The Best Books About the Paranormal or the Supernatural With a Creeping Sense of Unease

Today I share my entry on the book recommendation website shepherd.com. With Shepherd, you can explore, discover, read. It’s a brilliant idea for readers to find books based on themes, tone, plot elements and many other variables more subtle than broad genre categories.

The best books about the paranormal or the supernatural with a creeping sense of unease

SC Skillman Author Of A Passionate Spirit

Picked by SC Skillman

Book cover of The Little Stranger
Book cover of Midnight is a Lonely Place
Book cover of The Spirit Engineer
Book cover of Spirited
Book cover of The Winter Guest

What did I love about each book?

SC Skillman Author Of A Passionate SpiritList bySC Skillman

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been fascinated by the paranormal since I was young: always a lover of ghost stories, I have long felt the spiritual resonance in certain places; the energy and spirits of the past remain trapped within the fabric of certain buildings and the land, waiting for the sensitive to come along. I developed this passion by reading classic and modern-day ghost stories, going on ghost tours, and visiting haunted places. I listen to and record people recounting their experiences of real-life encounters. I write nonfiction books about the paranormal, specifically about Shakespeare’s ghosts and spirits in his county of Warwickshire, and novels that develop this theme. 

I wrote

A Passionate Spirit

By SC Skillman

Book cover of A Passionate Spirit

What is my book about?

A little girl lost. An ill-omened spiritual healer. A raven with its eye on a prize. 

A Passionate Spirit is… show more.

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The books I picked & why

The Little Stranger

By Sarah Waters

Book cover of The Little Stranger

SC SkillmanWhy did I love this book?

I felt this story reaching out into my thoughts and my life while I was reading it, so I couldn’t wait to get back to it, and in this unsettling weirdness lies its power. I was utterly gripped by the author’s slow build-up of fear, grief, and madness in the family; I felt haunted by the house’s invisible ‘something bad.’ I had to get back to this story at every opportunity, and I would wake up thinking about the characters and wondering what would happen to them. What is this book about? 

Midnight is a Lonely Place

By Barbara Erskine

Book cover of Midnight is a Lonely Place

SC SkillmanWhy did I love this book?

I imagined myself in the desolate place on the Essex coast where the main protagonist had gone, and I felt an invidious sense of dread as the atmosphere built up. The air of supernatural menace seems to breathe out of this story: the threat and the fear crept into me as if I were there myself, knowing something terrifying would happen, willing the main protagonist to get out and save themselves but knowing that I, just like them, would be held fast by those invisible and supernatural tentacles. What is this book about? 

The Spirit Engineer

By A. J. West

Book cover of The Spirit Engineer

SC SkillmanWhy did I love this book?

I felt this was one of the creepiest tales I have ever read. Its creepiness penetrated my own mind with its portrayal of perverse behavior among the living, the increasingly deranged mental state of the main protagonist, and the fervor of the Goligher Circle as they purported to contact the dead.

Pity and terror combine in this story; my empathy was with those they lured, drawn by their grief and despair. Primitive emotions are stirred up by the threat of supernatural danger; I felt shocked by the ingenious plot twist near the end. What is this book about? 

Spirited

By Julie Cohen

Book cover of Spirited

SC SkillmanWhy did I love this book?

I found this story enchanting. It utterly gripped me throughout with its compelling atmosphere of mystery, sheer horror and creepiness, and fascination with the idea of spirit photography. I felt captivated by the two main female characters and their developing intimate, emotional, and tense relationship.

My heart and soul were with these two women and the author’s beautiful craftsmanship weaving through the characters and story an intelligent and powerful debate about life after death. What is this book about? 

The Winter Guest

By W. C. Ryan

Book cover of The Winter Guest

SC SkillmanWhy did I love this book?

I felt a powerful sense of tragic history and increasing pity and fear as this story progressed with its brooding, fateful, gothic atmosphere and hints of the supernatural in a gloomy, coastal house in Ireland. I became swept up by the gathering intensity and intrigue and the multiple shocks that arise from the main protagonist’s discoveries. I was absorbed in this compelling, thought-provoking story and captivated by its ingenious plot. What is this book about? 

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Don’t forget about my Book 😀

A Passionate Spirit

By SC Skillman

Book cover of A Passionate Spirit

What is my book about?

A little girl lost. An ill-omened spiritual healer. A raven with its eye on a prize. 

A Passionate Spirit is a modern gothic novel set in the present-day Cotswolds. Zoe is an idealistic young woman who leads a creative retreat with her priest husband and suspects a beautiful and mysterious guest of evil intentions. Only when the eerie visitor seduces the priest and all the guests with miracle healings does our heroine unmask this High Priestess and find herself forced to confront awesome supernatural power. She must risk death if she is to save the sanity of them all. 

Hello! My name’s Sheila and I write under the pen name of SC Skillman. I live in Warwick with my husband and son, and my daughter currently lives and works in Australia.

I was born and brought up in Orpington, Kent, and have loved writing most of my life. I studied English Literature at Lancaster University, and my first permanent job was as a production secretary with the BBC. Later I lived for nearly five years in Australia before returning to live and work in the UK. 

My output includes mystery fiction, and historical and paranormal nonfiction. Each of my nonfiction books is illustrated by 100 original full colour photos, mostly taken by myself, and others by my son and daughter (both talented photographers!)

In March 2023 I was the Nonfiction Adjudicator at the Scottish Association of Writers Annual Conference in Glasgow. I’m a member of the Society of Authors and the Association of Christian Writers.

