Childhood Nightmares Under The Bed

 

“Childhood Nightmares: Under the Bed”

 An anthology from Sirens Call Publications

Edited by Kate Monroe, this collection of tales of night time terrors range from the literal interpretation of who’s Under the Bed, to the sinister and complex workings of the subconscious mind on many different levels. What is in the hall; who is downstairs; am I really awake; are you my friend? All these questions and more are answered by the twisted minds of the twelve horror authors who dazzled us with their interpretations of Childhood Nightmares. Beware! You may begin to have a few of your own after reading their infectious tales…

Those whispered tales of monsters hiding under the bed, or of the demons lurking in the shadowy corner where we dare not glance for fear that seeing them will make them all too real. Oh, how the innocent landscape of a child’s imagination lends fertile soil to horrors ready to be sown on the slightest of sounds; the tales and the terror they wreak on our youthful minds never quite leaves us.

We asked the authors in this collection to reach into the forgotten recesses of their twisted minds and share with us the tales of nightmares that can only thrive in the hidden corners of a child’s imaginings; the bogeyman under the bed, the outlandishly fiendish creature lurking in the dark, the slight murmur of sound coming from the hall… did you close the door completely?

Explore the myriad terrors that only a child can twist from nothing into some ‘thing’ in the span of a single rapid breath. Do you dare delve into your own memories? Perhaps you’ll start sleeping with the lights on again…

Tell us, who is Under the Bed?

 

Contributing Authors:  Colin F. Barnes, Nina D’Arcangela, Phil Hickes, Amber Keller,

Kim Krodel, Lisamarie Lamb, John McIlveen, Kate Monroe, Brandon Scott,

Joshua Skye, Julianne Snow, and Jack Wallen

Want a copy of ‘Childhood Nightmares: Under the Bed’ for yourself? Visit:

eBook:                  Amazon.com, Amazon.uk, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.es, Amazon.it

Smashwords.com (Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Sony, PDF)

Print book:          Amazon.com, CreateSpace.com

 Here is a small sampling of “Childhood Nightmares: Under the Bed”,

followed by a link to a free preview of all twelve stories.

 

‘Baby Teeth’  – Kim Krodel

“She adds every tooth she gets to her disgusting smile.  But the screws keep growing out of her gums.  She never runs out of space for more teeth.”

“Why does she want them?”  Brian’s voice was small.  His eyes bugged, as if the skeletons stacked in God’s closet were tumbling out at his feet.

“For biting, Dummy.  She likes to eat little kids.”  Cal grinned as he spoke.  “If she bites you with her screws, your skin gets stuck to ‘em, so she likes teeth better; so she doesn’t have to floss so much.”

“No, she doesn’t.  She’s nice—she gives presents!  Mom said!”

“That’s what Mom wants you to think.  Otherwise you’d freak out about it.”

Brian blinked, staring and processing; weighing his brother’s words against those he had gathered from adults.

“See this?”  Cal rolled up a pant leg to reveal a jagged run of lumpy, silver skin.  “She bit me hard the first tooth I lost ‘cause I didn’t know what was coming.  Now I’m big enough to fight her off.”  Calvin posed like a weight-lifter…”

 

‘Shades of Red’ – Colin F. Barnes

“Two thuds come from beyond the door. Probably just his mother falling, dropping the bottle.  Hollow rasps come from the corner of Mitchell’s dark bedroom: between the old, rickety wardrobe that creaks if you walk too close to it, and the dresser with the broken drawer front.

Mitchell conjures images of Scamp, their pet dog: a mongrel of various terriers and common working dogs. He pictures his little whiskery face, his excited panting. Anything to stop thinking about…the Shade. But it won’t go away. It’s stuck in his mind like a leech. Growing fat on the fear.

Is it darker in that corner than normal? Is that an outline of something…is it…moving?

Mitchell whirls away and pulls the duvet over his face. Sweat forms quickly on his forehead as he breathes hot air under the stifling cover. It’s not real, just your imagination. It’s not—

A quiet laughter. The voice muffled as if obstructed. Mitchell raises the duvet slightly. Just enough so he can peer out and check that corner again. He wishes he hadn’t. A pair of red orbs float in the gap. He screams for his mother. No answer…”

 

‘Show and Tell’ – Kate Monroe

“He belatedly realized that tonight, there had still been no answer, no response. He leaned over the edge of the bed and cautiously lifted the sheets.

