Who is Oli Smith?

Until the autumn of last year, I had never heard of Oli Smith. Then, the next thing I know, he's writing an 11th Doctor DYD. And then it turns out he's also writing an original 11th Doctor and Amy novel. And then he's written the audio story that was given away free with the Telegraph (which was a significantly better story that Matt Smith's reading of it - especially his 'impression' of Amy Pond).

But where did this Oli Smith come from? According to his website, he is 'a freelance writer living in London. He has written various comics and short stories as well as a few non-fiction works, mostly for Doctor Who.' But that doesn't really tell me anything either. I mean, how did he come from nowhere to write not only a DYD but also a novel, making him one of a very select band of writers? (I enquired about writing a Doctor Who novel once and didn't even get an acknowledgement that my letter had even been received!)

Then it turns out that this Oli Smith has also written for the Doctor Who Storybook 2010 and Doctor Who Adventures magazine. And he's been interviewed on the official Doctor Who website!

But WHO is Oli Smith?

Cometh the hour, cometh the man

So I finally got to watch the brand new Doctor Who last night. And my verdict on The Eleventh Hour (which was, I felt, very much a statement of intent for the new series)...?

Funnier, darker, sexier (the Doctor's new companion's a kiss-a-gram!?!), less of RTD's obsession with... well, you know what... and all in all a lot of fun. But what's with the new theme tune?



I thought it was virtually unrecognisable as Ron Granier's classic. And I'm not too sure about the central column's glass conjugal toy-style appearance. But I'm hooked and I can't wait for the next one.

Loved the line, 'Basically, run.' Highly reminiscent of Moffat's Doctor in Forest of the Dead. 'You're in a library - look me up!'

You might also be interested to know that there are four new Doctor Who: Decide Your Destiny adventures coming out soon. None of them by me but if you'd like to know more, follow this link.

Star Wars - The Clone Wars - Decide Your Destiny

I realise that some of you may be reading this blog and wondering what these Star War The Clone Wars Decide Your Destiny adventures are all about. Well, here's a helpful video, put together by the publishers, to tell you a little more about the series.



Remember, my Clone Wars adventure Crisis on Coruscant is available now.

The Galactic Senate is under attack! As Padawan to Jedi Master Shaak Ti, your mission is to rescue Chancellor Palpatine, then find out who is responsible for the plot. Your adventure will take you from the depths of the underlevels on Coruscant, to the Great Mesra Plateau and Jabba the Hutt’s Palace on Tatooine. Will you prove yourself worthy of your Jedi training or turn to the dark side when the going gets tough?

Not only can you now buy the book, you can also enjoy the online content created especially for it - including the totally brilliant lightsaber duel game seen here:


Jump in and out of cyberspace to continue the experience online with exclusive content, amazing animated scenes and games!





















If you would like to immerse yourself in the world of Star War The Clone Wars Decide Your Destiny adventures, click here. To buy the book, click here.

And may the force be with you.

Crisis on Coruscant - out today!

Yes, it feels like it's been a long time coming, but finally my Star War The Clone Wars Decide Your Destiny adventure Crisis on Coruscant is released today.

The Galactic Senate is under attack! As Padawan to Jedi Master Shaak Ti, your mission is to rescue Chancellor Palpatine, then find out who is responsible for the plot. Your adventure will take you from the depths of the underlevels on Coruscant, to the Great Mesra Plateau and Jabba the Hutt’s Palace on Tatooine. Will you prove yourself worthy of your Jedi training or turn to the dark side when the going gets tough?

Not only can you now buy the book, you can also enjoy the online content created especially for it - including the totally brilliant lightsaber duel game seen here:


Jump in and out of cyberspace to continue the experience online with exclusive content, amazing animated scenes and games!





















If you would like to immerse yourself in the world of Star War The Clone Wars Decide Your Destiny adventures, click here. To buy the book, click here.

And may the force be with you.

Crisis on Coruscant

My first Star Wars The Clone Wars Decide Your Destiny adventure gamebook Crisis on Coruscant is out in January 2010 and you can already pre-order it here.

If you've ever wanted to battle garbage squid on Coruscant, pilot a space freighter, infiltrate Jabba the Hutt's Palace on Tatooine or battle the evil Sith apprentice Asajj Ventress, then this is the book for you, young padawan!

Doctor Who - Decide Your Destinys

The 12 Doctor Who Decide Your Destiny titles published to date are now available as a bargain bundle.


If you're yet to discover the delights of the Decide Your Destiny gamebooks or my tie-in title The Horror of Howling Hill, why not pick one up here?