Painting Lies is GREEN and decidedly slicker than it was before! I’ve been picking at it in my spare moments, trying to get it close to perfect. I hope you like it, don’t care if you don’t. Here’s a run down of what’s new:

• IT’S GREEN
• New theme that’s been customized/butchered
• New Twitter feed – it’s all linked so I can also tweet from the sidebar!
• Two sidebars instead of one – the left is blog/book-related, right is site-related
• Updated text and images on About Me, Publishing and The Site pages
• Brand new promotional page for Fight the Sky (this took AGES)
• A new focus on the publishing aspect of Painting Lies

Related to the last point, I want to say two things. The first is that the paperback edition of Revolve will be out next month and I’m looking for any local (ie. Wolves or Birmingham) photographers or artists who would like to collaborate on a front cover. I can do it myself but I know some of you can do it better. I can send you a few poems for “inspiration”, or you can go mad and improvise. I want something simple, perhaps even just the title and name on a background. You’ll get plugged here, there and everywhere and the book will be sold internationally, so the exposure will be fair. There are opportunities for different editions of the book (digital, Kindle, audio) so we’re not just talking one release, and I’m not opposed to interior illustrations if you’re up for it, so just express interest and I’ll send you a free proof copy to peruse. There will, of course, be profits from sales of the book which I am more than happy to share. If you’re genuinely interested drop me a comment or an e-mail. I’ll send more details and my phone number.

The second thing I want to say is though I’ve gone for a more “professional” look for the website (well, comparably – no more angsty black and blue, I promise), it doesn’t mean the blog content is going to change. I’m planning on upping the frequency of updates and giving heads up to talented acquaintances – Naplew being just one of many – and will also be posting more previews of writing/snippets of poetry as I see fit (maybe even the first chapter of Doors?). This aside, it’s business as usual. I will still bombard you with pretty pictures of my darling rabbits, Rafael Nadal’s current whereabouts and try to keep a lid on my not-so-secret Britney obsession. Big, big blogs to come, including all of the photographs from my American excursion so far. I’m planning on ending up in Paris at some point, too, so there’s that to look forward to…

Until then, then. Hope you like green.

This is a website update even though the changes are only minor – I deleted the fanlistings page, tidied up the links (and the Admired blogroll on the sidebar – if you’re not there and you want to be please give me your link), added stuff to the contact page…I’ve also got the archives appearing by year now so there is no longer the massive list of months. Ideally I’d have a nice collapsible plugin or a sexy dropdown menu so that it’s still browsable by month, but that’s what I was trying failing to do this morning, so…I’ll just leave it be. Nobody’s that desperate to delve into my past anyway, right? I’m also going to re-think the tagcloud and see which ones I can remove/improve. The layout also needs to change – I turned it all blue for Fight the Sky, but as that phase is passing now I’m thinking maybe a change in colour. It’ll still be very simple because I am incapable of designing anything more complex simple is good.

Anyway, for those who remember it, broken-sky.org slipped away quietly this week. There’s bound to be a file or two I’ll miss in the months to come, but it was unused and unloved, so I saw no use in continuing to pay for it. It only took me a year and a half to properly move to this domain, then. I am the queen of Getting Shit Done (see: previous post).

Today is glorious, beautiful, sunny, productive – I had another GET RID OF EVERYTHING flurry and chucked out tons of old CDs, books, DVDs, video games…in theory I’m searching for spending money. In practice I’m admiring the de-clutter.

Sort your mess out and your life will follow. Or something like that? Can’t stop, got a date with two veggie burgers…

The morning after the night before, at Naomi’s place yesterday…I’ve had those boots since I was 15-years-old and they’re still the best shoes to trek home in after a mental night out. I’m tired I’m dying stop shouting abuse at me oh my lord please get outta my way small child I’m in no fit state to BBBOOOOOOOOOOOMMM man down man down man down.

Now, where were we?

Sounds like my kinda thing…

If you haven’t already been to Hay, I highly recommend you go. There are around 30 different bookshops, and whilst you might not find something you like in each one, browsing will certainly keep you busy. The shop pictured above, Booth’s Bookshop, is the original one and is absolutely gorgeous inside. I found a 201-year-old copy of A Winter’s Tale in there, and an 84-year-old edition of De Profundis by Oscar Wilde.

A couple of cats were wandering around in there, too. This one was very friendly.

Even though it rained all day (I didn’t take many photos because it made for a particularly miserable backdrop) I had a really great time, and I can’t wait to go back…with more money!