“Are you there?”

A blast of fetid air; putrid, repellent.

Satisfied, Tommy continued.

“I wish they’d bloody die.” Awestruck by his bravery in making the grand pronouncement, he allowed himself a few moments in which to savor the forbidden words on his tongue before he spoke again. “Yeah, I do. I wish they’d both just shut up and die.”

A sigh, no stronger than the breeze outside, lifted up the bed sheets and danced around Tommy’s bare feet, curling up his toes as he pursed his thin lips.

“What do you think, then?”

Before any answer could come from under the bed, shuffling footsteps announced his great-aunt’s arrival in his room…”

Please visit Sirens Call Publications for an extended preview of Childhood Nightmares: Under the Bed available for download.

 

Modern Ghosts

Let it be known, that of all the types of horror out there, ghost films are the ones that really get to me and leave me looking over my shoulder more than any of the others.  Its odd, because I’m not a believer, but a well done ghost story really shakes me.  That said, they are very hard to come by, particularly in the modern horror landscape which is saturated with vampires, zombies and found footage (oh my!) and the days of the ghost story seem far behind us.  However, is that the fault of the industry, or do ghost stories just not do it for audiences anymore?

I get a kick out of shows like Most Haunted because more often than not its some very excitable people shouting at things in the dark.  I’ve tried countless times to hear the voices on the tapes and see things in the orbs on photographs, but it never works for me.  Sorry, but not scary.  Some of the stories on things like My Ghost Story that use reconstructions are far more entertaining and yes, a few times I’ve got chills from it.  The site Science of Ghosts is somewhere I’ve spent a lot of time and some photographs work well to provide that feeling of unease.

The preceeding photograph was used briefly in the fantastic and terrifying play, Ghost Stories (written by Jeremy Dyson of The League of Gentlemen and Funland and Andy Nyman of Severance and Dead Set).  Last I heard the play was meant to be touring the UK, so I’m not going to say too much about it as its essential to go without knowing the secrets.  Essentially, its a portmanteau horror in which a parapsychologist interviews people about their ghost sightings and experiences.  While not a film, it manages to be an engaging and scary in a modern setting.  If theatre can do this, then why not film?

The largest mainstream modern horror is the Paranormal Activity franchise.  The three films (with a fourth on the way) have done well as because they follow the found-footage formula they are cheap to make, but people go to see them in droves.  Now, your mileage may vary, but I find myself very bored by them.  The films seem to consist of long periods of near-silence and then a loud noise or a door slamming with little else in between.  I’m a fan of a slow-burn, but slow-burn doesn’t mean there should be huge gaps where nothing happens.  Of course, between the films there is an ongoing story that likely explains why all this is happening, but I’m just too bored to really pay attention and engage with it.  I’m willing to argue that a large part of that is the settings used in the film.  Night vision cameras in modern homes just don’t have the fear factor of an old gothic mansion.  Maybe that is why it doesn’t work for me.

Another big hit was Insidious (a film I wasn’t kind to when reviewing) that seems to go to the other end of the spectrum.  In Insidious you can barely move for a jump scare and the packing in of them all dilutes it somewhat.  Here the more conventional use of dark shadows is used, making it feel at times like a more classic ghost story, including the theme of grief as a constant stream throughout.  Of course, then along come the ghost hunters to just totally ruin it.

One of my favourite film/TV ghost stories is Crooked House (penned by Mark Gatiss) and I would urge people to seek it out.  It manages to balance the modern and period parts of the story and updates its scares throughout.  Its a great piece of work and its such a shame that relatively few people know about it, as compared to things like Insidious and Paranormal Activity.  A French film called The Village of Shadows also manages to transition from a historical setting into a tense present day and again, is worthy of far more attention, bravely bucking the trend of ultra-violent French films.

A recent success is that of The Woman in Black which has broken records for British horror films.  It carries all the hallmarks of a great ghost story (without mentioning it being a Hammer film) by being in a period setting and having the themes of grief and vengeance present in many ghost stories.  The story has been through almost every medium – the book, the television drama, the West End theatre show and now the big budget Hammer production.  I quite liked The Woman in Black film, with the exception of the ending, which really didn’t fit with the message of uncurable vengeance throughout the film.  It is effective though and its success means a sequel is on the way.  Apparently the sequel is to be set 40 years after the events of the first film.  Time will tell if the story will be as effective a little further on in history.

