In between Discworld novels? Try Badger’s Waddle for free this weekend on Kindle

In between Discworld novels? Try Badger’s Waddle for free this weekend on Kindle.

Badger’s Waddle – Published at Last!

Finally Badger’s Waddle has made to the printers (both paper and e-book)! YEE-HAAA!  Many thanks to Tim at Greyhart for persevering and determination, particularly at a time of some personal concern for him (all my best thoughts on that matter to you and yours).

Also, though I’ve said thanks before, thanks again to Dean Harkness for his truly great and fun cover work!

SO, what’s the early days response from the readers who are, after all, the only critics who actually count.  Well, it’s a mixed bag.  I’m pleased that the majority are positive, with very kind analogies towards the great Terry Pratchett and the even greater Monty Python.  Of course there are negatives, too, and all are justified.  The thing about writing something for a mass market is that nobody is ever going to please everyone (confession: even my wife didn’t like BW, so if other’s don’t like it too I can’t find fault with them).

One word of explanation about exactly what BW is – or more correctly, about what it is not.  It isn’t a linear story.  It doesn’t follow a pattern.  It doesn’t subscribe to any particular genre.  It’s not educational.

What I wanted to do with the book was present ‘episodes’ in the lives of rather wacky villagers with fantastical backdrop to measure against.  One criticism was that some of the ‘chapters’ in BW  had no logical connection to others, and that is absolutely correct.  The point is that in any village/town/city you care to name, every single house/bungalow/flat will have a story of its own, a story that is wholly unconnected to any neighbours.  Just look at the news headlines on almost any day and you will see banners proclaiming: “They seemed such a quiet family,” say neighbours, or similar.

And so it is with BW.

As for the ‘gross’ aspects of the book, well – this is inevitably a matter of personal viewpoint; but I confess it was intentional.  I wanted to see if I could write something that was gross without recourse to crudity, and I think I just about managed that.  (As it happens, one chapter was originally a bit more naughty than the one that actually made it to the printers.)  So, for those who read it and are revolted I can only say ‘Sorry’ – but the blurb does, I think, give you fair warning!

Grayhart Press January Sale

Announcing our Late-January Sale

Grayhart Press are holding an end-of-January sale with great prices on some of their catalogue (including one of mine).  Do go and take advantage and help a starving author earn a crust!

Badger’s Waddle Cover Art

I was very disappointed when I learned that the cover art for Badger’s Waddle wouldn’t be ready in time for FantasyCon 2012.  I’d approved the preliminary sketches ages ago and liked the way they were going.

The artwork still isn’t quite finished, but the painting is now almost there, so I thought you might like to see a little preview:

This is a preview of the as-yet-incomplete cover art for Badger’s Waddle.

It’s totally wacky, silly, and 100% in keeping with the spirit of the book – I have to say I LOVE it!

FantasyCon 2012 – the result

So along I went and actually sold a couple of Badger’s Waddle and The Cookie Tin Collection.

It all seemed to have been pretty well organised.  The fantasy Con people were friendly and the hotel was ok-ish (one of my friends had stayed overnight and reported hot water – which would have been good if it hadn’t been dripping from the ceiling light in his en suite!)

Our book launch wasn’t, I must admit, a tremendous success.  Apparently there’d been a bit of a party at the hotel the night before (I guess that’s what conventions are all about, really) with a 4 AM bed-time, and our launch slot, being the first event the next morning was, inevitably, less than ideal.  That, plus the fact that neither Paul (fellow launcher) nor I are household names, meant we kind of got bypassed as we sat at our little tables with piles of books and pens at the ready.  Some folks did stop to say hi and chat a while, and to them I really am very grateful.  Not all of you actually bought anything, but in these cash-strapped days I’m not surprised that you budgeted to purchase known brands, rather than try a taster of something new.

