Autumn Equinox: Day 6

It's the penultimate day of us celebrating the beginning of autumn, and oh boy! we've got a lot going on today.

Crumpsall Park Autumn Equinox Walk

This morning, I led a gentle, social walk for Friends of Crumpsall Park to enjoy the changing seasons in the park (especially the trees!).

Hannah’s Bookshelf Autumn Equinox Special

This afternoon was my Hannah's Bookshelf Autumn Equinox Special on North Manchester FM, where I shared some folklore of the season, but also played a selection of original, seasonal flash fiction from some fantastic writers who contibuted to the show. Also... I brought in apple pies for the volunteers at the community centre where the radio station is based.

Cherry Pie

I've had a LOT of apple pie so far this autumn, so I thought I'd mix it up and have cherry.

Bailey’s Wood Autumn Equinox Walk

After the radio show, I led a seasonal walk for Friends of Bailey's Wood, sharing folklore and stories of the season and enjoying the woods getting its autumn clothes on.

Autumn Equinox Dinner

Tonight was our Autumn Equinox Dinner, and Rob made us the traditional meal of meatloaf and root vegetable rice, followed by blackberry crumble (made with blackberries I picked when I went mad for brambling at the end of the summer).

Autumn Equinox Gifts

After dinner, we shared our traditional Autumn Equinox cards and gifts. Two more whiskies to add to the tasting set we'll be enjoying in December.

Dark Night of the Scarecrow

For the past couple of years, we've struggled to find a film that could be our regular seasonal film (we've got one for all the other seasons). But... the quest is over! Our (newly) traditional Autumn Equinox film is Dark Night of the Scarecrow!

Autumn Equinox: Day 5

Another day of celebrating the beginning of autumn!

Pumpkin Cream Iced Oat Shaken Espresso

This was without a doubt the daftest named drink I've ever ordered (and I struggled to keep a straight face while I asked for it), but I just couldn't resist the allure of commercialization. Teamed it with a Maple & Pecan Swirl.

Piano Recital

Rob and I met up in town after work and had a lovely time at a piano recital at Forsyth's Music Shop. The performers were Robson Piano Duo, identical twins who specialize in piano four hands. Okay, it wasn't specifically autumnal, but it was a very nice way to spend the evening.

Apple Pie

Apparently I really can't resist the allure of commercialization.

Berry Sweets

Rob got me a little present today, and very seasonal it is too.

Autumn Equinox: Day 4

The fourth day of our Autumn Equinox celebrations, and it was a quiet one today as we were both at work.

Apple Pies

I brought some apple pies into work today. I meant to take a picture of them before I shared them with my colleagues. Oops.

Autumn Equinox: Day 3

Day 3 of our autumn celebrations, and it was a bit of an outdoorsy day today.

Walk and Talk in the Woods

I led an Autumn Equinox Walk and Talk session for Friends of Bailey's Wood this morning. We shared some stories about the season and went mushroom spotting, before apple pies and cherry squash.

Autumn Equinox Poetry in the Park

In the afternoon, I took residents from Castlerea Care Home to Crumpsall Park for a seasonal Poetry in the Park session. We had some seasonal poetry (Keats is compulsory on this annual trip, of course), and then we went for a sensory autumn walk, finding little signs of autumn in the natural world. Me and one of the residents got pelted with acorns by some squirrels! Then we came back to the Visitors Centre for more poetry, dandelion and burdock, and some apple pies.

Cat Walk

This evening, Rob and I did another of our Roam for Cats walks for Cats Protection. It was a lovely autumnal walk with some very pretty trees, but we massively misjudged the timing and ended up having to quickly exit the park as they were locking up!

Autumn Equinox: Day 2

It's our second day of celebrating the arrival of autumn!

Mid-Autumn Festival

This morning, I was at the Manchester Museum for one of their Mid-Autumn Festival events. This was a free taster session to learn about Chinese seasonal traditions. We had an introductory Tai Chi session (which was amazing), followed by tea and mooncake. I also really enjoyed chatting to the other people who attended about how we feel about autumn and the changing seasons.

Autumn Wax Melts

Time to light a seasonal wax melt... Fireside from Scentered Serenity. We loved this one, because the smell reminded us of the log-burner we had on our holiday back in June.

