It’s always very nice to receive fan mail – but it’s more fun when fans go all out to dress themselves as their favourite hero… or in this case, villain!

Here’s Max Stockdale in his sinister guise as Jake Hunter from my VILLAIN.NET books – dressed to impress for his school’s book day.  Go Max!!

As if the monsters around here weren’t terrifying enough – you can now make your computer a petrifying place on which to read about our constant battle for freedom!

On the Scream Street website, you’ll find two new wicked wallpapers to creep up your computer screen – one for Scream Street 7: Invasion of the Normals, and the other for the forthcoming book, Scream Street 8: Attack of the Trolls.

Both wallpapers are available in three different sizes, so you’re sure to find something that’ll suit your screen and your nerves!

Click here to download the latest Scream Street desktop wallpapers!

I snuck out of the cave last night to take my final club level exam at Tae Kwon Do. Assuming I passed, I will be entitled to wear a ‘black tag’ belt from now on. I aim to take my full black belt in Bristol in the Autumn. My examiner for the evening was Master Don Atkins, eighth dan black belt and National Secretary of the TAGB (Tae Kwon Do Association of Great Britain) – scary!

In earlier gradings the theory side of the test was conducted by our club black belts, but for this belt the questions were asked by the senior examiner. Master Atkins also took time to comment on our performance and to offer tips for the black belt grading later in the year. I faced him after the practical part of the exam confident that I had done well up to that point. Master Atkins was kind enough to confirm this before beginning my grilling on Korean terms and history. I knew the answers to all his questions, so I think it fair to assume that I passed. I just have to await my grade now.

For anyone interested in martial arts, I can very much recommend Tae Kwon Do as a great way of learning a powerful self defence system, while getting fit and having fun at the same time. My local club is run by Master Jackson White. If you live in the Midlands, why not come along and join us? Who knows – if I get good enough I might even be able to fight my way out of here!

If you haven’t met already, allow me to introduce one of the most famous and fascinating Japanese monsters, the Kappa.

Handsome, dapper, charming…

…are all words that /don’t/ usually get applied to Kappa.

However, as I’ve just discovered from this video, it turns out that Kappas can be excellent dancers. Click the link to see for yourself.

-Sam

Here’s an interesting article exploring whether it’s more educational for children to play games and read comics instead of ploughing through homework they are reluctant to do.

Discuss!

CLICK HERE TO READ ARTICLE

Someone has stolen Professor Weirdo’s hearse and the evidence points to Milton the Monster. But is he ghoulty, or not ghoulty? You’ve got to love the monster justice system as Professor Weirdo and Count Kook play judge, jury and … ehm … monsters!

Where is Atom Ant when you need him? Perhaps we should have thought about calling him in a year ago! This cartoon is a classic spoof on some of the old monster movies. I especially love the narrator’s dramatic 1950’s advertisement style storytelling. Enjoy.

Here are a few quick links to some stunning animation I’ve been enjoying lately.

First up – and thanks to Andy for spotting this one and mentioning it on his Twitter – here’s a wonderfully macabre short film called Alma, directed by Rodrigo Blaas. Creeped out by dolls? I know I am – and after watching this, I’m twice as creeped out now!

If you’re in a musical mood, take a look at rising animation star Henry Lambourne’s beautiful video for Space Girl by The Imagined Village. I particularly like the louche, smiley, one-eyed, blue geezer who makes an appearance around 1:43.

To round this post off, here’s a blast from the past:

Not “only” does The Trap Door arguably contain some of the greatest and most gleefully disgusting claymation ever, but the series is also like a primer on how to keep your cool when, y’know, monsters imprison you in a cave for a year.

Check out Berk’s poise and equanimity in Episode 4: Lurkings when confronted by an unspeakable green thing. When I’ve faced similar situations – as has happened more times than I can count these past twelve months – my reactions tend to run to the usual unstylish replies like ‘Help!’ or ‘Argh!’ I’ve never said anything as downright suave as ‘I think I might have considerable trouble stuffing that in a sandwich.’

Here’s another highlight of the series: Episode 5. ‘Gourmet’s Delight’, indeed.

Bon appetit.

Sam

Forget Pokething and Didgiwostit – the only cards worth collecting in 2010 are the TRAPPED BY MONSTERS BATTLECARDS!

YES! TBM battle cards are exciting, full colour, handy-sized paper nuggets of edge-of-the-seat fun. THRILL when you learn of Mark Robson’s exact HEIGHT! Andy Brigg’s embarrassing 70s-themed WEAKNESS! Ali Sparkes’ STUPID POEM ATTACK and Joe Craig’s alarmingly healthy SNACK. To say nothing of Tommy Donbavand’s sinister BALLOON THING, Sam Enthoven’s GUITAR ATTACK, Barry Hutchison’s ELVIS SUPERPOWER and David Melling’s INTENSE EXPRESSION.

HOW DO I GET THESE AMAZING CARDS?!!! you ask. (No, you do. Go on.)

These cards cannot be bought in any shop. You can ONLY get them directly from a TBM author while we are out on cave parole at events in schools, libraries and bookshops. Get the cards signed if you can – but even if you can’t, get the full set and win a FABULOUS PRIZE OF INDETERMINATE SIZE OR VALUE!!!*

Let any one of us know that you have achieved the improbable feat of getting all eight cards and we will challenge you for the code that you will learn only when you truly have the collection.

And then we will send your FABULOUS PRIZE OF INDETERMINATE SIZE OR VALUE!!!*

* We’ve no idea exactly what but the monsters tell us it will be good!