Posts
British Summertime in the USA
I was very pleased to be sent the lovely new John Picacio cover for the first American edition of my second SF novel, British Summertime.
It's in bookshops at the end of the month, and it's available to order now, direct from the good people at Monkeybrain Books, who've really got behind the novel, and come up with some excellent new blurbage:
http://www.monkeybrainbooks.com/British_Summertime.html
It's very pleasing to have a book out in the USA. I was sure we wouldn't be able to keep the original title, but they even went with that. And I love the square-jawed look of our hero, Leyton, on that cover. The background is entirely apt too. I had a little moment of 'ooh, that's the face of the Golden Men!' Do give their site a look.
In other news, about that SF Pub Quiz at the London SF Film Festival the other day... well, we, erm, won it. Beating the SFX Magazine team into fourth place. The unfortunately-named Team Awesome (which was Graham Sleight's idea, because he thought it'd be funny when we lost) trounced all opposition. Because there were about twenty of us. But that was allowed in the rules, and one plays to the rules. It was very well run, I thought, with assistants running back and forth to collect the papers. Afterwards, Third Row Fandom and SFX went and sat in the park and drank our winnings, and me and SFX's Nick Setchfield talked a lot about Prince. Because we're getting old.
There's a new and lovely website for this year's Faringdon Arts Festival, taking place on the 6th, 7th and 8th of July, in my lovely Oxfordshire town of Faringdon. It's here:
http://www.faringdonartsfestival.org
The Friday night in the Market Place is the big party night, truly something to be experienced, and there are all sorts of delights on the rest of the weekend, including the chance for children (and hey, only children) to ride in a Dalek. If you do come along, find me in the crowd, I'll be the one in a fetching yellow tabard.
Similarly, I'm off in a minute to the Bristol Comics Expo, a link to which is on the right. Much fun anticipated with the Millarworld crowd. 'Now,' said my Agent, 'if you're going to approach any editors, make sure you do it... early in the evening.' Sage advice indeed.
I'm now in the revision stage of novel writing, about a hundred and fifty pages in, and changing loads as I go. Now it's really about taking the scaffolding down, especially the bits that are there to support things you ended up deciding not to build. 'It's kind of...' I began to say to my Agent. 'The end now feels really weird and rushed, and you're not sure how you can attach it to the start, and you're worried about sorting it out. But I've heard this a million times before from authors, and it always works out fine,' he finished. Which was perhaps the single most useful professional thing anyone has ever said to me. And all that without him having read more than a few chapters. So I'm going through it on a much calmer basis now, and enjoying the ride.
Next week will be really mad work-wise, so you may not hear from me for a few days. In the meantime, Cheerio.
It's in bookshops at the end of the month, and it's available to order now, direct from the good people at Monkeybrain Books, who've really got behind the novel, and come up with some excellent new blurbage:
http://www.monkeybrainbooks.com/British_Summertime.html
It's very pleasing to have a book out in the USA. I was sure we wouldn't be able to keep the original title, but they even went with that. And I love the square-jawed look of our hero, Leyton, on that cover. The background is entirely apt too. I had a little moment of 'ooh, that's the face of the Golden Men!' Do give their site a look.
In other news, about that SF Pub Quiz at the London SF Film Festival the other day... well, we, erm, won it. Beating the SFX Magazine team into fourth place. The unfortunately-named Team Awesome (which was Graham Sleight's idea, because he thought it'd be funny when we lost) trounced all opposition. Because there were about twenty of us. But that was allowed in the rules, and one plays to the rules. It was very well run, I thought, with assistants running back and forth to collect the papers. Afterwards, Third Row Fandom and SFX went and sat in the park and drank our winnings, and me and SFX's Nick Setchfield talked a lot about Prince. Because we're getting old.
There's a new and lovely website for this year's Faringdon Arts Festival, taking place on the 6th, 7th and 8th of July, in my lovely Oxfordshire town of Faringdon. It's here:
http://www.faringdonartsfestival.org
The Friday night in the Market Place is the big party night, truly something to be experienced, and there are all sorts of delights on the rest of the weekend, including the chance for children (and hey, only children) to ride in a Dalek. If you do come along, find me in the crowd, I'll be the one in a fetching yellow tabard.
