GAME OVER... UNLEASHED!

Yes, today is the day: Snowbooks have released GAME OVER, the new anthology from Jon Green!

In the cavern-like darkness of the arcade, the neon phosphor-glow of the screen beckons you close. Drawn to the dancing pixels like a moth to a flame, digging deep in your pocket you pull out a shiny coin and thumb it into the slot as the electronic siren sings the fanfare that marks your arrival. One hand on the joystick, the other splayed across the control buttons, your pulse begins to quicken.

READY PLAYER ONE

PRESS START

You’ve barely begun but suddenly the discordant bleeps are trumpeting your failure as your 8-bit adventure comes to an abrupt end. At least in the world of the video arcade you get a second chance. But what is the true price you pay when you make a pact with the digital demon? There’s always another coin, an extra life to be earned, a second chance… Isn’t there?

GAME OVER

A dozen stories of creeping dread and savage horror inspired by the humble amusement arcade and the classic coin-ops of yesteryear. 

Twelve tales to chill your blood by twelve masters of the malevolent and the macabre.

Just keep reminding yourself, it’s only a game… Isn’t it?

GAME OVER includes my story 'The Face Of The Deep', which goes a little like this...

“Come on,” I say.

A hundred little croaks of fear answer me. But when I move, they follow. Abraham, another giant among frogs, brings up the rear. “Go on,” he says. His voice is deep and soothing. “Follow Moses.” They listen to him, and shuffle after me.

I stop again when the ground drops away. Through the grass I see the embankment, the crash barrier at the bottom: beyond that, three lanes of traffic, a central reservation, three lanes more and then the river.

Six lanes of blacktop and a river full of teeth.

This is our only chance to live.

Spots of rain start falling.

This is the killing ground.

You can get the ebook for a paltry £1.19 for the time being! (Not sure at the time of writing how long that offer's for, so you might want to take advantage NOW!) Or you can buy the paperback direct from Snowbooks and get money off by entering the GO-PRINT discount code.

You can also read interviews with some of the contributors here.

Ready to play?

The Lowdown with… Jonathan Green

Tomorrow sees the release of Snowbooks' GAME OVER anthology! So, of course, for the last in this special edition of The Lowdown, we could only interview one man: its editor, Jonathan Green, (aka The Evil Genius Without Whom The Anthology Would Not Exist.) Jonathan is a writer of speculative fiction, with more than fifty books to his name. Well known for his contributions to the Fighting Fantasy range of adventure gamebooks, he has also written fiction for such diverse properties as Doctor Who, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Warhammer, Warhammer 40,000, Sonic the Hedgehog, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Moshi Monsters, LEGO and Judge Dredd.

He is the creator of the Pax Britannia series for Abaddon Books and has written eight novels set within this steampunk universe, featuring the debonair dandy adventurer Ulysses Quicksilver. Jonathan also the author of an increasing number of non-fiction titles, including the award-winning YOU ARE THE HERO – A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks.

GAME OVER is his second anthology as editor, the first being the critically-acclaimed SHARKPUNK, also published by Snowbooks. To find out more about his current projects visit www.JonathanGreenAuthor.com and follow him on Twitter here.

1. Tell us three things about yourself.

The artist who designed the masks used in Mad Max: Fury Road illustrated my first published comic strip. I once directed Colin Firth (yes, the Colin Firth). Leeta from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine once bought me dinner.

2. What was the first thing you had published?

Spellbreaker, a Fighting Fantasy gamebook published by Puffin Books in 1993. I’ve been published every year since.

3. Of which piece of writing are you most proud?

YOU ARE THE HERO – A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks. It was a real labour of love and took me almost two years to write. It is also the only thing I’ve written that has featured on the BBC News website or won an award.

4. …and which makes you cringe?

I’m proud of everything I’ve had published, to a greater or lesser extent, but some passages in my early novels were just too overblown and featured far too many adjectives.

5. What’s a normal writing day like?

Is there such a thing? For me, at the moment, a ‘normal’ writing day never seems to include enough actual writing time, and ends up with me going to bed far later than is sensible – but then my kids are half way through their school summer holidays at the moment.

6. Which piece of writing should someone who’s never read you before pick up first?

It depends on what they’re into really, as I’ve been fortunate to have written a whole range of different things for different age groups.

