Archives

January 2018

1 January

• For #NewYearsEve in 2007 @vnemma and I went into London to see the fireworks. Outside Buckingham Palace, this happened. The silver flutes were one if our engagement presents. #10years on it seemed appropriate... ????❤????xxx Happy New year everyone, hope 2018 is everything you want it to be!
• New Year's Day Christmas with the Jefferys/Spencer side of the family...
• Thanks to an all too generous Christmas present from @vnemma's Mum and Dad of a new bucket and paddle we now have loaf-shaped bread from my circa. 13 year old bread maker. Here I present a multiseed loaf...
• Musings on the first day of a new year

2 January

• Creativity and Me

3 January

4 January

5 January

6 January

• Found a Fisher Price toy like I used to have in an antique shop. Winding it up and listening to it made me happy...
• Alas, poor Yorick. I knew him, Horatio- A fellow of infinite jest, Of most excellent fancy.
• Twelfth Night sees the closing of #TheDarkIsReading

7 January

• Cup of tea? @rad.tofu would be proud of me... #tea
• May I present to the deliciousness that is Celery Bake... #celery #celerybake #NigelSlater #recipes #tender
• Cold and crispy today at the duck pond to see Douglas for the first time in 2018...
• Like an ivy covered stag... #trees #nature #walks
• Cold and crispy walk at Gavray Meadows...
• Old lanes and field systems... #theoldways #farminghistory #nature #walks
• Contentment is too blankies to separate arch rivals... #nemises #bella #nellie #catsagram #cats #catsofinstagram

8 January

• Love a good storm scene! #AStrangerAtGreenKnowe #greenknowe #LucyBoston #storms #stormsinfiction #books???? #amreading
• The Old Green Knowe that continues to inspire

9 January

• Mushroom risotto in our week of fish and vegetables... #risotto #recipes #FrancescoDaMostto
• Just reading my kindle... #amreading #books???? #kindle #catsofinstagram #catsagram #cats #Arthur #donottellhimhewasnamedafteramouse
• Reading about storytelling

10 January

• Into the office slinky... #work #reportwriting

11 January

12 January

• Inspired by @laurapicklechop's meal last week, my first go at a @deliciouslyella recipe. Simple, wholesome food... #recipes #eatinghealthy #deliciouslyella

13 January

• Saturday night in the kitchen...
• Sausage and polenta. Suitable for vegetarians and carnivores alike... #sausages #polenta #cauldron #omnomnom #recipes
• "It's only ten to nine," I said... "I know," said Arthur, "And I wants my dinner." . #iflookscouldkill #cats #catsagram #catsofinstagram
• The old doppleganger myth, which dictates that if you do ever meet your double, you die...

14 January

• Garden visitor... #robin #garden #birds
• Signs of Spring in the cold, winter's day... #witchhazel #gold #winter #flowers
• Chickens! Doing what chickens do...! #chickens???? #garden
• Weekend visit to see Douglas á l'Orange doing duck stuff. Took a while to find him today so he didn't get as much bread... #duck????
• I've long been a fan of #DavidAlmond's books, but just five books into 2018 I think I may have found this year's challenge. Is phonics? Or something Chauseresque? . #thetruetaleofthemonsterbillydean #amreading
• Tonight's healthy dinner, Tahini Aubergines. Thanks again, @deliciouslyella! . #recipes #aubergine #eatinghealthy

15 January

• Monday morning. Going nowhere fast...

16 January

• Bookaholic? Or just in love with stories...?

17 January

18 January

19 January

• Anything but a monster: a story told in Phonetic Geordie English

20 January

• #amwriting is not always easy... ✒???????? #writersofinstagram #catsofinstagram
• #Repost @thinkhumanfest • • • Our photography competition is open for entries! On the subject of relationships, challenges and changing society we are inviting submissions on one of four themes: #Identity, #Empowerment, #Provocation, and #Empathy. . See the link in our bio for full details. Entries close 31 March 2018! . #photography #photocontest #photographycompetition #competition #contest #thinkhuman @oxfordbrookes #oxfordbrookes
• A hearty winter meal of Lentil Balls with Tomato Spaghetti... #lentils @deliciouslyella