So yes, I highly recommend you go and see the town for yourself. It was a bit of a mission driving out there (cheers Google maps) but it was definitely worth it.

Right, I’ve got a bit of a headache from sitting here clacking away for hours. My first few attempts at the promo webpage went arse-over-tit because I was trying to code the whole thing using HTML tables in accordance with my “vision”, but as you can probably guess, I got horribly frustrated when I accepted it wasn’t going to work. I cranked up Ye Olde PSP8e instead and turned the majority of it into .pngs. I think it looks good, though? What do you think? Full credit to NKM Photography for the mugshots – silhouette of the birds is, of course, all my own.

Let’s leave it at that. My gym induction went well and I resolve to go at least once a week from now on…complaints and grumblings about that are sure to follow very soon. Tomorrow’s my birthday, let’s see how it goes.

Marley’s sent me a track he wants me to do some vocal work for, but before I can do that, I need some writing to accompany it. As usual, his track is excellent; I need to do it justice. The first four minutes are of a really sweet, gentle melody, so naturally, I want to put some pretty fucked up lyrics over the top. I wonder if that would be okay?

I feel inspired. I’ve been getting to grips with some of Charles Bukowski’s poetry this week, after picking up one of his anthology’s at work. I’ve also been revisiting Anno’s work, reminiding myself why I do what I do, and why I’m determined to achieve. I think, right now, I’m going to work on a chapter of Nom. And then, once I’ve eaten my tea, I’m going to listen to Marley’s track, and get in the zone.

I crave creativity. It can be done. It will be done.

Well, the move is almost complete. I still have two suitcases filled with clothes to unpack, and two large boxes of books to sort through, but otherwise I’m pretty much done. I HAVE ARRIVED. It wasn’t as stressful as I expected, which is a nice surprise.

Now, where to start with this post?

First off, you may have noticed a few small changes to the site. I’ve tweaked some of the CSS and added a few things to the sidebar, nothing major, but I’m pleased with it. I’m also going to add a tag cloud once I’ve finished writing this, just because I want one. I suppose I’ll get a nicer layout put up eventually. I’m also going to update WRAW, before I log off. Must remember to do that.

EXCITING TIMES this week!! I’ve got written confirmation of my first class degree from the university, at last. I didn’t expect to do so well, but I am damn pleased that it happened! It’s given me renewed faith in myself. It’s just reminded me that the best will come to you, if you really want it. The best will come and find you, despite how long it might make you wait. I feel inspired to start working overtime on my novel, but first, I have to get this week out of the way…

…Wednesday is my 21st birthday! Don’t let that exclamation mark fool you; I’m not all that excited. The main reason for this is that I don’t have any plans. Tom’s coming down from Norwich at some point, and I suppose we’ll all go have a Chinese at some point. I want to see Public Enemies and the new HP film at the pictures, too. The one thing I am looking forward to on Wednesday is the present from my mummy – a rabbit! I asked for a puppy but she didn’t seem keen, so I had to settle for a bunny instead. But I am really excited about this, I’m going to call him Chip. I’m a lot older now, than the last time I had a pet. I’m not going to shirk the responsibility off on somebody else. I’m going to take care of Chip, and together, we will rule the world (or at the very least, my mum’s back garden).

I don’t expect much else in the way of presents. Jack says he’s taking me to Merry Hill today to pick out a present, so I need to think up a few (fairly expensive) ideas. Lisa’s getting me the Fawlty Towers boxset, and Tom’s getting me an iPod deck, so I no longer have to struggle with the broken speakers on my computer monitor. Hurrah! The sound on my PC works, but I can no longer adjust the volume. Succcckkkkssss.

I’ve just about got used to being 20, and now 21 has crept up on me. Oh well. I suppose I should just enjoy the 20s while they last, before 29 comes and fritters away before my very eyes.

Most amazing thing to happen this week? My copy of REVOLVE came!! Check out these preview pics:

The front cover.

Contents page.

Chapter title and the first poem, REVOLVE.

An example of some of the different page layouts.

Author’s page. THAT’S ME!

Just so you can get an idea of the book’s size.

Ignore how rough I am, look at the book! So proud.

I can’t really be bothered to promote it, but I know I should at least try to sell one of these things, so here I am. I’m going to get some good photographs going for a few promo ideas I have, and of course get the book plastered across my various web projects, so you never know. Lots of people have promised to buy one, but whether they actually will is another matter entirely. Times is hard, sir.

RIGHT. Lisa’s having an epic party tonight, so I should probably think about what I’m going to wear. It’s going to be crazy. I hope I remember it.