Q: Requiem was originally an audio drama. What can you tell us about that?
A: It was! Requiem was part of the Audio Visuals series of fan made Doctor Who audio plays. The series features lots of writers and actors who have since worked on official Doctor Who media. Andy Lane, Requiem's author, was coincidentally the creator of Doctor Who companion Chris Cwej, the protagonist for this adaptation of the original play. Q: Do readers need a working knowledge of Cwej: The Series to read Requiem? A: Not in the slightest. The plan for Requiem was for it to be a new introduction to Cwej: The Series for readers. To help with this, Requiem takes place before the first book, Down the Middle. Q: How did you find the writing process? A: Writing Requiem was far different to how I usually tackle a book. First, as Andy Lane no longer has a copy of Requiem’s script, I used a program to create one from the Audio Visuals drama itself. Of course, this led to a script littered with flaws, so I still had to listen to Requiem several times over to make sure I had the dialogue correct, but it made the task much simpler by having something to work from. Justyce Served, an amazing reference book on the Audio Visuals, was also a massive help. It made sure I had the spellings of the planets and key concepts correct to how Andy originally intended them, as well as being a cracking read in the first place! Q: What should readers expect from Requiem? A: An exciting, fast paced story from the mind of Andy Lane. He's written some incredible stories in the past, Chris' introduction in Doctor Who: Original Sin for a start. I'm just lucky enough to have adapted this one into a new medium. Q: What are you most proud of about Requiem? A: I think I'm most proud of keeping this adaptation as true to the original Audio Visuals play as was possible. Whilst I've had to change some narrative elements to make the book part of Cwej: The Series, the majority of Andy's original dialogue remains in place. Q: What was the most difficult part of adapting a story about music into prose? A: The concert itself, I would say. In the original audio we hear Glasst’s performance, something I couldn’t translate to prose. I had to find a way to explore how it feels for the characters to hear it, digging into their emotions and thoughts. Q: Whose style, besides that of Andy Lane, was your biggest inspiration when working on Requiem? A: It's not something I'd really thought about when writing the book, but, at least on a subconscious level, I'd have to say Terrance Dicks. He's the champion of novelisations, never to be beaten. I hope Requiem lives up to the high bar he set. Q: Where else can we find your work? A: I’ve done a lot of work for Arcbeatle Press; I'm the range editor for SIGNET series, and author of its opening story, Night of the Yssgaroth. I also authored an upcoming instalment of Cwej: The Series, which hopefully will see the light of day later this year. Beyond Arcbeatle, I’ve written some Doctor Who charity stories for Altrix Books, Pencil Tip Publishing, and a UNIT short story for Candy Jar Books. Q: Do you have any closing remarks for the readership? A: Thank you for taking the time to read this interview! I pour my heart and soul into the work I do for Arcbeatle Press. The loyalty of our readership means the world, and it will be rewarded. Over the next few years we have some real treats in store, just you wait and see.
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Cwej: The Series returns on 23 April with a prequel novel, taking place before Down the Middle, adapted by SIGNET creator James Hornby.
