YOU ARE THE HERO - Part 2

Just imagine for a minute, if you will, that there was to be a supplement to YOU ARE THE HERO published next year, to mark the 35th anniversary of the publication of the first Fighting Fantasy gamebook, The Warlock of Firetop Mountain.

If there was such a title, what would you like to see contained within its pages?

YOU ARE THE HERO and the BFS Awards 2015

You may remember that earlier this year YOU ARE THE HERO made the shortlist for the British Fantasy Awards in the Best Non-Fiction category.

So, dutifully, yesterday I strapped on my sword belt, filled my backpack with rations, and set off for Firetop Mountain... I mean the East Midlands Conference Centre, and the British Fantasy Society Awards.

To cut a long story short, YOU ARE THE HERO didn't win. Letters to Arkham: The Letters of Ramsey Campbell and August Derleth, 1961–1971, ed. S.T. Joshi (PS Publishing) did. But at least we were nominated* and even got a cheer when we were read out on the shortlist. And no one can take the UK Games Expo Award from us ;-)

I prepared a speech, just in case the book did win**, and even though it didn't, it still seems appropriate to post it here, now.


Fighting Fantasy is why I'm here, and I don't just mean today. I expect some of you are also here, in part, because of Fighting Fantasy.

Fighting Fantasy was what set me on the path to becoming an author, which has ultimately brought me here today.

There are lots of people I have to thank... Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone for creating Fighting Fantasy in the first place, Marc Gascoigne for giving me my big break, Snowbooks for publishing YOU ARE THE HERO, everyone who agreed to be interviewed for the book (some of whom are here today), but most of all, everyone who backed the original Kickstarter. I couldn't have done it without you!


* And I don't think a Fighting Fantasy-related book had been nominated for a BFS Award before.

** Because if you fail to plan you plan to fail.

YOU ARE THE HERO makes the shortlist for the British Fantasy Awards 2015!

Having spent the day exploring the land of the Vikings, I was delighted to return to the Information Age this evening to discover that YOU ARE THE HERO - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks has made the shortlist for the British Fantasy Awards 2015.

It's also great to see how FF artist Les Edwards make the shortlist for Best Artist.

In other news, the guys at Starburst Magazine have uploaded an interview I did with them about Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland, as well as the podcast I recorded with Ed Fortune, Adrian Tchaikovksy, Producer Al and an audience of... half a dozen, at Edge-Lit 4, and Alex Davis (the organiser of Edge-Lit) also has a guest post on his blog from me today.

And last of all, Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland now has less than £1,000 to raise to achieve funding.

YOU ARE THE HERO, the UK Games Expo Awards 2015, Pod Your Own Adventure, and Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland

In case you haven't heard, I took YOU ARE THE HERO - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks, to the UK Games Expo last weekend... and it only received an Honourable Mention in the UK Games Expo Awards 2015!

On the Saturday evening of the Expo I also recorded an episode of Pod Your Own Adventure, during which I played through Bloodbones with host Robin, and died four times before we gave up having only got about halfway through the adventure.

Now this will doubtless cause many people much amusement, and some may whisper comments like "Karma" and "Hoist by his own petard". But in my defence, Bloodbones was my 6th book and my 53rd book was published yesterday, and I can't even remember details of books I wrote two years ago, never mind twenty years ago.

And before I go, I just wanted to draw your attention to this. If you're a fan of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Steampunk, horror, or gamebooks (or even all of the above), then please consider joining the Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland Facebook group, which will be the first step leading to the launch of a new Kickstarter, and getting a brand new gamebook published, in this the 150th year since the publication of Lewis Carroll's seminal children's portal fantasy.

Thank you.

YOU ARE THE HERO at the UK Games Expo 2015

At the weekend I attended the UK Games Expo. It was the first time I had attended since it moved from central Birmingham to the NEC Metropole and a very impressive venue it was too. Graham Bottley of Arion Games kindly let me share his table, so Fighting Fantasy was well represented at the expo, with his Advanced Fighting Fantasy books on sale alongside some of the few remaining hardbacks of YOU ARE THE HERO - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks.

