Hello readers! Last weekend I was in North Wales with some old friends from university, and we finally decided to climb Yr Wyddfa, the highest mountain in Wales. We meet in North Wales every autumn, and although this hike had been in our sights for years, we had always been deterred by miserable weather. It … Continue reading Clayton climbs Yr Wyddfa
Progress Update: September 2024
Hello readers! It has been a very busy month, and this is only a short post to give you some idea of what I’ve been up to recently. The fourth book in the Highmoor series is slowly coming together, and I’m gradually releasing more supporting material (art, maps, etc.) for the website. However, I have … Continue reading Progress Update: September 2024
Reading into ratings – what do they mean?
Hello readers! Have you ever wondered what a star rating really means? Our online purchasing choices are often guided by tiny rows of stars, but their meaning isn’t as clear as their simplicity would suggest. Ratings are everywhere, whether they are individual scores given by respected critics, or mean values harvested from thousands of users … Continue reading Reading into ratings – what do they mean?
The many faces of fantasy gods
Hello readers! Today I’m adding a new character doodle to this blog’s “art collection”. This is a sketch of Trekja, one of the seven gods from my Highmoor fantasy series. She is the god of the atmosphere and the creator of dragons, and she is also the revered spirit of the people of Highmoor. I … Continue reading The many faces of fantasy gods
Free book weekend: 24th-26th August
Hello readers! From Saturday to Monday, my first five books will be FREE on Amazon (find them here). The Starlit Ship trilogy consists of three science fiction thrillers set in the far future on a distant planet, centuries after it was colonised by humans. These books explore the environmental and political consequences of a giant, … Continue reading Free book weekend: 24th-26th August
Clayton goes to Loch Goil
Hello readers! Last week I went on holiday to a fjordy-looking Scottish sea loch to the northwest of Glasgow. Loch Goil is long, deep, and narrow, and is walled in by steep mountains with rocky peaks and forested slopes. The valley sides are so sheer that civilisation has struggled to find a foothold, and the … Continue reading Clayton goes to Loch Goil
NEW BOOK RELEASE: Synwyr by C. W. Clayton
Hello readers! I have just released Synwyr, the third book in the Highmoor series. It is available now on Amazon (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DCSN2FR5), so you can either buy a copy for £2.99, or read it for free on Kindle Unlimited. Maps for the book are available on my website (cwclaytonauthor.co.uk), where you’ll also find concept art and … Continue reading NEW BOOK RELEASE: Synwyr by C. W. Clayton
Six-minute summary: James Croll
Hello readers! This week, I’m summarising the life of a lesser-known scientist. James Croll was once a big name in the British scientific community, exchanging ideas with contemporaries such as Charles Lyell and Charles Darwin. He was a physicist, geologist, and mathematician – but when he published his first paper, he was employed only as … Continue reading Six-minute summary: James Croll
Highmoor Maps: World Map
Hello readers! This week I am presenting the first draft of the world map from my Highmoor series. It is very much a work in progress, as you can probably tell from the fog I have applied to the unfinished northern and western regions. However, it has been a couple of years since I published … Continue reading Highmoor Maps: World Map
Thoughts on Doctor Who Series 14
Hello readers! It is once again time for me to critique Doctor Who and confront my conflicted feelings towards its existence. I don’t count myself as a Doctor Who fan, but I am fascinated with its concept, and the bizarre but enduring niche it has carved in the TV ecosystem. Doctor Who is now on … Continue reading Thoughts on Doctor Who Series 14
C. W. Clayton 