Mark West's Blog, page 20

The Smallest Of Things, by Ian Whates (a review and Q&A)

In a new edition of the occasional series, I want to tell you about a book I've read and loved, which I think adds to the genre (sci-fi thriller, in this case) and that I think you'll enjoy if you're a fan.



There are many Londons. From pomp to sleaze, from sophistication to dark corruption, Chris knows them all. A fixer with a particular set of skills, he can step between realities, piercing

Starburst memories

Apart from news programmes on TV, my first major source for behind the scenes information on films was Look-In magazine (which I wrote about here).  As my tastes expanded, so did my quest for information and then, in late 1978, I discovered a publication that gave me more than I even realised I was after.


issue 1 (which I've never seen in real life) with a wraparound Brian Lewis cover.  The

The Last Temptation Of Dr Valentine, by John Llewellyn Probert (a review)

In a new edition of the occasional series, I want to tell you about a book I've read and loved, which I think adds to the horror genre and that I think you'll enjoy if you're a fan.



Six Years Ago…



The city of Bristol is rocked by a series of horrific murders, each more gruesome and outrageous than the last, and all in the style of horror films starring Vincent Price.



Four Years Ago…

A Christmas Gift, an interview with Sue Moorcroft

Regular readers of the blog will know Sue Moorcroft and I have been friends for a while, having met at the Kettering Writers Group in 1999 (the group leader was of a more literary bent, so we genre writers were consigned to the back of the room and had great fun).  Since then she's gone from strength to strength, hitting number one in the Kindle Bestseller charts (with The Christmas Promise) and

FantasyCon, Chester, 19th to 21st October 2018

Friday
Parked outside the hotel, ready to check in and saw Tim Major, who'd just arrived by train.  Great to see him, we caught up and I got booked in then moved the car and luckily met Peter Coleborn who showed me the back entrance to the hotel.  Met Peter Mark May, got a quick hi and hug from Priya Sharma, who introduced me to Audrie from TTA Press and then I got signed in, saying hi to Chloe

Brooks Pond

I'm pleased to announce that The Black Room Manuscripts Volume 4, edited (and curated) by Justin Park & Tracy Fahey, is published by The Sinister Horror Company and launched at FantasyCon this weekend.  As with the other volumes in the series, it's a charity anthology and this time all money made from sales will be donated to Refuge.  Thrilled to be involved - look at that list of names on the

The Taste Of Her

I'm thrilled to announce that Best British Horror 2018, the first in a series of annual anthologies from NewCon Press, edited by Johnny Mains, is now available.  Along with a fantastic collection of writers, it contains my story The Taste Of Her which was originally published in my 2017 collection Things We Leave Behind.  The anthology will be officially launched at FantasyCon this coming weekend

Jarre - Destination Docklands

Thirty years ago, on Saturday 8th October 1988, I stood across from the Royal Victoria Docks, in the London Docklands, on a patch of derelict land with 99,999 other people and watched the sky light up.  I was there with my best friend Nick, my friend Craig (Tankard) and his best mate Craig (Woodford) and we were part of the audience for the first show of Jean Michel Jarre’s Destination Docklands

Meet The Authors Q&A

Last Thursday, I took part in Corby Library’s first Writer
Q&A evening and had a cracking time. 
Held in The Lab at Corby Cube (where the library is now situated), it
was organised by Ian Loveland and I was pleased to share the stage with SueMoorcroft, Louise Jensen and Darren O’Sullivan. 
Joe Flavin, director of The Core, was our moderator and host.



I love evenings where I get to talk about

Parallel Lines by Blondie, at 40

Parallel Lines, released on 23rd September 1978, was the third studio album from Blondie and proved to be their commercial breakthrough in the US, where it peaked at number six in April 1979.  Already very popular in the UK, the album became the groups first number one hit in February 1979.

To help celebrate its 40th birthday, here's a retrospective of the album...


Following the release of