Christopher Fowler's Blog, page 408

World Fantasy Award Nomination

I'm thrilled to be nominated for a World Fantasy Award for 'Beautiful Men', my apocalyptic story of angels on Earth, particularly as it's a story I had such pleasure writing. I just had to go to the French Riviera to research it, obviously.

I'm looking forward to catching up with everyone from World Fantasy at the [...]

Matchless

Photos of another beautiful Bryant & May matchbook – I didn't know they did them in the UK – sent to me by Mike Nicholson, whom I met last night at the lovely launch held in the new Goldsboro Books store. A huge turnout with lots of old and new friends, all in the bookish [...]

The Helvetica Blockbuster

Interesting article in the Guardian today reminds us that movies reflect the times in which they are made, and how we've arrived at imagination-free clones…

'The key point about the 'Helvetica Blockbuster' (after the standard typeface used on all of them) is that it's a decadent style, for the twilight of US empire. The subtle fascism [...]

Bryant & May In The Soup Again

My friend Mike Nicholson has sent me some drawings he's done from 'Bryant & May In The Soup', one of two Bryant & May stories that appear in the volumes of 'Red Gloves'. I love seeing what artists do with the characters. Oldies are always more interesting to draw that smooth-faced youngs!

Lovely Gloves!

I've now got my first hardback copies of Red Gloves in, and I think I'm right in saying that we sold out in Brighton. But there are more on the way…
Very proud to have such a nice-looking volume out.

I love writing short stories – these constitute volumes 11 & 12 – and I'll be [...]

Beyond Borders

Canadian friend Rick Drew sends me this infinitely sad picture of a dead bookshop. ('It's deceased, it's pushing up the daisies.') Borders wasn't a good shop but at least it had some books on its shelves. Now it just has a sad motto, and will then become a Starbucks filled with people who have nothing [...]

A Year In The Life Of London

My pal Joel Meadows is producing a crowd-sourced book about London, which he's photographing over a period of 12 months. I admire anyone who can do this – getting any book published is a bugger right now, so I hope his dream comes true, here.

Hotter Than Hell & Almost Christmas

There are snowmen and carols in Selfridges. They're taking Christmas bookings at all London restaurants. 'Super Thursday' has seen the launch of all the Christmas books. But we're not buying Christmas books yet – we're all at the seaside, basking in insane temperatures that have seen London hotter than the Sahara. But those book sales [...]

Why FantasyCon In Brighton Works So Well

Brighton, once the vacation home of the Prince Regent, now more commonly referred to as 'The Slag Riviera', has seen better times. Forget its beachfront facade, ruined by greedy developers and dodgy council decisions. Ignore the mounds of trash on the beach that a handful of workmen were hopelessly attempting to clear up. Avoid the [...]

Is Britannia the Worst Hotel Chain In Britain?

A couple of years ago I posted about the Britannia Hotel, Nottingham, naming it the skankiest hotel in Britain. I now accept that this is not the case. That honour must fall to the Royal Albion Hotel, Brighton. Coincidentally, it's also the home of BFS FantasyCon this year, just as the Britannia was. Oh, and [...]