Former SFX Deputy Editor Signs Book Deal

Guy Haley creates a sci-fi Sherlock Holmes for Angry Robot

Former SFX deputy editor Guy Haley has signed a two-book deal with publisher Angry to publish the first couple of novels in his sci-fi Sherlock Holmes-esque Richard And Klein series. The first book in the series, Reality 36 , will be published by Angry Robot in autumn 2011, in both the UK and USA.

Guy, who will love us for exhuming this pic, went from SFX to edit White Dwarf and Deathray . In Reality 36 he introduces us to investigators Richards and Klein – the Holmes and Watson of the 22nd Century, except that Richards is a highly advanced AI and Klein his German ex-military cyborg partner. Their first case takes them into the renegade digital realm known as Reality 36 and through the Great Firewall of China in search of a missing Artificial Intelligence Rights activist.

“I thank whichever omnipotent deity that’s listening for Angry Robot,” says Guy. “The opportunities for new writers are few and far between these days, so hurrah for an imprint that’s not afraid to go hunting out new talent – which includes me. I can’t wait to please my Robot Overlords, though I refuse to do any happy time oiling, that’s not in my contract. It’s just writing. Honest.”

Angry Robot Publishing Director Marc Gascoigne added: “We already have a proud tradition at AR of investing in new writers, and in Guy’s case it was a no-brainer. Richards and Klein are brilliant creations, and their adventures wonderfully entertaining. But if Guy thinks he’s going to get off oiling duty, he should check the small print in his contract.”

Guy has also set up a new blog , so you can check how his steps towards international stardom are panning out over the next year or so. Here he reveals a little more about what to expect in the books:

“Richards and Klein’s stories will cover all manner of possibilities, from game addiction to mass migration, neo-colonialism to interplanetary colonisation, cases that involve everything from the fate of the world to the fate of one lost puppy (seriously, I’m not kidding, there’ll be a short about that, although it’s not like any dog you’ve ever met). I hope you’re going to enjoy this world as much as I enjoy writing it, but as they say, time will tell.”

Dave Golder
Freelance Writer

Dave is a TV and film journalist who specializes in the science fiction and fantasy genres. He's written books about film posters and post-apocalypses, alongside writing for SFX Magazine for many years.