Her Red Shoes
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Desc: Her Red Shoes is an animation that is based on the styles and rules of comic books and graphic novels yet uses an everyday story to create an original piece. Influenced by Pop Art, particularly Roy Lichtenstein, Her Red Shoes combines a 3D background with 2D
rotoscoped characters to create an atmospheric piece. |
We Are Now Beginning Our Descent
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Desc: Interview with James Meek and extracts from James Meek's new novel, We Are Now Beginning Our Descent, to be published by Canongate in the UK and US in early 2008 |
Watchmen - New High Res Images
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Desc: For those who are still not especially well acquainted with the graphic novel, these characters are The Comedian (played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and the man whose demise kicks off the events of the book/film); Nite Owl (a technical whizz with depressive tendencies, played by Patrick Wilson); Ozymandias (an arrogant, extraordinary athlete whose turned himself into a brand to make millions, played by Matthew Goode); Rorschach (played by Jackie Earle Haley, he's kind of our hero, despite being a slightly insane detective who wears a mask to hide his identity at all times); and Silk Spectre (played by Malin Akerman, she's the only girl of the group, and none too happy about that and would rather not be a crime fighter anyway).
Watchmen was originally published by DC comics as a 12-comic book series between 1986 and 1987, before subsequently being collected into a trade paperback. It is the only graphic novel to win the prestigious Hugo Award or to be named among Time magazine's "100 Best English Language Novels from 1923 to the Present." |
The Listeners by Walter de la Mare
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Desc: De la Mare, most magic of English poets 1873-1956. His novels are magic too, especially 'The Return'. He lives in the half world between dream and waking now called the unconscious and he fills it with intense mystery. |
Iain Banks Interview Part 2 of 3
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Desc: Possibly Scotland's most lucrative export since whisky, Iain Banks has written over 20 novels (including in the science fiction genre) which are read widely around the world.
Famously left-wing, Iain cut up his passport at the start of the Iraq war in 2003 and sent it to Tony Blair: "I felt ashamed to be British and that was the one symbol of Britishness that I owned." He adds: "It seemed like a good idea at the time."
Not one to do things by half, he has sold all his cars (including a BMW M5, a Porshe 911 and a Land Rover) and now drives a hybrid. "I now drive around these country roads and can actually enjoy the scenery! Plus as you get older, you know, your reflexes go a bit." He also admits to being "tickled pink" that he can get 60 miles to the gallon in his new wheels.
Wanting to be a writer from an early, Iain certainly puts the hours in. He writes for 8 hours a day and aims to hit 10-15,000 words a week. "There was no other plan for me, I said at 11 I wanted to be a novellist and 19 years later, I was an overnight success!"
"I'm really a failed political writer, I never seem to be able to get it into the fabric of the novel. You'll notice that in my mainstream books the central character always has a rant - which is basically one of mine. The science fiction ones are a bit different - you can write how you would like to see society."
Listen to the interview to hear Iain's thoughts on Margaret Thatcher, the war in Iraq and on how much he earns.
Please note this interview contains some swearing. |
Romantic Novel Chapters 1 and 2 - Scott Mills
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Desc: Scott and Laura try to make some Romantic Novels after the conversation started when Scott was reading someone's book on the train over their shoulder and they we're young, it was a romantic novel and he had the idea that only people 50+ read them, how wrong he was... |
Lykke Li Live @ Durrr
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Desc: Lykke Li PLays Durrr Live Filmed by Olivia Emes |
Crime author George Pelecanos discusses The Turnaround
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Desc: Crime author George Pelecanos talks about the plot and inspiration behind his new novel, The Turnaround.
ABOUT THE TURNAROUND:
On a hot summer afternoon in Washington DC 1972, three white teenagers, stoned and fearless, drive a stolen car into Heathrow Heights - a rough, black neighbourhood near where they live. Taunting local black kids through the car window, they speed off to what they think is safety.
Tragically, they find themselves trapped in a dead-end street whilst an angry mob gathers. In the ensuing chaos, two of the white boys manage to escape, but Billy - the third friend - is shot dead.
The youths from both neighbourhoods eventually go their separate ways, but this event will remain the defining moment in many of their lives. Thirty-five years later, one of these men reaches out to another, opening a door that could lead to salvation. However, another survivor of that day is now out of prison, and is looking for reparation in any form he can find it...
