So you want to get the band back together? The Anthology Team? Well, first we need to catch up with events after those heady days of the Summer of 2014 when everything changed and the world fell in love with the '15 authors from around the world.'
I haven't managed to get in touch with everyone - some are quite reclusive now, and there have been fallings-out among the group - but of the ones I have managed to track down:
Anyone following Chris Booker on twitter will know of his twin passions: cycling and gliding. I can now exclusively reveal his lifelong ambition to have Human Powered Flight (HPF) accepted as an Olympic sport. Just last week a very excited Kipper rang to tell me Tokyo were interested in including HPF as a demonstration event in 2020 - the Japanese love the concept - so keep your fingers crossed for that one.
Darren Grey recently bought a mansion in Central London with some of the royalties from TFTF from the estate of a recently deceased Russian oligarch. The property had been massively extended with eight basement sub levels, which is what caught Darren's eye. He showed me his plans for 'The ultimate Rogue-like experience.' The puzzles are fiendish, the danger very real and the moving walls are a nice touch. He became very quiet when the subject came to the monsters populating his dungeon, however. We shall see what we shall see.
Lisa Wolf has set up a survivalist training school in the heart of the Australian desert. I haven't been able to speak to her as she was busy with some local law-enforcement issue. We wish her well.
Marko and Ulla Susimetsä invested their money in the Susquehanna Hat Company, whose fortunes they're slowly turning around. This enabled them to open a chain of stores specialising in hats, swords and light armour - a surprisingly popular combination for hipsters all across America. When I spoke to her, Ulla told me if anyone turns up with a copy of TFTF hoping to buy a sword, she'll happily have the blade etched with quotes from either of their stories as a thank you, so look out for that.
If you do visit the USA, you might find Rose Thurlbeck. She's singing for tips in a bar in Toledo now, but never stays anywhere very long. I don't know the whole story, but after the tabloids got tired of her and her string of failed marriages, things didn't go well. She sang one song - I didn't catch the name, but the chorus starts 'I ran down the hill...' You know the rest - hell, the world knows the rest - but as she sang those words, she was the happiest I've seen her since Fantastic Books said they would publish Tales From The Frontier.
And ultimately if you want updates to the existing stories or more Elite-themed stories from your favourite authors, email Dan Grubb of Fantastic Books. If enough people ask, it will happen.
