In my Liverpool Home

Things are about to become gigantic in Liverpool.

To commemorate the sinking of the Titanic a century ago there will be "Sea Odyssey Giant Spectacular" in which a 30 foot girl and her 50 foot uncle will be walking the streets of Liverpool in a magical tale of love, loss and reunion (according to the Sea Odyssey website). The event starts at 9:30am Friday 20 April 2012 and runs through to Sunday 22 April 2012 at 2pm. There is also a festival at Stanley Park.



In the 1990s, I worked in Albion House, Liverpool (which were formerly the White Star Line offices and where James Bruce Ismay, the President of the White Star Line and Titanic survivor had his office). Sadly, the building is now abandoned and falling into disrepair.

If you live anywhere near Liverpool, you should check it out.

Barrel Organ Phil & His Marvellous Monkey

It's strange what we remember and what we don't.

I recall going to a hospital with my nan when I was small and that the lobby area was a large circular room. I can still hear the echoing sounds of our footsteps. My mum says this never happened and there is no such hospital in Liverpool.

I also recall a man with a monkey playing an organ in the city centre when I was little. To which I was told to stop being silly and such things hadn't existed since the early 1900s... Muahaha.

While trawling the internet today, I somehow found myself at You Tube searching for old videos of Liverpool and came across this...

...check out the video at about 4:05.

Now all I need to do is find that darn hospital. My quest to prove I am always right continues...


*Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Rain, Birds and Words.

A fan of productive procrastination (try saying that when you're drunk or, in my case, when you're sober) I spent far too long this morning making a spreadsheet of how many words per day of Grim Glass Vein I would need to write if I want a complete draft by mid September. Not that I have any particular reason for picking September other than it's next month and I'd like to have edited drafts of both Grim and Ghosts by year end so that next year I can reconsider the whole search for an agent thing that I've been conveniently ignoring.

Then I spent the following hour looking at writing desks online and decided that this coming weekend I'd gut my office and rebuild it.

Now I need to construct another spreadsheet. Although actually writing some words might be a more fortuitous plan.

Spent yesterday at the new Museum of Liverpool with the wee ones. Above is a rather rainy view from the second floor window and to the right is an iconic Liver Bird. We are rather fond of them in Liverpool and it's said if they ever fly away that Liverpool would fall into the sea. We're dooooooooomed. Or maybe not because they're all made of solid rather than beating things.

I guess I should write now or look at desk accessories...

Maybe I'll make a new spreadsheet.

Tra La La La La or How I Spent my Saturday

My city has gone penguin mad. We took my niece and nephew into town yesterday to do the usual Grotto/Father Christmas stuff and followed a trail of penguins around the city centre. I think there are about a hundred in all. Feeling all Chrismassy now... Off to deck the halls, enjoy the remainder of the weekend.

A YESSSSS and a NOOOOOO!

First off the noooooo – where Cate waves her fists and wails because David Tennant last night announced that he is quitting Doctor Who.

Rumours abound as to his replacement (as always) with David Morrisey in the frame – yep, I can deal with him as he’s cute, a Liverpool boy (from my neighbourhood) and a fabulous actor; then we have James Nesbitt – oh God, please no, no, a world of no. For my money Philip Glenister (Life on Mars) would be the perfect replacement.

And as to the YESSSSSS – Gerard Houarner of Space and Time Magazine sent me an email this morning accepting my Liverpool based sci-fi story ‘Flying Dutchmen’. A world of happy.

The Anthology That Wouldn't Die

It's beginning to feel like TOC week - apologies for one Table of Contents following another, but this one was far too cool to ignore. The TOC for Dead Souls has been announced and it features two Scousers (aka people from Liverpool) - that is me and Mr. Ramsey Campbell.

Okay can someone please pick me up off the floor.

Now, Mr. Campbell doesn't realise it but I think I may have been in his head for some time. Apparently his novel The Face That Must Die features a main character called Cathy Gardner who just so happens to live in Liverpool. Someone (an Editor about ten years back) told me that not only does the character live in Liverpool but in the same suburb as me. I've checked that bit out on the internet (will you just buy the book already) and that part seems to be a no (apparently she lives in Cantril Farm, I don't), though he has written stories based in my suburb (concealed for fear of fans stalking my home - ahem!).

Anyway, here's the TOC (in alphabetical order):

Elizabeth Barrette - Goldenthread
Ramsey Campbell - The Dead Must Die
Stephanie Campisi - The Ringing Sound of Death on the Water Tank
Michael Colangelo - Poseidon’s Claw
Brendan Connell - Black Tiger
Tom English - Dry Places
Paul Finch - June
Catherine J. Gardner - When the Cloak Falls
Ken Goldman - Mercy Hathaway is a Witch
Robert Holt - In the Name
Robert Hood - Sandcrawlers
Sharon Irwin - Begin with Water
Carole Johnstone - The Blind Man
Christopher Johnstone - The Unbedreamed
Lisa Kessler - Immortal Beloved
Lisa Kessler - Subito, Piano
Rebecca Lloyd - Contaminator
Anna M. Lowther - The Price of Peace
Gary McMahon - A Shade of Yellow
Bernie Mojzes - The Collector
T. A. Moore - Genus Loci
Reece Notley - Tatsu
James R. Stratton - Your Duty to your Lord
Michael Stone - The Migrant
Simon Strantzas - More to Learn
Ben Thomas - The Pagans
Bill Ward - When they Come to Murder Me
Kaaron Warren - The Blue Stream
Ron Yungul - The Lords of Chickamauga

Titled

I stumbled across an interesting question today on the Verla Kay Boards.


Have you ever written a story based on a title you just loved?

And my answer is 100% yes (*as you'll see if you click on the above link). It was raining (okay I can't confirm that but I wanted to create a bit of atmosphere) and wind was rattling the windows of the bus. I was stuck in traffic outside St. George's Hall (a very famous building in Liverpool - google it***) when I decided I wanted to write a book called 'The Poisoned Apple'. And then I did. Okay, that sounds a wee bit like I clicked my fingers and it was done but you know what I mean.

It's something I've done quite a few times for short stories as well. In fact, I have no idea what I'm going to write for the CinemaSpec anthology, but I'm hoping it has the title 'Ugly Duckling'. Which I think is a good title (Hans Christian Anderson agrees with me) though not quite as good as Barry Napier's title, 'End Credits'.

So, have any of you ever thought of the title and then worked your story around it?

***A web link to a panoramic view of the gorgeous St George's Hall.