Strange Tales

Another review!

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:18:35 GMT

Highlander's Book Reviews have just reviewed "Conjure". And quite liked it, which is always nice.

Read the review here!

Woo hoo!

It's the weekly round-up

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:55:37 GMT

A couple more reviews for “Conjure” this week, from paying customers - and both of them, I’m very happy to say, are positive. Firstly, Jamie - my fan from Tasmania - emailed me and wrote:

"The book's a fine achievement, Mark. It moves along at a crisp pace, has characters the reader can care about, and a nice climax."

That was very nice - then Kim kiminorkey wrote me a lovely long email that included the phrase “Good job, I enjoyed it”. She also posted the first review at Goodreads, which was very nice of her.

Kim’s review at Goodreads.com

And in life, here’s Matthew doing the Monster Mash:

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 23:04:30 GMT

10:03 @MarkMorris10 Hope you have a great time #

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Mon, 12 Oct 2009 23:03:52 GMT

12:22 @sarahjpin Exciting times! #

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It's Review Time Again

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 10:15:31 GMT

The latest issue of VideoVista is now live and contains two reviews from me this month.

The first is the very good (if quite slow) Macabre (Macabro), the directorial debut of Lamberto Bava, a sometimes quite wonderfully barmy slice of giallo.

The second is the genuinely appalling (my joint worst film of the year - in fact, it’s so bad, it’s probably in the running for worst film of this decade) Serum. Are there any upsides to this debacle of straight-to-video dreck? Well, this is perhaps - to my mind, at least - one of the funniest reviews I’ve ever written and if you don’t click the link, how else will you discover what ‘death by cereal’ means?

And another book...

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:18:21 GMT

In one of those peculiar ironies, having gone a full year between publications (We Fade To Grey and, of course, the super-duper "Conjure"), I will soon have another book out. My first chapbook, as it happens and I'm really quite chuffed about it.

More details as soon as I can release them, but it'll be a November publication and feature two of my short stories.

Chuffed? Me? Oh yes!

A life, update

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:40:50 GMT

Friday wasn’t the best day I’ve ever had - I went to the funeral of one of my best friends’ Mum. Sad occasion, as they always are, but she was loved in life and that came across on the day. It made some of my depressive thoughts come back, the idea of mortality and time, but I managed to dispel those fairly quickly and it was gratifying to be involved with the day. Rest In Peace, Marion.

Perhaps to make up for it, we had a cracking weekend. On Saturday, Matthew & I went to Toys R Us to buy him some kit for a Fancy Dress day he’s having at school. We were undecided what to go for, until he found a cowboy hat and gun and came chasing after me as I looked over the pricey Star Wars stuff.

On Sunday, we went for a walk down to the folly, which directly inspired the eponymous location in my novelette “The Mill” - always a pleasure.

On Monday, Matthew started full-time at school. I was really worried, but he took to it well and was chuffed to bits that he could take his lunchbox to work in his briefcase (actually, it’s a Thomas lunch bag) “just like Daddy”. The two streams - morning and afternoon classes - were merged, so there were a lot of new faces but he seems to have made some new friends, so that’s all good.

In addition, I had a couple of cracking reviews of “Conjure” (see previous post). Couldn’t be more pleased with them.

Cowboy Woody, just before we settled down to watch “Toy Story”

Scary monsters! What Dude & I are planning to wear on the Halloween walk around East Carlton park. I won’t be wearing my Dick Dastardly & Muttley t-shirt on the day.
And yes, Dude is wearing his holsters!

Matthew, at the mouth of Shotwell Mill Lane, which leads down to the folly.

Paying customer reviews for "Conjure"

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:38:24 GMT

David Price posted this to the book’s Facebook group site (which is located here) and below is a lovely little excerpt:

Chilling stuff, Mark, [with] strong characters, and you've done a great job of adding menace to an idyllic setting. Above all, it is a real page-turner, as you never let us forget how much danger the central characters are in (that encounter with the one-armed boy and the crows is a particularly unnerving moment, and you build on that sense of dread) . I would almost describe it as quiet horror - in short, a good, old-fashioned tale of the supernatural. You can definitely be proud of this one.

Thanks, David!

Gary Greenwood was the first to post a review though, at his website

Brief bit - It's a good, solid horror novel about revenge from beyond the grave affecting the lives of a young couple who have their own, more realistic worries...

