April 2025 Update!

 

Greetings Nerds!

2025 looks set to go as fast as the last 2 years.  Into the fourth month already.

April is one of my favourite months as it usually gets sunnier and warmer and the cherry blossom comes out which I love.

March Review -

Sadly March was also a bad month emotionally as I said goodbye to my girlfriend Jane.  The ceremony and wake would have made her proud as she had a good send off and was packed which showed how popular she was.  RIP Jane x

Work wise I've still been off as my head still hasn't been right to deal with incoming calls and the call centre.

I haven't done any writing in March but did start reading again and getting far in Best Served Cold.

In April -

Hopefully go back to work in April and also keep my options open.

By the middle of April I hope to have finished Best Served Cold and started another book on my 25 books in 2025 which I can't see myself completing.

I'm going to get back into my writing this month and finish The Cubby Hole which will be dedicated to Jane.  I will also make notes on an Urban Explore horror I have in mind.

I will again look at an Open University course on editing/ copy writing as the new courses start in May and I'll never get a job in that sector and publishing if I don't do the qualifications.

Hopefully I will start the gym and swimming again in April and get in shape.

What are your plans in April?

Neil x 

Captain America 4 - Brave New World - Film Review

 

Hi Nerds!

Went to see the latest Marvel movie with the daughter and I've got to be honest, I was a little disappointed.

It starts with the new Captain America Sam (Anthony Mackie) and the new Falcon Joaquin (Danny Ramirez) chasing a sinister league who have stolen the newly discovered Adamantium from the Japanese. After retrieving it for new President Ross (Harrison Ford), they agree to help out with peace talks over the Celestial in the Indian Ocean from the Eternals film.

The talks fall apart when Sam's friend and one of the first to take the super soldier serum Isaiah attempts to assassinate President Ross.

Sam has to find out what has happened to his friend and who is manipulating events from the shadows.

Spoilers - it's Samuel Sterns - The Leader (Tim Blake Nelson) who was last seen in the 2008 Incredible Hulk film.

Overall - The film is a bit of a mess and you can tell different versions were filmed in reshoots. Some characters disappear and storylines are cut short.

The acting for the most part is fine especially from Harrison Ford and Anthony Mackie and the new Falcon is fun to watch.

The action scenes are ok.  Most of the fighting is what we've seen before in other Captain America movies and Avengers.  This is what makes what Sam does a bit unrealistic, as he's doing practically the same as Steve Rogers yet not had the super serum.  He even jokes he should have had it whilst fighting the Red Hulk.

The Red Hulk is another problem with this film.  Yes the film is building tension up but it could have done with another ten minutes of Red Hulk smashing Washington up.

As well as the reshoots to the film jumbling the story up, the fact that you have to remember the characters in the 2008 Incredible Hulk film, like Sterns and Betty Ross (Liv Tyler returning) but it's also requires you to have watched The Eternals and the Falcon and the Winter Soldier series.

It was watchable and entertaining, it isn't the MCU's worst film but I hope they get better for the upcoming Thunderbolts and Fantastic Four.  Especially as they are building up to two big Avengers movies.

Bels Score  -  6.5/10

My Score    -  6.5/10

Neil x

Twisted Fate Publishing Event - Feb 2025!

 

Welcome Fellow Readers and Writers.

At the end of February, I attended a talk at Huddersfield Library.

This was partly because I knew Nick, one of the founding members of Twisted Fate Publishing, whom I met at an Edge-lit event a few years ago in Derby.

It was a great evening which should have had more people there supporting a local creative company.

L-R Chris, Nick and Gareth 

Twisted Fate Publishing started during COVID when Nick met the other Co-founders Chris and Gareth at the Huddersfield Authors Circle.

They specialise in speculative fiction including fantasy, sci-fi and horror and they agreed the weirder the better.

Each member has a role in the company and they all explained this and how their writing and publishing journeys began.

Chris explained how he wrote technical books but at Forty whilst in the bath decided he wanted to write fiction.  Once he'd written his novel he tried a small independent publisher.  That didn't work out.

For Twisted Fate Chris writes his own novels including his Fixpoint series, but he also deals with the behind the scenes including the financial side of the business.

Nick started his writing journey at the tender age of fifteen.  His fascination with werewolves led to his first novel, Hybrid, being published at Wolf Publishing which was most appropriate.  A villain approached Nick promising the world but did nothing with his Hybrid series.  Once Nick was out of the contract he helped set up Twisted Fate.

Nick does most of the editing and writing for the publisher as well as his own freelance work.

Gareth, like Chris started his writing later in life and self published his own first novel Fogbound on Amazon.  He wasn't fully happy with the process and helped create Twisted Fate.

With experience in marketing, Gareth deals with the marketing side of the company as well as cover design and editing.  He also writes his own series, Chronicles of the Fallen.

The guys explained how they see themselves as a cross between a small independent publisher and a big publisher and they don't charge any fees.  

Royalties with Twisted Fate are 50/50 and after five years the rights of your novels return to you.

So far they have created and edited two anthologies for the charity Mind.  Those being Darkness and Light.

Gareth tried getting a quote from Stephen Fry who was a patron of the charity at the time but couldn't get past his agent.

The second anthology Light has some big name authors including Adrian Tchaikovsky and Peter McLean.

For more details on Twisted Fate Publishing search for them online and check the link below.

https://twistedfatepublishing.com/

Neil x

Happy World Book Day!

Currently Reading.

Hey Readers!

Happy World Book Day.  Hopefully you are all enjoying reading a book!  Whether it's fiction, non fiction or a text book.

I'm still reading Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie.

In the last few weeks, I have managed to buy a couple of books with some mini book hauls.

So what are you currently reading?  Put it in the comments.

Enjoy!

Neil x

March 2025 Update!

 

Hi Nerds.

This will be a very brief update.

February Review - 

Sadly February was a shit show as I lost someone very close to me in a tragic way.  Will discuss this and who at a later date but was hoping to be with this person through February and beyond.          

RIP Jane x

I haven't had it in me to read or write or go into work.

The one good thing I did, was attend my writing mate Nick Steads Twisted Fate Publishing event at Huddersfield Library, in which he is a co-founder.

 I will make a full blog post of this soon.

In March -

I hope to get back into my hobbies including writing and reading and finish Best Served Cold as I'm very behind with my 2025 reading challenge.

I also need to get into work or find new work if possible.

What are your plans in March?

Take care peeps.

Neil x

Bradford Waterstones and City Centre New Look

 

Hello Nerds!

On Valentine's Day because of recent events I decided to go to Bradford and treat myself at one of my favourite Waterstones.

I also wanted to see the new look Bradford.  All the roads have been paved and no vehicles allowed into the city centre.

I have to admit I liked the look.  There were too many roads before and it took ages getting anywhere waiting to be able to cross a road.

Bradford seemed busier too for a Friday afternoon.  I haven't seen the centre that busy in years.  Maybe it's a good thing.  I think it will be coming to Brighouse in the future so will need to keep an eye on Bradfords progress.

I also treated myself to a new book and coffee and cake at Waterstones.

Hopefully I will be posting more content soon.

In the meantime, take a trip to the new look Bradford.

Neil x

Quick Update!

 

Hey Nerds!

Not posted for a while due to running out of ideas and personal/life reasons.

Still reading the above book although it has took a back seat but hopefully will finish it in the next week or two.

Will try put new posts out soon.

Neil x