Anyhoo, I’d never done anything like that before but I’m glad I did.  Would I go to another?  Yes, I probably would, though I wouldn’t go for just the morning.  For one thing the price of casual parking in Brighton is ridiculous – I was there for 3 hours and was charged a fee of £15.00 (fifteen pounds stirling) for the privilege!  I’d also want to spend a bit more time getting to know some of the other visitors and soak in a bit more of the atmosphere, and maybe learn a thing or two from the old hands at the writing game.

So, worth going for the experience if not the sales.  Maybe it’ll be better next time.

FantasyCon 2012 ROCKS!

In particular, the good folks who manage the event, and especially STEPHEN JONES!

The saga so far…

I have a book (Badger’s Waddle) that is being launched on Sunday morning at FantasyCon 2012 in Brighton.

BUT, I hadn’t realised I needed a membership pass to gain entry, and I didn’t find that out until yesterday evening.

THEN I discovered that the register-by date had expired, which meant I wouldn’t be able to attend.

SO, I became desperately depressed and cheesed off that my 5 minutes of (very low-key) fame was to be denied.

ANYWAY, this morning I sent an email to FC2012, in hope rather than expectation, asking if there was any way I could get a pass to attend.

AND lo and behold, I got responses from the good folks at FC2012, the very last of which (from the Stephen mentioned at the top of this post) confirmed that I would be allowed into the venue for the duration of the book launch on Sunday!

Regrettably it doesn’t help the stalwarts who wanted to come along with me, and to them I offer my apologies and commiserations.

BUT, a very BIG and sincere THANK YOU to STEPHEN and ALL at the FC2012!!!

Irritations and Disappointments

So, everything is looking good for the book launch at FantasyCon 2012 – except I won’t be there.

It turns out that you have to be a member of Fantasy Con in order to attend.  I didn’t know.

Maybe I’m too naive.  I really did think that, as it was my book being launched (amidst loads of others, of course) that I could just turn up and enjoy my 15 minutes of (extremely minor and limited) fame.  After my publisher told me about the launch, I should have checked all the details on the Fantasy Con website.  But I didn’t. Then, yesterday, my wife suddenly asked if there was an entrance fee.  I didn’t know.  My publisher hadn’t mentioned it.  He hadn’t thought to mention it, and I hadn’t thought to ask.  So I emailed him yesterday evening and today when I got in from work I read his reply.

Oh well, life is full of irritations and disappointments and this is just one more.

So if you were planning to go along to say hello and maybe pick up a signed copy, I’m afraid you’re going to be disappointed.  Of course, if you have a membership you can still go along, and I would encourage you to do so.  But I will only be there in spirit.

FantasyCon Is Fast Approaching

One week to go to FantasyCon at Brighton (UK), and I confess I’m beginning to get a little bit excited.  Of course, being a realist I know full well that my slot will get very little attention, so I’m not expecting to see hoards flocking, but if even half a dozen turn up I’ll consider it a success!

There is a let down, however.  The artist who was supposed to delivery the book cover has failed to deliver, which is a real shame.  I’ve seen a sample of his other work which I thought looked pretty good, and I also liked his preliminary sketches which, I thought, captured the surreal and wacky atmosphere of Badger’s Waddle.  But there you are.  I don’t know why he wasn’t able to deliver.  Maybe he had a genuine reason, a family issue or something, I just don’t know. Whatever, it is disappointing.  However, Greyhart Press wisely had a standby book cover just in case, so at least there’ll be something to dress the pages in!

If you can make it, the publisher is offering a discount on published price (and no, I don’t actually know what that will be) such that you can buy 2 books for £10.00 – I don’t think you have to buy 2 of my books, though.  There will be others on sale, including the launch of Unauthorised Contact, a collection of dark SF by my good friend and peer Paul Melhuish.  So if you are coming to the event, why not by his offering and mine together?

See you there!

Marmite

My publisher said something very wise: Badger’s Waddle is like Marmite – people with either love it or loath it.

So far, based on beta-reader feedback, most people seem to like it with very few expressing much criticism. And even then, the critic very kindly compared me with the great Terry Pratchett.

I can’t complain at that, can I? 

Movies are Better than Books

Movies are Better than Books.