Thanks, Gary!

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 23:01:47 GMT

12:32 I was in the paper last night, with "Conjure". I thought I looked terrible. #

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Local man makes news locally...

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:31:42 GMT

My appearance, in the Kettering Evening Telegraph, 30/9/09

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:01:28 GMT

09:27 @BrianKeene We didn't watch them in our house and I banned Barney as well #

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Mon, 28 Sep 2009 23:01:39 GMT

10:46 twitpic.com/jh22h - I think he meant 'ratchet', but he did smile everytime someone did a double-take #

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A sign spotted...

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:01:39 GMT

We went to the Cranford Steam Rally over the weekend and, as we wandered past one stall, I did a double-take at the sign. The man sitting by the van looked at me and smiled. I'm sure he knew that he'd spelled 'ratchet' wrong, but was enjoying the reaction.

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 23:00:09 GMT

09:08 contrary to my expectation, "The Boat That Rocked" is actually pretty good. Still don't like Richard Curtis though. #

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Wed, 23 Sep 2009 23:00:19 GMT

09:34 watched "Crank 2" last night - like a cartoon, with people in it. #
13:36 @richard_wright With them trying to pretend they don't have staff in call centres out there? #

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FantasyCon (and Matthew gets me into trouble)

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 11:39:27 GMT

Last weekend was FantasyCon and I went up to Nottingham for the Saturday only - one year, I’m going to do the whole weekend, I keep promising myself. Due to heavy traffic, I didn’t arrive until 11.30 but met up with Stuart Young straight away and we found a table and caught up. David Price joined us and conversation ranged wildly from what length we’re writing to at the moment (I’m definitely heading for novella/novel) to which era of Robert B Parker’s ‘Spenser’ novels is the best (perhaps unique to Stu & I, that gambit). I then went to Joel Lane’s reading, which went well and whilst there, Ally Bird bought a copy of “Conjure”, as did Gary Cole-Wilkin (and I bought a copy of his CD single).

After lunch, I bumped into Paul Meloy - who was impressed with all of the “Conjure” stuff - and Simon Bestwick and he & I went outside, so that he could have a smoke before his reading. Michael Marshall Smith also went out, but I still daren’t talk to him (one day, I keep telling myself, I’ll pluck up the courage to introduce myself) and then Gary Greenwood and Martin Roberts joined us. Gary & I caught up and had a good laugh and he bought a copy of “Conjure” too - all good stuff. Simon’s reading was poorly attended (it clashed with the launch of “Best New Horror 20” downstairs) but he carried it off well and we we stayed in the room (and were joined by more) for the John Probert/Gary McMahon double-act - both very entertaining, in very different ways.

Back in the bar, I chatted with David Price, Andrew Hook (who I’d met briefly the previous year, but we’d never really spoken), Steve Mosby (who I’d just re-connected with on Facebook, from back in the Terror Tales days) and Allen Ashley. With all of the other launches going on, the Abaddon one almost passed me by, but I picked up Gary McMahon and Paul Kane’s new books (and Gary and Simon both bought copies of “Conjure”). I went to check out the dealer room (there were less people around than last year and I feel guilty, doing all that looking and none of that buying!), then met Rob Rowntree and had a chat with him, catching up on his news and talking with members of his Crit-group, including Sharon Kae Reamer.

The day had whizzed by quickly and it was time for the curry, organised by Soozy and Gary Cole-Wilkin, from the Ramsey Campbell message board (to which I’d invited Jay Eales and Selena Locke - it was good to see them again, after Leicester and they bought a copy of “Conjure” too). Our merry band - including Stu Young, Adriana, Pam, Mick & Deb Curtis, John & Kate Probert, Gary & Emily McMahon, Terry Grimwood, John Travis, Simon Bestwick (and chum from Dark Smile), Joel Lane, Gary Fry and Simon Unsworth - trooped off, took over most of Chutneys, but still got our food quickly (and very nice it was too). Back at the hotel, I finally caught up with Paul Finch, who bemoaned the fact that we hadn’t had a chance to speak or that I wouldn’t be able to join him at the bar later.

