15th August 2010
Behold the most terrifying thing you're likely to come across on this site! Since I setup this site eight years ago 800,000 people have taken the time to visit. Tragically one in four of us will be diagnosed with cancer in our livetimes meaning that our of the 800,000 visitors, 200,000 of them will have to battle cancer during their lives.
Yeah I know this is a bit heavy for me, and absolutely nothing to do with the paranormal, but I'm determined to shatter the £400 target I've set on www.justgiving.com/robkirkup and I can only do it with your help. Please take the time to donate anything you can afflord, every single penny goes directly to Cancer Research UK. You can make a difference.
On a lighter note we're well underway with organisation of the York ghost hunt marathon, the contracts for the eventual book are signed, the team is finalised and the first three locations are confirmed. The first investigations will be on the weekend of the 16/17 October. It's going to be brilliant!
______________________________________
13th August 2010
Hi all, a couple of bits of exciting news - firstly you can expect the first of many new investigations to appear on the site over the next month or so. Secondly I've signed a new contract with Amberley Publishing to release two books, these will be my fifth and sixth books in total, over the next few years. They will be based on two of the most haunted cities in Europe - York and Edinburgh, and I cannot wait!!
Find out more now on the book page.
In the York book the boys will investigate ten of the most haunted locations in York - and we're doing it for charity! Cancer is something that affects most of our lives in one tragic way or another, so we want to do our bit and need your help. Please, please go to www.justgiving.com/robkirkup and donate whatever you can.
______________________________________
17th May 2010
Andrew Harrison who presents 'the Book Show' on Radio Teesdale rang me today to discuss Ghostly County Durham for a prerecorded interview to go out on his show over the next couple of days.
______________________________________
7th May 2010
Exciting news! For anyone who enjoys reading my investigation reports and wants to read many many more, maybe even from one....or two....of the UK's most haunted cities, keep checking back for more information. That might sound a little cryptic but I'll tell you more soon, and it's definitely going to be worth the wait.
______________________________________
3rd May 2010
I've made a start on the fourth book, Ghostly Cumbria, although my chapter list needs a bit of 'whittling' down from the 34 chapters I currently have on my shortlist.
If anyone reading this has had an experience or taken a ghostly photo in Cumbria then please email me and I may include it in the book.
I've been speaking to some of the old ghost hunting gang - Tom, Rich, Andy, John, Kenco, Dan, Harry, and Bri, and I expect some brand new investigations - the first investigations for 2 years, and some new write ups on the website very soon. Keep checking back for news.
______________________________________
2nd May 2010
I have written a six page article for this months Paranormal Magazine (May issue number 48) and it's on sale now at www.paranormalmagazine.co.uk or at most good newsagents nationwide. The article is entitled 'Dark Doings in County Durham' and is a seperate piece to the content in the Ghostly County Durham book, and is a good introductions to some of the locations that do feature in the book.
______________________________________
20th March 2010
I was recently interviewed by the Durham Times for their newspaper and here is a copy of the interview on their website: http://www.durhamtimes.co.uk/leisure/features/8091039.Enough_to_send_a_chill_down_your_spine/
______________________________________
11th March 2010
A busy day today, I was at Sun FM this morning to be interviewed in the studio. Then I headed to BBC Radio Newcastle to be interviewed live on the Jonathan Miles show, it's been a brilliant experience and my thanks go out to both radio stations.
The BBC website piece I was interviewed for on the 1st March is online now: http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/wear/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8536000/8536853.stm
______________________________________
2nd March 2010
I spent some time this morning talking to Lisa McCormick of Radio Tees on the telephone about Ghostly County Durham, and during her show this afternoon she played it out in segments. Good times.
______________________________________
1st March 2010
I carried out an interview today for the BBC for their website, and tommorow I will be interviewed by Lisa McCormick for her afternoon show on BBC Radio Tees.
______________________________________
18th February 2010
My third book Ghostly County Durham is on sale now!! Darren W. Ritson was kind enough to write a brilliant foreword for me. Buy it from Amazon now!
