I have some exciting writing news that, to be perfectly honest, I'm chuffed to bits with. As of last week, when I signed the contract, I became a writer for The Book Folks.
Although the bulk of my published work is horror, I got some great feedback on my novellas Drive and Polly, both of which were dark thrillers. To that end, as long-time readers of the blog will know, I've spent the last few years working on mainstream thriller novels and going through every writers nightmare of submission and rejection (and rejection, trust me, absolutely does not get any easier whether it's the first, the tenth or the fiftieth).
But now my books have a home and I couldn't be happier.
JENNY WAS A FRIEND OF MINE will be published in early 2022. Here's the tag-line I put together as part of the submission package.
Forced to confront a dark secret she’s spent fifteen years trying to bury, Beth discovers that sometimes, the past is murder.
Set in Seagrave, a British seaside town that feels very much like Great Yarmouth and is, indeed, just down the coast from Lowestoft, the novel is told in two timelines and was great fun to write. I started it just before the pandemic and it (the story and the town) became a lovely place for me to visit, to get away from reality for a while and ended up at 208k words in first draft (the fourth draft, which Erik at The Book Folks accepted, was 95k words). Plotted out with my good friend David during a walk one Friday evening, it took a few twists and turns in its progress from idea to finished tale and features tension and suspense, some scary parts, some funny bits and a few sad moments too. I'm really proud of it and very pleased it will start my career with The Book Folks.
JENNY will be followed by:
HANGMAN
HUNTED
and a fourth novel, which isn't even planned yet.
A huge thanks to everyone who has helped me get to this point, who's either supported me, listened to me (like poor Dude, who endured countless lockdown walks over the fields, listening patiently as I worked through ideas for JENNY and gave me a few of his own), offered advice or read my stuff and liked it enough to tell me. And, of course, David for those brainstorming sessions and the Friday Night Walks with Pippa.
Once I have more details on the books and their publication dates, I'll let you know all about them.
Blimey, welcome to my 900th post! After deciding to stick to a regular posting schedule (every Monday), I've thoroughly enjoyed working on the blog (especially in the depths of the pandemic) and, as ever, I'm surprised at how much I've managed to fit in since the last milestone catch up.
Since the 800th post (back in July 2019), life has been a bit weird (to say the least), but the blog's been consistent and something very nice for me to get lost into. In that time, I've had two short stories published, Mr Stix came out as an e-book and I self-published my novella The Exercise (which became, briefly, the No.1 Amazon Hot New Release!). I also wrote another thriller novel (the previous two didn't attract agency interest, sadly) and remembered my first time in print.
The past two years have been an odd time, with more than half of it spent in various forms of lockdown and I've really missed the interaction of friends and family. Stay safe and healthy and here's looking forward to post 1000.
Continuing a tradition (the seventh occasion!), here's my annual look back at the year from a creative standpoint.
During the year I wrote two short stories (one of which Phil Sloman was kind enough to ask me for, see below for details) and a lot of essays for this blog (which is always enjoyable). Most of my creative time was focussed on novels and all the attendant work to do with the admin of submitting them. The second thriller novel, with the working title Hunted, went out to a lot of agencies and got some decent feedback but no bites. I revised my first novel Hangman and re-sent that out too. In the meantime, I started work on Novel 3 (I'm calling it Death At The Seaside but that won't stick) and, once again, hugely enjoyed the plotting process while out walking with David Roberts and Pippa.
* * *
I had one short story published.
Compass Wood appeared in The Woods, a Hersham Horror Books PentAnth anthology edited by Phil Sloman. It was launched at Edge-Lit 8.
At the launch of The Woods, on stage at Edge-Lit 8 with, from left - James, Penny Jones, me, Cate Gardner, Simon B and Duncan Bradshaw (pic courtesy of Laura Mauro)
* * *
Ellen Datlow, as part of her Best Horror Of The Year anthology, included my short story Brooks Pond (which I wrote about here) in her Recommended Reading/Honorable Mentions List. I was amazed and even more chuffed to see I got a mention in her round-up too and you can see more of her recommendations here.
