Very Few Things Beat Reading In The Sunshine

With the first draft of my fifth book completed, I  am now taking a hard-earned break in the garden with this great Stephen King novel:

Very few things beat reading in the sunshine

Berserk! Draft One Complete :)

The first draft of my fifth novella, Berserk!, has now been completed. And I am quietly happy with its mad denouement :)

Berserk! Story-boarding Chapter 12

Berserk! Cover Design

With the end of the first draft of Berserk! in sight, I have started work on the cover design for the book:

My original photograph of one of my local woods

Work in progress on the book cover for Berserk!

Epsom Salts and Nag Champa

Having a nice long epsom salt bath in the hope that it eases my continuing back pain. Burning some nag champa incense to soothe my soul...

Berserk! 2 More Chapters Needed!

Well, it looks like I need another two chapters to finish off the first draft of Berserk. This news has surprised me!

Story-boarding Chapter 11

Summer Solstice Writing

I sat out in the garden this Summer Solstice afternoon to do a bit of writing. By a fluke of timing, the chapter of Berserk! I was working on was set on Summer Solstice and details a Summer Solstice ritual. I love coincidences like this :)

A Misumena vatia Spider

I will conclude today's celebration of Summer Solstice with these two pics featuring a Peacock Lily and something rather curious I found lucking within its petals:

A Flowering Acidanthera Peacock Orchid

Misumena vatia spiders are curious little creatures which actually change their colour to camouflage themselves. The spider hiding in my Peacock Orchid was as white as the driven snow but this species can take on the most spectacular colours in their bid to surprise their insect-prey. I am no real fan of bugs, arachnids and other such critters, but sometimes the creatures you find amongst the garden flowers you grow can be just as fascinating as the plants themselves.

A Misumena vatia Spider with it's Breakfast :o/

Bee Resting On Arum Lily

It is not just flowers that flouring during Summer. Insects do too. Here is a shot of a bee taking a little rest on an Arum Lily in my garden :)

Papaver somniferum

More Summer Solstice images, this time of Papaver somniferum: