tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73527071654945098642024-03-14T04:22:15.243-07:00Dr. Bob CurranNew Page Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14957512123024851754noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352707165494509864.post-38544376565331981572013-07-14T04:16:00.001-07:002013-07-15T10:41:00.017-07:00Where Am I?<span id="goog_1517006797"></span><span id="goog_1517006798"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a>
Well it's been a long time. I've got a large number of e-mails - including lots of ones from radio stations - asking about me and if and when I'm bringing out a new book. For them many thanks. Others say that I appear to have vanished off the radar and that they want me back as soon as possible. To them many thanks. I do think I owe people an explanation so I'm using this blog to give it.<br />
The reason for my "disappearance" is three-fold. The first is a simple one - I thought I needed a break. I've been writing continuously for various publishers since 1995 - sometimes three to four books a year. Now that is a mammoth task by anybody's standards and is very wearing. And there appears to be a down-turn in the American book publishing market so it seemed a good time to catch my breath. Career Press and I had talked over a number of possibilities but none of them were viable, so it made my mind up for me. This doesn't mean that I don't have some new books out there - I'm currently working on a couple of illustrated books with a British artist which are being considered by a British publisher - these are the now finished <em>Carnival of Dark Dreams </em>and <em>The Witch-Hunter's Handbook. </em>These will take a bit of time but may be out this year. So taking a break.<br />
The second reason stems from the disagreement I had with some of the Lovecraft set which I had last year. They took exception to something which they imagined and alleged that I had said in my book <em>A Haunted Mind - </em>I had incidentally never said what they alleged but any protests fell on deaf ears - and became very nasty about it. They kindly sent me two computer viruses which I was able to deal with but also a picture of what appeared to be an aborted human foetus. Thus mail was accidentally opened by my 13 year old daughter who was using my computer. This made me seriously question my writing in this area and so I took a bit of a breather to review the situation. I will continue writing but I have to think about the vein in which I do so.<br />
The third thing is the tense social situation in Northern Ireland. Those of you who know anything about me will know that I also work in the field of community relations and that I'm extremely passionate about my work. Since the end of 2012, and the flag protests, tension has been rising particularly in Loyalist areas and paramilitaries have been coming to the fore once more - particularly in the area of organised crime. Communities are trying to rebuild themselves and their confidence as the Peace Process, imperfect though it is, seeks to take hold. 2013 has really hit the ground running for me in this respect and I've been engaged in working in community relations with very little time for anything else. So hence the absence.<br />
I am still working in media though. I have a couple of television series coming up and did a very interesting documentary recently on vampires for the Russian First Channel. I may have another one on zombies coming through in Canada if Telefilm Canada comes through with funding. And I have now a new comics program about to run here in the North of Ireland as part of the Derry City of Culture programme. It's in its early stages at the moment but when it gets up to its full potential, I'll maybe write something on it on the Bogstandard Comix blogspot. And, of course, I'm woking on a major historical project based around the Plantation of County Derry by the English in 1613 and have been back and forward to London.<br />
On Thursday I'm off to Amsterdam to meet with some old comics friends and discuss a project - I'm also taking my family with me and making a holiday of it - spending our time seeing the sights once more and eating rijsttafel which is always one of my favourites. And next year you just <em>might </em>see me in Athens, Georgia - more on that later perhaps. So still a lot happening. But to all those who wrote asking what I was doing and if I had a new book coming out, my thanks. It's really nice to know that you're appreciated and missed. And there may well be a new book out at some point - you never know what lies in the future. That's what makes it so exciting.dr bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181131375456046983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352707165494509864.post-19792514883191374382012-12-22T04:28:00.001-08:002012-12-28T10:17:44.231-08:00Happy ChristmasIt's been a while - October in fact - since I've done anything on the blogs. The reason for that is that the last couple of months have been very busy and I've been slightly injured by being accidentally and peripherally caught up in the riots which have been taking place in Northern Ireland over flags and emblems. I'm recovering slowly although I can't sit for a long period of time in the one position, nor can I drive for long distances at the moment but I'm getting there.<br />
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A lot of my work has been in the community field over the last few months and I've not been doing as much writing as I would have liked. Still, <em>American Vampires </em>seems to be doing well and I'm inundated for interviews - one with the prestigious <em>Huffington Post </em>so keep an eye out for that.<br />
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I've also a new book out in the Middle East and did an interview in Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania recently. I'm also getting a bit of publicity in Russia as I appeared as a kind of presenter/expert on the a programme of vampires on the First Channel in Moscow. Still planning a trip to Iceland as well once these injuries are fully better.<br />
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I'm MCing a Junior Rock School this afternoon - part of a youth project that I've been working on - and then home to rest and watch a bit of football. West Ham plays Everton this afternoon but it'll be a tricky game and they might not do it. David Moyes team - Everton - have been playing incredibly well this year but we'll see what Big Sam's boys can do.<br />
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In the meantime I hope every one of you have an extremely Happy Christmas and a Preposterous New Year. I won't leave it so long the next time and will talk to you all thendr bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181131375456046983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352707165494509864.post-75048128990172595272012-10-15T07:25:00.002-07:002012-10-24T05:20:13.517-07:00Way Out WestIt's taken me a bit of time to write here again. Two reasons. One I've been off to the States and in the Old West - in the wonderful town to Cheyenne for the Cheyenne <strong>Zombiefest</strong> -and second I've been reconfiguring my computer after somebody kindly sent me a virus designed to attack my hard drive.<br />
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Thankfully there was a secondary memory source built in and my friend Darryl and I were able to save much of the stuff that was on it, although we lost a little bit, but even though we had a good number of protections built in Darryl had to rebuild a bit of the main drive. I have my suspicions as to who it was sent me the virus but I can't prove it so I'm saying nothing. Anyway, the whole system is now changed and functioning and I'm getting used to the different command bars. So apologies for the delay.<br />
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On a brighter note, the Cheyenne trip was really something. It was the first time that I'd been to America in over 30 years so it was a bit of an adventure. And I met a lot of good people out there and those who were really interested in where I'd come from and how things were in Northern Ireland. It was great to meet Americans who had a genuine feeling for what's happening over here - a lot of whom were more clued in than I'd imagined.<br />
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Those whom I met in Cheyenne were absolutely terrific and couldn't have done enough for me. I'd like to say a massive thanks to Rory for inviting me over. As I told him when I was growing up Westerns were all the rage over here and I always wanted to be a cowboy. The good people of Cheyenne made that wish come true. Even more so because they gave me a terrific cowboy hat - a genuine cattleman's hat bought in The Wrangler from the hands of the Cattle Queen of Wyoming. This has now pride of place gives me a kind of "western gravitas". I'm going to wear it when I chair my next meeting with the "suits" from Stormont who chide me for not wearing a tie. Let's see what they make of the hat!<br />
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The trip was great and it was terrific to meet all the people who came to the lectures and to the book signings. And thanks to the couple who traveled all the way from Utah to meet me. I'm really glad that <strong>Zombiefest </strong>was such a success - I hope that I contributed in some small way to that. Truly great too to meet my co-guests, Jonathan Maberry and his lovely wife Sara and the inimitable George Hardy of Troll 2. We all had a ball and are now corresponding over the net and may combine on a new collaborative project which we talked about in Cheyenne. It's easy to become both isolated and insular as a writer and so it's great to meet others and expand your horizons - I really hope that the project between us all comes off and will keep you informed.<br />
