Sanctorum's Veil: Urban Fantasy, Manchester's Secrets, and a Spanish Holiday

Back Home

It was mid-August, but it feels like just yesterday I was basking in the Spanish sun, and yet, here I am, back home, still buzzing with the creative energy from my trip. I recently spent 12 whirlwind days with family and friends at PortAventura, a theme park resort in Salou and even managed a quick trip to the vibrant city of Barcelona. It was a packed schedule, full of thrilling rides, delicious food, and the kind of moments you know you'll look back on for years.

But amidst all the excitement and the "go, go, go," I found something I hadn't expected: time and creative fuel for my work-in-progress, Sanctorum's Veil.

I’ve been chipping away at this novel for a while now, and if you’ve been following my updates (I'm closing in on ten thousand words currently) you know it’s been a little journey for me.

My current work-in-progress, Sanctorum's Veil, is a modern urban fantasy that plunges into the heart of Manchester, exploring its hidden history, its mythical creatures, and the secrets of one man's family. But something clicked during my time in Spain. Maybe it was the change of scenery, the escape from the usual routine, or just the sheer sensory overload of a new place, but the words just started flowing. What I’m most excited about is that after a small break in my writing, I managed to write over 1,500 words on the manuscript during the trip.

The Power of Perspective

You might be wondering how a Spanish holiday could inspire my imagination for a novel set in Manchester, filled with mythical creatures and family secrets. The answer is simple: perspective. Sometimes you need to step away from a place to truly see it. Being in a completely different environment, surrounded by new sights and sounds, gave me a fresh lens through which to view the world of my novel. It was honestly like someone had cleaned my glasses for the first time in a very long time. 

Barcelona, in particular, was an absolute feast for the senses. From the winding, narrow streets of the Gothic Quarter to the breathtaking, otherworldly architecture of Gaudi. The Sagrada Familia (see the photo I took) is something else. Every corner held a story. 

On this trip I found myself jotting down notes on my phone, not just about the sights, but about the feeling of the place. The hum of the city, the scent of fresh pastries, the way the light hit the ancient stone buildings—all of it felt like a puzzle piece fitting into the larger world of my book. I started to see parallels between the two cities; the way a hidden alley in Barcelona could evoke the feeling of a secret Victorian-era passageway in Manchester, or how the intricate details on a Spanish cathedral could remind me of the gothic spires of Manchester Town Hall. This new perspective allowed me to add layers of detail and emotion to the setting building within my imagination that I thought I already knew so well. This for me made them more fantastical and more grounded at the same time.

Balancing Work and Play

Some people might think it's impossible to write while on holiday, but for me, it was the perfect opportunity. There's a certain kind of freedom that comes with being away from your everyday life. The pressure to "get things done" melts away, and you're left with pure, unadulterated creativity. I didn’t set a strict writing schedule. There was no way I could. We'd come away for a theme park holiday, which is always going to be busy. 

Instead, I let the inspiration guide me. I'd grab my tablet or my phone while we were relaxing by the pool before we headed out to the theme park, or I’d sneak in a few paragraphs while the rest of the group was queuing up for a ride that just wasn't for me.

It felt less like a chore and more like a secret joy.

This trip reminded me that inspiration can be found anywhere if you’re open to it. It’s not just about sitting down at your desk and forcing yourself to write. It’s about living, experiencing, and observing the world around you. Sanctorum's Veil will be richer for it, I'm sure of that. I can infuse it with the warmth and magic I found in Spain, and I'm looking forward to adding that energy into my words.

I can't wait to share more about this new book with you all as I continue to make progress. What about you? Have you ever found unexpected inspiration on a trip? Let me know in the comments below.

One for Sorrow, Two for Joy - A Story

Introduction to "One for Sorrow and Two for Joy"

Grief has a way of bringing memories to the surface, unbidden and vivid. Years ago, at the funeral for a friend, I found myself thinking not just about loss, but about the many moments of kindness and laughter shared. This story was written shortly after the funeral as a way for me to process the grief, and I recently stumbled upon it in my back catalogue. 

It's a tribute to a life that continues to inspire me, a story that holds onto those cherished memories and the hope that even in sorrow, there is always joy.

Reading this story again after all these years brought back many memories and smiles and I thought I would share it here.

Meet the Cast of Divided: A Novella of Family, Ghosts, and a Search for Truth

In my novella, Divided, which was longlisted for Wattpad's Open Novella Contest 2024, the search for a missing person takes on a life of its own, blending the real world with the supernatural. It’s a story about family bonds, tragic pasts, and the unexpected connections we make along the way.

Before you dive into the full story, let me introduce you to the key players whose lives are about to collide in a spectacular and dangerous fashion.

A Near-Death Experience, a Ghostly Best Friend, and a Sister in Danger

What if a trip to the operating room didn't just save your life, but changed it forever? In my novella, Divided, that's exactly what happens to Jimmy Jones.