My nonfiction books on Warwickshire are published by Amberley and include Paranormal Warwickshire, Illustrated Tales of Warwickshire and A-Z of Warwick. I’ve nearly completed my fourth book for Amberley: Paranormal Gloucestershire. My new novel, a contemporary gothic fantasy called Director’s Cut, is currently with agents.

In addition to my published books, I blog weekly on scskillman.com about books and films I love, people and places of inspiration, life, spirituality, history and travel.

I’m also a public speaker and have spoken to many groups and organisations about Paranormal Warwickshire, Illustrated Tales of Warwickshire, the quirky tales of Warwick, the art of writing nonfiction, and the power of story. Do get in touch with me if you’d like a speaker for your group!

If you’ve enjoyed reading this why not sign up to join me on my writing journey. You’ll receive my monthly newsletter straight to your inbox in which I share gems and snippets from my research discoveries, news and insights from the writing and publishing worlds, and you’ll be the first to know when I have a new book coming out.

And if you’re a regular reader of this blog and would like to support me on my writing journey you can buymeacoff.ee/scskillman and I’d be very grateful.

Blog Tour For New Crime Novel by DI Hunter Wilson Crime Series Author Val Penny: ‘HUNTER’S RULES’

Today I’m delighted to be a stop on the blog tour for the latest novel in Val Penny’s Edinburgh crime fiction series: ‘Hunter’s Rules‘. I’ve loved these books since I read the first in the series: The DI Hunter Wilson Crime Thrillers.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY 

Val Penny has an Llb degree from the University of Edinburgh and her MSc from Napier University. She has had many jobs including hairdresser, waitress, banker, azalea farmer and lecturer but has not yet achieved either of her childhood dreams of being a ballerina or owning a candy store. 

Until those dreams come true, she has turned her hand to writing poetry, short stories,nonfiction books, and novels. Her novels are published by SpellBound Books Ltd.

Val is an American author living in SW Scotland. She has two adult daughters of whom she is justly proud and lives with her husband and their cat.

Author Photo of Crime Fiction Novelist Val Penny

BLURB

A bloody scene brings Hunter and Meera’s romantic plans to an abrupt end. 

A young woman attacked in a hotel lift has life changing injuries. Her wounds match those inflicted on two women who were murdered.

When Hunter is identified as a suspect in the case, he must establish his innocence to lead his team and solve this bloodcurdling crime.

Is the same person responsible for all three crimes?
Will the girl in the lift finally identify who is targeting these young women ?

Hunter will stop at nothing until he catches the unhinged killer.

MY REVIEW

In ‘Hunter’s Rules’ I enjoyed yet another fast-paced journey alongside Val Penny’s characters as she develops their relationships with each other over the course of this series: the police and their banter; the loveable rogues Frankie and Jamie who always seem to graze very close to breaking the law but instead end up helping their pal, ‘Blondie’, in the police; Jamie’s jailbird ‘pop’, Ian Thomson, constantly advising his son over the phone; Arjun Mansoor, the much-feared criminal whose long-term prison sentence does nothing to prevent the operation of  ‘his long reach’, and the evasive, slippery interviewees who always have something to hide which they don’t want anyone else to know about, but which hampers the police in finding the murderer.

This story opens with the discovery of a young woman in a lift at Edinburgh’s most prestigious hotel, the victim of a gruesome attack by, we presume, a psychopath with a fetish for collecting human eyes. Hunter and his beloved, Meera, once again find their romantic plans disrupted by a vicious murder demanding their immediate attention; and the familiar team at Police Scotland whom we have grown to love, begin their lightning-speed teamwork. The story powers along with Val Penny’s now-familiar blend of humour, racy dialogue, insights into the distorted criminal mind, and cat-and-mouse interviews in the unsavoury surroundings of the police interview rooms, accompanied by very dodgy coffee.

One of the many aspects that give this novel its edge are the intermittent passages in the mind of the killer: set out in italics; they show the killer pleased with his handiwork, seeking to get close to the recovering victim, often just giving the police the slip by a hair’s breadth: this device ratchets up the tension.

A dramatic and shocking denouement rewards the reader in this the latest of Val Penny’s popular DI Hunter Wilson crime series.

LINK TO BUY

WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Website – https://www.valpenny.com

Amazon Author Page – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Val-Penny/e/B07C4725TK

Author Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/valerie.penny.739

Author Twitter Page @valeriepenny

Author Instagram Page https://www.instagram.com/valerieepenny/

The author wants to see and share your posts. 

Please include the hashtag #HUNTERSRULES when you are sharing your posts

Why not sign up to join my mailing list? You’ll receive my monthly newsletter straight to yoiur inbox . I share gems and snippets from my research discoveries and news and insights from the writing and publishing worlds, plus you’ll be the first to know when I have a new book coming out.

Author Photo of SC Skillman

Hello! My name’s Sheila and I write under the pen name of SC Skillman. I live in Warwick with my husband and son, and my daughter currently lives and works in Australia.

I was born and brought up in Orpington, Kent, and have loved writing most of my life. I studied English Literature at Lancaster University, and my first permanent job was as a production secretary with the BBC. Later I lived for nearly five years in Australia before returning to live and work in the UK. 

My output includes mystery fiction, and historical and paranormal nonfiction. Each of my nonfiction books is illustrated by 100 original full colour photos, mostly taken by myself, and others by my son and daughter (both talented photographers!)

In March 2023 I was the Nonfiction Adjudicator at the Scottish Association of Writers Annual Conference in Glasgow. I’m a member of the Society of Authors and the Association of Christian Writers.

