About Me

Hello, I am Nell Corrigan. That is a pen name, and I use it because I would rather you got to know the writing than my postcode. I look after Black Winter Day: I choose the subjects, edit every piece before it goes up and answer the emails that arrive at the desk.

I started the magazine because my own evenings kept circling the same pleasures. A film I had been meaning to see for months. A record playing while dinner cooked. A board game that came out after the plates were cleared. A few pots of basil on the windowsill that somehow survived another winter. None of those things are grand, but they are what make an ordinary week feel good, and I wanted a place to write about them with care.

What I write about

Most of what you will find here falls into a few warm corners of life:

• Films and television - indie cinema, how people watch now, and how to make a living room feel like a proper screening room. A good starting point is our guide on setting up a home theater.
• Music and dance - building playlists, picking up an instrument and moving to music at home without feeling silly.
• Games - from cross-play servers to the kind of game night that turns into a monthly tradition.
• Home and garden - small projects, outdoor spaces, growing food and the practical jobs that keep a home pleasant.
• Parties and gatherings - children's birthdays, relaxed get-togethers and the details that make guests feel welcome.

Who helps me

I do not do this alone. A handful of contributors write for the magazine under their own pen names. Ravi covers screens, sound and streaming and has strong views about motion smoothing. Ilse writes about soil, seeds and anything that grows, mostly from a small back garden and a crowded kitchen sill. Marlo handles music, dance and games, and is usually the one arguing that a playlist needs one more song.

None of us claims professional credentials. We are enthusiasts who read carefully, try things in our own homes and say so when something is beyond what a hobbyist should tackle. You can read more about how the team works on Behind the Curtain.

What I promise you

I keep a few rules close. I do not invent figures or quote studies I have not seen. I do not pretend a product is perfect. When a topic touches health, money or safety, I keep the advice general and suggest asking someone qualified. And when a reader points out a mistake, I fix it and thank them.

Some older articles on the site came from earlier years of the magazine. I have been reading through them, refreshing what needs refreshing, and leaving the rest as a record of where we started.

Say hello

If something here helped, made you laugh or missed the mark, I would honestly like to hear about it. The Talk to Us page explains the easiest way to reach me, and the Quick Answers page covers the questions people ask most often.

Thanks for reading. Put the kettle on, choose something good to watch, and make yourself at home.

Nell