Pete
@phenryward.bsky.social
Books, art, theatre. I mainly use social media to tell people that I liked the thing they made. Weird / Gothic / Noir short stories in Thin Veil Press and Bristol Noir, forthcoming in Macabre Magazine and Gavagai.
Pinned
Pete
@phenryward.bsky.social
· Oct 16
Delighted to have a second publication (though of my first acceptance) at Thin Veil Press: thinveilpress.co.uk/the-appraisal
It's a weird tale of the workplace and the way it changes us - it's also maybe about freedom.
The Thin Veil team were lovely and perceptive and made it a great experience!
It's a weird tale of the workplace and the way it changes us - it's also maybe about freedom.
The Thin Veil team were lovely and perceptive and made it a great experience!
Reposted by Pete
Check out Pete's wonderfully dark & surreal piece available now on Gavagai! www.gavagai.com/posts/302
November 16, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Check out Pete's wonderfully dark & surreal piece available now on Gavagai! www.gavagai.com/posts/302
Delighted to be today's Editor's Pick on @gavagai.com - it's a new platform for writers and writing and if you want to join I've got registration codes! www.gavagai.com/posts/801
November 16, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Delighted to be today's Editor's Pick on @gavagai.com - it's a new platform for writers and writing and if you want to join I've got registration codes! www.gavagai.com/posts/801
Exactly how I felt when I saw this. Like I know trumpets were involved, but still...
November 14, 2025 at 1:21 AM
Exactly how I felt when I saw this. Like I know trumpets were involved, but still...
A good article on a great show. Find it, watch it and fall in (a fucked-up, compromised kind of) love with Ray
If there’s any of you who profess to be into noir and have not yet seen MR INBETWEEN, you need to fix that asap. If you need further convincing, my @crimereads.bsky.social piece from a few years ago
#noirvember
crimereads.com/mr-inbetween/
#noirvember
crimereads.com/mr-inbetween/
Mr. Inbetween: It’s Time to Appreciate the Genius of This Very Australian Noir
I recently chaired a panel in which several American crime writers discussed their most memorable discoveries in terms of noir television and film during the various COVID lockdowns we have all end…
crimereads.com
November 8, 2025 at 8:26 AM
A good article on a great show. Find it, watch it and fall in (a fucked-up, compromised kind of) love with Ray
Reposted by Pete
Delighted to have a second publication (though of my first acceptance) at Thin Veil Press: thinveilpress.co.uk/the-appraisal
It's a weird tale of the workplace and the way it changes us - it's also maybe about freedom.
The Thin Veil team were lovely and perceptive and made it a great experience!
It's a weird tale of the workplace and the way it changes us - it's also maybe about freedom.
The Thin Veil team were lovely and perceptive and made it a great experience!
October 16, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Delighted to have a second publication (though of my first acceptance) at Thin Veil Press: thinveilpress.co.uk/the-appraisal
It's a weird tale of the workplace and the way it changes us - it's also maybe about freedom.
The Thin Veil team were lovely and perceptive and made it a great experience!
It's a weird tale of the workplace and the way it changes us - it's also maybe about freedom.
The Thin Veil team were lovely and perceptive and made it a great experience!
Reposted by Pete
Often, when people see my bookshelves, they say "Have you read all of these?" which makes as much sense as looking at a cupboard and saying "Have you eaten all of this?"
(yep, double layered, one of five equivalent set ups throughout the house)
(yep, double layered, one of five equivalent set ups throughout the house)
October 24, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Often, when people see my bookshelves, they say "Have you read all of these?" which makes as much sense as looking at a cupboard and saying "Have you eaten all of this?"
(yep, double layered, one of five equivalent set ups throughout the house)
(yep, double layered, one of five equivalent set ups throughout the house)
An interesting moment. There's always framing for the film-as-aphorism: "You know, doing my PhD I read a paper that..." "My dad used to say..." "When I pulled that boy out of the wreckage, he looked me in the eye and said..."
I don't know what to make of this framing in terms of characterisation.
I don't know what to make of this framing in terms of characterisation.
