Jonathan Green's Blog, page 173

Steampunk Thursday: Lucy Saxon

Lucy Saxon is one to watch in the world of Steampunk fiction. At only 19 she has had her first novel Take Back the Skies published by Bloomsbury and is the featured author in this month's SFX Magazine.

Lucy Saxon signing at the Bloomsbury stand at the MCM Comic Expo in London.
Lucy wrote the first draft of the novel at age 16 and Steampunk was a massive influence on the work. Take Back the Skies features grand skyships, mechanical servant 'mechas' and other wondrous inventions.

Catherine Hunter is the daughter of a senior government official on the island of Anglya. She’s one of the privileged – she has luxurious clothes, plenty to eat, and is protected from the Collections which have ravaged families throughout the land. But Catherine longs to escape the confines of her life, before her dad can marry her off to a government brat and trap her forever. 

So Catherine becomes Cat, pretends to be a kid escaping the Collections, and stows away on the skyship Stormdancer. As they leave Anglya behind and brave the storms that fill the skies around the islands of Tellus, Cat’s world becomes more turbulent than she could ever have imagined, and dangerous secrets unravel her old life once and for all...

You can pick up a copy of the limited edition hardback here.

Jackson and Livingstone signing at the UK Games Expo this weekend

If you're not already heading to Frome for the town's Steampunk Extravaganza this coming weekend, then it's just possible that you might be heading to the UK Games Expo being held at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole National Exhibition Centre instead.

Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson will be appearing at the Expo on Saturday 31 May, giving a talk from 2.00pm followed by book signings at 3.00pm in the Kings Suite. The Warlock will also be there selling books that you can conveniently then get signed on the spot. If you've not already purchased your ticket you can pick one up on the door on the day.

Of course, if you're not able to get up to Birmingham this weekend, there's always Fighting Fantasy Fest 2014, that's taking place in Ealing this September...

Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone, and their Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks. (Don't know who that bloke is in the background standing next to Alessio Cavatore...)

Thought for the Day

"I am often accused of being childish. I prefer to interpret that as child-like. I still get wildly enthusiastic about little things. I tend to exaggerate and fantasize and embellish. I still listen to instinctual urges. I play with leaves. I skip down the street and run against the wind. I never water my garden without soaking myself. It has been after such times of joy that I have achieved my greatest creativity and produced my best work."

~ Leo Buscaglia, American author

Steampunk Thursday: Win Tickets to the Frome Steampunk Extravaganza!

Fancy coming along to the Frome Steampunk Extravaganza on from Friday 30th - Sunday 1st June but you haven't purchased your tickets yet?

Then you've still got until 11:59pm BST to enter this competition to win a pair.

And who knows, if you win maybe I'll see you there...

Thought for the Day

Short Story Saturday: One-Way Ticket - Part 2

I can't believe a month has passed since the first part of my latest Judge Dredd short story appeared in Megazine #347. But it clearly has, because Megazine #348 arrived in the post today with this inside...

Lovin' that picture of Dredd on his Lawmaster with Lawgiver in hand.
Part 1 was mainly the build-up for the story and in Part 2 the action really kicks off. You can read a preview of the issue here, and purchase a copy for yourself here.

Enjoy.

Gamebook Friday: El Aullido Del Hombre Lobo and Fighting Fantasy Fest 2014

This week I had a very productive meeting with Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone at which we decided to make the following public...


Fighting Fantasy Fest is the first dedicated Fighting Fantasy convention, featuring guest appearances by the co-creators of the world's premier gamebook series, artists who have contributed to the books over the years, and the official book launch of YOU ARE THE HERO - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks . You can register your interest in attending the con here.

When I arrived at the pub... I mean, our meeting... Steve had a rather nice surprise waiting for me - copies of the first Spanish translation of one of my gamebooks.

German, French and Spanish editions of just three of my fifty books. 
El Aullido Del Hombre Lobo is unusual because it is the first time I have been credited as Jon Green in any published work. Although I refer to myself as Jon, I always use my full name for published projects. This was something of a surprise, but then so was the publication of Howl of the Werewolf in Spanish. ;-)

Steampunk Thursday: Alice Aid

Last Saturday I attended Alice Aid, the fundraiser event held at The Pipeline in East London to raise money to turn Robert Rankin's novella Alice on Mars into a movie, directed by Martin Gooch.

Other guests included Kit Cox (who did a stand-up comedy set), Andrew O'Neill (who was MC for the evening), a couple of Elvis impersonators, Lady Raygun on the steel drums*, various other actors and musicians and even Mr Robert Rankin himself.

Archimedes the Steampunk Parrot was in attendance too and really got into the groove, as you can see here.



You can see some photos of the event here.

If you would like to help make Alice on Mars - The Movie a reality, you can pledge your support for the project here.


* I've never heard 'I Gotta Feeling' played on the steel drums before, or 'Birdhouse in your Soul', but they sounded great!

Fighting Fantasy Fest 2014

I am very proud to announce that the first ever dedicated Fighting Fantasy convention will be held on Sunday 7 September 2014 in Ealing, West London. Featuring guest appearances by Mr Steve Jackson and Mr Ian Livingstone, it will also include the official book launch of YOU ARE THE HERO - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks .

Save the date, register your interest here, and tell your friends. Tickets go on sale soon!

Thought for the Day

"Writing a book is like telling a joke and having to wait two years to know whether or not it was funny."

~ Alain de Botton