The best example of my non-fiction work is YOU ARE THE HERO, which I’ve been told can be enjoyed as a social history of the 1980s and as a fantasy art book, even if you have never actually heard of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks before.

If short horror fiction is your thing, then check out my short story The Doll’s House. In terms of long-form fiction, give my Steampunk novel Pax Britannia: Dark Side a go. And if you love adventure gamebooks, then Howl of the Werewolf would be the one to go for, if you can find a copy; if not, try Night of the Necromancer.

7. What are you working on now? 

Aside from promoting GAME OVER to death, I am writing a brand new adventure gamebook inspired by the works of Lewis Carroll, called Alice’s Nightmare in Wonderland. As well as being a gamebook it is also features a healthy dose of my perennial occupations, Steampunk and horror. And of course, I’m also planning my next anthology…

GAME OVER is released tomorrow!

The Lowdown with... Adam Chillman

Adam Chillman. We think he's the one on the left.

Today's Lowdown is with GAME OVER contributor Adam Chillman. Adam is a proud husband and dad who, when he finds time between work and toddlers, occasionally writes Twitter fiction and even more occasionally writes short stories. He eventually intends to occasionally write a novel. He can normally be located somewhere in the middle of England, or in his own world plotting stories in his head. He has a slight coffee addiction. He Tweets here and has a website there. 

1. Tell us three things about yourself.

Right, ok, so three things. That should be easy really... I mean,  I'm thirty-one so I'm sure I have three interesting facts I can pull from three decades of experience. Wait,  does my age count? No, I have better. Honestly. I am a working father with two outgoing, lovely toddlers and an equally lovely, supportive, wife who are the driving force behind everything I do. That's one, see, this isn't that hard. Right, whats next? My eldest reliably informs me it is two.

I hate writing about myself. Seriously, give me any kind of fiction brief and I will, whether or not it ends up readable, happily attempt to write anything about anything. Ask me for something as basic as three things about myself and I start rambling more than the local walking group (they are very active). You may be wondering then why I agreed to an interview, which, by its very nature is going to entail a certain amount of talking about myself. One of the best pieces of advice I was ever given was that pushing yourself to do things which you aren't confident at is the only way to become confident at them. Failing just means you've tried to do something.

And three. I have an awful sweet tooth...  Well my wife thinks it is awful, I rather enjoy it.

2. What was the first thing you had published?

Everything I have read told me not to admit this, but, between us, this is my first publication. I hope it leads to more because it has been so much fun, despite the huge doses of imposter syndrome I keep feeling when I look at the amazing authors I have been lucky enough to be included in a book with. Seriously, wait till you read their stories...

3. Which piece of writing are you proudest of?

So I guess that would make my story for Game Over the piece of writing I am proudest of, as it is the first thing I have written that people actually, apparently, want to read... Or at least Jonathon did, and I hope you do!

4. .…and which makes you cringe?

My current long term project. Constantly. Which is admittedly normal for me early on in working a story out... And pretty much throughout. I'm told self doubt is only unhealthy if it stops you doing something though, so i'm going to have some serious cringe lines by the time I'm finished.

5. What’s a normal writing day like?

Wait? People write during the day? Feel free to tweet any advice on how you manage that to @chilliswriting. My wife and I both work full time around looking after our boys so writing for me only really happens between 9 at night and 1am. Unless it's nursery day, and our youngest is asleep!

6. Which piece of writing should someone who’s never read you before pick up first?

There is a quote from Fran Lebowitz, "I write so slowly that I could write in my own blood without hurting myself". That's probably useful to know. Also, for a variety of reasons, a book that is always in the back of my mind when I'm writing is Night Mare by Piers Anthony. For me it is as perfect an example of story telling as you will find anywhere in literature, and suitable for any age. Plus full of amazing puns.

7. What are you working on now? 

Aside from my first attempt at a... Probably novella... I am working on three short stories for my currently empty website, which have been floating around my head for a while, scratching at the gate to be let out. One is currently presented as a research article, unless the cringing wins over and I rewrite it.  The second a short form horror inspired by Kate Bush's 'Wuthering Heights' for a presently non-existent section of my site. And the third is currently just scribbles from a dream, and needs more time for research than I have at present! Thank you for putting up with my ramblings, and hope you enjoy my story.