By Owen Quinn author of the Time Warriors and Zombie Blues
Cavan based writer Stephen Carey has released a brand new book of short stories based in the superhero genre in novel and Kindle forms entitled The Superior People Collection Below is the cover and synopsis.“
Copyright Stephen Carey
A world of flawed superheroes, super-powered presidents and sadistic villains masquerading as peaceful neighbours. Enter the world of The Superior People!
Find Stephen on Facebook page Facbook.com/StephenCareyStories
By Owen Quinn author of the Time Warriors and Zombie Blues
All Torchwood photos copyright BBC
I was in hospital recently and had my DVD player with me to cope with the boredom. One of the boxsets I brought with me was the entire Torchwood series right up to Children of Earth and something struck me.
From the start Gwen Cooper, played by Eve Myles, was brought in by Captain Jack to remind them what it is Torchwood is fighting for; people living normal lives without the nightmare of aliens. She was to be the conscience of Torchwood given how its hubris had brought about the near destruction of Earth when the Cybermen and Daleks invaded Canary Wharf in the classic Doctor Who two parter Army of Ghosts and Doomsday. Up to that point Torchwood had no problem covering up the murder of a law abiding person. Gwen witnesses first hand two cases in her two premiere adventures Everything Changes and Day One. Gwen is horrified to learn Captain Jack and co have no issues destroying a deceased person’s reputation by labelling their death a suicide. They don’t see the pain and suffering that leaves a family; Gwen does and is very vocal about it all. And this is what secures her place on the team.
When we first meet her Gwen is a normal policewoman living a happy life with her boyfriend Rhys played by Kai Owens. They have their ups and downs like everyone else but nothing that can’t be sorted. No one in the Torchwood team has that, something Gwen points out to them in a telling scene where she asks them directly. Tosh, Owen, Ianto and Jack are all surviving on casual relationships. There is no emotion, no ties but they are all basically empty shells whose lives are filled with Torchwood and Torchwood alone. This isn’t Gwen but it soon becomes apparent that she too is being consumed by the life of Torchwood.
In emotionally charged scenes, Rhys becomes increasingly frustrated by the missed meals and time spent away from home. On a romantic night out, she runs off in the middle of a date because Torchwood needs her and she openly defies him in public which Jack berates her for. He knows she is losing the normality connection he asked her to being to Torchwood but despite her best efforts she becomes lost in this new exciting life. In Cyberwoman, the first signs that she is losing herself completely is when she and Owen are trapped together by the fore mentioned monster, in reality Ianto’s girlfriend from the battle of Canary Wharf and the sexual tension begins. But in Countrycide, where they are almost eaten by cannibals in the Welsh countryside, she ends up in bed with Owen leaving poor Rhys to fend for himself. She has met monsters and aliens but the horror that sends her over the edge is when she asks the head cannibal why they eat people and he answers because they like it. This is too much for her and she cannot talk to Rhys about any of it. It’s a natural progression of her spiralling out of control and not coping well by falling for the team’s sexual predator, Owen Harper played by Burn Gorman.
However she enjoys it too much and falls her him. In Combat she discovers that Owen had fallen in love with a female pilot that had become trapped in the present day to the point where he has become so grief stricken by her departure that he puts himself in a cage with a Weevil so he can die. Gwen’s jealousy is real and she realizes what a fool she has been.
In an act of cowardice, she tells Rhys about her affair but immediately gives him a retcon pill which gives the recipient immediate amnesia. For her story arc this works well especially when Rhys is murdered in the season finale End of Days.
Eve Myles gives the performance of a life time as she spews her grief at Jack and Owen, as furious at them as well as herself. The Torchwood team turn on Jack and open the Rift accidentally releasing the demon Abbadon which only Jack can destroy.
Now, here’s the problem.
Gwen’s journey in season one is one of self redemption. She is sucked in by the Torchwood life and nearly loses what is important to her; Rhys. That is good writing but then the writers of torchwood screw the whole thing up in season two.
Gwen now has a sexual tension with Jack. When Jacke returns in Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang at the start of season 2 (he had helped defeat the Master along Doctor 10 and Martha in Utopia-Last of the Time Lords), Jack is disturbed to see she has an engagement ring and she seems embarrassed saying “He asked me.”
In the episode Adam, where an alien infiltrates Torchwood, altering their memories so they think he has been a member of the team for three years. When the truth is discovered, Jack must give them all retcon so Adam can be erased from existence once and for all. Previously in the story, Gwen has no idea who Rhys is and together Jack and Rhys help her regain those lost memories. They all sit round a table in the Hub, taking the amnesia pill one by one to bring them all back to normality.
And this is where Gwen is destroyed as the supposed heart of the series. She admits to Jack she loves Rhys but not in the way that she loves the former time agent. Now one of the writers for this show went on a television type critic show back in the eighties to slate the Sylvester McCoy first season to the face of two of the writers, Pip and Jane Baker. Maybe he regrets that now he’s in the same position. Cyberwoman anyone? Not the show’s finest hour. What were they thinking? After everything that they put Gwen through they come up with this tripe? And they are destroying Jack’s character as well. The man may be omnisexual but the previously heterosexual Ianto suddenly took a shine to man love and he and Jack are fierce lovers. To make Gwen suddenly fall in love with Jack is poor writing, very poor. It makes no sense in terms of characterisation and immediately wipes out her wonderful story arc from the first season. Rhys is something she is just settling even on her wedding day. Even when she tells him she loves him and is getting married to him despite being nine months pregnant with an alien baby, it just falls flat. As a viewer you know she is just waiting for Jack to tell her he loves her and can’t be without her which he never does. Not quite, close.
