C.C. Adams's Blog: C.C. Does The Write Thing, page 2

FantasyCon 2024.

Despite an early start to the day, I still began my journey to FantasyCon later than I would have liked - assing around with laundry and trying to get a pair of tracksuit bottoms that would fit just so. Anyhow.

Having made it to Euston, I then see that Peter Mark May is standing on the concourse a yard away. He doesn't recognise me at first because:

a. I'm wearing a hat (as I often do)

b. he's off in his own little world

c. all of the above

d. none of the above

Anyhow. We chat and then we board the train. Which only got part of the way to our destination - and already, I forget which station we had to change at, since I'm writing this a few days after the fact. Suffice it to say that our arrival at Chester where FantasyCon was held this year was a couple of hours later. What mitigated this is that the convention hotel was literally on the other side of the road from the train station. And because I went to the last FantasyCon held in Chester at this hotel, I can attest the venue is decent.

Despite being a couple of hours late, I was still in good time for my programming. Just as well. This year was notable because, despite volunteering to partake in the programming, I was drafted into five slots over the three-day weekend. Friday saw me as part of the line-up of the For Tomorrow anthology based on the Wellbrook High incident - edited by Dan Coxon and published by Steve Shaw of Black Shuck Books. What I didn't realise until after the fact was that Ben Langley, who was in the audience for that reading, actually did a decent sketch of us. Following that reading, I then had a discussion panel on making the familiar frightening, moderated by Rachel Knightley, and accompanied by Lee Swift, Silas Bischoff, and Adam Millard. Silas is new to me but I already I like the guy - chilled, articulate and intelligent. Then came the Tales In The Dark session with myself, Stephen Kozeniewski, Kayleigh Dobbs, and Simon Bestwick, all led by Kit Power.

On Saturday, I was fortunate to 'have the day off' and devote time to eating and lounging with my peers. Sunday was time to do another reading, followed directly by a panel on toxic masculinity, moderated by Allen Stroud. This was then followed by lunch with a group of peers, where I inhaled a whole pizza and then lit out to catch the train back to London.

It's par for the course that there are those peers that turn up to the convention where you may not get to see them for any more than a couple of minutes, let alone actually speak to them. In fact, only once have I made a concerted effort to talk to near enough all the attendees at FantasyCon - and that was, actually, at the last FantasyCon in Chester. The reason why I remembered it is because Marguerite, who was serving as a Redcoat, had warned me to take it easy and not exhaust myself trying to achieve this lofty goal. For those unaware, the Redcoats are those in the genre who volunteer and don the red hi-vis vests to guide all attendees through registration, make sure rooms are set up for the readings and panels, guide attendees to what's where, etc. They're the in-plain-sight and behind the scenes, making sure (with the aid of hotel staff) that the event runs smoothly. Of course, for the usual suspects that you don't get to speak to, there are - conversely - the new connects that you do. In my case, the likes of Silas, Ruth EJ Booth, Nico Rogers and others. This is one of the major benefits of hitting a convention - that you connect with such individuals in person.

And, of course, Saturday evening is reserved for the British Fantasy Awards. Stewart Hotston on fine form as the master of ceremonies as awards were presented. Including a win for veteran Ramsey Campbell as the Karl Edward Wagner award recipient for service to the BFS and the genre.

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Despite the fact that such conventions can be fun/reaffirming/etc. in the company of your peers, they can quite full-on; with every other minute being a meet-and-greet, a panel to see, a reading to-do, late night convos in the bar before you realise just how late it is, etc. And because such conventions are so full-on - even if they're fun - they can also be tiring. I have no shame in saying that as much I love hangtime with my peers, I'm genuinely grateful to get back in my house and relax alone. Even the train ride back into London is good - just lounging in relative peace and quiet is relaxing.

But, next year? Given that next year will be WorldFantasyCon - the result of FantasyCon and WorldCon coming together? It'll be even more of the same.

#fantasycon #worldcon #worldfantasycon #horror #london #busy #readings #panels #hwa #bfs #bfsawards

Magic.

I've never had much dealing with magic. It's not a euphemism, it's not a story, it's just a statement. Sure, there were things that Fred (my oldest brother) used to do when we were kids, in terms of entertaining younger siblings. Holding a blanket up in front of himself in a door way and letting it fall, only to have vanished as the fabric collapsed. The 'two little dicky birds sitting on a wall' thing, where the birds (which were sticky labels, in fact) would disappear from his fingertips, only to reappear moments later. Turning a metal bolt into a Wotsit or some such, which proved to be as edible as it looked.

Even though childhood TV had the famed Tommy Cooper and Paul Daniels, magicians were hardly commonplace. Later years saw individuals such as David Blaine, Derren Brown, and Dynamo: Magician Impossible garner more mainstream appeal. And while I'd watched segments of those shows here and there, it was never something I made a beeline for - entertaining as it was. So what changed?

It's a London thing.

The longer I live in the city, the more I want to see of it. Not only from an author point of view, because anything I experience firsthand makes for a more authentic narrative in the stories I write - but also from a personal point of view. Hell, I love the city (in case you hadn't guessed), so I'd want to experience more of it anyway. Live music, theatre ...and now, magic shows.

What social media has done recently is show more of the live entertainment that the city has to offer. And while live music is my go-to - even more than cinema now - I don't mind looking for something else. My social media feed has shown me a fair range of things, so when author and editor Colleen Anderson tells me that she'll be in town for a while ahead of next month's FantasyCon, it's an opportunity to show her around and watch something cool. My first choice for something to watch was actually Rhythm and Ruse, but all shows for the duration of Colleen's time here were booked up.

https://rhythmandruse.com/

Which is where it pays to have a Plan B - especially since I did want to see some magic. Which lead me to The Magician's Table, up in London Bridge.

https://www.magicianstablelive.com/

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What I'm guessing is a theme here with such magic shows is that there's no photography or video allowed; not when there's a chance that repeated viewing/playback might actually peel back the curtain on how a trick is actually done. Do I believe in magic? No. Do I believe in sleight of hand, misdirection and NLP? Absolutely. But that didn't make the evening any less entertaining. Guess which of the three shells the pea is under. Pick a card, any card. Turn to any page in this book and pick the nth word. You get the idea.

As opposed to a conventional theatre (if you will) where everyone faces front, The Magician's Table has its performers do their thing at their table. The tables in question seat some 6 - 8 people, whether you all know each other beforehand or not. Bear this in mind if you're socially awkward; the flipside is that (from experience), it's a good way to meet people as the magic, mentalists and misdirection serve as icebreakers. If I had one particular bone of contention, it's that the establishment doesn't serve food. Which led me to scouring the neighbourhood to finally find a backstreet deli that charged £8 for a salmon, avocado and fish finger sandwich.