My nonfiction books on Warwickshire are published by Amberley and include Paranormal Warwickshire, Illustrated Tales of Warwickshire and A-Z of Warwick. I’m now researching a fourth book for Amberley: Paranormal Gloucestershire. I also have a new contemporary fantasy novel in progress, called Director’s Cut.

In addition to my published books, I blog weekly on scskillman.com about books and films I love, people and places of inspiration, life, spirituality, history and travel.

I’m also a public speaker and have spoken to many groups and organisations about Paranormal Warwickshire, Illustrated Tales of Warwickshire, the quirky tales of Warwick, the art of writing nonfiction, and the power of story. Do get in touch with me if you’d like a speaker for your group!

Blog Tour for Maressa Mortimer’s New Novel ‘Downstream’

Book Blog Tour for YA Dystopian novel ‘Downstream’ by Maressa Mortimer.

Today I’m pleased to be taking part in the Blog Tour for Maressa Mortimer‘s new YA novel: Downstream, the third in her Elabi Chronicles. These books are set in a dystopian world exercising control over the hearts and minds of their citizens. Downstream may be found here on Amazon.

Here are the blurbs for Books 1 and 2 in The Chronicles of Elabi.

Book 1: Walled City

Gax is a young adult who enters the city-state of Elabi undercover as a missionary. His mission is to infiltrate a society that does not allow for beliefs or emotions. Elabi has a culture based on logic and factual thinking, and a view of relationships Gax comes up against when he tries to share the Gospel. His own worldview is challenged when the city’s control hinders his evangelism, limiting his opportunities to reach out to share his faith with the people in this first book of the Elabi Chronicles. Will Gax survive long enough to spread the Gospel, or will he be sent beyond the Hills?

Book 2: Beyond the Hills

Macia Durus, daughter of the well known Brutus Durus AMP, works hard to achieve a life of honour and prestige in her beloved Elabi. When a so-called “friend” challenges her priorities, Macia’s confusion threatens her carefully constructed plans. And her decision to investigate a forbidden book could have serious consequences for Macia as well as her family, turning their lives upside down.

About the Author, Maressa Mortimer

Maressa is a lovely fellow author I’ve met several times – we’ve met up at writers’ conferences and festivals and writers and shared our writing journeys and supported each other on those journeys, on and offline. Maressa has also helped me in my research for my forthcoming book on Gloucestershire, since that is where she lives!

Here’s a picture of us during a meet-up at a Stroud cafe.

Authors SC Skillman and Maressa Mortimer meet over coffee in Stroud, Gloucestershire December 2022

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY 

Maressa grew up in the Netherlands and moved to England soon after finishing teaching training college. Married to Pastor Richard Mortimer, she and Richard live in a Cotswold village with their four children. She is a home-school mum, enjoying the time spent with family, travelling, reading, and turning life into stories. She wants to use her stories to show practical Christian living in a fallen world.

Author Maressa Mortimer

BLURB

Radio signals have been picked up that might reveal the location of Downstream. Macia longs to find her mother there and tries to persuade her friends Gax and Cecilia to join her in the search. But is it a dangerous mistake or a mission from God? Many difficulties await them and they will need to trust God as they encounter darkness and danger, reaching out with the Light.

My Review

Young Adult Dystopian novels are among my favourite genres and I’ve read several trilogies: The Hunger Games, The Declaration Trilogy, The Maze Runner, The Newland Trilogy being just some of them. So I expect a sinister, chilling scenario in which the main character battles injustice, crimes against humanity in some kind of ‘brave new world’ run by an autocratic Party which controls individuals through tight repression, secrecy, and ruthless punishments for failure to comply.

In Book 3 of Maressa’s trilogy, the three main protagonists, Macia, Caecilia and Gax, are teenagers with the courage to rebel and defy the prevailing order, and they source their strength from the loyalty and love of their allies. Maressa’s trilogy is outstanding for the fact that it is underpinned by a strong spiritual theme.

Macia is setting off on a quest to locate Downstream and find her mother; her journey will take her through the jungle, the river, and the village of Colchuyni which can only be reached via the town of Aniquist. It is dangerous, risky and challenging, and she will need jungle survival skills. Her friends Gax and Caecilia agree to go with her, and they all spend a long time preparing. They are taking books with them in huge rucksacks and will need to walk across mud flats which can only be crossed again one year later.

Once in Aniquist, they find a friend, Riu, who helps them. Riu eventually becomes my favourite character, along with the pair of ferrets whom the group adopts! We learn Aniquist is ruled by a macabre religious sect, compulsory for all. Because they resist this, Gax is abducted and beaten up by the Chief Elder of the Cult. His friends rescue Gax and escape into the jungle, pursued by fanatic Elders from the Cult.

From here on, there is a very strong sense of the geographical terrain as they struggle through the jungle dogged by murderous Elders, crocodiles, and numerous physical survival challenges – all very vividly and convincingly depicted.

How they come through peril and adversity makes up the fast-paced plot of the book, together with the horrifying discoveries they make when they do meet up with Macia’s mother and little brother, learn the terrible consequences of breaking away from Elabi, and come ever closer to the sinister truth of the true nature of the mysterious and much-feared Downstream.

The intense narrative drives the story forward through shocking revelations and further suffering. To avoid plot spoilers I cannot reveal the ultimate outcome but I will admit I loved the ending!

