Urban Fantasist: Weird & Geek

Alternative History: Christ was buried in Japan

28/2/2014

Yes, it's the Grave of Christ in Japan. Apparently Jesus went there on a gap year while he was young and liked it so much he returned later, eventually dying of natural causes at the age of 106. (By which time he had married and had three daughters.) As for that awkward crucifixion thing, that was his younger brother Isukiri (a well known traditional Jewish name).

And it is all true, Japanese archeologists found the story in some ancient religious texts - the Takenouchi Documents - in the 1930s although they were subsequently lost during WWII. The grave also includes a lock of the Virgin Mary's hair and one of Isukiri's ears.

0 Comments

Getting a book deal! How hard can that be?

16/2/2014

0 Comments

It was my great pleasure on Thursday to introduce the author Polly James at the launch of her new book Diary of an Unsmug Married at Jarrolds in Norwich. It's an excellent book - a cross between The Thick of It and the work of Posy Simmonds. Polly is to be congratulated on the book - and on getting a book deal with a major publisher - however it was by no means plain sailing. For example, before settling with her current agent, there were three earlier literary agents in the frame who all effectively self-combusted.

To paraphrase Lady Bracknell: "To lose one agent may be regarded as a misfortune, to lose three looks like carelessness!" And then there were the fights with the publishers' marketing department - some felt there was too much politics in the book, whereras others felt there was not enough politics. Getting a book deal! That's the easy part, it's once you've got the deal that life becomes complicated.

(Our pictures feature me talking to Polly and Polly busy signing books at the launch.)

0 Comments

Neat Inspirational Video

10/2/2014

0 Comments

THE GAP by Ira Glass from Daniel Sax on Vimeo.

0 Comments

Stranger than Fiction Department: Major Thomas Weir

9/2/2014

0 Comments

Interesting story cropped up in the Daily Mail (originally reported in Fortean Times) about the Scottish necromancer Major Thomas Weir. Executed (along with his sister Grizel) in Edinburgh in 1670 for alleged witchcraft, bestiality and incest (I say allegedas they were convicted on their own voluntary confessions and there is a distinct possibility they were both barking mad) it now appears that part of the Weirs' house (illustrated) was subsequently incorporated into the foundations of what is now a Quaker Meeting House. (Actually it appears to be the toilets of the newer Quaker building.)

You can find a good account of the Weirs' life and times here Thomas Weir although what I find interesting is this also echoes fictional stories. The story of Weir has been proposed as an influence on Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson. The 2000 novel The Fanatic by James Robertson features Weir as a character and uses the events surrounding him as a central aspect of the novel's narrative and themes. And The Case of Charles Dexter Ward by HP Lovecraft also has an ancient necromancer's property lurking beneath a modern building.

0 Comments

Love Gory Horror?

2/2/2014

0 Comments

New Weird Tales Podcast

Episode #30 - 16th August of the Weird Tales Radio Show podcast is our Mischievous Faeries edition and, along with recounting the legends and folklore of the Willy Howe barrow, we look at the latest reports that pyramids have mystical powers, and have a recipe for using spells to magic up money.

Follow this link to access all episodes of the Weird Tales Radio Show podcasts. The page also contains links to all our other podcast platforms. Click the player button below to hear latest show.

Latest News & Comment

Tweets by ChristianUncut

This is Urban Fantasist

Curated by former barrister and Reuters correspondent turned writer, award-winning tech journalist, best-selling non-fiction author, podcaster, radio presenter, and sometime werewolf hunter Charles Christian (that's me) Urban Fantasist is here to inform and entertain you with news, stories, and comment on weird tales, tech, geek and culture.

Includes the Weird Tales Radio Show podcast archive. Click on any of the buttons below to access the shows.

And links to Charles Christian's books including fiction, nonfiction, and all the latest reviews.

Vital Statistics

The Urban Fantasist website is now averaging over 4750 page views daily and 140,000 page views a month plus over 5500 unique visitors each week.

Contact

Email me at anytime
christian.uncut@icloud.com
Tel: +44(0)1986 788666
Tel & Text: +44(0)7786 738172
Skype: ChristianUncut
Twitter: @ChristianUncut

Quote, Unquote

"Charles Christian defiantly makes my world a brighter, funnier place."

"The legendary Charles Christian at his eclectic best... his insight and humour alone make this a must-read blog."

"Charles Christian is my inner spirit animal, thank you for making me laugh."

"the funny, wonderful and slightly cantankerous Charles Christian"

"Carlsberg don't make clients, but if they did... they'd be Charles Christian"

"His tech journalism is always witty. He has a talent for pricking the overblown claims of suppliers."

"Charles Christian does awesome!"

Charles Christian's Books

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DMPMJ2V

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07DKCKPT

Can I copy content from this site?

Yes... providing you properly credit it. Here's the technical bit: Urban Fantasist content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License which means it may be shared, copied, remixed or used commercially as long as Urban Fantasist, the Weird Tales Radio Show or Grievous Angel are cited as the source. Any questions, please email me or use the contact form.

Archives

August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
August 2012
June 2012
May 2012
March 2012

RSS Feed

+44(0)1986 788666
+44(0)7786 738172
christian.uncut@icloud.com

Urban Fantasist is fuelled by green tea, dark chocolate, and existential angst.

Contact Address: Oak Lodge, Darrow Green Road, Denton, Harleston, Norfolk IP20 0AY, United Kingdom

GDPR: By completing the WEIRD Newsletter form you opt-in to our emailing list. The only personal data we store is your email address, which is kept in a secure digital format. We will not share, sell or disclose your email address to anyone... ever! You can unsubscribe at any time by emailing christian.uncut@icloud.com

Alternative History: Christ was buried in Japan

Getting a book deal! How hard can that be?

Neat Inspirational Video

Stranger than Fiction Department: Major Thomas Weir

Love Gory Horror?

New Weird Tales Podcast

Latest News & Comment

This is Urban Fantasist

Vital Statistics

Contact

And subscribe to WEIRD, our occasional newsletter

Quote, Unquote

Charles Christian's Books

Can I copy content from this site?

Contact & Comment Form

Categories

Archives