Words on a Page

  In the second of my interviews with members of the  Portsmouth Authors Collective   I talk to the filmmaker and horror writer Rob Ulitski. Author Bio: Rob writes visceral, concept-driven horror stories, anchored by complex characters and offbeat narratives. Having trained in filmmaking, and working as a director and producer on everything from music videos to shorts to feature-length anthology films, Rob’s official writing journey started in 2020. When not writing, he can be found watching cheesy 90’s films, baking cakes and haunting local bookstores. ~ Loree: I’ve only met you once—at the launch of Fleshed Out , your collection of body horror short stories (congratulations, by the way)—so perhaps you can tell us a bit more about yourself. Where are you from, what kind of dog do you have…that sort of thing. Oh yeah—and you also make films. Tell us about that, too. Rob: Thank you so much! I’m from Portsmouth, studied at the University for the Creative Arts in Fa...

When historical research is used to recreate the past on the page, it can offer us a view into a vanished world. It can educate us about facts while entertaining us with narrative. When historical research is used creatively, by exploring what is not known as well as what is, it can offer powerful insights not only into the past but also into our contemporary world. As a PhD student engaged in the creative use of research into the history of the American West I came eagerly to Jim Goar’s  The Louisiana Purchase (sadly now out of print).  In the Author’s Note at the front of the book Goar sets the context for what follows: at the beginning of the nineteenth century, the United States acquired that portion of the continent, south of British-held territories, which at its widest point extended from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains. Commonly known as the Louisiana Purchase , this vast area of some 820,000 square miles was largely unexplored. In 1804, American Presid...

  In a new series of interviews, I'll be talking to members of the Portsmouth Authors Collective -  a group of local authors who have come together to help promote one another's books. Members of the Collective publish a full array of fiction and non-fiction titles, and in this, our first interview, we'll be meeting the crime writer Carol Westron. Author Bio: Carol Westron is an author, article writer, editor, reviewer and creative writing teacher. She writes primarily crime fiction but also writes children’s picture books, which are illustrated by her autistic grandson. She is an expert on the Golden Age of Detective Fiction and has given papers at many academic conferences. She is a founder member and moderator of The Deadly Dames and the organiser of Mystery Fest, an annual part of Portsmouth BookFest.  ~ Loree:  Welcome to the blog, Carol. I'm thrilled that yours is the very first in a series of new interviews with members of the Portsmouth Authors Collective...