It’s been a while since I last shared any news. Well, I’ve been working hard on growing beards (many many beards) and peering over my glasses, (pretending that poor eyesight equates with respectability). And while that’s true, it’s not quite the whole story.
I have moved from Glasgow to Galloway to set up an arts & crafts studio with my multi-talented partner Penny Sharp. Progress is slow because we’ve been repairing and rebuilding…um…everything and also we’re responsible for a very small demanding person. Y’know the type, just wants to eat snacks, refuses to go to bed and creates mess wherever ~ hang on…is this me I’m describing? Anyway, parenthood is delightful but exhausting and it’s hard to find the time and energy to do any writing.
I have, however, done a couple of media appearances due to my paranormal investigating, and despite filming it over 2 years ago for the Paramount Channel, a documentary about The Mackenzie Poltergeist has just hit terrestrial telly on BBC 2. It seems the public fascination with the paranormal is inexhaustible, but perhaps not surprising considering how much reality sucks! HA! (I am concerned about the global rise of fascism and the climate emergency, so for example, awaiting UFO disclosure with the giddy enthusiasm of a groupie hanging around a stage door seems like a waste of time and an irrelevant luxury).
But I am still interested in the paranormal nevertheless. Especially if a TV Company offers me cold hard cash to make ‘The Problem with the Paranormal’ (a talk I’ve been doing for years & IMHO puts the whole weird business into context. And it’s pretty much written).
As for writing, I have half-written a bunch of scenarios for Runequest but still to dot those i’s and cross those t’s (and draw those drawings and format those files). I need to make the time as I’m very proud of what I’ve done so far and need the final push to get the final edit published. Excitingly, Bigmouth Audio have announced that they’re teaming up with Wild Child Animation to begin developing Once Upon a Time in Zombieville as an animated series! This is great news as the show has so much potential. I loved building the world and creating characters and it would be fantastic to see two great companies I know well make this a great success. I don’t know much beyond this, but if there are any developments, I’ll let you know.
So, now you know. I’m in an old building surrounded by mysterious piles of household objects, arbitrarily moved and stacked, or trashed and abandoned and ~ wait a minute!
Toddlers are poltergeists!
Spooky!
Innes Smith 
This is all incredibly exciting and as always it’s a joy to hear from you. I also find myself responsible for a surprise poltergeist and yes, their capacity to drain the life force of the middle-aged parent is quite astounding. I am now quite familiar with 5am: an hour which I was previously only likely to see from the other end after a wild night out. We also do a lot of staring at walls in a state very much like zombiefication. Hooray for the miracle of life!
Solidarity to you. I’m delighted that things are in process and look forward to checking out future projects.
Thank you !