David Bryher

Pandemonium: Lost Souls

David — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 09:21:58 +0000

I have a story in the latest Pandemonium Fiction collection, which is out now on Kindle. (Amazon UK and Amazon US links.) To say that it was an unexpected commission would be an understatement, but I am very proud of the result – as well as the fact that I am (as I understand it) the only living author in the anthology. My fellows include such luminaries as Arthur Conan Doyle and Benjamin Disraeli.

Lost Souls is, to quote the publishers, “a collection of forlorn and forgotten stories… [It] brings together tales of woe and angst, loneliness, redemption and humour, featuring starving artists, possessed Popes, damned kings and hopeful prisoners.”

And a man in a chicken costume.

My story is called The Devil’s Age and it is a retelling of a retelling of an old Basque fairytale. (The editors have included a little introduction to the story, explaining its origins.) I had huge fun working in a very different style, with the kind of story I don’t think I’d ever have told myself – but, like I said, I am madly proud of it.

A super-limited hardcover edition is also available – I think they have some copies at Forbidden Planet in London. A share of the proceeds from sales will be donated to the Samaritans. Click here for more information on the book and details on how to order it.

Doctor Who Magazine #446

David — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 15:23:09 +0000

Jenna-Louise what? The Twin Dilemma, people. THE TWIN DILEMMA.

The latest issue of DWM – out now in the UK – features my Fact of Fiction (credited to my old name, oops) on Colin Baker’s first story. Everyone’s favourite. You know the one. (I had a lot of fun writing this one. There was much balancing to be done between being realistic and being positive. A good chunk of a first draft got thrown out when I realised I was being too snarky. I hope the finished version is just snarky enough.)

The magazine is also running a competition in which you can win a PlayStation Vita (nom) and copies of Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock.

Which is out when? you ask. (I saw the launch trailer this week – very exciting. But I have no answer to your question.)

Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock

David — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 10:44:46 +0000

This was announced late last year but I’ve been busy doing other things, chief among them not this update. But lo! My latest big project is revealed!

Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock is a downloadable game for the PlayStation 3 and PC (other versions possibly to follow, I’m not sure), due out in spring 2012. The game stars Matt Smith as the Doctor and Alex Kingston as River Song; they feature in a number of cut scenes and throughout the gameplay, voicing the actions of their in-game characters, which you will be playing. (Yes, you. I don’t care. Go and buy one.)

I was approached to write the script in July last year. “Keen” doesn’t even begin to describe my reaction. I wrote the scripts for the cut scenes and in-game dialogue (not just the Doctor and River – a number of yet-to-be-revealed favourite monsters, too), and some extra material which helped shape the development of the Eternity Clock’s story beyond this first game. (Oh, yes, there’s more to come. Much more.)

The game is being developed by the wonderful Supermassive Games and published by BBC Worldwide. I have had tremendous fun working with both teams, and am looking forward to the next steps. There’s not much anyone can say about anything at this stage, but keep an eye on the game’s Twitter feed, as well as the pages of Doctor Who Magazine and the gaming press/news websites, for further updates.

(Pandemonium: Stories of the) Apocalypse (on sale) Now

David — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 10:21:36 +0000

Pandemonium: Stories of the Apocalypse is on sale now, available as an ebook from Amazon UK and Amazon US. It features 18 stories about the end of the world, inspired by 19th-century fire-and-brimstone drama queen painter John Martin.

My own story, The Architect of Hell, takes as its inspiration Martin’s painting of Pandaemonium, the capital of Hell, and wonders how Mr Martin might have been involved in the city’s creation. I’m very proud of it – and even more proud to be nestled among such an excellent collection of stories. There’s some real corkers in there, from writers including Jon Courtenay Grimwood, Lauren Beukes, Sophia McDougall, Jonathan Oliver… I won’t go on. But I will recommend you buy it.

If you’re still dithering, here and here are a couple of reviews.