Similarly, I'm off in a minute to the Bristol Comics Expo, a link to which is on the right. Much fun anticipated with the Millarworld crowd. 'Now,' said my Agent, 'if you're going to approach any editors, make sure you do it... early in the evening.' Sage advice indeed.
I'm now in the revision stage of novel writing, about a hundred and fifty pages in, and changing loads as I go. Now it's really about taking the scaffolding down, especially the bits that are there to support things you ended up deciding not to build. 'It's kind of...' I began to say to my Agent. 'The end now feels really weird and rushed, and you're not sure how you can attach it to the start, and you're worried about sorting it out. But I've heard this a million times before from authors, and it always works out fine,' he finished. Which was perhaps the single most useful professional thing anyone has ever said to me. And all that without him having read more than a few chapters. So I'm going through it on a much calmer basis now, and enjoying the ride.
Next week will be really mad work-wise, so you may not hear from me for a few days. In the meantime, Cheerio.
Labels:
British Summertime,
Chalk,
Comics,
Doctor Who,
FAF,
SF,
SFX,
Third Row
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That's a nice cover - and also a nice design to go with it.
I think "Team Awesome" was originally a coinage by one of the other denizens of the Third Row; I can't take the credit for that.
I assume you're aware of Prince's plans to play umpty nights at the "o2" later this year?
Also, I was disappointed that the trailer for the remainder of Who S3 featured no Sea Devils. They are going to be in your story, right?
I thought other members of the Third Row coined a better name and you were stubbornly pursuing your own path. I'll let you off, but only because you won beer and freebies for us.
Hi Paul
Yes, its me. It looks like your'e having a busy life! The arts festival does sound lovely - and will surely be enjoyed by all. I shall be watching the Eurovision Song Contest this year, out of respect for tradition. Can't say I'm impressed with our entry this year - Schuch (is that you spell it?_ Slightly redolent of overripe bananas, much like the song. I watched it with some friends a few years ago who decided to play a Eurovision drinking game - ah, the foolishness of youth - which ended with one of them falling over in mid-sentence. We had to put the other one to bed whilst he drunkenly apologised for being drunk. There'll be none of that this year, but perhaps some cheesy corn snacks and a large bottle of Tizer....
Take a look at my Friends Reunited profile (under my old name) if you fancy a laugh sometime.
You two play nice, now. I didn't know about Prince, but now I do, I may well go. The Sea Devils are supposed to be a secret. Sal, Scooch is the name you're looking for, and they will certainly keep small children hiding behind the sofa tonight. I shall go look you up. Hello from Bristol, by the way. And ow. I shall go easier tonight.
I'm very excited about Eurovision, worth it this year just for the Ukraine's entry - all dressed up in shiny tin foil with a front man who bears a distrssing resemblance to Timmy Mallett. Does anyone out there remember the German entry a few years ago, 'We are the Borg'? I rest my case. Now if only my daughter will promise not to cry during the proceedings....
The Sea Devils! Now that's exciting! They used to frighten me to death.
And congratulation on British Summertime, Paul. I comments on Amazon are interesting. Must get me a copy.
Cheerio.
Martin
Your agent once edited me, back in his Macmillan days. He never backs down and by God I was furious! Worst thing though, he ended up being utterly right ... and I'm now making a living through writing. Lovely B*stard.
Anonymous Martin, re the Sea Devils, I was merely picking up on stuff our host had said, eg, here; and I suspect he may not have been totally serious....
I just don't get Eurovision. I've tried, a couple of times, but I can't conjure up the precise mixture of camp and seriousness than a Eurovision fan needs. No, there really ARE NO SEA DEVILS in my episodes. Sorry, that's an old joke that I shouldn't have brought into play again. You seem to have had the full my Agent experience, whoever you are. He's never made me furious, though, because I signed up with him so he'd be exactly that hard on me.
No Sea Devils? Damn. Can we have some Sontarans instead?
No.