21 January

• Lentil meatball served in a cup of avocado...
• Snowy Sunday afternoon.... #selfie #Arthur #catsofinstagram #catsagram
• Snowatching... #Bella #catsofinstagram #catsagram
• Mad. The man is incorrigibly bonkers mad... @21stcenturyyokel #TwentyfirstCenturyYokel
• Another delicious meal from my new best #recipe friend, @deliciouslyella, in the form of a Miso Aubergine & Bok Choy Stir Fry... . #aubergine #healthyfood #eatinghealthy

22 January

23 January

• For those times when you think I've ignored you... see, it's not just me! #lostinanotherworld #dreamuniverse #21stcenturyyokel @21stcenturyyokel
• And so it has come to this. And it's back too where out all began two novels ago for the final chapter... #amwriting #MrTumnal2 #TheImaginaryWife

24 January

25 January

26 January

• Me. My name in trees... #trees #mynameintrees

27 January

• Saturday night is pizza night... #pizza #mozzarella #battlestargalactica
• Fuel for the epilogue... #vanatallinn #MrTumnal2 #TheImaginaryWife #amwriting
• Because after an #epilogue every novel needs an afterwards... #amwriting #MrTumnal2 #TheImaginaryWife

28 January

• Tonight is a good night. #TheEnd #amwriting #MrTumnal2 #TheImaginaryWife
• 346 pages; 66,733. I like to call this Draft 1.5 of #TheImaginaryWife, the sequel to #MrTumnal... #amwriting #betareadersneeded
• @catnamedafteramouse seemed too think that this seat was all his?

29 January

• I know it's only the view of one reader but one reader who doesn't really do fantasy, so allow me to continue beaming from ear to ear... #feedback #amwriting #MrTumnal2 #TheImaginaryWife . . (And yes, I love the character of Watts too!)
• Does #amreading my own novel pre-publication count towards my @goodreads 2018 #ReadingChallenge?

30 January

• Oxford in the morning... #nofilter #cold #redsky
• Tonight's colourful, nutritious meal: sweet potato and carrot mash bowl... #recipes #healthyfood #healthyeating @deliciouslyella

31 January

• Working up cover ideas and sketches for my forthcoming third novel! #amwriting #MrTumnal2 #TheImaginaryWife

February 2018

1 February

2 February

• Looking forward to getting gouache out and bringing this to life...
• Friday night sketching of the new venue of the Hawkesbury Upton Literary Festival. @debbieyounghawkesbury, I'll provide you with a proper scan for the website tomorrow if you like?
• Friday night sketching of the new venue of the Hawkesbury Upton Literary Festival. @debbieyounghawkesbury, I'll provide you with a proper scan for the website tomorrow if you like?

3 February

• Revealing the details... #ampainting #illustration #coverdesign #MrTumnal2 #TheImaginaryWife
• Artist's studio...?!?
• Playing with shadow and skin tones... #ampainting #illustration #MrTumnal2 #TheImaginaryWife
• Finished off my drawing of Hawkesbury Upton Primary School, the venue for this year's festival. May get some gift cards printed that people can buy. What do you think?

4 February

• Really hope I'm not ruining this... #people #coverdesign #illustration #ampainting #MrTumnal2 #TheImaginaryWife
• Characters emerging... #coverdesign #illustration #ampainting #MrTumnal2 #TheImaginaryWife
• Another bowl of yummy deliciousness in the form of Roasted Aubergine and Tahini... #eatinghealthy #101thingsyoucandowithaubergines #aubergine???? #recipes @deliciouslyella
• Signs of Spring #snowdrops #gallantrophile
• Spring colours at Stowe...
• They've restored the long neglected hermitage since my last visit... #hermitage #stowe #cabilitybrown

5 February

• The devil is in the detail. Eliminating the offset mouth nosecombo and addressing those wandering eyes... #ampainting #illustration #MrTumnal2 #TheImaginaryWife
• Monday night progress. Revealing some background textures, and I(I think) that imaginary wife is staring right out at you from the #coverdesign! #MrTumnal2 #illustration #ampainting

