WRITING

  • Flaunt It by Sigue Sigue Sputnik

    Flaunt It by Sigue Sigue Sputnik

    If Tony James didn’t invent Sigue Sigue Sputnik, no-one else would. They were an odd proposition, even in the ultra glammy ‘80s. A fusion of disparate influences, Sigue Sigue Sputnik existed in a universe where future music was driven by pulsing beats, Japan was the coolest country in the world, and sex happened using a […] Read more

  • Teenager by Bud Smith

    Teenager by Bud Smith

    I love writing that’s deceptively simple, the sort so easy and effortless that you can’t imagine a lot of work going into it. But here’s a secret: that sort of writing, when it works, is usually the result of hard work and a lot of time, because writers usually work towards a certain style, constantly […] Read more

  • Channel 4’s late night Manga mania

    Channel 4’s late night Manga mania

    Channel 4 was the coolest station back when only four channels were available. Sky didn’t count because we couldn’t afford it. So four channels were our entire world of television, but really, did we need anything more than Channel 4? The Big Breakfast, The Priory, The Divine David Presents, Eurotrash, The Ricki Lake Show, the […] Read more

  • The YA Years / 2013-2018 / what the fuck was that all about?

    The YA Years / 2013-2018 / what the fuck was that all about?

    I got my start in the Scottish publishing industry writing books for teenagers. They weren’t normal YA books but the weirdest, stupidest, strangest most cult fiction for teenagers ever – at least that’s what I told myself. Like most readers, I started reading as a child, visiting my local library every day, taking days off […] Read more

  • The diabolic horrors of brutalism gone bad

    The diabolic horrors of brutalism gone bad

    Strangers in a library. It is rare to meet a stranger when you work in a library. Most users are regulars and even when you don’t know their name, you know who them at first sight. This man, however, was a stranger. Also, a tourist and a fan of brutalist architecture. We get them every […] Read more

  • Cover reveal!

    Cover reveal!

    At last, I’m able to present the cover artwork for Sadie, Call The Polis. I wanted something that recalled the old Faber & Faber/Flamingo book covers of the late 80s/early 90s, which is an aesthetic I love. Strange, disembodied images, striking bright colour, and bold typography. Those novels looked like CULT FICTION to me, and […] Read more