Sign up for my email list to get the latest newsletter!

David Gemmell Legend Award Results

So… I lost. In a hard-fought, publicly-voted contest which logged 11,000 votes, I lost. No battle axe, no body cavity search with Homeland Security, no barbaric yawps from the rooftops of the world–or even London. Congratulations to Andrzej Sapkowski and his Blood of Elves for making a grown man cry. (The grown man in question being Joe Abercrombie. I, for the record, am more like an over-grown child, and I barely sniffled.) For more details about my crushing defeat, read the Guardian article or check out the Legend Award site which has pictures and eventually will have an audio recording of the ceremony. Orbit has more info, and here’s one attendee’s take on the awards night.

I am getting a small pewter battle axe, which I will use if ever attacked by a pack of feral toy poodles and miniature schnauzers. (Do you have that dream, too?)

Many thanks to the David Gemmell Legend Award Committee and to all the folks who worked so hard to put this award together and make it such a topnotch event, and thank you to all the fans who voted. Especially if you voted for me!

I Can Has Battle Axe?

It’s not often you get a chance to try to take one of these past Homeland Security.

snagarhsk2800

Allegedly, a half-sized one of these guys is the prize for the first inaugural David Gemmell Legend Award for fantasy, for which I have made the short list. Made by the Raven Armoury, this is a replica of Druss the Legend’s axe from a number of Gemmell novels.

So, if you can spare me 8 seconds, I might have quite an adventure. (TSA agent: “Sir, do you have anything to declare?” Brent: “GAAARRRR!!!”)

1) Start my adventure by CLICKING HERE.

2) Find the most deserving book. Find my book.

3) Click the button next to my book.

4) Click “Vote.”

5) Check your watch. If it took you more than 8 seconds, that kindergarten diploma you’re so proud of is a forgery. Err, I meant to say, thank you for thinking so deeply about who truly deserves this award. Ahem.

Regardless of whom you vote for, if you like deep, conflicted characters and fast-paced stories with a side of redemption, read my books. Err, I meant to say, check out David Gemmell. I think you’ll like his work. (Please vote only once and please vote before May 31.)

Oh, and if I win, I will pose a cat with my battle axe. Some of you doubtless understand. Though I don’t know how my friends might take it:  “Can I borrow your cat?” Why? “Um, I have this big, sharp battle axe…” You sick, nasty piece of work! “No, it’s not like that!”

David Gemmell Legend Award Finals

A while ago, I told you that I had been nominated to the longlist for the David Gemmell Legend Award for fantasy. That list of 78 authors was nominated by publishers and put to a popular vote to decide on a shortlist of five authors.

Along with incredible, established talents like Juliet Marillier, Joe Abercrombie, Brandon Sanderson, and Polish best seller Andrzej Sapkowski, one debut author made the list. (Go on, guess.) Orbit publishing director Tim Holman issued THIS very nice press release. So, thank you very much, because it was people like you–who visited this web page and voted for me–who got me in. It’s an honor just to be listed with these great authors.

BUT! Although I fully expect to get creamed in the finals, I feel pretty optimistic, like THIS.

The winner of the David Gemmell Legend Award is chosen by the public. That means you don’t have to go to a convention, you don’t have to be part of a secret cabal, you don’t have to dress up as a Wookiee, it just takes 3 clicks. Start HERE. Seriously, it’s simple enough that I figured it out. (Though my wife explained the big words.) Voting is open now and ends May 31.

A note: because you aren’t required to login, in order to make sure you only vote once, they monitor votes per ip address. So even if both you and your brother or wife or whatever liked the book, be aware that double votes per household will get both tossed out. (And yes, I imagine some of you are techno-savvy enough to circumvent the system, but please don’t. Cheating to help me would devalue the award, and I don’t want that.)

Thank you again for voting for me, for telling your friends about my books, and just being awesome fans.

The Best-selling SFF Debut of 2008 is…

Complicated. No, really. According to Bookscan (the most accurate measure of book sales available), the best-selling fantasy debut of 2008 in the United States was Russell Kirkpatrick, with Across the Face of the World (excerpt HERE). I came in at #2 with The Way of Shadows–not bad for a book that’s only been out three months! Congratulations, Russell.

In the UK, however, I did grab the big chihuahua. #1 in the land of Shakespeare and Scary Spice, baby. Brilliant!

