S.P. Oldham's Blog, page 29
March 24, 2020
Love, Death & Robots
Has anyone else seen 'Love, Death & Robots' on Netflix? My oldest son Chris Oldham introduced me to this and the few I have seen, I have really enjoyed. These are short animated films, around the ten minute mark each, give or take. They have different themes and are, as far as I understand it, made by people who are not 'names' in the industry. Whatever; if it is good, it is good, whether it is made by someone famous or not. My favourite so far is probably Ice Age, but I also liked Three Robots - a post-apocalyptic theme - and The Dump. Don't want to give anything away, but given that many of us have a lot of time on our hands just now, they might be worth a look, especially if you like dark fiction, dark fantasy fiction, speculative fiction and animation. Best of all, you can dip in and out of them whenever you feel like it. A little heads up - they might be animations, but they are most definitely adult in nature. Not for kids.
Love, Death and Robots on Netflix
Image not mine, Official Netflix Logo for 'Love, Death + Robots'
March 22, 2020
Mother's Day
It's Mother's Day - or Mothering Sunday - here in the UK. This is for all you mothers out there, wherever you live in the world. Happy Mother's Day! Stay safe, keep your children indoors and with good luck and a fair wind - not to mention common sense and compliance with guidelines - we will get through this pandemic and hopefully come out the other side.
For my part, I count myself fortunate indeed to have my two sons, grown now but always my boys. I also have a beautiful, warm-hearted and loving daughter-in-law to be, though she is already family in all truth. It really is Mother's Day for me, because I am the lucky one.
Happy Mother's Day!
March 20, 2020
Just the One? Or All at Once?
Interesting remark from a reviewer today, who said that he buys a whole trilogy at once (if the first book interests him) because he doesn't want to find himself in a position whereby he is unable to download books 2 and 3 later on, for whatever reason, if he enjoyed book one.
Made me wonder. How many of you buy an entire series all in one go, taking the risk that it might not be your thing? How many buy the first book (as I do) and buy the rest only if you enjoyed the first?
Different strokes, different folks and all that, but it is interesting to know readers' buying habits, as well as the reasons why.
March 15, 2020
Weapons in Zombie stories
My characters don't use many guns in my zombie trilogy. Nor will they in my new book, which is a work in progress. Why not? Simply because I live in the UK, where guns are not as easily accessible as in other countries, meaning there are fewer of them on the streets. A proliferation of guns and bombs would just be ridiculous I think,
I am sure if I knew the right people - or the wrong ones, depending on your point of view - and if I had enough money, then there are ways I could get my hands on a gun. This in itself leads me onto the second reason why I don't write about them much.
Put simply, I don't have much clue about guns. I have used one, once, when doing what used to be called a 'Wives Weekend' when we were stationed close to an army base (we were RAF) and they offered this to any military wife who wanted to give it a try. I thoroughly enjoyed it, even though the army would have paid me money not to sign me up after my 'prowess' that weekend. But that's another story...
The old adage 'write about what you know' still applies to a certain extent, I believe. Yes, you can search online for just about anything these days, and it's true that my internet searches are many, varied and often a bit weird (insert that joke about destroying my search history if I am ever arrested, here.) My stories are only loosely based in the UK, I deliberately try to avoid name places for the reason that the reader can then set the story just about anywhere they like in their own heads. Except for the fact that one reader points out that my use of language gives me away. That's fine: I wasn't trying to be something I'm not anyway, but I know what he meant.
Anyway, the long and the short of it is, I don't write about guns because I don't know much about them and because they are not readily available in the UK. Not legally, anyway.
This leaves me with a fun challenge. My characters have to make their own weapons using whatever is to hand. You can really let your imagination go with this, plus spend hours on the net seeing what's already out there - quite an eye opener!
So there you have it. Creative weaponry wins over guns in my stories every time. Which leads me on to a question: if you had to devise a lethal weapon from things you can only find in your own house, garden shed or local shop, what would you make? No prizes, just have fun with it and please share your creativity with me. If you want me to, I will use it in my next story and credit you with its creation!
March 4, 2020
4* Review for Sleep, Think, Die - Beware!
