"Is all we see or seem, but a dream within a dream?"

 

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News From Planet Me

During the four months since last I strolled along this stretch of the information superhighway: chrissie_harper and I produced two more news items for Big Centre TV, just before it was taken over by the Made TV network; then began submitting material to its successor, Made in Birmingham TV (one of these, an interview with horror author Adam Nevill, is also earmarked for a print appearance in the magazine Fear). Image quality should be improved by my investment in a Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera, which also brings Chrissie's and my film-making plans a step closer.

Meanwhile, I've continued to write movie reviews for Britain's longest-running horror magazine, The Dark Side, and have just been asked to provide a column for its forthcoming sf-themed sister title Infinity.

The Birmingham Horror Group entered its second year in December and recently announced the first Birmingham FearFest for late May. The next monthly meeting's on Saturday, when I'll be screening Romero's Night of the Living Dead.

You'll find my work-related blog here.

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News From Planet Me




Following my guest appearance back in July on regional cable channel Big Centre TV, I've been acting as resident 'roving reporter' for its cinema magazine The Big Picture. The first item featured me interviewing the general manager of Birmingham's Mockingbird Theatre, the second (which airs in just over seven hours) has me chatting the director of the Flatpack Film Festival, and there's a third scheduled for next week which my colleague Chrissie and I shot at the city's Blue Orange Theatre. They'll all be available soon at our YouTube channel, which is where you'll also find my vidcast Ghostwords TV.

In other news, our first comics collaboration -- a regular strip for the horror magazine The Dark Side -- makes its debut in November.

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Eight Years On

 

There are a number of dates which weigh heavy upon my mind these days, and 29 July is among them. It's eight years - and a matter of hours - since I watched over my wife Ann as she slipped away from me, but the event feels as near to me still as though it's in the next room.

I won't pretend that much of the intervening period slid just as easily out of my grasp. It's true that I stood for the TransAtlantic Fan Fund in 2009, won, toured parts of both Canada and the United States (with an unexpected reprise visit for the 2013 Corflu), eventually chairing my third Novacon in 2014. However, much of the rest is a blur, unencumbered by any real purpose or achievement.

The past nine months have, I'm pleased to say, seen some movement back into focus. I began writing movie reviews for The Dark Side, Britain's longest-running horror magazine. Along with the assistance of my friend/lodger/colleague Chrissie, I launched Ghostwords TV, a video channel. We're also putting together plans to produce video/editorial content for DVD/Blu-ray labels and a local cable channel.

There are times when I wonder if it's really worth it. Actually, that's most of the time. But, let's be frank, the alternative is bleaker. And this way, I still get to hang out with my friends.

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News From Planet me


Photo by Chrissie Harper

That's me on the left, talking to host Carl Jones on last night's episode of the Big Centre TV show The Big Picture. We recorded it the previous afternoon at the channel's Walsall studio.

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News from Planet Me

Not much, to be honest. I had a cold, gave it to my lodger Chrissie. Oh, and the Birmingham Horror Group had quite a decent Saturday night, with guest author Stan Nicholls.

Meanwhile, Chrissie's dog Fred has become convinced I'm a vending machine for biscuits, activated by the pedal inside my left slipper.

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Dog Days [13]

Chrissie and I took her dog Fred to his groomer yesterday, with the usual impressive results. Here's a before-and-after comparison.

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News from Planet Me


The inaugural episode of Ghostwords TV is now available online, featuring an interview with Ramsey Campbell, news and reviews, editorial opinion and a personal tribute to David Bowie. You can subscribe to the feed here.

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News from Planet Me



Much to my own surprise, I am about to embark on a new 'career' as a vidcaster, with a fortnightly genre-themed show on YouTube, Ghostwords TV. The first episode features me chatting with my old friend Ramsey Campbell, plus segments on David Bowie, Steve Ditko's new comics and Doctor Who.

Please subscribe to our channel here. The more subscribers we have, the more we can achieve with the show.

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Spam of the Day
"Naturally, this is one of the swimming pool celebration concepts you could use and we’re not referring to living fireflies."

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News From Planet Me

 

Well, it's official: I have now joined the Blu-ray / DVD review team at The Dark Side, alongside James Khoda and editor Allan Bryce. You'll find me in issue #171, assessing The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane and the first-season boxset of Dark Matter.

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News From Planet Me

 

The Spread Eagle pub, Acocks Green, Birmingham, 5 December 2015: the inaugural meeting of the Birmingham Horror Group.

From left: Ray Holloway, James Brogden, Chrissie Harper, Louise Palfreyman, yours truly, with honorary president Ramsey Campbell on-screen.

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News From Planet Me

 

 Solihull Observer, 3 December 2015

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News From Planet Me

Cooked trottole trichlore pasta for Chrissie and myself tonight, but felt the 190g jar of Sainsbury red pesto sauce needed a little bulking up.

 
Here are the chopped vegetables I put together: tomato, red pepper, green pepper, garlic, red onion, Spanish onion, cucumber.

 
These were then sautéed in a little olive oil, after which I poured any remaining oil into the saucepan I was using to cook the pasta.

 
Finally, I added the pesto sauce, plus a little freshly ground salt and pepper, then warmed this through whilst taking our pasta over to the sink for draining. Once that was done, the contents of both pans were combined (except for the spoonful of plain pasta Fred demands as his tithe) and dished out in bowls. Rather yummy it was, too, even if I say it myself.

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666: The Number of the Tweets

 

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In Passing...

 

Looks like those budget cuts have really undermined the BBC's plans to create a show to rival Game of Thrones...

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News From Planet Me



Thought I should remind folks that I have a growing archive of articles and reviews over at the Ghostwords website. The latest additions include a review of the new Dark Matter DVD. Feedback always most welcome.

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Dog Days [12]

Just in case anyone was concerned by Fred's recent absence from these pages, here are a selection of Chrissie's recent shots of him. As you can see, he's rather more friendly towards her than he is to me.

      

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Dog Days [11]

As you can see from these charming portraits of Fred from earlier this evening, my furry chum is as friendly towards me as ever.

 

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News From Planet Me

 

As previously mentioned, I've begun the process of archiving essays, interviews and criticism at my new website. As well as Arrow's recent Theatre of Blood Blu-ray, you'll find reviews of novels by the likes of Ramsey Campbell, Graham Joyce, Christopher Fowler, Terry Pratchett, Kim Newman, D G Compton and Shaun Hutson. More will follow in due course.

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