The novel, complete with a fun and vibrant cover by Jacob Addyman, is adapted from the Audio Visuals range of fan-made audio dramas from the late 1980s. This particular audio, Requiem, was written by none other than Andy Lane, the creator of Chris Cwej.. In this adventure, a massive wave of temporal energy rips through the cosmos, all due to a music composition beyond its power. Chris and friends find themselves in peril once again, and he must make an ultimate sacrifice to save the universe and put things to rights. "Requiem is a new beginning for Cwej," says Hornby, "It's been written as a new jumping on point for readers. I can’t think of a better way to start exploring these characters than through a story written by his creator, Andy Lane. It’s been a blast writing Requiem, and I hope that enthusiasm is shared by our readers." "It's been a tremendous honor to see James work tirelessly to bring our readership the greatest possible adaptation," says range editor Hunter O'Connell. "Cwej: The Series has never felt more adventurous and daring than it does in Cwej: Requiem." Cwej: Requiem will be available for print and Kindle on 23 April, 2024 in most territories. Preorders for the Kindle edition are now open, with the print version available for sale on the day of release. Future Cwej releases will follow in a bi-yearly schedule, beginning late 2024. You thought we were joking, didn't you? Well, April Fools! It’s not a prank, it’s an actual plan. Click below to download an exclusive crossover anthology from the Worlds of Arcbeatle Press, presently under metafictional attack from none other than the Noodle Man. Edited by Aristide Twain, The Noodle Incident spans fifteen exclusive, noodly vignettes — plus extras — and puts the spotlight on the self-aggrandising spaghetti-man… whether any of our other characters like it or not. Penned by L. Alves, Ismaeel Clarke, Ostara Gale, James Hornby, Lena Mactíre, Theta Mandel, Callum Phillpott, Plum Pudding, Shergar Sahcahgar, Aristide Twain, and James Wylder, the stories feature exclusive glimpses into the reams of Auteur, Dionus, 10,000 Dawns, Academy 27, Starlight Endeavours, Castaways of Ishiok, The Crew of the Copper-Colored Cupids, The Magic Island, and Jenny Over-There: The Nine-Two-Five Universe, all under attack from the same inexplicable menace. Sharp-eyed readers might even spot connections to past 10,000 Dawns April Fools’ Day events — and perhaps a few more clues about what really lies ahead… though the extended Noodle Man Adventures print run might have to wait. Click below to download The Noodle Incident as a PDF or an ePub file.
“THE NOODLE INCIDENT”: BRAND-NEW “THE NOODLE MAN” SERIES LAUNCHES WITH EXCLUSIVE ARCBEATLE PRESS CROSSOVER SERIAL ON APRIL 1ST
By Aristide Twain In recent years, Arcbeatle Press has continued to blaze a trail for independent science-fiction and fantasy publishing, launching multiple new projects spanning a variety of universes. In line with our commitment to quality over quantity, we have naturally decided that the optimal thing to do at this time is to launch yet another one. As soon as we decided to add even more prose to our editors’ workload, it became obvious that there could only be one focus character worthy of the endeavour: we speak of course of the Noodle Man, created by Plum Pudding and memorably used in such notorious successes as “that time they joked about him with friends once”. Some might believe that anchoring a long-running book series on an untested, unpublished character whose premise begins and ends with “he’s a man made of noodles who hums to himself a lot” is, to name a few, “insane”, “a really bad idea”, or “an April Fools’ joke… gotta be… right? right?!”. If you recognise yourself or a family member in one or more of these statements, we can only recommend therapy, meditation, and of course a healthy diet of noodles and chocolate eggs. The rest of you can look forward to “The Noodle Incident”, an exclusive crossover serial featuring such Arcbeatle hallmarks as 10,000 Dawns, Auteur, Dionus, SIGNET, Starlight Endeavours, Coloth, and many more. The Noodle Man deserved an introduction in style, and we could think of nothing better than a clipshow-style compilation of disparate vignettes held together with the barest excuse for a connective thread. “You might think that we’re using these established series with crass, cynical commercialism,” says The Noodle Incident editor Aristide Twain, “that we’re exploiting their existing fanbases to forcibly establish the largely unknown Noodle Man as a central character within the worlds of Arcbeatle Press overnight. It’s certainly always a risk, with big corporate-driven crossover events, that you lose sight of the artistic integrity of each individual project, in favour of the entire cosmos bending around the new guy with something to sell. That’s certainly been known to happen, so I understand why people would be concerned that it might occur with The Noodle Incident. It’s a very sensible fear to have. But, on the other hand, I seem to have forgotten what