News

[nealasher]

Well, being the publicity tart that I am, I've now started doing a few bits with a Myspace account I got about two years ago. The profile URL is: http://www.myspace.com/nealasher and the blog Url is: http://blog.myspace.com/nealasher I'm not entirely sure where I'm going to go with this that'll make it any different from what I've already got (I've already copied blog posts across). Anyway, it gives me another excuse not to get on with writing...

Hey, come and be my friend - I'll look a bit sad if there's only one or two listed.

[nealasher]

There we go, at 5.30 tonight I put ‘ENDS’ below what I’d been labouring over all day, then, despite the fact that I haven’t been particularly abstemious this week, I wandered up the shop and bought a couple of bottles of wine to celebrate. The first draft of Line War is finished and it weighs in at just over 140,000 words. After I’ve finished editing, swapping bits around, extending other bits, cutting bits and generally hacking it into shape the book will almost certainly be larger. It’ll be about the size of either Brass Man or The Skinner. It’s a cause to celebrate because, even though further work lies ahead, the thing itself is done.

I hope you’ll like it.

[Hobbit]

Congratulations, Neal: if you can still read this, that is.

Allowing for redrafting, editing etc etc, then we're looking at a late 2007 / early 2008 release?

Hobbit

[nealasher]

Probably mid 2008 or thereabouts. You can usually count on it being about a year after delivery, which will be a few months down the line from now.

[nealasher]

Another country's national national borders have been crossed by my AG tanks, which pushes to total now to a round 10. The publisher Eridana in Lithuania is taking on Gridlinked and The Skinner.

[nealasher]

Win a set of my books here!

[gaiusbaltar]

There we go, at 5.30 tonight I put ‘ENDS’ below what I’d been labouring over all day, then, despite the fact that I haven’t been particularly abstemious this week, I wandered up the shop and bought a couple of bottles of wine to celebrate. The first draft of Line War is finished and it weighs in at just over 140,000 words. After I’ve finished editing, swapping bits around, extending other bits, cutting bits and generally hacking it into shape the book will almost certainly be larger. It’ll be about the size of either Brass Man or The Skinner. It’s a cause to celebrate because, even though further work lies ahead, the thing itself is done.

I hope you’ll like it.

sweet! i'm really looking forward to this one. congrats!!

[nealasher]

OK, I’ll be doing another signing at 6pm Thursday 9th of August at Waterstones in Lakeside Thurrock, so if you’re in the area, come and buy some books, say hello, get books you’ve already bought signed! See you there.

[gaiusbaltar]

OK, I’ll be doing another signing at 6pm Thursday 9th of August at Waterstones in Lakeside Thurrock, so if you’re in the area, come and buy some books, say hello, get books you’ve already bought signed! See you there.

yep i'm going to come to see you there - i'll be the baldy guy dragging my wife and 2 week old baby along behind....

[nealasher]

I'll keep an eye out for you ... in a glass on a window sill.

[gaiusbaltar]

but damn it was great to meet you yesterday! how long were you signing for in the end?

[nealasher]

Thanks Daniel. The signing was for an hour or so but was a big of a wash-out. I really should have done it at the weekend, but was going away. Plenty of stock signed anyway.

Moving on....

Okay, on the 18th August I’ll be on the DaveO Prog Rock Show which runs from 10pm till midnight. Probably I’ll be talking a lot of nonsense about my books, SF and life the universe and everything in general, and listening to the likes of Pink Floyd. Here's the blurb and links to the show:

Welcome to the DaveO Prog Rock Show's world of progressive rock, broadcasting out from Phoenix 98FM!! If you like progressive rock, both new and old, then this show is for you.

The website for Phoenix 98FM is: www.phoenixfm.com

Want to listen to the show, but don't live near enough to pick it up on the radio? No problem, here's the URL:
http://dream.wavestreamer.com:2963/listen.pls
Copy and paste this into your favourite listening software. I use iTunes and it works without fault.
Why don't you visit my presenterhttp://dream.wavestreamer.com:2963/listen.plss page on the station's website? Each week I post a write up on the last show. The address is: http://www.phoenixfm.com/progshow.php.

[gaiusbaltar]

the Prador Moon hardcover is available to pre-order from amazon (ETA: 02/11/07): http://www.amazon.co.uk/Prador-Moon-...7953229&sr=8-3

got my copy preordered - i hope to complete my HC collection someday......

[nealasher]

Cool cover, I've got it as a screen background. I'm also sitting here signing five hundred book plates for this one.

[nealasher]

Ah bollocks. A month or so ago I got an email from a guy asking me about the film rights for Hilldiggers and, ever since, I was understandably keeping my fingers crossed what with the guy concerned being a story editor from 20th Century Fox. Unfortunately he couldn’t rally up enough interest amidst the executives.

It seems that what I need is one or any combination of three things to become attached to said book: talent (I’m presuming we’re talking about some actor here), book-to-film agent or a producer. So if any of you guys know anything about this sort of stuff…

It is annoying to google ‘book-to-film agent’ and find, for example, this on one screenplay agency site:

Looking for completed feature sci-fi scripts. Only interested in big-budget summer blockbuster-type stories with strong fantastical elements that require lots of special effects.

Damn, apart from the fact that none of my books are scripts, the second sentence describes them perfectly. I need to have a look at my screenplay writing stuff and maybe have a pop at it myself. Either that or try to get someone more experienced with this sort of thing onboard.

Sigh.