Tag Archives: vampire

In which the Author writes a vampire novel…

After writing dozens of non-fiction books on mysteries, witchcraft, zombies, ghosts, poltergeists, murders,

bodysnatching and other gleeful subjects, I’ve finally finished my first novel.

It’s a vampire novel, which will perhaps surprise no one given my genre tastes, but in addition to featuring serial

killers, explosions, bodily naughtiness, and jokes about Jimi Hendrix, it is also an alternative history.

Basically, I’m attempting to do nothing less than replace the current standard vampire mythology with an entirely

new one based around evolutionary biology and cutting-edge archaeological thinking.

I know, modesty has always been one of my greater faults.

Now that the novel is finished, the real hard work begins: trying to find a publisher or agent. Despite having written 31 non-fiction books, when it comes to getting a first novel published I’m back on the starting block.

I’ll let you know how I get on.

In which the author adds another ‘Fortean Freak Out’ podcast and does a book signing in Carlisle…

 

 

Carlisle, I see you. On Saturday 21st April I’m doing a book signing for Paranormal Cumbria at the Waterstones bookshop, 66-68 Scotch Street, Carlisle. I’ll be there from 11am to 3pm, so come along for a chat – but if you can’t make it on the day, call 0843 290 8217 to reserve a copy of the book and I’ll sign it for you to pick up later.

 

Paranormal Cumbria covers subjects such as the Cursing Stone of Carlisle – which brought beliefs from the Middle Ages into the Millennium – plus witchcraft and folk magic, twentieth-century sightings of fairies, examples of psychic powers, the phantom airships of World War One (which seem to be cultural precursors of the phantom UFOs of later decades), and the enduring mystery of the ‘Cumberland Spaceman’. The book has been covered recently on both BBC Radio Cumbria and Lakeland Radio.

 

And talking of matters Cumbrian and strange, the next edition of the Fortean Freak Out podcast is up and running, and its subject is taken from Paranormal Cumbria – the infamous Vampire of Croglin Grange. Which was probably not a vampire. Listen to my conclusions here.

 
 

In which the author reflects on a quiet night in, on Halloween…

You may be familiar with Buffy the Vampire Slayer. AKA one of television’s greatest creations. Ever.

 

In one episode, several of the characters call upon Spike the vampire on Halloween, and are surprised to find him home alone in his crypt, watching old movies on television. When they ask why he isn’t out terrifying the population, he replies that for him, it’s Halloween every night of the year. So on October 31st he likes to have a quiet night in.

 

Now, I may not be quite as toothsome as ol’ Spike, but I know what he means. Everyone assumes that, with my interests, I’m out getting involved in major spookiness on Halloween. But, given that my typical day involves sitting in a book-lined room decorated with skulls and gargoyles, and writing about subjects such as 17th century demonology, poltergeists, bodysnatching, ghosts, anomalous animals, and monsters – well, Halloween just doesn’t seem like an unusual date.

 

So it will be a quiet Halloween. I’ll work, walk the dog, work some more, and then do a bit of reading or watch TV. Nothing spooky at all. Now, has anyone seen my copy of Legends of Blood? I need to check out some vampire sightings…