Well, can I start off by wishing all my American friends an early Happy 4th of July! Have a really great day, all of you, no matter what you do to celebrate. Hey - what do people in America actually do on the 4th July? I’d really like to know.
I do have a few things to tell you. Last week Claudia and I went to see the Mozart Opera “The Marriage of Figaro” at the Royal Opera House. The Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, is one of the most prestigious cultural venues in the world, so its really something to actually go there. Its an amazing place. We had “champagne tickets” - Claudia bought them for me for my birthday. They were excellent tickets and we had seats in the stalls, in row G, right near the front. Some people dressed up for the event in tuxedos and evening gowns (despite the fact that it started at 6pm and it was broad daylight out there!). But other people turned up in jeans and t-shirts. We were somewhere in between and we arrived early and had a couple of glasses of champagne while we watched the other people arriving. Claudia used to work in the fashion industry, so she spent the time making really funny remarks about the curious and bizarre clothes some of the people were wearing. (I know - not very kind to make fun - but we did it very quietly, so they didn’t know!) It was a really marvellous performance - the scenery was excellent and all the singers were world-class! I had a really great time - even though Mozart is not my all-time favourite Opera composer. My favourite is Richard Wagner, and my favourite Operas are his Ring Trilogy, which are based on old Norse Legends and are full of goblins and dragons and giants and Norse gods and magic swords and excellent fantasy stuff like that.
Another thing that has happened recently is that an American radio show host has asked me if I’d like to take part in an hour-long interview on his show - which includes dial-in questions from fans. I’ve agreed to do this - and I hope that some of you might be up for calling in and asking me questions. Does that seem like a good idea? The show isn ‘t till later in the year, and I’ll of course give you more details closer to the time, but I thought you might like to know that you could have the opportunity to actually talk to me. Anyone interested in doing that?
Next, I have been approached by the editor of a “steampunk” book anthology, asking if I would be willing to write a story for a new book of short stories all based in a steampunk world and all kind of fantasy/romances. I said yes, because I already have a short story idea that would fit really well. For those of you who have never heard of steampunk, it’s set mostly in a kind of Victorian world, only with inventions that never really existed - like computers, and steam powered submarines and airships - a bit like the League of Extraordinary Gentleman movie, if you have ever seen that. I thought it would be fun to write something like that! I need to submit the story by October this year - and as with the radio show, I’ll give you a better idea of it all nearer to the publication date.
We are also only two weeks away from the UK publication of the first Sundered Lands book. Gary Chalk and I have been working hard on the website and it’s almost ready to go live. I’ll give you more details soon, and I hope you’ll check it out and let me know what you think. I still don’t have a date for US publication of this series, but as soon as I do…well…you know the rest.
So? What else? We’re having a bit of a heatwave over in the south east of England right now, which makes a change. Siouxsie doesn’t like it too hot and right now she’s sprawled on the carpet down by my left side and - oh! No, she’s just got up and she’s clambered into “her” office chair which is set up alongside mine. Claudia is asleep at the moment and everything is quiet, which is good because I have a big pile of stuff in my in-tray that I need to do.
The fourth Warrior Princess book is with the American Publishers now and it has a provisional title: The Bright Blade. This may change, though.
Bye for now.
Well, some people have parties with family and friends and some work, for example at dorney park in Pennsylvania, when they have a fireworks show and people still have to work. Man i hate dorney.
oh fourth of july is one of my favorite holidays! all my family goes to my aunts house to celebrate. one of our uncles brings so many fireworks that theres always left-overs for next year! i mean he goes wild that theres more than enough for the whole family! (i have a pretty huge family) for us its like a pot luck where everyone brings something. this year we got dessert and my grandma is gonna make a marble cake =D *drools* XD usually fourth of july parties are at night so you could see the fireworks. some parties are at the park. some at the beach. some might go out of town. etc…
SO YOUR COMMING TO AMERICA?! if you do im going to follow you everywhere. =) hahaha ohhhh =/ its the perfect idea! =D =D =D XD
CONGRADULATIONS MR. ALLAN!!!!!!!!!
