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

Monday, 16 December 2024

A Purfick Crimbo Pressie

 If you haven't bought my last horror novel yet, now is the perfect time:


Click Image to purchase

See You Soon First Born

My baby girl went back to Norwich today. Its like having a piece of soul taken every time I say goodbye to her. But at the same time I am overjoyed she has made a great new life for herself and is very happy. It's not easy being a father.

Sunday, 15 December 2024

Christmas Reading and the Christmas Cat

Thought I'd keep my recent Christmas reading ritual of reading one of these illustrated Ghost Stories - this year's tale being The Captain of the Polestar by Arthur Conan Doyle. (I am loving my new Christmas mug too.)



And whilst she hasn't got any competition this year, fudjcat still seems determined to look good for her role as this year's Christmas Cat.

Saturday, 14 December 2024

A Family Night Out

Spent a lovely Saturday out with the family as my daughter was down from Norwich with her bf. Started off with a stroll around Mumbles, making the most of the mild evening.







Went for a high-class drink then at the Gin & Juice, where we tried their delicious Die Hard cocktail.



After that, we all headed down to Swansea Arena, where we watched the very funny Jimmy Carr.



I thought I'd close this post with some pics of the inside of Swansea's most controversial bridge, which connects the arena with the town centre, as it was my daughter's first time seeing it. I'm a big fan of the interior of the bridge but wish the exterior was painted more of a copper colour.




We got home around 1ish in the morning had ate our around the table at 1.30am lol. Loved the company and the evening.

GNS Receipt

One of Guy's old receipts. Kindly donated to me by Craig Kinsey. Thank you kindly, sir.


Friday, 13 December 2024

Tidying for Amber

Up at six to get the house sorted and put the decorations up ready for Amber coming home for the weekend.




Thursday, 12 December 2024

Christmas at the Office

Christmas lunch and Yulefest day at the office.



 Mood dipping as I am desperate for a break from work.

Looking Back on 2024 - Part 1




And so this is Christmas 2024. And what a year it has been! I lost my beloved Soosh in a house fire back in March - an event I still do not think I have processed properly. I also lost most of the book collection I have built up since childhood plus a lot or nostalgic keepsakes, some which has been with me for over half a century. Uninsured, we had to cancel our planned Brusells, Glastonbury and Japan trips to get us at least back on our feet again. It has been a long process and even now the repercussions of the traumatic event have yet to be fully ironed out. Looking back on the first few months of 2024, the only good thing to manifest itself for me for that period of time was my hospital consultant finally put me on my new meds, which I need to be injected with every two weeks. This was a real game-changer for my health, and though it took 4 long years to prescribe me the injections, I am truly grateful to the NHS for allowing me access to this very expensive but miraculous medication. Today, at 58-and-a-half-years old, I have never been so healthy. And on that upbeat note, I think I will close this first part of my lookback on the year that was, and for a couple of weeks still is, 2024…

Sunday, 8 December 2024

Old Toys

Been washing some of my daughter's old toys, ready go go back in the attic after the fire earlier in the year.

Thursday, 5 December 2024

Back to the Gym


Gym after work today to clear my mind...

Sunday, 1 December 2024

Recovers Completed

It has been a bit of a whirlwind of a week. I have even completed the 9 new book covers for my novels. All are now available from Amazon with their new colourful designs. My last novel, Familar will be realeased in early 2025.





 

Christmas Starts

A good start to Chrismas with a pantomime in Llanrhidian to see my brother's singing and acting skills and now a morning TV sesh.


Saturday, 30 November 2024

Volunteering

My first day volunteering at the local Animal Centre

Friday, 29 November 2024

Crawley New Cover

 I am really going to town on the redesigns of my back catalogue of Novels. Here is the new cover for my first book, Crawley:

Vampires from Hell New Cover

My redesigned cover for my 2023 novel, Vampires from Hell: