
Best Served Cold

The prices are a tad disappointing - £10 and change for Best Served Cold when a hardback is selling at £8.50, and around £6 for the First Law books when mass-market paperbacks are available for a mere £4.

My own feeling about e-piracy and so forth is that it's virtually impossible to put a stop to - the more popular you are the more torrents will endlessly spring up, and most of them in places where folks don't respond to a polite email. The only effective way to combat it is to provide people with a higher quality service than pirates do, more easily available and at a price that seems reasonable. Then I think most will be happy to pay.

One problem is that a lot of users somehow think that e-books, since they don't have to be printed, are pure profit for the publisher and should therefore be virtually free whereas, of course, the great majority of the costs that go into making a paper book (commissioning, editing, artwork, marketing, repping, promoting and, erm, paying the author) still apply with an ebook. Champions of a revolutionary future of free-love filesharing where writers and readers will all be liberated from the shackles of publishers tend to forget the vital role they play as gatekeepers and ensurers of a certain level of quality (you may think some books that are published are rubbish but believe me, until you've seen a slush pile you really have no idea).

Even so, selling ebooks at more than the cost of the paper books is going to look just a wee bit like taking the piss to some buyers, I suspect. I'd like to see them retail at most at the same price as the paper equivalents, and ideally somewhat lower. At the moment most publishers and booksellers are still focused on the paper market where heavy discounts are applying more and more widely, making ebooks something of a speciality item and hence relatively more expensive. Hopefully in due course that will change, and I'll certainly be pressing them to lower the price as soon and as much as possible but, hey, it's a start.

In other news, I am delighted to relate that Subterranean Press, purveyors of high quality limited and special editions to the world's bibliophiles, will be publishing a signed limited edition illustrated hardcover of The Blade Itself. If it does well, and let's all hope it does, they will follow up with the rest of the trilogy. Not sure of the details yet - how many shall be the print run, who shall be the artist, how many and what style of plates shall be involved, but they have a great track record of involving the author closely so you will know when I know. Believe me, these guys make some beautiful books.

And finally, I probably mentioned a little while ago that I was writing a short story for a Sword and Sorcery anthology. Just heard a list of names of some of the other authors who will be contributing, and it's a strong line-up. VERY strong. Can't give any names yet, but I think lovers of edgy and interesting fantasy both old and new will get quite excited about this one...

Labels: announcements, news

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

Sunday, 21 June 2009

Almost Glory

The validity of the David Gemmell Legend Award was called into serious question on Friday night when I didn't win.

A ha ha.

Andrzej Sapkowski won for his Blood of Elves, so congratulations to him (forced spittily through gritted teeth, of course). In many ways not that surprising since he's much the biggest selling author on the list - bigger than Stephen King in his native Poland and pretty massive in translation in Europe and elsewhere - it shows the huge difficulty authors who don't write in English face getting translated into English that Sapkowski has only in the last couple of years had UK and US releases. So it may be that the award had a lot more votes from outside the inward-looking English-speaking world (apparently only 500 out of 10,000 votes were from the UK, for example, though my figures might be only hearsay) or it may be that people just thought Sapkowski's book was better than the others on the list ...

But I won a pewter battle-axe which, though small, probably has enough heft to cause serious injury, which was nice, and even better got the opportunity to hold a full size full-on steel one which most definitely could cause serious injury:


It makes you feel powerful, believe me, but is frakking heavy. And before you ask I wasn't extremely drunk, just naturally heavy-lidded. (Thanks to Liz for the photo, which I have nicked without permission from her website - bit like I get the ideas for my books, now you mention it).

In any case, it was a great event, very well organised, much the most professional genre awards I've ever attended (not that I can say I've attended that many). I think it's a good thing that there should be an award for epic/heroic/commercial fantasy, and that it should commemorate David Gemmell's own contribution. I hope it continues to grow and flourish and get wide involvement in years to come.

In other news of almost-glory Best Served Cold made number 11 on the Nielsen hardcover bestseller list in its first week out in the UK. Brilliant news on one level, of course, but a tad frustrating on another to just miss the top ten and hence be unable to (honestly) call myself a Times Bestseller. "Nearly Bestselling Author Joe Abercrombie" doesn't have quite the same ring to it, does it. Still, it was a tough week and with heavy-hitters of mainstream publishing like James Patterson, Wilbur Smith, Sarah Waters and Lee Child ahead of me, I don't suppose I can grumble. Well, I could. I kind of am. But I definitely shouldn't be. I should be thanking all the hard-working folks at my publisher for their hardworkingness and congratulating them on getting the book to 11. And keeping it at 20 this week, for that matter. It's a great showing for a book of its type (that is one unlikely to find its way onto supermarket shelves where a lot of bulk sales occur these days). So congratulations to the minions of Orion in all their guises, and we shall wreak a bloody vengeance upon the bestseller list next year, mark my words. You hear me, Patterson and the rest? I'm coming for you!

Oh. Might be the year after, though...

Labels: 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

Monday, 1 June 2009

Release Date

Rejoice, my friends, for Best Served Cold now walks among you! In fact it's been available in bookshops here and there for a few days, as UK bookshops have a flexible attitude towards release dates, but from today it should be in Waterstones across the nation and is also, it would appear, shipping from amazon uk as well as other reputable internet purveyors...

And what better way for an author to celebrate the publication of one of his books than to sign a few?


A thousand, in fact, at the warehouse. Two pallets full. I'd never done anything like this before, so it was quite strange to see so many in one place. After signing about fifty your signature (which is a bit of a scrawl in my case anyway) turns into a complete shambles. You can't remember how it works any more at all. Then, strangely, after about a hundred, it goes onto automatic and comes out pretty well. Took about two hours to do the lot, with help from the wonderful folks at Littlehampton Book Services, and I swear, by the end, my hand hadn't hurt so much since I was thirteen.

Writing for three hours solid in an English exam, obviously. What did you think I meant?

Apologies, by the way, for ongoing email silence. Still don't have a regular internet connection, let alone my email accounts repaired. This time next week, with any luck, we should have actually moved into the new house and things might be up and running again. We shall see...

Labels: news, process

Friday, 24 April 2009

Exciting News!

Oooooooh.

Looks as if Best Served Cold will be Waterstones sci-fi/fantasy book of the month for June. That's exciting for me, of course, because it means all kinds of excellent selling opportunities like end displays and tables and stickers, and those little tags on the shelves where x says they love y because of z. It's exciting for me because I love sales like Scipio Africanus loved dead Carthaginians. That boy could NEVER get enough, and neither can I. Sales, that is, not Carthaginians.

But maybe you're thinking - "Hold on. I don't know if that's all that exciting for ME. I can see why you're excited, Joe, but why should I be, huh? I already knew the book was coming. I've already been jonesing for the book ever since I finished Last Argument of Kings. My life has been on HOLD, man. I've already ordered the book. I'm not going to get it until the 18th of June when I'll lock myself in the bathroom so I can read it six times and my friends will all think I've died. I don't need Waterstones to tell me to buy it. So just what good is this to me, Joe, huh? Why the hell should I be excited? WHAT'S IN THIS FOR ME, JOE, FOR ME?"

