The hour draweth nigh...

I had a great email last night.

The House in Wales is looking to be released next week!!

I knew it was coming, I'd already been told it was on its final edit and they'd approved of the cover, but to read those words incited the same range of emotions I'd experience if I were locked in an off license.

So, what's it about?

Well, the main protagonist, Daniel Kelly, is a young man from Liverpool who has recently lost his mother during the Blitz. He's evacuated to Colwyn Bay to escape the destruction and ends up in the home of a vicar and his very prim house keeper.

However, all is not what it seems...

I won't go too much into the story but the prudish facade soon falls away to reveal the true nature of their relationship, one of sexual obsession, devil worship and human sacrifice.

It is, without a doubt, something I would not have naturally moved on to. My plan was to write part two to The Division of the Damned and then finish off my Jurassic Park meets War and Peace epic. However, Kathleen stopped those plans in their tracks when she wrote to me and asked if I would have a go at writing a story about a haunted house, (a part of the story I haven't yet mentioned but is germane to the plot).

The thing was, American Horror Story had just finished its first season and had done really well, putting haunted houses firmly back on the horror map. Would I be interested in having a go at writing something in that vein?

I hadn't even seen American Horror Story, but I tentatively said yes and watched some episodes, (kindly lent to me by my good friend Andi Renson) to have a feel for how it should be.

I loved it and started the project off more or less straight away. The whole twisted nature of the series, with the personal issues and histories of the characters adding to its maniacal ambience, inspired me immediately. Nevertheless, how was I going to approach it? There was no way I could simply copy the programme so I looked for an idea that could carry the plot.

I didn't have to wait long, (if there's one thing I'm never short of, it's ideas for stories) and I set the plot down.

We'd just returned from a holiday in Wales and my home town was ever present in my thoughts, so I decided to set it in Colwyn Bay, (well, Old Colwyn to be specific). I knew that The Bay had received evacuees from Liverpool and that period felt about right. Hardly anyone had a telephone at that time so isolating Daniel in a foreign environment would be easy. I could also make the prim and proper bearing of the villains believable. People like Miss Trimble and Reverend Davies just don't exist any more, not in these unashamedly self-indulgent times anyway.

The book is off my beaten track but I'm immensely proud of it and I hope that you'll like it too.

That said, I'm also praying fervently that my Mam doesn't read it. There are a couple of rather racy/pervy/sick parts in there that might mar the immaculate mental image she has of her eldest son... ;-)

All the best.

Reg.

The House in Wales. A wee taster, which has nothing to do with drinking waste fluids I can assure you.

OK peeps, it's on!
The manuscript is now being looked at, edited, scribbled on, scrumpled up and flushed down the loo, (all part of the publication process, I can assure you), and the cover has been given the nod from the Boss.
Green light, green light !!

Here's the finished cover:

          ... and I'm VERY happy with it.
No, seriously, VERY happy with it :-)
And here's a wee taster, (which, as promised, has nothing to do with urine or dicky bladders).

Chapter 1

     The door slammed shut and instantly Danny was awake, reason screeching in alarm. He saw his breath like steam in the moon's watery light and a slight tremor passed through his bladder. Pulling up the bed clothes, he covered his mouth as his eyes slowly grew accustomed to the dark corners of the room. It was back and at that moment in time he didn't feel as brave as he had earlier. He'd been ambushed by sleep and now, after being bluntly woken by the slamming door, he felt vulnerable and scared.

     It was freezing again and the small voice at the back of his mind needlessly reminded him the window was closed. Not daring to move, he waited for something to happen, his mind racing in unspoken prayer that nothing would.

     Slowly the temperature changed and he sensed the cold retreating towards the closet. He could feel it ebbing away like a retreating tide, almost pulsing as it withdrew. It was leaving he told himself, willing it to be true.

    Unexpectedly a small puff of cold air hit his face and he jerked back as something whispered hatefully into his ear, "Make no mistake, your mother's with me Danny and she's burning in hell for all the bad stuff she did for you."

     Instinct's swift hand took over clear thought as Danny dashed under the covers, knuckling his mouth in silent, absolute terror; wishing he was dead so this horror could end.