In the episode Something Borrowed, the sexual tension between Jack and Gwen is literally spilling off the screen even when the alien shape shifter in the story impersonates Jack. The character is fractured completely as the viewer knows that Rhys really is second best. There was no need for this story thread. After the events of season one she and Rhys should have been rock solid especially when he learns the truth about Torchwood and his fiancée’s job. So for me, it’s not real. She’s settling because we as the viewer know she is full of it.
Fortunately this trend stopped in Children of Earth and Miracle Day when they were just colleagues looking out for each other especially when Ianto is killed by the virus unleashed by the 456. She and Rhys are expecting a baby and this time when she tells him she wants him to stay rather than run off to space to deal with the grief of losing his lover and grandson all in one go, you believe it’s to keep Torchwood alive, not because she wants to shag him.
So in retrospect, Gwen became a powerful figure in television land, shooting at a helicopter while cradling her baby in the other. But poor judgement on the writer’s behalf almost wrecked her character as the heart of the series and really one of the most important aspects of the show. Without the heart, science fiction really doesn’t work and for Torchwood their heart will forever be slightly flawed. Love Gwen, Love Eve but hate the stupidity of the Torchwood writing team.
My name is Owen Quinn, I’m an author and photographer living in Northern Ireland. I’ve been a sci fi fan all my life.
What was your inspiration? Could you talk about a bit about your Time Warriors novels?
Originally as a 16 year old I wanted to write for Doctor Who so wrote a sixth Doctor story by hand, complete with potential novel cover but it was sent back because it was hand written. As a young fool who thought this story would become an instant classic, I took the hump and decided to create my own series and heroes. Now as I got older, I couldn’t believe half the rubbish that was being churned out so mapped out what would be the first Time Warriors television series then wrote them out as a story arc similar to what we saw as far back as Buffy and Angel. Life got in the way so it wasn’t until my thirties that I properly wrote them as a book. I got an agent and he loved them and when we sent it to publishers it turned out the single book was in fact a four book saga as you see today. What I always wanted to see was sci fi based here in Ireland but not exclusively and have strong Irish characters as leads in the series so I created Jacke. You have to create characters that people can identify with and be ready to go on these adventures with with strong enemies. As I say, anyone can write monsters invading the Earth but it’s breaking that down into something the reader can connect with and take away with them. As Clive barker says villains should always talk eloquent evil. Book five and six are coming out and there’s a few other projects in the works I can’t reveal yet.
Could you talk about the process of being self published?
I got tired of waiting for publishers who didn’t want money up front to publish the books and it was the recession so self publishing was the only way to get them out there. I read about an author called Catherine Ryan Howard who did exactly that and followed her advice so here we are. I went via Createspace which is a good avenue for someone starting out. It helps if you have computer literate friends who can work through some of the processes otherwise you will pay Createspace to do stuff for you such as covers, templates etc so some tech minded is always good to have as it saves you money. What I will say to anyone thinking of doing it, remember your book is a product like any other. Treat it as such. Would you buy faulty kettle? No, so ensure your book is free of typos, the story is as you want it to be and your cover is exactly what you want. If it takes you six reads to get rid of the typos do it. Better that than having mistakes which will put people off. Many people self publish without any thought and declare themselves authors; they’re not. They make up their own reviews etc which will get you nowhere fast. You will be found out as many have. So make sure you’re book is something that you would buy and not be disappointed with. To get your book out there is a proud achievement so treat it with pride. Self publishing was a bad word to many publishers but not so much these days as more and more are using it and using it properly.
Yes I’m always looking for contributors and the site was originally just for the books. But I went to a comic book signing, Savage Noe, written and drawn by local writers and artists. I was there to take photos for them. I wasn’t expecting a big crowd but the lien was out the door. I stood there and watched person after person come up and say thy could draw, write or had an idea but didn’t know where to go to explore the possibilities.Right then I knew I had to make the Time Warriors website more than about me and the books. It had to be a platform for anyone out there who had a talent could come to be featured and shared out either by a feature or interview. It rapidly grew to global as the world of people in my position trying to get their comic book, art, books film, or monster making out there. The world of cosplayers is an amazing one and W now is known as the place to come to get your name out there which makes me very proud indeed. As for contributors, it isn’t just about writing articles or news pieces, it’s about honing their skills and seeing what the results are. I always help them with advice about how to do articles and reviews etc so it’s giving them a chance to write about anything they want to. When I get messages from other countries asking for interviews or complimenting the site I’m chuffed. A lot of the time you think no one is taking notice when in fact you never know who’s watching your work.
How did you get involved with the USS Cuchulain group?
