Portraits Of A Timelord.

Stick on a bit of the sublime Murray Gold and take a dander around this small gallery of portraits of The Doctor by the wonderful Daryl Shaw. Are they not grand? The masterful clean and gentle line work that encourages the eye to rest fuss free. The sketch work so deceptively simple but which nails The Doctor's personalities as each image melts into the other as you slide your eyes over them. All with a knowing confidence telling us we are looking at four faces of the same man.
             They really are a joy. I feel as though someone has opened a window in a fusty room to let in some fresh air. Really lovely.
              Many many thanks to Daryl for sharing these with me and allowing me to do the same with you.

Wee Fly Man.

        In the company of Agatha Christie The Doctor found himself caught between a Unicorn and A Wasp.
                                                What on earth would he make of this?

We Are All Completely Folk'd Now.

Oh What A Night! The launch for the third book in Laurence Donaghy's Folk'd trilogy was a big success with a large turn out and a friendly crowd on Thursday night at the FPI store in Belfast. Laurence was particularly chuffed at the cosplay of his character The Morrigan. She will cut a bloody swathe through a blood drenched battlefield with her spear whilst I could tidy up behind her as she goes with my duster of Tir Na Nog.
             There is nothing more unsightly than a blood drenched body strewn battlefield.
             This trilogy of books by Laurence has really raised the bar high for anyone following in his wake. Let them be a rallying point for all the talent out there who have considered entering the story telling field and have found up until now they lacked the inspiration and the motivation.
               A new voice has truly risen in the North Of Ireland.
               But there is no reason he should be the only one.

Scarlet And The Black.

Criminals used to be such a cowardly and superstitious lot but now I suspect they are less so inclined. Things which cannot be downloaded to their phones do not exist for them. The mobile phone has done more to discourage belief in the supernatural than the Spanish Inquisition managed in its nightmare time. Although I suspect their feelings about being punched in the nose by a member of the extended Bat-Family probably have not changed. Batwoman herself was recently spotted on a rooftop on Anne Street Belfast. Rumours are she confronted the notorious Doctor Flaccid and his henchmen The Disapointments in a smelly alley way just off Corn Market...
              Well..Are'nt they all.
              Er,smelly that is..

All Folk'd Now.

                                              Here are the details for the signing. Come on down.
                                                            There is no such thing as a stranger
                                                                      at a Donagjhy signing.

Reasons To Be Cheerfull.

Was hobbling down the street the other day when I felt something unexpected and yet welcomingly warm touch and almost caress my face. I looked up in surprise and saw it was the sun in a blue sky saying hello after being gone for such a long winter. Sol did not stick around long, just a brief reminder that he will return..
             Was reminded of The Laurel And Hardy Episode In The Good Old Summer Time.
             Ah,reasons to be cheerful.

Folk"d Tradition.

Its almost over. The wait for the third book in this fantastic series of books. Completely Folk"d by Laurence Donaghy is published this month bringing to an end a so far stunning trilogy of books. You know I sort of surprise myself by not describing them as fantasy books or urban terror novels or..well, you get the picture. They have a genre bursting quality which throws open its arms an proclaims I AM ALL THESE THINGS. Fantasy,horror(yep,lifted my bare feet of the ground during a particularly creepy moment.),laugh out loud funny and heart breaking as well. Yes, just like real life. And Laurence Donaghy always swears gloriously as a writer. Makes Malcolm Tucker sound like Sister Wendy (One is a fictional character played by the spell binding Peter Capaldi and the other is just a lovely human being who happens to be real.).
               It is going to be strange I suspect not to have another volume to look forward to. He has raised the bar so high with the first two I cannot tell you what a bitter sweet taste that final volume might have. As it is the second book left me in an Empire Strikes Back Fugue.Something happened which left me going Oh When Can I Read The Next Bit?
                I used to ask friends "what did people use to describe fantasy settings involving Orcs and dragons and elves before Tolkien?" You know when people use the term Tolkienesque. You say it and people get what you mean. At least during my lifetime they do perhaps because the books have always been around. After these books Laurence's work will creep into my mind when I am struggling to describe a situation where the fantastic becomes married to the very normal and sparks fly. Donaghyesque. My spell check just threw a hissy fit. It is only when you see the marriage of the fantastic to the ordinary you know just how fantastic the ordinary is.I remember reading the first book and finding it such a break from their usual publications I wondered if Blackstaff knew just what they had on their hands. As I got to know Michelle and Stuart from that publishing house I realised they did. They knew way ahead of time just what they had in terms of finding a writer like Laurence.
                  Blackstaff will be launching Completely Folk'd from the Forbidden Planet International Store on Ann Street Belfast on Thursday 26th March between six and seven thirty pm with the author himself in attendance. As the first two books were launched in a similar fashion it seemed truly fantastic to go for a third. Fantastic. It is a word that crops up a lot when I try to describe the work of Laurence Donaghy.
                  Well, as my old ma used to say If You Want A Rocket To Get To The Moon You Have To Put Rocket Fuel In It.
                  The doors will be open wide and all will be welcome.