Going through security, my backpack was flagged for extra checks. Staff: Could you please open the main section? Me: Sure. (Thinking: it’s probably my doll that looks sus.) Staff: No, wait, actually not this section. The back one. Me: Oh, okay. Staff: …Notepads. Are these ALL notepads? Me: Er, yes.🫣

Last few days! I’m supporting #ReadItForward! Buy my book, The Night I Borrowed Time, during February and @bookshop.org will donate 10% to @booktrust.org.uk and @scottishbooktrust.bsky.social Buy here: uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-...

Another reference sheet for my comedy comic, Assassins Want to Learn English, Too! / 暗殺者も英語を習いたい: Fiction. #awtlet #フィクション #referencesheet #charactersheet #characterdesign

Urban sketching in Port Sunlight. It was a warm day for February and I enjoyed standing next to the balcony, warming the back of my legs in the sunshine. Just went straight into laying down Posca colour without any pencil or fineliner sketching first but had fun with it.

I went to an urban sketching meeting for the first time last month! Still solo drawing but everyone got together again at the end (see last pic) to look at each other’s sketches, which was fun. 😊 Location: Hoylake, Wirral Media: Platinum 3776 pen, (later) Van Gogh watercolours

Until 20th February, you can preorder Christie and Agatha’s next adventure, A Curious Catastrophe, at @waterstones.bsky.social with 25% off using the code FEB26. 😻 It will be released 14th May-not too long to wait to read about the twins and Auguste’s latest escapade on Charlie Chaplin’s film set!

A6 bedtime doodle, dreaming of my current book. I didn’t actually think the white pencil had come out at all until I saw it in daylight. 😅 Do any other authors fantasise about book covers?? #amwri̇ti̇ng #kidlit #kidlitart #orkney #puffin

#ReadItForward This February, if you order children’s books through @bookshop.org, 10% of every sale will go to @booktrust.org.uk & @scottishbooktrust.bsky.social, helping to fund early years reading support for disadvantaged & vulnerable families across the UK.

I made some new reference sheets for my comedy comic, Assassins Want to Learn English, Too! / 暗殺者も英語を習いたい. So first up, here’s our shy, klutzy assassin protagonist, Chinatsu Mori. She’s generally top-notch at her job, but because English is tough, she’s been having some trouble at work recently.

Little watercolour I did last year, based on a photo I took of a boat in Hoylake, Wirral. Pigma Micron fineliners, Van Gogh watercolours and white Posca pen. #hoylake #urbansketcherswirral

The fifth Christie and Agatha book is released in Polish today by @wydawnictwo.tandem : Agencja detektywistyczna Christie i Agaty. Geniusz w Zielonym Ekspresie #wydawnictwotandem #ChristieandAgatha #PipMurphy

Nostalgia/reminiscing ahoy! (Spoiler: lots of Paranormasight event photos!) I was bouncing around today after seeing the Nintendo Direct trailer for the new Paranormasight game that’s coming out in a few weeks. The original is one of my favourite games of all time. #パラノマサイト #paranormasight

Is that the face of someone who just finished the first draft of their new MG novel involving Orcadian myths, Fin Folk, sus not-puffins and a lot of tablet? I think it is!

The 8th Annual Reflecting Realities Report is out now, showing progress in ethnic representation in children’s books and urging publishers to keep inclusion as a standard practice. https://clpe.org.uk/research/clpe-reflecting-realities-survey-ethnic-representation-within-uk-childrens-literature-3

CREATIVES! A gang of us are organising an auction raising funds for mutual aid groups in Sudan, amid the war on civilians. Can YOU contribute to the auction? Perhaps a piece of art or music? Signed books? Embroidery? Half an hour of creative mentoring? Sign up here! www.sudancoup.com/auction

Assassins Want to Learn English, Too / 暗殺者も英語を習いたい LESSON 1: Noodle harassment / ヌーハラ #awtlet #暗殺者も英語を習いたい #森血夏 #chinatsumori

Just finished writing chapter 18…and chapter 21. 👀 Chapters 19 and 20 are sitting there looking at me and wondering what happened to the rest of their words… Does anyone else do this??

Here’s a (free!) spooky short story I wrote, if anyone’s feeling like a period chill this evening… pipmurphy.com/thedoppelgan...

I spent half an hour researching travel connections (bus -> ferry -> bus) before realising that the timings won't work for the plot so the characters have to go by magical rowing boat instead. Ah well!

