Latest Amber News

Amber Benson To Co-Host Once Upon A Halloween Night Online Event On Wednesday 21st Of October

10/18/2020

Earlier this week Amber revealed that she and her friend and fellow author Christopher Golden will co-host Once Upon A Halloween Night online writing event on Wednesday.

As many fans will know Amber and Christopher have been friends and collaborators for a number of years, they co wrote Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Willow and Tara: "Wilderness” and “Wannablessedbe” The pair also created Ghosts of Albion online series for the BBC and Lights Out radio drama again for the BBC. Click on the hyperlinks to find out more information about all of these.

This time around Amber and Christopher link up to bring you some Halloween fun in Once Upon A Halloween Night. They will also be joined by fellow authors:

Jonathan Maberry
Jessica Guess
Clay McLeod Chapman
Craig Laurance Gidney

In this one-hour round-robin writing event the authors will create a brand-new scary story, with each person writing one paragraph at a time. The great news for fans is that this event is free and will be shown live online via Crowd Cast.

Once Upon A Halloween Night will take place on Wednesday, 21 October at 10:30 PM BST in the UK which I believe is 5:30 PM EDT in the USA. Although I would advise US fans to doublecheck the time depending on where you are in the states.

To find out more and/or to watch this exciting event live click the link below and press the green "Save My Spot!" button and enter your email to register for free. This event is being presented by St Martin's Press.

https://www.crowdcast.io/e/once-upon-halloween/register?utm_campaign=author&utm_source=social&utm_medium=social-post

I'm really looking forward to this exciting event and I apologise for not being able to get this update online a little sooner.

Joe

Disclaimer: AmberBenson.TV is not involved in any way with the Once Upon A Halloween Night online event. We have no connection to any of the authors involved, this post is for informational purposes only. We are simply trying to spread the word about another exciting online event featuring Amber Benson.

Amber Is The Special Guest On A Brand-New Episode Of Slayerfest ‘98 Podcast

10/8/2020

Here is my second exciting update of the day. Recently Amber was the special guest on a brand-new episode of the Slayerfest ‘98 podcast and she shared a post on her official Twitter account yesterday to let fans know how they could listen.

Amber has been a guest on the podcast before and this time she is joined by hosts Ian Carlos Crawford, Dana Piccoli, and LaToya Ferguson. In this episode they discuss Buffy of course and a whole lot more.

Amber describes her very first day working on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and encountering The Gentleman as she made her debut in the iconic Hush episode in Season 4. Her relationship with fans and why it's so important to her to have a genuine connection with them is something she misses due to the cancellation of conventions due to COVID - 19. The group talk about fashion on Buffy and the famous dress Amber wore in Once More With Feeling.

Amber talks openly and honestly about Tara’s exit and gives what in my opinion is a very fair and balanced view of the situation as she saw it. While not shying away from the fact mistakes were made and this storyline could and should have been done differently. She also touches upon why she opted not to return in Season 7.

It's not only Buffy that is discussed however as Amber talks about her ambition to be a show runner and spending her time in lockdown working on the pilot episode of The Witches of Echo Park TV series which will be based on her Echo Park Coven Trilogy of novels. She describes the challenge of adapting something from page to screen and also reveals a few snippets of information that I don't think fans have heard before which is very exciting. The Witches of Echo Park pilot is not the only thing Amber has been working on as she talks about writing A Murder To Remember, a movie based on a true crime story which had its premiere earlier this year on Lifetime in the USA.

The Slayerfest ‘98 podcast is available to listen and download from:

PodBeen

Apple Podcasts

Spotify (click on the hyperlinks)

Amber talks about a range of subjects honestly with compassion and fairness. This is why I personally admire Amber so much, not just for her talent for creating things and bringing characters to life but for being the genuine, kind and intelligent person she is. There are some serious topics tackled in this podcast but there are also some really funny moments. For all these reasons I’ve outlined above if you get a chance please give this podcast a listen.