I was going to say after the ‘but’.” “The Noodle Incident” will be released today, April 1st, 2024, on the present website as an exclusive ebook. In addition, the first book of “The Noodle Man: Arc 1: The Book of the Noodle Man”, provisionally entitled “Book 1: A Really Incredible Character’s Kaleidoscopically Reimagined, Out-there Lasagna Life”, is now available for preorder. Inquiries may be sent to arcbeatlepress@gmail.com During the pandemic lockdown, readers discovered the adventures of the students of Academy 27, making it the most-read online series of all time from Arcbeatle Press. Now, the series is coming to print for the first time on March 26th, 2024. Academy 27 is a slice-of-life series following the lives, loves, and dramas of a group of high school students – with a twist: they’re in school on a future Mars, renamed Gongen, where robot dogs, exchange students from other planets, and friendly cyborgs cause chaos and intrigue. On top of everything else, while they’re trying to do their best in their classes, war seems to be brewing between Gongen and Earth. “It's a heartfelt series that’s connected with a lot of readers. Whether it's Sang Mi’s struggles with mental health, Ryan’s attempt to make a fresh start in a new home, or Tsetseg’s journey with alienation, you’ll definitely feel something reading these stories,” editor James Wylder said. Set in the same world as Arcbeatle Press and Decipher, Inc.’s WARSONG series, but requiring no prior knowledge, the Academy 27 series features stories from writers such as James Wylder (P.R.O.B.E), Dillon O’Hara (Cwej: Down the Middle), Leo Irons, Andrew Davis (10,000 Dawns), Callum Phillpott (Cyber-Hunt), Kimberley Chiu, Matthew Sychantha, and Aidan Mason (Blood and the Stars). “Readers have been asking for it to come to print, and we can’t wait for a whole new audience to discover these characters now that it is!” Arcbeatle Co-President James Hornby said. Preorders for the Kindle edition are now open, with the print version available for sale on day of release. Preorders can be made here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CX6LHSG7 “Coloth” Series Launches With Arcbeatle Press’s 2023 Winter Anthology, “The Book of the Snowstorm”!12/27/2023 For years, readers of Arcbeatle Press’s releases relating to the Doctor Who universe and beyond have caught frequent glimpses of Coloth, lovable dimension-travelling cactus-boy and unwilling denizen of an infinite Library outside Time and Space. Now, at last, his very own spin-off series — seven years in the making — comes to fruition as the Library plays host to an anthology of winter tales from the worlds of Arcbeatle Press…
The overarching story of The Book of the Snowstorm, written by Aristide Twain (The Crew of the Copper-Colored Cupids, Faction Paradox, Auteur), begins when a mysterious, unceasing Snowstorm traps five strangers in a reading room in the biggest Library in all reality, with naught else to do but read. Among these people are Coloth’s inseparable companions Callum and Maritsa, Novices of the posthuman Bookkeepers, while Coloth himself flies out into the Multiverse with Rich the Birdhemoth to try and save them. The central tale introduces twenty other, all-original stories of varying relevance to the characters’ predicament, spanning such series as Lady Aesculapius, Auteur, The Crew of the Copper-Colored Cupids, Cwej: The Series, Dionus, SIGNET, Starlight Endeavours, Starlight Ranger, and many more. The story of Coloth began as a subplot in War Crimes, a Doctor Who short story by Simon Bucher-Jones printed in the legendary original 1998 Short Trips anthology. In 2017, Nate Bumber (Faction Paradox) and Tyche McPhee Letts (Cwej: The Series, How to Survive the Winter) began to develop the notion of bringing the character in a whole new form, creating a spin-off unlike any other. Last Halloween saw Twain’s own The Cactus and the Corpse, printed in Arcbeatle Press’s Horrors of Arcbeatle (ed. Sean Dillon), formally introduce the world to the new adventures of Coloth, Callum and Maritsa, with fellow Doctor Who universe escapee Auteur guest-starring as main antagonist. “This book was a mad, exhilarating experience,” says editor Aristide Twain. “Coloth: The Book of the Snowstorm is as high-concept as it gets — an infinite Library full of magic and metafiction, and two dozen sci-fi and fantasy tales spanning series and dimensions alike — which is precisely what makes the human element essential. I had to trust in my writers, and the writers, myself included, had to believe in the character. Both exceeded my expectations by far, and I am so excited for people to find out what we’ve all worked so hard to create.” “Coloth: The Book of the Snowstorm” is now available to purchase from Amazon in paperback and ebook formats, from Barnes and Noble in digital format and from the Arcbeatle Press digital store in epub format. Inquiries may be sent to arcbeatlepress@gmail.com Editor James Wylder interviews SIGNET creator James Hornby about the series’ first instalment, Night of the Yssgaroth.