Whoah, there, calm down. What's in it for you is that Waterstones want to make it book of the month for June, right? That means the whole month. That means right from the start of June, not just from the 18th. That means publication comes back. That means the book's going to be out in the UK on June 1st, not June 18th. Imagine how many times you could read it locked in the toilet for those WHOLE EXTRA 18 DAYS.

Now do you see why you should be excited?

Do ya?

Labels: announcements, news

Monday, 20 April 2009

Back in the Trenches

Just been through the page proofs of Best Served Cold and made a few teensy little adjustments, which means the book is now officially out of the door as far as I'm concerned.

Done, finished, and complete.

I'm actually very happy with it, now, which is good, because for a long time - probably up to about two-thirds of the way through the first draft - I wasn't particularly happy with it. The central character, in particular, took quite a while to come together. The characters of the First Law had been developing and maturing in my head for a long time - some of them since childhood - and so they leaped much more fully formed onto the page. A couple of the point-of-view characters in Best Served Cold came out easily but the more central, more complicated ones took a fair bit of trial and error to find the right voice, the right style of writing. It took a while for me to know who they were, if you like, and that was somewhat worrying and damaging to the confidence. That's right. My confidence is not the impenetrable tower of adamant it seems. Within this harshly beautiful, heroically manly shell lies a heart-achingly vulnerable little boy who just wants to be loved. And that little boy worried. I wondered if I'd ever write a book as good as my previous one again. I would say things like, "well, not every book you write can be great." Had I lost it, if, indeed, I ever had it? Would I ever have it again? What is it anyway?

To put it more succinctly, I was worried the book would be shit.

Probably this is the kind of tosh that every writer ceaselessly bores their family and editor with. And when I say ceaselessly... As a result it took a fair bit longer to write than Last Argument of Kings - maybe 18 months compared to 14? It was also intended to be a bit shorter - around 175,000 words, and ended up about the same length - around 225,000. Still, things have to be the length that's right, and I think it justifies the girth (unlike my abdomen) and reads pretty quickly, covers a lot of ground for a single book. Perhaps it doesn't have quite the depth of characterisation the First Law had, but it's certainly a lot tighter, leaner, more economical and more focused (again, unlike my abdomen). Smoother in the pacing, too, and rather richer and more precise in the worldbuilding (that's right, the worldbuilding, would you believe). I'd say it's my best book yet, for what that's worth, though no doubt my own feelings will change over time, particularly as it goes out into the world, like a bright-eyed child off for their first day of school, knowing nothing of the bullying, homework, teen pregnancy and hard drug abuse that is to come. How will the readers respond? Will they think it's my best book yet? Hmm. Opinions always vary, and I'm sure they'll vary this time...

But even before it hits the shelves I'm back in the trenches of my next book, about 11,000 exploratory words into my first draft, fumbling with plot and wrestling with structural issues, worrying that I don't really know who the characters are, that they won't be sympathetic, won't be realistic, won't be compelling, and saying things like, "well, not every book you write can be great." If only I'd been through this before, and could look back and say, "you were worried last time, and it all came out fine." Ah well...

In other news, I note that voting on the David Gemmell Legend Award has now opened. So pop over to the site and get involved. You could even vote for me, if you fancied it, but hey, if not, you could vote for Joe Abercrombie, or maybe Last Argument of Kings. The choice is yours.

As I've probably said before, I reckon it's a good thing, overall, to have an award that's aimed squarely at the more commercial end of fantasy, which tends to be a little bit overlooked by existing genre awards. I preferred the original idea of a public vote to establish a shortlist of 5 from which a winner would be picked by a panel, as that seemed to ensure a popular shortlist while preventing winners from being chosen purely on the basis of internet popularity or (dare one say) actual fraud. A full-on public vote seems to me to reward the most popular author, the biggest series, the best-known book, which I've always thought of as a little pointless since it basically rewards sales, which are kind of their own reward, and gives publicity to those who need it least.

But, you know, every award is a poll of one group or another with its own makeup and natural biases, and every award is endlessly criticised for the particular group it chooses to poll. Those that use membership of a certain convention as an academy (like the Hugos) tend to get accused of being unrepresentative and out of touch. Those that use a professional body (like the Nebulas) tend to get accused of being a club which gives an award to the most popular member of the club. Those that are based on public vote are accused of being populist, pointless, and subject to fanboy tampering. Panel-based ones are accused of being elitist, random, and over-literary. There's really no pleasing everyone. Especially on the internet. Good article from Adam Roberts on the issue, for anyone who hasn't read it.

Still, This year's shortlist actually seems to me quite a varied one, within the confines of the epic/heroic/secondary world-ish end of the spectrum. Two americans, a new zealander, a brit, and a pole. I'd find it hard to pick a winner. Sanderson was doing nicely and his profile has no doubt been much boosted by his involvement with Wheel of Time. Weeks, though only published recently, has already hit the NYT bestseller list, so he must have a fair few readers out there. Sapkowski, though only recently translated into English, has been a massive-selling author in Poland for some time, and has probably sold more books than the entirety of the rest of the list combined. Marillier is more of an unknown quantity to me - though strangely enough she interviewed me a while ago for a writers website, and on my visit to Holland recently Wim Stolk was fulsome in his praise for her books. She's a writer who doesn't get duscussed much on the forums and blogs I occasionally frequent, but her being on the shortlist only demonstrates what a surprisingly unrepresentative world those forums and blogs can sometimes be, even of the wider internet, let alone the reading public as a whole.

If the aim of the award is to a) commemorate Gemmell and his contribution to the genre, and b) celebrate continuing contributions, they seem to be making a pretty good stab of it, especially since, as I understand it, publishers and booksellers seem to be interested in getting involved and doing some promotion based around the shortlist. And you know, it's hard work to launch something new, and if it works out it will take a few years. There are bound to be teething issues to begin with. As long as they help me win, who cares?

A ha ha.

Labels: news, process

Monday, 13 April 2009

interviews, reviews, awards

Various things to link to. A lengthy and in-depth interview with me up at Literatopia, a german books-related site. English version here, German translation should be coming shortly. Though it occurs to me that if you can read this, your English is probably good enough to follow the English version. Anyway, we discuss all kinds of things, from writing female characters, to inspirations, to foreign covers, to whether I'm like Inquisitor Glokta. Only in that I often poo myself in bed. A ha ha. I'm joking. Really.

Or am I?

Next, I note, somewhat tardily, that my close personal friend Joe Mallozzi (alright, I admit we've never met) - writer, producer, executive producer, and dark overlord with sundry parts of the far-flung Stargate empire has cast his discerning eye over a proof of Best Served Cold:

"It's fast-paced, absorbing, darkly humorous, and unabashedly violent, fraught with crosses, double-crosses, triple-crosses and 'back up a second did that really happen?!' moments. Gripping stuff. A terrific introduction to the work of Joe Abercrombie for first-time readers, and an immensely rewarding read for fans of the author. Highly recommended."

I'd like to deny it, but it's all true.

