OOOOh i love 'The Dark', a really great book!
OOOOh i love 'The Dark', a really great book!
I've only read a few of Herbert's books, but they were great. I'm loving seeing y'all's treasures.
Received this yesterday. Secret Of Crickley Hall US proof.
Not read that book yet! Really need to get along with the other titles that i haven't read yet.
You should give it a read Tom. Very entertaining story. I loved it.
Quirky item I just received. The Rats in an edition from 1988 made especially for a filofax. Signed too.
Now that's original!
Update with pictures of 'Fluke' and 'The Jonah'.
UK limited edition proof of 'The Ghosts of Sleath'.
UK proof for 'Creed'
UK limited edition proof for 'Once'.
Interesting that those proofs are numbered and even signed in the one case!
John
I travelled down to Birmingham last week for a signing and Q&A with James Herbert. Got 3 books signed, had a nice chat with the man himself, and he happily posed for pictures with everyone whon asked. He really was a nice fella.
Will post up some pics when I get a chance.
Argh i didn't realise there was a signing until it had been and gone, luckily he is at Fantasy Con at Brighton on the 29th of September!
I was lucky enough to attend a book signing and Q&A with James Herbert a couple of weeks back. Mr Herbert doesn't appear at public events all that often due to ill health I believe, so when this event was announced I jumped on it straight away. It's been six years or so since Herbert's last novel was published and this event was to promote his new novel ASH, and was his only Waterstone's signing in the UK.
Without going into too much boring detail, I've been a James Herbert fan for nigh on 30 years, as long as I've been a fan of Stephen King actually, and I fulfilled a personal ambition of mine by finally meeting the man himself on 3rd September. Any way, I travelled down to Birmingham by train on the Monday morning from Glasgow which was a four hour journey. I had a hotel room booked for an overnight stay so went and checked in and left my overnight bag and had a meal. I headed to Waterstone's about 6:30 for the event at 7. It was a ticketed event and there were around 200 people there. Mr Herbert gave a talk on his new book ASH and then took some audience questions. He mentioned a certain Stephen King a few times and said they are still good friends who stay in touch quite reegularly. He also said that if he could have written a novel by any other author then it would have been The Shining
After the Q&A we went and purchased our first edition copies of ASH and waited in line for Mr Herbert to sign them. He was a lovely man and happily chatted to everyone and posed for pictures. I took 2 of my favourite books by him along to the event and he signed them for me without any problem.
Here are some pictures below: (sorry for the poor quality)
Mr Herbert signing ASH
Me and James Herbert
My signed and inscribed 1st/1st of ASH
Signed 1st/1st of The Fog which I took along to be signed
Signed Hodder 1st/1st of The Rats which I also took along with me.
The reason I took this Hodder edition of The Rats to be signed was that it's part of a trilogy and I have the other 2 Hodder editions in the series signed already and this completed my set.
So, there we have it. When I got to speak to Mr Herbert, he chatted to me about Scotland when he heard my accent as he had been up in Scotland researching ASH and he also said I should be able to work out which castle (featured in the book) his fictional castle was based on as I was a Scot. He also said he would love to see a film version of his book The Fog, and I should hold onto my 1st edition which he had just signed as it was pretty rare and "would be worth a few quid" lol. His words exactly. He was a very gracious and humble man and it was a pleasure to finally meet him.
After the signing, I went for a few beers with a couple of fans I had been queuing with who were from the Birmingham area. So I also made a couple of new friends as well. After drinks it was a Burger King and back to the hotel tired but happy, then train back home the next morning.
Sorry for rambling on but I had a fantastic experience and thought I'd share it with those who are interested.
Alan.
Sounds great and i am gutted that i didn't go!
Really can't wait until the 29th now so i can meet the man myself!
Man, I wish I could have attended that, I was in Birmingham Centre on the 1st Sep and usually pop into Waterstones, if I'd gone that time I'd have seen that event advertised and made sure I was there on the 3rd!
Glad you had a great day Alan.
Great story and pics, Alan!
John
Thanks for sharing, Alan.
"...that Siren which called and sang and promised so much and gave, after all, so little." ~ Ray Bradbury
You're in for a treat Tom. Hope you enjoy it, mate.
Thanks my friend. Very kind.
Gutted for you Shaq Hopefully next time though!
Thanks John
Thanks Brice. Me too
My pleasure. Thanks Patrick
You crack me up Bricey!
Since I'm here, I got my Limited Collectors Edition of ASH the other day too. This is the edition exclusive to WH Smith here in the UK (same thing they did with Wind Through The Keyhole) and features a slightly different cover and includes a poem by James Herbert. Half price at £9.95 it was worth getting.
Nice, i'm tempted to get one of those too!