Happy Easter

It's a little while since I updated this blog. I've been trying to get things cleared up so I can have a few days off around Easter and spend some time with my family as well as a few medical checkups. And of course, I've been writing the new book for New Page which is now over three quarter way complete so it should be ready and off to the publishers before the end of May. Then we'll have to think about the next one and I'll begin some arm twisting.

I've also been doing a couple of book recommendations and endorsements - one for Kala Ambrose whose book Ghosthunting North Carolina should be out soon. It's great and took me back to the time when I travelled up to Asheville in North Carolina for Bascom Lunsford's Country Music Jamboree to see the great Byard Ray who travelled down from the Smokies to play the fiddle with his cousin Obray Ramsey on banjo. Afterwards we travelled over to Whiteside Mountain and the Devil's Courthouse which is a rather spooky place. I was tempted to venture inside it and the Judaculla Rock there in Creepiest Places but I didn't - I'm saving that for Volume II! But I was really happy to endorse Kala's book - we've talked a lot on her radio show and I've always been fond of North Carolina. Heck I've always been fond of a lot of places in the States!

The other book I was really pleased to endorse is Lamont Wood's Out of Place in Time and Space which I think everybody should read. It's also published by New Page and should be out in the Fall. It's a really thorough investigation into the nature of time and to the anomalies that it throws up. I really like the way Lamont writes - some of you may know that he's a native of Texas and this maybe shows in his style. But keep an eye out for it.

I'm going to take a bit of a break and then get stuck into the work again. The comics side of my work - we've posted some of it under my sister blog, Bog Standard Comix had created a lot of interest - from Mayo, Ireland to Canada and I'm busy answering e-mails on this. But trying to get a few days off to eat a few Easter eggs.

All that remains is for me to wish you all a Happy Easter and we'll talk again after the holidays!

Very Creepy

It's been a busy week as I try to get a lot of things cleared up in my community work before the onset of the Easter holidays. I chair a few community committees and after the beginning of the new financial year on 6th April there's always a lot to do, so the writing has sort of moved into the back seat but not quite.

I'm still working on the new book for New Page - The World's Creepiest Places - and this is now between half and three quarter ways done. There are some very creepy places in there - some I've been to and some I've done research on, so when it comes out buy a copy and see what you think.

The hardest part has been deciding what to include and what to omit - but then that's always the way. Ian Daniels who's been working on some of the interior illustrations has sent me down some of the artwork and believe me it's well up to and beyond his usual standard, especially the wraparound cover.

The publication month for the new book is October but this means that I have to have the complete text done by June which is something of a marathon but it looks like we're going to make it. Advance copies should be out in September I would think.

In the meantime I gather there's another book in which I'll have a part due out soon. This one is a collection of articles from New Page's authors on the subject of Ghosts and Hauntings and is edited by my old friends Michael Pye and Kirsten Dalley. You can have a read whilst you're waiting - an article on Poltergeists. And the new Zombie book which is published by Barrons seems to be selling well.

Then I'm back trying to twist New Page's arm on a new book - I'm still up for Unseen Forces or a book on Lovecraft but we'll see what they say. Oh, and a book that I'm reviewing for New Page is an excellent new book by Lamont Wood who's from Texas I believe. I'm not sure when it's coming out but I'd keep an eye for it - really good.

I'm going to take a bit of a break for a couple of weeks to get a bit of a rest and enjoy Easter. 2011 has been frantic going so far and I could do with a bit of a break. I'll do a bit of work on the book but there's a lot of television to catch up on and plenty of walks. Will keep you posted...

The World's Creepiest Places

I'm certainly getting the hang of this blogging so here's another.

It's been a busy week - a lot of inquiries on he new Zombies book and trying to work on The World's Creepiest Places. An official publication month has been designated for my new book which will be out in October this year.

This means that I'm working to a tight deadline and have to have the book ready at least a couple of months before then. I've also been working a bit on the new comics and if you check Bog Standard Comix over the next few days there should be some new lettered artwork up. I had an e-mail from Adrian no later than this morning to say that things were ready on that front. Things are still slow on that front but I'm getting plenty of inquiries, especially about Space 1949.

On the publicity front, I've been doing a number of interviews over the last week - one in Denver, Colorado - and if Steve sends me the link, I'll post it up - and then on Sunday with Dayna Winters in Albany New York. If you want to check it out, you can click here. That's the link for Isis Paranormal Radio so if you want to hear me you can go there.

The next couple of weeks will be taken up with community work - we had a big event over in Ballycastle on the North Antrim coast on Friday night and another one coming up in one of the small villages on Thursday which I'm told will be attended by politicians and all sorts of people. So I'd best be on my best behaviour as I'm sharing the stage with some of them. But hopefully it'll go well.

O.K. back to Creepy Places. More soon