STRICTLY COME LEKKING
Witness early morning dance contestants compete for the avian equivalent of the Glitter Ball Trophy in the black grouse lek, says Simon Whaley.
Snowy Spring
It might be April, but it looks like Christmas!
Hermitage H’atmosphere
I love the spookiness of the atmosphere around the Hermitage in Rectory Woods. It can be dark and foreboding under the tree, with the reflections of the ruins and the …
Daffodil Delight
The daffodils appear to be delighting in the April showers and sunshine we’ve been having recently.
Understanding Your Contract
UNDERSTANDING YOUR AUTHOR CONTRACT
Secured a publishing deal? Simon Whaley puts on his business head to assess its implications.
On 30th April 2003 I received my first author contract. Hodder & Stoughton wanted to publish my One Hundred Ways For A Dog To Train Its Human. It was a day of mixed emotions. There was uncontainable excitement that I was having a book be published. And then, as I flicked through all 14 pages of the contract, a sense of horror overwhelmed me as I appreciated what was at stake.
Rocky Vista
A glorious morning, this morning, but not for everyone, it seems. If you squint hard enough you can just make out the bank of fog over Shrewsbury and surrounding The …
Snapper Daffodils
Giant daffodils dwarf Shefali!
River Path
A night of heavy rain and, suddenly, the static path upon which I’ve trudged many times is now a moving river of water. It’s a constant flow of travelling.
Morning View
This morning, without having to get out of bed, I pulled back the curtains to enjoy the view from my Royal Agricultural University bedroom window, for one final time.