Edge-Lit 11 - Guests of Honour

 Hi Book Dweebs!

So a week has flown by already.  This time last week I was in Derby at Edge-Lit 11.

There were 3 guests of honour this year. Prolific author Tim Lebbon, Sci-fi legend Peter F Hamilton and TV and horror writer Matthew Holness (Garth Marenghi).

Tim Lebbon -

• Tim's favourite book is The Stand and he read it when aged 17. 
• Tim pitched a Thing Sequel to studios set 40 years later with Mcready being the Thing. 
• He does a lot of novelisations of IP properties including Firefly and Kong Island but his favourite being a Star Wars Novel set at the beginning of the Jedi.
• Tim writes a lot as it's his living and enjoys writing stories, has written a lot of apocalyptic novels.
• Tim is a panser and rarely plans his novels. He just sometimes has an idea of the endings. 
• Tim keeps fit when not sat at a desk writing by being a keen triathlon runner.

Peter F Hamilton -

I met Peter once before at Leeds Waterstones with Alastair Reynolds and Justina Robson.

• Peter started writing on type writers, then Amstrad then modern PCs - and uses Word. 
• It took over 6 years to write his first Nightdawn trilogy and now it takes about 4 years to write a trilogy.
• He now tries to shorten his novels.
• Peter is currently working on 4 books.
• He is an advisor for a sci fi board and video game and has written novels in that universe. This has set up the world building.
• Peter doesn't read much as he doesn't want his writing influenced by other stories or authors.

Matthew Holness (Garth Marenghi)

• Matthew created Garth Marenghi for an Edinburgh Festival Fringe show with Richard Ayoade.
• Garth Marenghi is a fictional horror writer and the shows he is in on television and stage have an 80s feel.
• When Matthew was small he got an autograph from Peter Cushing in a WH Smiths and Peter was concerned he was too young to watch Hammer Horror.
• His television debut was a comedy sketch show Bruiser which also starred Richard Ayoade and David Mitchell, Robert Webb and Olivia Coleman.
• Matthew has starred in many TV shows including The Office.
• He also writes and directs movies including Possum. A physiological horror.
• Matthew writes horror as himself but also as his fictional character Garth Marenghi. He doesn't see them being made into TV shows.

Hope you enjoyed.  It was more fun being at the events themselves listening to talented people talk.

Neil x

Edge-Lit Preview - Legacy of Dracula

 

Hey Horror Fans!

So on the eve of Edge-Lit, I attended the above event about Dracula and the links to the city of Derby!

Hosted by Alex Davis the panel included horror legend Ramsey Cambell and author JS Barnes plus young author Benjamin Kurt Unsworth.

It was a fun panel that discussed the connection Derby has with Dracula.  Derby being the first place to have a Dracula performance on stage.

There were discussions of other versions of Dracula both in novel, play and film form and the classic cartoon Count Duckula was mentioned more than once.

It helped the audience know how much Dracula is a classic story for every generation.

A solid start to the Edge-Lit event.

Neil x

Edge-Lit 11

 

Hi Nerds!

Here are a few highlights from a fantastic weekend in Derby and Edge-Lit 11.

Many thanks to the organisers including Alex Davis and Pixie.

Another big thanks to the authors - including Mark Morris, Tim Lebbon, Juliet E McKenna and Matthew Holness, who attended the panels to make it a fun and informative event about writing, reading and life.

I even talked to Mark, Tim , Juliet and Matthew overcoming my nerves.  It was good to talk to new people and meet old friends including Hayley and Kevin, Ben, Helen and Philip and Terry.  As well as Donna and Neil.

Book Review - Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie

 

Books Read in 2025 - No. 1

Hey Book Nerds!

Yes you read that right. This is the first book I read in 2025!  I actually started reading Best Served Cold on November 6th 2024.

Sadly with my old job I had some mental health issues.  Then there was the Christmas period where I was busy.  Then the sudden death of my girlfriend Jane in January definitely put me in the wrong mindset to read and put me in a reading slump.  I also needed new glasses which I purchased 2 weeks ago. I started slowly getting back into reading in July or August. Now nearly 11 months later I have finally finished.

Set in Joe Abercrombie's First Law world it is a standalone novel, but it helps that you've read the trilogy before as there are characters from there and nods to the World.

As the title suggests the theme of the novel is revenge. Taken from the quote by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos "Revenge is a dish best served cold".

The story starts with the female general and mercenary Monza Murcatto and her brother Benna being betrayed by their employer Duke Orso. Benna is killed and she is badly beaten and thrown down a mountain.  She just about survives and plots revenge.  She employs Shivers - a Northern man from the original trilogy.  Morveer a master poisoner, and Cosca her previous leader.

They systematically kill the seven people who were in the room when Monza was betrayed.

Overall - this is a great book although slightly over long.  It could do with around 50 pages less.  It seemed darker in tone than the First Law trilogy.  There still was some humour but not as much.

The characters, as ever with a Joe Abercrombie novel we're great, especially for me, Cosca and Shivers.  Most of the characters suffered throughout the novel and the majority that were left alive learned from it.

Best Served Cold was also gritter with more raw and detailed sex scenes.

I wish I had read it quicker than I had but with everything I've mentioned earlier sadly it wasn't to be.

I read the last quarter of the book in the last week or two and the action rammed up with gory delight.

Very close to being better than the First Law Trilogy although slightly over long and slow in parts.  Still a great read.

Score -   8.5/10

Goodreads Score - 4 out of 5

Edge-Lit 11 - One Week To Go!

 

Hi Nerds!

This time next week I hope to be at Edge-Lit 11 at The Quad in Derby.

There, I'll be enjoying talks and panels from some successful and great authors.  I'll hopefully be meeting old friends and making some new ones, as I learn more about the authors themselves and the craft of writing.

Again I hope Edge-Lit will inspire me to get writing again after I've hardly written for over five years!

This year the founder of the event Alex Davis is back and in charge and has returned the much needed lunch break.

Authors I'm looking forward to seeing (some I've met before,) include Tim Lebbon, Peter F Hamilton, Mark Morris, RJ Barker and Juliet E McKenna.

Plus there's a raffle at the end of the event.  Last year I won 2 books in the raffle for the first time.

On the Friday night before there is also a chance to go to The Legacy of Dracula event which I may go to.

Hope to see you all next week at Edge-Lit 11.

Neil x

September 2025 Update!

 

Hello Nerds! 

Here we are in September! Yet again I'll say it - time seems to be speeding up!

Luckily Autumn is my favourite time of year. 

Bit of a short update as August went so quick. 

August Review -

The main thing that happened in August was my Mum's 82nd birthday.  I treated her to a nice meal out at a local pub called the Calder. It serves some lovely food.

Reading and writing wise - sadly I hardly did any.  I did buy some new glasses with some sort of boost lense to help me read better, although I wish I'd got a seperate pair of reading glasses.

Still reading Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie.  It's almost a year since I started it, last November.

Work has been fine in August and still liking it so that's good.

I only bought 2 books in August.

In September -

I aim to finish Best Served Cold by the end of the first week in September.

I also hope to get writing again to get me in the mood for the main event I'm looking forward to in September - Edge-Lit.

I'll hopefully be in Derby for Edge-Lit on the 20th September,  which has a great line up of author's including Mark Morris and Tim Lebbon.

I will do a full Edge-Lit post with who's going to be there.

I will also be getting my new glasses in September so hopefully will be back reading.

What's your plans for September?

Neil x