It's September

September 02, 2023

It's September. Which means my August break from project work is over. Four projects will be occupying my evenings over the course of the next few weeks. The first is Cold Comfort, my 200,000-word zombie apocalypse novel. I want the final draft of Part One of the book completed this month. Expect to see the full book published sometime in early 2024. The second project will be Tidal Gower. I want to source as much of my photography for this guidebook by the end of September as possible. The third project is the horror novel I want to publish in 2025, which is set in a city office block. I have the title already sorted, and the main premise of the story is looking great. During the next four weeks, I want to put a little meat on the bones of the tale and take advice that there will be no legal or other repercussions for me, given the book's incendiary title and the nature of the novel. Finally, I have a couple of Guy N Smith books I want to read in the next few weeks. I need to start taking notes for my book on the addictive nature of collecting in general and, more specifically, the trials and tribulations of collecting GNS books, manuscripts etc. So, that's my September sorted...

Happy Reading

August 30, 2023 

I am really enjoying this book - probably one of GNS' best...

Guy N Smith - The Dark One

August 26, 2023

Time to start reading my 16th GNS book of the year. 

GNS Update

August 24, 2023

It's been a busy, and non too cheap, week here on the GNS front. First of all, I managed to grab these four fighters from a previous collector, which included that scarce and probably rarest GNS to find in today's market - Deadbeat.

The have now found their new home snuggled against other classics from "the great scribbler", including Guy's autobiography, which I was offered the day after I purchased above.

Unfortunately, the above titled isn't signed, so if anyone out there reading this has a signed copy they think might find a good home with me, please let me know.

Anyway, here's a pic of my GNS collection as it stands today. This includes all of his books, chapbooks, fanzines and actual hand-written manuscripts from the writer. For those interested in a more in-depth guide to my collection, please click here: https://www.pixie-led.co.uk/p/1.html

Coincidentally, I finished reading my 15th GNS book today. And so I pulled my 16th read from the shelves above:

 I sourced this book a few months back from an online USA thrift shop. And now it's time to open it's cover on this side of the Atlantic and delve into another of Guy's dark work of horror fiction...

I hope the journey's worth it, Fella!

August 22, 2023

Chilling with the Furry Girls

August 21. 2023

My Caldey Island Fuscia Clone

Sunday, August 20, 2023

I have been enjoying the free time my August break from writing has given me. This opportunity to chill a little outside of my day job has allowed me to enjoy our garden again and, more specifically, the plants that grow in it.

Take this fuscia, for example. I grew this bush from a tiny 4-leaf cutting I took from the mother plant on Caldey Island a good few years back. I remember pinching off those few leaves and dropping them inside mt empty bottle of diet coke to keep it humid until I got home as though it happened only yesterday. Yet look at it now, as big and sprawling and colourful as its mamma plant that still grows on the holy island off the coast of Tenby :)

 

Me and the Bad Bois

Monday, August 7, 2023

 I've decided to take a much needed break from writing through the month of August. Going to chill for a few weeks and get some of my garden and houseplants in some kind of order. 

My writing will pick up again in September, when I will start working on Tidal Gower in earnest and continue bashing my Zombie novel in shape...

Kew Gardens

Sunday, August 06, 2023

Heading home day, but not before a family visit to Kew Gardens:

Two particular highlights I simply had to share from the Gardens was the Pagoda and the giant lily pads:

The steps to the top of the pagoda were not a particular challenge, but I think the video of my descent (albeit sped up) just how the building is. Definitely worth the extra fiver they claw from your pocket to undertake the climb and the view of Kew and the distant London cityscape are outstanding.

I'll close this series of holiday posts with a short video of the popular giant lily pads. I hope you enjoy:

'Twas time for a teary farewell then as my daughter and her partner headed back to Norwich and the rest of us returned to rainy ole Swansea...

Under the Weather Hero

Saturday, August 5, 2023

The second day of our family get-together. Unfortunately, it was also the day I take my meds, and I felt more than rough for the full day. So, not too many pics today, but feeling quiet, I took a nice little audio snapshot of the family as we floated gently along the Thames. Whilst that's for the family album, here's the pics I took:

The Day I Met Meowth

Friday, August 4, 2023

Spent the morning doing a little writing before everyone else woke up, then took a chilled stroll along the Thames near our home for the weekend, in a most beautiful part of London, Mosely.

We all took a nice stroll through Bushy Park in the afternoon. The place was full of parakeets, squirrels, rabbits, trout and Red Deer. Heaven on Earth.

I kind of held my nerve for longer than I should have for the following video. Looking back, I kinda wish I had held it a while longer, but better safe than sorry.

I even got to tickle a trout!

 All in all, a great day outdoors :) I even bumped into this character!

Meowth's fur was softer than I had imagined

The Whispering Sky

Thursday, August 3, 2023 

Needing to get away for a few days to meet up with my daughter, we took a long weekend break in Mosely, London, where we rented an apartment for three nights. The weather forecast was gloomy but as we crossed the Severn Bridge to England, the sky whispered a promise for a brighter few days ahead. 

I visited my favourite Yew tree yesterday

 July 26, 2023

My day job is getting VERY stressful, and I can feel my anxiety issues starting to peak again. And so, even though I only have a couple of days of my annual leave remaining (until March 2024!), I needed to take a half day from the place to sort my head out. And so, accompanied by my good friend L8, we head down Gower for the afternoon, during which I visited my favourite Yew tree in the old graveyard in the tiny hamlet of Ilston.

Tidal Gower

July 22, 2023

Working on a new 'between novels' project - exploring some of the little-known delights that can be found along the Swansea and Gower Coast. Watch out for lots of images that I will be considering for inclusion in the series of zines...

Let me introduce you to Old Nick

July 20, 2023 

I was in too much of a good mood this morning to hang around the office for too long today. So, instead, I thought I'd catch up with my Swansea documentary project and have myself a nice walk around the city, including the old Swansea Museum. Whilst there, I bumped into Swansea's infamous 'Old Nick' statue. Now, this guy has a very interesting story to tell - one I may relay to you in the near future. For now, though, for those who have yet to meet him, let me introduce the devil who is said to have cursed the city's largest church and engulfed the building in flames!