Would you buy a book from this man?

[Mark Robson]

OK, where is everyone? Oh, the store's not open yet! You're all forgiven then.

 

[HoopyFrood]

I don't think I'd buy a book from that man, he looks a bit shifty to me...

Heheh.

I hope everything is going well and that lots more people will discover your books and be enthralled by them, like many on this site, I'm sure!

Nicola xx

 

[Joel007]

having all the book covers there makes it eye catching oh, and you do too mark

I'd buy your books if i didn't already have them! Maybe I'll get some as presents for friends

 

[Memnoch]

I gather you are a published author?? ;o) . . . Where was that picture took may I ask it looks like Borders in Preston??

Excellent cover art (I'm a sucker for a good cover, I haven't read any of your books yet, Although prior to buying the new Mary Gentle book at a bargain Seven squid for hardback. I had read the blurb to Imperial spy as it caught my eye. Where would you recommend me starting with your novels and how would you describe your writing style Mark. This is a first for me, interacting with an author prior to reading there published work so apologies for the rather boring questions.

 

[dwndrgn]

I might if the scary man was hiding while I was buying...just kidding! Very nice display - although you might want to add in a smile or something ;-)

 

[Mark Robson]

I gather you are a published author?? ;o) . . . Where was that picture took may I ask it looks like Borders in Preston??

Excellent cover art (I'm a sucker for a good cover, I haven't read any of your books yet, Although prior to buying the new Mary Gentle book at a bargain Seven squid for hardback. I had read the blurb to Imperial spy as it caught my eye. Where would you recommend me starting with your novels and how would you describe your writing style Mark. This is a first for me, interacting with an author prior to reading there published work so apologies for the rather boring questions.

The picture was taken in WH Smith, Northampton ... and Dwndrgn, I hate having my photo taken - I believe we have something in common there! If you catch me smiling naturally in a photo, then I wasn't aware there was a camera pointing my way!

My writing style ... well, I don't major on description! I would describe my work as action/adventure, with the emphasis on the action. I've always liked stories that hack along at a good pace. Imperial Spy is a good place to start, particularly as the sequel is due out in just a few weeks time. If you enjoy those, then you can always go back to The Darkweaver Legacy series later.

There are a whole load of reviews of Imperial Spy at the bottom of this page: http://www.markrobsonauthor.com/books/imperial-spy/

I hope you check them out.

 

[Memnoch]

I will and will give you my feedback thanks . . . I'm a Gemmell fanatic so love a bit of action and an easy read at times.

What got you into fantasy? Also what kicked you off writing fully fledged novels? Are you specifically qualified?

 

[Mark Robson]

I will and will give you my feedback thanks . . . I'm a Gemmell fanatic so love a bit of action and an easy read at times.

What got you into fantasy? Also what kicked you off writing fully fledged novels? Are you specifically qualified?

I'm a big Gemmell fan myself - have read nearly everything he wrote. In some ways I'm glad that I'm just a few books behind, because reading those last few novels will give me a chance to savour afresh his rare talent for heroic fantasy before I exhaust his written work. He will be sadly missed.

I started reading fantasy and adventure stories almost as soon as I could read. When I was really young it was Enid Blyton's 'The Enchanted Wood' and 'The Faraway Tree', though I'm glad to say I eventually graduated to slightly more adult fantasy themes. I loved LOTR and The Hobbit, so sought out anything that was compared with Tolkien's work for years afterwards. Along the way I discovered Donaldson (of whom I'm not overly fond) Julian May, Anne McCaffrey, Gemmell, Eddings, Feist, Wurts, Freda Warrington ... the list goes on and on.

My launch into fantasy is quite well documented - I started from a throwaway line by my navigator! I was a pilot in the RAF, on detachment in the Falklands, where I was very bored and irritable. My navigator happened to say "For goodness sake, Mark, do something useful! Go write a book, or something!". That was the beginning ... six books later, with the seventh nearly finished, I'm writing full time (for Simon & Schuster UK at the moment.)

My sole qualification to write is a B at 'O' Level English ... together with a reasonable imagination and a lot of life experience.

 

[Marky Lazer]

I think you need a mustache, Mark!

 

[Mark Robson]

I think you need a mustache, Mark!

You don't want to see the photo of me with a moustache!

I grew one once whilst on detachment in Canada. I kept it long enough to have my RAF Identity card photo done and then shaved it off the very next day. Aside from being very uncomfortable, I looked like one of those hammy actors from a 1960s american cop show!

