Friday, 9 July 2010
Corruption - trailer
I couldn't resist putting a link to the trailer for the Peter Cushing film, Corruption here. John Probert put the link up on another site. It's well worth watching. Just hope they eventually release a good copy of it on DVD.
Thursday, 8 July 2010
Let Me In
One of the best vampire films I have ever seen was the Swedish Let the Right One In. Now, inevitably I suppose, it's been remade in the US by the Director of Cloverfield, and renamed Let Me In.
From the trailer this looks to be much better than expected. In fact it looks pretty good.
From the trailer this looks to be much better than expected. In fact it looks pretty good.
Wednesday, 7 July 2010
On a Roll - I hope
Those of us who write will know what I mean (I think). You can go for days, weeks, sometimes months without writing a word, inspiration dried up, then out of the blue you start something new, it races on almost as if it has a life of its own, then finish it. And before you know it you're off on another. On a roll.
Well, touch wood, I seem to be on one now. I just finished The Last Coach Trip and have started straight away on another story with the daunting title Redundancy, a word ripe with possibilities. And have gone from a story about old men to one about a lad aged 21. There's variety for you!
(Mind you, we did lose four people where I work through redundancy a short while ago, including my old assistant - and good friend Ben. Therefore I do know something of what the atmosphere can be like even though my own job was firmly secure.)
Most of what I've otherwise done lately has been to work through a couple of older novels, doing rewrites and generally tidying them up. I still have a couple of others to finish, but I'm not going to let them get in the way while I'm in a short story writing mood.
Well, touch wood, I seem to be on one now. I just finished The Last Coach Trip and have started straight away on another story with the daunting title Redundancy, a word ripe with possibilities. And have gone from a story about old men to one about a lad aged 21. There's variety for you!
(Mind you, we did lose four people where I work through redundancy a short while ago, including my old assistant - and good friend Ben. Therefore I do know something of what the atmosphere can be like even though my own job was firmly secure.)
Most of what I've otherwise done lately has been to work through a couple of older novels, doing rewrites and generally tidying them up. I still have a couple of others to finish, but I'm not going to let them get in the way while I'm in a short story writing mood.
Tuesday, 6 July 2010
The Haunting on DVD
Went into HMV today and got a DVD of The Haunting - the brilliant 1963 version starring Julie Harris and Claire Bloom - for only £3!!!
One of the best bargains ever.
It also includes a commentary by Julie Harris, Claire Bloom, Richard Johnson, Russ Tamblyn and, more importantly, director Robert Wise and screenwriter Nelson Gidding.
And this is where the outside was filmed: Ettington Hall
One of the best bargains ever.
It also includes a commentary by Julie Harris, Claire Bloom, Richard Johnson, Russ Tamblyn and, more importantly, director Robert Wise and screenwriter Nelson Gidding.
And this is where the outside was filmed: Ettington Hall
(My wife has already sent off for a brochure (it's now a hotel) - a few years ago she booked us into Oakley Court which is next to Bray Studios and was featured in many Hammer Films, including The Reptile)
The White Hands by Mark Samuels
After all the acrimony on the RCMB Never Again thread I thought I would reread this story. It's in a beautifully produced book from Tartarus Press of the same title. It's an amazing story, elegantly written, with some sly plot twists that take the reader by surprise (but make sense) and an incredibly shocking scene when the protagonist is attacked. A true classic. And a good reminder, after all I have read over the past few days, just how accomplished a writer Mark Samuels really is. Which, when the dust has settled, is what will matter in the end.
As an aside, I love the irreverent descriptions one of the characters in the story gives of Arthur Machen and Algernon Blackwood.
As an aside, I love the irreverent descriptions one of the characters in the story gives of Arthur Machen and Algernon Blackwood.
Monday, 5 July 2010
The Last Coach Trip
Started a new story on Friday, which I finished today at 4,800 words. Quite pleased with it. A kind of Lancastrian horror story about old men, a working men's club and their annual trip to Ripon Races. Enjoyed writing it and liked the characters. In a sense too it was slightly autobiographical. Back in my late twenties before I got married I used to be a member of Bold Street Working Men's Club in Accrington which had an annual trip to Ripon Races. And great trips they were too. Therefore some of the things that happen are true. But not all.
A James Herbert Moment
James Herbert's Rats novels are not my favourite horror stories, but they do hit the spot. I was reminded of that this morning on my way into work.
I always go for a half hour's walk after parking my car for a bit of exercise. I get in quite early so I can secure one of the few free parking spaces still left near Blackburn town centre.
