Comic books and ghostly tales

Okay, first thing's first, do you have Savage Tales #8 yet? If not, why not? As well as featuring Red Sonja, Quartermain By Lieberman, Wolpert and Bernard and The Trials of Osin by Lieberman and Fabiano Neves, this issue sees the return of Battle for Atlantis!
Yes, the evil Vacharn the necromancer is back and once again we've teamed up with PabloMarcos (yes, THAT Pablo Marcos) to bring you the next chapter of the fabled doomed island. I don't think I'm giving too much away if I say there are a hell of a lot of Harryhausen style skeletons running round.
http://www.dynamiteentertainment.com/htmlfiles/p-C109827.html

Supernatural wordsmith extraordinaire Brian J. Showers & John Reppion.

This weekend just gone saw the launch of my new book 800 Years of Haunted Liverpool here in Liverpool city center. The launch went far better than I could have hoped and we completely sold out of books. Thanks to everyone who came (some people from as far away as Dublin and Northampton) and helped to make the event a truly wonderful experience.
More info and images over at hauntedliverpool.blogspot.com

The book isn't officially released until the middle of the month so keep your eyes peeled for more news coming soon.

Post P-Con 4

Last weekend saw the fourth annual Phoenix Convention take place in Dublin, Ireland and I'm happy to report that it was even better than last year's event.

Kim Newman.

2007's guest of honour was Kim Newman and somehow I ended up being the interviewer. Sadly, the dictaphone which I ordered specially to record the interview didn't arrive in time so I haven't actually got any way of transcribing the thing. Anyway, rest assured that it went very well.

John interviewing Kim.

Other guests included the editorial team from Albedo 1, Michael Carroll, Paul Cornell, Raven Dane, George Green, Conor Kostick, Oisin McGann, Juliet E McKenna, Ken MacLeod, Deborah J. Miller, C E Murphy, John W Sexton and Charlie Stross. And there were many, many very enjoyable and informative talks on subjects as varied as "Around the Writer's Block" and "Zombies".

C. E. Murphy and her husband Ted.

Leah and Paul Cornell.

Micheal Carroll, Leonia and Danielle.

There was even an "Alan Moore Show and Tell" curated by our old friend Mr. Pádraig Ó Méalóid which Leah was roped into (as a helper, not an exhibit).

Pádraig showing off.

During a weekend of meeting lots of new people and catching up with old friends I was especially pleased to make the acquaintance of Mr. Brian J. Showers whose Swan River Press chapbooks and Literary Walking Tours of Gothic Dublin I now heartily recommend.



All in all we had a fantastic time (for which we thank new P-Con chairman and organiser Frank Darcy) and sincerely hope that we get asked back again in the future.

If you can get over to Dublin in early April (when I believe the con is being held) next year then you should definitely check out P-Con 5 with guest of honour Catie Murphy.

J.