Jonathan Green's Blog, page 47
February 10, 2020
Thought for the Day
"It still rankles that the short story I wrote for my mock O Levels was downgraded from an A to a C because, 'it is too original, which means you have copied it from somewhere'."~ Neil Gaiman
February 8, 2020
Short Story Saturday: Scrooge and Marley (Deceased)
Yesterday was Charles Dickens' 208th birthday, which is a good enough excuse for me to remind you that I have written two stories inspired by Ebenezer Scrooge and his late business partner Jacob Marley, from
A Christmas Carol
.
You might want to check them out, seeing as how you can read them for free via Kindle Unlimited.
Scrooge and Marley (Deceased): The Haunted Man
A year on from the events of A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge finds himself visited once again by the ghost of his late business partner, Jacob Marley, who brings with him a new proposition. Just as Marley helped Scrooge to avoid the cruel fate that the last of the Three Spirits foretold, Marley wants Scrooge to help him reduce his time in Purgatory.
And so begins an epic adventure that will see the former friends face off against all manner of phantasms, freaks and fiends, with just one thing at stake… Everything!
Scrooge and Marley (Deceased): Murder in the Cathedral Ebenezer Scrooge and his ghost-hunting partner Jacob Marley (already a ghost himself) visit the cathedral city of Cloisterham in order to investigate the disappearance of a young man... A certain Mr Edwin Drood.
You might want to check them out, seeing as how you can read them for free via Kindle Unlimited.
Scrooge and Marley (Deceased): The Haunted Man
A year on from the events of A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge finds himself visited once again by the ghost of his late business partner, Jacob Marley, who brings with him a new proposition. Just as Marley helped Scrooge to avoid the cruel fate that the last of the Three Spirits foretold, Marley wants Scrooge to help him reduce his time in Purgatory.
And so begins an epic adventure that will see the former friends face off against all manner of phantasms, freaks and fiends, with just one thing at stake… Everything!
Scrooge and Marley (Deceased): Murder in the Cathedral Ebenezer Scrooge and his ghost-hunting partner Jacob Marley (already a ghost himself) visit the cathedral city of Cloisterham in order to investigate the disappearance of a young man... A certain Mr Edwin Drood.
February 7, 2020
Gamebook Friday: Dracula - Curse of the Vampire
There are now just 22 days to go until Dracula - Curse of the Vampire goes live on Kickstarter.
For those gamebook fans and vampire aficionados who want something a bit special, we have the following rewards.
Back at the WEREWOLF level and, as well as a signed, limited edition hardback of Dracula - Curse of the Vampire , a set of collectable bookmarks, and an eBook edition of the adventure, you will also receive a set of 4 art prints, a pack of Dracula - Curse of the Vampire playing cards, and a pair of themed dice.
Back at the VAMPIRE HUNTER level, and you will also receive a pre-release play-test copy of Dracula - Curse of the Vampire , and be credited in the front of the book as an official play-tester.
Back at the VAMPIRE COUNT level, and you will have your likeness included in one of the illustrations in the book by artist Martin McKenna. You will also receive a special print of that illustration.
And if you back at the NOSFERATU level, you will have Dracula - Curse of the Vampire dedicated to you, or another person of your choice.
Not only that, but back at the VAMPIRE COUNT reward level, or above, and your book will come inside its own coffin, with its own wooden stake pencil.
Remember, everyone who backs the Dracula - Curse of the Vampire Kickstarter within the first 24 hours, and selects a reward level that includes a physical copy of the gamebook, will also receive a copy of The Grim and Gothic Art of Martin McKenna artbook for free!
The Grim and Gothic Art of Martin McKenna. [Cover art not final.]
So set an alarm now, for 1:00pm on Sunday 1st March 2020 .
For those gamebook fans and vampire aficionados who want something a bit special, we have the following rewards.
Back at the WEREWOLF level and, as well as a signed, limited edition hardback of Dracula - Curse of the Vampire , a set of collectable bookmarks, and an eBook edition of the adventure, you will also receive a set of 4 art prints, a pack of Dracula - Curse of the Vampire playing cards, and a pair of themed dice.
Back at the VAMPIRE HUNTER level, and you will also receive a pre-release play-test copy of Dracula - Curse of the Vampire , and be credited in the front of the book as an official play-tester.
Back at the VAMPIRE COUNT level, and you will have your likeness included in one of the illustrations in the book by artist Martin McKenna. You will also receive a special print of that illustration.
And if you back at the NOSFERATU level, you will have Dracula - Curse of the Vampire dedicated to you, or another person of your choice.
Not only that, but back at the VAMPIRE COUNT reward level, or above, and your book will come inside its own coffin, with its own wooden stake pencil.
