My first author blog of 2026 is now live via and includes: 1) Fyn Carter updates 2) Info on a TikTok live chat this Sunday evening 3) How you can get ‘The Shoe Creeper’ audiobook for free on Audible You can sign up (via my website) to receive future updates and exclusives direct to your inbox 👍😁

Author Q&A: How do I choose which conventions to attend, and how do I do at them? Question from @lwadewrites on Instagram. I hope this helps. Please follow and engage. If you have a question you’d like me to consider, let me know in the comments. Thanks! #author #books #writer #questions #kidlit

New year, new monthly goals! After 20 months of trying various things on my author journey (since the publication of book one, ‘Fyn Carter and the Agents of Eromlos’) I’ve learnt a lot, and my word of the moment is ‘intentional’. #goals #books #writer #author #indie

Ah, bless the furbabies. Over the last two weeks they’ve both become proper lap cats. Assuming part of this is for warmth, but it’s definitely more than that. One last proper lie in today before back to things tomorrow. #books #author #indie #cats #weekend

Thank you, everyone who helped make 2025 a truly fantastic year with many bookish highlights and happy memories. I wish you all a joyful, healthy, and successful 2026 :) Ian x 1/3 #yearinreview #author #kidlit #indie #books

Just a little post to say Merry Christmas from us to you. However you do or don’t celebrate, we hope you have a lovely day! Xx 🎄❤️🌟☃️☺️

Christmas Eve build 🎄I hope you are all having a lovely evening whatever you are doing x

Last minute gift shopping? There’s still time for these to arrive in time for Christmas, so if you or someone you love is looking for adventure and a bit of escapism (who isn’t?), why not take a chance on the Fyn Carter series or standalone spooky novel, The Shoe Creeper? 😁 Thank you x

Today is all about finances (catching up on receipts since… MAY!). Note to self: do this part better 😂 Still, I had sort of organised them which definitely helps. Later this week I’ll be prepping my first tax return as an author. This is the part of the job that’s not so much fun 😂 #indie #author

BIG THANK YOU, to Southampton City Libraries who are now stocking ‘The Shoe Creeper’ in six of their libraries along with the first two Fyn Carter books. Libraries are such important places and parts of our communities. I’m very grateful that my books can be found there 😁📖 #books #libraries #kidlit

Each year we buy one or two decorations for the tree each, usually from our travels so we remember good times when we decorate the tree each year. This year we have a robin and seagull from Menorca, a lizard bauble from Gran Canaria, and a dinosaur from a local market. Feeling grateful.

Today’s Christmas Craft and Gift Market was a goodun! Thank you everyone who stopped by and purchased books. It’s really great to see how many people support indie, and I’m grateful for the well wishes. I hope you/the recipients of the books enjoy them! :) #books #kidlit #christmas

Today I’m at Fair Oak Village Hall in Eastleigh for a Christmas Craft and Gift Market from 11-2 🥳🎄 #books #christmas #gifts #indie #author

Thanks everyone who came to the Festive Farm event in Southampton today. It was great to meet readers and see the lights get switched on! Of course I had to have one of Pam’s cakes (nom nom to that festive slice!). To all who bought books or are soon to receive - wishing you happy adventures! 😁🎄📖

Today l'm at the Festive Farm event at Aldermoor Community Farm in Southampton 🥳 It's open until 4, and Christmas lights are being switched on at 3:30 🎄😁 #christmas #gifts #books #kidlit

I’ve just published my last blog of the year! You can check it out and subscribe via the link below. Thanks! Ian x ianhuntercreates.com/blog/ #blog #bookblog #author #indie #books #kidlit

For one week (25th Nov until 2nd Dec), all of my books are 99p/99c on Kindle! All of them are adventure stories for readers aged 9+ (including young-hearted adults), with themes of family and friendship. #books #ebook #adventure #portal #scifi #spooky #ebooksale #kindle #kindledeals

I’m currently on a writing retreat and having a lovely time, but the first three days have been super focused on reading Fyn Carter and the Legends from Atlantis (Fyn 2) and making notes in advance of planning the rest of the series. #writer #kidlit #childrensbooks #middlegradebooks #author

One year ago I had the best time! 😂☃️ #snow

Home after setting up ready for #LondonComicConWinter this weekend! Extra excited for this as will be seeing lots of lovely people and writer friends who will be there for #YALC 🥳 If you’re attending, please come say hi, and check out my #books. I’ve got some bundle offers happening this time 😁

Hi all. If you are a #booksprout reviewer, there are a limited number of Audible codes available for a review copy of The Shoe Creeper (UK and US)! This is for a fixed time (review due by 25th Nov 2025). Link below! #booksprout #audible #audio #audiobook #kidlit #spooky #review #theshoecreeper

As part of my planning activities for the rest of the Fyn Carter series, I have started to read ‘Fyn Carter and the Agents of Eromlos’ for the first time since it was released in May 2024! #writing #kidlit #cats #book

I haven’t posted monthly goals for a little while, but now I’ve started planning Fyn Carter 3, I’m going to return to them to share the journey. I’m currently reviewing Fyn 1-2 to make clear notes I can more easily refer back to. Ginny is of course helping (she loves sitting on an open notebook).

I can hold off no more. It’s time to start a new notebook… #fyncarter #writing #planning #kidlit #books

I wasn’t sure what to post for Halloween, but I found this pic yesterday that I’d taken a while ago, and it seems to fit the foot! If you’ve been reading The Shoe Creeper in real time (or have already finished), you know it’s all about to kick off for Ethan and his friends! #halloween #reading

The Shoe Creeper audiobook is now also on Apple Books! 👟🎃📖 #halloween #book #reading #audiobook books.apple.com/gb/audiobook...

