“I promised to send you a monster,” says Phil, “and I keep my promises. Here is Auntie Bacterial! Minging!”

We can only agree.

“Also” (Phil continues) “here is a link to the children’s section of my website. You may enjoy it. It shows off my softer, caring, gentle side.”

For more of Phil’s work check his previous guest posts to TBM here and here.

That people are out there tracking down strange, amazing, otherwise-impossible-to-find things and showing them to the world is probably what I love most about living in the internet age. But what was new in 2011 for me was that much of the music that thrilled me this year reached me in the form of compilations.

Independent music suppliers Boomkat are brilliant at finding and recommending music. Their compilation site 14Tracks has been an absolute highlight of my year…

Every week brings a new themed selection – always interesting, sometimes nothing short of stunning. If you’ve time to spare (warning! it’s addictive!) check out the 14Tracks back catalogue: it’s full of treasure. Examples? Concrete Phantoms collects jaw-dropping experimental music from back when sampling was done by splicing tape: I’d read about this music but had no idea how to go about hearing it, so I was (and continue to be) astonished and delighted by that one. Other 14Tracks favourites of mine include the teeth-whiteningly awesome industrial racket of No Hat, No Boots = No Job, and whenever I want to feel like I’m in a seedy Italian horror movie – which is often – A Giallo Thriller has me covered.

Despite the blow of losing most of their stock in a warehouse fire during the looting in the UK back in August, self-styled ‘B-Music Specialists’ Finders Keepers Records continued to dazzle me this year. I already loved their perfectly-preserved pick of ’60s/’70s Persian pop, Pomegranates, and lots of other musical goodies from them besides. But then came this…

Bollywood Bloodbath is blinding. That’s all I’m going to say. Hit this link and hear for yourself.

My third and final compilation recommendation comes in the form of a book: Seasons They Change, by Jeanette Leech…

With the passion of a fan – but also with the precision of someone determined to do right by its creators – this book introduced me to a world of great music that I’d known next to nothing about. New favourites for me now found through Seasons They Change include this, and this, and this! For further details on this excellent book and a link to an accompanying Spotify playlist by the author, click here.

What amazing music am I going to hear for the first time in 2012? Here’s looking forward to finding out. Hee hee hee!

Sam

At last! I’ve finally got around to starting my own blog: www.davidmelling.co.uk/blog

Which means as well as posting stuff like this mad eye-balled idiot here on Trapped By Monsters…

I might post stuff like this little chap…

Oh yes, we all have a dark and fluffy side.

Why not let me help you get in touch with yours here…and here.

Guest Blogger Laura here, bringing you another snippet of Monsterliciousness!

My partner in crime Christian recently found this poetry book from his childhood:

Apparently it used to completely horrify him. Quite right too! Honestly, it’s scaring me a little even now.

This is down to terrifically terrifying writing from poets such as Ted Hughes, Roger McGough, Ogden Nash and J.R.R. Tolkein. Coupled with equally odd and utterly disturbing imagery from Charles Fuge. . . just like this:

This..

And this guy..

  ..who reminds me of this guy:

Apart from thinking how much this would have fascinated me and scared the living daylights out of me as a kid, it also makes me a little sad.

Sad because I once had my own childhood monster book which freaked me out and i’d LOVE to discover it now. But I presume it was given away without my knowledge. I remember so vividly picking it out from the mobile, fold-away, shiny silver bookcases in my primary school assembly hall, when the book fair came to visit. It was a collection of short monster stories (that’s short stories about monsters, not stories about short monsters!). They were all fantastic but the one that scared me the most, above all others, was about a seaweed-covered monster who lived under an up-turned boat on a pebble strewn beach.

Does anyone else remember this book?

What books from your childhood used to really scare you?

Have you recently found a book from your past that brought back strange memories?

Do you have a book at home now which totally creeps you out?

Sleep tight

____

Monstrosities

Charles Fuge

9780099673309

(1989)

Want to know how to get from Arkham Asylyum to Crime Alley where Bruce Wayne’s parents were killed? Now you can. Click on the map below to go take a look at the original blog post.

• You have to read. This can be whatever format you want: paperback, hardcover, eBook, newspaper, comic book, etc.
• You have to enjoy yourself.

Click here to go to the DNBRD official sign-up form, where (if you wish, and you give your name) you can enter for a prize draw just for taking part.

Want some recommendations for what to spend Saturday reading? Check TBM’s very own Brilliant Books category or even my LibraryThing Profile, where I’ve listed a whole bunch of my personal favourites plus reviews and whatnot.

Book(s), comfy reading spot, something to eat and drink maybe, and breathable air. What else do you need?

Roll on Saturday. Hee hee hee!

Sam

PS: The bags in the pic are available from The Literary Gift Company. I’ve got the orange one.

For those of you who like monsters, movies and comics (and let’s face it, who doesn’t?) this is the stuff for you! You may recall my rather swift last post which mentioned my mental busyness on ‘super fun top secret project’ ???? No? Fair enough. Well the time has come to reveeeaall my secret!

Tadaaaaa…

Monsters from the Morgue is a 70′s zombie comic which can be found (and read) while sneaking around Joe’s Desk. Who is Joe I hear you ask? Joe is a young boy making his own horror movie with his friends, all of which are characters in the upcoming movie SUPER 8 by J. J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg. Go have a snoop around his stuff! 