Remember, everyone who backs the Dracula - Curse of the Vampire Kickstarter within the first 24 hours, and selects a reward level that includes a physical copy of the gamebook, will also receive a copy of The Grim and Gothic Art of Martin McKenna artbook for free!
The Grim and Gothic Art of Martin McKenna. [Cover art not final.]So set an alarm now, for 1:00pm on Sunday 1st March 2020 .
February 6, 2020
Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland 5th Anniversary Hardback
There are just two weeks to go for the
Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland 5th Anniversary Hardback
on Kickstarter and, as of writing, there are only 30 of the 100 rewards left.We are also just £200 away from hitting the £3,000 Stretch Goal, which, if achieved, will mean that the new edition of Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland will include a brand new map of Wonderland, drawn by the book's original artist, Kev Crossley.
So, whether you are an avid collector of ACE Gamebooks , or someone who has never played through Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland before but always wanted to, this Kickstarter is for you .
February 3, 2020
Thought for the Day
"In a world in which so many people seem to be in a race to destroy as much as they can, any act of creation is precious. Whatever you're creating, on whatever scale - whether you're writing, painting, knitting, dancing, gardening, or making films - know that it matters. You matter."~ Joanne Harris
February 2, 2020
Choose Cthulhu 2
The
Choose Your Own Insanity Gamebooks
are back, and crowdfunding on Kickstarter for an English audience!
I will be helping the team polish the English translations of the original Spanish adventures, but before that can happen, they need your support.
I will be helping the team polish the English translations of the original Spanish adventures, but before that can happen, they need your support.
January 31, 2020
Gamebook Friday: Something to Celebrate
Here in the UK it's Brexit Day... but despite that, there's still something to celebrate today, and that is that the 5th anniversary collector's hardback of
Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland
is currently funding on Kickstarter. Not only that, but it has already funded!
When I originally crowdfunded and published the gamebook with Snowbooks back in 2015, I hadn't even considered turning the concept of re-imagining classics of literature as works of interactive fiction into a series. Since that time, of course, the series has developed, and has developed a particular look. But it has always bothered me that the cloth-bound, gold-embossed hardback produced for the original Kickstarter doesn't match the other ACE Gamebook special editions.
To rectify that, I am running a Kickstarter to fund production of a new collector's hardback, with a brand new cover design, that will match the dimensions of the other titles in the ACE Gamebooks series. And this is what it's going to look like.
There is only one reward on offer, and there are only 100 available. Once they're gone, they're gone!
Each collector's hardback will be individually numbered and signed, and will come with a special Queen Alice bookmark, on which you can record your game stats. Also, everyone who backs the Kickstarter will have their name appear in the Acknowledgements at the back of the book. There are stretch goals planned too.
Whether you're an avid collector of ACE Gamebooks , or someone who has never played through Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland before but always wanted to, then make sure you back the Kickstarter today, before it's too late!
In other Alice-related news, the Spanish language edition of Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland is now available from Argentinian RPG publisher, El Dragón Azul.
When I originally crowdfunded and published the gamebook with Snowbooks back in 2015, I hadn't even considered turning the concept of re-imagining classics of literature as works of interactive fiction into a series. Since that time, of course, the series has developed, and has developed a particular look. But it has always bothered me that the cloth-bound, gold-embossed hardback produced for the original Kickstarter doesn't match the other ACE Gamebook special editions.
To rectify that, I am running a Kickstarter to fund production of a new collector's hardback, with a brand new cover design, that will match the dimensions of the other titles in the ACE Gamebooks series. And this is what it's going to look like.
There is only one reward on offer, and there are only 100 available. Once they're gone, they're gone!
Each collector's hardback will be individually numbered and signed, and will come with a special Queen Alice bookmark, on which you can record your game stats. Also, everyone who backs the Kickstarter will have their name appear in the Acknowledgements at the back of the book. There are stretch goals planned too.
Whether you're an avid collector of ACE Gamebooks , or someone who has never played through Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland before but always wanted to, then make sure you back the Kickstarter today, before it's too late!
In other Alice-related news, the Spanish language edition of Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland is now available from Argentinian RPG publisher, El Dragón Azul.
January 27, 2020
Thought for the Day
"If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be very intelligent, read them more fairy tales."~ Albert Einstein, physicist.
January 25, 2020
Short Story Saturday: The Year of the Rat
Today marks the beginning of the Chinese Year of the Rat, and as I've been thinking a lot about Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 fiction of late, I was reminded of the Skaven short stories I've written over the years.
The Nagenhof Bell
This Badenov's Band story first appeared in Inferno! magazine #27, but despite being cut from my first Black Library novel/short story collection, The Dead and the Damned , it was eventually reprinted in Swords of the Empire , which is still available as an eBook.