Then it was the Awards ceremony (I had high hopes for “We Fade To Grey”, but it lost out to “Best New Horror 19”) and it was great to see Ally Bird win for collection and Tim Lebbon’s moving speech for “The Reach Of Children” brought a lump to my throat. After the ceremony, I headed off, saying goodbyes along the way. I’d had a great day and really enjoyed myself, meeting up with old friends and putting faces to previously-only-online-known names. It was great fun and I was filled with a drive to write too, which isn’t to be sniffed at. Roll on next year.
- - -
On Sunday night, back down to earth, I was watching “Top Gear” with Matthew and Clarkson was wheel-spinning in a Ferrari.

“Why’s it smoking?” asked Dude.

“It’s called burning rubber,” I said.

He nodded gravely, then looked at Alison and said “When me and Daddy go out for a drive, we burn rubber.”

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 23:00:21 GMT

13:36 Matthew and Sheepy enjoy the proof of "Conjure" twitpic.com/i1gwz #

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Ordering Information for "Conjure"

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:30:29 GMT

ORDERING INFORMATION

"Conjure" is working its way through the printing system and is almost ready. At the moment, it can be purchased directly from Rainfall Books at:

22 Woodland Park, Calne, Wiltshire. SN11 0JX. U.K

cheques for £8.99 (free post and packing) should be made payable to Steve Lines

alternately, you can send payment (once again, post and packing is free) by PayPal (include your name and address) to either
Ford@doramail.com
or
rainfallrecords@doramail.com

In addition, Mark West has some copies - email for details and any ‘signing requests’ to m (dot) west31@btinternet (dot) com

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 23:00:15 GMT

00:46 @Birdally Ah! I'm not there until Saturday, any getting 'put aside' until then? #
00:51 @mdlachlan Mark Barrowcliffe - "Infidelity for 1st time fathers"? I loved that book. #
00:56 Saw the unbound proof of "Conjure" today - very nice! #
01:00 @amy_grech Thanks! #

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Tue, 15 Sep 2009 11:24:19 GMT

This is the final cover art image for "Conjure". The pier is at Great Yarmouth, which acted as the model for Heyton, so I thought there was a nice symmetry to that.

The original picture was by Darren Martin (thanks for letting me use it), which is located at his Flickr account - http://www.flickr.com/photos/darrenmartin1967/2797583824/

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 10:55:44 GMT

An excerpt from the novel - the full first chapter - is now up for your perusal at Fearzone.com

Check it out!

http://www.fearzone.com/blog/conjure-west

The proof is on its way!

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 01:13:17 GMT

I was in Germany, Thursday and Friday, on work business but I picked up an email from John B Ford - the proof is on it's way to me! Woo hoo! I don't know when the completed books will be ready (fingers crossed for FantasyCon), but they will be here very soon. Which is great!

So, another teaser image I think...

I don't have all the details yet, but the book will cost £8.99 and be available direct from the publisher, from the regular online sites and I'll have a few copies for sale too.

More info as and when.

www.markwest.org.uk

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 23:04:27 GMT

17:36 Yahoo are shutting geocities - bastards! I've got to re-do my website now! #

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Website change

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 19:09:36 GMT

Since Yahoo and BT have decided, in their infinite wisdom, to do away with Geocities, my original web-site will become extinct in October. I'm about halfway through creating a new one, in Blogspot and hadn't realised how long it'd been since I renewed the original.

It's still the same URL - www.markwest.org.uk - but it's all slightly different now.

If you get a chance to check it out, let me know what you think.

Have a good weekend, one and all

"Conjure" is coming...

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 11:12:52 GMT

I've just heard from John B Ford, head honcho at Rainfall Books, that "Conjure" is just about to go to the printers. Woo hoo!

Newly pregnant, stuck in a job she doesn’t like and mourning the death of her cousin, Beth Hammond’s life isn’t working out the way she thought it would. So when her boyfriend wins a weekend away, at the east coast seaside resort of Heyton, Beth thinks this could be just what they need - some time to themselves, to get away and relax and make their plans for the future.

Unfortunately, as they begin their weekend, there's an accident at the beach and a centuries old memorial is damaged. Something escapes - a presence that was buried beneath the memorial, sealed in a stone tomb, that now wants desperately to get its revenge on the residents of Heyton.

"...a powerful and convincing piece of horror fiction."
- Gary McMahon, writer of "Rain Dogs" and "How To Make Monsters"

“Mark West is a talent to watch.”
- Peter Tennant, Black Static

www.markwest.org.uk