I have always been a Star Trek fan having attended conventions all over the place and I discovered USS Cuchulain on Facebook. I invited the founding member for an interview. It quickly escalated into other members being featured and one of them reviews the Star Trek Ship Collection for me. Star Trek conventions here were happening all the time years ago but died away so it’s wonderful that there is a new interest in Star Trek even if I don’t think much of the movies. And it’s great Irish fans are bringing it back to here which can only benefit sci fi fandom in general here. I met some of the members at Dublin Comic Con and will be meeting more of them in the months ahead.
What was your favourite fan moment?
Depends what you mean. If it’s movies, I have so many favourites; favourite horror is Salem’s Lot by a mile. Favourite meeting a celeb moment, so many, George Takei was particularly memorable man as was Nichelle Nichols and Jimmy Doohan. And of course the Doctor Who celebs are great ambassadors for fans. Doctor Who as you know is my passion but if I had to pick a Star Trek moment I can’t; again too many to list, Tin Man,Sins of the Father, Best of Both Worlds, The Offspring, Reunion, the list goes on.
What do you have coming up?
I have books five and six of the Time Warriors coming up and next year will be great for fans here as there are so many cons it’s like heaven. As for the site, TW will continue to bring you new talent and stories from the world of sci fi and fantasy so stay tuned.
Trevor Kennedy catches up with Belfast-based author Owen Quinnand discusses his new book, Zombie Blues 2, and lots more.
Trevor Kennedy: Owen, it’s always great to chat with you. Your new book, the sequel Zombie Blues 2, obviously concerns the hordes of the undead, but could you tell us a little bit more about it please, for the benefit of the readers of Phantasmagoria? What sets your Zombie Blues series aside from the rest of the sub-genre?
Owen Quinn: Zombie Blues is the world viewed from the inside of zombies’ heads. They are not zombies by choice and they are not happy about it!
It’s a question that came to me watching the Walking Dead. Why did the little girl stop to lift a toy bunny rabbit in the very first scene? Why did Morgan’s wife try to open a door as a zombie? I began to wonder if there could be something left of the original person in that shuffling corpse and what if they held the answer to the apocalypse origins? And more importantly what if they hate being zombies and trying to tell us something. Hence Zombie Blues was born. We meet several individuals with their own stories to tell of life pre=zombie and what happens in behind those dead eyes. Hopefully readers will find them fun, happy and maybe shed a tear at some of the stories. Throuhg their undead stte we may just learn a few life lessons before our own ends.
TK: You’re obviously a big fan of zombies, but what are your favourites? For me, you just can’t beat George Romero’s original Night/Dawn/Dayof the Dead trilogy.
OQ: Those are where it began for me so that trilogy will always be on the list. Believe it or not, zombies were never my favourites; it was werewolves for me. My true appreciation of zombies really began with the Walking Dead. In the first 45 minutes of that show I totally and completely fell in love with zombies. I came out of the first episode felling sorry for the zombies and seeing them as the victims rather than the monster. That for me was huge from a story point of view because we forget these were people with lives full of hopes and dreams that had been ripped away with the apocalypse.
I often base my villains on a simple line from the Time Warriors. Creatures like zombies want to stop parents singing lullabies to let their children sleep soundly at night. If the darkness wins the world will fall silent and normality will be ripped apart like a tissue. But like everything in life, zombies aren’t as simple as that.
TK: Do you prefer the older style more slow, slumbering zombies (who always catch up with their victims anyway!) or the modern ones who can run extremely fast, as we have seen in the likes of 28 Days Later and the remake of Dawn of the Dead?
OQ: I hate 28 Days Later lol. They are just rabid animals. They’re not zombies. I love what they did in the remakes of Dawn of the Dead and Day of the Dead. Those guys really tried hard to come up with something fresh while honouring the originals. Shaun of the Dead and Cockneys vs Zombies I adore. Even the 80s flick The Supernaturals was a clever idea restricted by budget but solid zombie story. I love them.
The whole scare point of a zombie is how slow they are as was done brilliantly in Cockneys Vs Zombies. That scene with Richard Briers on a zimmer frame is hilarious. But this slowness is what makes zombies so deadly. We can run but we get tired. Zombies don’t. They keep coming even when you’re on your knees gasping for air. When we get tired we get sloppy. Four zombies could take a weakened person down easily. It’s when they come en masse that the true threat of the zombies is felt. Individually they can be handled but in a herd very little can stop them. They just keep coming. For me it’s a metaphor for death itself; we know it’s coming and can stay ahead of it through exercise and healthy lifestyle but it gets us in the end.
Copyright Owen Quinn Artist Stephen Mooney
TK: What would you say to the naysayers who claim that we have been over-saturated with zombies in recent years?
OQ: Bollocks. I could say the same about Star Trek and superhero movies but as long as writers come up with good stories no franchise should become stale.
TK: Will there be a Zombie Blues 3 at some point in the future?
OQ: I’ve already started lol To be honest when I wrote the first one I never thought I’d go for a second never mind a third because of the Time Warriors books. But I find working on both franchises at once allows me to jump between projects if I’m stuck on one.
TK: Moving on to your other literary works, you’ve also penned the popular Time Warriors series. Are there any more adventures for the team currently lined up?