Graham Bottley and Simon Strafford on the Arion Games stand.

Despite being stuck behind a table for most of the weekend (and so not getting to see much else that was going on) I had a great time, with people stopping by to pick up YOU ARE THE HERO (some of whom had seen it mentioned in the programme), backers of the original Kickstarter stopping by to get their copies signed or to pass on their very kind comments about the book, and old friends turning up just to say hello (people like Jim Swallow, James Wallis, and Matt Elliott). On Saturday night I recorded a podcast for Pod Your Own Adventure (but more on that another time), and then on Sunday afternoon this happened...

 The now officially 'award-winning'

YOU ARE THE HERO - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks.

The 10th UK Games Expo was a fantastic event, excellently organised and brilliantly run, and that's thanks to Tony Hyams, Richard Denning, John Dodd, and a host of others, so a big thank you to all concerned who helped make this run in such a smooth and relaxed way. And here's to the UK Games Expo 2016. (I might have something new to promote games-wise by then.)

YOU ARE THE HERO at the UK Games Expo

On Saturday and Sunday (30th and 31st May) I shall be attending the UK Games Expo at the NEC Metropole hotel outside Birmingham. I'll be sharing a table with Graham Bottley of Arion Games (table P41 in the Palace Suite) and I will have the last few boxes of hardbacks of the limited first edition print run of YOU ARE THE HERO - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks with me. So, if you've not yet picked up a copy, you know where to come.

YOU ARE THE HERO at the MCM Expo, London

I will be at the Excel Centre in London again this weekend, attending the MCM Expo and will have some of the few remaining hardback copies of YOU ARE THE HERO - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks for sale.

If you're a fan of Fighting Fantasy gamebooks, the gamebook genre in general, or just great fantasy art, and you've not yet picked up a copy of YOU ARE THE HERO, you should really make the most of the opportunity to pick up one of the increasingly rare first edition copies of the book and get it signed while you're at it.

YOU ARE THE HERO at the UK Games Expo

Surfacing again after a couple of weeks of intense SHARKPUNK promotion, I just wanted to let you know that I shall be attending the UK Games Expo this year, on Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st May 2015, and I shall be bringing the last few boxes of the YOU ARE THE HERO hardback with me.

YOU ARE THE HERO was nominated in the UK Games Expo Awards best RPG supplement category. However because you can't actually play YOU ARE THE HERO it is not eligible for the award. That said, the judging panel are considering giving the book an honourable mention, so watch this space...

In other news, PJ Montgomery and Gavin Mitchell have released a new page of artwork from Steve Jackson's The Trolltooth Wars, featuring a couple of characters who will be very familiar to fans of Citadel of Chaos...

Artwork by Gavin Mitchell

... which also just so happens to have been the inspiration behind a song written by a friend of mine and his band Groan.

(I can see a couple of new chapters are going to be needed for the 40th anniversary edition of YOU ARE THE HERO.)

YOU ARE THE HERO receives its 50th 5-star Amazon review!

I thought it a worthy landmark to celebrate. My history of Fighting Fantasy gamebooks has received its Return to Firetop Mountain of reviews. That's right, the 50th review of my 50th published book has been posted on Amazon.co.uk, and it's another 5-star one.

Here it is in its entirety.

In case you haven't yet picked up a copy of YOU ARE THE HERO yourself yet, you can still do so here.

YOU ARE THE HERO at Waterstones.com

“A Fantastic Tome”

5 stars

"You Are The Hero is an amazing exploration into the history of the hugely popular Fighting Fantasy game book series. Jonathan Green has painstakingly pieced together a veritable bible of information including brand new artwork, interviews with creators, illustrators and fans alike. No stone has been left unturned."

Happy Easter!