* * * My short story Mr Stix, originally published in For The Night Is Dark (edited by Ross Warren) and reprinted in my 2017 collection Things We Leave Behind, has been republished by PenMan Press as an e-chapbook available on Kindle.
When Sam Murphy's seven-year-old daughter Janey starts to suffer night terrors, he does his best to assure her that Mr Stix - a voice from the shadows who says "mean things" to her - can't hurt her.
Sam later finds the grotesque Mr Stix in the family bathroom and then his terrified wife tells him the story of her own childhood night-time fears.
* * *
Jim Mcleod, at Ginger Nuts Of Horror, included The Woods in his Picks Of Year, calling Compass Wood a "fast-paced and action-filled tale". You can read his full listing here.
Drive was reviewed by Andrew Hook at Goodreads who wrote: "If there's a definition of a page-turner, then this novella is it." You can read the full review here.
Brooks Pond from The Black Room Manuscripts 4 was reviewed by Chris Hall at DLS Reviews who wrote: "the sort of story that keeps you on your toes, thinking you know where it’s going, only for it to unexpectedly shift course. And the ending. What an ending! It’s dark, twisted and executed to absolute perfection."You can read the full review here.
Compass Wood was reviewed by Ben Walker at Kendall Reviews, who wrote: "delivers some decent frights [and] the image of the lunatic in pursuit of the story’s lead character stuck in my head for a while after the punchy ending." You can read the full review here.
The first, which Phil Sloman unfortunately couldn't get to, was a meet-up in Leicester for my 50th birthday and I wrote about it here.
The second, organised by James but without Steve Harris, saw a gang of us meet up in Nottingham to sample bookshops, the Paupers' graves and a fine curry house. I wrote about it here.
Crusties in Leicester, 2nd February 2019 from left: John Travis, Sue Moorcroft, me, Steve Harris, Linda Nagle, David Roberts, James Everington & Steve Bacon
Birthday meal at Carluccio's Leicester with me, Sue, Linda, Steve, John, Steve, James & David
Crusties in Nottingham, 15th April 2019 from left - Wayne Parkin, me, Simon Jones, Penny Jones, Selina Lock, Richard Farren Barber, James Everingon, Phil Sloman and Jay Eales
* * *
To help celebrate the publication of her 15th novel, Let It Snow, I interviewed Sue Moorcroft at Rothwell Library in November. A hugely enjoyable evening, we had a good turnout, a lively Q&A session and Sue did a reading - it also helped benefit the library, which I was really pleased about. You can read my report on the event here.
Me and Sue Moorcroft, Rothwell Library, 13th November 2019
* * *
I only attended the one Con this year, Edge-Lit 8, held at The Quad in Derby on 13th July (see my report here). Sledge-Lit was postponed for the year and FantasyCon was held in Glasgow, but the time-off requirements to travel proved sadly beyond me.
from left - me, Sue Moorcroft, Ross Warren, Peter Mark May, James Everington
from left - Simon Clark, John Travis, Steve Harris, Linda Nagle and me
* * *
I'm feeling confident for 2020 too, as I crack on with the thriller novel and, whatever happens, I'll keep you updated as to how things go.
As always, thank you so much, dear readers of this blog, for all your support in 2019, especially those who bought, read and liked my work - I really do appreciate it.
Welcome to my 800th blog post, a target I didn't anticipate achieving when I set this up back in 2009. Carrying on the regular posting schedule (every Monday other than Bank Holidays), I've once again thoroughly enjoyed working on the posts and, as always, I'm surprised at how much I've managed to fit in since the last catch-up!
I've had a good time over the past 22 months and thoroughly enjoyed myself, both creatively and in general life. Fingers crossed there's a lot more to come so roll on post 900!