Joe

Disclaimer: Amber Benson.TV is not involved in any way with the production of the Slayerfest ‘98 Podcast. All of the works mentioned within are the property of the individual copyright holders we own nothing. This post is for informational purposes only we are simply trying to spread the word about another exciting podcast featuring Amber Benson.

Amber Benson To Discuss Cory Doctorow’s New Sci-Fi Novel, Attack Surface At An Online Event.

10/8/2020

Exciting news for Amber fans as she is set to attend an online event to discuss friend and fellow author Cory Doctorow’s novel, Attack Surface.

Author Cory Doctorow is celebrating the release of his new novel, Attack Surface with a series of events discussing his work and a number of related topics. Attack Surface tells the story of Masha Maximow, a cyber security specialist, making a very good living working for a global company monitoring activists and dissidents. She is conflicted about her work and occasionally uses her skills to help activists go undetected, without letting her bosses know of course. Masha may soon have to decide where her loyalties lie once and for all. Attack Surface is a stand-alone novel set within the Little Brother Series.

Amber has narrated the audiobook version of Attack Surface which is available to pre-order via a recent Kickstarter a campaign. The complete Attack Surface audiobook narrated by Amber can be yours for just $15 on digital files that you can keep and listen to forever. At the time of writing this update the Kickstarter campaign has just a couple of hours to go, so if you want to get involved in the Kickstarter, there is still time if you act fast. To find out more about the Kickstarter Campaign click here.

This special online event is being hosted by Massachusetts bookstore, Brookline Booksmith using Zoom video calling platform. Cory and Amber will be joined by John Rogers for what I'm sure will be a fascinating discussion. Tickets cost $35 this includes a signed copy of Attack Surface which will be signed and posted out to you after the event and is included in this price. Please note event organisers are only able to ship books within the United States.

The event will take place on 14 October at 8PM EDT for UK-based fans like myself due to the time difference. The event will take place at 1 AM BST on 15 October according to the event page. When I open the event page it automatically defaults to the UK date and time of the event. Update as of the 13/10/2020 The USA time now confirmed as 8PM EDT on the 14 October. This is 1AM BST on Thursday 15 October for UK fans.

For full details and to buy tickets for the event click the link below:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cory-doctorow-with-amber-benson-and-john-rogers-attack-surface-tickets-118939787105?aff=efbneb

I think this will be a really interesting and unique event and I hope everyone who attends as a fantastic time. I'd also like to thank fellow Amber fan Laragh for giving me a heads up about this event.

Disclaimer: AmberBenson.TV is not involved in any way with the writing or the production of the Attack Surface audiobook. All rights belong to Cory Doctorow and his publishing partners. All views expressed on the Kickstarter page are solely that of Cory Doctorow himself. We are not involved in any way with the planning or hosting of this exciting event or hosts bookstore Brookline Booksmith. This post is for informational purposes only, we are simply trying to spread the word about another exciting audiobook narrated by Amber Benson and the event she is attending.

Shevenge Directed By Amber Benson Is Now Available Via Amazon Video In The UK

9/24/2020

Exciting news for UK fans as Shevenge (a short film) directed by Amber Benson is now available in the UK via Amazon Video platform. Released in 2015 Shevenge was completed with the help of fans and film enthusiasts, myself included who backed an Indiegogo.com crowd funding campaign to raise funds to complete postproduction.

The film centers on three friends Sam (Emme Rylan), Charley (Jessica Courtemanche) and Taylor (Megan Lee Joy) who are having a slumber party and they begin plotting revenge on their ex-boyfriends. We then join them on a journey into the darkest part of their imagination as they take Shevenge on each one of them. This dark comedy pays homage to favourite film genres including horror, fantasy and action.

Following a number of successful screenings in the USA the Shevenge team took it to London for it’s UK debut at the Film4 Fright Fest Film Festival in August 2015. Now Shevenge is available in the UK to own digitally via Amazon Video platform.

