Sohemian Talk in 2025

 

Another talk on Poe and Mansion of Gloom has been pencilled in on Wednesday 13 August for the venerable Sohemians in Fitzrovia. I spoke about Sax Rohmer at one of their earliest meetings many years ago and the group later fell into desuetude and suffered like so many others as a result of the COVID period, to be revived very successfully recently by writer Paul Willetts.

More details closer to the time.

The Sohemians can be found here.

Meeting take place upstairs at The Wheatsheaf in Rathbone Place, historic drinking den of such blog regulars as Julian Maclaren Ross, the Two Roberts, John Minton, Nina Hamnett and of course Aleister Crowley. It was also where Dylan Thomas met his wife Caitlin.

More Mansion of Gloom Events for 2025

More promotional events for Mansion of Gloom in 2025.

I'm very pleased to report that I'll be introducing a couple of fascinating Usher film adaptations on Sunday 19 January at The Electric Palace in Hastings. I'll give a talk based on the new book and introduce the 1950 Hastings-filmed version made partly at Netherwood and other local locations and the 1928 Watson & Webber US experimental evocation with a soundtrack provided by Hastings artist and musician Maria Christofi.

Order from the Electric Palace here. I'm expecting that this will be a popular event so get in quick as the cinema is not that large.

I have freed more tickets for my talk on Poe and The Fall of the House of Usher in London on Friday 7 February. Places can be reserved here.

Copies bought from me at events will include a limited edition signed art print by St Leonards artist Luciana Haill. 

I'm planning more events for March and April. Also some exciting music-related events (not promoting Mansion of Gloom) in London featuring some very well-known writers and musicians.

Buy copies of Mansion of Gloom here or here.

The book will also be on sale at all events.

Mansion of Gloom London Talk

Eventbrite is now saying 'Few tickets left' for my talk in London on 7 February. I'll try to add some more places by the end of the week for this FREE event as I find that roughly one third of people book and never turn up, so I allow for that.

BOOK HERE

COPIES OF MANSION OF GLOOM WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE NIGHT AND I WILL OF COURSE SIGN THEM.

Mansion of Gloom available for online purchase on The Big Cartel

Mansion of Gloom: the Unsettling Legacy of Poe's 'The Fall of the House of Usher' is now available to purchase online through The Big Cartel Accumulator Press shop. The ideal Christmas present at £25.00 for what is bound to become a collector's item with a limited edition of 500 (50+already sold).

Click here to visit the shop.

The book should also be available from the following shops:

Hastings Hare & Hawthorn and Hastings Bookshop.

St Leonards Black Gull Books

London Watkins

Talk in London about Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Fall of the House of Usher'

 

In February next year I shall be delivering a talk based on my new book Mansion of Gloom about the various cultural interpretations and manifestations of Poe's classic tale 'The Fall of the House of Usher'.

It will take place at Westminster Arts Library in central London on Friday 7 February between 6 and 7pm.

It's FREE but you need to reserve a place through Eventbrite as two thirds of tickets have already been taken.

Book a place and find out more here.

Copies of Mansion of Gloom will be on sale at this event. Around 50 (of an edition of 500) have sold since the launch last Saturday.

In the meantime I have one copy for sale on eBay. See here

Watkins Books in London have taken 20 copies and you can purchase through them.

I'm hoping to have online sales of Mansion of Gloom sorted out in a couple of days - probably through The Big Cartel which I've used in the past and seems easy to use and efficient.

There will also be more Mansion of Gloom events in the early months of 2025 which will be announced here and on Facebook.

Resonance FM Interview

 

I should be having a conversation with writer and broadcaster and Hastings resident Ben Thompson on 19 December to be broadcast on Resonance FM. The show is called The London Ear and the subject will be Edgar Allan Poe and Music, something I cover in my forthcoming book Mansion of Gloom.

Only one week to go before the launch of Mansion of Gloom on 7 December in Hastings Old Town. Incidentally the talk advertised as part of the launch will instead take place early next year. 

Berth of the Cool records played

Vinyl spun at Berth of the Cool last week: 

Nino Rota ‘O Venezia, Venaga, Venusia’

Francesco De Masi ‘Oggi in Africa’

 

Franco de Gemini ‘Cheops and Nefertiti’

 

Manfred Hübler & Siegfried Schwab/Vampires Sound Incorporation ‘Droge CK9’ 

 

John Surman and Friends ‘Glancing Backwards (For Junior)’

 

Miles Davis ‘Duran (Take 4)’

 

Ian Carr Double Quintet ‘Snakehips’ Dream’

 

Donald Byrd ‘Estavanico’

 

John Coltrane ‘Bass Blues’

 

The Alan Tew Orchestra ‘Ironside’ [tribute to the late Quincy Jones]

DJ Slot at Berth of the Cool this Thursday

I am honoured to have been asked to do a DJ spot (first ever!) at the Berth of the Cool club in the White Rock Hotel Hastings on Thursday 14 November. I shall be in the esteemed company of Mr Bevis Frond Nick Saloman. Thanks to Ben Thompson and Ian Greensmith. I shall be spinning some al dente Italian film soundtracks and venturing into psychedelic jazz for an hour or so.

Details here

Mansion of Gloom Launch, Website and Trailer

 

The new book Mansion of Gloom: The Unsettling Legacy of Edgar Allan Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher will be launched on 7 December at Tadhg Mae Projects in George Street, Hastings Old Town. Please note I shall be there between 3 and 5.30 (possibly staying a bit later) to sign books and have a chat. Apart from being an art gallery Tadhg Mae also sells Poe-related items, witchy stuff, candles and cards. 

Quality 650-page paperback retailing at £25. Also includes a bookmark and separate booklet with Poe's tale in full (see website).

There will be other book-related events including a London launch and film and music evenings in 2025. 

The website for Mansion of Gloom can be found here.

Trailer by Luciana Haill here.

My New Book: Mansion of Gloom

Happy Halloween to all.

A suitable occasion to announce that my new book went to the printer today and should be out in about 3 weeks. It's a comprehensive examination of one tale by Edgar Allan Poe 'The Fall of the House of Usher' in almost all of its literary and media iterations from Jean Epstein to Jess Franco, Debussy to Lou Reed, HP Lovecraft to Ray Bradbury and much more.

As with previous Accumulator Press books it is a signed limited edition of 500 (paperback this time)with various enclosures. The foreword is by Gary Lachman. Recommended by Dr John Cooper Clarke and Edward Parnell. All previous Accumulator Press publications have sold out, so be sure to secure a copy at £25.00.

I hope it will be available through The Big Cartel, Watkins, Treadwells and independent bookshops in Hastings. More details on purchasing when it's published.

The launch will be on 7 December in a gallery in Hastings Old Town. There will probably be a London launch as well. Details to follow. Further promotional events with films and live music are being prepared for early 2025 in Hastings and London (and elsewhere if anyone want to organise it and gets in touch.)

Watch this space ...