                               ................................................

OK, I lied, it did have a little to do with pee pee but not mine or yours.

Right, that's it for now.

Still haven't heard anything about the anthology, but all good things to those who wait; unless you're in an establishment that runs on a first come, first served basis that is.

Reggie :-)

Has it really been that long...?

How many times have I used that as a header?

Well, lots probably.

Whatever, there's been so much going on recently, I don't know where to start.

I finished the translation for my mate Andi Renson. Actually it was a lot harder than I thought it would be, but I managed it in the end. I then sent it to Paul Rudd to have a look and make sure the English was OK, and not a sort of half English, half German mish-mash. So he decided to do a complete rewrite!

Anyway, I then went through his edit and hopefully it's all Kosher, as they say in Tottenham. Andi's happy with it, that's the main thing.

So, Mr. Renson then made a cover for, "The House in Wales" for me and I love it! It's only the front right now but here it is.

The blurb on the back goes like this:

Recently orphaned by the bombing of Liverpool at the start of World War Two, Daniel Kelly is evacuated to the relative safety of Colwyn Bay in North Wales, unaware of the evil that awaits him.

On his arrival he is cast into the terrifying realm of Satan and his acolytes, a world of escalating human sacrifice and voracious desires, in the form of a village priest and his seemingly prim housekeeper.

Will Danny, isolated, inexperienced and vulnerable, survive where so many others have recently succumbed?

Or will there be another victim claimed by The House in Wales?

So what do you think? Sound good? Would you want to buy it or are you saving your pennies for that Mills and Boon Bumper Christmas edition?

I was also awarded my first One Star review the other day.

Well, it's been a long time coming and the world is full of haters, so I wasn't surprised. The timing of its discovery left a lot to be desired, (five in the morning, drinking a coffee before early shift) and it did ruin my mood until at least 10 o'clock. However, the response of my friends was marvellous and it cheered me up no end at the support I received for "Division".

It's only a review from a hater who I'll never meet, so sod him. 

Don't get me wrong, I know my book isn't the best thing since sliced... err...Chapatti? It's a fallible and naive as any first book.  However, his points were laughable and the only thing that really grates is the "One Star Scar" on a very respectable run of Amazon reviews.

So, enough of that, move on Jones, move on.

Right, that's it for now. Any news, I'll let you know about it around six weeks after it's happened. That seems to be as prompt as I get nowadays.

Tara.

Reggie

My next few offerings.

2013's knocking on the door and I have so much to tell you it hurts.

That's not because a lot of things have happened recently; no, it's because I haven't been on here for ages... DOH !!

OK.

Well firstly Paul Rudd, a mate of mine from Essex, (yes, I know people in Essex, don't tell everyone) and I have written an anthology of stories entitled, "The Chronicles of Supernatural Warfare. Volume 1."

I've mentioned it before but for the uninitiated, I'll go quickly through it again.

The idea is a collection of stories cataloguing supernatural incidents in times of war through the ages.

My personal contributions are, "The 300 Vampires", The Wooden Wolf of Troy", The Bloody Ides of March", "The Zombies of Flanders" and "Blood Red Feldgrau". All stories that I'm very proud of and I hope you'll like them too, as long as you scrape the 99 pence together to buy it. :-)

If not, just wait for the free download promotion, which will definitely happen.

I have a second book in the offing, "The House in Wales". This came about from an email from Kathleen, asking if I was up for a challenge. Obviously thinking she meant a drinking competition, I said yes

How wrong can one be?

Anyway, what the publishers want is a story about a haunted house, along the lines of "American Horror Story" and "The Lady in Black". It had to be as creepily bizarre as AHS and as tense and dark as TLIB, so I decided to have a go.

I've finished it now and I'm just waiting on feedback from some friends and a couple of translations from English to Welsh, (yes, Welsh is a different language to English and a lot more than just finishing every sentence with a questioning, "See?")

The story itself is set in North Wales during the Blitz. The hero, a 17 year old orphan from Liverpool, is evacuated to the quiet town of Old Colwyn in North Wales. There, he's taken in by a disgraced vicar and his predatory house keeper. The background of the story is Devil worship and sexual obsession and I sincerely hope my mam doesn't read it... no, seriously, I do.