Shevenge is being released as part of the second season of Etheria horror anthology celebrating the work of female directors and other roles both in front of and behind the camera. Shevenge is among 10 short films set in the horror or sci-fi genres. Fans can either purchase the whole of Season 2 for £5.99 or alternatively you can buy Shevenge and/or the other short films separately for just 99p each. (prices correct on the date this post was published)

Amazon Video is available online via computer, smart devices, games consoles and smart TVs. For full details and to purchase Etheria Season 2 or Shevenge individually click the link below:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08FRSSQB7/ref=tsm_1_tp_tc

Good news for Amber fans across the pond Etheria Season 2/Shevenge is also available to purchase via the US version of Amazon Video platform. For full details and/or to buy click the link below:

https://www.amazon.com/Zone-2/dp/B08FRVHZDC/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=etheria+2&qid=1600945210&sr=8-2

I'm thrilled that Shevenge is part of Etheria Season 2, congratulations to Amber, Emme, Jessica, Megan and all of the cast and crew. It's fantastic that Shevenge is now available to an even bigger audience both here in the UK and in the USA and I can't wait to watch it again.

Joe

Disclaimer: AmberBenson.TV was not involved in any way with the making or production of Shevenge. We were not involved in the production of Etheria Season 2 or any of the short films within it. Nor do we have any connection to Amazon Video in the UK or USA. This post is for informational purposes only we are simply trying to spread the word about a new way to see an exciting short film directed by Amber Benson.

Amber Benson To Narrate Attack Surface Audiobook

9/11/2020

In recent years Amber has used her acting talents to narrate a number of audiobooks in a range of different genres. From sci-fi, romance and mystery and more for a number of top authors, not to mention narrating her own work. The Witches of Echo Park and the first three books in her Calliope Reaper-Jones series, Death’s Daughter, Cat’s Claw and Serpent’s Storm. Unfortunately the Calliope Reaper-Jones audiobooks are only available to listeners in the USA. Amber uses her vocal ability to bring the words off the page and add another dimension to some incredible stories.

A few weeks ago, I learned that Amber was set to narrate Attack Surface, the third novel in author Cory Doctorow’s Little Brother Series. I shared that early information on Amber Benson.TV twitter feed. This is the second time Amber has worked with Cory, she was among the voice talent that worked on his Walk Away audiobook in 2017. Cory said he had an exciting plans for fans to pre-order the Attack Surface audiobook. Late on Wednesday evening I learnt that Cory had put his plan into action and launched a Kickstarter campaign, but I'll come back to that later. Here’s a bit more about the Attack Surface book itself.

Masha Maximow is a cyber security specialist working for a global company making a very good living helping nations monitor activists and dissidents. She is conflicted about her work and occasionally uses her skills to help activists go undetected without letting her bosses know of course. Masha may soon have to decide where her loyalties lie once and for all. Attack surface is a stand-alone novel set within the Little Brother Series.

This is a Kickstarter campaign with a difference, in that Attack Surface audiobook has already been recorded. The aim of the campaign is as I said earlier to allow fans to pre-order it but also to highlight the current copyright arrangements surrounding the majority of audiobooks. Cory can explain this issue much better than I can so rather than try and paraphrase his words click on the link to the Kickstarter page which I will provide below to find out more.

The complete Attack Surface audiobook narrated by Amber can be yours for just $15 on digital files that you can keep and listen to forever. There are lots of other perks as well including e-books of Little Brother, Homeland and Attack Surface as well as their audiobook versions too. Little Brother is narrated by Kirby Heyborne and Homeland by Wil Wheaton as well as Attack Surface and much more too.

To find out more about the Kickstarter campaign including a free sample where you can listen to the first chapter of Attack Surface that’s 2 hours and 44 minutes, simply scroll down the page and click the link.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/doctorow/attack-surface-audiobook-for-the-third-little-brother-book

I'm really looking forward to listening to Amber narrate this exciting audiobook project.