In other news, I note that I've wormed my way onto the Shortlist of five for the inaugural David Gemmell Legend Award for Fantasy with Last Argument of Kings. Also appearing are Juliet Marillier, Brandon Sanderson, Andrzej Sapkowski and Brent Weeks. Hmmm. My hissed congratulations through gritted teeth to my mortal rivals AHEM colleagues on the ballot. My heartfelt commiserations (alright, touchdown-dance-style gloatings) to those who didn't make the shortlist.

The process for deciding the winner is some kind of a public vote, so naturally I will let you know how YOU can help ME overcome the forces of evil as represented by these four authors, and strike a blow for righteousness in the form of ... er ... me, as soon as I know. It is YOUR CHANCE TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE, PEOPLE.

That is all.

Labels: interviews, news, reviews

Tuesday, 7 April 2009

Going Underground

Some among you have already emailed me to let me know that you've seen a most surprising - could one even say fantastical - thing, namely vast posters advertising my books on the London tube. Naturally I took these for elaborate pranks/sinister deceptions on the part of rival authors/belated april fools. Imagine my shock, therefore, when I got off a northbound Piccadilly line train at Finsbury Park station, where I live and breathe, to see THIS:


Someone had mentioned at some point that they might be doing some advertising on the tube, but I'd assumed they meant some of those dog-eared stickers promoting rubbish club nights opportunistically slapped over some poor model's face on the cards up the escalators, along with used-up blobs of chewing gum. Not, you know, proper big-ass three-sheet posters like you get for Hollywood movies and that:


I think I must be the only author in history to get MORE marketing than they were hoping for.

The interesting thing for me, once I'd got over the bowel-loosening shock of it happening at all, is that the approach is very much pitching to a mainstream audience rather than a fantasy-specific one. I'm described as being "David Gemmell x CJ Sansom". Gemmell is heroic fantasy to the core, of course, but Sansom is much more of your general historical mystery fiction. That's no surprise, in a sense, because my stuff, as you all know, is just as much about plumbing the depths of the universal human spirit as it is about smashing faces in with a magic sword. Honest. Of course, every writer thinks their own stuff is deep and ace and should appeal to anyone with half a brain. I'm actually right though. Obviously.

In truth, I'm always suspicious of any talk that splits readers into fantasy or mainstream. I think all readers are individuals with a whole range of different tastes, and such distinctions are often accompanied by a load of bullsh*t paranoid tribalism that doesn't really have anything helpful to say about the real world, where nothing is black and white and all is shades of grey. Few indeed are those who read nothing but fantasy, just as few folks who read much at all won't ever have delved into a Tolkien or CS Lewis at some point. Still, the distinction is important as far as marketing goes. After all, imprints tend to be either genre or not, and books have to be shelved somewhere within the bookstore, however arbitrarily the distinctions sometimes are. With every genre book there's always a decision to be made, therefore - keep it safe, stick a dragon on the front and aim for a reliable core audience, or try to appeal to a wider readership and take the risk that no one will like it? Do you plump for the sf section where you know there should be steady trade, or do you aim to get your fantasy shelved at the front of the store, and risk fantasy buyers walking straight past to the fantasy section to buy, say David Gemmell, while the more general buyers ignore your tawdry magic-sword based nonsense in favour of, say, CJ Sansom?

Anyway, I digress. Will this bring in new readers? Very hard to say, really. I'd certainly like it to, whether they be mainstream or fantastical. Will it do more good than a lower impact campaign, more focused on stuff like genre magazines and websites, where you're hoping to hit a more targeted audience, perhaps a more explicitly fantasy-reading audience? Again, very hard to judge. I'd say I've spent a dozen years riding the tube pretty regularly and never bought anything as a result of the constant bombardment of advertisements I'm exposed to down there. But then everyone would say that, and they're quite obviously wrong, aren't they, cause if they weren't, no one would advertise in the first place. And it can achieve things without directly converting a commuter from "never heard of him" to "I will buy that immediately" - a more subtle increase in recognisability of the author's name or the book's cover. But in all honesty, this isn't necessarily about selling books to readers. Not directly, anyway. Just as important as the selling out is the selling in, that is the selling of books to booksellers. A publisher can point to a big-splash style campaign of this kind and say, "we're taking this seriously, so should you," and hopefully get booksellers to stock more, shelve better, and so on. So I guess we will see how it goes, and regardless of the figures, find a way to declare it a ringing success.

I certainly can't complain that the publisher isn't taking me seriously. I asked my editor if I would be getting advances in the region of CJ Sansom x David Gemmell now. She said it would be more like divided by.

You laugh because it's funny, you laugh because it's true...

Labels: news, process

Wednesday, 4 March 2009

Best Served Cold Extract

Proofs of Best Served Cold have slaughtered their guards, escaped from captivity and burst out into the wild, so I daresay we can expect the blogosphere to CATCH FIRE with reviews over the next week or two. In the meantime, for those of you unfortunate (or should that be fortunate) enough not to be an internet sf&f reviewer, I have a little something to whet, and, indeed, wet, your appetites for high-quality hilarious yet extremely violent and morally questionable fantasy fiction.

For the ENTIRE first chapter of Best Served Cold is available HERE, NOW on my website, free of charge, for your READING PLEASURE.

You lucky bastards.

Labels: news

Tuesday, 13 January 2009

Forthcoming Attractions

Ah, that long, slow lull at the start of the year. Always seems to take a couple of weeks for things to really get moving again, don't it? Plus I'm in celebration/mourning for the end of my last book, and engaged in that thumb-twiddling period we call thinking about the next book.

So, this month I will mostly be:

1. Doing a round of updates to the website, which hopefully will go live before long, though possibly not until next month, and will include a sizable extract from Best Served Cold. None other than the explosive whole first chapter. Contain your enthusiasm, people! Though you might want a bucket of ice-water handy when I tell you that there might also be a link to a MAP OF STYRIA. I am too good to you. Around the same time, with any luck and a little help from the God of Release Dates, proofs of Best Served Cold should begin to go out, accompanied by, I can pretty much guarantee, outrageous claims on the back cover as to my genius, critical acclaim, exclusivity, commerciality, sales, and sexual prowess which may verge dangerously close to hype. Guard your fragile minds, advance readers, lest you be beguiled. I wonder if it will be with this book or the next that I will suffer a brutal backlash for my surely unsustainable levels of interweb popularity. It only takes one little boy, after all, to pull his finger out of the dyke and say, "you know, I'm not sure Abercrombie's really all that good..." And before you know it we'll be swept away by a flood of shit reviews. You mark my words. I'm prepared to weather the storm, though, because, as we all know, it isn't until you recieve a universal critical crap-panning that the sales really skyrocket...

2. Writing a short story. Yes, that's right. Never done it before, so it should be interesting. I'm also using it as a bit of a sounding board for some character ideas, as it's going to feature a set of characters who'll be central to the NEXT BOOK (see below). The story is for an anthology which I'm quite excited to be a part of, nominally of sword and sorcery stories, although with the convergence of sword and sorcery with epic fantasy into the whole area of edgy fantasy it looks like it will feature contributions from all kinds of exciting new faces on the fantasy scene, seasoned by some well-known, long-established and much-respected names. Can't say who yet. Won't be coming along until 2010, though, so fight desperately to contain that excitement, people!

