The Newsletter of the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers

Benson: is a terrific and its subsequent were protagonist and I had a great created by Hideo Kojima, a time writing him. videogame designer who is something of a god in Japan. Tied In: How did you get the job? Konami published the games worldwide and they’re hugely Benson: Surprisingly, I learned successful. The games are in the that Kojima-san is a fan of my stealth/action genre, and most of ! Several them feature a named were published in Japan, and I Solid Snake. have something of a presence in that country. I Many characters will also often have special am an official abilities or powers that aren’t considered Goodwill normal. There is definitely a Japanese Ambassador for sensibility to the whole thing . . . Kagawa Prefecture, and there is, believe it Snake is a lone operative for or not, a permanent museum Benson Adds to His FOXHOUND, a super secret dedicated to my 007 The government intelligence Man With the Red Tatoo on the Tie-In Resume organization. Snake is always island of Naoshima! I had set sent in to heavily-fortified enemy much of that book there, so the Tied In recently caught up with strongholds to extract prefectural government decided charter IAMTW member information without being seen to honor it with a Bond museum. to ask about or caught—so there is an At any rate, Del Rey contacted his new novelization of the emphasis on getting in and out my manager and asked if I’d be internationally-popular Konami without firefights. Of course, interested. I was apparently on videogame, METAL GEAR that rarely happens! The stories a short list of authors that SOLID (to be published in trade are set in what is best described Kojima-san wanted. I just had to paperback on May 27 by Del as an alternate present or near- convince them that I was the Rey). Benson was about to future in which military right man for the job! depart the country for a week in technology is farther advanced London and a weekend at Lake than what we have now. Tied In: What’s it like adapting Garda, Italy to attend a couple of Many characters will also a videogame to a novel? centenary events often have special abilities or and also promote his new powers that aren’t considered Benson: It’s really not that original novel, A Hard Day’s normal. There is definitely a much different from adapting a Death. Japanese sensibility to the whole movie script or TV series, as thing, much like a good manga or long as you have an adequate Tied In: Tell us about METAL anime. supply of materials from which GEAR SOLID, Raymond! Vo l. 2, issue 3, June-July 2008 1 by a different “David Michaels,” British writer Sebastian Faulks. and a new book based on the In the interim, Charlie Higson game ENDWAR is by yet a third wrote a series of “Young Bond” “David Michaels.” Apparently young adult books featuring a the name David Michaels is a teenaged Bond in the 1930s, and brand pseudonym that they’re Samantha Weinberg has penned continuing to use for Clancy’s a series of “Miss Moneypenny” videogames-to-books series. novels. But my Italian publisher, But come to think of it, the Alacran Edizioni, is still very first tie-in work I ever did publishing my James Bond was related to computer games. novels, so I’ve also been invited I was once a computer game to attend a 007 memorabilia designer (in the late eighties and show and weekend at Lake early nineties). The first game I Garda and be a guest speaker. wrote and designed was a text- Part of the new , Quantum of adventure called ’s Solace, is being filmed there at to work, such as dialogue scripts, The Mist, based on his novella. the same time. And even though maps, and walkthroughs. This was published way back in my books are all out of print in Playing the game helps, too, but 1985. Last year a film was finally the USA and Britain, an I have to admit that I find the made from the story. It was anthology containing three of the games extremely difficult and great fun seeing the movie; it novels and one will be can’t get very far! brought back memories of the published by Pegasus in October One must also have a game and the various characters. of this year. The collection is massive amount of free time to The second and third computer called The Union Trilogy. So, in play the games, as they take games were also text-adventures the words of Al Pacino in The hours and hours to complete. I based on James Bond Godfather Part III, “I tried to get also had access to people at properties—A View to a Kill and out, but they just keep pulling Konami who could answer any Goldfinger. So I was already me back in!” questions that came up. doing tie-in work before I became Working with them was one of a full time novelist. Tied In: What is A Hard Day’s the better tie-in experiences I’ve Death? had. Tied In: Speaking of James Bond, what’s going on with that? Benson: It’s not a tie-in! It’s the Tied In: Will you be doing more? first in a series of Benson: 2008 is “rock ‘n’ roll thrillers” Benson: I’m hoping I’ll be the 100th featuring a private contracted to do a (Metal anniversary of Ian investigator who Gear Solid 2—Sons of Liberty), Fleming’s birth, so works in the rock ‘n’ but beyond that I don’t know. there are all kinds roll milieu. I’ve of events planned written the sequel, Tied In: You’ve done other throughout the which is called Dark videogame tie-in work, haven’t year. The family Side of the Morgue. you? and estate invited Obviously, the books me to attend the are tongue-in-cheek Benson: Yes. I wrote the first opening of a and have a lot of rock two Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Fleming/Bond music references. novels, based on that videogame exhibit at the They’re meant to be franchise from Ubisoft. In those Imperial War fun, fast reads for the two cases, the publisher and Museum in London, so I thought music fan in all of us. Clancy’s people insisted that I I should go. I stopped doing the use the pseudonym “David Bond books in 2002, and there Tied In: Thanks, Raymond! Michaels.” Two more Splinter hasn’t been an adult 007 novel Cell books have been published until this year. It’s written by Benson: My pleasure! 2 Russell Davis New SFWA President

