The digital home of author, artist & photographer Chris Elphick | All content, unless otherwise stated, is copyrighted © Chris Elphick

Thursday, 4 July 2019

Cwm Ivy

This is one of Gower's quietest spots - Cwm Ivy. Here, a man out walking the marshland fringe, happened upon a group of dancing Verry Volk beneath the large outcrop of limestone rock. The Fae were none too pleased when the man, enchanted by their sweet music, joined them in their merriment... 


Sunday, 30 June 2019

Verry Volk Sunset

Over the next few posts, I thought I would share a few of the images that I will be using to illustrate my next book - The Verry Volk. This is a guidebook that features the faery folklore of the locales I inhabited and explored as a child. The main text is already written and is currently being typed up, although I do have to write an introduction to the work, which I have yet to start :( 

First up, here is a photograph of the sun setting behind the dunes on one of my favourite beaches - Broughton:


I did toy with the idea of having this photograph as the cover image for the book, but I am still quite fond of the last design I made for the guide. I am definitely going to use it as a promotional image for book though:

Promo for The Verry Volk
The image will appear on the rear cover of the The Verry Volk, however. Here is how it is looking this evening:

Rear cover design for The Verry Volk


https://land2.leeds.ac.uk/people/lawrence/

Saturday, 29 June 2019

Cracking On With The Verry Volk


A Green Man Door Knocker For My Writing Shed

My daughter spotted this fantastic Green Man door knocker in a shop closing down sale in Norwich. It now guards my writing shed door here in Wales :)

Friday, 28 June 2019

What Wild Worlds Are Created Behind This Door?

What wild worlds are created behind this door?



Click here to discover.

Hay Fever!

I would formally like to thank Piriton for allowing me to sit out in the garden to do a bit of reading this morning :)


Introducing The Cover Design of The Verry Volk

Here it is, the cover design for The Verry Volk. The writing for this short guide is now complete, but I am still working on the photographic content of the book. I am hoping it will be published and available for purchase sometime this autumn...


Thursday, 27 June 2019

Out In The Garden

With the first draft of Berserk! put to bed, I am taking a few days break from that title to concentrate on a smaller project I need to catch up on - a brief guide to my local faery lore:



Wednesday, 26 June 2019

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 :)

Tuesday, 25 June 2019

Sunday, 23 June 2019

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...

Saturday, 22 June 2019

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