OK, that’s a pretty long and rambly blog.  If you have anything you’d like to add then please feel free to leave a comment, either here on on my Twitter.  Thanks for reading!

Julianne Snow Interview

It is a great pleasure to be a part of the blog tour for the release of Julianne Snow’s Days of the Undead.  Julianne has very kindly offered me an interview, but first, here’s a little excerpt of the book…

“The cloying scent of decomposition was overpowering. It was mixed with the smells of blood and dirt and what was almost sweat-like in odor but I think that’s impossible. How can something dead sweat? The heat of the past few days certainly hadn’t done anything to help with the stench and in the soft breeze of the evening, it robbed the breath from you.

I could hear my team behind me trying not to gag but failing as I unfastened the last of the lines securing the boat to the dock. At that moment they burst through the last of the trees along the edge of the shore. There were now at least a hundred or so of the Undead only a few arm lengths away.

The shock of that moment was unparalleled in anything that I can recently remember. There were so many of them. I gave the boat a hard shove away from the dock and jumped aboard. Max opened the throttle as the Undead poured from the woods like honey from a broken bottle, their arms reaching for us. They were so close that you could feel the wind from their hands as they just missed you.”

 

Clicking on the cover above will take you to Sirens Call Publications where you can find a variety of stockists for the book.  Now, on with the interview:

CD: First of all, congratulations on Days of the Undead. Your work has appeared in an anthology (Women of the Living Dead) before, but how does it compare to having your work stand alone?

JS: Thank you Caitlyn, I appreciate the kudos. I also appreciate your time in interviewing me. It’s definitely been a fun ride. As for the comparison between being part of an anthology and a having my own standalone book, there really is no difference. Knowing that people have the ability to read the words that I have so carefully crafted is invigorating. Being a published author is a heady mix of joy and excitement along with a little bit of doubt. My words are very special to me and I want people to enjoy the end result of my labors. I will say this however, getting an email that states that your work has been accepted for publication always slaps a big smile on my face.

CD: The book started life as a blog which is a really innovative and interesting way of telling such a story. What led you to make the decision to write it in that way?

JS: Most people might not know this but I did write Days with the Undead as a book initially but it sat there for a while as I tried to decide what I wanted to do with it; did I want to publish it independently, or try to approach a traditional publisher with it? I was worried as a first time writer that I would never sell a copy whichever direction that I chose to go. Each chapter is set out to represent one day in the lives of the survivors so it seemed like a logical progression to present each chapter as an unfolding story online. I built my website and then I waited until the fear of putting my work out into the world subsided. It was definitely an interesting few weeks of alternating doubt and confidence. In the end, confidence won out. I realized that I could be somewhat anonymous in an online forum. As I started to post each day, I began to see the numbers of people reading climb higher. Comments soon followed and then I was connecting with people, people who were fans, on a daily basis. It was wonderful. Once I had gotten myself to a point past where the first book ends, I found out that other great authors have released serial novels online before publishing – David Wellington being the one that springs to mind the fastest. I’d bought his books in an actual bookstore years earlier and it gave me hope. My dreams of publishing Days with the Undead as a book didn’t have to die. You may think that all of the content in the book can be found in the blog but you’d be wrong. The book contains all of the things that I wish I had thought to include the first time around. The subtle explanations, the scenes with the Undead that I always thought of afterwards – there is something in the book for both new and old fans alike.

CD: Was it always the intention to turn it into a book?

JS: Based on my answer above, I do think it was always my intention to make the story more alive. To go back and add the things that I knew I had wanted to add in but either didn’t have the time in the moment, or just hadn’t realized I wanted a particular scene included. After I was approached by my publisher, Sirens Call Publications, it was all the opportunity that I needed to make it the saga that I wanted it to be. I am by no means done. The story still continues on dayswiththeundead.com but now it’s more than that. It’s a world that lives inside my head and in the heads of the fans who read it. I can’t stop now.

CD: What is it about zombies that interest you and what are your favorite zombie-themed works?

JS: I’ve loved Zombies since I was little. At six, I watched Romero’s Night of the Living Dead for the first time and while it scared me, it also fascinated me. I was hooked from that moment on. I think what I find more fascinating about them is how we can see ourselves reflected in what they used to be. It’s like humanity’s biggest enemy is itself. As for my favorite Zombie themed works… I am a huge fan of David Wellington’s Monster Series. Those are great books. I adore the movies that George Romero so skillfully crafts. There are also a large number of Indie authors that I love: Ian Woodhead, Rebecca Snow, Suzanne Robb, and Stant Litore among many others. I find that each person has a slightly different view of the genre that never lets it get stale.