October 26, 2025 at 12:37 PM
An interesting moment. There's always framing for the film-as-aphorism: "You know, doing my PhD I read a paper that..." "My dad used to say..." "When I pulled that boy out of the wreckage, he looked me in the eye and said..."
I don't know what to make of this framing in terms of characterisation.
I don't know what to make of this framing in terms of characterisation.
Often, when people see my bookshelves, they say "Have you read all of these?" which makes as much sense as looking at a cupboard and saying "Have you eaten all of this?"
(yep, double layered, one of five equivalent set ups throughout the house)
(yep, double layered, one of five equivalent set ups throughout the house)
October 24, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Often, when people see my bookshelves, they say "Have you read all of these?" which makes as much sense as looking at a cupboard and saying "Have you eaten all of this?"
(yep, double layered, one of five equivalent set ups throughout the house)
(yep, double layered, one of five equivalent set ups throughout the house)
I don't know which profession this isn't. It's dark out there. Even out-and-out grifters are pining for the old ways with a big of integrity about it.
Jealous of people not witnessing the decimation of their profession by hollow-eyed nihilists.
October 21, 2025 at 9:55 PM
I don't know which profession this isn't. It's dark out there. Even out-and-out grifters are pining for the old ways with a big of integrity about it.
Delighted to have a second publication (though of my first acceptance) at Thin Veil Press: thinveilpress.co.uk/the-appraisal
It's a weird tale of the workplace and the way it changes us - it's also maybe about freedom.
The Thin Veil team were lovely and perceptive and made it a great experience!
It's a weird tale of the workplace and the way it changes us - it's also maybe about freedom.
The Thin Veil team were lovely and perceptive and made it a great experience!
October 16, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Delighted to have a second publication (though of my first acceptance) at Thin Veil Press: thinveilpress.co.uk/the-appraisal
It's a weird tale of the workplace and the way it changes us - it's also maybe about freedom.
The Thin Veil team were lovely and perceptive and made it a great experience!
It's a weird tale of the workplace and the way it changes us - it's also maybe about freedom.
The Thin Veil team were lovely and perceptive and made it a great experience!
Ironically, this skeet got ignored, but I can sense in this indifference an almost miraculous confirmation. God has ordained this indifference; God does not want this terrible joke divulged on earth.
October 14, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Ironically, this skeet got ignored, but I can sense in this indifference an almost miraculous confirmation. God has ordained this indifference; God does not want this terrible joke divulged on earth.
New bar set for how writers handle poor sales
October 13, 2025 at 8:15 PM
New bar set for how writers handle poor sales
Reposted by Pete
Anyway, thinking about other works that have that "The Almighty Went For Cigarettes and Never Came Back" feel to them. Somebody mentioned NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, I'd throw THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE in there too but I don't think it has to be just horror.
BLOOD MERIDIAN or THE WEST IS A GODLESS HELL YET STRANGELY BEAUTIFUL
October 13, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Anyway, thinking about other works that have that "The Almighty Went For Cigarettes and Never Came Back" feel to them. Somebody mentioned NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, I'd throw THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE in there too but I don't think it has to be just horror.
First experience tonight of both the amazing HAXAN and the very excellent AUTOHAUs - thanks to Screen B14, @hareandhounds.bsky.social for putting together
October 5, 2025 at 10:40 PM
First experience tonight of both the amazing HAXAN and the very excellent AUTOHAUs - thanks to Screen B14, @hareandhounds.bsky.social for putting together
It's so good. On demand on Channel 4 in the UK.
Pairs well with Rian Johnson's BRICK
Pairs well with Rian Johnson's BRICK
September 24, 2025 at 8:45 PM
It's so good. On demand on Channel 4 in the UK.
Pairs well with Rian Johnson's BRICK
Pairs well with Rian Johnson's BRICK
As a starting-out writer, I'm taking two positive, "Nearly buddy" rejections in a week as 50% of an acceptance.
September 24, 2025 at 12:04 PM
As a starting-out writer, I'm taking two positive, "Nearly buddy" rejections in a week as 50% of an acceptance.
