Hi all, I hope you've all been doing well. Halloween is fast approaching, which is always a cool time of year, particularly for horror writers, horror fans and just generally anyone who likes to dress up in a clown mask, put on make-up and drizzle some fake blood. I'm really excited to announce that I've finished my next book, a horror-fantasy thriller set in the fictional Cornish hamlet of Bodhmall's Rest (first prize for anyone who can guess where that place-name came from). I'm now focussed on finding the right editor and publisher for a book I'm really, really proud of. I've also just added part one of 'A Ghost on the Water', a short story I put together a little while ago for an anthology. I hope you enjoy it. If you do, let me know; if you don't, let me know that too. Part 2 will be posted next month. We've had a lot going on in our little family these past few weeks, with both of our children's careers going from strength to strength. If you want a rocking band or a hole in your body, just let me know. For my part, I've decided to give up my job of twenty-eight years to focus solely on my writing; I'm at that age now where I can kind of do what I want, and it turns out writing stories - the freakier the better - is exactly what I want. I'm due to hit the half century next year after all, and that's no laughing matter. As an aside, many of you know that my cousin and I tout our wares as a music duo, and one of the guys in the crowd a couple of gigs ago took some really cool shots (thanks Andy). When I was considering what picture to add to this blog, I thought I'd use one of those. We might be old geezers but we can still rock, even if it is at a much slower pace than back when we were in our twenties. Anyway, more to come on my new book, and on my new full-time career (cover band duties not withstanding), a little later. For now, enjoy Halloween, try to dodge the Christmas decorations already filling the shelves in the supermarket, and only put the heater on when the needle dips to just above freezing (this is where I avoid getting political). Be good to each other and have fun, SD.