Monday, December 31, 2012

Happy New Year!

Happy new year, everyone!
I hope that 2012 is ending on a high note for you and here's to a fantastic 2013.

2013 should be an interesting year for me now that I'm really giving the writing a go.
I'm hoping that in this instance "interesting" translates as "at least moderately successful!"

Now that Christmas is over, I'm getting back into the saddle and working on the sequel to Crystal Eyes.  Give it another couple of months and I should have the story pretty much done and ready for the critical eye of others.

Until then, I leave you with best wishes for a fun new year's eve from me and my main character.


Edit: And now with a half-arsed attempt at shading!


See you all in 2013!

Thursday, December 27, 2012

And that's a wrap...

Christmas is over for another year!
My dad's gone home, the dog's getting fewer treats, life has returned to normal.
I call it a successful Christmas, mainly cos I didn't give anyone food poisoning - the turkey dinner I cooked actually turned out quite well!  We even made beer bread, which was nice but had the consistency of a breeze block.
Time to get back to the writing.  Well, maybe in a day or two - there's a Steam sale on and I may have bought some games!
Final thing, I wanted to share a present I got from my awesome friend, Kaz.  It's a picture, done by her mum, Jan, of a Steve McCurry photo called Afghan Girl - this is one of my favourite photos ever and was one of the inspirations behind the character of Crystal Eyes in my first novel.  Those eyes, man.
Anyway, here's the picture, which I shall soon have framed and gracing my wall!


Anyway, I hope you all had a magnificent Christmas, and go on to have a stellar New Year!

Allen

Monday, December 24, 2012

So. Christmas

Yep, it's here.  I can deny it no longer.  It's Christmas, and any minute now I shall leap into action to start preparing for tomorrow's Christmas dinner.  Any minute...
Honestly, not a person who's hugely into the whole Christmas thing.  All things considered I could get by quite happily without it.
Merry bloody Christmas

In my defence, I'm not quite as Grinch-like as that photo suggests.  Not quite...
But enough of this misanthropy, bring on the good cheer and the overeating (and subsequent regret)!
I hope you all have a very merry Christmas, that the food is perfect (and, if like me you're the one slaving away in the kitchen, that it's not too stressful), and that tomorrow brings you many wonderful gifts!
And if one of those gifts happens to be an eReader of some kind, say a Kindle, Kobo or similar, well...I've got an idea about a sci-fi novel by the name of Crystal Eyes that you could buy.  
Just sayin'!

Thursday, December 20, 2012

A Merry Crystal Christmas

Overall, this has not been a terribly productive day.  Meant to do more work on the sequel to Crystal Eyes, ended up accomplishing almost nothing - apart from making a Christmas card from Crystal!
Yes, this is how I spent a good chunk of my day, faffing about with an art program called ArtRage!

It's meant to be in a kind of anime style, not sure I pulled it off...
And if you're wondering about the burning building...well it makes sense if you've read the book (still available, hint hint)

Anyway, my dad's coming to stay tomorrow so I doubt I'll get much more writing done before the new year.
Here's to a more productive 2013!
Oh, and have a Merry Christmas

Monday, December 17, 2012

Tap tap tap

The start of another week, another Monday!
While the word Monday isn't filled with as much dread as it used to be, I'm trying to get into the routine of treating it like a normal working day.  So today it was up, breackfasted, then straight to the keyboard, knocking out another thousand words of the sequel to Crystal Eyes
The routine this morning was slightly thrown off by the dog having an upset stomach (she's curled up in her bed feeling sorry for herself right now. Occasionally I can hear her stomach squeaking).
Lunchtime now, however, and I'm feeling in the mood for a bit of a fry up!  Perfect fuel for an afternoon of creativity (if I don't just fall asleep).
Since it's another grey and miserable day here in the north west of England, I felt compelled to share another photo taken in warmer, happier times!
This is Lindisfarne castle, on the island of Lindisfarne just off the Northumberland coast, taken a few summers ago.

Friday, December 14, 2012

The grass isn't always greener

It's been a miserable day today, wet, grey and cold.
So here's another pic from yesterday, when the sun was shining!
 
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Thursday, December 13, 2012

There's a chill in the air

It's a tad frosty out!


Taken this lunchtime in my back garden

Monday, December 10, 2012

The life of a pizza

From birth to death, the life cycle of a pizza.
The dog is not interested until the cheese appears

Don't feel bad for it, it died in a good cause (and was delicious)!
If you're interested in making your own pizza, it's dead easy. The recipe I used is from (Amazon link) River Cottage Veg Every Day! (River Cottage Every Day)
Here's the recipe for the dough, taken from that book:
250g strong white bread flour
250g plain white flour
5g powdered dried yeast
10g salt
325ml warm water
About 1 tbsp olive oil
1 handful coarse flour (rye, semolina or polenta), for dusting

In a bowl, mix the flours, yeast, salt and water to form a sticky dough. Mix in the oil, then turn out on to a clean work surface and knead until smooth and silky. (Alternatively, if you have a mixer with a dough hook, mix the flours, yeast, salt and water on a low speed, add the oil and knead for 10 minutes). Shape into a round, and leave to rise in a clean bowl, covered with a plastic bag, until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven (and pizza stone or substitute) as high as it will go. Take a lime-sized piece of dough and roll it into a 5mm thick round. Dust a rimless baking sheet with coarse flour, lay the dough on it, add your toppings and slip the pizza from the sheet on to the hot stone. Bake until any cheese is bubbling and the base is taking on some colour, seven to nine minutes. Scatter over any leaves or raw toppings, and tuck in.
All these pics taken with my iPhone, hence the slightly iffy quality

Saturday, December 08, 2012

Winter warmer

Rather than a memory of summer, like yesterday's post, I thought I'd stick up an arty picture of something that might help keep you warm on these cold, winter nights!
Bottoms up!

Friday, December 07, 2012

Memory of Summer

Just been looking through some older photos, found one that brought back memories of warmer days - most welcome on a cold day like this!

Thursday, December 06, 2012

It lives again!

What is this strange, cobweb-festooned place, with its strange musty smell and distressing damp stains? It's my old blog! I'd almost forgotten this was here. I think I might just have to fire it up again - got interesting times ahead, might be interesting to share them on here. I'll be back again soon...