At least Rhythm and Ruse appears to serve food, albeit 'snacks.' One to bear in mind for future reference.

#magic #london #rhythmandruse #themagicianstable #londonbridge #sleightofhand #misdirection #mentalist #drinks #food #colleenanderson #tommycooper #derrenbrown #davidblaine #dynamo

FanExpo 2024.

It's been a while in coming, given the tendon surgery last year, but I finally made it out to Toronto this summer and, among other things, hit FanExpo. According to The Extra Mile, over 125,000 people hit the Expo this year - although there's no mention of how many over 125,000 attended. If memory serves, there's been a higher FanExpo attendance of some 132,000 people within the last couple of years.

https://theextramile.ca/celebrities-cosplay-and-more-inside-fan-expo-canada-2024/

For the record, there are a number of reasons why I hit Toronto every summer. Having been a member of the now-defunct discussion board for author Kelley Armstrong, I'd met a number of forum members in real life who are now lifelong friends. While we all go to FanExpo, the main draw is that I get to see them and hang out with them. I also get to meet with the local (Ontario) chapter of the HWA - the likes of David Thirteen, Sephera Giron, etc. - and also network, potentially pick up new business, do some shopping, etc.

But, FanExpo this year has been a disappointment. 'Poor' is the word I use to describe it. But let me give some context first.

I've been going to FanExpo for over ten years now. Back when Rue Morgue (multinational magazine that covers horror fiction in a range of media from films to video games). As part of FanExpo, Rue Morgue had the Festival of Fear, which celebrated the media that Rue Morgue covered. From actors such as Bruce Campbell (The Evil Dead) and Chris Sarandon (Fright Night) to directors like John Carpenter (Halloween, The Thing) and special effects people like Greg Nicotero (The Walking Dead) and Tom Savini (Dawn Of The Dead, Monkey Shines).

In addition to these appearances, you also had interactive media - my friend Nella happily shut herself in the coffin that I wouldn't lie in on principle, as well as not wanting to tempt fate. In this coffin, you could apparently watch your weeping mourners on a video screen ...and then watch them leave, and then watch the zombies that dug you up to eat you. I also remember Don Coscarelli (Phantasm director) hawking his wares after having done a Q&A panel, a green-splattered jittering dummy supposed to be Regan from The Exorcist ...and John Carpenter warning me that I shook his hand too hard when I met him for a photo-op. Genuinely my bad.

For reasons I can't remember, Festival of Fear withdrew from FanExpo. Subsequently, the local (Ontario) chapter of HWA maintained a presence there. Not only with a booth of authors and publishers, but also with panels as part of the programming. Elsewhere in the convention, you still had some semblance of horror in attendance. The likes of the Scream cast. Q&A with Bruce Campbell. Interactive attractions such as a confessional booth (if memory serves), sneak previews of dark media such as Mike Colter's "Evil", and magicians performing sleight of hand in front of live audiences. Doves as standard.

FanExpo this year had none of that at all. No dedicated booth this year - I had to lap the North Building (one of the two convention buildings where a dedicated horror stand is usually set up) a few times before Sephera Giron brought me up to speed. Those who went, those who know - by all means, correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe there was anything in the way of horror, beyond the specific HWA panels; one of which I was gratefully a member of. In this case, the "I Ain't Afraid Of No Ghost Stories" panel.

It's specifically the lack of horror programming - both volume and variety - is why I deem this year's FanExpo to be 'poor.' I'm not the only one to deliver this verdict, and it's not to take anything away from others who found it hit the spot and scratched their collective itches. I'm just citing how it was for me. Other issues as to 'poor' where the limited Spider-Man t-shirts available. From what I saw (and correct me if I'm wrong), but throughout the whole of the convention, I only saw four t-shirt stalls - three of them for Stylin, and the other one something different. While the latter is where I previously got one of my favourite Spidey t-shirts, reprising the cover of The Amazing Spider-Man, issue 100: 'The Spider Or The Man?', generally I saw very little in terms of variety covering a breadth of the character's heritage.

Ironically, it was only when I saw someone else at FanExpo wearing a cool Spidey t-shirt of the web-slinger in his black costume (which appeared to be a variant of Amazing Spider-Man issue 300's cover), that I had an in. On asking the guy, he tells me he didn't get the shirt from FanExpo but a shop called Hot Topic - who not only have a cool and broad range of (at least) Spider-Man t-shirts, but they also have a shop in the Eaton Centre mall. So I picked up a t-shirt for myself.

The other thing I mention as poor is the lack of range of food available. True, I'm not as anal about food as I used to be, but it's still important. The sushi bar is definitely an improvement over earlier years - but I still feel there should be more (and healthier) options apart from the pizza that currently does the rounds on site.

I've no interest in bitching about things and not doing anything to drive positive change. So I've already asked if there's a forum where constructive feedback can be given to drive said change. I'm not the only person to lament the Expo's lack of fantasy: that umbrella of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror programming. Nor am I all about horror to the exclusion of everything else. Dolph Lundgren's panel showed the man to be pragmatic, succinct and world-weary humourous, where Gina Carano in the wake of her Disney controversy came across as gracious, humble and progressive. Does the Expo have room for improvement? Yeah, I'd say so.

Let's see what the next year brings.

#fanexpo #toronto #hwa #horror #ruemorgue #festivaloffear #kelleyarmstrong #davidthirteen #sepheragiron #johncarpenter #spiderman #hottopic #eatoncentre

Welcome To The Capital.

Some years ago, when I'd first written my collection Misery And Other Lines, I wanted a tagline for it. Something that would speak to that vibe of stepping into a different world; certainly a world from several years earlier (since the collection is set in 2015 and I'd finished writing the collection in February 2022). 'Welcome to Halloween in the capital' was the tagline and the sentiment; introducing you to one Halloween night on and around London Underground. But that sensibility of introducing you to London as though it were a show still sticks with me. The cool, the intriguing, sometimes drama, etc.

Welcome to the capital.

Earlier this year, I got wind of fellow author Kev Harrison coming over to London from Portugal. Given that I don't see this good man often enough, I ask him if he's up to hang; food, drinks, shop talk, etc. I find a place called Sartori's: an Italian restaurant in Leicester Square, which is in 'the West End' ...as well as being in Central London. Anyhow. I round up fellow authors Gavin Jefferson, Erik Hofstatter, Sarah Farr, and Nuzo Onoh, with an aim to take on one of the restaurant's metre-long pizzas. With dietary requirements of the group considered, only three of us took on that metre-long pizza. And I'm happy to report that most of it ended up inside me. Followed by dessert.