Joe

Disclaimer: AmberBenson.TV is not involved in any way with the writing or the production of the Attack Surface audiobook. All rights belong to Cory Doctorow and his publishing partners. All views expressed on the Kickstarter page are solely that of Cory Doctorow himself. This post is for informational purposes only, we are simply trying to spread the word about another exciting audiobook narrated by Amber Benson.

Amber Benson To Attend Wales Comic Con Live Online Event This Weekend 5-6 September

9/2/2020

There was exciting news for Amber fans earlier today as Wales Comic Con confirmed that she will be a guest at Wales Comic Con Live, this will be taking place on 5th and 6th of September 2020.

Covid 19 continues to affect people worldwide so UK convention organiser’s Wales Comic Con are holding their third online “Comic Con” style experience. Here guests and fans from around the world can participate live online via their computers and mobile devices.

Amber was a guest at the very first Wales Comic Con Live in May and much to the delight of fans she is returning to participate in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer panel along with Kristine Sutherland (Joyce Summers) and Andrew Fairchild (The Anointed One).

According to information on Wales Comic Con Live website the Buffy the Vampire Slayer panel will take place at 4 PM on Saturday, 5 September. Update as earlier today 5/9/20 the panel definitely begin a 4pm GMT.

The event will be hosted via online streaming site Twitch, fans who want to take part can do so by visiting Twitch.com/walescomiccon. I believe fans can watch the live stream for free. for full interactive options and to use the live chat fans can subscribe to the official Wales Comic Con Live Twitch stream. Subscriptions start at £4.99 per month, if you have an Amazon Prime Gaming subscription you can get access to Twitch for free. To find out more click here.

Visit the official Wales Comic Con Facebook and Twitter pages for more information (click the hyperlinks) If and when more information is announced I will post a further update in the Latest Amber News Section.

I hope everyone who is planning to attend has fun and I look forward to seeing you online.

Joe

Disclaimer: AmberBenson.TV is not involved in any way with this online event. We have no connection to organisers Wales Comic Con. We own nothing, all rights belong to the individual copyright holders. We are simply trying to spread the word about another exciting appearance by Amber Benson.

The Vampire Ball Which Amber Was Due To Attend In November Has Been Postponed

8/22/2020

Earlier this week there was some sad but not perhaps unexpected news for UK Amber fans as The Vampire Ball has been officially postponed because of the ongoing COVID 19 Pandemic.

In October 2019 Amber had been the first guest announced for the 11th Annual Vampire Ball, a three day event celebrating Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly and Dollhouse. The Vampire Ball was due to be held between the 13th - 15th of November at The Renaissance Hotel, Heathrow, London.

The event organisers Star Fury Conventions have taken the decision to postpone The Vampire Ball until 2021 saying:

“Many of the guests and attendees would feel uneasy attending an event like this so close after a pandemic. We would also have to enforce distancing measures with the guests, which would mean no hugs or poses during the photo ops, or handshakes during the autograph session. This would create a quite uncomfortable environment that is simply not the Starfury way.”

I've been lucky enough to attend one of their previous events and I really enjoyed the chance to meet and talk to Amber who was one of the guests on my previous visit I don't think the event would be the same with social distancing in place.

In the statement released on the official Vampire Ball website Star Fury Conventions say that anyone who has purchased a ticket for The Vampire Ball will have it automatically transferred over to the rescheduled event in 2021. They have indicated that there will be refunds available to anyone who has a ticket but is unable to attend the event next year. The refund option will be available once the new dates have been finalised.

To read their statement in full click the link below:

http://seanharry.com/home/vampire-ball/

I'm of course very disappointed that I won't get to see Amber and her fellow guests as well as some friends I’ve met at The Vampire Ball previously, but everyone's safety is the most important thing in these uncertain times.

Here's hoping that in 2021 we can find a way to get to grips with this pandemic and that Amber can return to meet her fans in the UK once again.

Stay safe everyone!