Moonraker, the eleventh James Bond film in the official EON series, opened in the UK on June 28th 1979 (following its London premiere on the 26th). It was directed by Lewis Gilbert (his third and final Bond film), produced by Albert R. “Cubby” Broccoli and written by Christopher Wood. Ken Adam was the production designer, Derek Meddings supervised the special effects, John Barry wrote the score whilst John Glen edited the film and directed the second unit.
I've already written an in-depth retrospective blog about the film (which you can read here) but I didn't want to miss this opportunity to celebrate the fourth Roger Moore-era Bond film so here's something a little different.
Corgi, who held the licence for die-cast Bond models, made Moonraker their cover star for the 1979 catalogue and produced a nifty Shuttle and Drax helicopter in two sizes.
I really wanted one of these...
I only discovered this when I was writing the post, I'm now resisting the urge to try and find it on ebay...
The James Bond Moonraker annual was published by World & Whitman and featured articles (with plenty of pictures) on the making of the film, the cast and crew, Ian Fleming, the novels, the baddies, Goldfinger and You Only Live Twice. I spent ages looking in shops in nearby Kettering and Corby for a copy, finally discovering one in a little general store in Rothwell.
The fact file, from the back pages of the annual
Ken Adam's sets were inspired - and huge! The production took over three of the major studios in France.
Derek Meddings works on the plane miniature from the start of the film. All of the space sequences were shot "in camera" with the film wound back after each take, rather than be optically composited (as those for Star Wars were).
Announcing the film in Paris (from left) - Albert R Cubby Broccoli, Roger Moore, Lois Chiles, Lewis Gilbert
Roger Moore on-set with his then-wife Luisa
Roger Moore, Blanche Ravalec and Richard Kiel share a laugh between takes
Following on from the last blog (which you can read here), I thought now would be a good time to look at more of those ads we found in the comics and magazines of our youth, for toys and sweets, books, games and badges.
As before, there's a certain charm to the imagery - most of which is hand-drawn - and a sense of innocence too, a time of postal orders and things costing pennies, along with - it has to be said - an odd way of selling shoes...
Here, then, are a few more ads of our childhood, I hope they spark some memories for you...
1976
Terry Scott, dressed as an over-sized schoolboy, selling a chocolate bar that cost 3p in the 70s! I still have one of these Flip'N Fly things, there's a little tab you put in a notch on the side of the disk and use to flick it. I don't think me or Tracy ever got it into a glass, I think we often ended up shooting each other instead.
1977
Years later, while sorting through my old car toybox, which Mum & Dad kept and gave to me when Dude was born, I found some of these. They still stood up.
1977
Yo-Yo's were a big deal for a while, when I was a kid (as they were a few years back for Dude) and Trebor were obviously keen to ride the trend. But even better than a dragon playing with a Yo-Yo, check out the 10p coin to cover postage and packing! I don't think you can buy a lot of those sweets listed these days (chewy cigarettes are now candy sticks), more's the pity...
1978
As evidenced by my Star Wars At 40 thread, I was a big fan of the film back then and can imagine the stress I caused my parents on seeing this ad...
1978
1p per piece of gum - ah, the days when a 10 penny mix-bag meant you could get up to 20 items in it (if you were smart and went for the half-penny chews)... I tried to explain the concept of half-penny chews to Dude a little while back but gave up...
My parents bought me this Star Wars annual (which I still have) before we went on holiday (my sister & I were always bought a magazine to read on the way, usually the Summer Special of whatever comic we liked at the time). I loved it.
1978
The Barratt ad in the last blog was a competition to win a trip in a hot air balloon. This time, we have the opportunity to get a lot of Tom & Jerry badges.
1978
A bright spark at the ad agency realised Menzies could latch onto the then huge Star Wars market without actually including any Star Wars merchandise in the advert! To this day, I have never played Othello.
1979
Before Ceefax, Teletext or the Internet, there was the phone (and Buzby). Reading this, it feels like another age altogether, doesn't it? If there's ever another post in this sub-thread, I'll find an ad for Dial-A-Disc!