CD: A few years ago there was a bit of debate going on about fast or slow zombies. Which is your preference?

JS: I actually wrote a guest post about this a few months ago. I fall on the side of the slow zombie. If I had to meet one in a dark alley with only my wits to help save me, that’s the one that I’d like to meet. I’m a purist at heart and find the idea of a fast zombie to be contrary to the classic. That certainly doesn’t mean that I cannot appreciate the fast ones, I just think the slower ones might be easier to contend with.

CD: And finally, what’s your personal zombie survival plan? I’m pretty sure zombies can’t read so your ideas will be safe.

JS: Hmmm, are you sure? My survival plan is to get out of the city at the first whisper of something going down. I live in Toronto and with all of the urban sprawl, there is no way that I want to get stuck, surrounded by all of that concrete with the Undead headed straight for me. Once I’m out of the city, I’m heading north and getting as far away from largely populated areas as I can. There will be enough food left in the cities to keep them busy for a while so that will give me time to take stock of the situation and decide what the best course of action is going to be. If it ever happens, make sure you look me up online – I’ll be sure to keep you all updated!

Thank you to Julianne for giving the interview and also to Kalla at Sirens Call Publications.

Horror at the Oscars

It seems only right that with the Oscars tonight that film fans like myself should do a little bit of talking about it.  However, I’m not totally sure that I’m even that interested in the Oscars.  Sure, its a glitzy affair and gets people talking about film, which is positive, but one the other hand its an extremely political event with awards won by campaigning rather than being assessed purely on the merits of that film.  The campaigning of certain production companies means that the Oscars are all too easy to predict and this, like anything that is obvious will lead to a loss of interest.  I wouldn’t imagine there are many people that believe anything but The Artist will be sweeping the awards tonight.  While its a great success story that such a throwback can make it big critically and commericially its content is still a ‘safe’ option, as opposed to a film like Drive or Shame who were left off the list.  I was surprised to hear recently that the majority of the Academy are over 60 years old, possibly meaning that they are not in touch with the feelings of the majority of movie-goers.

 

With that being said, this is a horror blog, so there needs to be some sort of horror slant upon it.  My question is, is there a place for horror in the Best Picture category?  Perhaps more importantly, does the genre need a place there?  In all the years of the Oscars, relatively few horrors have been nominated for the big prize, while other genres like the Western, gangster and epics have been celebrated time and time again.  The Exorcist was deservedly nominated in 1973, but lost out to The Sting.  However, if you consider the longevity of both films, I would think that there are more people watching The Exorcist because of its reputation than those watching The Sting because it won an Oscar.

 

The other notable horror nomination comes from the Sixth Sense being nominated in 1999.  Maybe this is further evidence that horror films are nominated because of the amount of hype behind them.  This isn’t to say that Sixth Sense isn’t a good film (not exactly to my taste but thats not a criticism as such).  Phrases and scenes from that film have seeped in to popular culture and now exist comfortably outside of the film, a legacy that is not necessarily added to by its Oscar nom.

 

So will there ever be a place for a horror Oscar winner?  If so, what will it take?  A shake-up of the Academy?  A greater investment in terms of budget and creativity?  Colin Firth?  I don’t think anyone really has the answer, but its certainly something to ponder.  What sort of horror could possibly win the big one?  In my mind it would be a ghost story, but I’d love to hear from others what they think would be celebrated by the Academy.

 

Site Spotlight

I know, I know, I’m a terrible flake and have forgotten yet another Merchandise Monday.  To be perfectly honest it’s proving more difficult than I thought to find new stuff each week and also keep my bank balance in check.  Some would say I need more will power and to them I say…well yeah probably.  So from now on, Merchandise Monday’s will be reserved for when I find stuff that simply must be seen.  Saying that, this week’s entry is something of a merchandise themed one.  Just go with it .

 

Thanks to Twitter, I can pretty much fill my day browsing at all sorts of online shops and avoiding doing anything vitally important but every now and again a site pops up that I really want to revisit.  One of those sites is T-Shirt Bordello and as you can probably tell by the name, they sell t-shirts.  However, that’s not all they sell as there are also pretty good mugs and such on there too.  Now normally I can pick out my favourite shirt from a site, but so many of these are so good I simply can’t choose.