Joe

Disclaimer: AmberBenson.TV is not involved in any way with The Vampire Ball and/or organisers Star Fury Conventions, or any of the television programmes mentioned within. This post is informational purposes only. We are simply trying to give fans an important update about an event that was due to feature Amber Benson.

Morning Show Mysteries: Death By Design Written By Amber Benson will have its UK Premiere on Friday, 7 August on Channel 5

8/1/2020

After years of working as a successful novelist on her Calliope Reaper-Jones series, The Echo Park Coven Trilogy and co-authoring The Ghosts of Albion series with Christopher Golden, Amber is developing a growing body of work as a writer for television.

She researched and wrote the scripts for Oscar Pistorius: Blade Runner Killer and Terror in The Woods for the Lifetime network describing the events surrounding two real-life tragic murder cases. In fact, Amber is adding to her work for the Lifetime Network once again with A Murder To Remember adapting crime author Ann Rule’s book Empty Promises for the screen. Fans in the USA will have the opportunity to see its premiere on Sunday 2 of August 8PM ET on Lifetime.

In 2019 she got the chance to pen two fictional murder mysteries for the small screen first she wrote the teleplay for Morning Show Mysteries: A Murder In Mind. Then quickly followed this up by writing Morning Show Mysteries: Death By Design the second time Amber has written for this popular series both of which aired on the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries Channel in the USA.

The Morning Show Mysteries series centers on Billie Blessings (Holly Robinson Peete) a successful restaurateur who also hosts the cooking segment on Wake Up West Coast, a popular TV show. Billie was once suspected of murder but after clearing her name with the help of Detective Ian Jackson (Rick Fox) the two remained friends and are growing even closer as they find themselves at the heart of another mystery.

In Death By Design Billie’s best friend Marian is hired to redecorate the Wake Up West Coast studio. The decorating comes to a sudden and shocking halt when Marian’s twin sister is found murdered. So naturally Billie and Ian are hot on the trail of the killer.

The exciting news for Amber fans in the UK is that Morning Show Mysteries: Death By Design will have it’s UK Premiere on Friday, 7 August at 2:15 PM on Channel 5 and at 3:15 PM on Channel 5+1. Coming hot on heels of Morning Show Mysteries: A Murder in Mind which had it’s UK premiere just a few days ago.

There are different channel numbers depending on which digital TV platform you use I would check on-screen guides and any local channel listings for the correct channel numbers. Unfortunately, A Murder in Mind was not available on demand via the Channel 5 website and I don't anticipate that Death By Design will be either but I will check and post an update if it is available.

Just as with A Murder in Mind there isn't much information on the Channel 5 website about Death By Design click here to view the listing. I've also embedded the US trailer below so you can get a taste of the movie.

I'm thrilled that UK fans will now have the chance to see and enjoy Amber's words in what promises to be another exciting mystery.

Joe

Disclaimer: Amber Benson.TV is not involved in any way with the making of Morning Show Mysteries: Death By Design. We have no connection to Hallmark or Channel 5. This post is for informational purposes only, we are simply trying to spread the word about another exciting movie written by Amber Benson.

A Murder To Remember Written By Amber Benson Premiering In The USA On 2 August On Lifetime.

7/31/2020

A few days ago, Amber announced via her official Twitter account that she has written A Murder To Remember, a brand-new movie for Lifetime Network. A Murder To Remember is inspired by real events and based upon true crime author Ann Rule’s book, Empty Promises.

The movie tells the story of a young couple celebrating their first wedding anniversary by going on a camping trip. When events take a deadly turn, a young woman accepts an offer of help from another camper but will it be a decision she lives to regret.

After years of working as a successful novelist on her Calliope Reaper-Jones series, The Echo Park Coven Trilogy and co-authoring The Ghosts of Albion series with Christopher Golden, Amber is developing a growing body of work as a writer for television.