The Turnaround takes us on a journey from the rock-and-soul streets of the 1970s to the changing neighbourhoods of DC today. It is a novel of fathers and sons, wives and husbands, loss, victory and ultimately violent redemption.
To read more about The Turnaround go to http://www.orionbooks.co.uk/HB-39287/The-Turnaround.htm |
Friction 11
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Desc: A really sweet reading of a really neat new novel by Joe Stretch, lead singer of Mancunian chart rapists, (We Are) Performance.
myspace.com/joestretchfriction
myspace.com/weareperformance |
A self-publishing enthusiast speaks
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Desc: I've self-published two novels and made a success of both. Here's my perspective on self-publishing, looking past all the negativity and seeing something that authors and readers should be excited about. |
Angelica Lyte's novel 'Please Believe!'
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Desc: A Romantic fast paced thriller that raises questions about contraversial issues, corruption and society. |
Karen Taylor - Perfectly Innocent
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Desc: In this piece, Karen Taylor demonstrates how two perfectly innocent novels can become so dirty when concatenated together. |
A.L. Kennedy - winner of 2007 Costa Book of the Year Award
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Desc: A.L. Kennedy, winner of the 2007 Costa Novel Award, talks about her book, Day.
This short film, commissioned by Costa Coffee, was shown at the Costa book of the Year awards ceremony in London on February 2008. The film made by Charles Turley at CTA Limited.
About the book:
Alfred Day wanted his war. In its turmoil he found his proper purpose as the tail-gunner in a Lancaster bomber; he found the wild, dark fellowship of his crew, and he found Joyce, a woman to love. But that's all gone now - the war took it away. Now, in 1949, Alfred is winding back time to see where he lost himself. He has taken the role of an extra in a POW film. Shipped out to Germany and an ersatz camp, he picks his way through the clichés that will become all that's left of his war and begins to do what he's never dared - to remember. He is looking for some semblance of hope: trying to move forward by going back.
About the author:
A.L. Kennedy is a novelist and stand-up comedian. She has published four previous novels, two books of non-fiction, and three collections of short stories, most recently Indelible Acts. She also writes for the stage, radio, film and TV. She has twice been selected as one of Granta's Best of Young British Novelists and has won a number of prizes including the Somerset Maugham Award, the Encore Award and the Saltire Scottish Book of the Year Award. A.L. Kennedy lives in Glasgow and is currently an Associate Professor with the Warwick University Creative Writing Programme. |
Mr. Planemaker's Flying Machine: trailer
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Desc: Promotional video with background sound for Mr. Planemaker's Flying Machine by Shelagh Watkins |
TPB & Graphic Novel reviews + Trinity #1
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Desc: review of some TPBs & graphic novels |
Robert Crais talks LA and his new novel, Chasing Darkness
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Desc: Crime novelist Robert Crais discussed Los Angeles, the city he lives in and gains inspiration from. Robert also discusses his new novel, Chasing Darkness, out in hardback on the 10th July in the UK, and the inspiration behind his writing.
ABOUT CHASING DARKNESS:
It is fire season, and the hills of Los Angeles are burning. Fire Department personnel rush to evacuate the inhabitants, and find the days-old corpse of a middle-aged recluse who apparently committed suicide. Clutched in his lap is a photo album containing photographs of seven young women who have been murdered, each photograph was taken only moments after the women were killed.
One murder per year for seven years, their bodies found in different parts of the city. LAPD homicide detectives had never connected the seven murders. But now with the discovery of the "death album" these seven murders have been linked, and the news for Elvis Cole is bad...
Only one suspect had been charged in any of those cases, that being for the murder of victim #4. LAPD and the LA County District Attorney had a recorded confession by the suspect and believed him to be the murderer. But, with evidence supplied by Elvis Cole, in the end he walked free. That suspect was the suicide now discovered in the fire, Elliot Martin.
Did Cole's action three years ago free a killer to commit more murders? Did Elvis cost three young women their lives?
To learn more about Robert Crais and the crime novel Chasing Darkness, go to http://www.orionbooks.co.uk/HB-42254/Chasing-Darkness.htm |
Good Morning!
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Desc: A very random video that has caused me to run very late.
Sookie Stackhouse novels author: http://www.charlaineharris.com/ |
Christopher Fowler reading an extract from White Corridor
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Desc: Author Christopher Fowler reads an extract from WHITE CORRIDOR - the latest in his series of crime novels featuring Octogenarian detectives Arthuir Bryant and John May. |