Jimmy's world gets turned upside down when a near-death experience on the operating table leaves him with an unexpected ability: he can now see ghosts. And not just any ghost, but his new best friend, Henry Costa. Henry, in his life, was a professional ghost buster and debunker—a true expert in the field of the supernatural—and now he's an expert from the other side.

Their newfound friendship is put to the test almost immediately. When Jimmy gets home, he learns of a tragic attack at a convention center in Orlando where his sister, Suzi, was working. The culprit, a disgruntled former employee named Bernard, is now a vengeful ghost—and he's possessing Suzi.

With Bernard's physical body still clinging to life in a local hospital, Jimmy and his ghostly sidekick, Henry, have a race against time. Jimmy's personal quest is simple: get on the next plane from the UK to Orlando to find his sister and save her from the angry spirit that has taken her over.

Divided is a supernatural thriller that dives into the bond between a brother and sister, the strange nature of life and death, and the lengths we'll go to for the people we love. It's a story of one man’s courage in the face of the unknown, armed with a new friend who just happens to be an expert on ghosts and ago things spectral.

Ready to join Jimmy on his journey?

I've published this novella on all the ebook retailers that I can find.

You can find Divided on:

Kindle

Books 2 Read 

Google Play Books  

And many more retailers ...

A New Name, A Fresh Start: Welcome to "From The Deaf Duck's Desk"

If you've followed this little corner of the internet before, you'll know it as "A Writing Duck." But as every writer knows, sometimes a story needs a new title to find its true voice. So, I'm thrilled to announce that the blog is back, and it's getting a fresh name to go with it: From The Deaf Duck's Desk.

This name feels like a natural evolution. It connects directly with my home on the web at deaf-duck.uk and gives this space a more personal feel. Think of it as a virtual desk where I'll share all the thoughts, scribbles, and ideas that go into my writing.

So what can you expect from this new chapter?

This will be my central hub for all things creative. I'll be pulling back the curtain on my writing like my supernatural thriller, Divided, with behind-the-scenes looks at character development, world-building, and the process of writing a novella. I'll also be sharing writing tips, book recommendations, and candid thoughts on the highs and lows of being a writer.

Thank you for joining me here. I'm excited to share this journey with you, and I look forward to building this new space together. Stay tuned—the first post from the new desk is coming soon!

Using AI to Create an Audiobook on YouTube

For a challenge to myself I wondered if it would be possible to create an "audiobook" version of my stories,  but for free. Or at least for the lowest possible cost. Is it possible to create such a thing with little to no experience? 

I've heard a lot lately about using AI text-to-speech to produce human-sounding audio. This got me intrigued.

Video background

Firstly,  I needed a background that was consistent with the story being told. I've chosen my Halloween based flash-fiction piece, Tasty.

I went to Canva.com for this, and used my free account. I don't have a pro account, but I was able to use Canva to create a 20 second loop of a night-time scene. Adding the image of the sweet I created for the cover was simple because I'd used Canva to create that too.

This loop was exported as an MP4 to my computer. 

Creating the Video

Next was the video itself, but where was I getting the audio from? I could narrate it myself,  this is a valid option anyone could use. However, the idea here is to use AI.

That's where Clipchamp comes in. Clipchamp is owned by Microsoft and now comes with Windows 11. Within Clipchamp is an AI reader that allows you to convert text to speech. There are so many choices over language, voice sound from either make or female. You can even select a language and have that applied as an accent to another set off text written in a different language. For example, you could select French and write English and then the speech will be in English with a French accent. 

The tool has rudimentary settings you can apply to amend speech pattern. Choose from speed of the speech, from slow to fast, and add pauses.

In Clipchamp I needed to copy in the video image loop from Canva and then paste in the text from my story. There were a few foibles with the audio generated that I had to change the text in parts.  For example, "and inviting" was read so quickly it came out as "uninviting". I amended the text to say "so inviting" instead. There were two other parts I needed to and for similar issues.

The 20 second loop of video was woefully short, meaning I had to copy and paste it several times to cover the whole audio section. 

The Final Product 

The final video needed then to be exported from Clipchamp. This took several minutes. While the video was rendering, I connected my copy of Clipchamp to my YouTube account. 

When Clipchamp finished the export process, it uploaded the video directly to my channel.  You can see the final thing here: 

It's that Spooky Time of Year...

 For a writer, finding inspiration for a story is often difficult. At least that is what I have found. My post last time was all about a short story I entered into a writing contest. Well, given it is October, I thought it worth mentioning another story I wrote last year. This too was for a writing contest.

Tasty is another flash fiction piece, it is only 666 words. 

This too was based on a prompt for a writing contest. 

There was a phrase that had to be included in the story, this was "with a thud".

You can read "Tasty" over on my Wattpad. 

Tasty