A Collection of Writings
Well that's the Summer Solstice and the annual naked tango around Stonehenge over and done with. Now we can look forward to the darkening nights, chestnuts roasting by an open micro-wave, Jack Frost freezing the plumbing, babies with their noses all aglow from being bitten by the peripatetic flu bug and a good morale boosting dose of pneumonia. But don't despair it could be worse.
How? Don't ask me. I give misery - I don't explain it.
To see out the Solstice in style, I went to a shindig thrown by my old alma mater, Hammer Films, in The Crypt beneath St. Martins in the Fields in Trafalgar Square. I was really meant to be in Whitby, Dracula's initial staging post in England, for the Gathering of the Goths to celebrate the centenary of the publication of Bram Stoker's undead tome - Dracula. Fortunately the organiser, Vanda L, was very understanding I didn't have to arrive in Whitby until 10a.m the next morning - a 5 hour drive.
So I crept to the crypt, chatted and crept out again. There was a huge turnout. Too many for the antiquated air-conditioning to cope with. The temperature just kept on rising and I kept on drinking until the temperature and tonic imbibing met at a disagreeable point and I had to bow out.
Hazily I remember Roy Skeggs, the Hammer M.D, being there. Professor Chris Frayling, egg-head author of a number of books and tracts including his latest, VAMPYRES. Damien Thomas and David Warbeck, from Twins of Evil, skulked around in the candlelit gloom and sweated mightily. It was good to see David looking so much fitter. He has been having a long running battle with the Big C but is happily on the mend.
The 'do' was to announce Hammer's re-emergence as an active company. Charlie Saatchi - he of the public relations company Saatchi and Saatchi - has put up enough moolah to get the new venture started in a determined manner. 'Quatermass', 'The Day the Earth Caught Fire', 'The Devil Rides Out', and several other Hammer remakes have been pencilled in as early productions. My film,'Dracula Who...?' is also in there and it really does look as if it will be on the floor by next spring. About time!
It was getting late when I allowed myself to be belted into the passenger seat of a sporty little Volvo and slept my way through the night to surface on the North Sea coast around dawn. Not my favourite experience.
Things did look up after that. The hotel, The Bagdale Hall, was 16th century. I was assured it was the place where Bram stayed whenever he was in Whitby and wasn't at any of the other dozen or so places that claim his past presence. It came complete with a resident ghost and noisy plumbing.
Vlad, the necromantic musical maestro from the States, was at the festival to entertain - as was the irascible Vicar of Whitby, one Reverend Michael Aisbitt. Well maybe the Vicar was not exactly there to entertain but his misinformed comments in the press about the black clad Goths provided a sort of perverse interest.
It was all great fun and in the end I enjoyed it.
Whitby was the first outing for my new magazine - at least the Special Collectors Edition. l was a bit worried about how it would be received but I needn't have been. It sold like King Alfred's proverbial hot cakes. Now I can't wait to get the Comic onto the shelves. It's been renamed now so that the main character - me - can have a more catholic range of adventures. LADY INGRID - QUEEN OF THE VAMPIRES it's now called.
The Special Edition - autographed by me - is available at £5($10) each plus £1 ($5) p&p or, as a special treat, £8($15) plus p&p for the two. It's a limited edition so get your order in early.
Another interesting little delicacy, also a limited edition, are the Empire Waverley Telecards. It's a new series with U.S. airtime. Featured on No's 1 & 2 of the series are Caroline Munro and yours truly. Others will follow shortly with other actors and actresses from the horror genre. Distributors price is £10($20). I've put by a special batch which I'm letting go at £5($10) plus p&p. The card comes with an illustrated card detailing my work. It's not to be missed.
Now that the year is moving towards a grand finale it's time to think about Christmas Cards and Calenders. Once again PITT OF HORROR is offering its sensational range of specially adapted Horror Christmas Cards. These are eagerly awaited every year since they first appeared in 1992, and this year's selection is no exception. Each card carries two Horror photographs and a special greeting. Price for one card is £5($10) plus £1 ($3) p&p or 5 for £20($40) plus p&p.
The 1998 HAMMER HORROR CALENDAR is also on sale. It looks really classy. Each month has its own Hammer poster and a full page of dated squares for jotting down those important appointments. At £10($20) plus p&p it's a snip. And for nothing extra I'll autograph whatever you buy.
Another item which I hope will interest you is my new catalogue. This keeps you up to date on what's on sale - from photographs to Vampire Cloaks. Just send a large (A4) self addressed envelope and it will be winging its way to you by return of post.
Don't forget to look in on my columns in Shivers, Monsterscene and Chiller and if you are in the area when I'm working a convention don't forget to come up and say hello.
Until next time, avoid the garlic, forget to water the wolfsbane and live a little.