There you will find lots of clues as to what the film is about. You can even play an old-fashioned arcade game! I think  you’ll love it.

You can go to my blog for more info on what I actually did

Catch you later!

Picking a winner was a nightmare. My congratulations and best wishes to runners-up Ajay, Veronica and Ecner for their bloodcurdling and brilliant work, but my favourite was FINE, by Oliver Reid.

Here I am reading it out. Those of a nervous disposition listen at your own risk…

Congratulations, Oliver! Your 5-cd unabridged audiobook of CRAWLERS is on its way to you now. And another big thank you to Holly for running this competition on her awesome blog.

Each year, I run a spooky story writing competition on my website, and this year’s contest attracted over 150 entries – the highest number ever!  The standard of writing – from creepy characters to petrifying plots – was incredible, and I’d like to thank everyone who entered.  However, there can only be one winner, and this year it is…

Cira from Sandycroft CP School!

Many congratulations to Cira!  Her story, Dagger Nails, had suspense, action, and an ending that made me shiver.  You can read it in full below.

Cira’s prize is that she will become a character in one of my future books.  However, while all previous winners have been included in the Scream Street series – those adventures are now complete.  So, Cira will appear in one of the books in my brand new, top secret series – Project FC!  I’ll be in touch soon to tell her all about it.

Now, here’s Dagger Nails, by Cira…

—

The children’s bedrooms were dark and musty as they entered the twilight hour.

Each child was still awake even though it had gone midnight. “Beware he’s coming he’s coming he has razor sharp nails in fact DAGGER nails, if you see hear click clack click clack run away as fast as you cannnnn” the voice faded. Each child was still with fright, the room was silent once more.

The next morning each child met up at the park.

Sylvia, Emily, Corina, Brandon, Keith and Clyde were their names.

They all Started to chatter at the same time.

“Did you hear the voice last”… Emily broke off as Brandon started talking over her.

“Last night was”…

Clyde cut over Brandon, his long blond hair flopping over his brown chocolate drop eyes.

“Everyone calm down lets all talk at different times so we can all be heard” He talked fast like he always did.

Everyone was silent.

“Emily you go first” Clyde urged her

“Well last night I heard a deep voice” Emily didn’t want to carry on.

“Same” Brandon whispered

“This is all I remember, it said he’s coming he’s coming if you hear Click Clack run away”

“I think everyone heard that from the way they were looking at you” Clyde said grimly

“As a matter of face I heard it to”

Suddenly it turned quiet.

Click Clack Click Clack.

Everyone looked down the road.

There HE was.

Clyde turned as white as his t-shirt.

CLICK CLACK CLICK CLACK. HE was coming closer.

HE dug his nails into everyone’s heart blood pouring out like sparkling rubies.

Before Clyde was killed he shouted to a woman watching from her house in fear

“Tell everyone the voice was real” he screamed that was all he could manage before dagger nails thrust his long nails into Clyde’s heart dying his once white t-shirt red.

Clarabelle had been too scared to go out to play with her friends.

She had believed the voice.

It had been getting dark when they called for her. But she hadn’t gone out.

Now she knew she was right not to go out.

She looked at the clock it was 5:30.

She called to her mum

“Mummy please can I go out for a bit want to play at the park”

Ok but be careful I don’t want you to get hurt” Her mum was hinting about the killer.

“Ok mummy I will be back at 6:00”

“No I want you to be back at 10 to 6”

“Ok mummy, see you soon”

Clarabelle walked outside slowly as if she was checking for killers.

Clarabelle reached the park

As she got to the slide she went to go on it and slipped over the side and everything went black.

As Clarabelle slowly became conscious she noticed it was getting dark.

She looked at her watch, it was 5:50

“Oh shoot I’d better run” Clarabelle exclaimed.

Suddenly she stopped running, she had a feeling that she was being watched.

CLICK CLACK

She turned around slowly.

There was Dagger Nails.

Glaring At her she noticed that he had red blood shot eyes.

She ran as fast as she could.

As she reached her house she banged on the door.

Sadly her mum didn’t hear her.

Clarabelle’s mum woke up to a scream, she looked at the clock, it was 6:01 that was when Dagger Nails came out for a victim. She ran down the stairs. She stood in horror. She had locked the front door and had fallen asleep.

She could also see something red on the door step.

She slowly opened the door.

Written on the door step in blood was:

Clarabelle’s mum nearly fainted

Mummy why didn’t you open the door?

I’m delighted to announce the birthday of one of my local independent bookshop Mostly Books. Five years ago yesterday (1st July), they set up shop here in Abingdon and they’ve been nothing short of an inspiration to all book lovers. They were quickly recognised for their talent by winning the New Independent Bookshop  of the Year 2008 and have since been regional finalists in 2010, 2011. Mark and Nicki have been inceredibly supportive to me and other authors, not just locally but really, nationwide. They go out of their way to make everyone feel at home. No doubt they’ve experienced ups and downs and no doubt continue to face challenges along with everyone else but they couldn’t be a more welcoming couple, along with their wonderful staff and they deserve all the success that they have achieved.

Hard work yes, but a genuine passion for books. You couldn’t ask for more.

Happy Birthday Mostly Books!