I have to confess to being particularly pleased by this tidbit from the press release: “Tim Holman said, ‘This year has also got off to a great start for Brent: this week, the three books in the Night Angel Trilogy are the first, second, and third bestselling mass-market paperbacks in the UK SFF market.'” Aside from the obvious (it’s great to be selling well), I like to think that means something. You can fool a reader with a great cover, and I do have great covers. But if what’s between the covers stinks, most people aren’t going to come back for more punishment.  Right? Unless people in the UK are such art-lovers that they decided that the covers alone are worth eight pounds. Which is possible. Crap.

In other news, the Great Arbiter of All Things Worth Knowing (Wikipedia, natch), now lists your humble correspondent. (Thanks to you fans who took it upon yourselves to make sure the world knows I exist.)

The Best Kylar Stern Costume…Ever

Too late for Halloween costume contest–breathe a sigh of relief everyone else–Sam writes in, “This is me being Kylar. I reckon my costume smashes yours. =D

(Click to enlarge.)

(I’m standing in the corner next to the window, opposite the camera.)”

Uh, no arguments here. Sir.

Gemmell Award Voting is Open

The David Gemmell Legend Award is now open for voting. I have been nominated to the long list. “The award will be given to a work written in the ‘spirit’ of the late, great David Gemmell, a true Master of Heroic Fantasy.” From the website (and Gemmell’s obituary): “Characterisation is acknowledged as one of Gemmell’s major skills, and… themes that remained pivotal to his work [included] the lone hero, often tortured by loss or doubt; the battle against advancing dotage; the pursuit of seemingly lost causes; complex villains, and the inclusion of elite, usually mystical, groups. A consistent thread in Gemmell’s fiction, and one which reflected his Christian beliefs, was the conviction that redemption was possible for even the most corrupt.”

If you think that sounds like my work, please VOTE HERE. It only takes two or three clicks, and you don’t have to register. Although if you’re already part of my Ning forum, you’ll find they’re using the same platform, so it should be a snap. Then you can take part in the Gemmell discussions, or tell people why they should check me out. 🙂 It’s also a good place to find other great work published this year. I’m up against some huge talents, and making the short list would make my year.

Fan Art Contest Winner

The winner of the Fan Art Contest is Meaghan Beninati with this cool rendition of Vi in Caernarvon:

 

(Click to enlarge)

Congratulations, Meaghan. (Check her website for other cool stuff.) Great work. I wish I had half of your talent. You will be receiving a signed set of the Night Angel Trilogy, made out to whomever you want. (Check someone off that Christmas list!)

I got lots of cool entries for this contest, (and hated having to choose just one winner) so I will be posting all of the fan art (of those entrants who give me permission) into the pictures area of the forum. So give that a day or so for people to tell me yes or no, and then you should be able to find some more great fan art all in one place.

Fan Art Contest

The fan art contest deadline is December 1st. If you wish to participate, please email me a .jpg of your art at brent[dot]a[dot]weeks[at]gmail[dot]com. You can submit as many pieces as you wish. The winner will receive signed copies of the Night Angel Trilogy, and your art will be posted on this webpage for a billion fans to adore. (That is, if you tell 999,998,000 of your friends to come look.)

I’m really looking forward to seeing what you all can do!

Contest Winners!

There were more entries than I expected, and thank you to everyone who scrambled to make costumes on such short notice. In the end, there were two that really stood out. Ailuj, to whom I swore I wouldn’t take off points “for being a girl” (uh, Ailuj, that is, not me), and Paul K.:
 
 Being the decisive guy that I am, I decided to choose… both. So Paul, Ailuj, well done and remind me to steer clear of dark alleys for a while. (Where DO you get a sword on short notice?) Each of you may choose one copy, signed, of any book of the Night Angel Trilogy, and I’ll send it to you ASAP. (Honorable Mention to Renji, who had the best assassin-who’s-going-to-rip-your-head-off pose.)
Also, please check the Reviews page for new reviews and interviews.

Book Giveaway

Fantasy Book Critic has a giveaway of the entire Night Angel Trilogy HERE. There are six complete sets up for grabs, three of US version and three of the UK version, which is fatter, and may spell words like “color” funny. 😉 Looks like it’s open to anyone.

Also, I will be posting the winner of the Halloween costume contest tomorrow. I’ve got it down to two finalists, and it’s killing me to choose between them, so check in tomorrow to see who won a signed copy of the book of their choice. (Uh, that is, out of my books. If you ask for a signed copy of the 24 volume Oxford English Dictionary, I’ll just hurt you.)