LINKS TO BUY 

WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Website

http://www.vicarioushome.com/

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/vicarioush.ome

Linktr.ee

https://linktr.ee/Vicarioushome

Look out on the socials for the hashtag #DOWNSTREAM

Why not join me on my writing journey and sign up to receive my monthly newsletter straight to your inbox. I share gems and snippets from my research and news and insights from the writing and publishing worlds. Also you’ll be the first to hear when I have a new book out.

And if you enjoy reading my blog posts here, please do buymeacoff.ee/scskillman – I’d be very grateful.

About Me

Hello! My name’s Sheila and I write under the pen name of SC Skillman. I live in Warwick with my husband and son, and my daughter currently lives and works in Australia.

I was born and brought up in Orpington, Kent, and have loved writing most of my life. I studied English Literature at Lancaster University, and my first permanent job was as a production secretary with the BBC. Later I lived for nearly five years in Australia before returning to live and work in the UK. 

My output includes mystery fiction, and historical and paranormal nonfiction. Each of my nonfiction books is illustrated by 100 original full colour photos, mostly taken by myself, and others by my son and daughter (both talented photographers!)

In March 2023 I was the Nonfiction Adjudicator at the Scottish Association of Writers Annual Conference in Glasgow. I’m a member of the Society of Authors and the Association of Christian Writers.

My nonfiction books on Warwickshire are published by Amberley and include Paranormal Warwickshire, Illustrated Tales of Warwickshire and A-Z of Warwick. I’m now researching a fourth book for Amberley: Paranormal Gloucestershire. I also have a new contemporary fantasy novel in progress, called Director’s Cut.

In addition to my published books, I blog weekly on scskillman.com about books and films I love, people and places of inspiration, life, spirituality, history and travel.

I’m also a public speaker and have spoken to many groups and organisations about Paranormal Warwickshire, Illustrated Tales of Warwickshire, the quirky tales of Warwick, the art of writing nonfiction, and the power of story. Do get in touch with me if you’d like a speaker for your group!

Author and Blogger SC Skillman at the British Library in London

Book Reviews: The Newland Trilogy by E.M. Carter: YA Dystopian Trilogy

Today, I’m pleased to share my reviews of two outstanding young adult novels, books 1 and 2 of The Newland Trilogy published by Resolute Books in 2023 and 2024.

The three novels in The Newland Trilogy, a YA Dystopian Trilogy by E.M. Carter published by Resolute Books

I received ARCs of these two excellent novels, for my honest review. Here are my reviews of these first two books in the trilogy.

‘Repression Ground’ by E.M. Carter, book 1 in The Newland Trilogy published by Resolute Books 2023

Repression Ground

This story is set in a nightmarish post-pandemic world in a country called Newland – which, we are to understand, is future England. The pandemic is known as “the Scourge”. Life prior to that is now known as “the Before” and the brainwashed inhabitants of Newland know nothing about the past – so this resonates with present-day “rewriting of history” by the propagandists of autocratic and tyrannical regimes. However, to my mind, the extent of their ignorance does suggest a time gap of several generations between the dystopian world of the story, and our present-day society.

This is a world of tight control, taken to extremes, and there are many graphic descriptions of relentless child abuse, psychological, emotional and physical, in a Training Institution known as “Ashton Training House”. Institutional abuse is rife here, in a society with a ruthlessly-enforced One-Child Policy using a squadron of NForce Officers. All electronic media is Prefixed with N for Newday – so we have NPhones, NSlates, NCom, NBook and NDOS 7 – Newday Operating System 7. I was delighted to see, however that one of the main protagonists has consummate skills in IT and is able to break into these systems!

The Party who control this society are inspired and motivated by their ultimate authority, the Illumen. Children in Ashton Training House are known only as Girl or Boy followed by a single letter of the alphabet and a surname composed only of the trade or business of their father. Everyone is judged entirely accordingly to their Productivity. Only when the children grow to adulthood as full Productives are they entitled to receive a name.

The Unproductive get removed to a mysterious and sinister location euphemistically known as the Home. Those who rebel find themselves in the hideous “Compound Think”. Within Ashton Training House, the children are punished by incarceration in The Think, supposedly to make them bring their views into line with The Party; but in reality, solitary confinement in a bare cold room.

The main protagonists are three teenagers: Amy, Carys and Jacob. The teachers in the Ashton Training House are mainly sadists: Miss Warden and Miss Principal, and many others. The institution’s gardener is also highly malevolent as are the majority of the adults who control the children, though Trainer One is a bit more reasonable and kind.

Jacob is an ally to Carys, has plenty of spirit and high technical gifts, and plans to mastermind their escape into The Outside where Carys hopes to go to the Home and find her parents (sent there years before).

How Jacob and Carys manage their escape, along with their friend Amy, and other friends they hope to rescue too, forms the thrilling substance of this story. They survive many crises, on several occasions slip the net despite traumatic recapture, and penetrate Compound Think to carry out more rescues. Along the way they start to have their eyes opened about past freedoms, the lies they have been told, the history that has been falsified and the propaganda they have believed. Ultimately they will discover the true nature of the Home, and what happened to their parents and all others who were taken there.

This is a tense and compelling novel – and it is strong stuff. For anyone sensitive about child abuse, or indeed with experience of it, this would make for a challenging read. The writing is sharp and crisp, and extremely vivid. The story made me re-think some of my own attitudes to control of human behaviour in a community. There is plenty to reflect on here, both about our present world, and about the possibilities ahead if certain paths are followed and extremists have their way. Highly recommended.

