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If you click at the link on the top menu bar which says ‘Buy my books’ (oh yes) you’ll be taken to a page where you can buy directly or find sites to purchase some of the titles I’ve worked on. Easy! Please do spread the word and if there are any issues you encounter, give me a shout so I can sort them (…or make them worse).
Here’s the link for you in-page:
It does mean that my plans to do a write-up from Bristol and Kapow have fallen somewhat by the wayside, but needless to say they were very fruitful, productive and successful shows for Clockwork Watch, Bayou Arcana and Magic of Myths. The typically awesome comic book crowd made the events as special as they were, and I can’t offer enough thanks to all those people there, new friends and old from all over, for a great time. So, it may be best to let the pics speak for me while I beaver away at a couple secret projects and announcements that have come to light in the past month.
So sorry for the lack of write-up on the Bristol Comic and Small Press Expo. It went very, very well thanks to some brilliant people in and out of the comic book industry, but there’s been a total lack of time to even think too much about it…
…because I’m heading off to the star-studded Kapow convention in London this weekend. Bayou Arcana figurehead Jimmy Pearson very generously offered part of his exhibitor’s table to the Clockwork Watch team; simply an offer we couldnt refused. So now I’m packing up my stock, preparing a bag and off to my second con in as many weeks.
Wish us luck!
So, what’s next?
Ah, yes. The Bristol Comic and Small Press Expo.
This weekend on 12th and 13th May, I’ll be joining the comic book community and industry for the annual event in Bristol. Last year I was there to launch Magic of Myths: season one – this year I’ll be there to help launch:
– Bayou Arcana: Volume 1. Songs of Loss and Redemption (with all the other Bayou Arcana creators)
– Clockwork Watch: The Arrival (with fellow creators Yomi Ayeni and Jennie Gyllblad)
– And selling more copies of Magic of Myths: season one.
On top of that, I’ll also be doing talks at three panels. One each for Bayou Arcana and Clockwork Watch at the rather special Markosia Showcase at the Ramada (where we’ll be selling and signing the books), and another will be a Transmedia panel on Saturday at the Ramada at 11.45am, along with Barry Nugent, Stephen M Downey and Scott Grandison. There I’ll be talking about my experiences on Unseen Shadows: Stolen, Clockwork Watch and plans for Magic of Myths, along with some other goodies from the above talented creators.
In short, the busiest and convention I’ll have ever been at. But should be great fun.
You can find us all at the Markosia Showcase at the Ramada, so come over and say hi!
As the Bayou Arcana: Volume 1. Songs of Loss and Redemption bandwagon begins to gather pace, a bunch of us were interviewed by freelance writer Laura Sneddon about the book, sexism in comics and more.
You can check it out right here (http://www.comicbookgrrrl.com/2012/03/10/women-in-comics-interview-with-the-creators-of-bayou-arcana/).
Pre-order Bayou Arcana: Songs of Loss and Redemption here – and keep an eye out for reviews coming soon…
So, the past few weeks I’ve been having chats with the organisers of the Brisol Comic Expo. And then, after a few agreements were made, this press release entered inboxes across the globe:
PRESS RELEASE FOR BRISTOL COMIC EXPO!
We are once again teaming up with one of our favorite publishers to create on totally new promotion at the Convention!
We are dedicating Saturday afternoon at the Ramada Park Suite to present a very special multi title EXpo EXclusive launch with short presentations from the creative teams and signings plus art show…..
Full details will be announced soon on the website www.bristolexpo.co.uk
But here we give an EXpo EXclusive Sneak Peek!
1.45pm MARKOSIA and Friends SHOWCASE
Comic Expo Bristol is very excited to be presenting a brand new format to introduce attendees to the World Of Markosia!
We present FIVE new titles with their creators including 3 Convention-only Hard Back Special Editions that will NOT be available in stores for a dedicated signing session
Plus our friends CLOCKWORK WATCH will be joining us for this very special event! EXpo EXclusive Selected Original Art display featuring Valia Kapadai’s While Knuckle
1.45pm – doors open with an introduction from Publisher Harry Markos2pm – WHITE KNUCKLE
2.25pm – HYPERGIRL & Hero 9 to 5 sequel
2.50pm – SLEEZE CASTLE ETCETERA
THE inCOMPLETE FINAL CUT
3.15pm – SIGNINGS ALL TITLES
4pm – CLOCKWORK WATCHTHE EXPO SPOTLIGHT PRESENTATION!
4.30pm pm BAYOU ARCANA
Followed by a final all title signing session
If you’ve been keeping up with this blog you’ll have noticed that this showcase actually has two projects I’ve worked on – Bayou Arcana and Clockwork Watch. Which in turn means I’ll be on two panel talks and two tables. Busy times! But looking forward to it.
So if you’re attending Bristol, be sure to swing by the Markosia and Friends Showcase and say hi!
As Bayou Arcana creeps closer to it’s May release, some news and a very short preview for you.
First up, if you’ve not pre-ordered your copy of Bayou Arcana: Songs of Loss and Redemption then you can now, either from places like Amazon or if you pre-order directly from our publisher Markosia before 1 April you’ll get a £3 discount off its £14.99 cover price.
