I built some Lego.

Hello readers! As anticipated, the frequency of blog posts has been declining as I write up my PhD thesis. All the drafting, re-drafting, writing, editing, re-writing, and re-editing has left my literary batteries running a little low – which is why I have been craving mind-numbing, semi-productive activities to fill the hours when I’m not … Continue reading I built some Lego. →

Progress Update: April 2024

Hello readers! It’s time for another progress update – and for a big thank you. Last weekend I reached a major milestone: over 1000 of my books have been downloaded from the Kindle store. Even though this book-writing business is just a hobby of mine, this still feels like something worth celebrating. We’re still in … Continue reading Progress Update: April 2024 →

The obsidian sword

Hello readers! This week I thought I would share some concept art from my Highmoor book series. For those of you that haven’t read it, this is Joseph, one of the four protagonists, and he’s wielding an obsidian sword that makes its first appearance in the second book. Obviously, this is no ordinary sword; its … Continue reading The obsidian sword →

What is science fiction? Part two: a discussion

Hello readers! Welcome to part two of my attempt to define science fiction. Last week I gave a brief history of the genre and mentioned some very old stories that have each been labelled “the first science fiction” by various academics. This week we will delve a bit deeper and explore the dividing line between … Continue reading What is science fiction? Part two: a discussion →

What is science fiction? Part one: a history

Hello readers! I thought I would kick off the year with a somewhat philosophical post. What is science fiction? You’d think I’d know, given how much of it I create and consume, and yet it is a fascinatingly broad genre. If you go searching for science fiction books on Amazon, you will be offered a … Continue reading What is science fiction? Part one: a history →

The twelve wasps of Christmas

Hello readers! I present to you this week a haunting tale of home invasion. For the last ten days, an ominous presence has lurked within my house, detectable only through the slightest scuttling movements in the corner of my eye, or by a dull, incessant droning through the darkness. Locking the doors and securing the … Continue reading The twelve wasps of Christmas →

The blog is one year old!

Hello readers! The 27th of November was this blog’s birthday, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to reflect on the first year of film reviews, summaries and miscellaneous waffle. The first blog post “Hello readers! The year is 2022, and I am starting a blog. Very innovative, I know - but with the current … Continue reading The blog is one year old! →

Investigating The Asylum

Hello readers! Last week I saw a particularly awful film – so awful, in fact, that I have been pondering whether it even deserves a review. The film in question is Jurassic Domination, and there is no way that any of you readers will have seen it. We’re talking about a film so obscure that … Continue reading Investigating The Asylum →

Progress Update: September 2023

Hello readers! Just a short post from me this week. I thought I should provide a progress update on the books I’m writing, and some other associated projects. I’ll also take a moment to reflect on what this blog has become, and where I see it heading in future. Highmoor series: first draft of book … Continue reading Progress Update: September 2023 →

Clayton gets a pet rock

Hello readers! Last weekend I received the most astonishing gift: a huge lump of polished stone, perfectly cylindrical and shiny, with a conspicuous hole drilled into the top. This is a curling stone, used in the strange, slippery sport of curling – a sort of halfway house between ice hockey and pétanque. The history of … Continue reading Clayton gets a pet rock →