‘Rebellion Ground’ by E.M. Carter, book 2 in The Newland Trilogy, published by Resolute Books in 2024

Rebellion Ground

This is book 2 in E.M. Carter’s YA Dystopian trilogy, and in this strong, tense, driving narrative, the author sends our three teenage heroes away from the authoritarian city and out into the areas devastated by the New Day regime, inhabited only by groups of rebels and dissidents who have learned to survive in harsh conditions.

When the trio save the life of an apparent stranger, they are lured back to the hellish Compound at the centre of Newland, where they meet the repulsive and chilling head of the regime. They are divided, then coerced into serving the regime in the glaring eye of Newland media. But not all of them: you will need to read the book to find out who escapes, and who has to face the dual challenges of physical survival and the cruellest betrayal of friends.

In this second book I found the comparisons with The Hunger Games were very strong, so it is safe to say that fans of that hugely successful trilogy will love this!

Highly recommended: a powerful story opening up to us one possible chilling future we may never believe will happen… but which we humans are perfectly capable of straying into without even recognising what we are doing.

Highly recommended novel from an inspiring author.

Why not join me on my writing journey and sign up to receive my monthly newsletter straight to your inbox in which I share gems and snippets from my research discoveries, news and insights from the writing and publishing worlds, plus you’ll be the first to know when I have a new book coming out.

About Me

Hello! My name’s Sheila and I write under the pen name of SC Skillman. I live in Warwick with my husband and son, and my daughter currently lives and works in Australia.

I was born and brought up in Orpington, Kent, and have loved writing most of my life. I studied English Literature at Lancaster University, and my first permanent job was as a production secretary with the BBC. Later I lived for nearly five years in Australia before returning to live and work in the UK. 

My output includes mystery fiction, and historical and paranormal nonfiction. Each of my nonfiction books is illustrated by 100 original full colour photos, mostly taken by myself, and others by my son and daughter (both talented photographers!)

In March 2023 I was the Nonfiction Adjudicator at the Scottish Association of Writers Annual Conference in Glasgow. I’m a member of the Society of Authors and the Association of Christian Writers.

My nonfiction books on Warwickshire are published by Amberley and include Paranormal Warwickshire, Illustrated Tales of Warwickshire and A-Z of Warwick. I’m now researching a fourth book for Amberley: Paranormal Gloucestershire. I also have a new contemporary fantasy novel in progress, called Director’s Cut.

In addition to my published books, I blog weekly on scskillman.com about books and films I love, people and places of inspiration, life, spirituality, history and travel.

I’m also a public speaker and have spoken to many groups and organisations about Paranormal Warwickshire, Illustrated Tales of Warwickshire, the quirky tales of Warwick, the art of writing nonfiction, and the power of story. Do get in touch with me if you’d like a speaker for your group! And if you’re a regular reader of these blog posts and would like to support my writing journey, please buymeacoff.ee/scskillman.

Author SC Skillman in The British Library, London.

Her Last Summer by Nina Manning

I had vowed I would never get back into the water, but of course, this was always going to be the outcome. I never really had a choice. When out of work actress Rey Levine is offered her dream acting role, she knows she has to make it work. But there’s a catch: the film […]

Her Last Summer by Nina Manning

New book on the way: Paranormal Gloucestershire

I’m pleased to announce that I’ve just signed a contract to write a fourth book for Amberley which is Paranormal Gloucestershire.

Woodchester Mansion, Nympsfield, Gloucestershire (photo credit Jamie Robinson)
The Ancient Ram Inn, Wotton under Edge, Gloucestershire (photo credit Jamie Robinson)
View of The Ancient Ram, Wotton under Edge, from the main road (photo credit Sheila Robinson)

I’ve already begun visiting some of the fascinating locations in Gloucestershire which have a rich history and are surrounded by many curious tales.

These include some of the locations shown above: Woodchester Mansion, Tewkesbury Abbey and the Ancient Ram Inn, Wotton under Edge.

Tewkesbury Abbey (photo credit Sheila Robinson)

I’ve also visited Berkeley Castle, and my next visits will be to Chavenage House and Owlpen Manor.

As with my previous books for Amberley, this one will have 20,000 words of text and 100 original photographs.

Here’s a taste of what will be in the book.

Gloucestershire is a county rich in beauty, history, and a high level of spiritual, mysterious, and paranormal activity. With a profusion of haunted inns, castles, houses and landscape features, the sensitive continue to feel the presence of spirits of the past absorbed into the fabric of places as diverse as the Iron Age burial chamber of Belas Knapp Long Barrow, the prisons at Gloucester and Littledean, and the 12th century Ancient Ram Inn at Wotton under Edge.  In this book I will also be looking at the stories behind the hauntings at Sudeley Castle, Chavenage House, St Briavels Castle, Woodchester Manson and Owlpen Manor.

Many report unsettling experiences at the Abbeys in Gloucester and Tewkesbury, the villages of Prestbury and Arlingham, and in the Montpelier and Pittville areas of Cheltenham. I visit eerie locations and unearth a selection of chilling tales shared by visitors. With everything I investigate in Gloucestershire I will question further to clarify the surprising or less well-known aspects, and unearth the quirky elements that may underlie what is known about the hauntings of this fascinating county.

Why not sign up to join me on my writing journey and receive my monthly newsletter direct to your inbox in which I share gems and snippets from my research discoveries, news and insights from the writing and publishing worlds and new cover reveals. Plus you’ll be the first to know when I have a new book coming out.

If you’d like to support me you can do so at buy me a coffee and I’d be very grateful.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Part Five: What further stories can you tell about your time at the BBC?

Working at 1 Portland Place opposite Broadcasting House (BH) at London W1A, we often saw well-known presenters and personalities.