Ooh, look what I spotted in the latest Sweet Cherry Publishing Limited catalogue! It looks like the next two Christie and Agatha books will be published in July and September next year. It’s still a while away but I’m already excited for their return. 😁📚🔍 #KidLitUK #UKKidLit #ChristieandAgatha

With the IBC Excluded Voices report making for sober reading this week, let’s use #KidsBooksFriday to celebrate brilliant books from global majority writers. #KidLitUK #UKKidLit #KidLit www.inclusivebooksforchildren.org/excluded-voi...

Today is #Take10ToRead day, a reminder that taking even 10 minutes a day to relax through reading can really raise your mood and decrease your stress. My favourite places to read are on the train, in bed and when I’m eating by myself. You can maybe guess where my reading time today is taking place!

This is my Lokifesto #KidsConf #UKkidlit #edusky lokibooks.com/lokifesto/

When I was little I had a kitten-sized cat called Treacle who wanted to do everything with me. Her favourite thing was to sit on my shoulders as I walked around and did things. Perfect pirate kitty.

To celebrate Christie and Agatha's adventures being translated into 10 languages (not including English!), I've made a little blog post showcasing the covers of some of the translated overseas editions of the Christie and Agatha series. 🔍📚 pipmurphy.com/feature-chri... @sweetcherrypub.bsky.social

Not sold on this new Duolingo system! Now even if you don’t make mistakes you can barely do any lessons. 🥲

I drew on a rock. To make it look more like a rock. Success?? (First attempt! Present for aunt and uncle) —————— #rockart #poscapen #ladybird

Thank you to all the lovely people who visited my stall at my first U.K. con! I had a wonderful time. 🥳 (And thank you for the balloon dog and rubber ducky pressies!)

A carpet of new books, ready to go onto year 3 bookshelves in September. I had to scrape together every possible voucher and had a lot of fun browsing but think it’s a pretty good haul. Hope they like them! #KidLitUK #UKKidLit

Ring of Brodgar watercolour sketch done in situ (with help from kind passing doggo). Very lucky with the weather! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ring of Brodgar - Neolithic standing stone circle, Orkney Pigma Micron fineliners and Van Gogh watercolours 18th July 2025 #ringofbrodgar #orkneyislands #neolithic

Thank you so much to the Orcadian bookshop for such a wonderful book signing event. I had a lovely time meeting fans (including a budding mystery writer with a notebook full of questions for me), listening to people tell me about themselves and their families - and of course signing books! #KidLitUK

Ooh, is this a poster I spy for a book signing event next Saturday? How exciting! 👀😁🎉 Thank you to the fab Orcadian Bookshop for the event and beautiful sign. 🥰 #KidLitUK #UKKidLit #ChristieandAgatha

My first time seeing my books in a newspaper! I’m bouncing around like an overexcited puppy (pippy?) right now! Thank you so much to the (Peedie) Orcadian for featuring Christie and Agatha’s Detective Agency: The Composer Crisis! #KidLitUK #UKKidLit

ヤバい～ #danganronpa #ダンガンロンパ #レインコード #RAINCODE

This is 40! And to celebrate my continuing existence, I'd like to offer ten free query edits to anyone planning to dive into the trenches. RT and like to enter, and I'll pick ten people tomorrow. Tell your friends! (and yes, my impersonations of art are unrivaled)

Looking forward to visiting Orkney next month. It’s a bit expensive to get to but so worth it if you can. 🥰 (plus good inspiration for writing!)

Found some Sonic drawings I did back when my age was in single digits. I’d still go for this tamagotchi now, to be honest. #sonicthehedgehog #sonic

The 2025 I Am Writing Shortlists are now live on our website! Huge congrats to all brave entrants - you’ll never know how close you were to making the list. Please keep going. To those who see their title, a big well done from us both! (Keep your name unattached to the title when reposting!) #writer

My cat Amber wanting in on my Zoom call.

Here's a little cutesy-style drawing I did of the main characters in the comic I write, called "Assassins Want to Learn English, Too!"
 From top left to bottom right, they are: Alice, Chinatsu, Fiction, Hadrian and Vul. 
I'm just a hobbyist but I'd love to hear what people think of them! #cuteart

Hi, little self introduction post. 🌊 My name is Pip and my dream is to be a YA author! I love writing, especially adventure, suspense, mysteries and fantasy and even at the darkest points there's often a twist of humour in there. I'd love to make some friends on here, both writing and otherwise!