I happen to believe that, as well as being an enduring and popular singer/songwriter, not to mention my all-time favourite recording artist, Kate is also a fantasy author. Sounds crazy? Let me explain. Kate Bush sprang to the attention of both the public and yours truly with her first single, Wuthering Heights, in 1978. In … Continue reading “50 Words For Snow” by Kate Bush
Revisiting Cinefex (12): Something Wicked, Stop-Motion and Dream Quest
There's a creepy beauty on the cover of Cinefex #12, but there's a fair chance you won't recognise her. She's the Dust Witch from the all-but-forgotten 1983 Disney film Something Wicked This Way Comes. On the inside cover is a location shot of Dark's Pandemonium Carnival from the same movie. The main body of the … Continue reading Revisiting Cinefex (12): Something Wicked, Stop-Motion and Dream Quest
“Reamde” by Neal Stephenson
I first stumbled upon Neal Stephenson (not the man himself, you understand) in my local library. I was browsing for something new that I could really get my teeth into, preferably by an author I hadn't read before, when I chanced on Cryptonomicon. I read the blurb and decided it fitted the bill. I borrowed … Continue reading “Reamde” by Neal Stephenson
Goodbye Word, Hello Scrivener
Writing's all about the words. It doesn't much matter what tools you use, just as long as you get the right words in the right places. I used to write with pen and paper, and sometimes still do. I've consigned the typewriters - both manual and electronic - to the scrapheap. These days I'm most … Continue reading Goodbye Word, Hello Scrivener
Revisiting Cinefex (11): ET and Robert Swarthe
The character on the front of Cinefex #11 owns one of the most famous faces of the 1980s - that's remarkable, considering he's a special effect. He's so famous I don't even need to tell you his name. His spaceship features on #11's inside cover, sitting on a full-scale woodland clearing set, and you can … Continue reading Revisiting Cinefex (11): ET and Robert Swarthe
Revisiting Cinefex (10): Poltergeist and Firefox
The cover of Cinefex #10 knows what scares you: it's the Hallway Beast from Tobe Hooper's 1982 horror film Poltergeist. Turn the page and you'll find a still from Clint Eastwood's high-tech thriller Firefox, showing the full-scale MiG-31 aircraft being stolen from its Russian hangar. There are two articles in this issue, spanning the regular … Continue reading Revisiting Cinefex (10): Poltergeist and Firefox
Nobody Knows Anything About Publishing
The publishing arena can be a scary place for a writer. Bestseller trends come and go. This genre's in, now this genre's out. Publishing companies rise and fall, merge and compete. The very medium by which people consume stories continues to evolve, at an ever-increasing pace. Everything changes, all the time. Whenever I need to … Continue reading Nobody Knows Anything About Publishing
What Scares You?
What scares you? It's a question of some concern to the writer of horror fiction, the maker of horror films, the creator of horror art. The really scary thing is that there's no easy answer. Ask the question of a hundred different people and you'll get a hundred different responses. Spiders. The dark. Vampires. Enclosed … Continue reading What Scares You?
“Excalibur” – Drayton Manor Park
I've worked on a few theme park projects over the years, including white knuckle rides, science centre attractions and scary dark walkthroughs. One of the most enjoyable was a rather sedate family boat ride at the UK's Drayton Manor Park called Excalibur - A Dragon's Tale. The brief was to revamp the rather tired Jungle … Continue reading “Excalibur” – Drayton Manor Park
Revisiting Cinefex (9): Blade Runner
The glowing lights of a police spinner illuminate the cover of Cinefex issue #9. The still is from Blade Runner, Ridley Scott's seminal adaptation of Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? Two years into its life, the Cinefex cover design retains the classic simplicity established in issue #1, although the price has … Continue reading Revisiting Cinefex (9): Blade Runner
Graham Edwards – Author & Journalist 