She will though.

DOH!

It's NOTHING like "Division" or any of the "Chronicles" stories I'm afraid. However, I like to think that the characters strike a chord with the reader, which as anyone who has read my work knows, is what I'm about. Also, I think the story is just as weird and gruesome as American Horror Story, but far, far bloodier.

OK, that's it. I'm translating a book from German to English for the guy who made the cover for "Chronicles" and then I have a couple of ideas that I want to run past Taylor Street to see if they're up for them or not?

OK, take it easy, have a great New Year's party and all the best for 2013.

Reg ;-)

Everyone loves the snow, imagine it didn't stop...

Snow.2012

Snow

Dec 23.

Snow! Wonderful snow! This is going to be the best Christmas EVER !!

Dec 25.

My first white Christmas. Dad got drunk and slipped in the back yard and Nan called him a drunken old sot, I was nearly sick from laughing, Gran’s so funny. Loads of pressies but we were out all day, making snowmen. Brilliant.

Dec 31.

New Year’s Eve and it’s still white, if this keeps up we might not have to go back to school next week. First lesson back is English with Miss Grebes, God I hate her.

Jan 2.

Dad read that the school won’t be open next week because the heating’s off. Brilliant. Went sledging down Queen’s hill today on bin lids, was great. The roads are well icy; Mrs. Simons said they’ve run out of salt for the gritters.

Jan 24.

Happy birthday to me!!! 13 today. Snowed all day to day, getting a bit fed up of it now.

Feb 12.

It’s so cold. I asked why can’t we just turn the heating up and Mam said it’s too expensive at the moment. Dad’s angry because his trucking firm are on short time.

Mar 26

God I hate this snow! It’s so cold here now. I slept in my jacket and two pairs of trousers last night.

Mar 27.

Jimmy Preston’s baby brother died yesterday. They found him dead in his cot, he was blue. Poor James.

Apr 17.

Mam came home from shopping with a bloody nose. Someone punched her and stole the shopping. Dad went to the police but they said they’ve got too much on their hands. I watched the news today about food riots in Manchester. Dad said they should call the army in to sort them out. Old Mrs. Jones from number 8 was found dead this morning. She froze to death even though the ambulance man said her fire was on.

Apr 27.

Still snowing!!!! God I HATE IT!!!  The power’s off, Mam said we were lucky it was on for so long at all. Dad’s firm have sent him home, there isn’t enough fuel he said. I saw a map on TV and it showed the whole of the top half of the earth as white.

May 7.

Gran’s dead. I’m so sad. The funeral’s tomorrow but they can’t bury her next to granddad because the ground’s so frozen. Dad’s been crying all day.

May 21. I miss Gran so much. I’m so bored. I’d even go to triple English with old Grebes than stay at home now. We have to melt snow for water, it takes ages finding wood nowadays. At first it was easy but it’s all gone now. Someone broke into number 12 and found the old Polish couple there dead and then everyone ran in and took their furniture to burn. Dad came back with two chairs.

Jun 20.

Mr. Wicky has a wind up radio and we all go to his place to listen to the news twice a day. Mrs. Simons’ nose has fallen off, she got frost bite and it looks terrible. Jimmy Preston and John Yates threw stones at her. Mr. Beaumont was eaten by his dogs. Dad said he should have killed them weeks ago and eaten them himself. I don’t know if he was joking.

Jul 12. 

I can’t believe it’s July and it’s still snowing.  Snow on our summer holidays!

Jul 27.

Food parcels came today, we had sugar and corned beef and spam and tinned carrots and marrowfat peas and chocolate. Dad said we should save it but Mam cooked it all and they had a terrible row. Mam said what’s the point of saving it, the gangs only come around and steal it off us and I think she’s right.

Aug 5.

Dad was killed today.

Oct 28.

Uncle Barry found the man who killed Dad and they beat him to death in the street. I’m glad he’s dead but I don’t know where his body went though.

Dec 21.

Mr Wicky told us that today, December 21^st, 2012 is the day the Government has officially declared that we are on our own now.