Category: The Blog

Mother Trees

September 19, 2016 · Leave a comment ·

I’m reworking The Red Spot Murders tonight. It’s a Pourquoi story exploring the haunted house phenomenon, and features a delightful antagonist by the name of Maeve. It was by researching this character that I learned that there are such things as Mother Trees. I had hoped there were. In fact I typed that exact term into my Google search to see what would come up, and was rewarded with this wonderful TED talk with Suzanne Simard, a Canadian ecologist. Damn, the woods have just got a whole load creepier.

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London’s Plague Pits

September 11, 2016 · Leave a comment ·

I attended a Supernatural Cities conference at Portsmouth University earlier in the year. One of the papers submitted raised the subject of ghost stations on the London’s Underground. Related to that, here is a well-argued article by Amanda Ruggeri debating the possibility of plague pits below the city.

Reunion

September 10, 2016 · 2 Comments ·

My son bought me Stephen King’s latest short story collection, The Bazaar Of Bad Dreams, for my birthday today.

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I have only read the Author’s Note and, of course, the song quote and, by the gods, already it feels like being reunited with an old friend after many years. I guess it has been a long time. Let’s find out what he’s been up to.I have only read the Author’s Note and, of course, the song quote and, by the gods, already it feels like being reunited with an old friend after many years. I guess it has been a long time. Let’s find out what he’s been up to.

In the hour we killed

September 4, 2016September 4, 2016 · Leave a comment ·

Yesterday had been bookmarked for location research. St Austell, Cornwall was the destination and we set off early in the morning before the heavens opened and turned the roads to … Continue reading In the hour we killed

Slattery’s Art of Horror Now Takes Submissions and Announcements

September 4, 2016 · Leave a comment ·

If you have a bit of horror flash fiction or poetry you would like to see published on this blog, go to my submissions page for guidelines. I would … Continue reading Slattery’s Art of Horror Now Takes Submissions and Announcements

Ghastly grins – reflections in a Black Mirror

August 27, 2016 · Leave a comment ·

black-mirror-masks Excited to hear that not only is there a third season of Black Mirror, Charlie Brooker’s dystopian television series, but that it’s also going to be screened at Toronto International Film Festival. I’ve been a fan of the man ever since I watched Dead Set, and I admire what Brooker has done with these stand-alone tales. I find them to be jaw-droppingly clever, disturbingly hilarious, and – if we don’t watch out – truly prophetic.