3. And, of course, planning for that all important NEXT BOOK. The strange life of the author, wherein I'm pondering the next book six months before most readers will get to read the last, such that by the time it comes out, I'm thoroughly buried in the next project where praise or criticism for the last are both equally burdensome. Oh yes (you can't see, but I'm beating my chest), it is so terribly hard to be a maverick creative! Anyway, let it never be said that I keep you in the dark. The next (fifth) book will be a standalone not unlike Best Served Cold - that is taking place in the world of the First Law and featuring some minor characters from the trilogy in more central roles - but if you can think of Best Served Cold as Dark Fantasy meets Hard-Boiled Thriller, this book will be a kind of Dark Fantasy meets Hard-Edged War Story, and will be the thrilling tale of one great battle for control of the North, over the course of three days, from several points of view on both sides and at different levels of the action. Characters will include - a world weary crew of Named Men, a keen young lad desperate to become a hero and claim a name of his own, a Prince determined to regain his father's lost throne by any means necessary, a girl who may or may not be able to talk to god, and a fencing champion dispatched to the North as the King of the Union's observer. Naturally there'll be blood on the snow, blood in the mist, blood in the rain, blood on standing stones, treachery, heroism, cowardice, and blood. Oh, and hilarious banter. And blood. Current, but very, very rough no-promises-made-please-don't-hurt-me-if-I-miss-it projected publication date is October 2010.

And yes, I have a working title, and no, I'm not telling you what it is. Like all the best strip-tease artists, I must retain some shred of mystery, you know...

4. Tangential to number 3, above, I'm doing something that's been virtually unheard of for me over the last few years, and doing some actual reading in the hope of getting some ideas and inspiration. Not fantasy, of course, because, you know, who reads that crap? But a lot of books, fiction and non-fiction, about WAR, from Clausewitz and Sun Tzu, to Grant's Memoirs, to Vietnam combat experiences. And actually I'll be reading some war-related fantasy too. So there. One thing I've already read which I warmly recommend, is a book called The Whale Road, by Robert Low. It's about Vikings, and does a great job of communicating the alien-ness of their mindset, partly through some very nice rhythmic writing, which really gets a sense of the characters and their setting across without wasting pages on exposition. I recommend it. A short book which casts a long shadow.

Oh, and additionally, before I forget. Voting for the David Gemmell Legend Award has now begun, in which a sixty-something long-list of pretty much everything published by a sf/f imprint last year will be reduced to a shortlist of five for further voting to establish the bestest heroicest fantasiest book published last year. We all know the answer to that, right? Whatever THEY may say. Now normally I'd step back, dignified, like, 'cause I'm nothing if not dignified, and let the chips fall where they may. But the organisers have contacted me (as they have all the other folks on the longlist) to ask that I help publicise the award on my website. Therefore:

VOTE FOR ME! VOTE FOR ME! LAST ARGUMENT OF KINGS FTW! YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO.

That is all.

Labels: news, reading

Sunday, 4 January 2009

New Year Honours List

Admit it! I got you! You thought I'd been given a knighthood like that Terry Pratchett. Well, no. I waited by the phone all night, getting more and more annoyed, and her Majesty never rang. Just like last year. But only slightly less prestigious than the approval of the monarch and the opportunity to insist that everyone call me "Sir Joseph", is the approval of various people what blog on the interweb, and inclusion on their end-of-year best of lists. Now, you may be forgiven for thinking this post looks like just a load of self-aggrandising, self back-slapping, self-congratulation. And you'd be right. I mean, is this your first time here? So without further ado...

Amras at A Slight Apocalypse made the obviously wrong-headed assertion that, "Joe Abercrombie started off just okay-ish", but said the mere memory of Last Argument of Kings sent chills down his back. They must have been good chills, cause he ranked it number 3 of the year.

Paul at Blood of the Muse had Last Argument of Kings down as his favourite Fantasy of 2008, and his 2nd favourite genre book. "Incredible battle scenes and classic characters will brook no argument ... the king of fantasy in 2008." And he called Inquisitor Glokta, "one of the greatest fantasy characters of all time." So there.

Benjamin at the Deckled Edge had LAoK down for best fantasy of the year, and second best novel, calling it, "one of the strongest series finishes you'll ever read." Oh yeah.

Aidan at Dribble of Ink had LAoK down for his favourite novel published in 2008, saying it was, "littered with memorable characters, one of the best scenes of single combat I've ever read, and enough surprises to please anyone."

Graeme called Last Argument "a superb ending to a superb trilogy", and rated it his best book of the year. Oh yeah again.

Lastly, but by no means leastly, The Hotties at Pat's Fantasy Hotlist. I must admit I was somewhat disappointed to see that I'd only won "Most Accessible Author," which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but feels a tad like being voted, "Most Likely to Put Out," in a school yearbook. Imagine my delight when I scrolled down to see that he'd made me his SFF Author of the year. Partly on account of my writing talents, but mostly because of my banister-repelling thick head. Hey, I'll take em any way I can get em.

Okay, okay, I know, you're feeling sick. But you've got to give me something, I mean to say. Not even an OBE to dry my tears on?

Labels: news, reviews

Wednesday, 31 December 2008

Happy Birthday to Me

Happy Birthday to me. Happy Birthday to me. Happy Birthday dear meeee-eeeee...

You know the rest.

Yes, I'm 24 for the tenth time today. I tried being 25 for a year back in 2002, but it didn't work out for me, so I've decided to stay where I am...

Out goes 2008, the year of Barrack Obama's election, some world economic thingy, and, more importantly, of course, the thrilling completion of The First Law Trilogy to universally rapturous popular acclaim (DISCLAIMER: actual acclaim may differ from the acclaim stated both in terms of universality, rapture, and popularity, the staff and management of this blog accept no responsibility for crushing disappointments or, indeed, anything else. Always read the small print on any claims of acclaim).

In comes 2009, a year that will no doubt be remembered for various stuff, but chiefly, of course for the publication of Best Served Cold, for I can reveal that my latest book is now totally finished. Yes, I have carried out my own exhaustive and exhausting program of read-throughs, revisions and rewrites, I have absorbed and acted upon some comments from Devi, my wonderful new editor at Orbit in the US. And I have been through the Line Edit from Gillian, my wonderful old editor in the UK. Though she is quite young, in fact.

The Line Edit, for anyone that's wondering, follows the more general edit, and is where your editor goes through the manuscript in detail and physically marks up anything that still bothers her - typically creaky sentence construction, repetitive wording, but also making sure details like timelines, time of day, positioning of settings and so on all make sense, as well as some final tinkering with making plot points as clear as possible. Many of those changes I accept, some I scornfully cast aside with a wrinkled lip and a cry of "Never! How dare you presume to edit ME?" But in the vast majority of cases, even if I don't necessarily agree with the solution out of pure bloody-mindedness, I am often spurred to come up with my own improvement. Which is handy as, by this stage, it becomes harder and harder to tell what's good and what isn't.

Then a final read-through of the whole manuscript, in order, to get a sense of how it flows and correct any little errors, add in a couple of last-minute thoughts and do a tad of tightening here or there, and the book is FINISHED.