Broadcasting House, London W1A

We’d be queueing up for lunch in the canteen at the top of BH and I’d see a familiar media figure in the queue just ahead of me, and think, ‘He looks much smaller and more ‘ordinary’ in real life’. It’s true that people always appear much sharper, brighter, larger-than-life on television and cinema screens; and we can put that down to the skills of the lighting directors, make-up artists and camera operators!

However, I can say that when I met Cliff Richard face-to-face at a reception in the crypt at All Souls, Langham Place (across the road) he looked just as good as I expected!

All Souls, Langham Place, London W1A

That came about because my producer was away for a few days and an invitation came in from the Scripture Union for him to attend a reception to launch Cliff’s new initiative, a series of readings on cassette from John’s Gospel called ‘Start the Day.’ I lost no time at all in inviting myself instead of my producer; I wasn’t going to miss this opportunity to meet Cliff.

I found myself in the same group as Cliff with our flutes of champagne and chatted to him for a couple of minutes as a representative of BBC Radio; he was very natural, pleasant, and attractive and I was thrilled to meet him.

Cliff Richard in the 1970s

In BBC Schools Radio religious programmes, we sometimes recorded live on location in All Souls. School parties from all over the UK would be invited and the church would be packed with teachers and eager children. At the time Michael Flanders and Donald Swann were very popular comic song-writers and entertainers, and I was stationed just outside the door of the vestry where Donald lay in wait ready for the moment when the presenter introduced him.

The Songs of Michael Flanders and Donald Swann

I gave Donald the signal: ‘You’re on, Donald,’ and he sped past and lightly sprung onto the platform straight to the piano and began playing ‘Mud, Mud, Glorious Mud’ for which he was renowned at the time.

Michael Flanders and Donald Swann, comedy due, ‘At The Drop of a Hat’ recording

We became used to working with nationally-known presenters, and one of them, famous for hosting a much loved religious programme on BBC TV, presented several of our programmes for schools. I had to do a private viewing for him of our new technology (which of course sounds almost primitive now!); that is, Radiovision. The BBC would supply a set of slides that accompanied a radio programme schools would purchase as a package, so teachers would play them in the classroom.

Our popular presenter came in, charming, good-looking and charismatic, and saw straightaway that he would be hosted by me for the next hour in the absence of my producer.

I’ll call him RG (not his real initials). He was well known among the secretaries for being flirtatious (if I put that politely). There we encounter the BBC culture at the time – and in many workplaces, I’m sure. There was a culture of, ‘He’s a bit of a lad, just laugh at it, don’t take it seriously.’ I won’t name here the hugely reviled BBC celebrity (someone else, I hasten to add) whose reputation eventually cast the BBC in a very bad light.

I certainly experienced a selection of moves from this handsome presenter’s repertoire during that radiovision showing. Fortunately some of my colleagues came in too to watch so I wasn’t left entirely to his mercy.

Afterwards, my producer said conversationally, ‘Was old R up to his tricks again in there?’ and we all laughed it off as we always did. I must say a good sense of humour carried us through at the BBC!

Why not sign up to receive my monthly newsletter straight to your inbox? I’d love to have you join us! I share gems and snippets form my research discoveries, news and insights from the writing and publishing worlds, and you’ll be the first to know when I have a new book coming out!

Sign up here to join me on my writing journey!

Hello! My name’s Sheila and I write under the pen name of SC Skillman. I live in Warwick with my husband and son, and my daughter currently lives and works in Australia.

I was born and brought up in Orpington, Kent, and have loved writing most of my life. I studied English Literature at Lancaster University, and my first permanent job was as a production secretary with the BBC. Later I lived for nearly five years in Australia before returning to live and work in the UK. 

My output includes mystery fiction, and historical and paranormal nonfiction. Each of my nonfiction books is illustrated by 100 original full colour photos, mostly taken by myself, and others by my son and daughter (both talented photographers!)

In March 2023 I was the Nonfiction Adjudicator at the Scottish Association of Writers Annual Conference in Glasgow. I’m a member of the Society of Authors and the Association of Christian Writers.

My nonfiction books on Warwickshire are published by Amberley and include Paranormal Warwickshire, Illustrated Tales of Warwickshire and A-Z of Warwick. I’m now researching a fourth book for Amberley: Paranormal Gloucestershire. I also have a new contemporary fantasy novel in progress, called Director’s Cut.

In addition to my published books, I blog weekly on scskillman.com about books and films I love, people and places of inspiration, life, spirituality, history and travel.

I’m also a public speaker and have spoken to many groups and organisations about Paranormal Warwickshire, Illustrated Tales of Warwickshire, the quirky tales of Warwick, the art of writing nonfiction, and the power of story. Do get in touch with me if you’d like a speaker for your group!

Book Review: Small Wars in Madrid by Anthony Ferner

Today, I ‘m pleased to share my review of an outstanding new novel, published by Fairlight Moderns on 14 March 2024.

A paperback copy of the new contemporary novel, ‘Small Wars in Madrid’ by Anthony Ferner, published by Fairlight Moderns
14 March 2024

‘Small Wars in Madrid’ by Anthony Ferner is a novel that evoked a number of emotions in me as a reader; at different times, I felt shocked, moved, and a strong sense of illumination.

This contemporary novel set in Spain defeated my expectations. Although the main plot, and the blurb, tells of a traumatised Spanish naval officer trying to recover his identity and his marriage following a tragic episode in his career, much of it was about his confused sense of himself as a Jewish person brought up in an adoptive Catholic family. I found the novel compulsive reading and the subject matter totally fascinating.