What I'm thinking on in particular as I write this is an assertion from Nuzo during the meal. Knowing how much I love London and represent it in my work, the assertion was that a city may or may not take to you - and that, if it does, it should feel like home.

I'm a London native. Born and raised in the capital and proud of. Aside from a stint in Tyne and Wear at uni, I've not lived anywhere else. London feels more like home now than it did when I was a kid. These are progressive times we live in and I've seen London progress. More diversity in restaurant cuisines around the capital. Racial and cultural diversity in the city's workforce. Ecuadorian tailors and black surgeons. Openly gay TV presenters. Young entrepeneurs. The landscape evolves - certainly with taller buldings over the last twenty years or so - and the view of the cityscape changes. Everything from how the city looks with these buildings in to what you do when you're in these buildings. Views from the Oxo Tower restaurant, some eight floors up (if memory serves) to the likes of the bar and restaurant at The Shard - some thirty-two floors up.

When I was a kid growing up, I remember 'London Calling' by The Clash. Not to throw shade, but that song never really moved me. But 'London Town' from Light Of The World? Now that's a different story. Even now, when summer hits the capital, that's the tune that comes to mind, which speaks to the cool in the city. Given now that we're in summer right now - although you might have missed it, given how fickle London weather has been - Light Of The World's classic is still one of those I catch myself singing when the weather is good.

'Through Regent's Park, down through Trafalgar Square.'

What I'm mindful of is the countless 'gems' that I discover in the city; those experience big and small that bring London to life. The urinals in the men's room at the Shard; right up against the window, so that you can look thirty-two floors down when you're shaking hands with the president. The obvious tourists on London Underground that push the buttons to open train doors; not knowing that the doors will open anyway. The Jazz Cafe in Camden, where the doors may open at 7pm, but the headline act probably won't start until two hours later. Boats that you can catch along the River Thames the same way you'd catch a bus, underground train or overground train. Upright pianos at King Cross St. Pancras station, ready and waiting for any gifted passer-by to tinkle the ivories and move the crowd. Street performers in Leicester Square. Militant seagulls in Canary Wharf that dive and attack any on the tube station plaza foolish enough to eat while unguarded out in the open. Hotel Chocolat stores, whose wares are gorgeous to look at, let alone eat (or damned-near inhale). Pubs that soak the air with beer from behind heavy and varnished wooden doors. Pakistani jewellers in Tooting. Chinese buffet houses in the West End under strings of red paper lanterns criss-crossing the streets. String quartets playing Hans Zimmer film scores in Westminster. Stone devils up at Cornhill watching the street ...and maybe waiting for the right moment to come alive.

And countless more gems ...like the Jazz Café. Which frequently hosts acts that play anything but jazz. Blues, funk, rap, soul...

With this in mind and the sensibility I have for writing, there's a whole lot to bring the page, a whole lot of stories to capture and illustrate that breadth, that diversity. And, of course, push narratives to some dark and terrifying places.

The irony here is that for all my years in the city, I'm still learning things about it. Things that I may have missed or not yet caught up to - and things that are new to the city that I eventually catch wind of. There's such a richness to this city, vast in its diversity and breadth. Is it perfect? Absolutely not. I think this whenever there's another black teenager dead from a stabbing. Another fire in a block of flats. Another failing in healthcare which has jeopardised or taken an innocent life. No, the city isn't perfect.

But, this is my home, my jungle - my territory. It's got a lot going for it; that's what I choose to believe. So whether you do or don't, I'll still bid you the same.

Welcome to the capital.

#London #capital #welcometothecapital #ILoveLondon #lightoftheworld #jazzcafe #thepepys #sartori #nuzoonoh #gavinjefferson #erikhofstatter #sarahfarr #kevharrison #theshard #miseryandotherlines #londonunderground #thames #riverthames #diversity #food

StokerCon 2024.

Lounging. l-r: Jonathan Duckworth, Colleen Anderson, and me.

When people asked me how the convention was, I say it was good fun. That being said, four days of meet and greet, shop talk and connecting can be full-on and tiring - especially if you do it from the breakfast in the early hours until ...well, the early hours.

Having flown out from Heathrow on the Wednesday afternoon, I was on the same flight as Neil McRobert from the Talking Scared podcast. Not sat together until the Uber to the hotel; which gave the chance for some shop talk. Some people had already arrived, such as Lee Murray and her partner, Donna J.W. Munro, Andrew Robertson (in from Toronto), Meghan Acuri, etc. The convention didn't actually start until the following morning, which is where hotel breakfast was had with the likes of Jonathan Duckworth, Tim McGregor, etc.

Time with Dracula's master - the San Diego horror author Brian Asman.

Given that the convention started later on the Thursday, more people started to show up as the day went on. Cue much beaming and the unfettered power of hugging. Case in point: this was the first time I met San Diego's Brian Asman. Now I'd know Brian Asman online ever since 2017 when we did the A Story A Week challenge (championed by Michael David Wilson, the founder and podcaster of the This Is Horror podcast. Note that this is also where I know Sarah Read from). So cue much hugging, jokes and shoptalk - which is pretty much how the weekend went.

The hotel had a garden, if you will, where the opening ceremony was held on the Thursday evening. Where the mass author signing was held on the Friday evening. And where the cocktail party prior to the Bram Stoker Awards ceremony was held on the Saturday evening. And prior to the award ceremony was the banquet. Which, from what I could see, had a full turnout - I saw this from out in the hallway. I'm given to understand that attendance for StokerCon this year was so good, a number of attendees couldn't actually get into the room to watch; it was filled to capacity. Those of us lounging outside those open doors in comfy seats across the hallway still talked shop, along with this, that and the third; Diane Sismour, TJ Kang, etc.

This is how we do a fireside chat: late night at a firepit - l-r: Sephera Giron, me, Shelly Lyons, Brian Asman, and Andrew Robertson.

It might be surprising to hear this, but I wouldn't say I'm a people person. I don't actively surround myself with a lot of people, because that's how I'm wired, but I do have more of an appreciation for people and the shapes and sizes they come in - both literal and figurative. In childhood, I was literally the shy kid in the room. Those instances where Mama would take me to the family doctor for whatever the ailment was, I would sit on the chair next to her, swinging my legs and looking down at my feet. Why? Because I was too shy to make eye contact with anyone in the room. Where I gradually swallowed my shyness in talking to people; women, in particular. Because, apparently, faint heart never won fair maiden ...and I grew tired of women passing me by.