Naturally when I say finished, I mean, not actually finished. There is still the copy-edit to wait for and look at, then a final proof-read to undertake. But those should be pretty light. Creatively, it's FINISHED. Mostly. The version I send off today will be the one from which the proofs will be made, which hopefully will be going out to readers, taste-makers and critics some time during the next couple of months. I can almost feel the bile tickling the back of my throat at the thought of the first reviews...

It occurs to me that it's probably been four or five years since I had more than one day at a time where I didn't do any writing, even if it's just been something tangential - a bit of planning, a bit of reading over, a bit of blogging or responding to emails. So I've promised myself (not to mention some of the hazy, dimly-remembered figures who were once my friends and family) that I'd have a couple of months properly off, to read, relax, try to sort out my crippling neck pain, and recharge the batteries.

Sits staring into space, drums fingers for a minute...

Thank god that's over. Right. Next book. And could someone pass the painkillers?

Labels: news, process, reviews

Saturday, 15 November 2008

Best Served Cold Artwork

Take THAT. Pretty much the final cover for the UK edition of Best Served Cold. I should point out it's a hardcover release, though, and you really need to see the whole wraparound, which looks like this:


Mmmmmmmmmmmmm. Click on it to see it in all its glorious detail. Go on. Click on it. You know you want to. Even that's a long way from doing it full justice, though, I have to say. The final version will have the title and the edges of the author-name foiled, probably in chilly gun-metal grey, then the sword and coins embossed and the text debossed. Plus it will be printed on that textured paper for which my previous books have won most of their acclaim. You really have to see it wrapped round a book to get the full effect. You have to handle it, stroke it, caress it, lick it. Well, not the last one, necessarily, that's just something I like to do.


And that's not even a proof cover, it's just a good printout. The book isn't actually Best Served Cold, in case you're wondering. It's Julia Gregson's East of the Sun. Long story. Anyway, it's designed to be of a piece with the new covers for the mass-market editions of the trilogy, that they may all beckon to prospective readers from the shelf, together.

In case you're wondering, I fricking love it. I feel that it expands on the tone set by the previous covers, and establishes something of a unique identity for the books as a whole - a brand, even - which has got to be a good thing. It communicates a lot about the feel and the content - and a real sense of action and violence - without straying into the difficult ground of literal cover art. It manages to be classy and pulpy at once. I think overall the covers achieve the extremely difficult trick of being entirely un-generic, striking, and standing out from the crowd of fantasy artwork while at the same time not seeming to be deliberately NOT FANTASY. I think that's what fantasy covers need to try and achieve, these days, ideally - to not alienate the hardcore fantasy fan while still appealing to the more occasional reader.

It involves the work of no less than six people. Original concept from Simon Spanton (I believe), expanded upon by my editor Gillian Redfearn, who then put the brief together and assembled the team to carry it out (kind of like the A-Team, but with more artistic accumen and less mercy), and co-ordinated the project. The sword was painted by weapons expert Didier Graffet, the map was drawn by map-master Dave Senior, adapting my own scrawl, then the whole was combined and made to live by designer Laura Brett (also responsible for the First Law covers), who added the spatter, coins, parchmenty effects, and lettering. At various stages a pedantic asswipe interposed himself and made everyone's lives a misery. I won't say who, but there's a clue on the cover itself...

The sharp-eyed among you may have noticed that it features a map quite prominently. But Joe! I hear you cry. Aren't you the anti-map guy? Is there a whiff of hypocrisy about this blog today? Well, maybe. I've always had a foot in both camps on this issue, and with a tighter and more defined setting for this book it seemed to make sense. Plus I don't hate maps, I just hate rubbish maps, and this time around there was the opportunity to make sure it was done right, both factually accurate and with some artistic flair. But more discussion of this later, maybe, because for those who give a toss, next week will be Best Served Cold artwork week, in which I will discuss the evolution of cover from twinkle in publisher's eye to fully-realised proof in exhaustive detail...

Labels: announcements, artwork, news, process

Thursday, 13 November 2008

Dutch Edition

Rejoice, good people of Holland, for The Blade Itself is available in Dutch translation, in hardcover, via the good people at Mynx. It goes under the title, De Macht van het Zwaard, or "The Power of the Sword" and it looks a little something like this:


I like it. It's unashamedly a fantasy cover, but it's a nice one. Satisfyingly un-cheesy. Doesn't relate too closely to the precise content of the book, maybe - but the mood is really pretty nice, and the mood is way more important than the specifics, far as I'm concerned. It's a good sense for the harsh and rugged North. Windy up there, huh? As far as the Logen goes (I'm assuming he is a Logen) - it's always weird to see your characters represented in the flesh, as it were, because with literal cover art there are an infinite number of ways it can go wrong and a much narrower band of right. Still, I think this (in spite of the arcane stick with the mysterious glow) hits a lot more than it misses. So thumbs up...

Labels: news

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

Sunday, 26 October 2008

Best Served Cold Copy

So, we have some copy for Best Served Cold now that all parties are happy with. It goes something like this:

Springtime in Styria. And that means war.

There have been nineteen years of blood. The ruthless Grand Duke Orso is locked in a vicious struggle with the squabbling League of Eight, and between them they have bled the land white. While armies march, heads roll and cities burn, behind the scenes bankers, priests and older, darker powers play a deadly game to choose who will be king.

War may be hell but for Monza Murcatto, the Snake of Talins, the most feared and famous mercenary in Duke Orso's employ, it's a damn good way of making money too. Her victories have made her popular - a shade too popular for her employer's taste. Betrayed, thrown down a mountain and left for dead, Murcatto's reward is a broken body and a burning hunger for vengeance. Whatever the cost, seven men must die.

Her allies include Styria's least reliable drunkard, Styria's most treacherous poisoner, a mass-murderer obsessed with numbers and a Northman who just wants to do the right thing. Her enemies number the better half of the nation. And that's all before the most dangerous man in the world is dispatched to hunt her down and finish the job Duke Orso started...

Springtime in Styria. And that means revenge.

Artwork is pretty much there as well. I'll be talking about that in due course. For now let me only say it's pretty damn good. Oh, yes, sir...

And, since folks are asking, the book will be out June 2009 in hardcover in the UK, then a month later in July in hardcover in the US.

Labels: news, process

Friday, 10 October 2008

Two Things

Some fantasy-minded folks are setting up an award to commemorate the late, much-loved, David Gemmell. The David Gemmell Legend Award for Fantasy will be given for the first time in June 2009 for the best fantasy novel of 2008, which means ... oh ... Last Argument of Kings will be eligible, fancy that, I hadn't even realised until just now ...

*Ahem*

Anyway, check out the website, and the long list so far. The idea is, as I understand it, to focus on the more heroic/epic (dare one even say commercial) end of the fantasy spectrum (the type of work for which Gemmel was famous). Sounds like a good idea to me, since that stuff doesn't always get a lot of representation in the shortlists of existing awards. Nothing to do with me writing that sort of work. No, sir. You lot know me, and I never think of myself. Never. Anyway again, the process sounds like an interesting idea - publishers nominate any works they think fit the criteria, then there is an open public vote to establish a shortlist of five. A panel of genre experts then debate and select a winner. Current confirmed panelists include Aragorn, Cugel the Clever, the Grey Mouser, Conan, and Druss the Legend. I'm joking of course. Conan was unavailable, he's getting his back waxed that week.