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If you've never been to Wyoming and Colorado, I would definitely recommend that you go. The people there are great and I hope that I can count many of them as my friends. But the trip was exhausting for me. Three plane changes - one of which got significantly delayed - and three different time zones. I was shattered when I got home and it took several days before I felt human again. But it was worth it and if Wyoming was closer I'd be back in a heartbeat. To all who looked after me so well, my sincerest thanks.<br />
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And the <strong>only </strong>way to fly is Great Lakes Airlines - an unsolicited plug there. When you're looking directly over the co-pilot's right shoulder in flight it gives a whole new perspective to "priority seating". But what an experience! Go on, give it a try! And I see I have another two invitations to the States for next year - one to Los Angeles and one to Atlanta, Georgia. I may become what the airlines sometimes describe as "a frequent flier".<br />
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Of course one of the big pluses on the trip was to meet my editorial staff at Career Press in Newark. I know you think that I have to say that because Laurie reads my blog - but it's true. I've been working for them since 2003 but had never met them, So it was great to put faces to names and thanks for the chilli soup - it was fantastic.<br />
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And I think this would be a good time to say <strong>that American Vampires </strong>is ready and in stores. Hope you enjoy it. In a week's time I'm off to Dublin to meet with Irish President Michael D. Higgins and then there may be a trip to Iceland on the cards. I'm getting too old for all of this you know! But keep an eye for American Vampires in the shops and we'll talk again very soon.dr bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181131375456046983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352707165494509864.post-23653321821823073292012-07-29T10:30:00.000-07:002012-07-30T08:07:06.919-07:00Lovecraft has been shipped.The new book on <a href="http://newpagebooks.com/?section=home&product_id=519">Lovecraft</a> is now out and I've got some author copies just yesterday. It's the biggest book I've done for Career and it should be out and in the shops or avaulable to order online as from the 15th August I think. It looks very well and I'd bve interested to hear what people think.<br />
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The next book is <a href="http://newpagebooks.com/?section=home&product_id=528">American Vampires</a> which will be out at the end of the year - we're already going through the edit - which will be out in October. So if you want to read about a vampire chair or vampire plants, there'll be something in this book for you. There's been a lot of interest in both it and the Lovecraft book already and we're gearing up a number of interviews. So watch out for those.<br />
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The Wyoming trip still looks as though it's on for the end of September so those of you who live in the US may get to see what I look like. Fortify yourselves with strong drink now! And there have been a few requests for radio interviews when I'm over so we'll have to see about those as well. Some of you have been asking what comes after American Vampires and the truth is that I don't know. We're considering a couple of ideas but nothing concrete yet.<br />
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The publishing world is very slow at the moment. One of the things we're looking at concerns witchcraft in America and I can truthfully say that to the best of my knowldge there's not another book on American Witchcraft like it. But I don't know - it's really up to the publisher.<br />
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On the Carnival of Dark Dreams - I now have the book completed and the English publisher is still considering what Andy and I have done. Hopefully that will be out before too long. It's an interesting illustrated book and something a bit different from what I've done before now. But it's difficult for writers at the moment - the markets are so limited and even when your book is accepted, it can a while to get round to publishing it. Just have patience!<br />
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I'd better go and get a bite to eat. The Olympics are on over here and the television doesn't seem to have gone off - we've all day coverage for the whole Games - so I'll sit and eat and watch them. And then get back to a new science fiction book that I'm working on. This could be the novel of 2013 or then again it might not. One thing - you never know.dr bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181131375456046983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352707165494509864.post-80241944630139357202012-07-06T10:34:00.001-07:002012-07-10T08:18:55.332-07:00Checking InI said that I would try and keep up with this blog but it has not been easy. A mixture of work and illness has prevented me from writing as often as I'd like. Some time ago when in South America I cut my hand and lifted some sort of parasite which left me with a condition which is not a million miles from malaria - in fact they treat me for it with quinine sulphate.<br />
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It has also triggered a condition which is akin to Menieres Disease which is like the onset of vertigo and means you can't really stand up which is what I've been suffering from recently. It would appear to be triggered by sleep so you get up in the morning and the bedroom is going round. They can't treat you for it only "manage" it which is a bit frustrating because it means you can't work until the treatment kicks in. And worst of all there was a problem with my main television and it had to be left in - so no Sky. Sitting around waiting for the thing to pass and no television in my living room!<br />
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The good thing is that the condition seems to affect me in blocks - the last one was several years ago, so hopefully it'll eventually pass. Anyway, just at the minute I'm taking each day at a time. Been clear for a few days now. Problem of leading a kind of nomadic life. I can't even look at a computer screen when the thing's affecting me without being ill so haven't had a chance to get too much writing done. But have actually managed to do some more on the Carnival of Dark Dreams and fingers crossed that will be out sometime next year.<br />
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And another bit of news - Gina and I have finished our edit on A Haunted Mind which has now gone to the printers. It should be in all good booksellers soon. Still planning to come to Wyoming and am busy finalising some plans to be there in September.<br />
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Working too on the new Jackers book which might be on your websites sooner than you think. It'll need a bit of editing but it looks like it could be ready to go very soon. The summer here's a bit of a washout - severe flooding in some parts of the Province though thankfully not here. I live at the top of a hill anyway. Off to get something to eat but as soon as this condition clears completely will be back at this blog. Thanks for your patience and to those who wrote to me many, many thanksdr bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181131375456046983noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352707165494509864.post-39297086668040786462012-06-17T09:14:00.003-07:002012-06-18T09:29:35.634-07:00Carnival of Dark DreamsAll right! All right! I did say that I'd try to maintain this blogspot more frequently. I've been up to my eyes with a few projects - some of which are community related - and really haven't had the time to get near it.<br />
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Thanks to all you people who wrote directly to me and I've tried to reply personally to as many as I can. To others, please be patient and I will get round to answering all your mails.<br />
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The Haunted Mind book is getting ready for printing. Gina and I have more or less completed the final edits and the publicity company has been in contact regarding the campaign - so that will begin this week coming I think.<br />
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I'm also getting ready to sort things out for a trip to Wyoming. It's my first trip to the States in about 40 years and I've never been to Wyoming so it should be exciting. Hopefully everything will be fine. And maybe next year there might be a trip to Los Angeles - it's being talked about. There have been so many invites to the States and elsewhere for which I'm really grateful and I didn't want to continually say no. So it looks like Wyoming is on.<br />
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I'm also doing a new book - not for Career this time - with an artist named <a href="http://andy-paciorek.posterous.com/">Andy Paciorek</a> which is called <em>Carnival of Dark Dreams</em>. It's looking at some strange creatures that you won't find anywhere else - things from the fringes of folklore and legend. It's very demanding but a whole lot of fun and Andy's illustrations are incredibly well suited to what we're trying to do. If you want to see some of the material look on his own blogspot.<br />
