Birthday Book Haul 25

 

Hi Nerds!

As it's my birthday tomorrow I thought I'd treat myself to some retail and book therapy!

Firstly I bought my monthly copy of Writing Magazine.  I then saw SFX Magazine which I used to buy monthly and thought I'd treat myself.

I then went to Halifax Piece Hall and to the independent book store - Book Corner.

Upon browsing I saw a novella written by a writer I used to go to Cleckheaton Writing Group with - Amanda Huggins.

With it being her new novella, plus I always try to support local, independent authors that I know, I snapped it up.

Afterwards I popped into the nearby comic and book shop Pages N Pixels.  This is great for me being a comic shop but it also has a wide selection of fantasy and Sci-fi books and Manga.

As I've been collecting the Alien/Aliens novels I saw the newest which has just come out this month!  Alien - Cult by Gavin G Smith. It's looks a fresh take on the franchise as it has a detective novel theme.

Neil x

November 2025 Update!

 

Hello Fellow Nerds!

Another quick update! Yes October went crazy fast. Now we've just under 2 months left of 2025!

October Review - 

With the Month flying by I still never got around to finish writing my ghost story! Fingers crossed I will in November!

I'm still reading Alien - Out of the Shadows by Tim Lebbon.

I took a few walks in October to enjoy the colours of Autumn and had a chilled out October.

I also felt old celebrating my daughter's 18th birthday and had a few drinks with her.

In November - 

Two weeks after my daughter's birthday it is my birthday - 49 already! Almost half a century.

In November, I want to get writing and reading and finish Tim Lebbon's Alien novel.

I'm also due to see a 2 Pints of Lager live tour in November and see Ralph Little and Will Mellor from the early 2000s sitcom.  So that should be a good laugh.

I'll probably start Christmas shopping in November too - eek.

What are you doing in November?

Neil x

Happy Halloween 2025

 

Have a howling good Halloween.

Top picture is is me a few years ago as a sci-fi grim reaper.

Bottom photo is the one and only pumpkin I've carved.  Again quite a few years ago!

I've not posted for a while but hopefully will post more rest of the year!

Neil x

Recent Book Haul

 

Hey Fellow Readers!

I haven't posted for nearly 2 weeks so thought I'd just post a photo of a recent book haul.

I got all the books from Edge-Lit 11, which was nearly a month ago.  Time flies.

Inferno is a short story collection I got for free from the event and is edited by an author I follow on Facebook - Stephanie Ellis.

I bought Juliet E McKenna's - The Green Man's Heir and Tim Lebbon's - Conan - Songs of the Slain.  They are also author's I follow  and I was privileged to meet them at last.

What new books have you got recently?

Neil x

October 2025 Update!

 

Hi Spooky Fans!

Welcome to October and my favourite month of the year.  

It never used to be, but spooky season with its multiple colours of leaves, colder nights out and warm evenings in, plus Halloween and my daughter's birthday. It obviously jumps to the top of the year.

Again it's gone so fast since last October!

September Review -

The main event for me in September was Edge-Lit 11 at the Quad in Derby.

 

Again this was great for a nerd like me.  Meeting other geeks, authors and readers.  Learning about authors and the writing industry with interviews and panels.

Plus meeting new and old friends and having a few nights out is always a bonus.

In September I finished reading my first book of the year Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie.  It took a while but I got there.

I started Out of the Shadows by Tim Lebbon who was a guest of honour at Edge-Lit and loving it so far.

I haven't done any writing but Edge-Lit has inspired me yet again.

In October -

I haven't much planned for October.  Mainly I'm going to enjoy Halloween and early nights in reading and writing.

I want to get out for more Autumnal walks and enjoy the colours of nature.

In the first week of October I hope to finish Out of the Shadows and move onto the next Alien book which is appropriate for Halloween as they are sci-fi horror books.

I also want to get writing and finish The Cubby Hole short story.

I will also be celebrating my daughter's 18th birthday in October.

What are your plans for spooky season?

Neil x

Edge-Lit 11 - Guests of Honour

 Hi Book Dweebs!

So a week has flown by already.  This time last week I was in Derby at Edge-Lit 11.

There were 3 guests of honour this year. Prolific author Tim Lebbon, Sci-fi legend Peter F Hamilton and TV and horror writer Matthew Holness (Garth Marenghi).

Tim Lebbon -

• Tim's favourite book is The Stand and he read it when aged 17. 
• Tim pitched a Thing Sequel to studios set 40 years later with Mcready being the Thing. 
• He does a lot of novelisations of IP properties including Firefly and Kong Island but his favourite being a Star Wars Novel set at the beginning of the Jedi.
• Tim writes a lot as it's his living and enjoys writing stories, has written a lot of apocalyptic novels.
• Tim is a panser and rarely plans his novels. He just sometimes has an idea of the endings. 
• Tim keeps fit when not sat at a desk writing by being a keen triathlon runner.

Peter F Hamilton -

I met Peter once before at Leeds Waterstones with Alastair Reynolds and Justina Robson.

• Peter started writing on type writers, then Amstrad then modern PCs - and uses Word. 
• It took over 6 years to write his first Nightdawn trilogy and now it takes about 4 years to write a trilogy.
• He now tries to shorten his novels.
• Peter is currently working on 4 books.
• He is an advisor for a sci fi board and video game and has written novels in that universe. This has set up the world building.
• Peter doesn't read much as he doesn't want his writing influenced by other stories or authors.

Matthew Holness (Garth Marenghi)

• Matthew created Garth Marenghi for an Edinburgh Festival Fringe show with Richard Ayoade.
• Garth Marenghi is a fictional horror writer and the shows he is in on television and stage have an 80s feel.
• When Matthew was small he got an autograph from Peter Cushing in a WH Smiths and Peter was concerned he was too young to watch Hammer Horror.
• His television debut was a comedy sketch show Bruiser which also starred Richard Ayoade and David Mitchell, Robert Webb and Olivia Coleman.
• Matthew has starred in many TV shows including The Office.
• He also writes and directs movies including Possum. A physiological horror.
• Matthew writes horror as himself but also as his fictional character Garth Marenghi. He doesn't see them being made into TV shows.

Hope you enjoyed.  It was more fun being at the events themselves listening to talented people talk.

Neil x

Edge-Lit Preview - Legacy of Dracula

 

Hey Horror Fans!

So on the eve of Edge-Lit, I attended the above event about Dracula and the links to the city of Derby!

Hosted by Alex Davis the panel included horror legend Ramsey Cambell and author JS Barnes plus young author Benjamin Kurt Unsworth.

It was a fun panel that discussed the connection Derby has with Dracula.  Derby being the first place to have a Dracula performance on stage.

There were discussions of other versions of Dracula both in novel, play and film form and the classic cartoon Count Duckula was mentioned more than once.

It helped the audience know how much Dracula is a classic story for every generation.

A solid start to the Edge-Lit event.

Neil x