But seriously, I think that process has the potential to combine the better elements of public and panelled awards. Unless I don't win, in which case I'll declare the entire thing an ill-conceived failure, and, more then likely, some kind of fix-up like that Campbell Award what I didn't win just because other nominees got a lot more votes than me. But seriously again, perhaps this is an opportunity for any among you who might complain that existing awards are too elitist and that epic fantasy never gets a fair crack of the whip to involve yourselves with something more proletarian? Hmmmmm?

But before you rush off to vote for Paul Kearney! 2008 isn't over, stoopid. The best fantasy book of this year might not yet have been published. Voting does not open until Christmas...

So to keep you entertainted until then ... there's a humblingly in-depth piece by Steve Tompkins - review? examination? essay? all three? on The First Law at The Cimmerian, a journal focusing on the work of the grandfather of Sword and Sorcery, Robert E. Howard. He talks about the covers, about long form fantasy versus short form, about the main characters, and much, much more. Well worth a look, if you're so inclined...

Labels: news, reviews

Friday, 5 September 2008

Italy, Germany, Greece

Konigsklingen, Heyne's german translation of Last Argument of Kings, is out a month early, and now available on amazon.de. Get 'em while they're hot, German speakers...

In great news for the ancient nation of Greece, Unicorn publishing have secured rights to translate the entire trilogy into Greek. I think that's fourteen translation deals for The Blade Itself now, though I could easily be miscounting there. Tis humbling to think of people scattered across the globe enjoying (or indeed despising) stuff what I made up in the middle of the night.

And I'm going to be away on holiday (so working harder than ever, probably) in Italy for the next couple of weeks. A week in Rome, a week in Tuscany, so we'll aim to take in a bit of Florence and Siena as well. I'll probably be off the interweb in that time, and not responding to email, but for those of you who simply can't get through a week without the sound of my voice, There's a new interview with me up at SFRevu, discussing such matters as worldbuilding, the state of epic fantasy, change, and failure. Yeah, like I know anything about THAT. Well, apart from the last one, of course. There's also a reprint of John Berlyne's review of Last Argument of Kings. Mmmmm, smells like ... victory.

See you all in a couple of weeks.

Labels: interviews, 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

Monday, 18 August 2008

Last Argument in the US

Just a quick note to say Pyr's US edition of Last Argument of Kings is now shipping from Amazon.com, more than a month early, you lucky things. Presumably it will soon appear also on the shelves of your regular brick and mortar bookstores also...

Labels: news

Sunday, 10 August 2008

Lost by a Whisker...

So I failed to bag the John W. Campbell award for Best New Writer. The really frustrating thing was that I only just missed out...

Well, if you count fourth out of six as just missed out. Yes, if it hadn't been for the more popular half of the field the Campbell would be mine...

But I did get more first place votes than 'No Award'. Put that in your pipe and smoke it, 'no award'! Yes, I am a marginally more popular choice than throwing the plaque in the bin.

Anyway, many congratulations to Mary Robinette Kowal, who was indeed the winner, rightly lifted on angel wings to the heady heights of glory. Commiserations to Scott Lynch, David Anthony Durham, David Louis Edelman, and Jon Armstrong, who share with me the bitter, bitter dregs of failure...

Labels: announcements, news

Thursday, 7 August 2008

In Orbit

Just a quick announcement since there's been a press release, that Best Served Cold will be coming out in the US with the redoubtable Orbit books. In June 2009 (fingers crossed) roughly simultaneous with the UK release from Gollancz.

No bust-up whatsoever with Pyr, who've been my US publisher to this point. I've got nothing but the highest respect for Lou Anders, who runs the imprint - he's a man of high class and he's been doing great things at Pyr over the last few years. Four nominations at the Hugos this week for his books and authors, and for him as an editor, shows the quality of what he's doing, and I remain very grateful to him for taking a chance on my books when nobody had heard of me, putting them out in the States, and making a success of them. Pyr will continue to publish The First Law books, hopefully for many, many years to come.

But the next two books, at least - Best Served Cold and whatever should follow (I know, but I'm not telling you lot yet) - will be with Orbit US. I'm very much looking forward to working with my editor there, Devi Pillai, and the rest of their team of highly qualified industry experts, to ensure that I become immensely wealthy, and as soon as possible.

More as I hear more...

Labels: announcements, news

Wednesday, 25 June 2008

Czech Mate

Oh, that pun really stinks. It really stinks. But like strong cheeses, I find the worst-smelling puns the most enjoyable. Besides, it was that or "Czech it out," so just think, it could have been a lot worse.

Anyway, Czech readers rejoice because I have received my copies of the Czech translation of The Blade Itself, Sama Cepel, from the publisher Solaris. Apologies for the lack of appropriate accents which no doubt totally change the meaning. It's a surprisingly neat little book, quite densely set but only 420 pages in a mass-market-ish sized format, 100 less than the UK one. Surprising since translation usually adds some bulk - it's literally less than half the thickness of the behemoth 800 page German version. They've gone for the UK art, which seems to be proving popular in varied markets, though without the grip-friendly textured paper which is the most often praised feature of my writing.

Really been trying to think up a decent pun revolving around Sweden or Swedish, could not think of anything. "Swede dreams are made of these?" No. God no. Let's just cut to the chase, then:

Exciting news for the many, many English-speaking Swedish devotees of this blog. And the many Swedish-speaking English devotees who would rather read books in Swedish than English. For the Forma publishing group have secured rights to publish The Blade Itself in Swedish. It appears they'll be doing a hardback and mass-market paperback, and also a book club version in which the book will probably be split into two parts that it may fit through a letterbox. A common thing in the Scandinavian market, apparently, but since each book is in two parts, and publishing it as six small books rather than three big ones has always for some reason vaguely fascinated me, it shouldn't be a problem...

Labels: news

Thursday, 19 June 2008

Eighty-One

British SF&F Magazine SFX have run a poll of their readers of their 100 favourite SF&F authors. Can't be bothered to post the whole thing, so I'll link to a posting and discussion here on Westeros, where I am occasionally to be found shrilly singing my own praises. As such lists go, and barring a few eyebrow-raisers of the type you always get with public votes, it seems a really good one to my eye. It's certainly tilted towards the commercial end of the spectrum, as you'd expect from a magazine with a broad base of readers, but there are a few more literary/experimental writers in there. There's a pretty good mix of fantasy and sci-fi (I was expecting fantasy to be much less represented, on the whole). There's also a surprisingly strong showing for what you might call classic writers as opposed to recent ones.

But the thing I really wanted to discuss is ...

LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME! I'M AT 81! WOOOOOOOOOOH! etc.

Very pleased to make it on there at all, in fact, as a pretty new author, especially since it's an honest-to-goodness broad based, relatively commercial sample. Even if that no-talent-hack George Orwell made it on a whole three places higher than me. I mean what the hell's he contributed to literature? 1984? However you cut it that's at least 25 years out of date.