Gamebook Friday: Steve Jackson's The Trolltooth Wars and YOU ARE THE HERO on the radio

I would like to start this week's Gamebook Friday post by congratulating PJ Montgomery and Gavin Mitchell on the successful funding of their Fighting Fantasy graphic novel Kickstarter. Thanks to all their hard work, and the generosity of their backers, this autumn will see the release of Steve Jackson's The Trolltooth Wars. If you've not heard about the book already, (a) where have you been? and (b) look forward to seeing the graphic novel at a con near you before the year is out.

In other Fighting Fantasy-related news, last Sunday I was interviewed on Radio Saltire as part of Kevin Hall's Movie Moments show, which has a Science Fiction and Fantasy theme for the week. Thanks to the wonders of the Internet, even if you don't live in Scotland and didn't catch the show last weekend, you can listen to it right now, right here.

Congratulations to Steve Jackson's The Trolltooth Wars Kickstarter

In case you haven't already heard the good news, at 7:59am GMT PJ Montgomery and Gavin Mitchell's Kickstarter to produce a graphic novel of Steve Jackson's Fighting Fantasy novel The Trolltooth Wars achieved funding.

Here's how one YOU ARE THE HERO Warlock marked the occasion...



Nine lucky backers will not only be receiving the graphic novel, they will also be receiving a sighed copy of YOU ARE THE HERO .

In case you weren't able to back the Kickstarter, or found out about it just a little too late, you can still pick up a signed hardback of my History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks here.

The Trolltooth Wars, YOU ARE THE HERO, and Radio Saltire

First off, Steve Jackson's The Trolltooth Wars on Kickstarter... This has already raised over £10,000 but there's still a fair bit more to raise and only 5 days to raise it in. Remember - Kickstarter takes no money from you unless the project achieves its funding level, and then the payment only goes through when the Kickstarter has run its course. So, if you've been thinking about it, or saying you'll back it tomorrow, back it today and let's make another Fighting Fantasy project a reality, thanks to crowdfunding!



Secondly, I was interviewed by Kevin Hall recently about YOU ARE THE HERO. You can read the interview here. And on the same subject, thirdly, I am going to be on Kevin's radio show on Radio Saltire on Sunday (29th March) at around 3.15pm. So, if you're able, why not tune in?

Buy a signed limited edition hardback of YOU ARE THE HERO

With 47 5-star reviews on Amazon (at the time of writing) and referred to as 'a cultural roadmap of an '80s childhood', the critically-acclaimed YOU ARE THE HERO - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks is a must buy (at least according to SciFiNow magazine).

If you would like one of the few remaining limited first edition hardbacks, signed by the author, then drop me a line at info@jonathangreenauthor.com and I'll sort you out with one.

The books cost £40.00 each, which includes post and packing within the UK. (Overseas readers will need to pay a little bit more to acquire their signed copies.) I shall look forward to hearing from you.

Steve Jackson's The Trolltooth Wars

Today's the day that Steve Jackson's The Trolltooth Wars launches on Kickstarter.

If you're a fan of Fighting Fantasy, or a fan of YOU ARE THE HERO, then you are going to want to be a part of this exciting new project.

The purpose of the project is to fund production of the official graphic novel adaptation of Steve Jackson's Fighting Fantasy novel, The Trolltooth Wars*. It is being adapted and written by P J Montgomery, with illustrator Gavin Mitchell on art duties.

Here is just some of the artwork that has already been produced to date.

To get on board, search for Steve Jackson's The Trolltooth Wars on Kickstarter, check out the amazing rewards the team have put together, and pledge your support.


* There's a whole chapter on the Fighting Fantasy novels, including The Trolltooth Wars, in YOU ARE THE HERO - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks, funnily enough.

YOU ARE THE HERO now available on Google Play

I have exciting news for you this Gamebook Friday. YOU ARE THE HERO - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks is now available to download to the Android device of your choice, via Google Play.

And yes, before you ask, that is the same book that has garnered 46 5-star reviews on Amazon - and nothing less! ;-)

Of course, if you prefer your books in processed tree carcass format, hard-backed and weighing over a kilogram, then you can still pick up a signed copy for yourself here.

