First of all, the standard questions: Who are you, and what do you do?

My name is Chris Leeson, better known to posters on this board as Manga Shoggoth. My job title tends to vary, but last time I checked it was "Database Administrator".

I live in the South of England, which is like the South of France but colder and with less culture and French people. I am married, and have one child.

Your wife and child are?

Sharon (Beauty Therapist) and Cassandra (5-year-old agent of chaos).

The characters of Sh'ron and C'thandra have similar names, but beyond that are not connected with the above people. Well, not very much.

How did you get involved with the Parodyverse (since Yo asked)?

It was HH's fault. I had been an occasional lurker on the BZL and AMB boards, but happened to spend a week in Wales with (amongst others) HH, Infrequent Aardvark and Xander, late in 1999.

HH posted a message to the board explaining that he was on holiday, and made reference to me as "Manga Shoggoth". He then encouraged me to write a story for the board.

Half-way through the week, whilst looking for an Anime company (that had disbanded some years previously), I had the germ of an idea that lead to the first Manga Shoggoth story.

Since then I have written some nineteen stories concerning the Shoggoth.

Why "Manga Shoggoth"?

Again, blame HH.

The "Manga" part of it is because I collect Manga and Anime (Japanese comics and animations).

The Shoggoth part being one of my nicknames at University, referring to the creature from "The Mountains of Madness" by H.P. Lovecraft. I was not considered the sanest of students at University. What is worrying is that there were students who were much stranger.

It is obvious that you know HH and Xander. How long have you known them?

We all met at University in the mid 1980's. In particular we were members of a number of societies together, the main one (from the point of view of the PVMB) being a long-running D&D campaign.

Have you met Shep?

I don't think so. Some of the scenes in HH's attic can be a little blurry.

Have you done anything besides Parodyverse?

I have written three fanfictions based on various Manga/Anime series and one "story" for the Kamishibai Viewer (all available on the Web Site - see below).

I did a little animation for the Unicorn Jelly website (taking a set of images produced by the original author and doing a little animation). This can be seen here. Unicorn Jelly is a manga-style story by Jennifer Diane Reitz.

How do you write your stories?

I don't go out to write parodies. I aim to produce a serious (albeit humourous) piece of work. About the only story I have written as a conscious parody is "The Lair of the Manga Shoggoth", where I deliberately poked fun at Manga/Anime fanfiction styles.

Nearly all the Manga Shoggoth stories have been seeded by a single idea, thought or scene. People looking at the stories might like to amuse themselves by trying to work out what they were in each case - for the first story it was the exchange between CSFB and the Comic Shop owner about the Shoggoth and the Gold Card.

Once I have the basic scene, the rest of the story is built around it, like layers of grit on a pearl.

I have a tendency to use real settings:

• The comic shop in the first story is loosely based on "Comic Showcase" in London.


• The various settings in Soho are based on the Lower Compton Street/Brewer Street area - in particular Golden Square (The Perils of Flower Arranging) and a pub called "The Admiral Duncan" - one of the Gay haunts (Desperately Seeking Ebony).


• The Isle of Wight (what i did on mi holidays) - all the things and places really exist except the Cheerleading Team and the Temple to the Great Old Ones.

The stories are usually written whilst bored at work or when staying with HH but wanting to avoid what the rest of the group are doing.

Nineteen stories in six years doesn't seem much. Why don't you write more?

Two reasons:

Firstly, I don't really like writing all that much. Devising a story is interesting, but the actual putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) is usually quite dull. The exceptions have tended to be the stories that are added to existing storylines (Follies, the Caphans and Hellraisers Ascendent). The odd comments that HH and I make about "Bored at Work" are not jokes.

Secondly, I do not like writing unless I have something to write about. One of my pet hates is stories that have no content and don't go anywhere.

Pet hates?

I am also quite fanatical about good spelling and grammar (except - of course - where English is not the writer's native language). As a rule I dislike script format for stories, as I consider it a lazy way of writing.

That said, Dancer seldom fails to have me in stitches, and where would we be without Yo?

A lot of this is as a result of going through the English educational system before the Educational Psychologists got hold of it. When I was at school you were expected to produce at least one 500 word essay per week, and the "O" level exam required a number of comprehension problems and two such essays (you had 3 hours to do the lot).

Whose work do you read regularly on the board?

Anything by HH, Shrike, Hatman, Dancer and Visionary; Raiders and Night Force by Jason; Anything else tends to be read on its merits at the time.

What about interests off the board?

I collect Manga and Anime - mostly the humourous ones as life is serious enough. I used to collect American comics, but most of my collection went in the general direction of either HH or my nephew.

I have a large sci-fi/fantasy collection, but have a particular interest in J.K. Rowling and Terry Pratchett. I do most of my reading on the train going to and from work.

I am a keen player of computer games (currently Diablo 2).

I occasionally play Talisman (a slightly simplified version) with Cassandra. She is getting quite good at it.

I don't watch much television.

What would be your "Top Tips" for new writers?

• Pay attention to Spelling, Grammar and Content. Skimping on any one can ruin a story.


• Solicit feedback rather than praise. Do not be upset when people point out faults, instead use them as pointers for improvement.


• Develop your own style.