Bat Mugs

We've seen a lot of bats this year, so new autumn mugs were needed. Bats are for summer and autumn, not just for Halloween.

Autumn Equinox: Day 1

It's the first day of our week of Autumn Equinox celebrations! And autumn has arrived right on cue. Even the air smells different this week. It's weird, because I genuinely enjoyed summer for the first time in a long (I was pretty much a summer person by the end of it), so I'd almost forgotten how much I love autumn. But now that it's here... bring it on!

Mushrooms in the Park

Look at these gorgeously autumnal mushrooms in Crumpsall Park!

Autumn Gifts

A couple of little things to kick off our celebrations... my mum got us a little autumn mouse, and I got us a dinky wooden wheel of the year.

Events in September 2024

Poetry at the Pank (Heritage Open Days event)
Friday 6th September
11.00–1.00pm
Pankhurst Museum
I'll be running a creative writing workshop as part of my role at the Pankhurst Museum
Booking Link

Poetry at the Pank (Heritage Open Days event)
Thursday 12th September
6.00–8.00pm
Pankhurst Museum
I'll be running a creative writing workshop as part of my role at the Pankhurst Museum
Booking Link

Robin Hood Walk in the Woods (Heritage Open Days event)
Saturday 14th September
11.00–12.00pm
Friends of Bailey's Wood
I'll be leading a fun, creative walk in the woods with a Robin Hood theme
Booking Link

Medieval Romance Walk in the Woods (Heritage Open Days event)
Saturday 14th September
6.00–7.00pm
Friends of Bailey's Wood
I'll be leading a walk in the woods with tales taken from medieval literature
Booking Link

Virtual Writing Retreat
Sunday 15th September
10.30–5.00pm
Hannah's Bookshelf
I'm hosting an online writing retreat for creative writers with writing exercises and structured writing sessions
Members Event

Autumn Equinox Walk and Talk
Wednesday 18th September
11.00–12.30pm
Friends of Bailey's Wood
I'll be leading a gentle, social walk in the woods to enjoy the changing seasons
Booking Link

Autumn Equinox Poetry in the Park
Wednesday 18th September
2.00–5.00pm
Castlerea House
I'll be running a seasonal poetry and storytelling workshop session in the park for residents at Castlerea care home
Private Event

Autumn Equinox Walk in the Park
Saturday 21st September
11.00–12noon
Friends of Crumpsall Park
I'll be leading a gentle, social walk in the park to enjoy the changing seasons
Booking Link

Hannah's Bookshelf Autumn Equinox Special
Saturday 21st September
2.00–4.00pm
Hannah's Bookshelf / North Manchester FM
I'll be hosting a special seasonal edition of my regular radio show on North Manchester FM, including Autumn Equinox-themed flash fiction
Submission Link

Autumn Equinox Walk in the Woods
Saturday 21st September
5.30–6.30pm
Friends of Bailey's Wood
I'll be leading a gentle, social walk in the woods to enjoy the changing seasons
Booking Link

Park Write - Autumn Writing
Saturday 28th September
2.00–5.00pm
Friends of Crumpsall Park
I'll be running a creative writing workshop in the park with a seasonal writing theme
Booking Link

Interested in booking me for an event? Click here to find out more.

OUT NOW: Coffin Bell, Vol. 7, No. 3

A new issue of online journal Coffin Bell, featuring my story ‘The Third Uncle George’…

Coffin Bell is an online journal of dark literature edited by Tamara Burross Grisanti and a staff of volunteer editors. They publish poetry, flash fiction, short stories, creative nonfiction, essay, short criticism, and art exploring dark themes.

