A Creative Christmas!

I've really been on a roll the last couple of weeks! Every day has involved writing, drawing, crocheting and also the fun work of preparing finished books for publishing.

First off, I got to hand out some of these lovelies that I've been working on in secret:

This is Tippette the tiny crab, from a Fresh Stitches pattern, and Bunky Bob the goldfish, from a Kate Wood pattern.

The three Muscovyteers are from a pattern by Susie Farmgirl

The cute little Puffin is from a pattern by Mysterious Cats.  

The Christmas Owl is from a pattern by Bunny Mummy.

Next, I got to give my younger nieces the first printed draft copy of the book I've been working on just for them.  They'd asked me to write something that would be ok for them to read, so this was it.  I've called it Dog Slobber!  It's based around a 13 year old who lives in the year 3007 and has genetically modified giant dogs to ride, with hopefully a gentle message about the environment and about being accepting of differences in people. I have about 18 drawings to do for the book, plus one cover image.  I'm around halfway done with those.

So far it's only been read by my good old 'first tester' Andrew, and by my mum and both enjoyed it.  I've yet to see how the nieces like it.  It may need some changes to be correct for that age group. 

I've scanned a couple of pages from my sketchbook where I've been working out the images.  I like looking at sketchbooks so I hope you do too.

They often have more life than the final drawings do.  :)

Let's see, what else?  Oh yes each weekday I did daily writing of 1000 words on my current novel, Bunyip Dreaming, only having my birthday off on the 23rd of Dec.

I'm getting Land of Fire ready to go into print, and the process is going much more smoothly this time, though I really do wonder why it has to be so hard to get page numbering to work or turn off in different sections of a document.  :) 

I've also been really enjoying revisiting Chicken Soup for Satan, which is now in the editing process.  I love it when I have left a finished book long enough so that when I read it, I forget it was me who wrote it and can just enjoy it!  Not surprisingly I get all the jokes.  :D     

I've written the short Blurb for it too.  Does this make you want to read it?

"Gill Smith and his dog, Ghost, think they've found the perfect place to live. The house-mates are friendly, the house is beautiful and the surroundings are peaceful and spacious. Gill can't believe his luck!

Trouble is, strange things have begun happening around this peaceful house.  Scary things.  Who, or what, is to blame for the unearthly creatures that are plaguing the house-mates and their pets?  What creature out of the lost worlds of myth will come after them next?

Gill likes to come across as tough (and with a nickname like Satan, who would question it!) but is he tough enough to stick it out when the weird stuff really hits the fan?"

I hope it does make you want to read it!  I guess the genre is fantasy, but I think actually it has its own genre of Cosy Horror, if there could be such a thing.  :)

Since I am posting this on the very first day of 2015, I also hope for you all that you wish for in this coming year, and for my fellow dog nuts, I hope it contains lots of doggy fun!