OQ: There are and right now I’d need a clone to help me out to put them on the page. I will be releasing The Belbridge Mystery along with or shortly after Zombie Blues 2. Following that I will be releasing The Return and hopefully by 2121 I will have completed Vengeance which I’m really excited about. In between that will be Zombie Blues 3 somewhere.
TK: Of the Time Warriors stories that I’ve read so far I’ve always found them to be rather heartfelt, positive and hopeful, despite all the nasty monsters and aliens they encounter. Was this intentional when you first created the series? What were you trying to say when you wrote these books and what inspired them?
OQ: I was inspired by the fact Doctor Who didn’t want me as a writer lol But then again I was only a kid and it was Colin Baker’s era. I wrote an entire story with cover called Wail of the Banshee. I got a lovely letter from then producer John Nathan turner turning me down. I decided then to write my own series and so was born the Time Warriors. I just wrote stories of what I wanted to see on television and the movies.
But anyone can write a story with outer space monsters eating people in a small ton on Earth. But for me every story needs to have a connection to the reader. Time Warriors is sci fi with a heart. I deal with all sorts of subjects like bullying, unrequited love, loneliness and the death of loved ones but all wrapped up in a sci fi story. That’s what I want with all my stories is to speak to the individual and let them relate to the characters and stories.
Everything I have ever experienced inspires me. My parents inspired me in ways I never knew until they were gone. My mother, Josie, introduced me to this sci fi world through Doctor Who and Star Trek and I have never stopped loving it. In the years when I was being badly bullied I immersed myself in movies and television. Sci fi and horror is a part of me that will never die and I’m as passionate about it as my dad was about football. As a kid I was bullied as I said for years leaving some scars but I turned those scars into my characters and stories. The story ‘The Survivor’ in book 2 of the the Time Warriors: The Voalox Horror’ is a result of that. I truly hope that any kids being bullied read that and find the strength to rise above it and know there is hope. That sounds so corny but I totally mean it. I care about people and helping them; if that is done through a story then fantastic. My job is done.
I was writing my own stories all the time. I finished my French O-level in twenty minutes (it was a two hour test) and spent the rest drawing a story featuring the Doctor and the Daleks. (I got an A; just saying lol)
TK: At the recent Dublin World Con 2019, I was part of a panel discussing the fantasy/sci-fi/horror scene in Northern Ireland. As expected, that tired old chestnut of “How do we incorporate The Troubles into our work?” cropped up. I gave my usual answer to this question, in that generally I don’t and try to steer clear of it as much as I can, as it has been done to death anyway and my creative works are a form of escapism from The Troubles and lots of other things too. What’s your own take on all of this though, Owen?
OQ: While it is an important part of our history I think we need to break the stereotype. The fact you were asked this means people still see the North in those terms. We have come so far and I truly believe this generation will not allow us to go back to those times. Our culture is diverse and wonderful and we as a people should be proud of what we have around us. There is so much to see and for anyone that doubts that ask yourself why the world claims to Irish. I’ve made one of my lead characters a black girl born and raised in Belfast post Troubles. I did this on purpose to break the stereotypes just as Gene Roddenberry did with the Enterprise crew. If readers can see themselves reflected in your characters you have them engaged.
TK: Do you feel there is enough help and support out there for local “Norn Iron” writers like ourselves?
OQ: No, I was just discussing that today. It’s shocking and anyone out there is all money, money, money. It feels like everyone is splintered. We are the land of saints and scholars yet there is nothing for writers to platform their stuff except social media. They fund it themselves although I believe there may be grants available for certain things. There are groups etc which hold readings etc but no real unity that I’ve experienced.
I always said that if I made it then I would set something up to help writers here to get noticed. I sincerely hope I can make that happen some day.
TK: Creatively, what’s your plans for the future, Owen?
OQ: Keep healthy after my transplant for one lol Keep writing, enjoy every moment and try something new as often as possible. Live is for living and you’ll be surprised at just how much of that goes into your stories. As Mark twain once told Captain Picard, read my books, what I am is pretty much there! Captain Sisko once told his son Jake, a writer has to lift his head up once in a while or the world will pass you by (I’m paraphrasing). It’s true though, you have to find the balance between living life and writing, the legacy of you will be lost forever if one outweighs the other.
TK: Owen, I look forward to hearing more from you and about your works in the future. Thanks for the chat!
By Owen Quinn author of the Time Warriors and Zombie Blues
Sometimes you get so caught up in the plethora of science fiction/fantasy stuff out there that we don’t realize that certain actors have become such a part of our culture and psyche that we never notice until something ticks it off in your head.
We’ve already put Peter Cushing on that list and Christopher Lee, but doing a recent article on the forgotten series the Fantastic Journey, I realized I had missed someone off that list. He shares that certain something with the others mentioned that no matter when he is on screen, you sit up and take notice. You get a nice feeling, secure that you’re going to watch a master at work, no matter how crap the production; his very presence lights it up, appealing to both young and old alike. Think of it as the front door test; if you opened your door and found Roddy standing there, would you smile inanely and welcome him in like he was an old friend or look at him like he was trying to sell you something? Roddy is definitely the former.
