This evening in Glenfield.

This was not created by AI

Happy October.

What to do with a trimmed edge of paper

Still life on the breakfast table.

My father as a young man, apparently learning to fly.

Leaf update from this morning's walk. Yes, it was still there. I guess it can't have been that windy in the last 2 days.

I walked right past this leaf yesterday - two or three paces before registering what an amazing thing it was in just that light. Retraced my steps, working the phone camera quickly before the light changed.

I'm asking myself if my back has recovered sufficiently for me to risk giving myself a haircut... I'm thinking yes.

I'm one bit of proofreading away from being able to give copies of the novel to my generous beta readers. It's a really exciting moment for me. In celebration, here's a snippet from the book. (The quote might sound similar to my earlier novels. But the book has a very different tone.)

Just submitted my entries for the Leicester People's Exhibition. Three linocuts, all of which I've shared here in recent weeks. It's interesting to compare my entries this year to last. Then, all colour. This time, all B&W. This time, representational expressionist. Last time, mostly abstract.

What do I do after I've 'finished' writing a novel? I can't turn off the tap and stop the creative impulse. But I'm also burned out from writing. So... this morning, I'm printing a small edition of this linocut. (The image has already worked its way into the novel during the last edit.)

Driving along, seeing lots of lampposts with England flags on them. The flags look as if they're at half mast. Whoever put them up may have been scared of heights.

This novel has been on the back burner for years. At last I've had some time to finish it. And now it's been read by S - who has been the first reader of all my novels. In that experience of reading, it has become. It's a big moment for me. #Writing #AmWriting #Novel

It's a novel

Nervously sketching while my reader gets to the last few pages...

The text I've been writing is right now being read for the first time by someone other than me. In other words, it is becoming a novel.

And... it's done.

More editing. More editing. More editing. #Editing #MoreEditing

Editing. Editing. Editing. #Editing

Health update... I've been much, much better today. Thanks for all the kind reactions and support. Very little pain left. Muscle no longer in spasm. Thank you doctors, medical researchers and modern medicines. And thank you NHS.

I've managed to do some editing today. This is the final sweep before it gets read for the first time by someone other than me. I have act 1 done now. I'll print that out ready for 'S' to read. With an actual printout, it starts to feel real.

Trying to edit whilst on Diazepam is like wading through treacle. Five minutes of it and I'm exhausted. On the positive side, my back isn't so painful today and I managed to sleep through the night.

The good meds seem to be working. I just managed to walk a couple of hundred yards. Very slowly. But I couldn't have done a fraction of that this morning. Fingers crossed this muscle spasm may be beaten quickly.

The instructions on these meds tell me to not drive or operate heavy machinery. They don't mention editing novels. But that's petty much equivalent in risk.

So, I've had an interesting last 20 hours. Turns out a muscle spasm in the back is quite painful. Happily, the good meds are due to arrive soon. I will be fascinated to experience the effects. I imagine I'll be much better tomorrow.

Its hard to edit when the novel is making you cry.

Another in this occasional series of low sunlight over relief print blocks. #linocut #swan

I've finally found the energy to take a test print. (The cold virus lingers on.) This is a revised and refined version of a print I made earlier in the year. It's a completely new print block. The Lemon Counter 39cm by 28cm Ink by Cranfield Japanese hosho paper #linocut

Morning light raking over the surface of my linocut work in progress.

The thing about not having a studio and therefore making art on the kitchen table... the thing is... there's always a project at hand, so I always end up tinkering over breakfast.

I'm doing another version of my 'The Lemon Counter' design. This time in lino rather than vinyl. They are such different materials to work with.

The Writing East Midlands mentoring scheme is open for applications. I've worked as a mentor on this scheme in previous years and can vouch for it. So, if you're based in the region and would like me or another professional writer to mentor you, do apply. writingeastmidlands.co.uk/event/the-me...

Beyond the first thousand unread emails in my inbox, how much worse does one more make to my feelings of well-being? None at all, my friend. None at all.

I'm so glad that those who encourage others to commit violent assault get arrested. I'm much less glad when people with power and influence imply that incitement to violence is okay, so long as the people being targeted are from a scapegoated community.

Late last night my ADHD kicked in and I was consumed with the need to adapt one of the swan sketches from yesterday into a relief print block, which I took a test print from this morning.

My energy is coming back after a couple of days of illness. Here is another sketch to prove it.

Thought I'd mess around with charcoal and scrap paper while my tea was brewing. Thought also - this is a good sign. My energy must be coming back. Now I need to sit down to recover.

I need to finish editing my novel. But also to get my entries ready for the Leicester People's Art Exhibition. Unfortunately, I have a heavy cold (serious and probably deadly man flu) and can't do much right now.

If you need convincing that there’s no such thing as a born writer, just go to the library and ask yourself how many of the books there were written by babies.

Watching again Vic Reeves's entertaining exploration of Dada (BBC iPlayer) I'm struck by the fact that absurdity as resistance now makes perfect sense to me. That is a sad sign of the times.

Headline should read: 'Department for Education Persistently Mistakes Correlation for Causation'. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Found abstract.

Breakfast doodle. I really enjoy having stacks of scrap paper (teacher in the house) and the odd bit of willow charcoal lying about. I'm not a good draftsperson, and the blank page intimidates me. But the disposability of this paper frees me to at least try. And trying means discovering.

My edit of the novel has now reached Act 3. The final chapter of Act 2 had a big impact on me as I was reading/working on it. Much more than when I wrote it initially. I'm taken aback and delighted. Having lunch now, I'm still rather stunned. Hopefully that may communicate to other readers.

I have to say, it is an absolute pleasure working as a mentor on this scheme. A privilege, really. I would certainly recommend the program to anyone eligible who is looking for input to take their writing to the next level.

Editioning...

So, I should have been editing the novel today, but my ADHD brain rebelled. So here is a relief print instead. Swans of the Crescent Moon. This is my test print. I haven't produced an edition yet. #linocut #expressionist #swans

I should be editing my novel. But seized with an impulse, I've spent the morning carving a weird design. #ADHD #Swans #linocut

Out and about in Leicester.