Keep on running and writing.

RUNNING

Well a month ago I participated in the JCB Mud Run. While I had great fun, and the event raised over £30,000 for the NSPCC, I ended up spraining my ankle. #*%$ So the accompanying picture is not an elephants foot, but mine the day after.

This put me out of action for a couple of weeks, but I’m back to training again now, albeit slowly as the ankle still hurts and it's slightly swollen four weeks later. I need to continue training though as I’m entered for another couple of races next year, Hell in the Middle in February:  http://www.hellrunner.co.uk/hell-in-the-middle/and Wild Warrior in March: http://xrunner.co.uk/events/wild-warrior-obstacle-course-race/ I never imagined myself taking part in obstacle/trail races like these, but I have to say they are great fun and I’d recommend anyone who fancies it that they train for it and then enter one to give it a go, but just make sure you tread carefully, otherwise that might be your foot too!

SIGN OF THE TIMES

Signs and advertising hoardings, they can be found everywhere, but they don’t always stand the test of time, as shown by these old ones I came across. The first one makes me think that there must have been a mad rush to train as a boot maker, and the second one is either a serial killer advertisement or the next fad in food!

WRITING

I’ve just finished the first draft of a crime novella called The Heist. I haven’t done as much writing this year as I would have liked, but I hope to remedy that next year, and The Heist will be my first release of 2013. Further details will follow in the New Year.

BOOKS

Finally, here's a couple of books that I'd like to recommend. The first one is a short story collection by David Riley called, His Own Mad Demons. This collection of five stories has a central theme of devil worship, but the stories go much deeper and are well worth reading.

Amazon.co.uk Amazon.com

Next up is Tim Lebbon's Coldbrook, where a group of scientists lift the lid on a Pandora's box when they open a gateway to a parallel universe, but what comes through is not what they are expecting.

Amazon.co.uk Amazon.com

Fangtooth, props and tattoos

Now anyone who’s followed me for a while knows that I have a manuscript called Fangtooth that I’ve had accepted for publication twice, and both times I’ve withdrawn it for one reason or another. Well I’m pleased to report that it’s been accepted for publication again, this time with the publisher of The Kult and Deadfall. Yes, I’ve just signed a contract with Leucrota Press for it. Hopefully it’s third time lucky. When I get the green light, I’ll post a picture of the cover. The tag line: There’s something in the sea. Something ravenous.

As for the film, a post has been made in The Kult film update about props. I hadn’t really thought about them before, but the article makes me realise how important they are, right down to a tiny thing like a pill bottle! Please feel free to check it out and let me know what you think: http://gharialproductions.com/projects/the-kult/the-filmmaking-process-props/ I’m planning on flying out to see some of the shoot, so I’m just waiting on a schedule so that I can make arrangements. Really looking forwards to it.

As a celebration of all that’s happening, and as a reminder that dreams can come true, I’ve booked an appointment with the tattooist for July 30th (day after my birthday for anyone who wants to buy me a present;)). I’m having my full sleeve done, combining the tattoos that I already have on one arm. I’m planning on a Japanese theme of samurai and koi. The tattooist I’m going to is one that I used to visit 25 years ago, Kev Shercliff of The Midlands Tattoo Centre. There’s a sample of some of his work here: http://www.midlandstattoocentre.com/gallery.php?a=kevs

On the reading front, I’m currently delving into two books: Zombie: An Anthology of the Undead by Christopher Golden and The Strain (The Strain Trilogy, #1)
by Guillermo Del Toro. Highlights so far in the Zombie antho have been Tim Lebbon’s ‘In the Dust’ and Jonathan Maberry’s ‘Family Business’. Lebbon has crafted a poignant story that pulls at the heartstrings, and Maberry has crafted a hauntingly realistic world in the zombie aftermath. The Strain has its moments, but I’m finding the factual interludes distracting as they drag me out of the plot, but it’s well written and engaging when it concentrates on the story.