I have often wondered exactly what it means to be a cultural Jew, one who may even be agnostic or atheist; and why it may mean so much to take part in all the Jewish festivals and customs regardless of faith. In this story, we find David re-negotiating his relationships with two committed and observant Jewish women: his wife, Margalit, and his newly-rediscovered biological mother, Elena. Alongside this he is also struggling to manage his trauma. I have had so many unanswered questions about the essence of Jewishness, and in this story Anthony Ferner opens up that experience in the most vivid and compelling way.

‘Small Wars in Madrid’ by Anthony Ferner

I learned many new things in reading this book; I loved the main protagonist, David, and especially his best friend Marce, his companion who suffered alongside him during an intense and terrifying period of their lives fleeing violent militia groups in Lithuania. Incorporated within the novel was a tense survival story which I also found totally gripping.

Highly recommended novel from an inspiring author.

Why not join me on my writing journey and sign up to receive my monthly newsletter straight to your inbox in which I share gems and snippets from my research discoveries, news and insights from the writing and publishing worlds, plus you’ll be the first to know when I have a new book coming out.

About Me

Hello! My name’s Sheila and I write under the pen name of SC Skillman. I live in Warwick with my husband and son, and my daughter currently lives and works in Australia.

I was born and brought up in Orpington, Kent, and have loved writing most of my life. I studied English Literature at Lancaster University, and my first permanent job was as a production secretary with the BBC. Later I lived for nearly five years in Australia before returning to live and work in the UK. 

My output includes mystery fiction, and historical and paranormal nonfiction. Each of my nonfiction books is illustrated by 100 original full colour photos, mostly taken by myself, and others by my son and daughter (both talented photographers!)

In March 2023 I was the Nonfiction Adjudicator at the Scottish Association of Writers Annual Conference in Glasgow. I’m a member of the Society of Authors and the Association of Christian Writers.

My nonfiction books on Warwickshire are published by Amberley and include Paranormal Warwickshire, Illustrated Tales of Warwickshire and A-Z of Warwick. I’m now researching a fourth book for Amberley: Paranormal Gloucestershire. I also have a new contemporary fantasy novel in progress, called Director’s Cut.

In addition to my published books, I blog weekly on scskillman.com about books and films I love, people and places of inspiration, life, spirituality, history and travel.

I’m also a public speaker and have spoken to many groups and organisations about Paranormal Warwickshire, Illustrated Tales of Warwickshire, the quirky tales of Warwick, the art of writing nonfiction, and the power of story. Do get in touch with me if you’d like a speaker for your group!

Author SC Skillman in The British Library, London.

The Curious, Quirky and Intriguing Surprises in Shakespeare’s County of Warwickshire – a Review of ‘Illustrated Tales of Warwickshire’

Today I’m sharing a wonderful and detailed review of my book ‘Illustrated Tales of Warwickshire,’ which was shared on Goodreads.

The author of this review, Mari, wrote and published a trilogy of novels about family life, set in Oxford, England, which explores the relationship between science and religion in 21st century Britain; The Mullins Family Saga.

Landscape image, with the words ‘Time for Review’ and a pile of books

Mari Howard very sadly died in 2023, and continues to be much missed not only by those who loved her, her family and friends, but also by many of her fellow authors who benefited from her stimulating comments on authors’ Facebook groups, and from their conversations with her at writers’ conferences. This detailed and thoughtful review is characteristic of Mari, and the way she approached her life and her creativity.

MARI’S REVIEW OF ‘ILLUSTRATED TALES OF WARWICKSHIRE’

S.C. Skillman has done meticulous and painstaking research to bring all the rich detail of this county to life in her latest book, Illustrated Tales of Warwickshire, illustrated on every page with photos taken by herself or members of her family.

Warwickshire has long been a centre of pilgrimage for tourists with an interest in its most famous historical figure, the writer William Shakespeare, and I remember visiting as a child to explore Shakespeare’s birthplace, and the various houses and other buildings and locations he would have known. I remembered being thrilled by the numbers of timbered Medieval-style buildings which remain, thrilling to me as a child who had recently discovered and was reading many children’s historical novels in addition to enjoying Shakespeare’s mysterious plays. 

To set Warwickshire in context, before I began reading I first looked at a counties map of England, and discovered this county is surrounded by nine others (counting Derbyshire which the border just touches!). It is indeed in the centre of England, indeed for well-known writer from a sea-faring nation, Shakespeare was born and raised in possibly the furthest county from the coast, and in a town surrounded by lush countryside and a nearby Forest which he incorporated in to his writing. 

A quick look through the pages of Illustrated Tales tells the reader (possibly a tourist from overseas) that this country is absolutely illustrative of that picture of England which associates us with history, and with a quiet traditional life, surrounded by peaceful views of countryside, set with old churches, and harks back to the reign of the first Queen Elizabeth. And although that is of course only part of the tale — modern life has of course come to Warwickshire in the form of industries (now consigned to the small county of ‘West Midlands’, home to Coventry and the large conurbation Birmingham), the southern part remains mostly rural. Along with counties such as Worcestershire, Gloucestershire and Buckinghamshire, Warwickshire suggests the perceived ‘Englishness’ of England.

