Apologies for the radio silence for so long – stuff got in the way, but I’m trying to overcome that now and am even back to writing once again, despite the strain it seems to put on my eyes these days.

I managed to take time out from the stuff of life yesterday in a last minute decision to head up to the Barbican with my son to take a look (actually make that, ‘fully immerse myself) at their ‘Into the Unknown’ science fiction exhibition.

Very nicely curated and well organised with timed entry to keep things from getting overcrowded.

Great escapism into all things Sci-Fi, in fiction, television, video games  and movies – highly recommended.…

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Wow!

Just back from Hull – City of Culture 2017 – and am still reeling from just how amazing the Holy Holy gig was last night. If you get a chance to see Holy Holy on this current tour, DO !

Absolutely fantastic – a masterclass in music, with every track a winner.

I can’t wait to see it all again later this week a little closer to home.

…

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Life can be scary – we all pretty much know that and, as we all get older, sometimes it gets really scary.

But, we prepare, we go on roller-coasters (well I don’t, but that’s because I’m a wimp), we go to see scary movies and, probably most importantly of all, we read scary books. All of those things are cathartic and help us grow and prepare for stuff.

And that’s why I’m more than happy to spread the word about Tommy Donbavand, his fantastic books, and his fight against one of life’s real monsters.

Like many teenagers, my first memories of being really excited by books came from horror books and, in particular, those of Stephen King.…

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I popped along to this great exhibition of photography in Heddon Street (right opposite the location of the classic Ziggy Stardust album cover) this evening (see photo through the gallery doorway to see the Ziggy plaque).

Well worth a visit – it’s free to attend but do buy the glossy limited edition catalogue for more than the fiver that Cancer Research are asking as the minimum donation and then take part in the silent auction online too to stand a chance of getting one of these great collectables for your home – and raising money for such a great cause into the bargain.…

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This was an excellent event organised by Gollancz at Waterstones Piccadilly back in October of last year, with fantastic author speakers including (as pictured here) Joanne Harris, Mark Stay, Ben Aaaronvitch and Joe Hill.

Hope there’s another similar event soon – inspiring stuff!

…

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On 9^th March 2016 I headed up to London by train for work related stuff and then to stay in town to see Adam Buxton’s sell-out BUG tribute to David Bowie at the Odeon cinema in Leicester Square.

As I travelled I thought about writing a piece peppered with Bowie song titles.

Then I started to grab titles at random from my iPod screen and started scribbling in a notebook…

I was feeling LOW today, so decided to travel STATION TO STATION to try to make myself feel more ALIVE and less of a SHADOW MAN.

Lately, my life has felt like I’M ALWAYS CRASHING THE SAME CAR and I just know that some CHANGES are needed.…

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Yes, it’s Starman, Close Encounters, ET, Firestarter and a lot of other great movies from the past mashed up and blended together – but that’s what made it so good, in my opinion – it took the best elements of all of those and turned them into s great sci-fi road movie.

To hear Adam Driver utter the words ‘Red Sabre’ before he even knew he’d go on to play Kylo Ren, to see Michael Shannon being asked what Kryptonite is – ‘The only thing that can kill Superman’ – having failed to do so in his own attempts to bring the Man of Steel to his knees in recent movies – it was all good.…

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Written and directed by Alex Carolyn

Distributed by Soda Pictures

In a bit of a departure from reading, I’ve started watching more movies again (partly to fuel my own writing work, so anything with a supernatural twist is right up my street at present).

This week, I picked up a copy of Soulmate from Fopp – having heard good things about its Director, Alex Carolyn, and her work.

I wasn’t disappointed, but I was  little surprised by what I got.

This is a classic horror / ghost teal with a central character moving away to be alone following a tragedy, and venturing into a small village with just a violin for company.…

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I feel I owe the ‘crime writers’ crime writer’, John Harvey, a huge apology for the comment he wrote inside my copy of his excellent book back in 2008 for I fear that – make that ‘I know that’ I have been guilty of exactly what he warned against – wasting time.

Fast forward to the 10th January of this year – the morning of the day we awoke to the news that David Bowie had left us – returning, presumably, to the stars.

Several things happened.

I had no idea just how much his passing would affect me. I’d never thought of myself as being a massive music fan, although now I realise I am and always have been – the ‘soundtrack’ to my life (if you’ll excuse the tired old cliche) being something I’d just accepted as a background to so many other things.…

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Published by Quercus on 31st December

THE THIRTEENTH COFFIN is the latest book following DCI Mark Lapslie, a slightly broken, rather grumpy policeman with a difference – he suffers from synaesthesia, a rare neurological condition, which means tastes sounds. Part psychological thriller, part police procedural, these books are very dark, clever and completely engrossing.

Stretching along the shelf, standing upright, were twelve wooden coffins. Nine were closed, and three open … with little dolls standing inside them …

It was supposed to be the most special day of her life – until the unthinkable happened. Leslie Petersen is shot dead on her wedding day.…

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