The Week - #1
Round-up of all the cool things (and not-so-cool things)
Welcome to my weekly round-up of all things consumed and created (apart from food and drink). Hoping that I get past this one post!
Writing
There’s something frustrating about staring at edits and getting tumbleweed. Anyway, next week is a new week (and the dam has been breached this weekend, so onwards!)
As part of the CBC Writing Gothic and Supernatural Fiction course I’m currently enrolled on, I have also written a little ghost story - think graveyard, a lonely ghost and a passing train. Perfect for October.
Books I’m Reading / Books I’ve Read
This morning I finished the wonderful Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury. I can’t believe I’ve never read this, but I thought I should after someone made reference to it regarding my novella! And look at this cover! This is a book that will stay with me forever. So layered, so beautifully and creepily told. But the message of what life is, and what death should be, really resonated. I will always remember to laugh through life, and laugh at death. Everybody should read this book.
And today I started Woodworm by Layla Martinez (another stunning cover!). It has real Merricat vibes. A house inhabited by ghosts, angels and saints. One chapter in and I think I’ll have this read today. It’s propulsive!
Also part way through All the Colours of the Dark by Chris Whitaker, but seem to be dipping in and out between other books. My mind is working in mysterious ways at the moment…
Books I’ve Bought (Because BUYING and READING are two separate hobbies)
Woodworm by Layla Martinez
A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay
Six Stories by Matt Wesolowski (trying to read work by my Northern Weird stablemates)
The Road by Cormac McCarthy (because why haven’t I read this already??)
TV and Film
Had a lovely Kevin Costner week this week with the beautiful Field of Dreams and Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves. I will hear nothing bad about either.
A re-watch of The Conjuring showed me that I seem to be regressing with my ability to watch horror. But fear not, I shall persevere.
And, oh my gosh, I almost forgot to mention The Penguin on Sky Atlantic. Colin Farrell as you have never seen him before, and completely unrecognisable. Two episodes in and it’s so, so good. Gloriously dark, actually full of humanity, and stunning acting from the entire cast.
Podcasts
I can’t not mention the brilliant Uncanny podcast because Danny Robins is telling the creepiest ghost stories in a minute and thirty seconds, every day until Halloween. Genius! Find them all here.
And I’ve been catching up on Talking Scared and getting some great recommendations from Neil’s brilliant guests. His latest guest is Kate Siegel from the likes of Hill House, Midnight Mass etc, and it’s bloody brilliant! Find it here
Extras
A real treat this week was the reveal of the first cover of the Northern Weird Project (of which I am a part of). Stephen’s brilliant sounding book is for lovers of Starve Acre and Linghun - what more do you need to know? Pre-order here. Glorious, isn’t it?
Until next week. Happy consuming and creating! x