Andrew Murray's Blog, page 3

Classic Ghost Stories: By Charles Dickens, M.R. James, Washington Irving, Lewis Carroll, Oscar Wilde

CLASSIC GHOST STORIES is a collection of some of the finest tales of the supernatural in world literature. Featuring such signature works by major authors as A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving and The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, this volume also brings together works you may not have encountered before. Lafcadio Hearn’s Kwaidan is the best introduction to the eeriest supernatural tales in the Japanese canon, and Phantasmagoria is as playfully inventive as any of the poems in Lewis Carroll’s Alice. The complete list of works in this collection is The Legend of Sleepy Hollow - by Washington Irving
Phantasmagoria and Other Poems - by Lewis Carroll
Kwaidan - by Lafcadio Hearn
The Turn of the Screw - by Henry James
Ghost Stories of an Antiquary – by M.R. James
Grim Tales – by Edith Nesbit
The Canterville Ghost – by Oscar Wilde
A Christmas Carol – by Charles Dickens Enjoy the tales, whether in the broad light of day, or in the flickering half-light of a gas lamp, with brandy and cigar safely to hand, and faithful hound asleep by the roaring fire. And visit my website to discover my spooky stories for younger readers, GHOST RESCUE and FEAR RESCUE.

Fear Rescue

What are you most afraid of? For me, it used to be spiders but now it’s getting behind the wheel of a car. As a child I would have given myself a solid 9/10 for arachnophobia, but in the decades since it has waned to perhaps a 5. Certainly still couldn’t pick a large one up. I carry the most misleading clean driver’s licence in the UK – passed without issue in the 90s, was carless for many years, and on purchasing my first actual car to call my own my confidence plummeted until I couldn’t get out of the end of the road. Still, it’s a useful ID, and perhaps I can learn again from scratch at some point in the future, and at least wouldn’t have to take the test. I’m also not good with tight collars and polo necks. What really gets to you? I have a new book series out for readers aged 7-10, FEAR RESCUE, and Book One deals with coulrophobia, which of course as you know is a fear of clowns. What fear would you make Book Two about? You can get a free copy of Fear Rescue at www.andrewmurray.info #phobia #clowns #spiders

Ghost Rescue - the Reboot

Hi, I'm in the fairly unusual position of preparing a reboot of Ghost Rescue, indie style, with completely new illustrations. GR was traditionally published a decade ago, but a few years after that I had the book rights reverted to me. An unfortunate hard drive crash rendered the original art files inaccessible, and the cost of buying the files from the publisher was prohibitive, so this presented the rather exciting opportunity of welcoming a new (and very distinguished) illustrator aboard. It's going to be fun! I'll be sharing some glimpses of GR's new look in the not too distant future, here and on my author and Ghost Rescue FB pages. I'd be interested to know - has anyone else been in a similar position, of rebooting an established book series? (Original cover art (c) Sarah Horne)

FEAR RESCUE - get your free copy now!

Clowns are coming to CLOWN YOU UP!
Clown nightmares are no laughing matter when you own a circus, and Buckminster Bandersnatch needs help. But who can he turn to? That’s when he sees the ad:
You can’t dial 999 when you feel afraid...
But we know it’s an emergency for YOU!
So visit FEAR RESCUE now:
With our unique fear technique,
We can help you rescue YOURSELF! Fear Rescue are fear-readers, with the power to enter your mind and journey deep into your dreams and desires to discover the root of your darkest fears. And Sinister Darkly is an expert in the fear of clowns. Why? Because he’s terrified of clowns himself…
It’s a race against time for Sinister to explore Buckminster’s mind, battling the clowns and following the clues to uncover the cause of his nightmares. Because if the nightmares continue, and Buckminster Bandersnatch keeps waking to his own screams -
“Don’t clown me!
Don’t clown me!
Don’t clown me!”
- then one of these mornings Buckminster Bandersnatch is going to lose his mind… Subscribe to get your FREE COPY of FEAR RESCUE now!

First Review for Prisoner 221B

It's always lovely to see a first review on Amazon!

SHERLOCK - PRISONER 221B

Book One in the Sherlock Darkly Series for 9-12s Do you ever wish that you knew a world-class hero?
Do you ever fear that you know a world-class villain?
Holiga Darkly knows both, but she’s not always sure which one is which… When Sherlock Holmes is found guilty, on YouTube for all the world to see, of raiding the Crown Jewels, he has to be the villain – right? And when Billionaire Bizz Kid Moriarty restores the Jewels and saves the day, he has to be the hero – right?
But in a world watched over by Moriarty’s all-seeing eye, not everything is what it seems. Sometimes a dead man can win the London Marathon... Sometimes a reflection can be the face of a stranger... Sometimes a prison can be a fortress... Sometimes the cyber-hunter can become the hunted… And sometimes the greatest hero is the one you discover within yourself… Buy from Amazon #Sherlock #Sherlock Holmes #childrens #crime #suspense #mystery #detective

Is That My Watson?

Illustrated by Deakin Brook Who's your favourite Dr Watson?  Martin Freeman or Jude Law?  Lucy Liu or Edward Hardwicke?  It's so hard to choose, so spare a thought for poor Sherlock Holmes – faced with so many Watsons old and new, what will he do? Who's too techno-garish? Who's too teddy-bearish? Who's maybe too pretty? Who's in the wrong city? Who's the right Watson in Holmes's own view? And is Sherlock's Watson the Watson for you? Buy it from Amazon #AndrewMurray #DeakinBrook #humour #Sherlock

Is That My Holmes?

Who’s your favourite Sherlock Holmes? Benedict Cumberbatch or Rob Downey Jr.? Jonny Lee Miller or Jeremy Brett? It’s so hard to choose, so spare a thought for poor Dr Watson – faced with so many Sherlocks old and new, what will he do? Who’s so the wrong height? Who’s too black and white? Who’s too pale of face? Who’s in the wrong place? Who’s the right Sherlock in Doc Watson’s view? And is Watson’s Sherlock the Sherlock for you? An ideal Chrimbletide gift for the Sherlockian (Holmesian?) in your life! Buy it from Amazon #AndrewMurray #DeakinBrook #humour #Sherlock

The Sherlock Holmes Quiz Book

In which street is the Diogenes Club? A Study in Pink is a problem deserving how many nicotine patches? Who is found dead in a locked chamber, with a poison dart above his ear? Which company employed a secretary to answer Sherlock-related mail? What kind of creature swallowed the Blue Carbuncle? And in which TV episode can we find a cross-dressing Jude Law? From Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s immortal stories to Sherlock and Elementary, through a century of Sherlock on the silver screen and on television, The Sherlock Holmes Quiz Book is packed with 1000 questions to test the wits of every armchair detective.  Whether your favourite Holmes is Rathbone or Brett, Cumberbatch or Miller, whether you search with magnifying glass or mobile phone, here are clues, codes and conundrums to challenge the sharpest of sleuths.  A must for every true Sherlock fan. Buy from Amazon #book #quiz #Sherlock #Holmes #SherlockHolmes

Introducing Buddy and Elvis!

Meet Buddy and Elvis, two aliens who thought that Earth sounded so fun, they decided to play truant from alien school and come visit us! Buddy and Elvis Illuminated Films #Buddy #Elvis #NicolaSlater #AndrewMurray #IlluminatedFilms