A Murder To Remember is the third movie Amber has written for The Lifetime Network following on from 2017's Oscar Pistorius: Blade Runner Killer and 2018’s Terror in The Woods both detailing two tragic real-life murder cases. Last year Amber returned to fiction writing with A Murder In Mind and Death By Design both part of the popular Morning Show Mysteries series for Hallmark.

A Murder To Remember will be the directorial debut of Robin Givens and when Amber posted the news on her own Twitter feed she was quick to praise Robin and congratulate her on her success before modestly adding that she'd written the movie. Click here to see Amber's original tweet and you can see a video of Robin discussing the movie.

A Murder To Remember will have its US premiere on Sunday the 2nd of August at 8 PM ET. Unfortunately The Lifetime USA website is not accessible to anyone outside of the US and when I tried to access it, it defaults to the UK website which doesn't have any information on the movie at the moment. I can't post the link but it should be available to anyone in the US via a search engine.

If like me, you live in the UK I have found articles on variety.com and meaww.com where you can find out more information about A Murder To Remember. Click the link below to see the trailer:

https://www.facebook.com/lifetime/videos/721567791959468/

I’d like to wish Amber every success with the movie and I hope fans in the UK will have the opportunity to see it in the future. I hope everyone who gets to see A Murder To Remember enjoys it.

Joe

Disclaimer: Amber Benson.TV is not involved in any way with the writing or production of A Murder To Remember. All rights belong to Amber Benson, Ann Rule and The Lifetime Network. This post is for informational purposes only. We are simply trying to spread the word about another exciting movie written by Amber Benson.

Morning Show Mysteries: A Murder In Mind Written By Amber Benson will have its UK Premiere on Friday, 24 July on Channel 5

7/18/2020

After years of working as a successful novelist on her Calliope Reaper-Jones series and The Echo Park Coven Trilogy and co-authoring The Ghosts of Albion series with Christopher Golden, Amber is developing a growing body of work as a writer for television.

She researched and wrote the scripts for Oscar Pistorius: Blade Runner Killer and Terror in The Woods for the Lifetime network describing the events surrounding two real-life tragic murder cases. In 2019 she got the chance to pen a fictional murder mystery for the small screen when she wrote the teleplay for Morning Show Mysteries: A Murder In Mind for Hallmark which aired on their Hallmark Movies and Mysteries Channel in the USA.

The Morning Show Mysteries series centers on Billie Blessings (Holly Robinson Peete) a successful restaurateur who also hosts the cooking segment on Wake Up West Coast a popular TV show. Billie was once suspected of murder but after clearing her name with the help of Detective Ian Jackson (Rick Fox) the pair remained friends and occasionally find themselves at the heart of another mystery.

In A Murder In Mind Billie comes to the aid of a friend and former employee who has recently got her big break in the lead role of brand-new TV drama Kelso's Law. Excitement turns to horror as a dead body is uncovered. The finger of suspicion soon falls on Billie's friend after it's revealed that she was being blackmailed by the victim. Billie again teams up with Detective Jackson in a race against time to clear her friend and uncover the identity of the killer.

The exciting news for Amber fans in the UK is that Morning Show Mysteries: A Murder in Mind will have it’s UK Premiere on Friday, 24 July at 2:15 PM on Channel 5 and at 3:15 PM on Channel 5+1.

There are different channel numbers depending on which digital TV platform you use I would check on-screen guides and any local channel listings for the correct channel numbers. At this stage I don't know if it will be available to viewers on demand via the Channel 5 website, if it is I will post a separate update to let fans know.

At present there isn't much information on the Channel 5 website, click here to view the listing. I've also embedded the US trailer below so you can get a taste of the movie.

I'm thrilled that UK fans will now have the chance to see and enjoy Amber's script in what promises to be an exciting mystery.

Joe

Disclaimer: Amber Benson.TV is not involved in any way with the making of Morning Show Mysteries: A Murder In Mind. We have no connection to Hallmark or Channel 5. This post is for informational purposes only, we are simply trying to spread the word about another exciting movie written by Amber Benson.