Now I talk to pretty much any and everybody, as long as I'm in the mood. And what I'm mindful of, especially as someone who was shy as a kid, is how other people would be. Everyone from the usual suspects to the new connects. Those who are gregarious. Those who are quiet. Those who are shy. Those who are different. But, in the genre community, everyone is different. The irony is that for those of us who write arguably the darkest, most insidious and twisted things, we are genuinely some of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet. So while I'm not a 'people person', I try to be mindful of people. Those that look to me as some kind of inspiration, sounding board, or a source to confide in, I do my best to handle that with grace, respect and understanding.

A full house (where not everyone got in) - the 2024 HWA Bram Stoker Awards ceremony gets under way.

Bearing in mind the size of the convention, you're unlikely to get to meet and greet everybody. Those met last year, e.g. Katrina Carruth, Gemma Amor, LP Hernandez, etc., I got to spend very little time with. On the flipside, more time was spent with the likes of Vincent Vena Cava , talking game, story aesthetics, cinematic sensibilities and comic books over breakfast. Or with Shelly Lyons late night at the firepit about fear. Or with Ricky Grove about genres, reading and short stories. Or with Tamika Thompson and Pamela Raymond talking submissions and game over pizza and pasta on The Day That The Hotel Couldn't Serve Food and There Was A Mass Exodus To The Pizza Parlour. Catching up with Jacques Mersereau in the Dealers Room and talking about mindset and longevity.

It's this discussion and interaction, among other things, that keeps me invigorated. That makes me want to deliver my best work. On those occasions I'm asked if it's worthwhile going to conventions, the answer is always yes. As for 'why':

I get to spend time with my peers - this includes the usual suspects and the new connects.

It reinforces those bonds with said peers.

More often than not, there's new business as a result.

It gives me something to talk about.

It's a way of keeping my ear to the ground in the genre.

It means I'm seen (and helps keep me at the forefront of the genre).

l-r: Dennis Crosby, Justin Key, Tamika Thompson, Pamela Raymond, and me.

That last one may seem ironic, given that while there are black people at these events, we're not in the majority. I still maintain that, regardless of skin colour, I'm not seen enough - so regular attendance at conventions is one way to offset that. Being seen is the main reason why I go.

But good things come to an end.

Currently, it's approaching mid-Jun, and I'm ticking stuff off my to-do list. StokerCon is now a happy memory; which I'm grateful for. As much as I love travelling - which is the being in other places as well as the process of actually getting there - I'm always grateful to come back home. The packing on the morning of checkout, the look of the vacated room, albeit untidier than when I got there. Suitcase dragged behind me. Cab to the airport, check in, waiting at the gate, boarding the plane. Because I usually fly west (and haven't flown east since Singapore some years back), I'll always aim to land at Heathrow in the morning. Which allows me time to get across town back to the house, relax and ease myself back into the next day and the usual routine.

Which, apart from uploading pictures and video, means the business of writing. The submissions, the editing ...and ideally, the writing. That which makes everything else here possible.

The good stuff.

#writing #london #toronto #sandiego #singapore #heathrow #game #game101 #convention #hwa #stokercon #writing #astoryaweek #brianasman #saarahread #michaeldavidwilson #thisishorror

Catch A Flight.

Currently rounding up preparations to fly out to StokerCon in San Diego in a few days.

I haven't always been that much of a flier. I can still remember my first flight at seven years of age, with Mama and my brothers on a flight to Barbados. A change of scene, seeing family, seeing our heritage, etc. Certain things I won't forget in a hurry. Watership Down as the inflight film on a big screen at the front of the cabin. Earphones that looked like rubber stethoscopes. Synthetic-tasting inflight meals. And my repeated vomiting, which splattered my mother and pissed off the steward holding the bag in front of me. I still remember those exasperated words: "Get it in the bag, son, get it in the bag."

No, I didn't cope well with air travel back then.

But times change and things evolve. Another family holiday to Barbados when I was eleven - I didn't do as badly that time. A short trip to Paris some twenty-odd years ago. I still have reservations about the Channel Tunnel (however unfounded they may be), so flying remains the preference there.

What had really brought home the idea of travelling to me was in the wake of a break-up with an ex-girlfriend (who, like a lot of people, travelled every now and then) was the fact that I hadn't really seen anywhere different. By this time - around 2003 - I was already a member of Kelley Armstrong's online discussion forum (which was very much a thing back then, but is long gone now), and had grown to know a number of people online. For the most part, the board demographic was either in the U.K., the U.S., or Canada.

Having formed bonds with a number of people, one of which is 'Nella', who lives in Toronto, I'd flown out there to meet some people, 'chaperoned' by a then-friend since I'd not flown in how many years and may have had a degree of anxiety about flying. To his credit, he'd taken the window seat so I could get up, stretch my legs and wander when needed, and had only called me a 'punk-ass nigga' for repeated (albeit, silent) farting on the flight when we were actually downtown in Toronto. The trip itself was good and while the projectile vomiting thus far is now a thing of the past, I still take motion sickness tablets before I fly - simply being on the safe side.

Trips to Toronto are now a regular thing and while the number of attendees at a 'Meet' with Kelley Armstrong also in attendance are also a thing of the past, a handful of us are still close and meet up in the summer to go to FanExpo, catch up, get some food and drink. All the good stuff.

What's also notable about Kelley Armstrong's forum is that this is where, on asking about zombie vegetarians (as a half-joke, since I couldn't remember the name of a particular '...of The Dead' book I was looking for), Nella had recommended Brian Keene's "The Rising" - which is, to date, my favourite zombie story in any medium. Yes, beyond the likes of Resident Evil, 28 Days Later, The Walking Dead, Night Of The Living Dead, et al. And, having similarly immersed myself in Brian Keene's forum and inhaled much of his work and met some good people, what stood out to me was the hustler ethic of being an indie author. These experiences had set the stage where I had found my feet as an indie author and pushed myself to develop my craft - and still do.

As a result of these online interactions and connecting with a range of people, I'm more likely to travel now. Some of it is author related, with the idea that the more people I get to meet, the more people see who I am and are aware of who I am and are more likely to be curious about who I am and what I do. All part and parcel of Game 101. Some of the travel is just spending time with friends. Plus, the experiences from travelling internationally are enriching.

Everything from watching the sunrise on the beach in Dominican Republic, humming Nirvana's "Come As You Are" to meeting John Carpenter at FanExpo and shaking his hand (at which he warned me my handshake was strong). From early evening heading back to the airport in Rio watching the sun set behind Cristo Redentor to getting some of the best Chinese food I ever tasted on Smith Street/Food Street in Singapore, sat at an outdoor table. Catching a connecting flight home from Minneapolis and hearing Ray Charles' "Georgia On My Mind" play as people from all over the world made their way through the airport.