Born in London, England in 1928, he moved to America with his family to escape the Blitz. He is one of the few to make the successful transition from child star to adult star status in Hollywood. You name them and Roddy worked with them. In later years he used his passion for photography to showcase the wonderful people he had shared his career with. With his baby-faced features and beautiful voice, Roddy could play anything; as a villain, his innocent looks could deceive you but as a good guy, he really was the one to have on your side.
As Jonathan Willaway in The Fantastic Journey, the role could so easily have become a clone of Doctor Smith from Lost in Space but Jonathan made his initial villainy into a more friendlier persona. He was a genius with good instincts as long as the script allowed him to be but Roddy kept Jonathan on the right side of believablility. It was that face, be it a slight roll of his eyes or groan from that impeccable English accent, but you knew what he was thinking. Even when he was a child and starred in John Ford’s Oscar winning movie How Green Was My Valley ( a movie that makes me cry to this day) and Lassie Come Home with Elizabeth Taylor, those expressive features spoke volumes and acted the rest of them off the screen. This, along with his distinctive voice, made him one of the biggest child stars of his time and he maintained his friendship with Elizabeth for the rest of his life. Although he is still the most successful child to adult actor of his time, he did have problems finding work as he entered adulthood, returning to New York and again having a successful run in theatre on Broadway where he won a Tony Award for Supporting Actor. That’s when he made the move back into television and movies opposite his friend Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in Cleopatra.
But his sci-fi genre credentials began when he appeared as the evil Bookworm in the Adam West Batman series which endeared a new generation of young fans. He would return to the Batman series in later years when he voiced in the Adventures of Batman and Robin along with other varied animation roles as the Mad Hatter. He added to his fanbase when a movie called Fright Night hit the theatres where he played Peter Vincent, the fearless vampire hunter who was anything but fearless. It remains to this day a cult classic and rightfully so. Other classics included The Martian Chronicles, The Poseidon Adventure, A Bug’s Life ( which was his final film role), Quantum leap (A Leap for Linda), the Twilight Zone, Wonder Woman, Fantasy Island, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century and many more.
But for us here at Time Warriors Roddy is the face of Planet of the Apes. His role of Cornelius would catapult him all around the world, gaining not only a massive new fanbase but a world of respect for working under such complex prosthetics. It was important to him that the audience see the emotion behind the monkey mask and he carefully worked out every aspect of Cornelius’ behaviour. Roddy was meticulous in his work ethic and it simply shines through in the Apes saga. He appeared in every one of the movies, in which he also played Cornelius’ son Caesar and continued the transition to the short-lived television series. He remained identified with the franchise right up to his death in 1998 something that delighted him no end. On YouTube you can look up his home movies with the ape masks which is a wonderful insight into the man and how much this meant to him. On the Carol Burnett Show he walked on stage in full Cornelius mask and scared the life out of Miss Burnett. He also recorded bookends to the television episodes as an aged Galen lending even more credence to the sadly short-lived series.
When an actor embraces a role to his or heart like that, then there’s something special about that person. It’s more than making money for them, it’s a chance to make a real contribution to not only the sci-fi genre but to the art of acting itself. If you can get an audience to fall in love with a man-sized chimpanzee then you are a master at your art. That is exactly what Roddy did. We still look at the original with absolute love and fondness and when remakes or retreads turn up, they get a more severe critic’s eye than most because the source material is held so dear. I can’t forget to mention that without Charlton Heston to bounce off in the movie, the Cornelius character may not have been so believable but McDowall and Heston remain one of the great unsung onscreen partnerships in cinema history.
In his last years he grew a reputation as a great photographer and published five books on the subject as well as his work. His portraits included Elizabeth Taylor, Judy Garland and Maureen O’Hara. But for fans all over the world he will always be part of the sci-fi community in a timeless legacy. And the minute he popped up as Sam’s hologram in Quantum Leap when changed history removed Al, part of me wished that history would not change back and Roddy would stay as the new sidekick. How great would that have been? Despite that, he will always be a part of our world because of all the wonderful stuff he did and even when the next Planet of the Apes movie comes out, his name will be the first one people think of. And if someone of my age is sitting there as the lights go down with a smile on my face, well, now you know the reason why; the man, the legend that was Roddy McDowall.
By Owen Quinn author of the Time Warriors and Zombie Blues
Cavan based writer Stephen Carey has released a scary horror survival novel in paperback and on Kindle entitled Pretty Much Invincible See Below is the synopsis and where to get your copies. Horror has a new dimension.
Copyright Stephen Carey
The darkness is winning
A mysterious force has wiped out most of humanity. The remaining population is desperately trying to survive. The darkness is winning.
Shane and Sally Rogers have lost everyone, all of their friends and family have been wiped out. Now Shane and his ten-year-old daughter, Sally, must wander the perilous wasteland in search of a new home. Their chances of survival are slim. Bandits, cannibals, and infected mad men. It is not a world for the weak. Just when all seems lost, Sally discovers that she is no ordinary kid. Something within the little girl activates and she suddenly gains superhuman abilities. Super speed, strength, and durability, just like the heroes she read about in comic books. She is no longer a scared, little mouse.
Fast. Strong. Pretty much invincible!