The Shoe Creeper audiobook is available now! You can find it on Audible and Amazon, and it will be showing on Apple Books very soon! Various links are also on the ‘Shop’ section of my website. #audiobook #kidlit #books #halloween #spooky

MCM Comic Con London 2025! I tried to narrate a video but messed it up, so here are some pics instead! 🤪 Thank you, everyone who came to see me at Writers Block over the weekend! I was so happy to talk to returning readers (off the top of my head, Jeremy, Jade, and Marios), as well as meet…

Many of you will know that I love attending MCM and have loved my experiences at MCM Comic Con London in the Writers Block area, so I’m really pleased that I’ll be back there this weekend at Excel London for all three days.

For anyone reading The Shoe Creeper along with the calendar, today we hit chapter 4 and 5! Some spooky things are going on, and life drama is on the up! amzn.eu/d/3Rb2lhR

Three weeks of having three books! Thank you to everyone who has picked up at least one of them 😁☺️ I’m pleased to share that The Shoe Creeper now joins the Fyn Carter books in that it is now available ‘wide’. #books #kidlit #childrensbooks #middlegradebooks

Time for a catch up! Thank you for all of the support you’ve shown me and The Shoe Creeper. You rock. Ian x Ps - sharing link as upload wouldn’t work here #spooky #indie #writing #kidlit #halloween #book #childrensbook #middlegradebook #horror #mghorror www.instagram.com/reel/DP1jSZK...

For anyone reading The Shoe Creeper in real time, today is chapter one! 😁📖 #spooky #reading #book #middlegradebook #autumn #October #Halloween #TheShoeCreeper amzn.eu/d/iaEuWpT

Today I was at a craft and gift market in Lymington. It was my first event with three different books on the table (and the first with The Shoe Creeper!), and I honestly had the most amazing day! #kidlit #childrensbooks #middlegradebooks

That wraps The Shoe Creeper blog tour! Thank you so much to Leyla and everyone L else who took part in and supported the tour! You rock! I xx www.instagram.com/p/DPolqYFCGB... #theshoecreeper #book #reading #spooky #horror #kidlit #childrensbook #middlegradebook

As part of The Bestie Bookshelf’s Annual Spooktacular event for 2025, I was monstrously excited to take part in this interview to discuss my new children’s book, The Shoe Creeper, and parts of my writing process. #books #halloween #spooky #thebestiebookshelf #spooktacular2025 #horrorauthors

It’s the last day on The Shoe Creeper blog/review tour and the first of TWO is up! Thank you, Erin (erinlynhamilton on Insta), for a fab review. So glad you enjoyed it and grateful that you could take part ☺️🎃 #theshoecreeper #book #reading #spooky #horror #kidlit #childrensbook #middlegradebook

Today is the penultimate day of The Shoe Creeper blog/review tour! Big thank you to Sue for this one ☺️🍂 www.instagram.com/p/DPlJq44DdU... #theshoecreeper #spooky #book #read #family #friendship #childrensbooks #halloween #blogtour

Today’s stop on The Shoe Creeper blog/review tour comes from the lovely Ellie (missg_primaryteacher on Instagram) who read it in one go! 😮 Thanks, Ellie! You can check out her review here: www.instagram.com/p/DPjahV3jHP... A link to the book is also below ☺️

Next #ukteenchat will be on Tues 14th October 8-9pm BST with the fabulous @alatkinson.bsky.social - who will be chatting all about book 2 of #SpooksmithsInvestigate - Circus of Shadows. All welcome to come along and join in the chat over on Twitter/X 🙂 #writingcommunity #writerslife #kidlit

☺️ The fun part is no announced release date means work without eeking! 😁 #ukteenchat

Thanks, Emma! Loved catching up! You truly are the gif queen! I’d love to come back in the future. I just need to ummmm write an entire book from scratch 😂 #ukteenchat Thanks everyone else who has been joining in with the chat! ☺️

So excited to see what happens to him next 😊 #ukteenchat

There is a lot happening all around us all the time, taking up our mental capacity and sometimes weighing heavily on what we do in life. My advice is be kind to (and patient with) yourself in what you do, and enjoy your craft. If you enjoy it, it will show in your work too🥳 #kindnesswins #ukteenchat

I’m spending a few weeks catching up with admin at last, sorting my writing space, and preparing for events. Then I’ll be tightening plans for the rest of the #FynCarter series before officially starting Fyn Carter 3. I’ll also be picking an idea to work on between Fyn Carter drafts… 👻 #ukteenchat

Love this 👍🙌 #ukteenchat

It’s tricky to say because, so far, all of my books were partially written before I released the first one. That said, I’m definitely learning a lot, and I think even if my general approach is similar, my process is becoming more concise. Ask me again next time! 😂 😜 #ukteenchat #TheShoeCreeper

I think I get a feeling/idea for a story, and that quickly develops. Soon the plot is taking shape and the characters are popping into my mind (and heart) so rapidly it’s hard to keep up. I don’t have a set approach yet. I like seeing how things happen naturally. #TheShoeCreeper #ukteenchat

Now realising some of favourite spooky tropes (graveyards, a stormy night, and foggy areas) are not in the book 😂 I do like a spooky forest, the threat of the unknown, and a connection to the past. You can definitely expect those (and some atmospheric weather) in #TheShoeCreeper 👟🎃📖 #ukteenchat

Seaton is a town I love, and some of my favourite people live there. With its location in Devon on the south coast of England, it felt like a nice place to explore in writing. I also like the feeling of the people I know there seeing the place through different eyes 👀 #ukteenchat #TheShoeCreeper