6 February

• "how much of a rucksack her father sounded" Umm... No, no idea. Amy guesses?!? #amediting #writersofinstagram

7 February

• I may be #amediting part two but that doesn't stop me laying down some plotting for part three... #ForgottenFriends

8 February

• Just considering whether it is possible or not to go into a second-hand bookshop and not buy an #EdwardArdizzone book? #books???? #bookstagram #bookaholic
• Does anyone else ever #dreamread? . #amediting #MrTumnal2 #TheImaginaryWife #dreamreading

9 February

• Considering my #amediting schedule, buying this might have been a mistake... #books???? #amreading #SkySong @moontrugger
• Lost...
• Bleak and beautiful #blackandwhite #beach #Suffolk #Aldeburgh

10 February

• The #coverdesign moves ahead for #MrTumnal2 #TheImaginaryWife... got a space for barcode and blurb now!
• Early #Valentines❤ present from @vnemma. She knows me so well...! ???????????? #EdwardArdizzone
• Posted on Instagram
• Posted on Instagram
• Posted on Instagram
• Very cold and wintry trip made exciting by seeing a Red-headed Smew. It even got the guys at @rspb_love_nature excited too!

11 February

• I went to a proper second-hand bookshop that smelt of old books like all good booshops should... #books???? #bookshops #bookshopsofinstagram
• Starling watchers' #selfie: waiting for the murmuration
• It was like a scene from some medieval battle with a smaller band of outlaws at Dunwich Heath facing up the massed hoards on North Bank (@rspbminsmere)
• Starling murmuration over #RSPBMinsmere... 11/2/2018 #nofilter
• I don't like to see #books???? abused but these little #flickcartoons in the corners of my #EdwardArdizzone book are actually quite delightful...

12 February

• Seagulls sunning themselves..
• It looks to me that this old Victorian pub has splat-landed right on top of the older building!
• Fish'n'Chips by the seaside...
• Getting that all important sea air...

13 February

• It’s pancake day Yes, it’s pancake day Yes, it’s p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-pancake day Well, it’s pancake day It’s really pancake day Yes, it’s p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-pancake day . #pancakeday2018????

14 February

15 February

16 February

• A creative and delightful fairytale

17 February

18 February

19 February

20 February

• Tea, toast, and editing. Well I do have a novel to publish in April... . #amediting #authorsofinstagram #writersofinstagram #MrTumnal2 #TheImaginaryWife

21 February

22 February

• A bit concerned for our conductors hearing in his left ear, as the flutes and the oboes were the only section not picked out to go over bits during this... #backtothefuture

23 February

• Feeling proud of my achievement of turning around a print design job within the tightest of deadlines. Couldn't have done it without Team Marketing but phew I'm glad this week is over... #thinkhuman @thinkhumanfest

24 February

25 February

• Winter Duck. We've missed seeing our boy for a few weeks but he still knows us and likes his food.... #duck???? #Douglasalorange
• This her on was being mobbed by Black-headed gulls.. . #winterwalks❄️ #heron #nature
• Getting there... #amediting #MrTumnal2 #TheImaginaryWife
• Tonight's sauteed sesame and aubergine noodle bowl was super-noodily yummy! #recipes #eatinghealthy

26 February

27 February

• Blizzard Tuesday... #snow❄ #cold

28 February

March 2018

1 March

• The #snow❄ is still barely 1cm deep and already it's looking a lot like an exodus from Oxford... #stormEmma #beastfromtheeast
• Happy First Day of Spring everybody! #spring #meterologicalspring #cold❄ #stormEmma #beastfromtheeast

2 March

• Mr Blackbird in the snow! #snow❄
• The upside to #snow❄ in March is that you get to see shy send reclusive Fieldfares when they start to frequent your #urbangarden... #fieldfares #birds #winter #spring @chris.packham @lindsey_chapman56 @bbcspringwatch
• Guess i know what I'm doing after @oxfordbrookes applicant day! #Repost @evemuirhead • • • We’re back on the ice this weekend in Perth! ???? Winner books their tickets to the world champs in Canada! ???????? Best of 3 - Games 6pm Sat, 2pm & 6.30pm Sun. Watch here - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/winter-sports/43132815 Or if you can pop along, Tickets here - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/scottish-curling-world-championship-playoff-tickets-43096089564 @liveactive_lal @scottish_curling @teamgb
• It's like daylight out there even late at night! #snow❄
• Master of the remote, the novel, and the green blankie... #catsofinstagram #catsagram #cats @catnamedafteramouse
• Winter wonderland! #March #spring #snow❄