It is now up to Sally to protect her father in this brutal world. They must keep moving forward. They must find hope. As the most powerful person in the wasteland, Sally will have many difficult choices to make. Will she make the right ones?
By Owen Quinn Author of the Time Warriors and Zombie Blues
Sometimes a character comes along that cements itself in ways that you never expected and immortalises the actor to fans’ hearts forever. For the new Doctor Who it is the character of Dorium, the large blue skinned alien first seen in Matt Smith’s debut season when River Song double crossed him. He returned in a Good Man Goes to War and lost his head; literally. But that didn’t stop him from coming back again as a head in a box. Now he is the face and voice behind the first question, the question that must never be answered… Doctor Who? Here he is, the man himself, talking exclusively to the the Time Warriors, Simon Fisher Becker
Copyright BBC
TW: Hi Simon, thanks for doing this for us. Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
SFB: Fat, 50 and full of fun….
TW: You run Murderetc.com. Can you tell us about that?
SFB: It’s a themed events company which started out as ‘Just Desserts.’ It’s mainly murder mystery dinner parties but also Jazz Nights, Songs from the Shows and Opera Nights. Private events. Clients buy entertainment.
TW: You also co founded the Tilt Yard Theatre Company, what is the aim of that?
SFB: This was a company formed when doing a one man show ‘Hamlet – Tragedy of a Fat Man’ by Paddy Gormley. It was intended to do other projects but other acting opportunities have come along. Since Doctor Who there has been more interest in HTFM – so there may be another outing – watch this space…
TW: What first attracted you to acting?
SFB: I first ‘trod the boards’ at school playing Mr Bumble in a production of Oliver!, this is when I caught the bug. Originally I wanted to be a music and biology teacher but life had other ideas for me. I fell into the civil service. After a number of years political thinking of the day was to thin the Civil Service out. Nothing really changed eh? A financial inducement was offered – today we call it redundancy. I used this money to do a post graduate drama course.
TW: Is directing another passion for you?
SFB: Directing is a fascinating aspect and I’ve enjoyed it when I’ve taken the plunge but I would not call it a passion.
TW: How did the role of Dorium come about?
SFB: A casting, I was one of seven roly polly actors interviewed. I have to thank casting director Andy Pryor for calling me in and Steven Moffat for choosing me. It was a single scene with Alex Kingston.
On being cast as Dorium: I was one of seven roly polly actors interviewed…
TW: Did you know he would be coming back in such a big way?
SFB: No – as much as I hoped Dorium would come back I had no idea what was in store. I have found out since that the director of The Pandorica Opens, Toby Haynes recommended me to Steven Moffat; so very grateful Toby. The response from Fans has been huge too which I think helped with the decision to bring Dorium back. Thank you Fans.
TW: We know he is a wheeler-dealer and owes the Doctor a debt. Did you make up a background for him to fill in the gaps?
SFB: Yes, I have a back story in my mind but I have been advised not to reveal it in case it becomes closer to the truth!
TW: Did you get to see the Tardis set?
SFB: Yes, Matt Smith (delightful chap) asked me on the set to read lines for him. Being a Doctor Who fan, I was open mouthed like a ten-year-old most of the time. When I saw the Blue Box too, I suddenly became quite emotional and found myself holding out my hand to touch it.
Photo copyright Owen Quinn
TW: It seems a fun set with Matt, Karen and Arthur. Was it?
SFB: With Dorium appearing in three episodes and a prequel, I definitely feel part of the family now. The entire unit is a delight to work with. Long hours, at times quite tiring but above all an extremely friendly and enjoyable atmosphere.
TW:Was the broadcast version of A Good Man Goes to War as good as you thought it would be? For me, personally, I thought it was the most perfect piece of drama of the year, regardless of the science fiction trappings.
SFB: There was sooooo much going on in the episode. Not seeing the Doctor for 12 minutes or so – very brave. And of course the Revelation – I had no idea, because we had a false ending at the read through.
TW:Did you ever expect he would make a return after his decapitation?
SFB: My friends kept on saying ‘this is Doctor Who, you have no idea what’s going to happen to any character’. There is the question of ‘Dorium’s Debt’ of course. So I did think there may be a back story – I had no idea about what really came along.
TW:Dorium seems to have fore knowledge of what lies in wait for the Doctor. Can we expect to see him return?
SFB: The Fans would love Dorium to return and naturally I do too… but it’s Steven Moffat’s decision.
Will we see Dorium again: The Fans would love Dorium to return – naturally I do too… but it’s Steven Moffat’s decision.
TW: You’ve also done some Big Finish work. As an actor what are the main differences in the various mediums. Do audio plays make it a more focused performance for example?
SFB: Rather surprisingly, I find audio work much more exhausting. You need to get your voice to reveal everything. Communication normally is only 5% verbal, body language and facial expressions are more important. So you find when recording audio you’ve got to get ‘everything’ into your voice. If the recordings were filmed you will see actors physically gyrating around the mic to get the effects they want.
TW: What projects are you currently working on?