______________________________________
3rd February 2010
An interesting review was recently added to Amazon.co.uk for Ghostly Northumberland, the reviewer gave the book 1 star out of 5 and wrote the following:
This review is from: Ghostly Northumberland (Paperback)
I live in the county of Northumberland and having visited all of the places mentioned in the book thought it worth looking at. However I made the mistake of letting my 11 year old niece read it first and I'm sorry I did. Some of the descriptions are extremely lurid and sadistic ( see the chapter on Chillingham Castle for example) and quite obviously the author has let the darker side of his imagination come to the fore, particularly when describing ( when there is no real evidence of the facts) the horrors of torture, and death by some of the people real or not, in the book. ( and for some may think I've led too sheltered a life, as a former operational policeman, I assure you, I've not)
There are many ghost books of various counties in the UK which are fascinating to read, and worth buying for example,Ghosts: Spooky Stories and Eerie Encounters from the National Trust but this is not one of them.I suggest the author reconsider his vocation and perhaps take up writing 'pulp fiction, or Gothic horror, for young dysfunctional men,(whom I'm sure Mr Kirkup can readily identity with) in their teens who relish depictions of cruelty, torture, sexual sadism and gore.
Not one for the faint hearted- and certainly not for young children.
I don't want to spend too much time responding to this review, except to say that the publisher would never have published the book if it was overly graphic in any descriptions of torture or sexual sadism (there is no sexual sadism within the text). The book is about horrible histories and ghosts, it's not 'Spot the Dog Goes to the Beach', so obviously some younger children may find the text a bit scary, as it's intended to be scary.
I do feel the above review does get a bit personal towards me (the bit about me being able to identify with young dysfunctional men) and I could respond in a similar manner but I'm not going to stoop to that level. I'd like to think that the vast majority of people who've bought and read the book have enjoyed it and if you have it would be much appreciated if you could take the time to review the book on Amazon as well.
______________________________________
30th November 2009
Ghostly County Durham is finished and has been sent to the publishers. I've had some brilliant trips out with Andy, John and Kenco recently to take some of the photos you'll see on the pages once it's been released. Back in September we went to the Manor House Hotel, which is a stunning building, but an ususual foul smell seemed to follow us as we made our way around the hotel.
______________________________________
31st October 2009
It's Halloween!!! I spend this evening in Durham city centre with John and Andy, and we took part in a brilliant ghost walk ran by David Butler, who has been kind enough to contribute a ghost story to my Durham Castle chapter of Ghostly County Durham.
______________________________________
15th August 2009
I was at Waterstones today for a book signing of Ghostly Tyne and Wear, it was a great couple of hours and Darren Ritson (author of Haunted Newcastle) and I signed a fair few books during the time.
______________________________________
14th August 2009
Tonight there was an article in the Evening Chronicle about a book signing I will be attending at Waterstones in Newcastle with fellow ghost hunter and author Darren W. Ritson, who will be signing copies of his book Haunted Newcastle.
The South Shields Gazette article was recently in the newspaper, along with articles in the Sunderland Echo, the Washington Star, and the Journal amongst others. Here are links to some online articles about my second book, Ghostly Tyne and Wear:
http://www.entrepreneur.com/tradejournals/article/205863002.html
http://xmotu.blogspot.com/2009/08/rob-kirkup-explains-unexplainable.html
______________________________________
6th June 2009
I spent an enjoyable afternoon at Arbeia Roman Fort, South Shields, in the company of Johnny Wilson, a reporter from the South Shields Gazette. I expect the finished article to be in the newspaper soon, it is going to be a double page spread.
______________________________________
1st May 2009
Ghostly Tyne and Wear is on sale now!! It should be in all of the major book stores soon and can be bought from all good online retailers as I write this, buy it from Amazon.co.uk now.. Find out more about my second book on 'The Book' section of the site.
______________________________________
1st December 2008
I'm pleased to say Ghostly Tyne and Wear is complete, Richard Jones, a legend in this field, has wrote a briliant foreword for me and my thanks go out to him for that. I'm really pleased with the book and I expect it to be on sale in April/May of next year. You can pre order it from Amazon now.
