City of Secrets featured in Haunted Magazine!

Around this time last year, long before this project even existed, I decided I wanted to start writing more non-fiction pieces as well as stories. I sat down and made a list of topics I could cover – and made a note in my diary saying:

I might even try pitching one of these to Haunted – haha, like that’ll ever happen!

This might just be me, but it’s always felt like something of a dream publication in paranormal circles – it’s the glossy, high-impact, get-you-noticed magazine. The Good Housekeeping of ghost stories. The Empire Magazine of eeriness… ok, can’t resist – it’s like the Cosmopolitan of creepiness. A big deal, for me at least.

A lot of those early non-fiction ideas as still on the drawing board, and some might even see the light of day eventually, but back in May, I decided I’d try pitching a story about this project. It took me two weeks to come up with an outline and a whole day to write the pitch email to the editors! I took myself off to my old favourite spot for sending high-stakes emails – a concrete block outside a part-demolished office block – and hit send. I thought I might hear back in a week or so with a polite ‘no thanks’ so told myself I would do my best not to think about it for a while.

While I was still walking home, a reply exploded into my mailbox. Oh boy. It was the most lovely, glowing, warm acceptance you could ever imagine and I squealed so loud in delight that I frightened a couple of pigeons and made a woman walking on the opposite side of the road look over in concern.

I was so happy – all I had to do now was write it! Well, that bit was easy – I had a lot to say on the subject of how Milton Keynes is the last place you’d expect to be haunted, and the story so far of what I was wanting to do with the project. I had so much fun putting together the article, photos and even little side-bar summaries of the cases so far… and then off it went into the ether…

And today is publication day! Look at that cover – if you squint really carefully, you can see “Milton Keynes” mentioned right down at the bottom – that’s my story! Right on the front with lovely Danny Robins – isn’t that awesome?!

If you’d like to get your hands on a copy, the easiest way is to go here – it is stocked in real-life shops as well as available online, and you can check your nearest stockist here. I’ll be off on a quest soon to see if I can find one in MK – apparently the WH Smith in the XScape might have some. I’ll find out.

A huge huge thank-you to Paul, Andy and everyone involved in getting these out into the world. It really has been an absolutely delight working with you on this – and for me, genuinely, a dream come true.