Monthly Archives: March 2012

In which the author visits the Ghost Club and meets some mummies…

On Saturday 17th March I was in London, the guest of the Ghost Club. My thanks to Alan Murdie and Philip Hutchinson for honouring me with an invitation, and for providing an exemplary example of a well-organised and hospitable event. The capacity audience tolerated my antics and rants about the Jacobites and the Supernatural with good grace, and a fine time was had by all.

 

 

 

On the way to the talk I popped into the Wellcome Collection on Euston Road, which has now barged into my list of favourite museums. The permanent Medicine man‘ contains such gems as

 

disease demons

amulets and headdresses made of human bone

skeletons of silver

votive phalli

a painting of William Price (the ‘druid’ of Llantrisant)

a piece of philosopher Jeremy Bentham’s dissected skin

several tattoos removed from dead bodies

Charles Darwin’s skull-topped walking stick

and a complete Peruvian mummy, huddled in the foetal position.

 

Entry into this enchanting modern day Cabinet of Curiosities is free. If you’re in the area, you really should visit.

In which the author gives a talk on bodysnatching – in a graveyard…

 

On Thursday 22 March I’m at the North Ayrshire Heritage Centre in Saltcoats giving a talk on Scottish Bodysnatchers.

 

The venue, formerly the North Ayrshire Museum, is housed in an eighteenth century church, so the first few minutes of the talk – how to rob a grave, bodysnatcher-style, will start in the graveyard itself. Then we’ll relocate to the comfort of the museum for the illustrated talk on bodysnatching across Scotland in general, with many Ayrshire examples.

 

The event is FREE and starts at 7pm. Call 01294 464174 to reserve a seat.

 

North Ayrshire Heritage Centre, Manse Street, Saltcoats KA21 5AA. Map here.

 
 

In which the author gave a talk at the ghost club in London…

 

On Saturday 17th March I was delighted to return to The Ghost Club, this time with a talk on ‘The Jacobites and the Supernatural’. My previous talk for the august institution (founded 1862 and still as sprightly as ever) was ‘Aleister Crowley and the Hauntings of Boleskine House’.

 

The Jacobite rebellions of the 17th and 18th centuries convulsed Scotland, Ireland and England – almost leading to regime change in Westminster – before the cause was extinguished at Culloden, the last pitched battle in Britain. The adventure was also steeped in supernatural belief, from magical healing and witchcraft to second-sight, crisis apparitions and deals with the Devil. Drawing on my book of the same name, ‘The Jacobites and the Supernatural’ was a journey through battlefield phantoms, Black Dogs, haunted castles, holy wells, water turned into blood, and, yes, endlessly multiplying spectres of Bonnie Prince Charlie.

 

The event was for memebers and guests only, but joining on the door is always an option. The event took place at 2pm, in The Committee Room at The Victory Services Club, 63 Seymour Street, just off Edgware Road, London, W2 2HF. A kind thanks to all those in attendance.

 

For more information on the Ghost Club, visit – www.ghostclub.org.uk

 

 

In which the author appears on the ‘Paranormal Podcast’ again…

 

 

That gentleman and scholar Jim Harold has just posted another slice of his inestimable internet supernaturalia, ‘The Paranormal Podcast’, this one featuring my second appearance on the American show. Jim and I discuss the meaning and reality (or otherwise) of hauntings, with reference to poltergeists, apparitions, doppelgangers, fetches, and the dubious genre of ‘haunted telly’. Somehow we also managed to shoehorn in time slips (ghosts-as-time-travellers), the ‘survival hypothesis’ (ghosts-as-conscious-spirits), the ‘stone tape’ notion (ghosts-as-recordings) – oh, and some knickers. It was great fun.

 

The show ‘What are Hauntings?’ can be downloaded for free from here!

 

http://jimharold.com/the-paranormal-podcast/what-are-hauntings-with-geoff-holder-paranormal-podcast-229/

 
 

In which the author succeeds in the realm of romantic fiction (and chocolate)…

 

Choc Lit, publishers of romantic fiction, have just announced the short list for their chocolate-themed 2012 Short Story Competition. And, nestling among the ten candidates on the list, is a story by yours truly. If you are of the opinion that romantic fiction is a bit of a stretch from what I usually write, then I invite you to consider the title of the piece, and what it implies for the content. It’s called Blood and Chocolate…

 

The full short-list can be found here.