3 March

• Pink snow anybody...? @oxfordbrookes
• Contrasts of colour and monochrome... @oxfordbrookes #snow❄
• Snowboy explores the garden... #snow❄ #snowman
• Post-Applicant Day drink... #hornblower #beer???? @abingdonconcertband @oxfordbrookes
• Getting my post-#winterolympics fix of #curling... #teammuirhead @evemuirhead #lovecurling #worldcurlingchampionship

4 March

• Gulls on the lake #snow❄ #frozen #ice
• Douglas á l'Orange survivived the #beastfromtheeast and #stormEmma. He and his mates v were very happy with their porridge oats... #duck???? #snow❄ #cold

5 March

6 March

• Another delish @deliciouslyella meal tonight in the form of creamy mushroom and garlic pasta... #recipes #eatinghealthy

7 March

8 March

9 March

• On writing and editing in the digital and analogue ages... #amwriting #amediting #amreading #DavidMitchell #TheBoneClocks

10 March

• Cecily and Woody Bunny are now settling into their new extension... two bedrooms, en suite... I swear that proportionally they have more living space than me! #bunnies???? #BicesterZoo

11 March

12 March

13 March

• You know that Spring is about to sprung when Ye Olde Almond Tree blooms... #blossom #Spring #leavingwinter
• A hearty, warming meal of Sweet Potato and Chickpea Stew for dinner tonight... #eatinghealthy @deliciouslyella
• It's not just the author who is behind every novel. Just working through my thanks... #MrTumnal2 #TheImaginaryWife #acknowledgements

14 March

• Anyone going too Godstow Abbey expecting to find this is going to be sorely disappointed! It's not ed vn #Oxford!! #misleadingmarketing #PhilipPullman
• Last week I lost a prawn whilst I was cooking my dinner, couldn't find it anywhere, and then tonight I found it in the pocket of the oven gloves...

15 March

16 March

17 March

• A night at @creationtheatre is not to be missed. I feel like I want to read #Dracula now...

18 March

19 March

20 March

21 March

• I love this illustration so much. I remember attempting an immature copy of it when I was little. So inspiring! #Repost @illustration.magazine • • • Spring is sprung, at least in theory, so hang spring cleaning and head off to the river bank with Ratty and Mole, shown here in Arthur Rackham’s lovely edition of Wind in the Willows published by Limited Editions Club in 1940. Rackham was asked to illustrate the first edition, but didn’t have time and eventually completed it as his final commission - the intro says he could work for only an hour or two a day. This copy is the non-limited cheaper version published by the Limited Editions Club’s Heritage Press imprint. #kennethgrahame #windinthewillows #ratty #mole #mrtoad #illustration #bookillustration #illustratedbook #childrensclassics #arthurrackham #illustrationmagazine #bibliophile #bookcollection #bookcollector

22 March

23 March

24 March

• For someone who has a book to publish next month, starting to read this might be a dangerous thing to do... @moontrugger #SkySong #amreading
• I detect a theme emerging... @@abingdonconcertband #backtothemusic

25 March

26 March

• A little lunchtime work on some preparatory sketches my first #illustration commission: Hector's House Bookstore from @debbieyounghawkesbury's #SophieSayers books.

27 March

• Got tho work this morning to discover that the Easter Bunny had been busy in the office...

28 March

29 March

30 March

• Inspired by @laurapicklechop I absolutely loved this Donburi recipe. Might ease off on the carrots and cucumber slices next time though... #BowlsofGoodness #eatinghealthy #eatingveggie #notvegetarian

31 March

• Something special for Easter Saturday that won't break the bank balance. And in case you thought I was eating too much vegetarian food... #lamb???? #breastoflamb #BlueTexel #Easter

April 2018

1 April

• Happy Easter! ???????????? #simnelcake

2 April

• Buddha Bowl. It was yummy and healthy but when they said 2-3 people I think they meant 6-8! @vnemma and I have only scratched the surface of this leaving plenty for lunch tomorrow... and maybe the next day...