 

From the Shaun of the Dead themed ‘Zombaid’ shirt (priced at $15.99:

 

To prints inspired by The Shining (priced at $14.99):

All the way to the not-at-all horror themed, but still great This Is Spinal Tap design ($14.99 too):

The great thing about not being able to choose from any of the designs is that there’s currently a special offer on where you can get 1 shirt free if you buy 3 items.  Most of the designs are available in both the men’s and women’s styles so its a great place to pick up some fun gifts for anyone in your life.  As well as the online shop, they are also on Twitter on the handle @tshirtbordello.  Check it out now, I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.

Merchandise Monday

While I have already done an entry on this week’s film, this piece of merchandise is definitely worth sharing.  The film itself is iconic, hailed as one of the first ‘slasher’ horrors alongside ‘Peeping Tom’ and directed by one of the best and most recognisable directors – Alfred Hitchcock.  The film is of course – Psycho.

‘Psycho’ could almost be considered too good to be confined solely to the horror genre.  It is a film classic, regardless of genre.  The film displays such a wonderful use of sound and manipulates the audience the whole way through.  The really shocking thing about the film is the way in which it dispatches its heroine and biggest star in Janet Leigh, leaving the film all on the shoulders of unfamiliar face Antony Perkins, who up until that point had been a stage actor with little screen exposure.  Added to this is the fact that his character Norman Bates – a seemingly normal bloke with a controlling and suspiciously absent mother – turns out to be a vicious voyeur and killer.  The film is filled with iconic images but the most ominous to me is the sight of the house, keeping away the secrets.  I’ve rambled a little here which is just because when I start talking about Psycho I can’t really stop, so I’m going to get on with the merchandise bit now.

Available from hauntedshop.co.uk and priced at £36.99, this is the model kit of the house – complete with an LED light kit to create a light in the window.  I’m not doubting that this would take a long time for me to put together, but I can think of much worse things to do.  Things like turning off to that dingy hotel in the heavy rain.  What’s the worst that could happen right?

A note to anyone following Altered Realities Radio – you can now get all of your reviews, news and interviews at allhorror.net where I must say the site is looking very snazzy.

Merchandise Monday

As you probably know by now, I’m a huge fan of bringing horror firmly into everyday life.  One thing you probably won’t know about me is that I love sushi (although not the raw fish stuff as it would interfere with the vegetarianism and that).  You’re probably a little nervous about where this is going right now – don’t be.  The ratings say that this particular Merchandise Monday subject is fully safety tested so there shouldn’t be any… unfortunate side effects.

That’s right – its an ‘Alien’ style Chest Burster chopstick.  What better way to enjoy your meal than by recalling one of the most uncomfortable dinner scenes in film history?  You can pre-order them from Play on this link at £8.99 and they’ll be released on June 22nd, which is probably the right time to be taking it along to barbeques and freaking people out.  Other varieties are available, but this one was my personal favourite.  As with everything, your mileage may vary.  Eat safe everyone!

On another note, Altered Realities Radio is currently undergoing some changes.  Do visit now as I’m sure there’s some really fun stuff coming up.

Top 10 of 2011

Instead of a Merchandise Monday post this week, I’m going to do my very own self-involved top 10 list of my favourite horrors of 2011 with a short write up for each.  Many of the entries hail from the wonderful screenings at the Abertoir horror festival and some I’ve also done reviews for over at Altered Realities Radio.  It’s a fairly eclectic list, but I hope you’ll enjoy the read.  As always I welcome discussion about the placements and films.  As of writing this I’ve yet to see a few films I really want to see, so perhaps in some time there’ll be a revised list.  So without further ado…

10 – Final Destination 5

Yes, the formula is over used now and the scenarios have become ever more ridiculous, but there’s something about the Final Destination series that I think I’ll always enjoy on some level.  FD5 isn’t going to convert anybody who isn’t sold on the idea, but for those who like it it was exactly what it needed to be.  The opening bridge scene is near perfect in its ridiculousness and the death scenes kept me guessing all the time.  A great ‘switch-your-brain-off’ film.

9 – The Woman

Gory, feminist tale from May director Lucky McKee.  Heightened emotions, bloody action and heaps of shock make for an intense and uncomfortable experience.  Would take a lot for me to sit through it again – in a good way.

