I’ll be honest with you, I’m not really accustomed to blogging about myself as a person – I’m far more comfortable blogging about my writing career, or my ghost hunting exploits. What I do, I feel, is far more interesting than who I am. However, there are occasionally events in life that prove momentous enough to share, and I think this is one of them.
On Monday, I handed in my notice. As of 6pm on 12 August, I will no longer be an administrative serf in an office-based fiefdom. Technically, considering I have been paid for my writing, I can call myself a professional writer, but I doubt I will feel comfortable applying such a label to myself. Instead, I will make the migration back to my Northern homeland from this lonely and sprawling capital city, where I’ll begin a PhD in Film Studies in October. I’ll be an academic!
I haven’t really talked about my PhD yet, and I’m disinclined to until work gets underway, but I can say that I’ll be exploring the representation of haunted spaces in contemporary horror cinema. It’s quite nice that it dovetails so well with my interest in paranormal fiction, as well as my work with paranormal investigators in the north east of England (more on that in September). I’ve wanted to do a PhD for some years now but it was only late last year that I finally decided to get the ball rolling. After all, you can only complain about your lot in life for so long before it becomes a good idea to do something to change it.
There are also other things on the cards – there are some exciting developments that I will discuss when the time comes, and I will continue to post weekly free flash stories. I have The Guns of Retribution coming out in paperback with Pulp Press in late September (which you can already pre-order here), and I’ve got another e-book coming out to coincide with its release – I’m expanding and revising my Dead Man’s Hand trilogy that appeared on my blog earlier in the year. There is also an intention to have a Parrots and Piracy collection done by the end of the year. I’ve just finished editing my Fowlis Westerby novel, and there will, in all likelihood, be more Vertigo City stories.
Still, I stand poised on the edge of a major change, and for once, I’m not wondering if I’ll be able to manage, or cope. I’m wondering when exactly I can get stuck in.
You have been listening to a transmission by Icy Sedgwick. Signing off until next time…
Best of luck, Icy. It shows a lot of guts to do what you’re doing. I hope everything turns out well for you!
I’ll try again…
Congratulations on everything, books, move, PhD, paranormal adventures et al. All well deserved. I hope you kept a copy of your resignation letter to frame. Best work and all.
Yay! It sounds as if all of this is making you happy and, of course, that is a reason to celebrate. *champagne* 😉
Great stuff, and congratulations on all of the above. Right, better count my pennies and head over to Amazon, eh? 😉
About time. This is where the story gets good. 😉
Big changes indeed. All the best for October and the start of Icy’s next Excellent Adventure.
Wonderful Icy I wish you all the success in the world. I am sure you will be very successful! ^_^
Congratulations, Icy. Or should we say, Dr. Icy? This is phenomenal news and so brave. Very best of luck!
Coda – Bravery…or stupidity!! Thanks though. 🙂
Jodi – I’m just waiting on a glowing reference…
Rebecca – I’m VERY happy at the moment 🙂
Sam – You’re a good friend. 🙂
Carrie – As Han would say…”This is where the fun begins!”
Dan – *air guitar*
Helen – Thank you!
Cathy – Oh I’ll be Dr. Icy eventually…
Congrats on the resignation letter 🙂 I hope all goes well with your Ph.D.
Academic life is a lot more comfortable to certain kinds of people. May it reward you, Icy, and congratulations on getting out of the serfdom.
All I can say is I hope for you the greatest of success and with that success, happiness.
-JaxTracRat
Good luck, Icy! I hope it all goes well for you!
Film studies sounds great. Interested to hear about your (real life) paranormal adventures, and glad you’ll keep writing here.
Couldn’t find the resignation letter posting – wanted to congratulate you on evocative language. 😉
I, of course, know this doesn’t exist. Good luck on your escape.
St.
Michael – Thanks 🙂
John – I think it suits me better, based on my experiences so far.
Jax – Thank you!
Rob – So do I!
Stephen – I put my paranormal adventures over on my Fowlis Westerby blog but I’ll be doing it more regularly elsewhere as of September.
Wishing you success and happiness in your endeavors. Dr. Icy — woo hoo!
Yay! Congrats on all those wonderful projects! It’s funny, we have the same interests: I did 10 years in film production until I fell in love with writing during my Master’s (in the UK!) in screenwriting…if you ever need someone to look at your scripts, give me a shout;)
What wonderful news from you, Icy. Best of luck in this exciting endeavor.
Tim – Thanks!
Anne – Thanks for the offer but the PhD is in film theory. No scriptwriting involved (unless I have a go!)
Marisa – Thanks!
In this region, “You go, girl!” is the phrase that applies here. Congrats!
For the next three weeks, people get to hear exactly what you think of them… nah, I bet you’re too classy for that.
So it’s soon off to a new part of life, in familiar surroundings, working on that Phud and the “Dr. Icy” moniker. Great name for a supervillain too!
Congratulations, Icy! Good luck with the PhD program!
Many congratulations and further hurrahs to my previous! London is sure going to miss, you though.