One thing I particularly like as a writer is when people show interest in the inspiration behind my writing. I enjoy sharing the anecdotes or fun facts that have worked their way into my stories. So it was with great interest that, as part of the background work for our current audio project, Adrian Tchaikovsky's Tales of the Apt: Spoils of War, that I turned to the notes Adrian has kindly shared with us.
These are not just any notes. These are the notes he had written when working up the world of the Apt as an RPG (role-playing game). And what a treat they are to read! After a few short minutes, I was completely lost in the richness of his descriptions, seeing in my mind's eye the world of the characters whose stories I've read in the book. I had intended to write notes for myself as I went along, but I became so immersed that note-writing was forgotten. There is so much detail. Everything is covered - food, terrain, history, science, magic. They have been inspirational not just for my own writing (eg: I really need to make better notes when world-building!), but also on how to better portray the characters Adrian has created. Reading the stories is one thing, but having the author's personal notes backing them up is quite another. We're very lucky to have access to them and we are really looking forward to being able to share the audio version of Tales of the Apt: Spoils of War with you later this year. (posted by Tracey)
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Our live retellings of Ghost Stories in a Victorian themed entertainment has been one of our most popular live events, and is now into its third year. Every year we create a new show, meaning that if you have been before and enjoyed it, you will always have the chance to come again another year!
The first two years of performances were done in character as deceased Victorian librarians who were summoned back to provide ghostly entertainment. This year we have changed the theme a little (we are not dead any more) but we are still very much Victorian. Our setting is a drawing room post dinner with our guests (you, the audience) and the show is performed to a full atmospheric soundscape in the background of ticking clock, crackling fire, piano music and more. People have told us many times that they would enjoy the opportunity to have an audio copy of the Ghost Stories show, but until now we have been developing other projects and had put it on the "in the future" list. Today, at one of our legendary company meetings (tea and crisp-fest) we decided that, with the announcement of the London premiere of this year's MR James themed Ghost Stories show (see the event on our Facebook page here) we would produce an audio version to coincide). Rather than concentrating on any one show, we are going to look at all of the version of the show from the last three years and choose what we consider to be the best tales to record, either as multi-voice readings or individually. There will be some prose, some poetry and some that falls somewhere between the two, along with a full soundscape. We are estimating that this will be a two-CD volume (which will also be available as a download as usual) and so will run for around 2 hours. We will all be putting forward what we consider to be the best tales. If you have seen a show in the past, please do contact us with your favourite and we will consider it for inclusion. Have you been to a show? Would you like to listen to Ghost Stories if you aren't able to see it live. Do please drop us a comment below. We would love to hear from you. ~Mark |
AuthorPeriodic updates from Sam, Mark and Tracey Archives
February 2020
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