It is a very Brit-o-centric list, as is only proper. I doubt some of the much-loved British writers like Pratchett, Gemmel or Rankin would score so high in a US version, and in terms of newer writers I doubt I'd appear, since I'm still pretty new across the pond, whereas someone like Pat Rothfuss I'm sure would do, since his success there with his first book has been most impressive. It's surprising, in a sense, that there isn't an equivalent publication in the states. The closest they've got, as far as I can tell is ... SFX.

Talking of Brit-o-Centric, you don't get more honest-to-bloody-goodness British than The Bridlington Free Press, news organ of the Yorkshire sea-side since 1859. How it came about, I couldn't say, but they have reviewed The First Law trilogy:

"TWISTED, gripping, inventive, gritty and utterly compelling - think of a positive adjective and Joe Abercrombie's The First Law series deserves it.
It is a feast of brilliantly-developed characters who, despite being a bunch of the most unlikeable creations you could (or rather couldn't) imagine, the reader can almost grow to like as their personas are peeled away through the three books."

You guys do know I'm from Lancashire, right? The strange thing is that I was in Bridlington last summer for the wedding of one of my wife's friends. I actually wrote some of Last Argument of Kings in the loo of the hotel there. Strange coincidences...

Labels: news, reviews

Saturday, 24 May 2008

Joe Mallozzi's Book Club Part 2

So I have responded to the questions of Joe's readers over here at immense and self-indulgent length. Check it out, it is a scream. And exciting. But also makes you think deeply. Kind of like The First Law trilogy, in fact.

So if you've somehow missed me talking about my general approach to fantasy here over the past few months, or if you wanted to know my answers to such questions as:

"Do you prefer sugar or no sugar in your tea?"

"How much research did you do into swords and battles?"

"Do you tone it down for readers of a sensitive disposition?"

And many more, or if you were curious about the difference between whinging and whining, there really is nowhere else to go. My thanks to Joe M for providing the forum, and, of course, for shifting some books to the unwitting public...

Labels: interviews, news

Tuesday, 20 May 2008

Joe Mallozzi's Book Club

No, not an offbeat episode of the Sopranos, but an exciting initiative from writer, critic, bon vivant, and Stargate Atlantis joint-supremo Joe Mallozzi. We go back a long way me and Joe. We first met at one of Baron Destructo's interminable drinks events, it's a long story, and since then we've never looked back. You'd be amazed the conversational mileage that can be derived from simply having the same first name as someone else - already I have more in common with him than almost anyone else I know.

Anyway, as well as a writer, exec. producer, blogger and prolific eater, the other Joe is also a keen reader of sci-fi and, more recently, fantasy, and has decided to present some of this high-class genre material to his many readers. He examines, discusses, and invites comments on a sci-fi book, horror book, and fantasy book each month. This week's choice? Why, only the first part of Joe Abercrombie's seminal modern fantasy trilogy The First Law, no book other than The Blade Itself!

But dial down your pacemakers, because to make matters more exciting still, Joe has managed to prevail upon many of the authors of his featured works (some of whom aren't even called Joe) to join in the discussions. He's already had my US editor, the wonderful Lou Anders on to discuss his anthology Fast Forward, and he's got folks such as John Scalzi, John Shirley, Kage Baker, and KJ Bishop upcoming. And yes, indeed, you guessed it, I'll be hijacking Joe's blog later in the week to answer questions/dodge sh*t flung at me by his readers in relation to the Blade Itself. There are already a few gems showing up in the comments section, including such stuff as:

"I can't really review 'The Blade Itself' because I only made it to page 100 before I gave up and turned to 'The Android's Dream'. I guess the book was just not for me."

A ha ha ha. But seriously, I think this is a great thing Joe's doing, and I'm delighted to be involved. By all means drop by yourselves, and join in the fun...

Labels: news, reviews

Monday, 19 May 2008

God of Publication Dates Part 3

Ah, forgot to mention one interesting detail (well, interesting to me anyway). Looks as if the UK trade edition of Best Served Cold will be hardback only, rather than the previous setup of a small hardback run and a general trade paperback release. However it'll be priced about the same as the trade paperbacks have been previously (so in the region of £12.99, I'm guessing). Then there'll be a mass-market paperback probably 12 months later. Lovers of hardcovers rejoice! Haters of trade paperbacks rejoice!

With any luck the US edition should come out about the same time as the UK edition this time round as well. No longer need you cast your jealous eyes across the briny Atlantic. Americans Rejoice!

All details subject to confirmation and total change at short notice. You can preorder Best Served Cold on amazon.co.uk, which features a blurb I don't particularly like. They still say april, and they still say paperback. These details, as you now know, are WRONG. Ah, well. Everyone rejoice!

Labels: news

Saturday, 17 May 2008

God of Publication Dates Part 2

Well, here are two publication dates that I'm pretty sure won't move back. Why? Because the book's already written, that's why!


Last Argument of Kings will be out in the US in September, from Pyr books. You can order it now on amazon.com. Before they are Hanged actually shipped a month early, so you never know, this one might do too...


And Last Argument of Kings will be out in Germany in Oktober, under the name "Konigsklingen", which I'm taking a wild guess means something along the lines of "King's Blade". So the series is Kriegsklingen, Feuerklingen, and Konigsklingen, or Warblade, Fireblade, and King's Blade. Old skool, man, but they're doing pretty darn well over there apparently, so you won't catch me complaining. No sirree.

Anyway, it's available for pre-order on amazon.de for any german-speakers amongst you. Although, thinking about it, if you only spoke german you might have some trouble understanding this post. It's paired with the third book in the Eragon series, would you believe - not sure how good a match THAT'll be for the YA fantasy crowd, what with all the explicit violence, sex, and swearing but, hey, Eragon sells shed loads so, again, you won't catch me complaining. I could only find the cover at this rather poor resolution, but it appears to feature a kind of a halberdy thing on blue. I don't remember any polearms featuring particularly heavily in the text, but since the more common epic-fantasy staple edged weapons of sword (on green - Kriegsklingen) and axe (on red - Feuerklingen) have already been used, you know, where do you go? Mace or Warhammer? Blunt instruments. Dagger? Too short. Spear? Not really bladey enough. Scimitar? Too Gurkish. Falchion? Sabre? Estoc? Too obscure. Anyway, I digress. Konigsklingen - Oktober.

Woohoo! I love it when books I've already written come out in other markets. It feels like being paid for doing no work. It is being paid for doing no work! Or, ahem, you know, reaping the hard-won benefits of earlier midnight toil...

Labels: announcements, news

Friday, 16 May 2008

The God of Publication Dates

Gather round, my friends, for I have some (slightly) bad news. Publication Date for Best Served Cold has moved from April 2009 back to June 2009. Only a couple of months, which is probably small fry for some of you folks who are used to waiting for books, but I thought that you should be the first to know. Other than me. And my editor. And some other folks at the publisher. And some booksellers. But I thought you'd want to know, anyway, nice and early, to keep any disappointment as small and far off as possible. Nothing worse than camping outside the bookstore all night in the pissing rain, charging in bright-eyed and sweaty-palmed as the doors open only to be told the book's been put back a year, right?