Even the flying itself is a great experience, although I still approach it with a degree of anxiety, no matter how small. More often than not, I'll get the tube to Heathrow, and then feel what's usually a cool breeze/cold wind on me as I get into the terminal. It always fascinates me to check out the departure board and see all the destinations in the world you could go to. Once I check in my luggage, it's through passport control and then lounge for a while, maybe get some food in me, do some reading, etc., before it's time to head to the gate. Mama laughs when I tell her than when it comes to the moving walkway, I always walk - because I can't wait to get to the gate. Once there, I'll read, relax, pop my travel sickness tablets.

When it's time to board, I take my seat quickly, mindful that other passengers are boarding. Once airborne, I'll ask what time the first meal is served. Even though I eat less now that I used to, at around 3 - 4 meals a day, I still have a good appetite. The reason I ask when food is served is to make sure that I eat the inflight meal before I start wading into the sandwiches I've brought onboard. Why? Because the inflight meals are never big enough.

When I've eaten, I can then look at passing the time until my flight gets in. I'm one of those people who can sleep on the flight, so I'll grab a couple of hours siesta. This not only helps pass the time, but also helps minimise any jetlag. I'll read. I'll watch an inflight film or two. Listen to the captain's announcement. Cruising altitude, expected arrival time, local weather. I'll get up and walk the aisle - one of the reasons that I prefer an aisle seat. My carry-on is usually small enough to go under the seat in front of me. This is also important because when the flight lands and the seatbelt sign goes off, I want to be out of my seat and as far up the aisle to the exit as possible - to exit the plane as quick as possible. No luggage in overhead bins for me, if I can help it. I'm aware that other people may not have that sense of urgency, but I do. My aim is to get through passport control, collect my luggage from the baggage carousel and get out of the airport as quick as possible. From there, it's then a cab ride to the destination.

More often than not, I travel alone but at least I know people at the destination. StokerCon will be no different. I'll get to meet the usual suspects; the likes of Colleen Anderson, Sephera Giron and such, as well as the likes of Brian Asman, who I've know since the A Story A Week challenge back in 2017 but will be meeting for the first time this week.

But, when all's said and done, I'm grateful for the chance to head home, catch my flight back out and land in the capital some hours later. Bringing whatever experience, memories, gifts and souvenirs with me. It's still pretty cool - a far cry from those early flights. Thankfully.

#astoryaweek #stokercon #london #sandiego #flying #vomit #jetlag #hustle #game #game101 #kelleyarmstrong #briankeene #writing #toronto #fanexpo #johncarpenter #dominicanrepublic #singapore #barbados

The Thing: The Blueprint And The Aesthetic.

Mid-month, I caught wind of the fact that one of my friends was heading up to Leicester Square to see a screening of John Carpenter's "The Thing" - which got my attention for a couple of reasons. One, because I'd not seen said friend in a while and two, because the film was being screened at the Prince Charles Cinema.

For those that don't know, the Prince Charles Cinema isn't like the Odeon or Vue, etc. - those cinema chains that primarily show the latest releases. No. The Prince Charles Cinema - named when Charles was a prince and not the current king - will show screenings of older films in any and every genre, e.g. Labyrinth, Star Wars, Psycho, etc. But where the cinema really got my attention was where, some years ago, they had employed 'ninja ushers' to keep silence and order during the screenings.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/entertainment-arts-19622445

So I caught up with said friend (and one of their friends) in Leicester Square to chill and catch up beforehand. For all my years in the city, I'd never been to the Prince Charles Cinema before, even though I've been in Leicester Square plenty of times. The last time I was anywhere near there, if memory serves, is when I caught up with fellow author Erik Hofstatter when he was in town to catch the 30th anniversary screening of Hellraiser.

I digress.

What I'm mindful of with the smaller independent cinemas - similar to actual theatres - is the seating, because I don't do well in small seats. Having finally made it inside the cinema, all fears were allayed, since the seats were big enough and there was plenty of leg room, for those of us with good height that don't miss out on doing squats. Also good was the fact that despite the absence of the ninja ushers, those who were ushering still kept silence and order. In particular for one gossiping couple that, despite being shushed by an irate audience member, were given a second and final warning that if they didn't be quiet, they'd be removed from the cinema. That shut them up quite nicely.

As for the film itself?

I still have that sense of wonder as it were when I watch the film. There's the narrative, the intrigue, the characters, the music - all of which make the film more than the sum of its parts. This is also a good time to remind you that, for the most part, I don't watch horror films because they scare the shit outta me. I've grown up watching them, which is partly why I don't watch them anymore as they scared me to that point - but note that The Thing hasn't scared me once. Notable that it's scared so many other people. Me, I was just in awe of the film.

Again, I don't watch horror films - or horror TV - for the most part, but even back then, the narrative and direction in The Thing was ahead of its time. You had an all-male cast, not including the voice of the Chess Wizard, or Billie Holliday singing, "Don't Explain." You had black characters in the cast - at least one of which made it to the end of the film. There was a lack of tension music in the film, certainly in those instances where the antagonist is on the attack, as it were. But there are elements of the film which definitely influenced me as a storyteller.

DIRECTION / PHOTOGRAPHY. Probably the most influential aspect of The Thing on my work is the sense of cinematography - how to convey that in a written work. There are instances in The Thing where the setting is a much as character as those that move around ...whether they're human, canine, or alien. Certainly the scene where the dog is wandering around the U.S. camp while MacReady and Copper go to the Norwegian site. And definitely the scene after Blair's ship is discovered and MacReady answers Nauls' question of where Blair was trying to go, with, "Anywhere but here." To see the camera pan across the camp is beautiful - not only does it give a sense of place, but a sense of context. In this instance, it shows, 'this is the camp' and 'given all the drama so far, settle in for what's gonna happen next.' Because I take great pride in capturing London as a character, this is a device I use more and more - to show you the physical setting. This is the case with Someone Is Late (from the Misery And Other Lines collection), the aftermath of the wine shop scene with Richard and Kieran in Downwind, Alice - and definitely the third act in There Goes Pretty, once Denny has been rescued from the house. The narrative is set up as if to show you someone or something moving through that scene, that location.