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As yet we're still talking about a new book for Career and I'll let you know when we've decided. The publishing market is very slow at the moment but A Haunted Mind (August Publication) and American Vampires (October publication) are waiting in the wings.<br />
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Everybody tells me that this is a really slow year both for publishers and writers with everyone being very cautious. I suppose that we'll just have to see it through. I really can't get over how quiet it's been. But I am looking forward to the trip to the States and seeing what's going on there. Will try to write a bit more frequently and that's a promise. Hopefully befoe the end of the month. dr bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181131375456046983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352707165494509864.post-62696038549200404672012-05-20T10:55:00.002-07:002012-05-23T10:37:29.491-07:00More Strange CreaturesBroke the little toe of my right foot in a silly argument with a chair about a fortnight ago - I turned suddenly and caught it on the leg of the chair - and it turned a rather fetching shade of black so I thougfht I'd better go and get it X-rayed. It was broken all right but the medics could do very little with it except to strap it up.<br />
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Then on Tuesday, I was in a queue in a supermarket and the woman in front of me stepped back in herhigh-heels and just clipped it. Agony! So still hobbling around.<br />
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The Strange Creatures chapbook that I had mentioned might be going ahead as I've been contacted by a publisher who might be interested. It's early days yet but there is a bit of an interest in the strange creatures that I'm doing - some of which I've never seen anywhere else. So working at that and I have almost ten creatures/entities done which Andy, the illustrator, is drawing. Of course nothing might come of it - I never bank on anything until the contract's in my hand - but it's very interesting actually doing it.<br />
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As well as that I have a print of the Italian comic that I did with David Lloyd out in Spain - or so he tells me which should be interesting.<br />
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I've also been contacted by a publisher in Bosnia about a comic strip but things are a bit difficult there - epecially with regards to payment. The Bosnian marka isn't exactly legal tender here - and he can only pay me in marka as he is a small outfit - and I'd have to get it changed in some other EEC country into euros which isn't exactly the most stable currency at the moment and by the time that would all be changed the amount wouldn't really be worth it. But we'll see. It's one of the things that people don't think of as being connected to writers.<br />
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Was talking to Adrian on Tuesday and we're definitely going to go ahead with a kind of scienc fiction posted on the web. The only thing I have to do now is to write it - I have one partly written and am doing a bit on that whilst I'm working on Strange Creatures but it's slow.<br />
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The Wyoming trip looks as if it might be on. I'm flying out from Northern Ireland into Newark where I've a 4 hour stopover before catching plane to Denver and it'll give me a chance to meet the people from Career who are based there. I've been working for Career for almost ten years now and whilst I know a lot of the people there, I've never met any of them. So I'm very excited about that. Let's hope the trip comes off which I'm sure it will. If you are reading this in Cheyenne, I might see you in September.<br />
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And of course congratulations to West Ham Football Club who made it from the Championship back into the Premiership. I watched the match against Blackpool yesterday but I couldn't really watch the last couple of minutes - still all ended well. And Chelsea against Bayern Munich although my wife was disgusted - she doen't like Chelsea at all. Anyway, I'll keep you up to date with Strange Creatures and of course A Haunted Mind and American Vampires should be out soon. I'm sure I'll be back again soondr bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181131375456046983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352707165494509864.post-68890689156957305412012-05-06T11:33:00.002-07:002012-05-07T08:57:16.247-07:00Strange CreaturesOutside the sun is shining but it's incredibly cold. In fact I was out earlier this morning and there were a few flakes of snow in the air. Snow - in May! Maybe the Mayans had it right and we're approaching the end of the world.<br />
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Taking a little bit of a break from writing - well not really - and doing a bit more community work. I say not really because I'm drafting a new chapbook with an artist friend which we might try out with various publishers.<br />
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The subject of the book is Strange Creatures and it arose out of some of the stuff I've been doing for Career on odd creatures. A few people have been in contact with me with suggestions for future creatures on the Career blog site and I thought well why not do a bit of a chapbook on these entities. So when Andy contacted me - he worked on some of the books I'd done for Barrons Publishing in New York, it seemed too good an opportunity to turn down. Who'll publish it I don't know but we're putting a sampler of sorts together and hoping to do it like an old-style chapbook of odd and dark creatures which you probably won't find anywhere else. It's an interesting thing to do and keeps my hand in writing whilst I'm doing other things.<br />
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I'm also working with Gina at Career on the edits for <em>A Haunted Mind </em>the new Lovecraft book which will be out soon and after that <em>American Vampires </em>which i know some of you are patiently waiting on. After that I'm not sure and so the chapbook is a good way of keeping busy. Hopefully, it'll see the light of day although with the publishing world the way it is I wouldn't think it'll be any time soon - but you never know.<br />
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I've had an invite to address a convention in Cheyenne in Wyoming and I might go to that - at the moment we're sorting some of the practicalities out. So if I do and you happen to be in Wyoming around the 29th September, come up and make yourself known to me. I think I should go if we can get it sorted out as it would give me a chance to connect with my US readers.<br />
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If you read Chinese or Russian, I have three or four foreign editions out in those areas too. Maybe they'll give me an invite to go over there as well - one can always live in hope!<br />
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Anyway, hail is hitting the window and there's football on television I think so might take a break and go and watch that. I'll keep you all up to date about the possible Wyoming trip if we can get it up and running. And if the chapbook takes off we'll talk about that as well.<br />
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Things are moving if very slowly. dr bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181131375456046983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352707165494509864.post-15937682822707170242012-04-15T12:47:00.002-07:002012-04-25T06:27:07.444-07:00American VampiresA lot of people have been in contact with me asking me when <b>American Vampires</b> is coming out. I'm really flattered that there's so much interest. My answer is that it will be later this year - I'm told that it's not even been pre-advertised for pre-order on Amazon as yet so it's a little way off yet. But do keep watching.<br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">Note from the publisher - American Vampires is set to ship in September for an October publication. Click <a href="http://newpagebooks.com/?section=home&product_id=528">Here</a> for More Information.</span><br />
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Before that we have <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Managing-Unmanageable-Insights-Software-People/dp/032182203X/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1334686090&sr=8-9">A Haunted Mind</a></b> coming out which will be at the end of the summer. Gina and I are looking through the edit now and it looks like there will be very little to change so we can maybe go for earlier than we had anticipated. And then we're through to American Vampires! Keep watching.<br />
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A number of others have asked if there'll be another book coming out before the end of the year or maybe next. I don't know. I've been talking to Career about a couple of projects but we haven't agreed anything yet. There's also a possible book with an Irish publisher on highwaymen - there's a lot of local interest here about that one - but once again nothing's firmly agreed. The publishing world is in such turmoil everywhere, it's difficult to tie future books down but if things work out you'll be the first to know.<br />