You REALLY must come over to America one day for the fourth of July!! It’s so much fun!! Most people have barbies and hang out with family and friends all day, then at night they watch the fireworks together! The best place to go here in Georgia is The Mall of Georgia. Although the traffic is a pain in the neck!
Yeah, people have parties, BBQ’s, watch the fireworks at night. Some places there are parades so you can either watch them or be in them. I was in my towns last year on my horse. I put a red, white, and blue star on her. I was pretty cool. Not sure if I am doing it again this year. If you come to USA, you should totally come to Michigan (west side of Michigan where I live) lol
We use to go out on the lake washington on a yacht go to some island have a barbecube and then watch the fireworks at night form the boat
i miss it so much though scince we moved 
on the 4th of july i always invite a frind over for the day because my neighborhood has this parade, every one throws out candy and the little kids collect it while the adults pick it of the ground then my next door neighbor has this big party for her family but we are always invited she has a huge lunch and home made ice cream yummmm, then at night the church has a huge 30 minute fireworks show, ive missed it the past two years so im exsited about it this year.
so for the radio thing are you accually coming to the USA or are you doing it from England? if you come here i really thing you should visit Virginia!!!!! mabey you could come and tour jamestown or willamsburge!!!! i would deffinatly meet you there
michele- no no no no california (thats where i live)
AFJ. Sorry, people - I’d love to visit Michigan and California and Virginia and a whole bunch of other places and meet you all - but the Radio show is going to be done via phone from London. I’ll sit in my living room and the radio host will sit in his studio in America, and we’ll chat over the phone. It’s not till November, so you have plenty of time to come up with nifty questions to call in.
will the radio station be able to be heard all over the USA?
NOOOOO!!!!! im sad +( %( K.O
so mr.allan- what holidays do people celebrate in london? i would like to know =)
Happy 4th of July! I’ve been at work since 8:30 this morning. I am so tired right now. Hope you enjoy your 4th of July
AFJ. Liz - I’ll check about the radio show and get back to you all.
Daniela - We have a few Mondays off every year that we call “bank holidays” - about four of them. One is May Day, which happens on whichever Monday is closest to the start of May. apart from that, we only have Easter and Christmas - we don’t have anything like Thanksgiving or July 4th. We have Bonfire night on 5th November to celebrate the foiling of the Gunpowder Plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament, but that isn’t a day off work.
allan- do you guys celebrate halloween? i love halloween=) i know this is late but HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AFJ. The guy who runs the radio show tells me it’s all over the world, not jut USA as it’s on the internet. Listeners just go to
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Across-the-Pond
There is a chat room there once the show starts
If you want to dial in and chat to you while your on the show you can at 347- 237-5398
After the show is there archgived for all to listen to plus I add it and a mp3 file people can download or link to at http://abookandachat.blogspot.com.
sounds like fun - I’ll post more about it nearer the time.
Daniela - wee do celebrate Halloween - in fact, the way we celebrate it is getting more like Americans celebrate it every year. We never used to trick or treat - but plenty of people do now. Claudia runs a fruit and vegetable company, and on Halloween she brings home a whole lot of very weird and exotic looking pumpkins and squashes that we display in the hall. She also goes to work with witchy fingernails and a pointy black hat. Claudia really likes Halloween.
is there an age limit to trick or treating where you live?
AFJ. Liz - I don’t know of an official age-limit. What is it where you are?
i dont think there should be a time limit to trick-or-treating. its really fun =)
in the area i live your not suppose to trick or treat if you are 13 or over (not that people follow the rule) though last year i went anyway (my birthday is October 22 so i hadnt been 13 that long) also im not entierly sure if anyone can do anything about it, i think the people at the house can call the police and the people can be fined but thats just what one of my friends told me.
This is sort of a late answer, but on the 4th where i live, there are always parades in the morning/afternoon and then alot of people have parties/family gatherings. Then at night, there are really pretty firework displays.