3 April

• Dabbling into Spring waters with Douglas á l'Orange... #duck????

4 April

5 April

6 April

• #EmmaTherapy on a plate. Brie and bacon Dutch pancake with cranberry sauce and drizzled with maple syrup... #ME #CFS #chronicfatigue
• I think I need some #ThomasTherapy as I try to recover from walking into my favourite bookshop to be told that they are loving #MrTumnal... ???? Maybe browsing my haul of #EdwardArdizzone books will help... #sonnetstoo #historyofwisteria
• When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes... . I've decided that this is the only way to read sonnets... . #sonnets #Shakespeare #books???? #oldbooks #oldbooksmell
• #EdwardArdizzone captures every mood in a few, simple lines... this one could be me, when I'm #amwriting...

7 April

• Working on the full-size illustration of Hector's Books from @debbieyounghawkesbury's Sophie Sayers series of mysteries... #artistsofinstagram #illustratorsofinstagram
• Hector's Books of Wendlebury Barrow, serving up books, teas, and cakes along with solving the odd mystery along the way... #SophieSayers @debbieyounghawkesbury #amillustrating #illustratorsofinstagram

8 April

• It's nice too get away from the computer on a wet Sunday afternoon for some quality drawing time...
• If ivy takes an age to draw then walls take longer...
• Grilled Aubergine and Tagliatelle makes for a yummy Sunday night meal

9 April

10 April

11 April

• We've got a new remote control holder!

12 April

• Just penned a sketch of my favourite bookshop...

13 April

• Look what's just arrived... hot off the press!
• With all due thanks...

14 April

15 April

• After the steak as chips of last night, a good hearty bowl of sweet potato and chickpea curry tonight... #veggienotveggie #eatinghealthy #weekendmeals @deliciouslyella
• Just wondering whether my currently/to read pile is a little unsustainable...? #books???? #amreading ????

16 April

• Enid Blyton themed ginger cake for the #WonderlandCafé at Saturday's @HULitFest...

17 April

• Bun Loaf, just like the Swallows & Amazons would cut into on Wild Cat Island, also destined for the #WonderlandCafé at Saturday's @HULitFest... . Are you coming?

18 April

19 April

20 April

21 April

• "Compelling storytelling wrapped around a highly original premise" says @debbieyounghawkesbury. #TheImaginaryWife launches today at @HULitFest and worldwide in all stores: http://shepline.com/the-imaginary-wife/ . #MrTumnal #booklaunch #newbooks #publishedtoday #booksfortheweekend
• Reading done. Just got the really scary panel chairing to go...
• Books. So many books... @hulitfest
• The poet and novelist extraordinaire, Dan Holloway!
• Chairing my first panel discussion at a Hawkesbury Upton Literary Festival is a scary business. We discussed Writing for Children, and the notion that there is no such thing as children's fixtion, just bloody good stories.
• A day of #books???? and all things literary in the Cotswolds at @HULitFest...

22 April

• Would like to thank @debbieyounghawkesbury for all her hard work tirelessly organising the triumph that was the Hawkesbury Upton Literary Festival, and for once again inviting me to speak. Here's to #HULitFest5 next year! Have a rest though first, Debbie...
• Reflecting on yesterday at @HULitFest. Met so many authors and readers, conquered some more personal demons, met my incredible editor, possibly got recorded for the radio... simply incredible.
• Lunch in the garden with my @vnemma ????
• Lazing about on Sunday afternoon...
• #SundayNightSketching and next up on my bookshop series of drawings... #penandink #illustration #illustratorsofinstagram

23 April

• Spring in the woodland... #Spring #nature #flora #woodland
• One day I will actually visit Tetbury and then I will spend some time in the Yellow-lighted bookshop... #illustration #illustratorsofinstagram #penandink
• Happy Birthday to Old Will Shakespeare! #ShakespearesBirthday

24 April

25 April

26 April

27 April

28 April

29 April

30 April