I was walking up the top part of King Street when, ahead of me, two council workmen pulled out one of those large double-sized wheelie bins from an alleyway across from a frozen food supermarket. And at least half a dozen rats suddenly streamed out after it and ran across the road. Two headed towards a man on the other side who had to lift one foot to let them past. The look on his face was priceless. A couple of the rats then u-turned and headed back to the alley. I've never seen anything like it. They had huge ears and were grey. I was glad I was still about ten feet away when this happened - and was relieved when I'd passed the alley and no more appeared - or returned. I don't know where the rest of them went.
I always go for a half hour's walk after parking my car for a bit of exercise. I get in quite early so I can secure one of the few free parking spaces still left near Blackburn town centre.
I was walking up the top part of King Street when, ahead of me, two council workmen pulled out one of those large double-sized wheelie bins from an alleyway across from a frozen food supermarket. And at least half a dozen rats suddenly streamed out after it and ran across the road. Two headed towards a man on the other side who had to lift one foot to let them past. The look on his face was priceless. A couple of the rats then u-turned and headed back to the alley. I've never seen anything like it. They had huge ears and were grey. I was glad I was still about ten feet away when this happened - and was relieved when I'd passed the alley and no more appeared - or returned. I don't know where the rest of them went.
Saturday, 3 July 2010
Simon Unsworth Does Charity Reading
Friday, 2 July 2010
Leaving Bulgaria
This is a picture of the last time we drove to Bulgaria as we were on our way home, heading across the Danube.
How can you tell I'm looking forward to our next trip there in a few weeks time?
Sendings on Amazon - Price Reduction
I have reduced the price for Sendings on Amazon down a dollar to $1.99, in line with its price on FifoBooks. I may reduce this even further, if the system will allow me, to $0.99, just to help with sales, since I am not interested in making money off it.
Anyway, I'll see how this improves the number of downloads. So far there has just been one.
Anyway, I'll see how this improves the number of downloads. So far there has just been one.
Thursday, 1 July 2010
Old photo
I came across this old photograph recently. It was taken in London during the mid 70's during a weekend away to attend a comic convention and various other events taking place at the time. It shows a very young Jim Pitts (one of the biggest artists in fantasy fandom at the time), Jon Harvey, editor of Balthus, one of the best fanzines, Steve Jones (who needs no introduction) and me. I believe the photographer was Gordon Larkin, who took over editorship of the BFS Bulletin around that time.
House in Bulgaria
A few people know Linden and I have a house in Bulgaria in the village of Kozma Prezviter, not far from the town of Targovishte. It is a beautiful area, close to the main Sophia-Varna highway and at the end of of the Prezviter Mountain Range, deep in the countryside. We bought it five years ago and have spent a few pounds on having work done on it. Our aim is one day to be able to spend 6 months there and 6 months in the UK.
We both wish we could spend more time there now as we love it - and get on well with our brilliant neighbours. At the end of August we'll be driving there again, taking still more things in our car (last time it was mainly carpet tiles!) The trip is part of our enjoyment. The last time we drove there we stayed overnight in Belgium, Austria, Hungary and Romania, and the same on our return, except we stayed in Germany rather than Austria. All the hotels were brilliant (other than those in Belgium, which we'll try and avoid this time). Our Romanian hotel was on the banks of the Danube, with a view of Serbia on the far side.
One of the items we're taking with us this time is an astronomical telescope which our son bought us at Christmas. He stayed with us on our last trip to Bulgaria and was impressed how clear the stars were at night (its almost pitch black in the countryside apart from a few streetlights), and especially from our top balcony. We're looking forward to doing a bit of stargazing, in between sampling a few bottles of the very cheap (but very good) local wine!
We both wish we could spend more time there now as we love it - and get on well with our brilliant neighbours. At the end of August we'll be driving there again, taking still more things in our car (last time it was mainly carpet tiles!) The trip is part of our enjoyment. The last time we drove there we stayed overnight in Belgium, Austria, Hungary and Romania, and the same on our return, except we stayed in Germany rather than Austria. All the hotels were brilliant (other than those in Belgium, which we'll try and avoid this time). Our Romanian hotel was on the banks of the Danube, with a view of Serbia on the far side.
One of the items we're taking with us this time is an astronomical telescope which our son bought us at Christmas. He stayed with us on our last trip to Bulgaria and was impressed how clear the stars were at night (its almost pitch black in the countryside apart from a few streetlights), and especially from our top balcony. We're looking forward to doing a bit of stargazing, in between sampling a few bottles of the very cheap (but very good) local wine!
A picture of our house from the edge of the forest across the road.
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