THE MONSTER. Another consideration is the design and motivation of a monster. For the record, I have read the John Campbell novella Who Goes There? - on which Carpenter's take on The Thing is aligned to, rather than its predecessor, the black-and-white film The Thing From Another World. From what I remember of the novella, Carpenter's take is more in line with that particular iteration of the monster. Which brings to mind the prequel film of The Thing, which is set at the Norwegian camp prior to the events in Carpenter's film. And this brings to mind one of the most important aspects of the monster, as Empire's review of the prequel rightly calls it - that the monster in the prequel is so powerful and violent, you wonder why it bothers to hide at all. And it's this - as well as how a monster looks - which is what intrigues me about any monster I write. Not just how it looks, but what can it do and what can't it do? What motivates it? Remember that if a monster isn't human - or at least entirely human - you can't expect it to have a human sensibility. Therefore, it's not going to think, feel and act how you or I would.

MacReady's speech to the others after burning the blood is a solid callout to logic and reason in an environment where mistrust, panic and fear will grow. "I know I'm human. And if you were all these things, then you'd just attack me right now. So some of you are still human. This thing doesn't want to show itself, it wants to hide inside an imitation. It'll fight if it has to, but it's vulnerable out in the open." Monsters, like people, have strengths and weaknesses. They have drives and fears. MacReady, in spite of whatever faults he has, doesn't insult the antagonist, he simply acknowledges what it is, what it does, and what it needs. Monsters don't have to be big or strong or blessed with numerous sharp teeth to be frightening, and beyond the physical appearance of a monster, that's what makes them monstrous, that's what makes them frightening - their motivation. This is something else I take pride in, whether the monster pursues you for something you feel you're innocent of (e.g. in Forfeit Tissue), or whether the monster is only after you (e.g. Downwind, Alice), or whether the monster is after you simply because it's set its sights on you (e.g. But Worse Will Come). And from a creative point of view, there's a glut of monsters in fiction to choose from; vampires, werewolves, demons, zombies, etc. But what moves me - much like Rob Bottin would have done with the creature effects in The Thing, is to craft something that fits the appearance, character and motivation of the monster in question.

MUSIC, OR LACK THEREOF. The lack of tension music is another one. Having had the good fortune to ask Carpenter about this some years ago at FanExpo in Toronto, he simply said he didn't feel those scenes needed tension music. Yes, I'm aware that a written work has no music - but the same way I write with more of a cinematic eye, so it is that I write with more of a cinematic ear. The scene between Shirley and Margaret in the Closure novel is a prime example. From when the conversation starts to when it finishes, I had no music in mind for the height of the scene. If anything, there would only be an undercurrent of music, e.g. a note from a cello underscoring the aftermath of that scene once Margaret departs, leaving Shirley alone to process the gravity and horror of what's happened. For me, I can't write to music - unless that particular scene I'm writing has that piece of music in it - but I do listen to certain pieces of music to get in the zone, as it were. The piano score from the opening to The Evil Dead by Joseph Loduca is one such piece.

There's something I've said before in terms of general aesthetic when it comes to a story. Yes, I want to tell a good story and an honest story - as in without gimmicks ...but there's something so simple and basic there also. Which is this: I want to unsettle you. Scare you.

Disturb you.

I want to craft a narrative, a monster and set pieces that draw you in, then pull the rug out from under you as you wonder what happened. Or to have someone stare the monster in the face without it attacking because it doesn't need to. Or have someone in fear in the aftermath of the monster because they have the space and quiet to realise just how deep the horror goes.

So if I made your skin crawl, if I had you looking over your shoulder, if I had you re-reading something to see where I wrongfooted you? It's all intentional. And if I haven't?

Then I've got work to do.

#thething #johncarpenter #princecharlescinema #london #writing #horror #leicestersquare

Game, 101 - Beta Reading.

I could be wrong, but I believe there's a Hemmingway quote that says, "your first draft is shit." Do feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, since I don't have a problem with it.

The idea is that in order to get a work of premium quality into the hands of the reader, the first draft is raw material needs to be refined and polished. Tightened. All the good stuff. And all the things an author should be doing before anyone else gets to see the work. Sounds good on paper, right? Except for the part where the author may be too close to the work to see what's actually wrong with it. What can help at this point is a fresh pair of eyes - a beta reader. Someone who can pick up on the typos you've missed, the plotholes you've walked over, the continuity errors you've sailed through. You get the idea.

Everyone's got their process, so I'll introduce you to mine. All part and parcel of Game, 101.

1. THE FIRST DRAFT. This, for me, is the bread-and-butter, the all-important, the bottom line, the alpha-omega. Because you can put it in whatever flowery terms you want; "I'm working on a new book" or "This one is going to be about" or "Wait til you see this one" - all of which is, well, all well and good except for one thing:

Do you have a FINISHED draft - yes or no?

And it's that simple. Such a basic stat doesn't lie.

Note that I didn't say, 'is it a tight and polished draft?' - after all, this entry's about beta reading. But we're starting at the beginning of that - which is the finished draft. As in the whole story, regardless of how sloppy, plotholed and shitty it is. But if you're an author that values your product/audience/name/whatever noun you want to put here, you need to tighten that draft. And because I write my drafts at high speed my work is littered with typos. Continuity errors. Plotholes. So I want to read through it again and clean all of that shit up. Will I do this as soon as I've finished the story? Hell, no. Because:

a. I've just written a story so I need a break (where I can down my Jack and Coke from my 'Get Shit Done' glass ...and I really need a 'Got Shit Done' glass) and

b. taking a break from the story means I can go back to it with fresh/er eyes.

How long a break do I take before I go back to it? Maybe the better part of a week or two. And when I DO go back to it, the basic clean-up may take a fair amount of time. But remember that I'm going back to clean up a finished draft. Which is, for me, a damned sight easier and faster than trying to write a tidy draft as I go. So once I've tidied the draft, is it good enough? No. Because I need more pairs of eyes than just mine.

2. THOSE WHO BETA READ FOR ME. These are the people who see my first draft once basic clean-up is done and offer constructive criticism on any and everything; setting, narrative, pace, realism, characterisation, etc. This is why basic clean-up is so important - because you want your beta reader's work to be as easy and enjoyable as possible. How is that possible if you present them with the sloppiest shit that you couldn't even do a basic clean-up on?

They can also catch the typos, plotholes, and continuity errors that I might have missed. What's important for me in a beta reader isn't so much that they like my work, but that they understand it - that they 'get' the story I'm trying to tell and how I'm trying to tell it. Where do 'you' find beta readers? Look among your friends and peers, for a start. Chances are that if they 'get' you, they'll 'get' your work. I have go-to beta readers, my friend Terri (MVC - Most Valuable Critter) along with author/essayist/reviewer Kit Power, in particular. These are a couple of people who I love to bits and never fail to bring good work to the table.

