This is my Weird Ice Age novelette, 'Under White Air' — the return of the bandit Twistfinger, set in a Neolithic landscape inspired by Alberta's Kananaskis hills. Twistfinger's previous exploit: www.beneath-ceaseless-skies.com/stories/a-fo...

Music room now all set up. Re-wallpapered it (mold had gotten behind the bookcase I shifted to the other side of the room), and that little shelf unit is ideal for papers and laptop and such. Across the room: cupboard (with bodhran), bookcase, with a gap between them suitable to pop guitar case in.

Today's jungle hokum is "The White Gorilla" (1945), half of which is scenes from the 1927 "Perils of the Jungle", with inserts of our protagonist (Ray Corrigan) peering at the action from the undergrowth. From a contemporary review: "He generally manages to stay well out of the way of the action"

I see some of you are looking for reading material right now. So here's a short story. The axe of pride meets a fascist wizard--once, twice, thrice, four times... #TransRightsReadathon #TransDayOfVisibility

If you're in Carrickfergus, do make your way to the bookshop!

Really needed that run this afternoon. 75k, ending in Victoria Park. Surprisingly nice weather after the earlier mizzle, though still happy to wear the longsleeve.

Have you met the mercenary plainswoman Zeynep and the princess Kawtar yet? If you enjoy classic sword and sorcery in the style of ole Robert E. Howard with a dash of Fritz Leiber, check em out here: swordsandsorcerymagazine.com/tag/luana-sa... Might be... something bigger comin' out soon...

Thank you for your attention to this Matter.

One from the archives... An illustration with a short story, "Merry Christmas, Mr. Melmoth"

Help get Louise's daughter to Uzbekistan (and back)!

Little things that make me happy...

After rejecting a hand full of unwatchable B movies, "Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla" proves watchable, despite the annoying fake Jerry Lewis. It gives Lugosi more to do than any other movie I've seen him in, and perhaps the best available view of the man beyond the cape.

Ahhhh, and now Sam Kieth! :-(

These are for children! I promise!...

Books hauled today... The final nail in the New Year 'one in, one out' resolution... I've read the Golding years ago, but couldn't resist this neat li'l hardback. Bounced off White as a younger man, and we'll see how matured me feels about it.

A 7 km run to Holywood. Hadn't taken the Old Holywood Road for a while and had forgotten those long inclines kill me. Still my usual average time. Took some pics at the waterside, bought some books, and bussed back home.

Brandy was a sick yesterday, and seemed to feel guilty for having left sick and a floppy poo on the carpet... She did wake me up at 8 for breakfast, and when I came back from running in the afternoon she was really hungry. I'm glad she's well again for #caturday! :-)

Anne Rice's "Interview with the Vampire" when I was 14. A precocious but young 14. The whole (sub)text escaped me, and I felt the book had very weak character motivation and consequently was fairly boring.

Grim!

Your reading this weekend could pair nicely with Transgressive, God's Hate, or any other cool leftist music of your choice--as well as a healthy dose of hatred for fascists. #swordandsorcery

Does give a whole new meaning to consummating a marriage...

Another banger! Just tucking into "The Beyond"... www.youtube.com/watch?v=81Ro...

For St Patrtick's Day then, my rendition of "John MacAnanty, Fairy King of Scrabo Hill" - in Ulster Scots. Via the Acoustic Haven podcast. www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMI7...

Watching Lucio Fulchi's "City of the Living Dead". Not for the faint of heart, it does manage some almost poetic, atmospheric scenes between the gory bits. Perhaps it's the synthy soundtrack which pushes that 'instant nostalgia' button. www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dLk...

Artist friends: post a monster! (An ancient cover for a magazine, which I'd forgotten I'd made)

Some really great voice acting by Noah Wyle in The Pitt www.facebook.com/reel/1600338...

I love old paleo art, and this animation is lovely! www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHsz...

My pal Michael took photos this evening... I needn't have worried the people in the back could hear me. My songs went down really well!

Little break from practice to sip honeyed tea.

Brandy was confused. I was practicing downstairs, and that was wrong: I have to do my guitar playing upstairs, and she'll sit in the windowsill and look outside. It's a thing.

For those who celebrate (or are celebrate) - Happy Mother's Day! This is my mom, and my grandmothers Anna and Wilhelmina, who I've been named after.

Respond to this with an image from a movie that always cheers you up, but don’t name the movie just share the image. There are many for me, but this is one of those that I love watching when I'm ill with flu and fever...

If you backed New Edge, whose crowdfund has ended with 1018 backers, there's still 17 hours to back Swords Against! -- a new mag in collab-crowdfund. Backers of both get an extra zine, the NESS half a story by Milton Davis, the Swords Against! half a story by me. www.backerkit.com/c/projects/m...

I'll take recs for films on the free (UK) streamers or the uTubes. Nothing that makes me sad, please. (I watched Small Prophets, and it did make me a little bit sad, though 3 years ago it'd've been too much on the nose).

Four More Years

Was annoyed about the botched run, so finished papering the music room. About to settle down with a book and with music from pals - Mike is a bit 'Beatles, but 1940s', while the Boiling Well... Well - think Bob Dylan with Stevie Nicks. Sorta. ( www.instagram.com/reels/DVbzgt... )

Hay fever, so had to abandon my running after only a little bit. I did walk on a while as it was nice weather. Hopefully better tomorrow!

Like mental health is a big reason of why I run, the "why" is not intrinsic to the art I do. I started my novel as a Big Project to cling to in a turbulent time - an anchor to the future. Reasons for my music meanwhile are finding community and processing bits of 'whence do I hail'. What's yours?

This site needs a break. Post 3 good things, none of which are the cessation of a negative. 1. Brandy #Caturday 2. Out of bed early and surprisingly refreshed 3. The Scooby Gang (collection of disparate pals who hang out to solve mysteries and do other cool things)

So... "The Bride!"... Think "Sid & Nancy" but directed by Jim Jarmusch, and a touch or Bob Fosse. Ironically, it wasn't the sum of its parts, and it never came alive for me.

Getting in the frame of mind for my gig on Monday... All original songs, so no covers such as this - my Groninger dialect version of "Black is the Colour" (sing along in your preferred language!) www.youtube.com/watch?v=pR4D...

Hey, artist! Quote one art to promote yourself!

Watching a film while it's just 30 minutes till Brandy's Whiskas time...

The first Astartha tale. 2nd in NESS #4, 3rd in NESS #6. They grow stronger and stronger. I still don't know how to talk about them, but nothing in NESS gives me such a frisson. After 2 I had to prowl about in the night air until the physiological buzz wore off a bit. 3 hit me where I have lived.

If you see this, post an eye.

Watching the first episode of Small Prophets with Brandy...

Look! My name on a flyer! And my cheerful wee face! I'll be playing a set in the Lamppost Café next Monday, and will be in good company. Come along for the ride too; doors open at 7. Bring a fiver for the money box.

Right. Which movie do I want to see tonight? Nothing too taxing (work turned my brain into pap), and must be on one of the free UK streamers, or the tubers. Hit me up! :-)

Seen it before, and I'll see it again: "The 7th Victim" If you like your film noir with a dab of the occult, then this is the one for you!...

A song that feels like a memory replaying. www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfW4...