YOU ARE THE HERO at Redemption '15

Today (Friday 20 February) sees Redemption '15, the Multimedia Science Fiction Convention kick off at the Britannia Hotel in Coventry. The event runs until Sunday 22 February.

I shall be there this year as Guest of Honour, along with Archimedes the Steampunk Parrot and YOU ARE THE HERO.

The event programme is now available and I will be taking part in the following panels during the course of the weekend:

Friday 20 February
5.00pm - Meet the Guests (panel)
8.00pm - Opening Ceremony
10.00pm - It's sh!t but we like it (panel)

Saturday 21 February
12.00pm - How to Write an Adventure Gamebook (workshop)
4.00pm - Has Steampunk Had Its Day? (panel)
I may also be taking part in...
8.00pm - Mark Gatiss Appreciation Society (panel)

Sunday 22 February
11.00am - Guest Talk
12.30pm - Signing Autographs
4.00pm - Closing Ceremony

I will be selling my books - Pax Britannia and YOU ARE THE HERO mainly - over the course of the weekend, so maybe I'll see you there...

YOU ARE THE HERO - 'A cultural roadmap of an '80s childhood'

That's what Jes Bickham, current editor of White Dwarf magazine and the man who commissioned my original History of Fighting Fantasy piece for an SFX Fantasy special back in 2012 says, more or less. Here's Jes in his own words:

"I read You Are The Hero over Christmas and what a treat it was... Not only was the book an absorbing account of a phenomenon, it also acted as a strange cultural roadmap for my childhood/adolescence - like you, I grew up with GW and now I find myself editing my favourite magazine from when I was 13! Lovely stuff, and very well done sir."

If you haven't got hold of a copy yourself yet, you can acquire a strictly limited edition signed hardback here.

* * * * *

In other gamebook-related news, Bloodbones the App appears to be going down a storm and has certainly created some buzz online, such as here, and here (even if Pocket Gamer don't actually know who wrote it).

The Tin Man himself has this to say about his company's latest release:

"Jonathan Green has become the modern standard bearer for Fighting Fantasy, having recently written You Are The Hero, a history of the series. I’m really thrilled to have one of Jon’s titles as part of our FF library and Bloodbones is truly an epic adventure – one of our biggest yet!"

Illustrator Tony Hough gets a mention too:

"Veteran fantasy and science-fiction artist, Tony Hough, has also returned to add some colour to his original black and white artwork, which can still be viewed by playing in an added retro mode."

Reviews have already appeared on 148apps and Playboard, with the latter saying:

"This one is from Tin Man Games. Almost all of their gamebooks were awesome and this one is even better - fantastic story and just so much fun!"

Don't forget you can download Bloodbones for the smartphone of your choice via the portal here.

YOU ARE THE HERO in Fighting Fantazine #14

Issue #14 of the hugely popular and highly professionally put together Fighting Fantasy fanzine Fighting Fantazine is now available for download - for FREE!

I have been particularly looking forward to this issue, because not one, not two, but three of my projects feature within its 104 pages!

First up is Bloodbones, or more specifically, Tin Man Games' adaptation of my fourth Fighting Fantasy adventure which was on hiatus for ten years until it was finally published by Wizard Books nine years ago*.

Bloodbones gets bigged up.

Second up is a report on Fighting Fantasy Fest 2014, written by Andrew Jones...

It's nice to see some pictures from the Fest from the other side of the table.

...and third is another glowing review of YOU ARE THE HERO, this time by Stuart Lloyd.

According to Stuart's review, if you're reading this you should also own a copy of YOU ARE THE HERO. 

The issue also includes a brand new Lone Wolf adventure this time, and an in depth interview with Marc Gascoigne, who was consultant editor on the series when I started writing for Fighting Fantasy... almost 23 years ago**!

Congratulations to Editor Alex Ballingall and the team, for another fantastic issue, and you can download your FREE copy by clicking this link.



* Crikey! Has it really been that long?

** It's actually nearer 25 years*** since I first started pitching ideas to Marc.

*** That's a quarter of a century!