Just watched this and it's so good. Not sure how Bronson Pinchot's performance comes through in the original, but he's terrifying here: becomes quite Carnival of Souls-y after photocopying
If you haven't seen this before I'd highly recommend it - it's a totally transformative piece of work - frames are photocopied onto paper then rescanned, but also torn, screwed up and otherwise animated - that creates a truly uncanny atmosphere.
First watch of today is The Timekeepers of Eternity, the utterly incredible experimental re-edit of 1996’s miniseries The Langoliers. It takes a film that was (apologies to all involved) extremely mid and elevates it into something truly remarkable
September 23, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Just watched this and it's so good. Not sure how Bronson Pinchot's performance comes through in the original, but he's terrifying here: becomes quite Carnival of Souls-y after photocopying
Literal Larry the Cover Designer: "No, it's okay, don't tell me what happens in the book, I've got this."
September 13, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Literal Larry the Cover Designer: "No, it's okay, don't tell me what happens in the book, I've got this."
Really enjoying Why didn't You Just Leave from the @cursedmorsels.bsky.social bundle. @sloiaconi.bsky.social's 'Your Application to Vacate 372 Wicker Avenue is Still Pending' is a great idea, handled with wit: "there are few monsters in this world more frightening than government bureaucracy..."
September 4, 2025 at 9:56 AM
Really enjoying Why didn't You Just Leave from the @cursedmorsels.bsky.social bundle. @sloiaconi.bsky.social's 'Your Application to Vacate 372 Wicker Avenue is Still Pending' is a great idea, handled with wit: "there are few monsters in this world more frightening than government bureaucracy..."
Picked up The Whole Shebang earlier. First couple of random selections showed it was a wise choice, including 'AITA for setting my dad's trailer on fire?' a nauseating and unnerving tale (complementary) by @fuckmaxbooth.bsky.social. (I recently helped parents move house, so was optimally primed.)
ICYMI: You can get 8 horror/Weird fiction ebooks and 18 digital zines for just $20 through our store. Support us and our authors directly! #booksky #zines #horrorfiction #weirdfiction #horror
Buy it here: www.cursedmorselspress.com/product/the-...
Buy it here: www.cursedmorselspress.com/product/the-...
August 26, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Picked up The Whole Shebang earlier. First couple of random selections showed it was a wise choice, including 'AITA for setting my dad's trailer on fire?' a nauseating and unnerving tale (complementary) by @fuckmaxbooth.bsky.social. (I recently helped parents move house, so was optimally primed.)
Reposted by Pete
Every now and then I ask this. Does anyone remember the name of a 1970s British children’s book (for 8-12yo) in which a girl lives in a house surrounded by Bronze Age barrows?
Think like Alan Garner, but not him. Almost definitely a Puffin book.
Think like Alan Garner, but not him. Almost definitely a Puffin book.
August 25, 2025 at 7:19 AM
Every now and then I ask this. Does anyone remember the name of a 1970s British children’s book (for 8-12yo) in which a girl lives in a house surrounded by Bronze Age barrows?
Think like Alan Garner, but not him. Almost definitely a Puffin book.
Think like Alan Garner, but not him. Almost definitely a Puffin book.
And in real life. Thanks @sonnyross.bsky.social!
August 22, 2025 at 10:15 AM
And in real life. Thanks @sonnyross.bsky.social!
Dashing in 62 years late to announce Robert Wise's 1963 masterpiece The Haunting is indeed excellent, but of all the great performances the one that anchors it is Russ Tamblyn's slow conversion from wisecracking rich-boy skeptic to appalled believer.
August 21, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Dashing in 62 years late to announce Robert Wise's 1963 masterpiece The Haunting is indeed excellent, but of all the great performances the one that anchors it is Russ Tamblyn's slow conversion from wisecracking rich-boy skeptic to appalled believer.
An immediate lock-screen image and purchased as well. We need to Google-glass bully this stuff to extinction
I drew this on my lunch break your excuses are fucking pathetic
August 16, 2025 at 10:43 AM
An immediate lock-screen image and purchased as well. We need to Google-glass bully this stuff to extinction