Jonathan Green's Blog, page 158

What do you buy the RPG/Gamebook fan in your life for Christmas?

Why YOU ARE THE HERO - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks , of course! And what better gift than a limited edition hardback copy of the book signed by the author himself?

If you live in the UK and would like to give this unique gift to your loved one (or yourself) this Christmas, then email me on info@jonathangreenauthor.com before 6.00pm on Friday (GMT) and Santa's little helper will see what he can do.

Ho ho ho, may your STAMINA never fail.

(And don't forget to send me you YOU ARE THE HERO selfies to be in with a chance of winning a copy of my new book Christmas Explained: Robins, Kings and Brussel Sprouts .)

Warhammer Wednesday: Eaten by Rats

My Warhammer short story Sticks and Stones is now available as part of the Eaten by Rats eBook collection. You can download yours here.

Send me your Selfies!

Want to win a copy of my new Christmas book Christmas Explained: Robins, Kings and Brussel Sprouts ? Of course you do! Then read on...

There's a week of shopping left until Christmas and I would like your help in giving sales of YOU ARE THE HERO - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks a bit of a boost in the run up to the festive feast. What I want you to do is post a selfie of yourself (obviously) holding a copy of  YOU ARE THE HERO , along with the following message and link:


YOU ARE THE HERO - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks, a must buy for Christmas! http://www.amazon.co.uk/You-are-Hero-Jonathan-Green/dp/1909679380/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=&qid=

If you do so on Facebook please tag the YOU ARE THE HERO Facebook page (and send me a link at info@jonathangreenauthor.com just to be sure) and if you do so on Twitter, make sure you add @You_Are_TheHero at the beginning of your missive (otherwise I may well miss it), like this (only with a better photo attached).


Now when I say 'selfie' feel free to go to town on this. You might want to dress up, choose a suitably atmospheric location for your photo, or Photoshop yourself and a copy of YOU ARE THE HERO into another appropriate picture. This important thing is that you appear in the picture, along with YOU ARE THE HERO , and that the all important Amazon link is attached too.


According to Amazon, if you order by 7.00pm on Tuesday 23rd December 2014, you can have your parcel delivered by 1.00pm on Christmas Eve (if you live in the UK), so the competition is going to stay open until then (so there's no immediate rush if you want to take a bit of trouble over your entry*).

Competition closes 19:00 hrs GMT, Tuesday 23rd December!
I shall look forward to seeing your  YOU ARE THE HERO  selfies. Choice of winner will be completely arbitrary (and quite possibly based on names out of a hat) and the judge's decision is final.
Good luck!

* Unless you're reading this at 6.55pm on Tuesday 23rd December, of course.

Thought for the Day

People who read fiction tend to be more empathic towards others.


To find out more about this story, click this link.

Short Story Saturday: You'd Better Be Good For Goodness Sake

Is it really two years ago that I posted news about having my first Judge Dredd story published? Well the new festive issue is out today (not that it is particularly festive) and I'm in it again. :-)


My first published Dredd story was about a juve called Simon with latent psi-powers unleashed as a consequence of the Chaos Bug. My second Dredd story, a two-parter, was about a Judge going rogue, motivated by the desperate desire for justice for his family.

My latest offering was always intended to be a festive treat and features something to do with the holiday season that I've written about before... And that's all I'm saying, other than, "Happy Christmas, Stephen Volk!"

I was tempted to go with "'Twas the night before Christmas," but didn't think I'd get away with it. That said, how many other Christmas references can you spot in You'd Better Be Good, For Goodness' Sake...?
To know what the hell I'm talking about, you'd better pick up your copy of the Judge Dredd Megazine #355 when it comes out later this week.

Always have loved Colin MacNeil's artwork!

YOU ARE THE HERO - A Top Pick for Christmas!

YOU ARE THE HERO - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks , has been named as one of the Best Little Bookshop's Top 50 Picks for Christmas alongside titles such as Build Your Own Chocolate Factory, H P Lovecraft, Lego Architecture, and Terry Pratchett's Dragons of Crumbling Castle.

If you have yet to pick up a copy, you can do so here from the Best Little Bookshop.

Gamebook Friday: Bloodbones Sets Sail Again...

... Soon!





The first non-Steve Jackson or Ian Livingstone FF app, ably illustrated by Tony Hough, will be putting into port soon (as in before the end of the month). Watch this space for more details.



PS - In case I didn't already mention it, the soundtrack is awesome! It even gives the likes of Pirates of the Caribbean and Assassin's Creed: Black Flag a run for their money!

Tie-in Tuesday: Judge Dredd Megazine #355

Coming soon...


And check out the announcement below (for what should be #355 of the Meg), creeps*...

* Just kiddin'. ;-)

Thought for the Day

"Growing up is highly overrated. Just be an author."
~ Neil Gaiman, Author

YOU ARE THE HERO at Dragonmeet 2014

I can't believe that it's three months since Fighting Fantasy Fest 2014, where YOU ARE THE HERO  - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks was launched, and I realised yesterday, whilst at the 15th Dragonmeet convention, that it was two years since I launched the Kickstarter* to fund the creation of the book in the first place.

What was great about yesterday was the number of  YOU ARE THE HERO  backers and Fighting Fantasy Fest attendees who stopped by my stable to say (a) how much they had enjoyed the book, and (b) asking if there would be another Fighting Fantasy Fest in 2015.

Several people who have already read  YOU ARE THE HERO  also persuaded their friends to pick up a copy on the day. As to the other matter, discussions will be taking place in the new year...

I always enjoy attending cons because it's a chance to catch up with friends in the gaming community (in the case of Dragonmeet) and it was good to see Tony Hough, Graham Bottley, James Wallis, Dom McDowall, Jamie Fry, Stuart Lloyd, Daniel Gooch, Sarah Newton, Mark Crew, Helena Nash (check out her new Choose Your Own Adventure style story here) and many others. It was also good to properly meet Chris Birch (who, along with his team, did a great job of organising his first Dragonmeet), Michele Howe**, Pete Wood, Sam Ockham and Andrew Harman, who was wowing everyone with Frankenstein's Bodies .***

Dr Frankenstein (a.k.a. Andrew Harman) and his latest test subject.
I also met Pookie, who posted this recent review of YOU ARE THE HERO online. And the most unlikely meetings of the day was with Alex Day off of YouTube (who was promoting his Sopio Cards), and the Krankies, who had parked next to us in the car park! (I don't think they were attending Dragonmeet, but I could be wrong.)

Ian and Steve stopped by after their Top 10 games talk, to sign books (including a couple of copies of YOU ARE THE HERO), which was nice, and they were joined by ace artist Tony Hough.

Steve, Ian and Tony signing for the FF fans.
Thanks to all the organisers, everyone who stopped by my table, as well as Linda, Nimrod and Thea who kept the Greens company during the day (and an eye on all our stuff from time to time). Here's to Dragonmeet 2015!

My stand and my minions. (They're actually getting quite useful now.)

* Talking of Kickstarters, I might be running another one next year. Watch this space...

** A special thank you to Michele's friend (I'm sorry but I don't remember his name) who told me a great fact about reindeer that will have to go in a future edition of Christmas Explained. 

*** Talking of which, I really need to get my Steampunk dice game sorted out.