Over at Flames Rising, my friend Bill Bodden interviews me about Amortals. The conversation runs from my reasons for writing the book to what’s coming up next. (Hint: Vegas Knights.) Be sure to check it out.
Jan 312011
Jan 272011
Over at John Scalzi‘s blog Whatever today, I have a guest post in his “The Big Idea” series, in which writers explain what inspired them to write a particular book. For mine, I explain how Amortals got its start with a, um, snuff film. As John writes in his introduction:
In the annals of the dreaded author question “where do you get your ideas?” It’s entirely possible that Matt Forbeck has got the most interesting response, at least when it comes to his novel Amortals.
Go on over there and read the piece, and let me know what you think of it.
[For those few of you who don't know, John's a stellar writer with a huge following for both his blog and his books. He's also the current president of the SFWA. Be sure to check him out and read his stuff. You'll thank me later.]
Jan 272011
This morning, my mechanical overlords at Angry Robot released a free sample of my next upcoming novel, Vegas Knights. It encompasses the first five chapters of the book, and you can read it right here. If you enjoy it, be sure to tell all your friends and neighbors — and if you feel like you should do something good for yourself today, go ahead and pre-order it. You deserve it.
Jan 262011
Here are a couple more reviews for Amortals that slipped past me in the chaos around the holidays. First up, my friend Bill Bodden enjoyed the book over at Flames Rising. Among other things, he writes:
Amortals is a fast and engrossing read, highly original, and with more than its fair share of surprises. If you like thrillers with a science-fiction edge, check out Matt Forbeck’s Amortals, and strap yourself in; it’s a wicked ride.
Next, over at the Outhousers, Jeremy Shane checks in with a kind review. He sums up:
Forbeck does a great job with his (or our) future world… If you are fan of sci-fi, cyberpunk, or just good 1st-person detective stories, I think you would enjoy this book.
Jan 262011
Tonight, look for an interview with my wife Ann on Channel 15 News out of Madison, Wisconsin. They came out to our house this afternoon to ask her about Project 16:49 and the benefit concert being held for it this weekend. Ann and Ruben Burgos (the director of Sixteen Forty-Nine) also appeared on WCLO AM radio this morning, and you can listen to a recording of the show online.
The TV interview took place in my office while I chatted in the kitchen with the three homeless teens who are the subject of Ruben’s documentary. If/once that shows up online, I’ll post a link to it. That way you can learn more about Ann’s work and see where I work at the same time. If you get Madison TV stations, though, be sure to tune in tonight. And if you’re around this weekend, be sure to join us at the benefit for some great music and food for an excellent cause.
Update: Turns out the full TV piece will air in mid-February, near to the time that Sixteen Forty-Nine will appear at the Beloit International Film Festival. There may still be a mention of the benefit concert tonight.
Jan 252011
I just posted information about the Gen Con Writers’ Symposium over at Tor.com. Stop on by over there and check it out. If you’re an aspiring writer, it’s an excellent education.
If you’re a seasoned pro who’d like to take part, Jean Rabe is the lady to contact. While it might seem like they already have a full slate, I had a couple of good friends (Tobias Buckell and Maurice Broaddus) join up last year only a few weeks before the show, and Jean somehow managed to wedge them in. I’m sure she’d appreciate more notice than that, though, so if you’d like to join us, don’t be shy.
Jan 252011
The latest computer game I worked on — Conduit 2, a first-person shoot exclusively for the Wii — is due to hit stores March 22. The team at High Voltage called me in to help them out with this just before the original game in the series — The Conduit — hit shelves. They had a lot of wonderful ideas for sequels to the game and had laid the groundwork for them in The Conduit, but they needed someone to mold what they had into a cohesive story they could build the next game around. That’s where I came in.
It’s also where I left. Once I’d finished that work, one of High Voltage’s crack development teams took over and got cooking on the project. They created the levels, graphics, gameplay, and so on to breathe life into the story and turn it from an intriguing tale into full-on fun.
When they got to the point that they needed a writer again, I was already working with them on another (still unannounced) project, so they went hunting for someone else who could write the dialog and help polish the game to a fire-bathed finish. For that they landed my pal Jason Blair, who from all reports did a fantastic job.
SEGA has released several trailers for the game. Most of them concentrate on the game’s amazing technical achievements. Here’s one of the early ones, which teases the viewer with a bit of the story.
Jan 252011
Over at Bookgasm, Alan Cranis reviews Vegas Knights. While he doesn’t like it as much as the last reviewer, he still has a number of excellent things to say about it.
Forbeck has a fine ear for dialogue and is generally convincing in his characterizations. His portrayal of the glitz and excess of Vegas is equally strong, even when portraying fictional casinos and resorts… [T]he action sequences are imaginative and expertly presented.
Hopefully you’ll agree and wind up liking the book even more.
Jan 242011
Last week Angry Robot sent out a number of advanced reader copies (ARCs) of Vegas Knights to reviewers. Over at Good Reads, Tony Lane wins the derby for being the first such reviewer to post his opinion on the book. Tony gives the book five stars and writes:
I recently read and enjoyed Amortals but was surprised to find this book arguably better. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes modern fast paced fiction… At times the story flies by at the pace of a CSI recap scene, and it is not easy to put this book down… I have no doubt that I’ll be reading this book again, which is the best thing I can ever say about a book.
This weekend, I posted a details page for Vegas Knights. The book appears on shelves in the UK and becomes available for ebook readers worldwide on March 3. The print edition hits North America on March 29.
Jan 242011
The Gen Con Writers’ Symposium just launched a spanking-new website for this year’s events. I’ll be taking part in it again this year, helping out with four slots. Tossing this on top of my guest of honor seminars and my other duties/events makes for a busy Gen Con weekend, but that’s how I love it.
My Gen Con Writers’ Symposium schedule.
August 4
2 PM: Roleplaying Games Make Better Writers
3PM: Writing RPG Short Stories and Novels
August 5
3 PM: Swords and Sorcery
4 PM: Pick Our Brains: Matt Forbeck and Tobias Buckell
I hope to see you there!
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