1979
10-year-old me opens his magazine, looks at this and says "Here, take my pocket money..."
1979
Proof, if it were needed, that even the most mundane of items (Jif dessert toppings!) can win by associating with current trends (space and sci-fi in this case - Star Wars was still burning up the box office, Moonraker had just opened and The Empire Strikes Back was waiting in the wings). I'm not entirely sure how this would have worked but for £1 (yay, it's a postal order!) it can't be too much of a computer...
1980
"Do you need to get petrol Dad?"
"We're going on holiday son, I imagine we'll need to get some at some point."
"Good. There's a new Smurf out..."
1981
This was a big deal at the time and I remember sending off for a pack and putting this poster on my bedroom wall (I like the Superman films).
1982
I was thirteen and already a fan of Brian Bolland (from his work on Judge Dredd) and horror films and Forbidden Planet was a shop I was desperate to go to. I didn't realise that ambition for a few more years though (and then, 30 years later, I'd be signing a book there - see my post here)
1984
Whilst it might seem odd now, somebody in 1982 decided it would be a good idea to have Weetabix advertised by a gang of bovver boys (and a bovver girl) wearing white t-shirts, drainpipe jeans and braces. Comprised of five members - Dunk was the leader, Brains was the smart one who wore glasses, Crunch was the beefy one, Bixie the girl and Brian, who just said "OK!" in the TV ads - the group was very successful, raging against “titchy breakfasts”, “airy-fairy cereals” and “breakfasts fit for sparrows”. The ad campaign ran through until 1989 and was so popular Weetabix even started a club for them.
1985
Me and my friends were 16 and for those of us not staying on for Sixth Form, work and college beckoned and the adult-making step of having to open a bank account. Midland (now known as HSBC) tried their hardest to tempt us with this little lot, though most of us would never have use for a maths set ever again.
The first of an occasional thread celebrating old-school paperback novelisations from the 70s and 80s, which are now mostly forgotten. We're not talking great art but these books have their place - they were a fantastic resource from a time when you couldn't watch your favourite film or TV show whenever you felt like it - and I think they deserve to be remembered.
This time, I'm looking at Vega$, by Max Franklin, adapted from the US TV series.
Las Vegas private detective Dan Tanna is hired by a Merle & Loretta Ochs to find their runaway teenaged daughter, Marilyn Nedloe - it's not the first time she's made a break for the lights. Tanna quickly locates her, only to find she's working as a prostitute for Larry Larry Johnson and when he breaks her free, discovers she doesn't want to go home. It appears that her stepfather, Merle, has been coming on strong and Tanna doesn't like it. But Marilyn has made a mistake and turned over a trick who is connected with the mob and soon Tanna is trying to discover who murdered her and Larry Larry. In the meantime, he's trying to stop a conman fleecing the casino, act as bodyguard to a nightclub entertainer and buy a birthday gift for his secretary's daughter.
Dan Tanna is “a hard guy for hire in a hard-hearted town” according to the cover blurb and for the most part, that’s true. Although the book maintains that Vegas is trying to keep itself clean (there’s no Mafia here), it doesn’t shy away from the sleazier side of things. Marilyn Nedloe has turned to prostitution and although she’s of age looks younger and uses that to her advantage, which is uncomfortable (though never graphically explored) while some of the violence is harsh indeed. Franklin has a snappy style, the story fairly rocks along but it does come unstuck in places, where you can see the need for a commercial break slotted into the flow of action. The main story - Marilyn and Larry Larry and why they’re killed - is well handled, even if the ending is a bit brisk, but the sub-plots (the man trying to fleece the casino and the birthday business) aren’t much more than fillers. I liked Tanna (and detected a sense of Spenser about him - and the Parker books were certainly around when this was written - especially with the gallantry but that might be because of the Urich connection), though everyone seems to know him and he seems to rely on the grace of various friends in police forces across the country to get information to crack the case. The locations are well used, Vegas seems grubby in the daylight (and this was before the glitz explosion) but I thought the book let itself down in how it treats the female characters (you could argue it was the times but Franklin also wrote for “Charlies Angels”). As it is, apart from Tanna’s main secretary Beatrice - who is well realised - the rest of the women are poorly sketched, especially Angie, Beatrice’s deputy, who is essentially an attractive bit of set dressing. That aside, this is a prime novelisation, it’s brisk and no-nonsense, does what it says on the tin and is generally quite enjoyable.
