Fighting Fantasy Fest 5 is coming up in just over a week. As you may have realized, it's the 40th anniversary of my first gamebook, Crypt of the Vampire. Oh, and it's the 40th anniversary of something called Deathtrap Dungeon, which accounts for why Fighting Fantasy author Sir Ian Livingstone and artist Iain McCaig are the guests of honour.
Originally the plan was for me to be on a panel discussion with Jamie Thomson and Paul Mason, perhaps reprising some of our talk from MantiCon in 2018. (Video above if you can't make it to Ealing for FFF.) Plans changed and now I think the panel involves Paul, Steve Williams and Marc Gascoigne, while Jamie is going to give a talk and I'll be there to answer questions. So in the last six years I'll have attended conventions in Germany, Italy, France, and now Britain. At my age it might be time to slow down. Cutting out air travel would be good for the planet, too.
I'm not specifically at FFF to sign books, apart from a brief slot from 10:30 to 11:00 just before Jamie's talk, but if you happen to bring a book along and I have time then of course I won't refuse. Jamie and Paul are probably planning to be there all day, so if you have limited space in your bag I'd advise bringing Way of the Tiger or Robin of Sherwood rather than any of mine.
Now, about that 40th anniversary of Crypt of the Vampire. I ought to do something to mark that, you say? Watch this space.
I'll see you there, Dave. Just working out how early I need to get up to get to Ealing in time... on a Saturday morning..
ReplyDeleteI've been checking Google, Simon. It looks as if I need to set off by 9am, and Jamie, who lives down on the south coast, will need to set off at 8:30. So much for the benefits of living in London!
DeleteJamie's journey seems more reasonable than mine and I'm nearer..
ReplyDeleteIt seems I was being unduly optimistic. Jamie just told me he's going to set out around 7am in case the weekend traffic is a problem. I think I'd just give up at that point.
DeleteCrumbs. Luckily we're commuter belt.
ReplyDeleteIf I'd thought about it sooner, I could have run a competition on the blog. Only London residents could enter. First prize: the winner gets to put Jamie up for the night before FFF. Second prize: you get him for a whole week :-)
Delete(If you're wondering why he's not staying with me, it's because I've got Paul Mason coming over from Japan.)
I'd just assumed that you'd learnt not to have him in the house. The best silverware and all that..
ReplyDeleteIt's anything breakable, Simon, that's the issue. Jamie has a chaos field. Last time he came round, he'd been in the house 5 minutes when he spotted my Buddy Christ figurine (who lives by the fruit bowl to keep it fresh), picked it up, dropped it, and broke Jesus's head off. Luckily superglue works miracles.
Delete"Watch this space"? Are you teasing about Golden Dragon ?!? THE Golden Dragon ?? Nooooo..!!! 🫣🥶🫣😁😅😇 It's unbearable!! 🤣
ReplyDeleteFortunately, I will have the pleasure to meet you again saterday and I will... pardon... will beg you for "this space"! 😁😅😇😇😇😇😇
You won't have to wait long, Gil. The vampire's coffin will be creaking open by Halloween ;-)
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