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I'm busy writing a couple of things on football at the moment - yes, I am a big football fan nd follow the English Leagues. Mary, my wife, is a huge Arsenal fan so when they lose there's really no living with her. My son is Manchester United - whom I'[m not keen on. My own team - I got into this when I lived in the East End of London years ago - is West Ham who are in the Championship. However, I have a strong feeling that they could make their way back into the Premiership under Sam Allerdyce. They won 6-0 yesterday against Brighton which has restored my faith. So writing something about that for local magazines. I'm told there is another Bob Curran who is an American football coach - maybe he and I should meet up some day.dr bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181131375456046983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352707165494509864.post-18631385209024197772012-04-01T11:56:00.002-07:002012-04-12T09:09:38.366-07:00Easter Wishes!Well, <em>American Vampires </em>is almost complete. I have just finished the last section and have it off to Career. This only leaves me a Conclusion to do - which I'm hoping to have finished before Easter - and that finishes off the work.<br />
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If you look on my previous blog you'll see the cover which I've seen and approved. I think it looks very dramatic and eye-catching. So what next? Well I've sent Career a couple of ideas including a full proposal but nothing agreed as yet. I'm up to my eyes in developing a tourist route here in Northern Ireland as part of the International Appalachian Trail so that'll keep me busy for the next week. And I've a couple more proposals out there so watch this space. However, as Mary my wife and the children are off school for the Easter Holidays I'm going to take a few days off. I have a heap of reading to do - and I have been asked to do a couple of comic strips.<br />
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At the moment I'm working on a project with young people using comics as a reading tool and getting them to design their own, so I'm doing a bit on that. Enough to keep me going but there'll be new books out - to all those that asked, don't panic. I'm not done with writing yet.<br />
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But be sure to have good Easter. Make sure you've plenty of Easter eggs. I'm off tomorrow to buy my wife one - we've been together for thirty years and I've never missed buying her an egg at Easter yet! See you later in the month but in the meantime Happy Easter.dr bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181131375456046983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352707165494509864.post-56912385702326453972012-03-24T12:06:00.002-07:002012-03-26T06:19:33.896-07:00American Vampires AgainI hope that everybody had a very happy St. Patrick's Day. I've been meaning to update this blog but have been suffering from a few computer problems which I've had to sort out. So trying to get the final touches to American Vampires finished under a little bit of pressure. But we've most of the book done and like A Haunted Mind I've been sending the sections up to Gina as they get done.<br />
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This is, I think, the side of authoriship that a lot of people never see - it's not just all about sitting down and writing the book, it's putting the bits and pieces together and working through everything even after it's finished. I've always looked on a book as a kind of collaboration between the author and the publisher and that the two of us have to work to make the book the best that it can be. So we have to sit down and work out all the technical stuf as well.<br />
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I'm liasing with Ian too who'll be doing the illustrations for both books. Just for a change, he won't be doing the cover for American Vampires - that's done by a new artist. Jeff who works at <a href="http://newpagebooks.blogspot.com/">New Page</a> sent me down the cover for this book the other day and I have to say that it looks pretty striking - not the kind of volume that you'd miss of a shelf. You're getting an early look! I hope that the text is up to the fantastic cover.<br />
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Getting ready for Easter and I'm trying to get a few days off. I do have another book proposal in with New Pager but haven't heard anything back from them - they need to go through meetings and the like. But am trying to plan things out for later in the year - I work about five months ahead, It's the only way I can do things and there might be something on the comics front again, so keep watching.<br />
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Anyway, I've promised to make my wife a cup of tea so I'd better go and get it for her. Somebody wrote and asked me if I had "drowned my shamrock" on St. Patrick's Day? I have to admit - and this is supposedly a terrible admission for an Irishman - that I don't drink. Haven't done so for nearly 30 years. Not out of any real convictions but I just don't. How's that for a confession? It makes for a cheap St. Patrick's Day though. Will talk soon I'm sure providing this computer holds updr bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181131375456046983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352707165494509864.post-41569599895357792992012-03-10T10:42:00.002-08:002012-03-12T07:29:37.495-07:00Haunted Mind Off to BedWell, at long last, <em>A Haunted Mind </em>is finally finished and has been sent off to Gina my editor. This was the longest book that I've ever had to write for Career and also one of the most detailed. But I think it's been worth it - I can't think of another Lovecraft book that's like it. None that I've ever read. This will now go to a review edit and then we'll progress to a final edit and it should be hitting the stands later on in the year. I see information is already up <a href="http://newpagebooks.com/?section=home&product_id=519">here</a> so that you can all pre-order it.<br />
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But no time to rest as I've <em>American Vampires </em>to finish - it's almost done and I should have it finished within a month or so. I have a new proposal in with Career and I'm working on a new science fiction book pieces up which might be up on the Amazon webpage very soon. This is a new area for me so I'll be interested to see how it goes - it's pretty much in the vain of <em>Star Wars </em>but a little bit different so hopefully it'll appeal to those fans. We'll see how it goes anyway.<br />
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But keep your eyes out for the launch of <em>A Haunted Mind.</em> I'm rather pleased with it - as is Gina - and I've been sending stuff down to Ian Daniels who will be illustrating both it and <em>American Vampires </em>and he seems to like it as well. But it's been a real task and when it was finished I put my feet up for an afternoon and watched the football - alas I am a fan of English football. You can't live in my house and not be -Mary my wife is a big fan of Arsenal whilst my son follows Manchester United, much to my disgust I'm afraid.<br />
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I used to live in the East End of London and the only two teams you could support there were West Ham and Leyton Orient, so I finished up as a Hammers fan. They're in the Championship at the moment but are expected to come back into the Premiership - although they'd need to play better then they did today! 1-1 with Doncaster who are struggling. I should have stuck to writing this afternoon! At the moment the rugby's on - Ireland against Scotland so I'll go and watch that. I promise I won't leave it so long until my next blog.dr bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181131375456046983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352707165494509864.post-34597497669545539462012-02-17T09:58:00.000-08:002012-02-22T06:06:12.762-08:00Lovecraft and VampiresI haven't been keeping this blog up to date because things have been hectic. I've had a few medical problems - nothing major but taking up time - and I've been playing catch-up since. The health service here in Northern Ireland is a bit of a mess and I've been back and forth to get various medial tests don whilst they determine several things. With the result that I'm running behind on the Lovecraft book. However I've hopefully sorted things out with the terrific help of Gina my editor and we're certainly on track for publication.<br />
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I was barely out of hospital when there were problems with one of the community projects that I'm working on which required my time as I'm chair of the entire project. That held me up as well but New Page have been very understanding and Gina and I are working towards a final edit. So the book shouldn't be delayed.<br />
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American Vampires is also generating a lot of interest. I was on the Barb Adams show last weekend and we could really have talked for much longer. Barb very kindly e-mailed me and invited me back for a more in-depth interview. Some of the things which we were going over on the Vampires book - for example a vampire chair and a vampire well - seem to have appealed to her. So listen out for that when the book comes out - I should be doing several interviews.<br />