______________________________________
24th September 2008
One of my favourite magazines, The Paranormal Magazine, have reviewed my book and gave it a decent write up which I was pleased about. http://www.paranormalmagazine.co.uk/2008/09/23/ghostly-northumberland/. I'm also pleased to say the first print run of Ghostly Northumberland has completely sold out within 7 weeks leading to a second print run.
______________________________________
21st August 2008
I was at Bamburgh Castle today for a book signing for Ghostly Northumberland, it was a great day and my thanks to all the staff for making me feel welcome. Thanks go to all the visitors who bought my book as well and for their kind words of encouragement. If you missed the signing then get on Amazon now and buy a copy.
The Grey Ladies paranormal investigators who kindly agreed to contribute to the book have posted a piece about it on their news page - http://www.thegreyladies.co.uk/medianews.htm
Jason Karl, the well known TV investigator who kindly wrote the foreword for Ghostly Northumberland has also posted a piece on his website about the book - http://www.jasondexterkarl.com/news_more.asp?news_id=9¤t_id=1
______________________________________
13th August 2008
Times have been hectic recently but Ghostly Northumberland is OUT NOW!!! Some book signing days are currently being arranged, keep checking back for updates. I'm working around the clock on Ghostly Tyne and Wear and so far, so good.
I get a lot of emails from people keen to know when I will be carrying out more investigations. Keep checking back for updates soon.
______________________________________
2nd July 2008
Hi, this is the first update for a couple of months as I've been working around the clock on finishing the first book, starting the second book, selling my flat, working etc, etc......but you don't need to know about all of that. Exciting news! the 'definite' date of release of Ghostly Northumberland from my last blog wasn't very definite, it's actually the 14th July, less than two weeks away!! What are you waiting for, get onto Amazon and get it ordered!!
I am also organising a few investigations for the summer months, so keep checking back regularly.
______________________________________
8th May 2008
This is the first entry in a couple of months, and a lot has happened since my last entry. Ghostly Northumberland, my first book, has a definite release date (24th July) and can now be pre-ordered on Amazon.co.uk at a reduced price.
My proposal for a third book, Ghostly County Durham, has been approved and contracts are being signed within the next few days, work will commence on that upon completion of Ghostly Tyne and Wear, and the Durham book should be on sale in mid 2011.
I'm currently organising a few investigations for over the summer months so keep checking back for updates.
______________________________________
4 March 2008
Pretty productive day in the world of Ghosts of the North East. The contracts for 'Ghostly Tyne and Wear' (AKA Book II) arrived so that's all confirmed which is great.
Went out with my pal, John Crozier, to visit a few places in Tyne and Wear thatI intend to write about in the second book and took some great photos.
First investigation of 2008 should take place later this week, with some familiar faces joining the team once more - exciting times ahead!!
_______________________________________
3 March 2008
We're back!!
It's been a while since I updated the site, and last summer I promised there would be plenty of new ghost hunts in the coming months. However, not long after that I sent off some samples of my writing to some publishers, purely on the off chance of being able to write a book about paranormal goings on in the region. Sutton Publishing contacted me and said that they liked my writing and asked for a bit more of an idea as to what I wanted to do and a potential chapter list - I waited and they came back and told me that my proposal had been considered at an acquistion meeting and they'd like to offer me a contract to write a book about haunted Northumberland. Understandly I was over the moon, and I said that I would have completed the book by the end of January 2008, giving myself six months to write all the text and take all of the photos to be used in 'Ghostly Northumberland'. Buy Ghostly Northumberland from Amazon.co.uk NOW!!
That is why everything has been a bit quiet on the website front, sorry about that. The book is now complete, and is due to be released around July, so I've got plenty of time now to get back to what we do best - Investigating! I've been in touch with the gang and they are all well up for it so expect some new investigations in the coming weeks and months.
I also hope you like the new look of the website, no drastic changes, but I've got rid of the frames that didn't work in Firefox, and the photos in the investigation pages are bigger than they used to be.