Now I hang around some forums, so I see people get quite irritated about shifting publication dates, and I entirely understand. So in the interests of full transparency, let me attempt to explain a) what's going on with my writing process that has caused the publication date to be moved in this case and, b) why it is that you seem to get considerable delays even once you hear a manuscript has been handed in.

So, Best Served Cold. It's a simple story, in a way, a lot less complicated than The First Law, certainly. So why's it taken me a good few months longer to write than I expected? New characters is the main problem. New characters mean new approaches, new feels to create. For me the characters are the essence of the book, so getting them properly realised is key. That's taken time to a degree I didn't entirely aniticipate. The characters in the First Law had fermented in my mind over the course of years, then I'd taken two or three years with no pressure to happily work the approaches out in the first book before I ever got a publishing contract, and long before anything was printed. You know, when it was a hobby and fun, rather than the hideous drudgery of actual work. These new characters, particularly the central one, have had to be worked out from scratch and that's been (and still is being) a challenge.

Plus I'd got used to the pace I was working at with Last Argument of Kings, and foolishly extrapolated my likely writing pace from there. That was pretty damn fast, took about 14 months including all the editing. But that was writing the third in a trilogy, the characters, plots, endings long established in my mind and ready to be vomited out onto the page. This new project has proved more difficult. In a sense, since the trilogy was one long story, this book has felt much more like my "difficult second album" than the second book did, which was only really a continuation of the first. I am beginning to understand why people end up writing endless series...

Partly in order to make my life easier, and partly because I like books that tend toward the shorter and more concise end of the epic fantasy spectrum, I'd aimed for something tighter than the previous three (which were 195,000, 200,000, and 230,000 words respectively, oh yeah, real short and concise, Joe), somewhere in the region of 150,000-175,000, which I thought I could knock off in 12 months. Slight errors at the planning stage (chronic overambition, incompetence, failure, that kind of thing) have led to the book getting quite a bit longer than that - I'm guessing it'll work out about 220,000 now. Longer books take longer to write, you'll be surprised to learn.

Then there are the distractions and pressures that come with having books out there in the marketplace and (relatively) successful. Interviews, blogging, responding to email, endlessly searching for anyone talking about you, checking your amazon sales ranks every hour in four different countries, etc. That vital work all takes up time and energy one could have expended writing. And though I'm doing a lot less of the day job these days, it's funny how the pace of writing doesn't necessarily increase to match (more on this in due course, perhaps).

Then, given that this is a standalone book, I decided to take a different approach. With a series, one would desire to write the entire thing before the first book is published, so if some brilliant idea occurs while writing the last you can just alter the first here or there to match. In the real world this tends not to be possible, since a man's gotta eat and so on, and generally you'll have to publish the first book before you've written the rest, which means you need to be pretty damn sure of where you're going if you want your last book to be any good. It means a lot of revising and thinking as you go along. An awful lot, in the case of The First Law. Because Best Served Cold is a standalone I thought, aha, I'll just Bosh out a first draft quick sharp, not worry too much about getting it right, then revise and edit much more heavily than usual en masse, giving much greater economy of scale! The shackles are off! I am free! Free! Problem is I know I've left a lot of stuff that needs a lot of work behind, and that's going to mean more editing than with the previous books, which is going to mean more time after the first draft is finished to get things right, and etc.

So cut the sh*t, Joe, can you just tell us what authors will never bloody tell us, and say where are you actually up to with this book? Well, er, yes, thanks for asking. It's in seven parts, and I'm just finishing the first draft of the fifth part, so about three quarters of the way through. Well, that doesn't seem so bad, it's only May, a whole eleven months before the original pub date! True, I still hope to have the first draft finished and then thoroughly revised to my own satisfaction maybe end of August. Two months for some furious editing, polish and tidy up, and a month for copy edit and back and forth, have the bastard well and truly nailed by the end of the year. Proofs out, all hail my genius, unprecedented combination of critical and commercial success, buried under an avalanche of cash and awards, no, no, not another Hugo, I couldn't possibly, oh alright then just one more, mansion in the country with pool shaped like a magic sword, right?

But I know what you're thinking now. If it's all finished before the end of the year, why the f*ck does anyone need to move the pub date from April to June?

Come closer, closer. No, even closer. Not that close, I can smell you. And attend, as I reveal to you the hidden mysteries of the dark arts of publishing.

There's a lot more to it than just getting it typeset, proof-reading for errors, then boshing it off to the printers and counting the cash. For one thing the production department of a big publisher may have dozens of books going through at a time, from many different imprints, and everything has to take its place in the queue. They can't just be twiddling their thumbs waiting for that one author you like to finish their manuscript. These things can take some time.

But there are much more time-consuming processes than the obvious ones of physically producing the product. If you're going to give a book the best chance of selling well then booksellers need to know when it's going to appear some time in advance. The more warning they get, the further in advance they can plan their buying, the better chance of getting better display space and support. Editors need some time to get folks in their own company enthused about a book - the publicists, the reps who will try to sell books on to booksellers, the rights department who may be trying to sell the book to other markets. The longer you have and the firmer the date, the better chance of prising some marketing cash from the gripping fingers of the soul-less money men (I don't mean it, I really don't). The more time you have between finishing the final edit and publishing the book means more time to get proofs out to reviewers and more time for them to read the book, which means more chance of it getting reviews, of there being some buzz, or at least some awareness of the existence of a book before it comes out. All of this is going to help sales. Indeed, for a little known author it could make the difference between some exposure and none, between some sales and very few.

Then there is the question of scheduling. A publisher doesn't want to be releasing two similar books too close together, because they'll end up competing with each other, not only for the generous cash of the book-buying public, but also for the attention of the marketing within their own organisation, the reps who go out and try and sell the books to booksellers, and the booksellers themselves who need to fill their shelves. They don't want to be saying, "this book is the most important epic fantasy released anywhere this month ... apart from this one which we also have, which is just as good if not better, well, not better, but ... where are you going?" Schedules get filled up, books have to be moved around other books, and the later the delay occurs the worse the problem, which is why sometimes a small delay in delivery can mean publication has to be shifted months later, into the next free slot.

So you can see there are a compelling stack of reasons why it's in the best interests of a book to have 9-12 months between delivery of a first draft and publication. With the really big, well-established authors it's less important. Booksellers, reps and readers aren't going to say no to A Dance With Dragons because it doesn't turn up on time, for example, but if you push it down to less than six months you're limiting editing time, proof-reading time, putting added pressure on everyone involved and taking some risks with the quality of the output. Ever wondered why books that are long-delayed may seem sloppily edited? Wonder no longer...

Phew. So that's why we've decided to move the publication date of Best Served Cold back a couple of months at this early stage, to reduce the pressure on the writing somewhat, to ensure the editing time isn't squeezed, to give the book the best chance as it goes through the pipes of marketing, repping, selling and so on. The God of Publication Dates is a jealous god, and it's best to upset it as little as possible. Best to move the book now, nice and early, to avoid disappointment later. Yours and mine. We all want the best possible product, after all.

So, as I say, Best Served Cold, June 2009, stick it in your diaries. I'm entirely confident it won't have to go back any further than that.

Honest...

Labels: announcements, news, process