Amnesia Agents work in progress blog goes live

My new novel is being posted online as a work-in-progress here. I expect to put up a section of a chapter once or twice a week. I'll be interested to know what you think!

http://www.amnesiaagents.blogspot.co.uk/

Moving Targets short story collection available again!

A few years ago, I published through Lulu a collection of linked short stories called 'Moving Targets', now available again here as a paperback or e-book. The cover is by me old mucker Paul Harrison-Davies, with internal spot illustrations by Jim Cameron and Davey Candlish.



There will be some thematic links between some of the stories in this collection and the upcoming novel 'Amnesia Agents', which I'm currently working on. You can track its progress here .

Trust Tom!

This weekend I had been invited to a Meet The Authors event at the Octavia Hill Birthplace House in Wisbech. She, in case you didn't know, was the founder of the National Trust. Being at work all day, I wasn't able to get there until quite late on, by which time the other authors had become a bit dismayed at the low turnout. However, these things don't get popular unless they're offered, so I'm optimistic about the children's event we'll be having to promote the book on Saturday 25th May. If you're in the area, please do come along for shenanigans and monsters. I was very pleased to sign a few copies to some of the staff and attendees, and it was a great pleasure to meet the representatives of the National Trust who were there, including Ben Cowell, the new regional director. Thanks to Peter Clayton, who runs the House. We're planning some sort of active Tom Hickathrift event for children for the future.

Tom Hickathrift Half Term Monster Workshops!

 

Hopefully this chap will cheer up when the Tom Hickathrift Monster Workshop comes to the rooms above his cellar! As part of the Wisbech Arts Festival, I will be doing a reading, signing and a Describe-A-Monster workshop at the Octavia Hill Birthplace House, an historic building in Wisbech, on Saturday 25th May from 11am to 1pm! You can buy copies of The Legend of Tom Hickathrift straight from me there! Prior to that, I'll be making an appearance at the Meet The Authors Event at the same place on 17th May.

Don't forget, I'll also be doing a similar event at Kings Lynn Waterstones at half term on Tuesday 28th May at 11am.

I just dropped posters off at both venues so hopefully there'll be some in-place promotion. If you're in the area, do pop along and get hold of a signed copy!

New Projects and Tom Hickathrift's adventure continues...

I'm currently in a period of sorting out which of my projects I'm about to focus on for completion in 2013. The Legend of Tom Hickathrift is set for release on 7th May, so please get your pre-orders in. If you are in the area on 28th May, I will be signing and shenanigising at Waterstones in King's Lynn at about 11am onwards. Before that, I may be doing something during the Wisbech Arts Festival. I'm on the lookout for any other opportunities to promote Tom Hickathrift - to include a reading, signing and creative writing workshop for children aged around 8-12 - at bookshops or events, so do contact me if interested.

In the early planning stages (which depends entirely on how well the book does) is a tentative sequel, provisionally titled 'Tom Hickathrift and the Ghosts of the Smeeth'. Sequels are in some ways in the lap of the gods, as I'm itching for us to do Frontier Book Two: 'The Infernal Express', but whether we do or not, only time will tell. I have a much more 'weird' story than the first volume planned. I'm considering whether to produce more online extracts from Daisy's Diary to whet the appetite.

At some point in 2013, David Hitchcock and I hope to have completed our adaptation of Charles Dickens' 'The Signal-Man', the progress of which is beautifully scary - just check out Dave's blog. Mitz also has the script for issue 1 of  'Bulldog and Panda: The Long War'. If we manage to get that out in 2013, it will coincide with Winston Bulldog's 30th anniversary. Yes, you read that right. Finally, I'm still part way through the script for 'Double Felix' with artist Andy Bloor. Hopefully we'll have something to say about that soon.

Andy was responsible for the logo design and some of the artwork for the 'Amnesia Agents' magazine that I put out last year (still available to order from this very website). I've just begun this week on redrafting the existing elements of the 'Amnesia Agents' novel. This is still a working title, as the story is still taking shape, but it's likely to be aimed at an older audience than my previously published work. I'm hoping that, as I move more into prose than comics, I will be able to write for both audiences, but again, time will tell.

Cor, Blarst Me! Talking Tom Hickathrift On Radio Norfolk!

I had the honour of being invited on to the Stephen Bumphrey show on BBC Radio Norfolk today. You can Listen Again to the show here - but hurry! It's only there for a week or so! We talked about the book, the legend, and, believe it or not, me! In amongst all my jabbering, I think there's a couple of things worth listening to! I come in at about 8 or 9 minutes past 3pm.

A Legend is Born!

 The postman delivered a sturdy boxful of my new novel The Legend Of Tom Hickathrift today! It's official! Order your copy now or pick a signed copy up from me at one of the following upcoming events: Saturday 11th May (TBC) - Reading and signing at Fully Booked bookshop, Wisbech. For children of all ages! Tuesday 28th May 11.00 AM - Reading and signing at Waterstones, King's Lynn. For children of all ages! There'll be colouring and Create-A-Monster-Poem too! Before then, though, tune in to listen to me on BBC Radio Norfolk! I'll be on the Stephen Bumphrey show - "Norfolk's top entertainment show" - on Wednesday 3rd April just after 3pm - to talk about the book!