SFB: I have just finished filming a webseries – 3some produced by City Entertainment. Another Doctor Who Actor – Annette Badland (Margaret Blaine the Slitheen) – plays my wife. not sure when it will be available yet. In March I’m filming a pilot for BBC called Puppy Love, written by Jo Scanlon and Vikki Pepperdine, who wrote Getting On with Jo Brand. I am playing Jo Scanlon’s character’s husband. I am putting together a panel show called My Dalek Has a Puncture – designed initially for Conventions, it’s an autobiographical panel telling the story of how I became Dorium. It follows the same format as usual panels but has Songs and Monologues as well as screen presentations. I really hope to take it on tour.
TW:Where can our readers find out more about you and your various projects?
SFB: My website: www.fisherbecker.info is always the best way to keep up to date with me.
The guys at Invasion Belfast Blogspot got the chance to interview The Time Warriors author Owen Quinn about his books, autographs and other things. It was so good, we had to bring it to you all…
Q: What was your inspiration for the ‘Time Warriors’ novels?
A: The Time Warriors books began when I was sixteen and wrote a story for Doctor Who which then starred Colin Baker. It was titled Wail of the Banshee and I spent the whole summer writing it. Unfortunately I did it by hand which the production office returned with a nice letter saying they didn’t accept hand written scripts. So, being the arrogant 16-year-old I was, I said, ‘Screw you, I’m going to create my own heroes!’ So my starting point was who would protect the Earth if the Doctor had never existed?
I also took what I wanted to see on television and spun it all together into what was the beginnings of The Time Warriors. Time travel was a given as it opens up the canvas for stories, aliens on Earth, hidden agendas, monsters that speak eloquent evil and when i saw some of the crap that was being published and screened on TV I just thought I could do better than that. that may sound big-headed but believe me, it wasn’t. I also wondered why Irish people seemed so scarce in science fiction and why there were so few leading roles, so I set out to put the Irish back the global sci-fi map which led to the creation of Jacke, a black Irish girl, beautiful and tough with a secret. I don’t think there’s been a character like her before so that’s cool for me.
Q: Heroes and Legends Convention II is coming up next month, will you be attending as a guest again this year?
A: Not this time; I was due to launch the new Time Warriors book Venom at it but here has been a problem with the publishing and templates so it’s been stalled. It will be available by March which of course is too late.
Q: On a scale of 1-10, how big a Nerd/Geek would you say you are?
A: I actually hate the words Nerd and geek as when I was growing up they were terms that ensured bullying because it wasn’t normal to like this stuff ,whereas now every Tom, Dick and Harry is a science fiction fan. In my day, you were weird for liking Doctor Who but now you’re weird if you don’t. How times change! But if there was a scale for my love of science fiction then it’s a 20+.
Q: What was the first Sci-fi/Fantasy TV show or Movie you watched?
A: I would have to say Doctor Who as it is the one I have the clearest memory of. I heard the music and ran upstairs in terror and refused to come down until it was over. But we watched everything in our house from Blake’s 7, Star Trek and the Tomorrow People to Man from Atlantis.
Q: When did you know you wanted to be an author?
A: I suppose I have always written but in my teens I knew I wanted to write for Doctor Who and Star trek. But that’s a trap that many writers fall into; they want to write for a specific show. My lesson with Who gave me the kick to do my own thing, find your own style and create your own world. If it’s good enough then the rest will fall into place. It took me about fifteen years before I really took the bull by the horns and put it all out on paper.
Q: Are you an autograph hunter or do you just get the autographs when you have the chance?
A: A HUGE autograph hunter. I always have been. I write to everyone and if you get a reply fantastic, others I have met in person such as Nichelle Nichols from Star trek and Billy Dee Williams from The Empire Strikes Back.
Q: Who’s autograph would you like that you don’t already own?
A: William Hartnell, the first Doctor Who; I have all the other Doctors including Peter Cushing, the movie Doctor, and would love that one to complete the set.
Q: How many more Time Warriors novels will there be?
A: Good question, there will be six by the end of the year with work on the next four already underway. To be honest, the format is limitless. I hope to have a solid body of stuff, unlike Harry Potter or twilight which have defined endings. Mine doesn’t; literally anything can happen. There are twenty five stories published over the six volumes and there should be over 35 completed by the end of the year for publication next year. What slows me is that I do everything myself ; I have to edit, write, be my own critic; if I had a publishing house then the stories would be coming out faster as someone would be doing the editing for typos etc instead of me. Editing is such a time consuming task, you wouldn’t believe.
Q: How many conventions have you attended?
A: Too many to count. I travelled all over England and Ireland to attend conventions and have met some great people who have remained friends to this day. I have met stars that are no longer with us and have to say thank god for Heroes and Legends and Star Wars Invasion for bringing celebrities five minutes down the road rather than a long flight to England where there’s even more travel involved. And as long as I’m able I’ll be there when they happen. This year I may be making my debut across the border but it’s still to be confirmed. Having sat in my kitchen spinning the Time Warriors stories which no one knew about to being able to attend conventions because of them is pretty cool. But then sci-fi fans are cool.
By Owen Quinn author of the Time Warriors and Zombie Blues
Evidence (18) Directed by: Howie Askins Starring: Ryan McCoy, Brett Rosenberg and Abigail Richie Running time: 78 min
Ryan is making a documentary on his friend, Brett, about camping for the first time. However, once they begin camping, they discover that there is a mysterious figure that is hunting them.