Contents:

Flash Fiction

'The Night Watcher' and 'I look in the mirror and she looks back' by Emmanuelle Knappenberger
'There’s No Such Thing as a Free Meal' by T. L. Sherwood
'Hope' by James Haig
'Vu Ahin Zol Ikh Geyn' by Cor de Wulf
'The Last Days' by Martin Andrew

Short Story

'Jamais Vu' by Maureen Mancini Amaturo
'The Besom' by Linda Boroff
'Itchy Trigger Finger' by Steve Levandoski
'The Third Uncle George' by Hannah Kate
'Explorations in the Waste Quarter' by James Owens
'Rat Trap' by Valerie E. Polichar
'Sympathetic Magick' by Bradford Gyori
'Tunnel' by Wes Blake
'We’ll Be Together Forever' by Ken Derry
'Trophies' by Melissa Pleckham
'Abimelech' by Jude Dexter
'The Creep' by Sian Jones
'The Station' by Raven Burnett
'Blackout' by Bailey Bujnosek
'Cool, Dark Stranger' by Katie Nickas
'Gertrude 1896 – 1927' by Jessalyn LeBlanc
'Soft News Night' by Jeanne Dickey
'The King of Spit' by Phil Keeling

Poetry

'Winter Commute' by Elisabeth Horan
'How Your Body Was Found', 'Nika' and 'A Calling Closer' by Leila Farjami
'Ghazal of the Cimmerians' by Christian Chase Garner
'My Husband, Ted Bundy', 'My Uncle, John Wayne Gacy, Visits Me', 'My First and Only Date with Herb Baumeister' and 'Potential Victim of David Berkowitz' by Sarah Lilius
'sod' by Leyla Guirand

For to read this issue, please visit the Coffin Bell website.

My Year in Books 2024: August

I only read two novels in August, as I was buried in writing for a new project I'm working on. That's my excuse anyway.

My reviews of the two books I read are below, but if you're interested, here are my reviews from the rest of the year so far: January, February, March, April, May, June, July

Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward (2023)

I ended up with two copies of this book. I got it out of the library, but then I discovered that it was included in my Abominable Book Club subscription box. Obviously a sign that I needed to read it! This one is a bit of a weird one, as the premise described in the blurb doesn’t really come into the story until a good chunk of the way through. The book actually starts with Wilder Harlow arriving with his parents at Whistler Bay, a town on the New England coast, to spend the summer. He meets two other teens – Harper and Nat – and they begin a holiday friendship. So far, so coming-of-age. And when the creepy local story of the Daggerman (a shadowy figure who supposedly stalks the town) rears its head, it feels like this might be a story we already know. However, that’s not quite what’s going on in Looking Glass Sound. The first signs are the little fragmentary chapters that intersperse sections of the narrative, and a couple of chapters that are told from an entirely different perspective. The storyline described in the blurb – that Wilder, as an older man, returns to Whistler Bay to write a book – doesn’t start until the second part of the narrative. I enjoyed the utter unreliability of the narrators in this one, and there are some really subtle clues that things aren’t as they seem. However, the introduction of a supernatural element was a step too far for my tastes.

The Suspect by Rob Rinder (2024)

The second book I read this month was another library book. I’ll admit I got this one out because I liked the look of the cover, although I’m a little wary of the fashion for celebrity-authored whodunnits at the moment. And The Suspect is a whodunnit, of course. The premise is that a daytime TV presenter is murdered live on air. All signs point to the show’s celebrity chef, who is arrested and charged with the murder. As the trial approaches, junior barrister Adam Green is tasked with getting some background on the people involved in the case, but he quickly discovers that things might not be what they seem. There was a lot to like about this one, particularly the depiction of the TV world (with some characters bearing uncanny resemblance to real celebrities). However, the mystery isn’t anything mind-blowing, and it’s quite easy to see what’s going on if you’re familiar with the genre. Another issue is that this one is a direct sequel to The Trial, Rinder’s debut novel, and it does spoiler some elements of the first book. You also probably do need to have read the first book to understand who all the characters are in Green’s chambers, as the book does assume prior knowledge. If you’re not familiar with how barristers chambers work, then you might get a bit lost in places. I enjoyed The Suspect, and it was an easy read, but I struggled a bit with getting to know the secondary characters.

Autumn Equinox Stories Wanted for Hannah’s Bookshelf on North Manchester FM

Submit your seasonal flash fiction to be played on Hannah’s Bookshelf this September!

Can you tell a seasonal story in just 3 minutes? Want to have your work played on the radio? This month, I’m looking for seasonal (Autumn, harvest festival) flash fiction from around the world for inclusion on Hannah’s Bookshelf, the weekly literature show on North Manchester FM.