Also, today Bayou Arcana supremo Jimmy Pearson and a few other creators from the anthology, including myself, will be on a panel at Blackwells bookshop in Charring Cross, London. We’ll be with other authors and filmmakers discussing Gothic literature and the genre of Southern Gothic, so if you’re in the area feel free to pop in – we’ll be there from 6pm until 8ish.
Oh, and I suppose you’ll want a short preview of Irons in the Fire from Bayou Arcana, illustrated by the ever-excellent Jennie Gyllblad and written by me? Ok… just a small one…
Let’s kick things off with a little Bayou Arcana, shall we?
As you may already know, Jen and I have been working on Irons in the Fire for an anthology called Bayou Arcana. Bayou Arcana: Volume 1. Songs of Loss and Redemption is a gothic horror anthology set in a fantastical swamp (in the American South) – you can read more about it here, but the good news is that British newspaper The Guardian featured it in a recent news story covering UK comic books, female creators and the gender gap in the industry. Bayou Arcana has a rather unique set up of being created by all-male writers and all-female artists, so it’s getting noticed by a lot of people and organisations, such as MTV and several other newspapers and magazines across the globe.
You can read the article here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/dec/28/women-comic-book-sexism. And the good man Lee Grice (from Small Press Big Mouth) scanned in the pages from when the article was printed a few weeks back:
Bayou Arcana is available for pre-orders by our publisher, Markosia, so if you pre-order it before 1st April 2012 you can get £3 off the cover price (£14.99)! This one is going to be popular, folks, so make sure you get your pre-orders in now by heading over to
There’s more to come on Bayou Arcana soon.
First up, a quick apology – my last entry (“I have a dream…“) wasn’t actually what I wrote when I last left Blogger. What was published was actually a draft of my original post, which I re-wrote and saved after, yet somehow Blogger took my old version anyway, which is why some of it probably was a little messy. In any case, sorry for any confusion.
And now, the news.
Despite the injured ankle, knee and toe, despite one printing company screwing me over at the last minute, despite my copies of Magic of Myths nearly not arriving on time… the comic convention in Bristol was incredible. A truly amazing experience. Met so many brilliant, new people, had a great time with my lovely girlfriend and friends and even in the face of my nervousness in selling Magic of Myths, everything went really well.
Jen, my friend and artist partner for Butterflies and Moths, shared a table with me (thanks to the very kind Simon Gurr who offered to share in the first place) and has created a great illustrated write up of the experience here: http://jenspiration-now.blogspot.com/2011/05/bristol-expo-2011-weekend-of-awesome.html
Magic of Myths sold a nice few handfuls of copies, which was relieving (given at the start I was uncertain if anyone was going to buy it and I’d go back home with all the copies I arrived with) and everyone was really friendly and supportive – which was great, as I’m not afraid to say I was bricking it, especially during the first couple hours! A bit of context – this has been a dream of mine for many years. Magic of Myths was a story which had been knocking around my skull since about 2003, and represents the fulfilment of a desire I’ve had since I was about 5/6 years old – to have written a ‘full’ comic book to sell. And all of a sudden, here I was, sitting on a table, trying to sell one. Fear and paranoia are pretty much standard coating for thoughts like: “what if I don’t verbally bring the story across?” “what if they spend the money and hate it?” and so on.
And yet, it all came together. And I’m really grateful for everyone who helped make that such an amazing experience.
What made it all the better was that all my friends with selling stands did really well, the general atmosphere was fantastic and lots of plans were made for the future. Thank you so much if bought a book, had a chat at the table or just came over to say hi. If you’re still looking to buy a copy, please head over to the Magic of Myths site which will tell you where you can buy it from. Any problems or questions, just drop me a line.
Along with Magic of Myths, three other projects I’m working on had a little boost, too. Firstly, Jen and my Bayou Arcana story, Irons in the Fire, got some positive feedback, especially on Jen’s artwork. The whole anthology is looking superb so far, and the man behind it all, James Pearson, has some very clever ideas to make it really sing. Definitely something to look out for.
The second project is Butterflies and Moths. Yes, I know I’ve been banging this drum for a while now, but after a productive chat with Jen things may progress a little quicker than we originally realised. Can’t say more than that right now, but when we finalise something you’ll hear about it.
The third one I can say even less about, but Faceless (think Robert Ludlum meeting Joss Whedon and Guy Ritchie in a dark alley and making a beautiful fiction baby together) got a jolt in the arm as well. Needless to say, I’m very excited if things will develop as it’s very early days and anything can change, but…
Right, this post is long enough! Expect some more bits and pieces soon…
Just a little break from Magic of Myths…
Jennie Gyllblad (my artist partner on graphic novel Butterflies and Moths) has done a little more artwork for our forthcoming short story for anthology Bayou Arcana. Our tale, Irons in the Fire, is nearly done, barring a few more pages of script and half the artwork to be done, so here’s a sneak peek of the first couple pages… they’re rather nice, I’m sure you’ll agree:
Expect more on Irons in the Fire and Bayou Arcana in the coming months.
