There is a short but sweet review of The Grumpets here. Book blurb for The Grumpets: Grumpets are shy creatures who live in compost heaps. They are small and wrinkly, with many long, pale limbs, and like nothing better than burrowing into fresh grass clippings. But the heap can be a dangerous place. Follow the adventures of young Chip Grumpet as ravenous Slimers and the dreaded Time of Turning threaten to destroy the Grumpet's world!  To date, this is my one excursion into the realm of fiction for children.  It was fun to write, and to be perfectly honest I was unsure how people might react to this total change of direction from me.  But such things are always beyond the control of the person who creates anything.  All we can do is launch a project on its way and wait to see how things go.

The Grumpets! ISBN: 9781301565078 ASIN: B00D3JB0CW (for Kindle) Published Today! Grumpets are shy creatures who live in compost heaps.   At any moment of any day, wilting flowers, mouldy cabbage leaves or faded roses might tumble down upon them. But the heap can be a dangerous place. Grumpets have to keep alert for horrible Slimers.   And the dreaded Time of Turning…. Introducing a new species, one which even the mighty Sir David Attenborough has, as yet, overlooked!  Grumpets are, (as the above book blurb suggests), rather shy and retiring by nature, and they spend much of their time burrowing within warm, snug compost heaps.  They can be found in many gardens but it is unlikely, unless you keep a sharp eye out and know what you're looking for, that you will have spotted them. The Grumpets is a short fantasy story for children, though it may well appeal to 'children' of all ages.  This foray into children's fiction is ...

Emily & Poppi playing King of the Castle Cushion.     This is the last day of my week's annual leave so I'll be making the most of the sunshine as soon as I've typed this, and will get some more gardening done.  I've cleared two borders of weeds and planted three small rosemary shrubs and a broom which I'd grown from cuttings.  There's plenty more work to be done, of course, but that's the nature of all gardens.   This week I've written the first draft of The Grumpets , which could be described as a small book for small children of all ages.  This is the first childrens' story I've ever written.  I never intended to write for children, but then I had this crazy idea about little creatures called Grumpets...  I have no idea how children or adults will react to it; I've not even shared it at Riverside Writers yet.  The idea had been tacked to the wall next to my PC for at least six months, so this week I decided...