8 – Panic Button

A fitting send-up of social networking at its worst and most terrifying.  You will always consider the terms and conditions that little bit more after watching this one.  While the release date marks it as Welsh director Chris Crow’s first film it is actually his second (after Devil’s Bridge) and it’s stylistic choices further confirm how much of a directorial force he is becoming.

7 – The Perfect Host

Described as the ‘Niles Crane’ movie, the reason for which will be clear to anyone who watches it.  The filmmakers know they have David Hyde Pierce and use him to his full potential.  Almost cried laughing at least once throughout.  A top notch performance works alongside more sinister elements.  This was the only film to beat Some Guy Who Kills People in audience votes at the Abertoir festival.

6 – Devil’s Bridge

My Review

A brutal look at Anglo/Welsh relations, but on a separate level provides a far more than adequate stalk and kill film with innovative camera work and gritty British shooting to provide an entertaining film for the world at large.  I think people probably prefer Panic Button but for me, Devil’s Bridge as a directorial debut is a real force.

5 – Scream 4

The risk of adding to the Scream trilogy was something I was well aware of before going to see this.  While I love the first and second in the series, I’m one of those who didn’t much care for Scream 3 so I thought I would be even less impressed with the fourth instalment, but the remake/reboot craze is perfectly handled and reboots the series with all the fun references and humour from the first film.  It’s also got one of my favourite scenes of the year, which I won’t go into here as I don’t want people to have their fun spoiled.

4 – Inbred

My Review

Balls-out, bawdy gore fest and I loved every second.  Purely British in its execution with laughs and winces around every corner.  Can’t wait for more people to see it.  Has real potential to become a powerfully loved cult hit.

3 – Black Swan

Probably not strictly a horror, but one of those films that kept me thinking about it long after the credits had rolled.  Featuring one of the few scenes to ever make my blood run cold.  As a standalone and also a companion piece to The Wrestler, Black Swan works on a psychological level and bucks the trend for what a ‘ballet movie’ should be.  Reminded me a lot of Repulsion, another film that really sticks with you.

2 – Some Guy Who Kills People

My Review

Heart-warming slasher comedies come few and far between and I doubt many could pull it off with the grace that Some Guy does.  My favourite film from the Abertoir film festival this year (and by all accounts everyone else’s until The Perfect Host on the final day), it’s a great film, perfect for horror fans, but also accessible enough for those too timid for full genre pieces.

1 – Kill List

My Review

Ben Wheatley’s genre-bending film makes my number one for the year simply for the way it made me react on an emotional level.  I go to see a lot of films alone and only Kill List has made me wish I hadn’t gone solo.  It’s difficult to pick a film like this as a number 1 because such things normally require details, but Kill List needs to be seen blind.  Nothing can recreate the feeling of watching it for the first time, but it’s really fun to watch others watch it when you know the secret.

So that wraps up my choice of the top 10 of 2011.  I’m hoping to return to doing Merchandise Monday next week.  In the meantime, if you want to get in touch regarding your own merchandise or anything you’d like featured contact me either on Twitter @caitd5 or email me caitd@scaredsheepless.com

Merchandise Monday

To celebrate restarting Merchandise Monday I’m goin to return to the film that started it off – The Exorcist.  The thing about The Exorcist is that its a film chock full of iconic images that stick with you and thus make brilliant figures.  This one is less expensive than the bed display from the first entry, but depicts one of the most frightening and strange images.

Without further ado, the infamous Spider Walk:

At just £7.99 from The Haunted Shop it would make a great but cheap Christmas gift for a horror fan.  Standing at 7 inches its a piece of merchandise that doesn’t take up a great deal of space.  Not much time to get it before Christmas, so get it while you can!

A Few Words

Wow, so my blog has been pretty empty and dead for a while due to some personal stuff going on and so there haven’t been any updates.  Will be doing a review for the Altered Realities site tonight and will be restarting Merchandise Monday next week when everything will be calmer still.  Have spent far too much time moping rather than getting straight back in to things I enjoy, so am going to have to make the effort and sort myself out.  I’ve had so many kind words about the blog and my reviews and it really is nice to hear and has given me the kick up the arse I’ve needed to get back into it.  I hope everyone who reads is doing well for their holiday celebrations and plans and isn’t too put off by the shitty weather!