Copyright Ryan McCoy
Having spent a bit of time in hospital recently, I think a camping trip to the woods would do me the world of good and recharge my batteries. After watching Evidence, you can forget that.
Yet another entry into the hand held camera genre, I initially saw this trailer and thought it was a take on the Bigfoot legend. Some of the shots intrigued me but the trailer does not prepare you for what is to come.
Ryan, (Ryan McCoy who wrote this in real life) decides to do a documentary about his friend Brett (Brett Rosenberg) and his first camping trip. Taking along Abi (Abigail Richie) and Ashley (Ashley Bracken), they hear strange noises in the woods and meet a spooky man who wanders into their camp then out again in the middle of the night. However, on a hike they catch something on camera, something that couldn’t possibly exist. Now it is hunting them. When Brett then Ryan disappear, the two girls are left to fend for themselves as something in the dark wants them dead.
All I can say is I had to watch this twice, it was so good. I love a story which starts off one way then suddenly goes off in another direction. And for once the hand held camera viewpoint is completely justified.
My biggest gripe with the Blair Witch was the tent scene when on hearing the children playing outside it and laughing, the heroes run for it through the forest. All that scene needed was the camera to pan and show at least a glimpse of what they were seeing and it would have been an instant classic.
SPOILER: Here in Evidence you get exactly that. Something huge and shaggy rushing screaming from the dark to smash their camper van makes you think Bigfoot but, left alone, the girls find something even more terrifying. There is barely a word spoken for a while as Abi and Ashley run for their lives and end up in a complex of some sort where the residents are like escapees from the Crazies, impregnated people lie on beds, creatures scuttle out of the dark and four legged shaggy monsters track their every move. There is no explanation for what they are in, only one scene where someone says ‘I can’t believe they went through with it.’ But exactly what it is is left for you to decide through a brilliant end credit sequence. SPOILER ENDS
Evidence is smart, scary (given nothing scares me, my scare-o-meter is really hard to get on to), I nearly fell off my chair twice, I had to rewind things to confirm I hadn’t imagined what I’d just seen and just sat there mouth opened at the end screaming words I’m not allowed to type. This is such a good movie which has alerted me to a very horrible fact. Alongside Grave Encounters, Evidence is the second low budget, cheap DVD that has somehow fallen by the wayside of mainstream audiences. That scares me. This is now in my collection as a must see. If The Woman in Black is what people prefer then cast Radcliffe in a remake of this just to get it out there. And how dare you Cabin in the Woods sit smugly as the movie that redefined the horror genre when all you were was the retread of the Initiative storyline from the climax of Buffy season four. The crown for redefining horror has to go to Evidence. Get a copy people now and tell your friends. And a message to Ryan McCoy, kick in a few more doors and get this noticed man; you are a bloody genius.
By Owen Quinn author of the Time Warriors and Zombie Blues
One thing I love is a What If? scenario. So Star Trek’s Mirror Universe is always and forever a firm favourite for me. Deep Space 9 did it best and Star Trek Discovery continues that tradition in absolute delicious style. Indeed Discovery has grabbed the concept by the throat and made it ripr than ever.
Terra firma parts one and two see Emperor Philippa Georgiou actress Michelle Yeoh who has not only crossed over from the other universe into ours but been transported 900 years into the future along with the rest of the crew. Yeou has delighted audiences with her fiery portrayal of a ruthless dictator whose only vulnerability is her love for ‘daughter’ Michael burnham played by the Walking Dead’s Sonequa Martin- Green. In the Mirror Universe Philippa lost her Michael. In our universe Michael caused her captain’s death when she disobeyed orders. In the battle with Control, Philippa teamed up with Section 31, the dark secret of the Federation to suit her own needs.
To save everyone the Discovery crew travelled 900 years into the future only to find a shattered Federation and an universe very different from what they assumed it would be. Philippa has been suffering convulsions and phasing. It turns out she is being ripped apart because she is out of time and space. Both universes have drifted apart and pulling hr with it. She will die unless they find a cure.
Travelling to a barren world with Michael in hopes of a cure they find a man in a bowler hat reading a newspaper beside a door; a door Philippa must walk through if she has any chance of surviving. To her surprise she finds herself back in the Mirror Universe where she grabs the chance to put right what went wrong. This time she is going to save Michael from death.
Terra Firma beautifully weaves not only Deep Space 9 and the JJ Abrams’ alternative Star Trek universe into the tale to great effect. Yeou gives the performance of a lifetime. Her experiences with the Discovery crew have changed her and this time she tries to set things right with not only Michael but Saru too. The scenes between the two are electric as she gives the Kelpien hope that his life as a slave and food is so much more. Treachery is the currency of the Mirror Universe and here it comes in abundance. The fight scenes are brillaint as Philippa tries to put right what once went wrong. But to say any more would be to spoil it for you. Th episode’s reveal of just who the man in the bowler hat is just blew me away and forever cemented this show as the Trek we all needed. As I said it weaves many Trek threads together and this one is fantastic and also adds to the overall story.
Just watch it and be ready for a what is probably the most satisfying two parter in trek history alongside the Picard showcase Chain of Command.
The Time Warriors and Beyond 