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Oh and went to see <em>The Woman in Black </em>as part of a birthday treat - Valentine's Day is my birthday. It was excellent in places - lots of spooky atmosphere although I wasn't too impressed with Daniel Radcliffe's acting which seemed a bit wooden to me. Very much like Harry Potter for my liking. But it did have good bits - even if some pieces were borrowed from other ghost stories - and it really is good to see a really spooky story on screen instead of what passes for "horror" these days. Now if somebody would do <em>A Turn of the Screw </em>by Henry James which is also one of my favourite ghost stories and works on a lot of levels. But I also do like Susan Hill's book - one of the better stories - and I did like the film. Go and see it<br />
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Shouldn't be too long for the Lovecract book - I think it's due out late Summer/early Fall. And this will give me a little time - we're already starting to think about follow up - to look at Jackers and get it onto the Amazon website. Tell you about that next blog but it's coming. Off now to get something to eat but will be back soondr bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181131375456046983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352707165494509864.post-9586004409233601942012-01-28T11:15:00.000-08:002012-01-31T06:16:35.639-08:00Cthulhu and Other ThingsFirst, bear with me for a moment as I'd like to thank all those who wrote to me concerning the Sandie Williams thing. I think Sandie has the right to express her opinion and if she wants to write to me again, I would welcome the mail. If she doesn't like my work or thinks it's not up to speed then that's her privilege - she has access to more of her family records than I have but that's fine. I hope she finds some of my work acceptable and my thanks to those of you who clearly do. It gives me great heart.<br />
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Right. Now out of hospital which wasn't all that pleasant an experience and held up a lot of my writing. But I think that it was worth all the hassle and am feeling a great deal better. However, they need to keep taking blood samples to check my status and I suspect that our National Health service now owns more of my blood than I do. I had to take a couple of days more or less off - my wife insisted that I take a rest after what I'd been through - and I've been running like a mad thing ever since trying to catch up.<br />
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I'm still working on <em>A Haunted Mind </em>and we're almost there. This is going to be a massive book - quite possibly one of the longest and most complex that I've ever written - but it's been really revealing. I've learned a lot about Lovecraft and his inspiration since I've been doing it and it has taken me into byways which I've found amazing. I've also found it one of the most difficult to write as I want to get a lot of things right and it meant really going ino the Mythos and making connections. I've had to look at not only the books but at role playing games and comics - which was really no real hardship for me as I'm a big comics fan - in order to get some sense of continuity from the Mythos.<br />
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I've been talking some of the aspects of the book over with Gina , my editor - since I wasn't sure about the length of time I'd be in hospital I've been sending her up sections of the book as I finish them so that we have something to work on - and we think that this is going to be a fairly detailed book and one wich I truly hope will be a good contribution to the Mythos. But you will determine that.<br />
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Now a quick query. Some of you know that I've a page on Amazon as well and I was thinking of using that to test out some chapters of a new SF novel. Don't tell New Page but I've been working on a couple of space novels in secret! If you'd be interested in seeing the fruits of my work, I may put them up on Amazon in the next few months or so. I've been talking to Adrian who does some of the comics with me - I had a meeting with him on Tuesday - and he may even do a cover for it. Then we might do an e-book or something - we'll see what the response is like. But would you be interested?<br />
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It's very different to the stuff that I do for New Page but those that have read it like it so I'm thinking of going with it. Let me know what any of you think anyway. Must go as there's something to eat ready but will be back again . See, I'm writing more of these. Will let you know as soon as <em>A Haunted Mind </em>is finished and then it's on to <em>American Vampires </em>for which I've just done the Catlaogue Copy! The work of a writer is never done!dr bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181131375456046983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352707165494509864.post-75271064582821108702012-01-03T05:11:00.000-08:002012-01-12T06:48:47.258-08:00Happy New YearI've been meaning to get onto this blog for a couple of days but haven't quite managed it. I've been up to my eyes with the two new books.<br />
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However I did want to wish you all a Happy New Year and I hope that for you all 2012 will be a good one.<br />
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What prompted me to write this is an e-mail I received through Career Publicity from a Sandie Williams taking me to task about part of what I had written about the Cornish pellar Tamsin Blight. She claims that the Blights arte ancestors of hers, and I have no reason to doubt her, and that she had obviously done a fair amount of geneogical research into her ancestry and I had "got it wrong". I have tried to get in contact with her to explain a few things but curiously I am told that the e-mail address she has quoted does not exist so I thought I'd use this function to reply. Please bear with me for a moment whilst I answer her.<br />
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Firstly Sandie you send the communication to Career Press which was the wrong publisher. They are not the publishers of <b><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mysterious-Celtic-Mythology-American-Folklore/dp/158980743X">Mysterious Celtic Mythology</a></i></b> and indeed have nothing to do with it. Had you checked the publisher you would have found it was Pelican Press in Louisiana.<br />
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That aside, I did not have the ancestral archives that you - having taken a person al interest in the family - would have at your disposal so I am therefore grateful for any information which you might be able to furnish, although I feel you did not have to be so abusive.<br />
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My source on Tamsin Blight was William Bottrell who as you may know is regarded as one of the foremost Cornish folklorists and whose work is widely quoted in many Universities and colleges. He wrote several pamphlets on her. However, as you point out that his work is supect, I will only use it again with qualifications. Thank you for this information.<br />
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Also puzzling is the reference which you say I make to Aleister Crowley as a woman - I have looked through the relevant section mentioned quote and can find no reference to that. Perhaps you have a different edition of the book and if so perhaps you could furnish me with the details so that I can get in contact with the publisher regarding it.<br />
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I don't know whether Sandie reads my blog - she would have found it much easier to contact me through this than by bothering publishers who have nothing to do with the book in question but I will be pleased to answer any questions that she has.<br />
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Right, apologies for all that but as I said, I could find no other way of contacting her.<br />
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In the meantime <b><i><a href="http://www.newpagebooks.com/?section=home&product_id=519">A Haunted Mind</a></i></b> - which is published by Career/New Page - goes apace. Both Christmas and New Year were quiet. I only went and saw Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows which was something of an effort for me. As you all may know I'm a great Sherlock Holmes fan and struggle with anything that's outside the framework of the original books. But it wasn't bad. And I went and saw Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol which was the latest Tom Cruise vehicle - all absolute nonsense but good fun. Too much Cruise though - it's over 20 minutes too long and I gather he wanted that to keep in onscreen. But go and see them both. And peace and prosperity in 2012 to you all - Sandie Williams included!dr bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181131375456046983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352707165494509864.post-6244787446684390332011-12-22T10:41:00.000-08:002011-12-27T10:37:17.105-08:00Happy ChristmasThis is just a quick blog to wish everybody a Happy Christmas and hopefully a wonderful 2012.<br />
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It has to be quick as I don't know when I've been so far behind - Christmas seems to have crept up on me this year and the last couple of days I've been running about like a mad thing trying to catch up. Thankfully I've a lot of the tasks done but there's still one or two which I hope to get done tomorrow. Still Mary and the children are now off school and this afternoon they insisted that I was working too hard and that they would take me out.<br />