Actually, Eurovision wasn't that great. Ok, everyone else is right, its now an eastern European stich up and everybody hates us so we don't get any votes. Also, possibly, musical taste in the east differs from ours? Maybe this explains the voting frenzy for the Serbian entry on Saturday - can't think what else would...
I can't wait to go back to work, look what happens when I'm at home all the time. Thank goodness for the mothers' group on Tuesdays. I jest, obviously. Although I'm in the library at the moment and seem to have inadvertantly stumbled on a 'Bounce and Rhyme' session. Oh dear, better go....
It is a nice cover, by the way.
This cover looks great, much better than from the British release I think.
Looking very much forward to Big Finish's 100. Could it be that the press text from your episode is very much inspired by Time Team? I can't get Tony Robinson's voice out of my head: "And we've just got 3 days to find out"
Nice to see you at Bristol Paul, hope you enjoyed the rest of it.
Thank goodness that Sea Devil talk was a jape. I thought I'd been spoiled.
If ever you do find yourself writing a story involving that particular race could you call it Life and Loves of a Sea Devil just for me?
It was smashing to meet you on Sunday, Paul, thanks to you and Caroline for being so gracious in the face of geekiness! Thanks also for signing my copy of Human Nature!
Very best wishes,
Rob.
Being broody, I love anything involving babies bouncing. I think there is actually a Bernice story somewhere based on Time Team. I really enjoyed Bristol, and will blog about it when I have a moment. Ah, Rob, that was actually the original joke. It's not come back to haunt me. And no problem!
Rob: I tried to find an email address for you rather than post here, but couldn't. I just wanted to say that I used to be an unpublished writer working in retail management, but now I'm neither of those things so it can be done. And looking at your music, movie and book selections on your myspace page, we have similar tastes, too. I know it's a bit of a cliché, and it's difficult when you don't seem to be getting anywhere, but you just have to keep writing. Good luck.
Martin Sketchley
Ah, being broody is where it all starts Paul! Having a child is rather like riding on the biggest, scariest Big Dipper you can think of - without a safety harness. But like all parents, I say its worthwhile. This is after 4 months. Ask me in 15 years....
I worked for Time Team a couple of times when I was digging, and more recently advised on a dig in Oxfordshire. Its amazing what they can make out of a frantic 3 day dig, really, since they don't always find anything much! Thats the magic of television, I guess!
Martin is very much 'good cop' to my 'cop, did you say?' Time Team always find, according to Eddie Izzard, a series of small walls.
Oh Sally, that sounds really exciting! I missed the only time Time Team was here in Holland. I knew someone was doing a dig on Roman river barges that weekend nearby but had so much other work to do that I didn't take a look. I raed about it in the newspaper later.
Ah well, it's probably better not to stand about and annoy people anyway. Mind you, doing a field project as a geologist can draw quiet a small crowd as well, especially when working on a public beach. People actually brought crates full with fossils and minerals and asked me to identify them :)
The return of Chipshopness!
Congratulations on the resurrection of British Summertime (the US cover is far better than the new UK cover)!
I hope that I didn't babble too much when we met, but I really did enjoy the book and I'm happy to hear that it is being reprinted and that you have another novel on the way.
I'm starting to think we should have a forum, so more discussions could get going. I shall put some thought into that. And of course not, Lalith, I'm happy to chat whenever I'm at a convention. I hope you like the new book when you see it and thanks for the BritSum support.
T-minus 7 days till Paul Cornell gets an ego boost from millions of fans ;) the trailer looks fantastic. Here's a myspace comment from my mate: "HOW GOOD DOES NEXT WEEK LOOK?!" (it really was in capitals). And my sister got really freaked out by the scarecrows!
Oh, and, 42 rocked! And watching the match beforehand turned me into a footie fan =o
have a good week,
jack.
Just saw the trailer for "Human Nature". Looks like a throwback to The Curse of Fenric in someways, which is good since that was proof that all 80's who wasn't bad.
BTW. My original guess during the Series 3 trailer was correct.
Thanks. Hope you like it when you see it. I shall blog aptly beforehand. Cheers.