Really delighted to find this four star review for Sleep, Think, Die this morning, and I especially love how the reviewer warns you to beware of my zombies! Take a look for yourself, here: Sleep, Think, Die @So Lost in Words
Musical Inspiration - The Devil and the Huntsman
Ordinarily i have to have complete silence when writing, I find music or TV distracting and in the end it gives me a headache, but when writing my last book, almost the entirety of the first chapter was helped by listening to a song from the film 'King Arthur' (which I haven't seen!) The song is called The Devil and the Huntsman. I just find it so atmospheric, loaded with subdued malice, dark possibilities and even a slow heatbeat that seems to somehow reach deep into you. Or into me, at least.
Great piece of music in my view. I find it a real wonder that, for some unknown reason, on this one occasion (so far) I just had to listen to this piece when writing that chapter. Very unusual for me.
It goes without saying that this is not my music and I have no rights to it whatsoever. It is called 'The Devil and the Huntsman' and is by Sam Lee and Daniel Pemberton. It is from the King Arthur Official Soundtrack, and in my view, it's brilliant!
March 1, 2020
A Bit of Dark Fun
Happy St David's Day everyone! A new horror limerick over on the page 'A Bit of Dark Fun,' as it also happens to be Silly Sunday Zombie Limerick Day, too!
https://solostinwords.doodlekit.com/home/zombiehorror-limericks-a-bit-of-dark-fun
February 29, 2020
Three Day Freebie - Sleep, Think, Die
Starts tomorrow!
Picture this: you’re sitting in a bar minding your own business, having a quiet drink or two, when trouble steps in off the street. A shambling wreck stumbles over the threshold, bloodied clothes torn, muttering incoherently. Just another idiot who doesn’t know when enough is too much. You raise your glass, take another slug. It’s okay, security can handle it.
But then over by the juke box a woman screams, a man swears loudly. You look up to see the barman drop the pint he’s pouring and back off, pale and shivering. Maybe you should turn around and take a closer look…
Then the world goes crazy. Before you know it, you’re shoulder to shoulder with security, fighting a wave of undead. Someone throws you a cue – a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘killer pool.’ When it’s over, there’s only four of you left; you, two hard men and the terrified girl you find hiding beneath the corpse of her boyfriend.
So begins the story of a new kind of world; where the dead are far more ambulant than they should be, and the living must walk amongst them, fighting to survive.
February 26, 2020
Reader Interview - Dave Hilley Jr.
Chasing bears up trees and being chased by boar hogs are all part of a day's work for our next reader in our Reader Interview. Thank you Dave Hilley Jr. for taking part. A great interview and you can read it here: Reader Interviews on So Lost in Words
This is the last Reader Interview for a while, but if you would like to take part just message me. Look forward to hearing from you.
February 23, 2020
FREE Download Codes - Limited Time Only
I am very much in need of honest reviews for this book. This is a new genre for me, and I think because people don’t know me as ‘this author’ there is an unwillingness to give me a try. I am offering this code to claim a FREE download to anyone who thinks it might be something they would read. Feel free to share far and wide. There are only so many codes available at the moment, so once they’ve gone, they’ve gone. All I ask is, if you do read it and enjoy it, please consider reviewing. Thank you.
Click this link to claim the code: https://claims.prolificworks.com/free/HyzRoBuv?fbclid=IwAR3aw-02HH3DIZCSZbTdIasyh59Z-yEjT8q8lk9TNc1orUgp5TV6PD1OpSM
The Blurb: Carreg Tan is a peaceful kingdom, watched over by a protective and benevolent Dragon Queen. It is thrown into sudden despair when the Queen’s own guard, known as The Six, overthrow her, murdering her and seizing power. Her son Ifan and daughter Crystin are forced to run for their lives.
Only females can take dragon form, meaning that Carreg Tan’s only hope is Crystin; yet many challenges lie along her path to power, the greatest of them all being survival.
Murderers, mercenaries and malevolent beasts are not all Crystin must overcome to achieve her one, single goal; to regain power. But can she do it; and will the world be the better for it if she does?
The links below are for reference.
