Words, Video and Music

Good morning, Dear Reader.

I’ve been busy doing interviews, making music videos and, of course, writing. There’s always writing…

‘She Writes Books’ – Music & Lyrics

Here are Richard’s complete lyrics:

I was excited to be asked to create the video. This song really speaks to me. There are so many parallels to my writing journey and how it began. Here’s just a few.

‘She writes books about a time’:
I had just published ‘The Illusioneer & Other Tales’ with my short story, Tomorrow, When I Die, inspired by the original HG Wells time travel short story, The Chronic Argonauts. (yes, there was one before ‘The Time Machine’).  Chronic Argonauts was first published in 1888 in the Royal College of Science student magazine,  Science Schools Journal (April-May-June issue) and is credited as the first time-travel story with an ‘inventor-built‘ time machine.

‘She has ink on her fingers a message in her heart‘:
We’d been discussing how I hand write my original drafts (sometimes with a nib pen to get me out of a ‘writers block’.)

‘There’s blood on the pillow from her brand new start‘:

I’ve written on my blog many times about my previoius career and having to leave it due to work-place anxiety, which also triggered PTSD (it’s complicated). In the end the work effected my health (both physical and mental), so I had to leave my paying profession as an optometrist.

My brand new start is my writing career. Writing is cathartic. I can explore various issues and keep my own schedule around recurring migraines, anxiety and other issues. 

‘Listens to the children with their nursery rhymes Here comes the chopper to chop off your head’:

This seems to be directly from my ‘Doctor Jack’ book trailer.

I used children’s nursery rhymes to link in both book trailers for ‘Doctor Jack & Other Tales’. I don’t know about you, but there can be an eerie quality to them. The rhyme, Oranges and Lemons, features in the ‘Doctor Jack’ trailer.

I used a few of the stills from the ‘Doctor Jack’ book trailer in the ‘She Writes Books’ video

I asked Richard Ryall, of the Littmus Steampunk Band, if he wrote the song about me. He was cagey at first, but later asked if I would be in the music video. (squee!)

If you want to buy a copy of ‘She Writes Books’, follow this link to Bandcamp: https://littmus.bandcamp.com/track/she-writes-books

More about the Secret Project teaser video.

I’ve reached the end of the filming and editing for The Littmus Steampunk Band’s music video last week.  Last week Patreon supporters received a sneak peek at the ‘video-so-far’.

Richard has now finished tweaking the sound and adding greenscreen work of the band. It’s now live on his youTube channel!

Upcoming Interviews and Guest Blog Posts and Events

I mentioned interviews earlier… Here’s a list of dates to watch out for August – October:

• 21st August (rescheduled) – Author Postcards Blake and Wright- https://blakeandwight.com/about/  While you are there, you can read a short guest post of mine, featuring Aunt Enid – https://blakeandwight.com/2018/07/10/elevenses-with-aunt-enid-protector-extraordinaire/
  This should go live today or tomorrow (due to Time Zone differences)
• YouTube release of the Littmus Steampunk Band’s new music video for ‘She Writes Books‘ (I haven’t got a firm date for this yet…so watch this space)
• 15-16th September– I’ll be at the Adelaide Steampunk Festival. I’ll have my books, be hosting a demo of parasol dueling on Saturday and doing a writer talk on the Sunday. Come say hello.
• 28th September – interview by Bryce Raffle, editor of the dreadpunk anthology, Deadsteam, with my short story, The Case of the Murderous Migraine. https://deadsteam.wordpress.com/blog/ 
• October release of the dreadpunk anthology, ‘Deadsteam’.(possibly 1st or 6th October)
• 2-3 November – Adelaide Supanova.

For more information on upcoming events, check out my EVENTS page.

Thanks to everyone who has supported me by reading my blog, joing my Patreon supporters or buying my books. If you want to learn more, get sneak peeks, and exclusive information, then sign up for my newsletter (usually out during the first week of the month).

Words, Video and Music