Christmas Comes Early

Things I love:

1) Christmas.
2) Doctor Who.
3) Me, writing stuff.
4) Me, getting published.

All four of these things are combined in one glossy, hardback book this festive season, with the publication of Big Finish's Doctor Who Short Trips: Christmas Around The World. It's my first published slice of officially-licensed Who fiction, so extremely significant and joyous for me. The physical book arrived this morning, and I've been holding it in my hand like some kind of precious topaz.

Oh, did I not mention? I didn't write it all. Lord, no. It's a short-story compilation, to which I've contributed the story Christmas Every Day. I was delighted when editor Xanna Eve Chown allowed me to write a Fourth Doctor (that's Tom Baker, to the Who layman) and Leela story: I had a ball creating a brand new mini-adventure for that classic duo.

The hardback book's theme, as you'd expect from its title, is the ways in which Christmas is celebrated around the globe. Of course, I had to be awkward and set mine on another planet entirely, but it's good to be different. The tome opens with a lovely map of the globe, indicating the times and places of each story. I'm in the good company of 19 other authors - including TV's James Moran, former Who script editor Andrew Cartmel, Simon Guerrier, Eddie Robson and Rebecca Levene - so it's splendid value for money. So far, I've only read Moran's top-notch tale. Why? Because he threatened to "brain" me with a "porcelain bog seat" if I didn't. He's a proper thug - people don't realise. Besides, I'm saving the rest of the stories for Christmas, as is only good and proper.

Christmas Around The World is out December 15. You can see full ordering details on Big Finish's site. Go on, spoil yourself. It's (almost) Christmas.

Ho ho, and furthermore, ho!

12 comments:

Lucy V said...

EXCELLENT. Please send a copy to your blog-stepson aka my kid. Thanks. And did I mention I blog-love you?

potdoll said...

Congratulations, Pokery!

William Gallagher said...

'Ere, you're sending copies to blog-family? Why didn't I see that before I ordered one?

Sheesh.

Congratulations, you must be feeling fantastic right now and it's all warranted. May the glow continue for a long time and be followed by a Who novel.

William

Lara said...

Congratulations hun! I look forward to seeing it in the shops and adding it to my "oh yeah, I know that writer" bookshop brag list...lol. Seriously though -well done. x

missread said...

Congratulations, good Sir! Exciting stuff indeed.

John Soanes said...

Congratulations!
J

Mr. Nall said...

Many congrats on the publication (and nice blog, generally).

Best,

AJN
http://adamjamesnall.blogspot.com/

Jason Arnopp said...

Thank you, you frighteningly wonderful people.

David Lemon said...

Nice one Sir- and writing for the Fourth Doctor must have been a particular challenge/joy.
Will add to my Christmas list forthwith...

Phill Barron said...

Congratulations - out of interest, have you blogged anywhere about how you go this gig?

Phill - too lazy to search for stuff

Jason Arnopp said...

Lord Lemon: Joy and challenge, that about sums it up. The Fourth Doctor's so much fun because he's so multi-dimensional and moody. Depending on how much booze was in Tom Baker's trailer that day.

Baron Barron: Well, let's see. I did a Bernice Summerfield short story for Big Finish that year, which was edited by my friend Rebecca 'Bex' Levene (who used to edit the Virgin Who New Adventures). Bex introduced me to her then-flatmate Xanna Eve Chown, then much later tipped me off that Xanna was editing this year's Christmas collection, so I fired off a pitch. She liked it, and the BBC had no problem with it. Cue the sound of champagne corks and happy Arnopp laughing like a drain.

Unknown said...

Marvellous xxx