On Saturday 21st September, I’ll be hosting the Hannah’s Bookshelf Autumn Equinox Special, and as part of my seasonal special, I’ll be playing a selection of my favourite 3-minute stories on the show (broadcast on FM and on digital). Want to be part of it? Submit a recording of your seasonally inflected story (maximum 3 minutes) by midnight on Monday 16th September.

All genres welcome – be they cosy, romantic, scary or sad. The only rules are that stories must be your own original work, have some connection to the season, and be in English (the language of the broadcast). And please ease off the swears – stories have to be radio friendly! All you need is a microphone and a story – once you’re ready to submit your story, click on the ‘Start Recording’ button on my website to record your story and submit it. Remember to enter your name and email address when submitting your story.

If you aren’t able to submit via a recording and would like another method of taking part, please message via my website for more information.

Please share this call with anyone who you think might be interested – I’d like to cast the net as wide as possible. My favourite seasonal stories will be broadcast on the Hannah’s Bookshelf Autumn Equinox Special at 2pm on Saturday 21st September, on digital radio and 106.6FM.

My Year in Books 2024: July

Time for my mini-reviews of the books I read in July. Only two books on this month's list, I'm afraid, but in case you're interested, here are my review posts from the rest of the year so far: January, February, March, April, May, June

Death by Laura Thalassa (2021)

In May, I posted about the first three books in Laura Thalassa’s Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse erotic romance series. You may remember, it was a bit of a revelation for me (pun intended). I loved the first three books, particularly Famine, and I was planning to wait to read the final one. I didn’t actually wait that long in the end. Death is, as I expected, a bonkers thing of beauty. The final horseman – the one we’ve been told is the worst of the four, and a ‘dour asshole’ (quote from Famine) – arrives on earth to make the Last Judgement. But Death isn’t quite the creature we’ve been led to expect. Yes, he’s terrifying. But he’s also the embodiment of the concept of Death, so his very existence is intricately connected to life. He’s also really sexy, of course, but why wouldn’t he be? Death is at once foreboding, apocalyptic, noble, melancholy, lonely and horny. And when he meets Lazarus, a woman who for some reason cannot die, he begins (of course) to question his purpose. I loved this one – Death is surprisingly easy to fall in love with, for all his utter oddity. But my favourite thing was when a familiar trio turned up to try and thwart their brother’s plans. I genuinely gave a little squeal when Famine arrived with characteristic drama. Which was embarrassing, as I was reading the book on the tram at the time. I can’t explain it, but I genuinely love this series.

The House That Horror Built by Christina Henry (2024)

The next book was one of the novels included in a recent Abominable Books box. The blurb sounded right up my street. Harry is a single mum who gets a job cleaning for Javier Castillo, a reclusive horror film director who lives an isolated life in his Chicago mansion. The house is filled with horror memorabilia, including props from Castillo’s own films. However, there is also a cloud of mystery around the director’s retreat from Hollywood and the nature of the scandal that led to it. When Castillo encourages a more social relationship, inviting Harry and her son Gabe to dinner at his house, it starts to become clear that there may be another presence in the mansion, and Harry starts to become anxious about her and her son’s safety. The set-up for this one is really great, and the titular house is atmospheric and evocative. Harry is a well-drawn character, and her reasons for staying in a job that is both demanding and kinda creepy are plausible. However, the book runs out of steam in the final third, and the pacing starts to go off as we move towards the conclusion. The problem is that the mystery just can’t be sustained. Castillo’s retreat from Hollywood happened just a few years before the book begins, so it’s a matter of a simple internet search to uncover the scandal. From there, it’s fairly easy to work out what might be going on, and the book tumbles towards a rather abrupt ending.

Lammas: Day 7

It's the final day of our Lammas celebrations this year. We were both at work, so we didn't have big celebrations planned. Instead, I spent the day enjoying some of the seasonal foods I bought from Bury Market yesterday.

Wimberry Pie

I took a wimberry pie into work today to share with my colleagues. It went down really well!

Crusty Cob

Lunch was a very nice crusty cob from the market, filled with Wensleydale with pineapple.

Corn on the Cob and Baklava

And tea was some lovely corn on the cob, followed by baklava (is that seasonal? it's definitely delicious).


And so the wheel of the year turns. We'll be celebrating again at the Autumn Equinox.