Friday, January 8, 2010

Changes! Promotions! SIGN RIGHT THE HECK UP!

First of all, why don't you pull up a chair and have a gander at this fine piece of literature?

Yes, it's one of our first reviews! And what's more, it's good! Robert Grant, author, owner, operator of Disgruntled Writer, is a mighty fine blogger and his site is chock full of stuff for the discerning reader and future writer! Also, he has exquisite taste! Let's see what he said about Tome of the Undergates, shall we?

I enjoyed reading Tome of the Undergates from the first page, Sam Sykes writes with real poetry in places and he has a knack for constructing sentences with rhythm and tempo that make the reading fun and the story flow. The characters are nicely drawn with quite distinct voices and despite the story taking place in basically two locations he has a created the beginnings of a world which hangs together pretty well while being populated by different races, religions and colours. The action too comes thick and fast and the pace doesn’t let up much for its 600-odd page length. Every battle is bloody and brutal and if you like your violence with no-holds barred then you’ll be in hog heaven reading this.
Poetry! Flow! Thick! Fast! Bloody! Brutal! Hog Heaven!

All words used to describe me by my editors and ex-girlfriends alike! And here they are being used to describe my book! Be sure to read the whole review and many more throughout his site!

So, anyway, guess what! I'm GETTING A GODDAMN WEBSITE! Yes, finally, more than just a construction page! Jeremiah Tolbert of Clockpunk Studios has very graciously accepted me into his clientele list. You can see a good representation of his work on his site and on the site of Blake Charlton, author of the-sure-to-be-fine-ass Spellwright and part-time mob informant. Consequently, I may have just outed him and condemned him to wearing cement shoes.

I should probably delete that...probably...hmm...

But, anyway!

What does this website business mean for you? Well, this particular blog will probably be disappearing/moving sometime soon (just as well, I can't fix the goddamn twitter feed to the right), but we'll do our best to transplant the blogs written so far. So, in the future, please check out all our stuff at www.samsykes.com. It will BLOW YOUR MIND.

Hm? What's that?

Oh, right. You're wondering if this will affect the contest going on. The answer: nope! The winners will still be announced January 13th! That's also the day after the last possible day to turn in your entry! Why not read the entry and see if you'd like to participate?

As a note to all who've entered so far: yes, I've seen them all! I haven't actually responded yet because that seems like it would be quite time-consuming and, by the end, I'd be so irritated that my response would just be pictures from the Polar Bears Club.

So, do check this stuff out and watch this space for future website developments! We'll give you notice before the whole thing goes live so you can keep yourself attached to me and my thoughts, the writhing lamprey to my pale white nurse shark.

3 comments:

  1. HI Sam,
    How unfair Is life?! After following your blog I decided to enter your comp, I also forwarded details to friends, hoping that If I wasn't lucky, they would be and then give me the Arc.
    Anyway It turns out that I was the unlucky one and a mate who did enter has one and refuses to give me the Arc, even though they don't read!!!!
    Just not fair. I will now have to compete with everyone else on Ebay UK to win a copy of the only other Arc available.
    There Is a moral to this story......
    Glad to hear of the new site, will definately check It out.

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  2. HEARTFELT,
    I took part and I didn't win. So I will buy the book as usual. I would never try to get an Arc via Ebay! 98% of the books I review I buy on my own. Of course it is great to read and review the book before publishing date. So I look forward to review SPELLWRIGHT by Blake Charlton. I got in contact with him and will review the English and the German edition and then compare them.
    I think you can't depend on a giveaway when you want to review a book.
    You should either try to get in contact with author/publisher or just buy the book

    Concerning your experience I would like to tell you:

    "With friends like that, who needs enemies"

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  3. Hi Sam,
    I like Blake's website and I'm curious to see your new site.
    Did you read the review over at The Wertzone ?
    Sounds different compared to Robert Grant's review.
    I assume you are under the gun as one of Gollancz's big fantasy debuts for 2010.
    After reading both reviews I want to read Tome of the Udergates too. Until then I hope to get some more reviews.

    Anyway you are half my age and I must say I admire your enthusiasm.

    Good luck for your you and your book.

    ReplyDelete