Q: SIGNET is a brand new series to the worlds of Doctor Who. What can you tell us about it? A: SIGNET is a series exploring the darker aspects of the Doctor Who universe. It follows a group of investigators trying to do what’s right in a surreal and dangerous world. But, unlike most organisations we’ve seen in this universe who want to kill or capture anything that isn’t human, SIGNET has a heart. They look at the story behind the phenomenon, and try to find a solution that doesn’t involve bloodshed. Q: How does SIGNET differ from other organisations in the Doctor Who universe? A: I’ve already mentioned SIGNET’s motive in this world, but that’s not all that makes them different. Every other organisation we’ve seen in Doctor Who to date has been backed by something greater: a government or world power. SIGNET is privately funded, by a man who prioritises morality over dedicating his time to cases which make a profit. This results in something rather unique, and allows for new possibilities in storytelling. Q: Where is SIGNET set? A: SIGNET is based on the outskirts of York. I live in Yorkshire, and it’s an area of England that hasn’t really been explored in the Doctor Who universe up until now. Most aliens we’ve seen seem to focus on other cities like London and Cardiff, but I reckon there’s a good few species out there in the universe who prefer the countryside. I think I’m one of them. Q: What connections to the Doctor Who universe can we expect to see? A: Not just the Yssgaroth, I assure you! For the past few years, I’ve been working with a number of names in the creative world of Doctor Who. Lance Parkin, Steve Lyons, and Dan Freeman have been kind enough to let me use their concepts. A special mention here goes out to David A. McIntee, who has been a great help while I’ve been setting up this project — he’s even created Jae-Sun, one of the members of the team. You can expect to see his concepts arriving in the future, but exactly which ones are a tightly kept secret for now. Q: How did you find the writing process? A: I’ll be honest with you, it was overwhelming at first. SIGNET is a huge project, and came with a large shopping list of elements I wanted to include. However, with each successive chapter, pieces of the jigsaw started falling into place, and I'm incredibly proud of the result. Q: What should readers expect from Night of the Yssgaroth? A: Readers should expect a very character-focused story that mixes the genres of science fiction and horror. The Yssgaroth are Doctor Who monsters that are very integral to the series’ lore, and with Night of the Yssgaroth I wanted to explore the almost universe-shattering power it possesses from the perspective of ordinary people… and aliens. Q: What are you most proud of about your story? A: I’m very proud about forging a new corner of the Doctor Who universe, with its own unique quirks, but after that, it has to be Xana, the book's main character. She's a very flawed character from the offset, and Night of the Yssgaroth very much throws her through the wringer. I feel her reactions to the story are very genuine, and I’m keen for readers to see how she develops over the course of the series. Q: This has been a passion project for you for some time, what drew you to creating SIGNET? A: The simple desire to create something new in a world I love. SIGNET is set in a largely unexplored region of the Doctor Who universe, and isn’t bogged down by previous continuity. Sure, we’re using pre existing concepts, but our new setup allows readers to experience them with a fresh perspective. Q: Where else can we find your work? A: I’ve done a lot of work for Arcbeatle Press, most of which can be found in current and upcoming instalments of Cwej: The Series. Beyond Arcbeatle, I’ve written some Doctor Who charity stories for Altrix Books, Pencil Tip Publishing, and a UNIT short story for Candy Jar Books. Q: What can we expect to see from SIGNET in the future? A: Exciting things! We’re currently editing the second book in the series, which is authored by none other than legendary Doctor Who writer John Peel. He’s written a very gripping story that sees SIGNET battle a threat on a global scale. Beyond that, David McIntee is writing his own tale, and discussions for an anthology have begun, but more on that later. Spookiness is here in force this Halloween at Arcbeatle Press with a new anthology, Horrors of Arcbeatle. “A lot of people working behind the scenes at Arcbeatle thought it would be a fun idea to do one,” says anthology editor, Sean Dillon. “I had a horror short story sitting in a drawer for a few years, waiting to be published. A few others had some stories that they had ideas for. It was an interesting opportunity for us to share these stories.” The anthology features stories from the various worlds of Arcbeatle Press, including tales of Coloth and Auteur from Doctor Who and Faction Paradox, Decipher INC’s WARSONG, and an early peek at Arcbeatle’s latest Doctor Who spin-off, SIGNET. “You can expect some delightful stories with a few scares in-between,” adds Sean. “One of my favorites is a story about a group of kids exploring a closed library featuring angry librarians, demonic creatures, and a wry sense of humor.” When asked if we can expect any more anthologies like this in the future, Sean replied: “Who knows, eh? Who. Knows?” Horrors of Arcbeatle is available in paperback and Kindle. Inquiries can be send to arcbeatlepress@gmail.com. Cover by Aristide Twain. Arcbeatle Press are proud to announce SIGNET, a new range of books from the worlds of Doctor Who.
