March Round-up & Recommended books, TV shows and listens

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A month of change

March proved to be incredibly exciting, although most of it I can’t really tell you about, which is probably as frustrating for you to read as it is for me to write. I wish I could shout all this from the rooftops, but that time will come.

Here’s my list of vague, cryptic things that I’m not really meant to talk about:

I had a trip to sunny California in March for top secret meetings, taking part in a very special writer’s room. Will I be able to tell you what it’s for? Maybe soon. Keep your eyes peeled to my twitter feed!
Back home, I signed with a new agent, Charlotte Robertson of Robertson Murray in London and new projects are already forming, including the novel I talked about in the last newsletter.
I got together with my pal, George Mann, to start working on Strange Matter, our new Creative Studio which has big plans for new stories, both in print and television.
I continued work on four separate creator-owned comics, working with some incredible artists, one of which found a home… yesterday! You don’t know how difficult it is not to just blurt out everything about that particular project, but I need to keep shtum for just a little bit longer.

This really feels like a period of immense change for me. Some of it’s scary, but all of it is exciting. Old projects are coming to an end, while new opportunities are opening up, most of which I feel I’ve been working towards for years now.

And it’s not just in my work life. My eldest daughter turns thirteen this week, and my youngest is off to high school in September. The dynamic in our home life is shifting slightly, bringing with it fresh challenges and lots of new adventures.

I’m looking forward to sharing some of them with you in the year ahead.

In the meantime, let’s look at my biggest news of the last few weeks…

Stuff I’ve been enjoying and you might too…

Recommended by Justina Ireland, I’ve been watching The Passage and am half-way through the first season. As anyone who has heard Project: Twilight will know, I’m a sucker for vampire stories, especially with dodgy government scientists, and this is shaping up nicely.Saniyya Sidney is fantastic in the lead role, a young actor to watch in future I’m sure, and I’ve just about got past the fact that Mark-Paul Gosselaar used to be Zach from Saved by the Bell.
I’ve also started The OA and, four episodes in… I’m just not sure. I love the fact that it turns storytelling conventions on their head and appreciate the general weirdness, but don’t find myself rushing back to watch episode five. I think I’ll stick with it though, at least for a couple more episodes.
If you can find it, watch The Bill Murray Stories: Lessons Learned from a Mythical Man, an ace documentary that I caught on the flight home from San Francisco last month. It investigates the fact that actor Bill Murray has a habit of just turning up at parties, or in bars, or at ball games and deciding to do the washing up, play with the band, or serve drinks. It’s fascinating and upbeat, and makes you really think about the benefits of just spreading a little joy. Here’s the trailer.
My friend Dominic Sewell has been channelling John Williams having fun composing Star Wars-esque musical cues. Check this one out.
Books wise, I’ve recently read Embers of Wars and Fleet of Knives by my pal, Gareth L. Powell, both of which are great character-led space operas. I also read Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames, which I’d describe as Guardians of the Galaxy meets Dungeons and Dragons with monsters and adventures galore.
And when it comes to listening, David Tennant Does a Podcast has been a delight. Just look at who he’s interviewed so far…Just be warned, it can get a bit sweary, so it’s not particularly safe for work or kids…