The novelisation is based on the pilot episode, High Roller, written by Michael Mann. I picked up my copy from Books and Pieces in Nottingham, on the Crusty Exterior gathering there (which you can read about here).
* * *
Judy Landers, Robert Urich, Phyllis Davis and Tony Curtis
Vega$ ran for three series, from April 1978 through to June 1981 and 69 episodes and appeared in the UK in November 1978. Produced by Aaron Spelling, it was created by Michael Mann who’d worked on American TV in the mid-70s writing scripts for Police Story and Starsky & Hutch. It appears he had little more to do with the series following the pilot he wrote and he clearly went on to bigger and better things.
The series was filmed entirely on location in Las Vegas (apart from special episodes set in Hawaii and San Francisco) and starred Robert Urich as private detective Dan Tanna, a VietNam vet on retainer to the Maxim Hotel run by Phillip Roth (played by Tony Curtis). He lived in a props warehouse and parked his car - a red 1957 Ford Thunderbird convertible - inside (which is pretty much all I can remember about the series, other than the vehicles appearances in Corgi catalogues). He was ably assisted by Bobby Borso (Bart Braverman) and his trusty secretaries Beatrice Travis (Phyllis Davis) and Angie Turner (Judy Landers), while Lt. David Nelson (Greg Morris) was his contact in the police force. Tanna’s older sister Julie (played by Catherine Hickland) appears in the pilot and novelisation but didn’t feature for the remainder of the run. Will Sampson played Harlon Twoleaf, Tanna's sergeant from his army days, but only appeared in the first series.
The name “Dan Tanna” came from Aaron Spelling’s favourite restaurant (though it was called Dan Tana’s), on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood, California.
* * *
Max Franklin was a pen name for the prolific pulp fiction writer Richard Deming. Born in Des Moines, Iowa in 1915, he gained degrees from Washington University in St. Louis and the State University of Iowa, before being drafted into the army nine months before Pearl Harbour. When he left service five years later, he sold a short story called The Juarez Knife to Popular Detective magazine. It featured a tough, disabled private eye named Manville “Manny Moon” (he’d lost his leg in World War 2) who went on to appear in more stories across a range of detective pulp magazines. In 1950, though his timing coincided with the collapse of the pulp market, Deming became a full-time writer and ended the 50s writing stand-alone novels as well as paperback originals featuring characters from Dragnet. He created another series, featuring vice cop Matt Rudd, during the 60s and also wrote non-fiction.
In the early 70s, he became a key player in the tie-in market for popular TV shows, writing more than twenty paperback original novels for the likes of Mod Squad, Charlie’s Angels and Starsky & Hutch, as well as the novelisation for the 1974 film 99 44/100% Dead.
In additional to his output as Richard Deming, he also wrote as Emily Moor, Nick Morino, Ellery Queen (ten novels under the house name during the 60s), Max Franklin (for his novelisation work), Richard Hale Curtis and Halsey Clark.
For a few years now, after finding out charity shops sometimes pulp old books because the market for them is so small, I've been collecting 70s and 80s paperbacks through secondhand bookshops, car boot sales and ebay. I set up a thread for the horror titles (which you can see here) but novelisations were a rich vein in those decades, before the advent of home video, when viewers wanted to revisit the adventures of their favourite TV show or film. I realise we might not be talking great art here but, on the whole, I think these books deserve to be remembered.
To that end, on an irregular basis, I'm going to review these "old-school" tie-ins with, hopefully, some background material on each one.
