👻 A Dream Recaptured

The rise of Geeks 'n' Ghouls | New Paperbacks Available

Greetings from Northumberland.

Ten years ago, almost to the day, I started Carsun’s Bazaar, which began as a stall on Alnwick market and quickly grew to serve customers on many markets including Berwick, Blyth, Newcastle Quayside, and Tynemouth. From very humble beginnings, the stall quickly grew and eventually even became a travelling comic shop. I’d always dreamed of running my own comic shop, and this was the next best thing - and a particular achievement, as the comic distributor only likes to work with brick and mortar stores, but they were impressed by what I managed to set up and take down every market day. The website grew in visibility, and comic orders trickled in, rising each month. Ultimately, I panicked during a spell of bad weather, and rather than literally weathering the storm, I moved the business to an indoor market. There was so little footfall there, that it sadly marked the beginning of the end. In 2019, the business wrapped up. The corners of my bedroom in the flat were stacked with unsold stock, and I spent years pining for the business, wishing I could go back, desperate to take what I had learned from my mistakes, and correct it all. But for a while, the dream was over.

In recent years, I applied some of the things I learned to my writing career. I have kept things small, tight, agile as they like to say these days. The entrepreneurial spirit never left me, nor did the love of the markets.

Some of you will recall that a little over a year ago, I wrecked my car. My body is still in reasonable condition, but there has been a definite toll. I am almost constantly in pain in at least some parts of my back and hips. My legs seem to turn to jelly for no reason. And for someone who rarely even took paracetamol in the past, I am now a walking pill-box. Add to this a midlife diagnoses of ADHD (I knew something was up all these years 😂), and challenges to my mental wellbeing so great that my work contract was cut short for ill-health capability, and you have a recipe for someone who is about ready for the scrap-heap as far as careers go.

But, since I have three kids whose stories I want to see unfold, I still have to try to be a productive member of this world. Self-employment has called once again. I went back to basics without any fear. I haven’t had a holiday abroad in about 16 years, so who cares if I don’t get on in the next 16? I don’t need to make a fortune, I just have to cover the overheads, and give things time to grow. So with the seat flipped down in my car, and boxes loaded up to high heaven, Carsun’s Bazaar is still dead, but its new, more gothic, equally geeky cousin has arrived. Geeks ‘n’ Ghouls is my new venture. With my books at its heart, I’ve brought back all my old stock (most of it has shot off the shelves already), and expanded my range, branching out into trending toys, and blending it with the geek merchandise that was the focus of Carsun’s Bazaar, but weaving through it all a real horror and gothic element.

I will, from time to time share with you some tales from that business, if I think they’re worthy of your attention, but for now, I want you to know that Jack Rollins Books, the mini site you go to when you click the Store tab here on my site, is now blended with Geeks ‘n’ Ghouls. In essence, think of GNG as the place to go for my signed books. The books will still ship internationally, but UK residents might take a peek at the other items in the online store and add them to the cart too.

The GNG range only has a couple of items on the webstore at the moment - I will add loads more on my good days, when I’m able to sit and focus on the task, but for now, the important part for you here, is that the retail editions - that is, the non-limited editions - of The Victorian Vampire Chronicles, are available to buy there. Signed, and ready to ship internationally, if you want to pick up your copies…

That’s it for now. Please wish my luck by reply/in the comments, as I’ll need all the luck I can get.

Sending best wishes and bad dreams,

Jack