Sir Dagobert's Last Battle
The conniving ratmen also make an appearance in this short story, about a Grail Reliquae and the Grail Knight it once was. What can I say? I'm a sucker for a good rat ogre! Originally published in Hammer and Bolter #9 , the tale finally saw print in The Best of Hammer and Bolter: Volume 1 . Although the book is now out of print, you can still pick up copies second hand.
The Skaven also appear in my Warhammer Path to Victory gamebook, Shadows Over Sylvania , but good luck finding a copy - it's probably even harder to get hold of than The Best of Hammer and Bolter !
The Nagenhof Bell
This Badenov's Band story first appeared in Inferno! magazine #27, but despite being cut from my first Black Library novel/short story collection, The Dead and the Damned , it was eventually reprinted in Swords of the Empire , which is still available as an eBook.
Sir Dagobert's Last Battle
The conniving ratmen also make an appearance in this short story, about a Grail Reliquae and the Grail Knight it once was. What can I say? I'm a sucker for a good rat ogre! Originally published in Hammer and Bolter #9 , the tale finally saw print in The Best of Hammer and Bolter: Volume 1 . Although the book is now out of print, you can still pick up copies second hand.
The Skaven also appear in my Warhammer Path to Victory gamebook, Shadows Over Sylvania , but good luck finding a copy - it's probably even harder to get hold of than The Best of Hammer and Bolter !
Short Story Saturday: Black Library Fiction
With
Journey of the Magi
being featured on the
Journey of the Magi
A Warhammer 40,000 story
On an artificial world far from the light of any sun, three sorcerers of the Thousand Sons emerge from a portal, Together, this trio will face ancient horrors – but the prize that awaits them is worth any danger, Long have these three sought the Godstar, piecing together its location from scattered scraps of knowledge. The immortal guardians of the place sleep, but it is not undefended, and the children of Prospero will pay a heavy price for that which they seek as they delve deep into the ancient mysteries of the necrons.
But Dust in the Wind
A Warhammer 40,000 story
Investigating a distress signal from an ice-shrouded mining colony, Space Marines of the Imperial Fists find themselves outnumbered and surrounded by the soulless necrons. Facing impossible odds, the Imperial Fists struggle desperately to find a way to survive.
The Relic
A Warhammer 40,000 story
As Ghazghkull Thraka's second invasion engulfs Armageddon, Dreadnought Brother Jarold leads warriors from the Black Templars Chapter in battle against the greenskins in the frozen Dead Lands. Following a distress beacon, they find another Dreadnought in the ice, buried for half a century. When the orks attack en masse, the two Dreadnoughts make a last stand against the bestial invaders.
Sticks and Stones
A Warhammer story
War against orcs and goblins is never easy for the soldiers of the Empire. Their foes and savage and brutal and revel in battle. and never more so than when a mighty idol of their gods marches to war alongside them, fuelled by magic and the power of the Waaagh! In the midst of battle, it falls to Rutger Erlang and his pistolier comrades to deal with the manifestation of Gork (or is it Mork?) and prevent the total destruction of the Empire army.
Journey of the MagiA Warhammer 40,000 story
On an artificial world far from the light of any sun, three sorcerers of the Thousand Sons emerge from a portal, Together, this trio will face ancient horrors – but the prize that awaits them is worth any danger, Long have these three sought the Godstar, piecing together its location from scattered scraps of knowledge. The immortal guardians of the place sleep, but it is not undefended, and the children of Prospero will pay a heavy price for that which they seek as they delve deep into the ancient mysteries of the necrons.
But Dust in the WindA Warhammer 40,000 story
Investigating a distress signal from an ice-shrouded mining colony, Space Marines of the Imperial Fists find themselves outnumbered and surrounded by the soulless necrons. Facing impossible odds, the Imperial Fists struggle desperately to find a way to survive.
The RelicA Warhammer 40,000 story
As Ghazghkull Thraka's second invasion engulfs Armageddon, Dreadnought Brother Jarold leads warriors from the Black Templars Chapter in battle against the greenskins in the frozen Dead Lands. Following a distress beacon, they find another Dreadnought in the ice, buried for half a century. When the orks attack en masse, the two Dreadnoughts make a last stand against the bestial invaders.
Sticks and StonesA Warhammer story
War against orcs and goblins is never easy for the soldiers of the Empire. Their foes and savage and brutal and revel in battle. and never more so than when a mighty idol of their gods marches to war alongside them, fuelled by magic and the power of the Waaagh! In the midst of battle, it falls to Rutger Erlang and his pistolier comrades to deal with the manifestation of Gork (or is it Mork?) and prevent the total destruction of the Empire army.