 

[Memnoch]

I'm a big Gemmell fan myself - have read nearly everything he wrote. In some ways I'm glad that I'm just a few books behind, because reading those last few novels will give me a chance to savour afresh his rare talent for heroic fantasy before I exhaust his written work. He will be sadly missed.

I started reading fantasy and adventure stories almost as soon as I could read. When I was really young it was Enid Blyton's 'The Enchanted Wood' and 'The Faraway Tree', though I'm glad to say I eventually graduated to slightly more adult fantasy themes. I loved LOTR and The Hobbit, so sought out anything that was compared with Tolkien's work for years afterwards. Along the way I discovered Donaldson (of whom I'm not overly fond) Julian May, Anne McCaffrey, Gemmell, Eddings, Feist, Wurts, Freda Warrington ... the list goes on and on.

My launch into fantasy is quite well documented - I started from a throwaway line by my navigator! I was a pilot in the RAF, on detachment in the Falklands, where I was very bored and irritable. My navigator happened to say "For goodness sake, Mark, do something useful! Go write a book, or something!". That was the beginning ... six books later, with the seventh nearly finished, I'm writing full time (for Simon & Schuster UK at the moment.)

My sole qualification to write is a B at 'O' Level English ... together with a reasonable imagination and a lot of life experience.

Gives me some hope, A in GCSE English Lit/Lang. lol

Me Stepdads recentley retired from the RAF. . . Hence me living near Warton if you know it.

What a complete deviation in career well done.

An astonishingly similar path book wise into the fantasy realms for me to, although the two original Dragonlance trilogys kicked it off!! I have never read McCaffery and am starting to wonder am I missing out!!

 

[scalem X]

Ofcourse I would buy a book, it's you in that picture! Oh that was the point of the whole thing...

Strap on a bow or a sword to add coolness.

 

[MJRevell]

Thats a very luxurious WH Smiths. Two floors?

 

[Lacedaemonian]

You been doing some weight training Mark?

 

[Mark Robson]

Gives me some hope, A in GCSE English Lit/Lang. lol

Me Stepdads recentley retired from the RAF. . . Hence me living near Warton if you know it.

What a complete deviation in career well done.

An astonishingly similar path book wise into the fantasy realms for me to, although the two original Dragonlance trilogys kicked it off!! I have never read McCaffery and am starting to wonder am I missing out!!

There's always hope! Yes, I know Warton well. Did quite a lot of work with the Typhoon test people before I retired. I missed out Weiss and Hickman in my list, but I enjoyed the first two trilogies as well - though I never really progressed beyond that into the subsequent Dragonlance stuff.

McCaffrey is a bit variable, but still good even at her worst. I loved the early Pern books, all of the Crystal Singer series and some of her Tower and Hive stuff. Possibly my favourite book of hers was a one-off science fiction called Restoree about alien abductions.

Strap on a bow or a sword to add coolness.

Do that and I look even more scary.

Thats a very luxurious WH Smiths. Two floors?

Indeed, MJ. It's one of the very few that have the space to allow me to set up my full display. In most places I settle for a dump bin and a chair! The upper floor is totally dedicated to books ... as is only right.

 

[Mark Robson]

You been doing some weight training Mark?

You snuck that in whilst I was replying to the others, Lace! Not weight training, though I've recently taken up Tae Kwon Do, which is proving to be very good exercise, as well as giving me all sorts of ideas about character skills for my next series.

 

[Lacedaemonian]

Newcastle/Gateshead has some truly massive bookstores. Newcastle has two four storey Waterstones a spitting distance apart.

 

[Lacedaemonian]

You snuck that in whilst I was replying to the others, Lace! Not weight training, though I've recently taken up Tae Kwon Do, which is proving to be very good exercise, as well as giving me all sorts of ideas about character skills for my next series.

Did you feature that mangled version of my name in one of your books? My children will never believe me. That I am their father that is....

 

[Carolyn Hill]

You don't look comfortable, but that could be a plus, because people will approach you instead of thinking you're all stuck up. You look prepared and professional. So yes, I'd buy a book, even if I didn't know it was you!

 

[scalem X]

From this man? NOOOOO!!!!
He looks like he's got a chainsaw behind his back.
Not someone you know I hope.

Oh wait this isn't a "captions" thread .