On Pressure, Focus and Ideas

I look back at what progress I have made since the last Postcards from The Dark Peak was published in July 2024, and I wonder why almost a year has now elapsed, and I don’t feel any further forwards.

Of course, I have gone forwards, that much is inevitable, but I don’t feel like I’ve hit many, or any, goals that I intended to hit. One of the reasons for that is that I simply have too many ideas and ambitions. Too many things that I am trying to do - at once. 

I need a new website. Having dallied with AI imaging, I have now rejected that and moved on to my own artwork, which has inspired a certain direction in book 2, but at the same time, has dragged me away from actually writing the novel, because the existing hellsborough.com website is now woefully out of date, code wise. So I have been slowly building a replacement, but that has stalled - this is what I mean about focus, or lack of it.

And pressure - I like a bit of pressure, I need a bit of pressure, without it, I procrastinate and get absolutely nothing done at all, but it is a very fine line. Too much pressure - too many ideas, too much lack of focus is debilitating.

It’s not goals I need, therefore, it is a system.

Hence, this relaunch.

This newsletter is now monthly rather than weekly, as previously — the last Sunday of the month. That is less pressure and allows me to concentrate on getting novel two finished, which is my only objective - but at the same time, does provide some marketing exposure.

I have dropped all other ideas for now, including the game - I was working on a TTRPG, but that will have to wait.

So now I have something to hold me to account, which isn’t that much pressure, and also gives you an insight into my process, that inspires the world of The Dark Peak: News articles, podcasts and other things I’m reading and watching.

So I hope you will share my enjoyment of the things that inspire and motivate me to write about The Dark Peak, as well as keeping an eye on my progress with my books, games, and everything else.

When there’s a bazillion things going on in your head, accountability and a system are the things that you need to get you through the other side.

Books I’ve been reading recently

The Hidden Cost of Money: How Financial Forces Shape Our Lives & the World Around Us by Seb Bunney - as the author says, “Everything is Downstream of Money”

Hit Refresh: A Memoir by Microsoft’s CEO by Satya Nadella - read it on the train to London, largely forgettable

Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson - research for Hellsborough under Vegahorn influence

The Last Day by Andrew Hunter Murray- recommended, a novel apocalyptic concept

Memorable things I’ve watched lately

28 Days Later on BBC iPlayer - genre defining classic

28 Weeks Later on Disney+

A Complete Unknown on Disney+ - the legend that is Bob Dylan

Welcome II the Terrordome on BFI player - a bleak dystopian portrayal of the UK

A Thousand Blows on Disney+ - dark streets, squalid London, crime and feighting; it’s Hellsborough in another dimension

Inspiring things I’ve listened to in June

Ed Zitron’s Better Offline podcast series “The Era of the Business Idiot” - just subscribe if you have any interest in tech

Understood: Who Broke the Internet? Cory Doctorow explains why the Internet is so enshittified

The Multiverse Employee Handbook - wonderful science podcast from Robb Corrigan in homage to Douglas Adams - listen and love it

News articles that inform me about The Dark Peak

The first non-opioid pain relief for treating post-surgery pain. More…

Swarms of microbots get rid of bacterial sinus infections. More…

A project to create the building blocks of human life from scratch. More…

NHS plans to DNA test all babies. Not dystopia, obviously. More…

An adult human brain probably contains about 5 to 10 grams of plastic. More…

Fungi recycles nappies by eating smelt. More…

This Month’s words and pictures

As well as featuring in the novella “The Legend of Loxley Bottom” (The Gabbleratchets of Sophie Hinchcliffe), the gabbleratchet also features in the forthcoming novel “Darker Peak”, book two in the Hellsborough trilogy, which I am currently working on as a priority (as previously mentioned).

“The big xin was backed into a corner and facing half a dozen of them vicious gabbleratchets at the same time. There were blood everywhere, and Siltibog's arms, legs and chest bore deep wounds from the fangs and talons of the creatures. If he hadn't been backed into a corner, I doubted that he'd be able to stand up, he was that badly 'urt.” (from chapter 4)

That’s all for this month folks, see you in July 😁