An exhibition of John Martin’s work is currently on display at the Tate Britain gallery. Although Pandemonium was not published with the cooperation of the Tate, they have been monumentally supportive of the project. Tonight, Tate Britain hosts a launch party for the collection and, in a couple of weeks, a very limited, hardback edition of Pandemonium will be on sale at the gallery’s gift shop.

Pandemonium Launch Night

David — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 09:21:11 +0000

As the release of Pandemonium: Stories of the Apocalypse draws closer, so the involvement of Tate Britain increases. It’s great that the gallery has been so supportive of the book – even going to the extent of combining the launch party with one of its special late-opening evenings.

This free event on 4th November 2011 is a combined gallery-mooch, apocalypse-art-fest and official launch for Pandemonium. The ebook goes on sale on the same day, while an extremely limited edition print version goes on sale at Tate Britain’s gift shop two weeks later.

There are more details of the event at the Pandemonium-Fiction website, where you can also register for your free tickets. I can promise you it will be worth every penny.

Doctor Who: The Brilliant Book 2012

David — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 09:38:02 +0000

It’s out! At last!

This year’s Brilliant Book of Doctor Who (or however you want to order those words) hits the shops today. It has felt like the longest wait to see it in print: I wrote my bits for it back in spring and early summer and it was printed back in August, but it’s been under a pain-of-death embargo until after the broadcast of The Wedding of River Song.

I wrote the episode guide for this year’s volume, which was an absolute blast. Sitting on all the secrets of this series has been tough! I love doing these pieces, as they’re similar in some respects to the twisty-turny connection-making I have to do when writing Fact of Fiction features for Doctor Who Magazine. Sadly, I was too busy to provide anything further for this year’s volume, but I’m hoping that – should there be a Brilliant Book 2013 – I’ll be involved again!

You can find the Brilliant Book at Amazon, of course, or your friendly neighbourhood bookshop. As well as my guides (featuring cut scenes and other behind-the-scenes secrets), the book features more information on the making of this year’s series and a bunch of lovely fictional pieces. I think everyone involved – especially editor Clayton Hickman and designer Paul Lang – should be very pleased with themselves.

Doctor Who Magazine #439, etc.

David — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 19:56:57 +0000

Bit late with this (the new issue’s out in two weeks!), but the current issue of Doctor Who Magazine features my interview with Tom MacRae, writer of The Girl Who Waited. Tom was one of the nicest chaps I’ve ever interviewed – I’d put him up there with Dervla Kirwan, to be entirely honest, and believe me that’s high praise – and I really enjoyed our meandering conversation. We spent far too long talking about the nature of comedy – what makes things funny, why is one word more comedic than another – but most of that had to go. But anyone who loves Barry Cryer and Marty Feldman as much as I do is okay in my book.

If you want to find out more about DWM head over, as ever, to their Facebook page or their Twitter account. The latest issue also features, among other things, a preview of The Wedding of River Song, much good may it do you now.

Just around the corner is Pandemonium: Stories of the Apocalypse, featuring my short story The Architect of Hell. I’m very excited by this, and there is more news on this to come, which I can’t quite talk about yet. What Pandemonium Fiction/Pornokitsch are doing with their new fiction projects is very exciting: if you’re interested in quality genre fiction, keep an eye on their site.

There’s much biting of tongues going on at the moment. The big project taking up all my time will remain top secret until December or thereabouts. (I worry that the announcement may slip till January – I have good reason to think so, but can’t say why as that alone might give it away!) When I can finally talk about it, I will not ever shut up about it again. So there’s that to look forward to!

