Signing - Dark Delicacies in LA.

Taking advantage of the fact that I'm in LA for a short time, I'm delighted that those very nice people at the Dark Delicacies store are putting up with me for an afternoon so I can sign copies of Killing Kiss with them.

The signing is at Dark Delicacies on Saturday 14th February, starting at around 3.30pm.

The address is : 4213 W Burbank Blvd, Burbank, CA 91505, USA
Tel: +1 818-556-6660

Anyone who wants a signed copy can reserve one by simply calling the store. Go on ... you know you want to :)

I'll be there signing books and giving away free Demon Lover CD's along with some great authors from Telos Publishing. There's Steven Warren Hill signing copies of Silver Scream Vol 1, a great guide to classic horror films; Arnold T Blumberg is signing copies of his awesome guide to zombie films, Zombiemania; and David J Howe is also there signing copies of his superb book The Target Book, which details the history of all the old Doctor Who novelisations.

All of Telos' books are available from them online as well at www.telos.co.uk, so check them out.

Meantime, I can't wait to leave the snowy UK for a while and bask in the LA sunshine ... having said that, though, I bet it rains!

Being in Birmingham ... And NewCon 4

I have considered the fact that I am becoming a bit of a convention geek - before you say it.

I made a flying visit to the Birmingham International Comic Show on Sunday. I went along for 4 1/2 hours to Birmingham because my publishers Murky Depths were there promoting my book as well as their fantastic quarterly magazine (for more info on that, check out www.murkydepths.com).

The bottom line, and this is a very brief update (sorry I have no pics), is that I again met up with some interesting people. And for that no trip is ever wasted. Top comic writer Tony Lee gave me a fab signed book for my daughter Linzi - owe you one Tony! It's called Midnight Kiss and she's delighted with it I have to say. (Terry Martin said: 'Bet you charmed it out of him.' Hmmm... No idea what he's suggesting at all. I smiled and was very polite though, good manners go a long way.) I bought The Mammoth Book of Best New Manga featuring manga from my Facebook friend Jay Eales, and his partner Selina Dean, who are regulars at conventions. Wandering round I also met Grant Perkins who is a new artist and writer on the scene, with his fiancee Eva.

It was brilliant to see people making the effort and dressing up. I saw many very authentic looking costumes, including Lara Croft, Batman, Superman and a brilliant Joker - dressed in the nurse's uniform from the latest film.

And, yay! We even sold some books - which always helps!

So a worthwhile and fun trip as always.

Looking forward to next weekend ...

NEXT EVENT - NewCon 4 - 11th/12th October.


I'll be there from Friday evening, and will be reading an extract from Killing Kiss on Saturday at 12 noon, with the lovely Storm Constantine and equally delightful Ally Bird (who I met this year at FantasyCon). At 5pm I'll be on a panel with the topic of 'Sex sells' - I'll be kicking this panel off with a reading of two pieces of my erotic poetry. Also on this panel, Ken Macleod, Ally Bird, Roberto Quaglia and Ian Watson.

Sunday lunchtime I'll be reading some of my poetry with the charming Donna Scott, and Cardinal Cox (Poet Laurette 2002) - this will take place from the stage (and I'm hoping to have a surprise male reader join me to read at least one of my poems). Time permitting this will feature a selection of poems from the Demon Lover CD and some of my love poetry.

The House of Murky Depths will be there selling Killing Kiss, along with bargain subscriptions for the Murky Depths quarterly magazine. (Oh, and the latest on MD's continuing success - the magazine is now available in Forbidden Planet and several other stores. Killing Kiss has been accepted by Waterstones and Barnes and Noble in America - where it will not only appear on their website but in selected stores as well. More on this another time ... hopefully including some in store signing dates.) The image here is the cover of the latest edition which I can assure you is well worth a look-see.

The rest of the time at NewCon I hope to be attending some of the fantastic panels they have listed. And - obviously - in the bar as well!

With any luck I'll exchange a few words with the guests of honour which this year include Paul Cornell, Storm Constantine, Iain M Banks and Ken MacLeod. What a fantastic line up!

If you are coming along though, please check the times on your itinery, just in case any last minute changes have been made that I don't know about ...

So catch up with me at NewCon 4 this weekend and please come and say hello! I don't bite - I just look scary.

Recording 'Demon Lover'

Over the summer I've been recording a CD called Demon Lover & Other Eroticisms . This was done with a friend, Singer/Songwriter/Composer Penny Nicholls, whose musical talent helped to create what we think might be a new genre.




Penny Nicholls and I breaking down one of the poems, exploring the meaning, tone and mood prior to the creation of the music.




We call them Mohemes. A Moheme is a poem that is, not just set to music, but is reformed to work with the music. It was a very collaborative and creative process. Yes, the poem came first. Yes the poem can stand alone on the page or be read as it is, but, when we added the music in this unique way - and I don't mean just for ambience, it was CRAFTED to suit the words and the mood - then something very unique happened. The emotion, the tone, the mood and the words all became enhanced.

This was the birth of the Moheme.

One problem I came across, however, is that some of my poems are written in a male voice. So I asked my friend David J Howe to record a couple of these for me. So we had a great deal of fun on that day! Lol!

Here's David recording the CD title poem Demon Lover.

You can hear some of these on my Myspace page (see links on the right). So listen and enjoy. But remember, if you are attending FantasyCon, you'll get a free copy in your membership goodie bag.

FantasyCon

My next appearance will be at FantasyCon in Nottingham this September. Look out for the launch of Killing Kiss at the conference and also for a freebie CD of my dark fantasy poetry readings, Demon Lover and Other Eroticisms, which should be in all the delegate bags. If anyone would like to hear some of the poems, then please hop over to my Myspace page (link on the right) where they are available to listen to.