So while I've finished writing a story, it'll be days or weeks before I start editing or writing another one. What do I do in that time? Relax, for one. Read, watch TV or film, play bass, go out, etc. What else do I do?

3. I BETA READ FOR OTHERS. I'm aware that whoring myself out to beta read may surprise a number of people - and certainly surprises a number of my peers when I tell them this is something I do readily and willingly. Why? Let me break it down for you:

a. IT KEEPS ME SHARP. When I'm looking at someone else's work, I can do this with a keen and critical eye. Realism, pacing, setting, etc. - the whole nine. The more I do this, the more attuned I am to what to look for and excuse or excise in my writing. Generally, when I beta read for people, I'll pick the two biggest elements in terms of what I feel needs improving on the most, e.g. realism, dialogue, etc. Addressing the biggest elements, I feel, will lead to the biggest and quickest wins for that author. In addition to calling out what isn't done so well, I'll call out what is: giving the beta read more balance.

b. IT HELPS ME 'AUDITION' NEW BETA READERS. This is not the only thing I look at in a beta reader, but their work is part of the indication as to whether they'd be a good fit to read and critique my work. Do they have the same creative sensibilities when it comes to pacing? Are their scenes eerie or blatant? Supernatural? Psychological? Inventive? Etc.

c. IT HELPS MY PEERS. Not everyone can be so altruistic. There's the time aspect; some people don't have so much of it. As per the saying, 'your mileage may vary.' But, it helps others. And, while I don't mind helping others to a point (because that's how I'm wired), I would prefer to get back to my own writing. Which means...

d. IT ENCOURAGES ME TO WORK FASTER ALL AROUND. This, for me, is a good thing. Because, as prolific as I might be, I don't have nearly enough work in the marketplace and I sure as hell don't have the reach/acknowledgement I want with said work. So because I might beta read more than some of my peers, it also means...

e. I'M MORE LIKELY TO GET A BETA READ FOR MY OWN WORK. Which comes in handy, especially if you're some kind of prolific. Note that when I get a beta read, I'm always grateful for the time and effort taken on it, but it doesn't mean I automatically accept all of the critique - no. I'll cherry-pick from that criticism so it helps me deliver the best version of my work in line with my vision. After all, I wrote the story, so, yeah.

Note that when I do beta read, I'll take on work which I can comfortably do. It's not my priority and I'm sure as hell not going to run myself into the ground doing it. But I do reap a degree of benefit whoring myself out, as it were.

There you have it. Beta-reading game. 101.

#game #game101 #betareading #betareader #critique #MVC

It's Disturbing.

(Or: Game 101 - The Write Thing)

You know, for a while, I wrestled with what to call this entry? I toyed with the idea of subtitling it, "Some Of You Motherfuckers Need Jesus" - which is, to date, one of my favourite reviews about my work. FYI, that was from a beta reader on a story as-yet unpublished. Rest assured that when it is, I'll gladly share that 'motherfucker' story.

Anyhow.

It occurs to me that for all my talk of game basics, i.e., Game 101, I've not gone into my writing process in such granular detail. So, here we are.

1. THE SOURCE. When people ask me where do I get my ideas from, I gladly tell them I have an active imagination. Truly, I do. I also recognise that I'm blessed in that I get ideas faster than I can write them, so I forever race to keep up with the muse. The flipside of this is that if I don't write quickly enough, I'll start to get disenchanted with the story I'm writing, so it's in my best interest to work as quickly as possible. For those ideas I don't get to write as soon as I have them, I write them down. It used to be notepads, on old receipts, one time was on a bathroom mirror. Now it's usually the notepad app on my phone.

Each story starts with an idea or a scene, which in turn comes from something I've actually seen or something I'd like to see. In the case of Forfeit Tissue, this was twofold. One, because I'd gone to the Jazz Café to see what shows were coming only to see the venue was closed for refurbishment. Two, because in a dream I'd had, a nightclub full of burning bodies had a mysterious blazing figure rise from the carnage in silence. At some point, I'd married the two together and Forfeit Tissue was born.

2. THE PREMISE. At this point once I have an idea or scene in my head, the next thing is the elevator pitch and the ending. These are key for me, because they give a very simplified view on what the story's about and how it will end. For those that don't know, the elevator pitch is a summary in a sentence or so that you could tell someone who asks what your story's about in the time it takes to get from one floor to another in an elevator.

3. THE NAME. The next thing is the all-important title.

Which can take minutes, hours, or days to come up with.

Why? Because I want something distinctive, cool, something that hints at the story beyond it. For those that might argue that this level of consideration is overkill, remember that there's only one Cary Grant or John Wayne. Only one Sexual Healing. Only one Mama Said Knock You Out. Only one Breakfast At Tiffany's, or A Nightmare On Elm Street. Only one Adidas. You get the idea. And I'll happily take that time to find something distinctive, something that provokes a sense of intrigue, unease. The original short story Seed that I'd written in homage to the likes of Demon Seed was a tale of a woman whom after a one-night stand, starts to doubt who - or what - she slept with. But 'Seed' didn't convey the gravity or potential of the tale. 'Semen', however, in an age of increased social awareness and accountability, post-#MeToo and such, had a more visceral reaction. Semen remains, to date, my most divisive work. I'm aware some don't like it - readers and reviewers, which is totally okay. I've been unfriended in real life over it. But would I change the title? Hell, no. So the title of my work may refer to a theme, or a spoken line of dialogue - Downwind, Alice is a prime example. And when you see that dialogue in context, you (hopefully) appreciate the gravity of the narrative.

4. THE HOOK. Once I have these, I move on to the next thing: the epigraph. For the uninitiated, the epigraph is an opening quote at the start of the tale which speaks to a theme or premise in the story. The pilot film for The Incredible Hulk live-action TV show in the 70s had one: "In each of us, oftimes, there dwells a mighty and raging fury." To me, this is one of the coolest things there is - that there's a quote or soundbite that'll whet your appetite for what's to come.

And this can also take minutes, hours, or days to come up with.

I will gladly search the internet high and low for something that fits the story like a glove; in much the same way that you may spend time shopping for the right shirt, or the right pair of shoes, or the right home, or the right martial art, or the right partner. In the case of Don't Run, while I felt the title was okay, it didn't take me too long to find the epigraph I settled on: "There are no wild animals until Man makes them so." For all the work I've ever written, this epigraph is still a personal favourite and fits the theme of the story perfectly. But don't take my word for it. In terms of epigraph, it doesn't need to be a literal reference to what's in the story, it's just a teaser; it's there to pique your interest and whet your appetite. Typically, I'll collect a handful of quotes, which can be a painstakingly time-consuming process and, as the story develops, I may select which one speaks to the story best. Or I may look for an additional quote. Once I have these things, I can finally start putting text on the page - outlining.

