So the ticketed event for Waterstones Nottingham on 18 Oct ’14 is definitely going ahead. I’ll be giving a talk on the history of fantasy (and current trends), the inimitable Tom Lloyd will give a reading from the stellar Moon’s Artifice, I’ll do a reading from Empire of the Saviours, there will be a Q&A, books signed, wine and much merriment. Hurrah! Starts 7pm, tickets available by phoning the store. Oh stop moaning.
Chronicles of a Cosmic Warlord
Don’t ask me what it’s all about. It’s for the German cover of Gateway of the Saviours, init.
Hurrah! Now confirmed I’ll be doing a book signing event for Waterstones Doncaster on 23 Aug 2014, from 11am. Never been to Doncaster before. Famous for horse racing, isn’t it?
Phew. New term starts tomorrow, so I’m back teaching. Just managed to get chapter 7 finished before work starts again. Running total: 70K words. Just two chapters left to go! This one’ll win the Man-Booker. Put a fiver on it.
Easter flashed past. Did a week camping in Wales. I vanquished dragons, plundered their gold, sang songs with dwarven miners and hunted druids, to pull their beards for good luck. Damn well love Wales. Best place ever.
And this Saturday (26 April), I’m doing a book launch for Tithe of the Saviours for Waterstones Manchester Arndale. Well, it’s the least I can do, eh?
Well it had to happen. Dalton’s finally getting off his behind to do a launch event for the new book – Tithe of the Saviours.
More than that, I’ll be giving a talk on creative writing and publishing first. Oh shut up. Anyway, it’s at Waterstones Warrington, on Saturday 19 April 2014, from 11am. So there.
Hurrah!
Check out this fun short movie version of Empire of the Saviours. Cool!
Thanks to all those who took a punt this year and bought one of my books. Even Oli the artist read Empire and Gateway. ‘Not bad,’ he said.
Don’t forget – my writing competition is still open. https://metaphysicalfantasy.wordpress.com/2013/12/01/something-new-and-exciting/
So, 2013. It masqueraded as the best ever, then the worst and turned out fine in the end. Siouxsie finally got her phd. Woohoo! I delivered a slew of successful workshops to the civil service. Yippee. Gateway of the Saviours was released. Hurrah. There was World Fantasy Con, where I got to see the flesh of Patrick Rothfuss and Joe Hill. Not worthy. I finished writing Tithe of the Saviours (out on 17 Apr ’14). Dance around giddily. My editor at Gollancz says I’m not selling enough books, so I might not get another book deal with them. Boo! I’ve started writing my new book (Lifer) and it’s the best book ever written by anyone. Rejoice! Come January, I’ll see if any publishers out there share my enlightened view. What do you mean, ‘Is that it?” Isn’t that enough? Sheesh. Tough crowd.
Hey, if you don’t like it, go sit in a car park watching crowds fighting over the last box of mince pies in Greggs. Watch the cumudgeonly traffic warden sticking tickets on cars to ruin people’s xmas. What sort of society have we created? One of our own making. It’s therefore all we deserve. Bah humbug to you too. Yet if you want to escape such problems, then you might be smart enough to go live in Clun (like my mate Matt), where the local council has given every inhabitant the right/licence to brew and sell their own beer. Forward-thinking place. You might struggle to find it (like Briggadoon), but it’s there if you look hard enough.
Here are some pickled predictions and bits of candied wisdom. 1. I’ll land a deal with an American publisher this year 2. I’ll start teaching a module on scifi and fantasy at the local uni 3. Germany will buy the rights to Tithe of the Saviours (being smart people generally) 4. I will receive my first ever royalty cheque from Gollancz (can hardly believe it myself) 5. Agents of SHIELD will finally sort its act out 6. Matt will land a big film deal 7. I will break free of these shackles!
That’s your lot.
Hurrah! Just finished my last day of teaching for the year. Grogs with Oli the artist tonight. Modest amounts, most assuredly. Ahem.
Oo. Before I forget, today is the official release date of the mass market paperback of Gateway of the Saviours. What do you mean you hadn’t noticed? Surely you’ve seen the tonne of advertising? There was a celebratory march through Briggadoon and everything.
No more teaching til Jan, when I’ll be teaching the ‘Novel’ module on MMU’s MA in Creative Writing, amongst other things, etc. The pay is risable, but fortunately for them I’m not doing for the money. Almost feels like I’m paying them, really.
In other news, I’m half way thru chapter 3 of Lifer now. Running total 20,000 words. Hoping to exceed 30,000 by Jan, which should be a third of the book done. I will then open things up to offers from publishers. Is that a bell tolling in the distance? Tumbleweeds? Fools. Ah, they’re waiting for me to die, so that they can pick up the rights cheaply. Little do they realise I’ve sold my soul (for a fiver – I think I got a pretty good deal – certainly better than working for MMU) and shan’t be shuffling off any sort of mortal coil till they’re all long since forgotten by the living. Makes them double fools.
Longer than the book itself, I think!
http://hcdwalker.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/chronicles-of-cosmic-warlord-new.html?spref=fb
Metaphysical Fantasy 