Tim Lebbon – horror and dark fantasy author

This weekend I’ve spent some time alone at home with my dog.  Tracey and the kids are in Devon til late this evening, so I’ve been working, relaxing, walking, cycling, and drinking a few pints.  Yesterday morning the dog and I walked several miles through Pontypool Park to the shell grotto and the folly.  It was a beautiful walk, and it cleared the cobwebs of the previous evening’s beers.  At times it felt like were utterly alone, not just up there on the mountain, but anywhere.  While I walked, I mused.

We were home by eleven o’clock, and after a nice salad lunch in the back garden – with nuclear strength coffee – I spent the early afternoon working on a Secret Novel Proposal.

At 4pm I jumped on my bike and visited the Goose and Cuckoo.    What a splendid pub!  Several pints of Summer Stinger later, I cycled home (carefully) along the canal, cooked a fabulous Thai Red Curry, then vegged out and fell asleep.

This morning … another long walk with the dog first thing, a visit to the local garden centre where they have a great cafe, more work … and now, yet more work on the proposal before the family arrive home again.  Time for a run at 6 o’clock, the rest of the curry, pick the family up … then a couple more beers to round off the weekend.

I’ve missed them a lot.  But I’ve also had a nice relaxing time, which the recycling bin will bear witness to this week.  Quite a few empties!

And that Secret Novel Proposal, too ….

Well, we made it!  There were a few dodgy moments – those sheep were vicious, and mountaintop ferns have a way of slapping your legs in the wind just so - but after a 4 hour walk (with several, ‘Er, maybe we should have taken that other path back there’ moments), we progressed along the old Roman road and found ourselves crawling into the warm, welcoming embrace of the Goose and Cuckoo, whereupon pints of Red Hunter were drunk, and much hilarity ensued.  And was that possibly the longest sentence in the world, ever?

And it was my mistake yesterday, the walk was from Abersychan to the Goose & Cuckoo.  We reckoned that in 4 hours we walked about 7 or 8 miles, allowing for a few brief chocolate stops to keep us going (the adults, that is …. the kids managed just fine).

Right then. May looks to be a busy month.  I have s short story to writer; four chapters on the new Hidden Cities novel; another short story proposal for an exciting, and unfortunately secret new project; a full proposal for my new 30 Days of Night novel; a TV series proposal; as well as a couple of other novel projects I’m tinkering with, and a collaborative novel series to start getting into shape with a good mate of mine who must remain nameless.  So what am I doing posting on this blog with increasingly and worryingly long sentences, you might well ask.

Procrastinating.

So before I leave you …

Today, we’re off on an adventure.   Starting from my friends’ house in Blaenavon, we’re heading over the mountain to the Goose & Cuckoo.  They don”t know the way. Neither do we.  We only know it’s ‘That way, possibly’.  Could be fun, but so soon after watching EDEN LAKE, I admit to being a little nervous.

But it’s OK .. we’re taking out dog, and they’re taking their two Chocolate Labs.   If anyone attacks us, they’ll be slobbered to death.

If I don’t post anyting tomorrow, feel free to send out search parties.

Meanwhile …