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The good/bad thing <depending>is that I live right across a fual carriageway from a cinema and bowling centre complex and so we went and saw the new <em>Sherlock Holmes </em>movie when I suppose I should have been working. I'm a big Sherlock Holmes fan and have all the stories - the Sherlock Holmes I enjoyed most was Jeremy Brett, even though the role killed him and I don't think anyone comes close. But Robert Downey Jnr. was a lot of fun - it doesn't really have to be Sherlock Holmes, it could have been anybody. But I enjoyed it as did Mary and the children. </depending><br />
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<depending>The film I'm <em>really </em>looking forward to seeing is <em>The Woman in Black </em>with Daniel Radcliffe. I really enjoyed the book - one of my favourites - and I've even seen the stage play. The children are looking forward to seeing it because "Harry Potter's" in it, well you know what I mean. I've never been a big fan of Harry Potter though Mary and the children have read all the books and I have seen all the films. The first ones were o.k. but I couldn't get into the later ones at all. But I am looking forward to Susan Hill's work. </depending><br />
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<depending>Now I have to get back to work or Career will be on my back. Happy Christmas and we'll all talk in the New Year all being well.</depending>dr bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181131375456046983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352707165494509864.post-36340731188278910222011-12-17T13:55:00.000-08:002011-12-27T10:39:17.338-08:00More MusicA lot of people must be reading these blogs because some of them have contacted me about my taste in music.<br />
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I may have said that at one time I played in a band - and that I did a session man for the late Jim Morrison. All those who are Jim Morrison fans looks away now because I did not find him all that pleasant an individual. They say you should never meet your heroes as you'll only be disappointed and although I was never a massive fan of the Doors - I did like some of the stuff they did and have several of their albums - I think I expected more of him.<br />
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His main fault as far as I was concerned is that he was too full of his own importance and he was surrounded by a number of sycophants. In another setting I have no doubt he would have been a very nice individual but I suppose you can only judge as you find. I've also met Mick Jagger very briefly in Amsterdam but didn't get close enough to be able to form a proper opinion.<br />
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Maybe I'm misjudging Morrison. My daughter is heavily into music and on Thursday we went to hear her sing solo in the local cathedral as part of her school carol service and then we went over to a nearby town as the Northern Area Orchesta in which she plays lead violin were playing at the Mayor's Christmas Concert.<br />
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I suppose we all get this from my grandfather who was a great musician. He could practically play any instrument that was set down in front of him. There were all sorts o people coming through our house at one time.<br />
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But enough about music. I'm up to my eyes trying to get the Haunted Mind book out of the way - I'm hoping to have it in with New Page by the beginning of February but it's the most detailed book that I've attempted so far. I'm hoping that Lovecraft fans will love it so watch this space.<br />
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A lot of interest in American Vampires too - that will be out later next year and I think will be slightly different from any other vampire book that's been brought out.<br />
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My wife is asking for a cup of tea so I'd better go. Will write another entry before Christmas I hope. Thanks for all your good wishes.dr bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181131375456046983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352707165494509864.post-35024046646132841392011-12-11T10:55:00.000-08:002011-12-14T06:49:39.551-08:00More Haunted Minds and a bit on MusicI'm trying to keep these blogs up but it's not easy. Under a great deal of pressure to get <em>A Haunted Mind </em>and <em>American Vampires </em>off to New Page.<br />
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The latter has sparked a lot of interest but I think the Lovecraft book will do so as well. I've been working on a section where I examine the main books in Lovecraft - the <em>Necronomicon, the Cultes des Goules, the Book of </em>Eibon etc and ask if there could be any truth behind them or ancient texts which were comparable.<br />
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Then it's on to the beings and creatures in the Mythos - could there be anything behind them. And then the places which Lovecraft and others talk about, could they be based on something as well? The results are surprising I think. O<br />
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n another topic - and I'll deal with some questions I've received here - some people have asked what sort of music I like. I have actually done part of the sleeve notes for a "metal" band - I hope I've got that right - who have brought out a dark album based around vampires, in particular Abhartach the Irish vampire. But my taste changes.<br />
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My son has got me into a lot of dance music and some of it is actually quite good - I'm listening to the <em>album Free Wired </em>by the Far East Movement which isn't bad. However, today I've been listening to an album which has remained one of my favourites for a while. It's a compilation of Irish tunes by the terrific Margaret Barry "the Queen of the Tinkers". Margaret Barry was an Irish travelling woman who lived for a while in both England and America and who had the rare distinction of being photographed alongside Bob Dylan and Joan Baez at the Newport Folk Festival.<br />
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In Ireland she was regarded as something of a travelling musician - she played the banjo and the fiddle and she was a singer of Irish ballads. Some of you may know that my grandfather, with whom I was raised, was also a traditional fiddle player and he knew Margaret Barry well. As a child she was in our house on several occasions and when my grandmother moved home after his death, she received a photo of Margaret taken in 1980, two days before she died in the hospital in Banbridge, Co. Down, sitting in a chair with a bottle of stout. Her voice is that great "tinker voice" that was common amongst travelling women singers, heavily tinged with a Cork accent and I still have a great love for that. The compilation is just as she recorded it without any technology and that's the sort of music I grew up with. I recall seeing Margaret Barry in the early 1970s singing on a street corner outside the public toilets in Smithfield in Belfast and she was a powerful woman and I'm glad to say she still remembered me.<br />
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I'm getting a bit nostalgic but maybe it's the time of year and now would be a good place to stop. Will talk again before Christmas I'm sure but now off to listen to some more Margaret Barry!dr bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181131375456046983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352707165494509864.post-3771141213314106602011-12-04T11:22:00.000-08:002011-12-14T06:52:02.439-08:00Shattered MindsI said I would keep this blog up on a regular basis but the people at Career are working me so hard that I'm finding it difficult to get anywhere near them! Seriously, I am really up to my eyes in work.<br />
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The Lovecraft book <em>A Haunted Mind </em>which will be out next year is a lot of fun but it's also a lot of work if you want to get it right. This means I have to read very quickly through a lot of Lovecraft fiction as well as biographies of the man, commentaries on his work and role playing games. There are people out there who must live and breathe Lovecraft and who must own nearly everything he has ever written or that others in the Mythos have written or what has been written about him.<br />
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I'm nowhere near that league which I think is a good thing as it gives a bit of distance and objectivity to the project. So whilst my work may not be as intense as some of the stuff I'm reading I hope it will give a balanced view of his work. Don't be expecting a fan's view because whilst I enjoy his work I'm certainly not one of those all or nothing fans. In fact the one thing I've learned about Lovecraft is that I don 't think he's the sort of person you could have sat down with and had a friendly chat about football or something like that!<br />
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And as I argue in the book, perhaps that was one of his strengths as it gave a greater intensity to his vision. But doing this research - and trying to actually get inside the mind of Lovecraft - is quite a task in itself. But I hope that I'm doing it justice.<br />
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I'm also trying to finish off the <em>American Vampires </em>book as well. We're looking at it on a kind of geographical basis - although not exactly state by state - and we've decided we need a few more areas. So I'm momentarily concentrating on the swamps and bayous of Louisiana which is a fascinating place. Especially as I've been there.<br />