SIGNET follows a privately funded organisation fighting alien incursions and investigating the supernatural. "Heart is at the core of SIGNET," explains SIGNET creator and range editor James Hornby. "Most organisations we've seen in this world combat threats to humanity with prejudice. But are they always in the right? SIGNET looks out for the little guy, whether that be someone under the threat of invasion, or a stranded alien looking for a home." The first book in the series, Night of the Yssgaroth, sees our introduction to the team as they combat an ancient threat, first seen in Doctor Who: The Pit. "Xana is a fugitive on the run. Desperation takes her to Earth, the galaxy’s fabled sanctuary. But when a primordial entity begins to emerge, nowhere is safe. She crosses paths with SIGNET, a freelance organisation offering refuge to aliens and humans under threat. To survive she must place her trust in SIGNET, but for Xana trust has never come easy. Can she learn to overcome the trauma of her past, or will the Yssgaroth take them all?" More releases are to follow, featuring works from popular Doctor Who writers such as John Peel. SIGNET: Night of the Yssgaroth will be available for print and Kindle on 2 November, 2023 in most territories. Preorders for the Kindle edition are now open, with the print version available for sale on the day of release. Inquiries can be send to arcbeatlepress@gmail.com Cover by Stuart Brown. Logo by Nathan Dowd. The Battle of Phobos Series Comes to its Epic Conclusion With WARSONG: Codettas.
The long wait for the finale to the Battle of Phobos book series is over. WARSONG: Codettas is out now. Originally planned for release over a decade ago, WARSONG: Codettas finally completes “The Battle of Phobos” saga. “We know fans have been wanting to see how this story ends for ages, and we’re honored to pick up the torch and finally get this book into their hands,” said writer James Wylder. In the far future, a splintered humanity has reached the point of no return on the divisions between them, and now war between these fractious groups is inevitable. Over the skies of Mars, the biggest conflict in humanity’s history is about to begin, and the choices of Wilgress, Hallard, and Higen will make all the difference. WARSONG has its origins in Decipher’s WARS TCG, whose setting and story were created with the help of New York Times Bestselling Author Michael Stackpole (X-Wing: Rogue Squadron, I, Jedi). The stories and characters have continued on from it, with the support of a devoted fanbase. Following the series' publication under Arcbeatle Press, the Phobos series has been rereleased with WARSONG: Preludes and WARSONG: Stretti, before concluding with this latest release. This final volume features novellas by the esteemed Hugo Award Finalist and Locus Award Nominee Bryan Thomas Schmidt (Predator: Eyes of the Demon, Shortcut), WARSONG veteran Sabrina Fried (A More Civilized Age, WARSONG: Stretti), and James Wylder (Cwej: Down the Middle, 10,000 Dawns), as well as a short story by Michael Robertson (Goblinpunk, Cwej: Down the Middle). “I’m excited for everyone to finally see what happens to these characters. This book has all the action, excitement, emotion, and intrigue people have grown to love from this series. We can’t wait to tell even more stories in this world," Wylder said. WARSONG: Codettas is now available to purchase from Amazon in paperback and ebook formats. Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CGL7TQRS Ebook: https://www.amazon.com/WARSONG-Codettas-Battle-Phobos-Book-ebook/dp/B0CC9VD778 UK Paperback:https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CGL7TQRS UK Ebook: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CC9VD778 |
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