Sightseeing in Space

David — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 16:38:08 +0000

Amazon.co.uk and other fine UK retailers are now selling Sightseeing in Space, a two-adventures-in-one Doctor Who kids’ book, written by myself and the wonderful Steve Lyons. (I’m hugely pleased to have my work snuggled up next to Steve’s, as I’ve enjoyed lots of his work over the years.) My story is called The Web in Space, and Steve’s is The Terminal of Despair. I suspect mine might be jollier than his…

Each of the two chapter books contained in the volume are around 30,000 words and squarely aimed at boys of six or seven years old who are just starting to read on their own. So, not strictly one for the grown-ups – but the target readership does mean the books are stuffed full of fun and incident. I’m quite proud of The Web in Space, what with its warmongering robots, upside-down corridors, and a bit thoroughly ripped off from Alien Resurrection. Also (SPOILERS) a web in space.

I had a blast writing it, and I hope that at least a few kids have just as much fun reading it. I’m really sad that – although I was asked to pitch an idea for another one (creepy, underwater, alien-invasiony, 16th-century Scotland, ghosts, etc) – the chapter books line is being put on hold for a little while. Maybe there will be more in the not too distant future, but for now this will be my only entry into the short-lived series.

But mourn not! Celebrate the publication – preferably with a purchase! Like I said, the book is available at Amazon now, and it should be hitting meatspace shops any day now, too.

(Weirdly – and slightly worryingly – my spellchecker doesn’t query ‘meatspace’. What secret prejudices it is harbouring?)

Doctor Who Magazine #438

David — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 11:12:59 +0000

The latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine goes on sale in the UK this Thursday (25th Aug 2011), all covered in Hitler.

Three things by me. (Under the name David Bailey, because these were written in the before times.)

A preview of Night Terrors, featuring an interview with writer Mark Gatiss. (“It’s impossible to legislate against scaring kids. You could stop children from watching anything on TV – and then you’ll discover that they’re sitting, crying in a corner, because they’re frightened of a pair of shoes.) (I love this episode, incidentally.)

A preview of The Girl Who Waited, featuring an interview with writer Tom MacRae. (“I fought for this spot… I wanted to do this story for Karen Gillan, not wait five years until it’s whoever else playing the companion.”) (I love this episode, too.)

A Fact of Fiction feature looking at the alternate-timeline-twisting, concentration-camp-a-palooza that is… Turn Left. I’m particularly proud of the big boxout theorising how humanity might have bounced back from all the other alien invasions that the Tenth Doctor wasn’t there to fight off. (The answer is: “improbably”.)

The issue also includes previews of Let’s Kill Hitler and The God Complex, interviews with David Walliams (Gibbis, fromThe God Complex) and Albert Welling (Hitler), more Torchwood behind-the-scenesery (inc. Bill Pullman!), more Jon Pertwee than is probably healthy and another trawl through Twitter for Doctor Who-related personalities.

Great issue – don’t let the führer’s finger-wagging put you off!

Pandemonium: Stories of the Apocalypse

David — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 15:42:51 +0000

I’m very excited to say that I will have a short story in the Pandemonium: Stories of the Apocalypse collection, due out in October this year.

The ebook collection is published by the good folk at Pornokitsch (not a naughty website… well, not in the way you might think), in association with the equally good folk at the Arthur C Clarke Award. A portion of the proceeds from the book will go to support the award. (But most of the moolah will actually support Lauren Beukes’ crippling sloth habit.)

Pandemonium is inspired by the paintings of John Martin, whose work will be celebrated in an exhibition at the Tate Britain gallery in London later this year. The stories in the collection will focus on various apocalyptic events, riffing on the ‘fire and brimstone’ vibe present throughout much of Martin’s work. (Pictured is Martin’s delightful The Great Day of His Wrath.) My own story (title TBA) goes deep underground, to explore Martin’s own infernal inspiration.

Other writers featured in the collection include Jon Courtenay Grimwood, Sophia McDougall, Rebecca Levene, Andy Remic, Chrysanthy Balis and Lauren Beukes. (A healthy showing for women in a genre collection, which is extremely welcome.)

I’m not totally certain as to when Pandemonium will be going on sale. Follow my own Twitter feed (@davidbryher) or @pornokitsch to stay up to date.