FantasyCon 2007

I thought it was about time to mention another of my editing stints.

In 2007 I was asked by that year’s FantasyCon committee if I would like to produce (i.e., edit and design) their Souvenir Programme Book. Naturally, I said yes; I was easily persuaded (and in turn I persuaded Jan Edwards to sit in the assistant's chair). So I diligently set about acquiring material by and about the Guests of Honour (Terry Brooks, Michael Marshall Smith and Stephen Jones) and the Master of Ceremonies Peter Crowther.

The FantasyCon 2007 committee were (alphabetically) Jenny Barber, Vicki Cook, Pat Barber, Paul Kane and Marie O’Regan. The convention was held 21-23 September in the Britannia Hotel, Nottingham -- a great city-centre venue. It was interesting, visiting that city, seeing how much things had changed, how much hadn't: I worked in Nottingham from 1975 to 1980.

Front cover painting (Beowulf) by Edward Miller

Terry Brooks: The Magic Works by Mark Yon

To Know Magic by Shawn Speakman

Facing Down the Monster by Terry Brooks

You, Too, Can’t be Michael Marshall Smith by Paul McAuley

At Home With the Smiths by Paula Grainger

Last Glance Back by Michael Marshall Smith

Stephen Jones: Loving the Idiots by Neil Gaiman

The Creative Spirit by Christopher Fowler

The Karloff Quartet by Stephen Jones

Lust for Life by Paul di Fillipo

Narrow, and Other Houses by Stephen Gallagher

Dream a Little Dream for Me by Peter Crowther

The Timeless Genius of Leonardo by Mike Carey

The Horror Writers’ Association by David Riley

Marvin’s Summer Nights by Stephen Jones

Bridge of Dreams by Chaz Brenchley

The Write Fantastic by Sarah Ash

Reasons to Join In by Marie O’Regan

Wake Up in Moloch by Joel Lane

Interior artwork/photos by: Randy Broecker, Judine Brooks, Mike Chinn, Peter Coleborn, Bob Covington, Steve Double, Les Edwards, Chris Fowler, Allen Koszowski, Uli Meyer, John Picacio, Anne Sudworth, Dan Skinner and Mandy Slater.

I was pleased to use Paula Grainger’s piece on her husband, Michael Marshall Smith – her first ever publication. I was a bit concerned about using Neil Gaiman’s article on Stephen Jones, which although rather humorous, could be taken as slight criticism of the GoH. Fortunately Steve loved the piece – he even reprinted it on his own website.

I was very happy with this publication and was pleased to have been invited to produce it.

Sex, Lies & Family Ties now available

I am pleased to report that Sex, Lies and Family Ties, by Sarah J Graham (published by my Alchemy Press) is now available to buy as an eBook via Smashwords.

Too many things to do...

I seem to have far too many things to do, to keep on top of -- which means I end up doing a bit of this, a bit of that and not finishing projects quickly enough. At least, though, it keeps my brain active, which can't be a bad thing.

Anyway, this brings me to another ongoing project: Sex, Lies and Family Ties by Sarah J Graham. This is a coming of age novel, set at the end of the 1960s. It's very moving -- and excellently written. I'm not sure exactly when it's due out from my Alchemy Press: soon, I hope. The cover artwork is by the wonderful Steve Upham of Screaming Dreams fame.

Alchemy Press: new covers

I have now designed the front covers for the two forthcoming anthologies from The Alchemy Press: Ancient Wonders, edited by Jan Edwards and Jenny Barber, and Pulp Heroes, edited by Mike Chinn. The artists are Dominic Harman and Bob Covington respectively.

Sarah & Joe and Adrian

Here's another of my Photoshopped photographs: Sarah Pinborough and Joe Abercrombie. They seem to be after the same cigarette-device-thingy. Or, more likely, acting up for yours truly as he wielded the camera. It was taken at FantasyCon 2011.

And this is Adrian Tchaikovsky -- taken at the same FantasyCon. Before I converted the image to B&W you could just see the lights of Brighton's pier in the background.