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One night we were driving back through the swamps between a couple of the bayou villages. It was pitch dark and suddenly the car headlights picked out something white moving along the side of the road. One of the guys in the car suggested that it was a haunt but as we drew closer we saw that it was a huge black man, wearing a white shirt and walking along with his arms wide, oblivious to our car.<br />
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I would have stopped to see if he was all right but the guys in the car, who came from the area, said not to -they spoke of a group in the swamps called <em>Le Cochon Gris </em>or the Grey Pig, which was a name for human flesh. These were voodoo people who were also cannibals and the man in the white shirt could be one of their numberr. A scarey moment on a back road in 1970s Louisiana. I'm beginning to scare myself so I'll end here and get a rest.<br />
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Talk about a haunted mind - mine's shattered. But thanks to Gina who has been reading over the material at New Page. I'm not sure what I'd do without her for an editor. Off to get something to eat. Where has the year gone?dr bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181131375456046983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352707165494509864.post-82880572312187476672011-11-28T07:43:00.000-08:002011-12-14T06:52:13.729-08:00Haunted MindsThe last couple of weeks have been frantic.<br />
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As some of you may know I am the chair of five different community projects right across Northern Ireland and unfortunately I'm not the kind of chairperson who can sit back and do nothing. And the projects are quite demanding.<br />
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One for example has been set up on a local estate to help one parent families attain education. It provides a creche and a number of other facilities such as laundry services etc mainly for young mothers on the estate. It actually started out as a women's drop in centre but has now a turnover of a few million pounds. Consequently it is run almost like a business - I was in at the start of it and I suppose myself and the Committee are victims of our own success - and it needs a Chairperson working closely with the Business and Project Manager to keep it even going. Recently it's been extended to include domestic abuse - started out with abuse towards females but now has been extended to include abuse towards males which is a growing problem on the estate and in Northern Ireland in general. There is no comparable organisation in Northern Ireland so we've been starting from scratch.<br />
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That's just one of the projects I chair and as you can probably see it takes up a lot of time - especially as everything requires a report, evaluation and assessment. We have meetings tomorrow with the police to look at abuse referrals from them and from the courts, so it's pretty steady going.<br />
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In the middle of things I'm writing the new Lovecraft book <b><a href="http://newpagebooks.com/?section=home&product_id=519">A Haunted Mind</a></b>. It's hard going - there are so many Lovecraft fans out there that you want to get your information right because there are people who eat and breathe the Mythos. I don't think that there is another Lovecraft book like it in the market - see when it comes out and let me know what you think.<br />
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At the moment I'm going through the books of the Mythos in order to see if they could be based on some actual works and where Lovecraft and others might have got his inspiration for them from.<br />
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As well as that I'm working on <b>American Vampires</b> which will be following closely on the heels of A Haunted Mind. This has been a lot of fun but it's taken a lot of research too. I hope you will like the result.<br />
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So just eating sleeping and working. But I think the reults will be worth it. I'm also working on cannibal cults at the moment for the <strong>Cultes des Goules </strong>which may have had its origins in actual historical events. I'll not say any more - you'll have to buy the book when it comes out. Off now to grab a bit to eat and then back to American Vampires and Skinwalkers. It never ends!dr bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181131375456046983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352707165494509864.post-69636429087103219892011-11-22T02:10:00.000-08:002011-11-29T08:44:48.097-08:00American VampiresI know I said that I'd keep these blogs - this and the <em>Bogstandard Comix</em> one going on a regular basis but it's been proving very difficult. I've been really under pressure over the past few months with both writing and community work and doing interviews on the books. Thankfully the interviews are easing off a bit but I'm still doing the odd one.<br />
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The community and historical work is taking on more and more impetus - I've just got involved in what will hopefully be a new project on the Spanish Armada as well as one celebrating 400 years of a local Council. All this on the top of about five committees which I chair and which run projects in various parts of Northern Ireland and writing briefing papers for various committees. I'm also trying to write two books simultaneously. One is A Haunted Mind which is on Lovecraft.<br />
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I enjoying doing it but it's such a complex subject and so much has been written for die-hard fans whom I want to keep happy, that it's quite a challenge. The other book is American Vampires which I've found fascinating to do but there is a vast amount of research to it. This looks as the various culture blocks within America and how the respective vampiric creatures have emerged out of this. Forget Buffy or Twilight - vampires are different all over America, just as they are all over the world. A vampire comes out of a different cultural background in say South Carolina than it does in New York State or in New Mexico. I need to keep on top of that - but I really do think that both books will be fascinating and hopefully very informative.<br />
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I'm also excited about the new digital books which should be out in 2012 and which I've signed the contracts for. I'll keep you all posted as to these.<br />
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Well I'd better get back to the books or New Page will be reminding me of my contract. I've bee watching and recording the new Spielberg television <em>series Terra Nova </em>which both my son and I are watching. It's good and no money has been spared on it, but don't you think it's a bit predictable - sort of like a Star Trek with dinosaurs? Maybe it will become more interesting - it's very formulaeic at the moment.<br />
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Anyway, I promise I'll try and do these more often, though I might have said that before.dr bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181131375456046983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352707165494509864.post-63240308876049719302011-10-30T11:16:00.000-07:002011-11-29T08:44:55.474-08:00Going DigitalI think I'm falling behind a bit with these blogs.<br />
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The past few weeks have been so busy that I really haven't had time to write them. And I've been suffering a bit of a reaction to a 'flu jab which I got a couple of weeks ago which has turned into a very minor chest infection. Not enough to floor me but enough to slow me down a little bit.<br />
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However, I've been able to keep on with my projects one of which is a new one on the Spanish Armada in Ireland which is very exciting. We're looking at the trail o a survivor from the Armada who treked his way overland from Sligo to North Antrim - Francisco de Cuellar and his adventures read like a novel. All good stuff possibly for future tourist material.<br />
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The other big thing is that New Page have been contact with me and we're doing a deal with a company to produce enhanced e-books. Now for an old technological dinosaur like me I'm not fully sure what this is but I know it's a book which can be downloaded to a tablet or new Amazon Kindle device which also includes animation, interviews with the author and the like - maybe even movies. I'm assured that they're the next step in modern fiction and that this new company is most impressive. I'm all for the advance of technology but I still like the feel and smell of an actual book. They'll never take that away from me but I suppose I can give it a go. The people at New Page are very excited about this and who am I to stand in the way of progress.<br />
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I'm told that the book company will want to interview and film me for the "extras" on the book and will be doing it next year. They're doing quite a lot of my back catalogue too so maybe all of you who want to ask me to expand further on some things will get your wish.<br />