5. THE BLUEPRINT. Fiction authors appear to fall mainly into one of two camps: those who plot the story before writing - the plotters, or those who write on the fly and by the seat of their pants - the pantsers/pantsters. I'm primarily a plotter, since I need that basic framework on which to flesh the story out. That said, my outlines aren't so rigid that can't improvise while I'm writing. Outlining and plotting the story also gives me a basic handle on what kind of research I might to do. Which has included everything from basic practice from London Fire Brigade on attending escapees from a burning building (Forfeit Tissue) to Transport for London's regulation on transporting a 15-foot python on London Underground (Misery And Other Lines). Not only does it make your story more engaging if you can capture such realism, but what you don't want is to be caught with your pants down because you didn't do your homework. Besides, it's London, so it's a point of personal pride that I capture it as faithfully, vividly and intriguingly as possible.

6. REFERENCE MATERIAL. Exactly what it says on the tin - pictures, video, articles and such to help me visualise and create the story. Everything from newspaper articles to documentary videos, GoogleMaps of areas in London, etc. Misery And Other Lines, for example - when Charlie finally meets his stalker? Their true face was inspired by a close-up of this deep-sea fish at the top of this page.

With that groundwork covered, it's pretty much time to write. Right? Wrong.

7. THE RITUAL. I ,do, have a ritual. And I need to give the nod to a couple of my Canadian friends that I love to bits - because they got me the whisky glass engraved with 'Get Shit Done.' I'll 'toast' both the start and finish of writing the story with a glass of Jack Daniel's and Coke. That glass.

8. THE BOTTOM LINE. Which just leaves the writing itself, along with one crucial element. Which is this: ,I'm going to disturb you.

It's not enough for me to 'just' write a horror story and maybe something happens to someone where it's graphic, violent or whatever - no. I don't necessarily want to write something 'cool.' I want to craft something that creeps up on you like a spider would - the thing you don't realise is there until you turn and see it there; then comes the shock that it got there without you knowing. I don't share the narrative equally: sometimes I'll put the readers ahead of the curve and the characters behind it. Or vice versa. I want to bring you fascination and dread in varying degrees. Even if it's 'just' a story, I want you to read cautiously. Re-read things that are well-crafted enough to have slipped past you the first time. To make your skin crawl.

In much the same way that compelled one of my beta readers to say, "Some of you motherfuckers need Jesus."

So, know this: if you read my work and I disturb you, it's intentional. Hopefully I engage and wow you.

And scare the shit outta you.

#writing #horror #game #game101 #betareader #epigraph #forfeittissue #downwindalice #miseryandotherlines #semen #London

Theatre For Horror.

For the first time in years, I went to the theatre. And, for the first time ever, I went to see a horror play.

That said, it's not the first time I've heard of a horror play - or similar. Years back, in Toronto, there was Evil Dead: The Musical. This one I know about because a bunch of friends went. Gleefully showing the fruits of their labours while sitting in the front rows - waterproof ponchos splattered with blood. There was the stage show of The Fly - as in the Jeff Goldblum / Geena Davis outing. And then, a few years back, the stage play of The Exorcist.

In case you forgot or didn't know, I don't watch horror films any more. I've grown up watching them, but they took me to a point where it proved to be an unpleasant experience watching them. The grotesquerie of a werewolf transformation, the screaming, growling, ripping of clothes, mouthful of fangs, etc. Demonic possession; children with funky eyes and guttural voices. Jaws broken, eyes gouged, etc. Ghosts; rotting ethereal faces, displacement of objects and furniture, et al. That said, I love a good horror story, so I'll happily read them. With a film, you may have special effects added in where it's not possible in a play; which means the latter might be more bearable.

I caught wind of The Enfield Haunting play at the tale end of last year. I liked the poster; I thought it looked cool. A tale based on a true story about a poltergeist haunting. Then I read the reviews. Which were generally unfavourable. But when it comes to entertainment media, I don't usually have the majority opinion. Case in point: the theatrical cut of the Daredevil film (Ben Affleck / Jennifer Garner) is still in my top 20 films of all time. I'm aware that it's caught some flack in the past. And, yes, I've seen the Marvel TV series with Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio, which I also love.

I digress.

I don't make a habit of going to the theatre; the last time I went was some years ago with an ex-girlfriend. Mainly to pass the time; she wanted to see it, I racked up brownie points in the process. But a horror play in the West End (FYI, it's known as that, but it's actually Central London - go figure) was something I actually wanted to see. So I bought a ticket online for an afternoon showing on the weekend and swung by the theatre. In this instance, it was the Ambassadors Theatre.

As much as I wanted to see the play, I didn't want to shell out a fortune on a ticket. So I got a cheap one which, including the booking fee(?) came to £30 or so. I can live with that. I get across town to Leicester Square and immediately I'm reminded of one of the drawbacks to the West End; the sheer volume of tourists: shoulder to shoulder. And rubbernecking. Once I get to the theatre and get in, I'm reminded of why it's not my go-to medium. At 5'10" and around 220lbs, it's enough trouble fitting into a regular cinema seat. But, theatre seats - like these ones - are even smaller and with even less leg room. Cramped, to say the least. Luckily, I booked a seat in the circle; the royal box-looking thing at the side of the auditorium. Only 3 seats in the circle, of which I had the front seat - so no room to put my legs under the seat in front. But at least I can stand up to stretch my legs, if needed, and without blocking anyone's view. Anyhow. At the top of the show, there's a voice over the PA that the play's about to start and that there's flashing lights and loud noises. Ushers standing by with paddles showing signage for no pictures and no phone usage.

Then the lights dim.

To be fair, there were some good moments. The poltergeist activity, like the throwing of a couch, impressed me. That, and the acting from one of the younger actors - I forget her character's name. Things like recordings of eerie voices are expected fare. But on the whole, it fell short of the mark for me. The biggest drawback, I feel, was the lack of story in that it didn't go anywhere. The ghostly activity didn't escalate or dwindle, the human characters for me didn't show any growth or development, but just ...stayed as they were. And stayed in the house.

But there are a couple of things I take away from this. One is its potential as an entertaining medium, so I'm already on the lookout for more horror plays in the city. And two, the potential in actually writing something for this medium.

#horror #writing #theatre #theenfieldhaunting #theexorcist #thefly #ghost #poltergeist #tourist #leicestersquare #westend #ilovelondon