The chapters include, under each title, a quotation from one of Shakespeare’s Plays — excepting one. Chapter 13 has no quotation, and tells of an old and grisly local practice, somewhat unpleasant. Otherwise, Skillman has done her homework on what quaint, or creepy, or peculiar is associated with many of the buildings in Stratford, (Shakespeare’s birthplace and childhood home) and surrounded towns and villages, including an interesting ritual associated with paying dues to the Lord of the Manor, (the ‘Wroth Silver ceremony’) which remains to this day – including a candlelit ceremony at dawn, in the open air, and a hearty breakfast at the local Inn (now the Queen’s Head at Broughton, but traditionally at the Dun Cow at Stretton-on-Dunsmore) to conclude proceedings. It is said this ceremony has roots in Anglo-Saxon times.

Also among the famous associated with Warwickshire are other literary figures: J.R.R. Tolkien (whose creation, The Shire, does seem to echo a feel of the place), Malory who wrote the original ‘Morte d’Arthur’, and the actress Sarah Siddens, who began her working life not on the stage but as a Lady’s Maid at Guy’s Cliffe, a large house in Warwick itself. And we find that the Forest of Arden has a chapter to itself, (chapter 11 p.73) and is not an invention but a real Forest, though by now existing only in some ancient traditional hedgerows and a few small woodlands, far from the Forest in As You Like It which held dangers such as bears and wolves. Instead however, two very old churches exist in what was Arden, one of which, built before the Norman conquest, remains without modern convenience of any kind and is lit by candles in winter. The author has attended a service there! Shakespeare had relatives living in several villages located in the ancient forest, and his mother was from the family of the Ardens. I really appreciated that Skillman has gone as far as to find out those relatives, giving extra interest to what could just have been a convenient invented woodland, part of the plot of a play.

 All manner of interesting details emerge along the way to enhance the locations the tourist might during holiday spent in this county, perhaps using Stratford as a centre and culminating with a visit to see a Shakespeare play, without even delving into the witchcraft and haunting associated with many houses and areas. And to conclude they visit, if there is a fair or similar happening nearby, with of course another English institution, a performance by the Morris Men (and women). I would highly recommend this informative and well produced book to anyone who is thinking about a stay-at-home British holiday, or has friends or relatives visiting from overseas, much more than a ‘guide book’ it is an interesting read, well illustrated and meticulously researched but also very accessible.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Part Four: What Was Your First Permanent Job?

I’ll always remember my first working day at the BBC in London W1A.

Radio mic and headphones.

I stepped into the BBC Radio office at 1 Portland Place, W1A, opposite Broadcasting House (to be known forever as BH).

By the end of that day, I had experienced my First BBC Crisis.

I was working for one of the producers in a department the BBC lost years ago – BBC Schools Radio.

At that time, they used reel to reel tape machines in studio, and portable Uhers for ‘voxpop’ interviews on location, and they edited by cutting tape with razor blades.

My producer sat me in his office and told me to listen to his latest programme as it went out over the air, gave me the stopwatch so I could time music, links, drama and copyright material as if I was in studio, and then he disappeared off somewhere else.

I sat there mesmerised, listening, just getting used to the uniqueness of my situation, letting the presenter’s voice roll on, when suddenly the door burst open & the secretary from the programme office next door came in & said in a thrilled voice, ‘I hear you have an unedited repeat going out over the air!’

I stared at her nonplussed and then she vanished, and a few seconds later the Chief Assistant, Schools Radio, rushed in, and said to me in a confidential tone of voice, ‘I’m going to pretend I care, but I don’t really.’

He then also vanished.

I tried to look as if I knew what was going on, but next my producer entered, and said dramatically, ‘Now everybody knows I’m not God.’

Finally, he too disappeared leaving me alone in the office, stunned.

All I needed then was for somebody to walk in and say, ‘Welcome to the BBC.’

I wrote a daily journal throughout my years at the BBC and have many hilarious and quirky stories to tell.

Once when we were recording in one of the BBC music studios at Maida Vale I saw a notice stuck up in the control room where I sat.

It said, ‘Beware! Naked Razor Blades Are Dangerous!’

Underneath one of the studio managers had scrawled, ‘So are people with ideas.’

Why not sign up to receive my monthly newsletter straight to your inbox? I’d love to have you join us! I share gems and snippets from my research discoveries, news, and insights from the writing and publishing worlds, and you’ll be the first to know when I have a new book coming out!

Sign up here to join me on my writing journey!

Hello! My name’s Sheila and I write under the pen name of SC Skillman. I live in Warwick with my husband and son, and my daughter currently lives and works in Australia.

I was born and brought up in Orpington, Kent, and have loved writing most of my life. I studied English Literature at Lancaster University, and my first permanent job was as a production secretary with the BBC. Later I lived for nearly five years in Australia before returning to live and work in the UK. 

My output includes mystery fiction, and historical and paranormal nonfiction. Each of my nonfiction books is illustrated by 100 original full colour photos, mostly taken by myself, and others by my son and daughter (both talented photographers!)

In March 2023 I was the Nonfiction Adjudicator at the Scottish Association of Writers Annual Conference in Glasgow. I’m a member of the Society of Authors and the Association of Christian Writers.

My nonfiction books on Warwickshire are published by Amberley and include Paranormal Warwickshire, Illustrated Tales of Warwickshire and A-Z of Warwick. I’m now researching a fourth book for Amberley: Paranormal Gloucestershire. I also have a new contemporary fantasy novel in progress, called Director’s Cut.

In addition to my published books, I blog weekly on scskillman.com about books and films I love, people and places of inspiration, life, spirituality, history and travel.

I’m also a public speaker and have spoken to many groups and organisations about Paranormal Warwickshire, Illustrated Tales of Warwickshire, the quirky tales of Warwick, the art of writing nonfiction, and the power of story. Do get in touch with me if you’d like a speaker for your group!