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Anyway, I think that the first of the new books will be out next October all being well. My son who is heavily into technological things is also very excited about this as well, so maybe I'm doing something right. It's the future I'm told and I'm not going to argue. It'll be interesting to see what it's like. You'vbe all been warned well in advance! I'd fortify yourselves with strong drink now!dr bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181131375456046983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352707165494509864.post-48471125854201985292011-10-16T11:40:00.001-07:002011-10-18T08:16:51.985-07:00In the Wee HoursWhere is the time going? I promised that I'd do more on this blog and I haven't been able to find the time.<br />
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I've been up to my eyes in interviews on the radio - mostly in the States but in oher parts of the world as well. For instance this morning I was up at 3 am to speak to Brisbane and then at 5 am I was speaking to Boulder in Colorado. It really wasn't worth my while going to bed - you roll in and in you're so frightened of actually sleeping through the alarm, or at least I am, that you can't sleep anyway. So it's just as handy to get up and do some work. The only thing is that I'm writing this and I'm absolutely zonked. They didn't tell me this when I started being a writer. We finished this morning about 7 but as I'm usually up by that time anyway, there seemed very little point in heading back to bed.<br />
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Earlier in the week I did Burlington in North Carolina and I've also done Baltimore and Newcastle upon Tyne in England. Next Sunday night I'm speaking on the <a href="http://www.para-help.com/sfr/">Strange Frequencies</a> radio show - I'm not sure where that comes from as I'm starting to lose track and before that 10/19 on the <a href="http://www.mancow.com/">Mancow Muller</a> show which I think is somewhere in Illinois.<br />
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The new book - <a href="http://newpagebooks.com/?section=home&product_id=501">The World's Creepiest Places</a> - is now out and seems to be generating some interest as does the article on poltergeists in <a href="http://newpagebooks.com/?section=home&product_id=488">Ghosts, Spirits & Hauntings</a>. I did an interview on that this morning with Barb Adams in Colorado.<br />
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Still finishing American Vampires and have got another section of <a href="http://newpagebooks.com/?section=home&product_id=519">A Haunted Mind</a> almost completed which is the new book on Lovecraft. I've seen the cover for this which Ian Damiels hs done and it's terrific.<br />
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Anyway, I'm heading off to bed early as I'm really getting too old to be sitting up all night - though it never used to bother me when I was younger. I promise I will keep this blogsite better updated in future. Oh and buy the <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">World's Creepiest Places</span></b> - you'll not be disappointed unless you're looking for a book on quantum physics!dr bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181131375456046983noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352707165494509864.post-6617484320306660922011-09-17T12:31:00.000-07:002011-09-27T10:57:11.410-07:00A Haunted MindI'm neglecting this site rather badly.<br />
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I keep meaning to add to the blog but somehow at the moment I can never find the time.<br />
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A lot of my community work has taken a step up and I'm working on new projects. These seem to be taking more and more time - or else I'm just getting older and they're taking me far longer - and whilst I say I'll write a bit of a blog I never really get round to it. I'm also trying to finish off American Vampires - almost done - as well as a couple of other writing projects which will appear in the fullness of time hopefully.<br />
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And I've been asked to do more tv work - I believe that I'm on television on the <a href="http://www.history.com/shows/ancient-aliens">Ancient Aliens</a> programme but we don't get it over here. I wouldn't watch it anyway as I hate seeing myself on tv. But it must be going down o.k. as they've asked me to do more,<br />
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And the big news is that <a href="http://newpagebooks.com/?section=home&product_id=501">The World's Creepiest Places</a> has been printed - in fact I have a copy sitting in front of me - and should be available as from the 5th October, I think. I'm snowed under with requests for interviews and am trying to sort them out, so be prepared for me on radio stations everywhere. I've already done some of them and I think some are appearing as podcasts already.<br />
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Also the next book has been agreed with New Page. This is the Lovecraft book and it's called <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #9fc5e8;">A Haunted Mind</span></b>. I had suggested "Eldrich Worlds" but when I was doing up the scheme for the book, I called the Introduction, which is about Lovecraft himself and who he was "A Haunted Mind" and they loved it and decided to call the book that. Which means I've got to think up another title for the Introduction!<br />
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I've also started a new science-fiction novel which is about time travel and is set in the American Civil War. What if something had shifted the balance of history, which might be more fragile than we realise, and the South had won? Such an event in itself might not be ompletely shattering but what if it had ramifications further down the line And what if there were more timelines than our own? We'll see where this one goes.<br />
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By the way did anyone see <a href="http://www.starz.com/originals/torchwood/Pages/title.aspx?src=starz_mktg&med=referral&cmp=torchwood&cid327">Torchwood</a> recently and more importantly did anyone understand it? My son and I sat through ten episodes of Miracle Day - my wife and daughter having given up after the third episode - and we were still no wiser. There were far too many unanswered questions and, dare I say it, the whole adventure was unnecessarily gay. I have absolutely nothing against gayness but did all the innuendo and reference add anything to the plot? Maybe it did and I missed it. Anyway I'll get back to my writing.<br />
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I promise not so leave it so long until the next post.dr bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181131375456046983noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7352707165494509864.post-35244084326842436132011-08-15T08:49:00.000-07:002011-08-16T11:22:16.185-07:00Time And Time AgainWell, the new book on<b><a href="http://newpagebooks.com/?section=home&product_id=488"> Ghosts and Hauntings</a></b> is out - and a good volume it is too - and ready to buy whilst<a href="http://newpagebooks.com/?section=home&product_id=501"> <b>The World's Creepiest Places</b></a> is done and off to the printers. I think that New Page are releasing it a wee bit earlier than they had planned, as we're ahead of schedule. <div>
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<br /></div><div>Still working on the <b>American Vampires</b> book and the new book for New Page looks as if it will be on Lovecraft - the title is still to be worked out, although we do have a working title. So doing some specimen work for them on that. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>At the moment my son is dragging me in to watch a boxed television set which I bought recently. It's the Time Tunnel from the 1960s and he's quite hooked. Can I admit that I was a big Irwin Allen fan? I truly loved his Lost In Space - it was the magnificent Jonathan Harris which made it for me as Dr. Smith and I have a full boxed set of all the series - and I enjoyed Richard Basehart in Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea as well as Land of the Giants. I've always loved The Time Tunnel, even though it ran for only one series. So whilst it has been pouring with rain outside, he and I have watched episodes of it. I also had a look at the 2002 remake which looked interesting and deals with the changes in history which even the smallest alteration can make. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>It made me haul out the basis for an old sci-fi series that I wrote once upon a time - well actually two or three years ago - about a time agency. Time travel and how it can change our own world has always fascinated me. This one deals with the American Civil War and how the timeline can be altered if the South had somehow won - what would a subsequent America be like if say Robert E. Lee had become president? I read through what part of it exists - almost half the book - and it's not all that bad. It can do with revisions but I might dust it down and have a look around for a publisher. I'm not all that well up in sci-fi publishers but Ill see what I can do. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>I have a series somewhere in the back of my head. But the Creepiest Places should be out soon. Hope you like it and the places that I've chosen. I had a lot of fun writing it and Ian's artwork is stunning. More to come,e specially on time travel!
<br /></div>dr bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181131375456046983noreply@blogger.com0