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The Human Touch Blog ~
David Farrant

‘Plenty Of Time’ . . .

Well, I bought some more of that wine today as there was still some left and it turned out to be very nice.

It is nice to relax in the evenings and its still too cold for beer though; and anyway, its not so ‘warming’. Barbara and Cat appear to be ‘arguing’ over on the relies, so think I’ll just stay here – its safer! But whatever Cat thinks, its very kind of Barbara to offer to write me a review here. When she’s done it, I’ll probably ‘filch’ it and put it up as part of a main Blog here, but obviously, I’ll ask her first. Flossie’s also said she’ll write something about the book and I’d like to do the same with her when she’s finished it – though obviously ask her permission first as well.

You can’t really blame me. The book is important to me which is why I took about 18 long months writing it. I think people should be allowed their honest opinions as opposed to these just getting ‘hidden away’ in the replies. Quite apart from that, it’ll help to shorten my input and probably keep people happy at the same time! Anyway, that should prove to you all I don’t – or won’t – cut or edit replies. Whatever their opinions are – ‘good’ or ‘bad’ – they will be allowed.

In fact, do you know, I’ve never really had to edit anything here. Well, tell a lie. Only once. And that was when that Cat put up some remarks about ‘Catholic schoolgirls’! Even then, I left up most of the unruly creature’s post, but just left out a couple of ‘offending’ – or potentially offending – lines. That was over a year ago, admittedly, but its why I have to watch him so closely. Oh yes! He did it yet again by giving a link which I did not check. It was to a picture of Barbara and the Yorkshire dumpling standing on some bridge. First I knew of it was when I got a phone call saying “That’s not your copyright, you’d best remove it”! Well, I did. But that wretched creature certainly has to be watched!

So what’s news? Well, I’m giving a Talk near Brighton next month (I mean May) with the book as its theme. So that should be good. Its only a hour on the train and I’m being picked up from the station. It’ll probably take the best part of an hour to get to Victoria which will be half the journey time. And then of course, I have to get back. It is in the evening, but there will still be plenty of time to get back. ‘Plenty of time’ is what I always prefer. I just hate rushing things! I’ll tell you about that afterwards. Another guy has asked to interview me before 6th April for a magazine project. I told him he could come here as that would be far easier. I’ll tell you about that afterwards as well. Or refer you to the publication so you can just go out and buy it.

What else? I’ve agreed to do some filming one day this coming week for another separate project. But again, that’s indoors here again so minimum of inconvenience. Been promised a DVD copy of it with permission to use after their showing. So all said and done, the material is mounting up. Have to start charging an admission fee for people to watch all this stuff! I would never do that in reality but I could sure make a tidy sum!

So anyway everyone, that’s today’s Blog. Back to the other writing and maybe just one more glass of that lovely wine! Give me a call tomorrow evening K as we arranged. Suppose I’d better have a quick look in at the replies after just to make sure that Cat’s behaving!

For the moment though, David

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4 Responses

  1. Sorry I didnt get the review done yesterday David but my grandaughter has a school project on musical instruments and has chosen, goodness knows why, a flute so have had to trawl the net looking for “the wind family” hmmm, do saxaphones count? Plus the plasterer has made a mess of a wall in the house and everything is going backwards again, after my trip to the swimming pool this morning I definitely hope to get down to the review, I have got the things in my head to say more or less, it is all positive and you can tell I have read the book as well!
    Nearly forgot about the clocks, its a good job I heard it on the tv or somewhere as I never remember if I arent told,
    catch up soon and you can add my forthcoming review to your credits or whatnot
    tata barbara
    pusskins baldrick has gone out on the tiles I reckon.

  2. Here it is! Is your dob 1945 David–or is it 46?
    Hope its okay, its taken me a while and maybe I will think of other stuff later, but I think these are the main thoughts:
    In the Shadow of the Highgate Vampire by David Farrant.
    A Review by Barbara Green.
    First, the title. Shadow ? Vampire ? Have I missed the point or is this a deliberate pun? Vampires don’t cast shadows , but it could be said, with much truth , that the shadow the “Highgate Vampire” cast over David and others , has certainly been long and dark over the years .Who and what the “vampire” was is discussed at the end of the book, so you will have to read the rest first to understand the situation.(Even then, you will have to wait for Volume 2 to complete the tale.)
    In Volume One, David describes his life from 1945, the year of his birth, until 1974 when he ended up mouldering in a gloomy dungeon at Brixton Prison. The narrative is straightforward, well written and a truthful account of his life and loves up until his incarceration.Its main theme is his education, or lack of it , his Wiccan involvement, his romantic entanglements, his paranormal research and his fateful confrontation with the “Highgate Vampire.” If you didn’t know David to start with then this book will have you hooked and wondering what the dickens ……;and if, like me, you already know him and have read his work before, it is still a compelling read.
    There is a lot of candid details going right back to the swinging sixties, but the reason for this is not entirely due to David’s memories but the fact that these accounts were written, in diary form, at, or near, the time in which they happened. David tells me he hasn’t edited the stories but left them as written, although naturally they have been collated into a readable narrative. Many of us might have been tempted to “tone down” our youthful follies but David has not. At the end of the day there is nothing too shocking within these pages, though I am curious as to why David was so against education ; clearly he derived an education somewhere or he would not have been able to produce the volumes of work he has in the past, including this, his latest book ! As for his romances, well, it was the swinging sixties and I was also in my prime in those wonderful days of the 1960s , with, I hasten to add, less of the peace and love and more of make war not love!
    Now for my critique! Well, I was somewhat mystified over the Alison affair but can understand that David wanted to keep this private. But maybe he could have explained things a bit more clearly while keeping his precious personal memories in his heart. I would have rather liked some commentary of the times, you know, a bit of background and maybe some quotes from the famous bands and suchlike, to go along with the text. I am left feeling that David lived –and still does—entirely in his own world, if not universe, and remained somewhat oblivious to what was happening “out there”! Or it may just be the way he writes, so it isn’t really a criticism.
    Well we will have to wait for Shadow Volume Two, which I presume will cover the years from 1974 until the present time. Maybe the clear dazzling light of David’s books, including the fully fledged Volume Two, will eventually send the “vampire” packing in true vampire busting style, so that there will be no more shadows cast over the lives of those who have , like David,been victims of the moonshine and melodrama of the Highgate Vampire saga .

  3. Yhanks David–I had to do the flute thing first, the woodwind family–what a bore! Last time it was the Romans which had a lot more potential–and guess what–the saxaphone is a woodwind intrument, you need plenty of puff to play it!
    haha,
    hoped you like the review!

  4. The review was fine and as you can see, I’ve put it up as a main Blog. I’ll answer a couple of points but I’ll do it in a main Blog as its been there now. Not that there’s anything much to answer! Maybe a couple of technical points, but that’s all – not least, my DOE and the title, but you’ll see those!
    Well, your decorating can’t be far off from being done now. Thanks for fitting that in and talk soon.
    For the moment,
    David

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