Pixie-Led. Chapter 16. Draft 2. Complete.

Pixie-Led. Chapter 15. Draft 2. Complete.

Completing the second draft of chapter 15.

3/4 of the way through the second draft of Pixie-Led now. Nearly 5 weeks ahead of schedule :)

Pixie-Led. Chapter 12. Draft 2. Complete.

Chapter 10. Draft 2.

It is not easy typing up the second draft of Chapter 10 with this one right in my face:

Chapter 9. Draft 2.

Chapter 8. Draft 2. Complete. :)

I have had to write at every spare opportunity these past few days to catch up with my tight writing schedule.  

I am delighted to say that I have now caught up again. Chapter 8, draft 2, is now complete :)

Pixie-Led. Chapter 7. Draft 2. Complete :)

Putting draft 2 of Chapter 6 to bed

Pixie-Led ~ New Cover Design

This is the final design I have worked up for my 4th novel, Pixie-Led. Given that the title of the book might invoke whimsical notions of elves and fairies and the like, I thought it best to dispel such impressions immediately by having a dark Satanic symbol taking a bold centre-stage position on the cover. 

I still do not want to unveil too much information about the content of the book quite yet. But I can mention that the story concerns a coven of witches. Needing to escape police investigation into their brutal ritual killings, they take refuge within the secret worlds hidden within the mirrors of an old countryside cottage.

I hope to get the book published sometime in May 2019, so not too long to wait now...

Pixie-Led Cover Design

A quarter way through the 2nd draft of my 4th novel, it is time to start thinking of designing a cover for the book. 

Although I still love my first cover design for the book, that image was made before I had fully fledged out the story line of the novel. Since then, the plot of the book shifted and took numerous new turns. Unfortunately, that older design no longer represents the contents of the book and so a new design is needed...

Season's Greeting ~ Banksy

I took a late night drive out to see the latest Banksy artwork that has appeared a hop, skip and jump away from me this week. Despite the dark and the torrential rain I wanted to take a look at it before the perspex security screening was installed over it to protect the artwork from vandalism.

Driving out to see the new Banksy

I was not the the only one that the heavy rain and fog and the lateness of the hour had failed to deter from visiting the new attraction and quite a crowd were still gathered around the graffiti when I arrived.  

The new Banksy graffiti with a tower from the
local steelworks visible behind the shed. The fog lit up by streetlamps
make it look like a daylight sky

Unable to use flash because of the rain, I was pleased the see the artwork illuminated by the headlamps of the cars that were gathered around the site.

There was an ugly but understandably necessary metal security screen around the stencil painting, the shadows of which you can make out in some of the pictures I managed to take. But I managed to slip my phone camera between the bars to get some okay images of the piece.

There was a jovial and excited atmosphere amongst the visitors gathered around the shed. And it was great to see that art can still illicit such interest and enthusiasm amongst people in these troubled times.

Shadowy visitors at the new Banksy graffiti in Port Talbot.

Banksy has already authenticated the work has his own and you can see a video he made of the piece here. Season's greetings.

Christmas Goody Box

Our Crimbo Goody Box, waiting to be filled with chocolate and crisps and other deliciousness...

Pixie-Led. Chapter 5. Draft 2.

Reindeer Decorations

Santa gnome with bowl of Lophophora caesipose cacti

More Fly agaric Christmas decorations...

Still putting the Christmas decorations up...

Santa Gnome!

Krampus Night

It is Krampus Night and my collection of Krampus figures have broken free from their boxes to celebrate the season

On the second day of Christmas...

On the second day of Christmas more magickal winter mushrooms appear in our home :)

'Tis the season...

'Tis the season to slowly transform our home into a winter wonderland, festooning it with magickal Fly agaric mushrooms. First up is this little beauty...

Black Grape

I saw a great Black Grape gig a few nights ago. Nice to see the band and Sean Ryder publishing my photo of the band I took that night. Full credit too. Thank you guys :)

Pixie-Led: Chapter 2. Draft 2.

Draft 2 of Pixie-Led begins...

First draft of Pixie-Led now complete :)

Chapter 19

Chapter 18 continues

My Photography Inspirations

My small Photography book collection, alongside my old C330 medium format camera from my college years (now over a quarter of a century ago!):

Early Morning Writing Sesh

Up early whilst holidaying in Pembrokeshire to finish the first draught of Chapter 17 :)

A little extra bonus to getting up so early this morning was getting this moody view of Caldey Island from the bedroom window!

Dawn breaking over Caldey Island

Dark Revisions

Making a quick revision of the opening few chapters of my novel to take into account the darker storyline the book seems determined to follow...

Carreg Cennan Castle

Cloud in Rainy Seat

Pixie-Led: Closing Chapter 15

Despite a little light discouragement from this little furry girl, my morning and afternoon writing session has finally got me past the tricky section I have been struggling with on this novel for the past couple of weeks. I am happy to report that the first draft of Chapter 15 of Pixie-Led is finally complete. Phew (wipes sweat from brow).

Seaglass Search at Ogmore

Making the most of the unseasonably good weather, I took an unplanned long stroll along the beach at Ogmore-By-Sea today.

The tide was already heading in by the time I reached the beach, so I did not get the chance to explore the rockpools the place is renowned for, but the weather was pleasant enough to just sit on the rocks and chill. Though the tide was coming in at quite an incredible speed and nearly caught me out a few times:

Despite the incoming tide, there was, luckily, still enough sand to partake of one of my favourite hobbies - searching for seaglass. I use the word luckily here for a particular a particular reason as, although there was not much seaglass on the beach, what few pieces I did manage to find were beauties.

Seaglass - Ogmore-By-Sea

One piece I found, in particular, made my day - a complete and perfectly smoothed glass bottle stop. Over the years, I have literally collected many hundreds of pieces of seaglass from innumerable beaches the length and breadth of the UK, but this piece is, beyond doubt, my best find to date:

A perfect bottle stop piece of seaglass

As well as seaglass, I also found lots of hag stones, such as this piece below:

I enjoyed the beach so much that I decided to stay and watch the sun go down.

It was a perfect sunset too, a brilliant end to a lovely sunny day :)