IAMTW member Russell Davis has been elected president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Lee Goldberg, IAMTW vice president called Davis’ election important for writers in many genres. Keith R. A. DeCandido “This is a great step forward for SFWA and for the IAMTW as Keith Claims Space well,” Goldberg said. “Russell has experience on both sides of the Keith R.A. DeCandido will desk . . . as a writer and an be doing a novel to be editor . . . and has detailed published in February 2009 that knowledge of how the industry will be a works. More importantly, he follow-up to wants to work to unify the David Mack's various professional epic Destiny writing organizations on trilogy, issue of common interest showing the to make things better for fallout in the writers of all genres. Trek universe Davis, the author of from the more than a dozen novels, events of that has several tie-in titles, as trilogy. well as editing credits— Keith is including numerous also returning anthologies with Martin to the world of Greenberg of Tekno Starcraft with Books. Under the name two sequels to David Cian, he edited an his Starcraft: anthology of Transformer Ghost novel Nova, published in stories called Legends, which is 2006. That novel was originally out of print and considered intended as a prequel to the highly collectible. He began Starcraft: Ghost game, but editing while at the University of Blizzard Games wound up never Wisconsin in Green Bay, where releasing the game. he worked as the Managing The first sequel will be a Editor of the student literary manga trilogy for TokyoPop magazine. He also spent a few called Ghost Academy, which will years editing for Five Star detail Nova's time at the titular Publishing and developing their organization; the second is a lines. novel that will be based on the Among his novel credits are game story for the never-released Touchless, and a Twilight Zone Starcraft: Ghost game, and has tale. He also has a film the tentative title of Spectre. novelization under another These projects are both currently name. scheduled for print in 2009. 3 Zorro; the entire four ghost stories in the aptly titled Nancy Drew Ghost Stories; and a story in Sex as a Weapon, which reintroduces the pulp noir character, Domino Lady, in preparation for the debut of the series, which Nancy is writing. Nancy was also the In Which Belle Holder Reports chastised and will never do it writer of the middle grade Pretty from the Front again. They have come up with a Freekin Scary tie-series from lot of other ideas, and Belle Grosset & Dunlap for American Belle Holder, while not a consistently helps her mother Greetings. Her nom de plume member of IAMTW, is the co- brainstorm her way out of plot was Chris P. Flesh. author of someone who is: her problems usually while sitting in mom, Nancy Holder. Belle and a very hot bath drinking green Nancy have sold two short tea (when Nancy was a little stories about a magical time- older than Belle, she lived in traveling mouse named Japan.) However, they haven’t Lightning Merriemouse-Jones, to found the time to do much more IAMTW newsletter editor Jean collaborating together, and hope Rabe and her assorted co-editors. to do so when school is out for “The Further Adventures of the summer. Lightning Merriemouse-Jones” Nancy has also written tie- appeared in Furry Fantastic; and ins for BUFFY THE VAMPIRE “Another Exciting Adventure of SLAYER, ANGEL, Lightning Merriemouse-Jones: A SMALLVILLE, HELLBOY, Touching Ghost Story” appeared HIGHLANDER, and in Pandora’s Closet, both from WISHBONE. , DAW. , Belle created the character Maryelizabeth Hart, and Keith of Lightning; and Nancy took DeCandido have all worked with extreme liberties with their first her on the official companion story. For this she was soundly guides to BUFFY and ANGEL and/or collaborated on fiction. She has She has also written for the written essays on middle-grade series Camp FIREFLY/SERENITY Confidential under the house and THE GOLDEN name Melissa J. Morgan; and for COMPASS, and the YA series, Flirt, as Nicole salutes Browncoats Clarke. everywhere. In addition to her comic Belle is currently book, Nancy is currently writing working very hard on two YA horror novels for a multi-genre project Razorbill and will soon return to for school about being the Wicked saga, which she a responsible pet writes with her former student, owner. Nancy has a Debbie Viguie. Son of the number of tie-in , a paranormal romance projects soon to hit from Silhouette Nocturne, will be the stands: a short out in August; and Athena Force: story in Tales of Disclosure, the last novel in a three-year shared-world Belle and Nancy Holder at a book signing 4 “continuity” from Silhouette, will with her mom, and she has come out in July. She has a participated and/or attended a short story in The Mammoth number of cons, (preferring the Book of Vampire Romances, out children’s programming at LA from Running Press in August. Con in Anaheim to going across She also has a story in an the street to Disneyland.) anthology of vampire fiction, title In addition to writing, Nancy TBA, which will be published by teaches. She is finishing a guest Borders. lectureship at UC San Diego; her Belle accepted an invitation class is “Science Fiction, to become a card-carrying Fantasy, and Irrealism.” Belle member of Persephone, a woman has been a guest speaker at her horror writers’ organization; and mother’s classes about short is close to achieving professional story writing for UCSD membership status in SFWA and Extension. They are co-owners the Horror Writers Association. of the AKC registered Cardigan Belle has done several signings Welsh Corgi, Kevyn’s Bare Necessities, AKA “Panda;” and the motley cats David and Kittnen Snow Vampire. Domino Lady cover final Convention Calendar

Soonercon Comic Con 2008 June 6-8, Oklahoma City, OK July 24-27, San Diego, CA The Biltmore Hotel San Diego Convention Center Guests: John Ringo Tom Kidd, Registration: $75, no on-site Walter Koenig badges will be sold. Registration: $20-$40 For more information: For more information: www.comic-con.org/cci/ www.soonercon.info Archon 32 Origins August 3-5, Collinsville, IL Columbus, OH Gateway Convention Center June 25-29 GoH: Laurell K. Hamilton Greater Columbus Convention Registration: $50 from April 1 Center until July 31; $55 from August 1 Events: games, seminars, until September 15; activities for spouses $60 from September 15 Registration: $60 Main convention hotel: Holiday For more information: Inn: 1000 Eastport Plaza Drive, www.originsgamefair.com Collinsville, IL 62234-6104; 1-800-551-5133 ($119.95 single- Westercon 61 quad, $189.95 for parlor half of Junior Suites). July 3-6, Las Vegas, NV For more information: JW Marriott Resort www.archonstl.org Registration: $60 to April 26

For more information:

www.westercon61.org 5 Star Trek Vegas Bouchercon Robet Blevins in the US and Geoff Nelder in the UK. August 6-10, Las Vegas, NV World Mystery Convention Nelder says the magazine is open Las Vegas Hilton Hotel, home October 9-12, Baltimore, MD to submissions. of Star Trek: The Experience Sheraton City Center “Escape Velocity is looking 3000 Paradise Road GoH: Lawrence Block for original short stories and Guests: John deLancie, Registration: $175 to July 15 articles, poetry and other Malcolm McDowell, and For more information: features,” Nedler says. “It is a others. www.charmedtodeath.com paying market, and please read For more information: our submission guidelines. www.creationent.com World Fantasy Better still, buy a copy of the magazine and savor the style Convention and flavor. An ebook version is Denvention, the October 30-November 3 less than the price of a coffee.” 66th World Science- Calgary, Canada Guidelines can be found at: Guests: Tom Doherty, www.escapevelocitymagazine.com. Fiction Convention Nedler reports that the Barbara Hambly, David August 6-10, Denver, CO. magazine includes a media focus. Colorado Convention Center Morrell, Tad Williams, Todd For example, Stefan Arngrim, GoH: Lois McMaster Bujold. Lockwood who played Barry in the TV Events: Masquerade, Hugo Registration: $125 science fiction drama Land of the Awards Ceremony, Critter For more information: Giants, is featured in an Crunch robot battle. www.worldfantasy2008.org interview. For more information: “Although filming of the Land of the Giants ended in www.denvention.org 1970, many countries didn’t see it until the 1980s or the 90s.” Gen Con Indy Aug. 14-17, Indianapolis, IN Indy Convention Center Guests: Several IAMTW IAMTW members will be in President— attendance, presenting writers’ workshops and Max Allan Collins signing books. A special Scribe Vice President— Awards ceremony will be held to honor the best in game- Lee Goldberg related fiction. For more information: www.gencon.org Website: www.iamtw.org E-mail: [email protected] Escape Velocity Foolscap X Sept. 26-28, Bellevue, WA Seeks Writers Send Tied-In submissions to: Bellevue Sheraton [email protected] The Science Fiction magazine, GoH: Esther Friesner Escape Velocity, recently Registration: $45 featured IAMTW member Sonny IAMTW Events: Art show, banquet, Whitelaw in their fourth issue. PO Box 8212 panels, and more It is published by Adventure For more information: Books of Seattle and co-edited by Calabasas, CA 91372 www.foolscapcon.org All articles in this issue are copyright 2008 by their respective authors. All other content copyright 2008 IAMTW. 6