Today is the Solstice – the longest day – and here in the UK it’s the hottest since 1976. I like it hot, but not this hot. And so on. We’ve had grumblings of thunder and a few showers but nothing like the storm that seemed to be brewing earlier; nothing to clear this muggy air. I’ve just had to deploy a reading of Piper at the Gates of Dawn to get the eldest child to sleep. That particular chapter of Kenneth Grahame‘s book never ceases to leave me feeling spellbound, and it never fails to send the kids to sleep. A fittingly Solstice-ish bit of magic, perhaps.

Well I haven’t done one of these in ages, but it used to be that I’d try to post something here on the Solstices and the Equinoxes by way of keeping you, dear reader, up to date with what we were working on at the minute. The truth is that 2017 seems to be flying by at a genuinely alarming pace, and we haven’t yet much to show for it in real terms. We spent January and a decent chunk of February working on some pitches (one of which is huge) for things that are still “in the pipeline”, as it were. What can I actually tell you about?

Artwork has been coming in for Ghost Stories of an Antiquary Vol 2, but I’m afraid we’re not allowed to tell you who our artists are yet. Sorry.

We’ve got a second series of Storm Warning coming up in the Megazine in the next few months, but again I can’t say who our artist will be as yet (we’re not sure ourselves as I type).

Leah has written a little something for Heavy Metal, which should to be turning up in the next, or following, issue.

We’re collaborating with Sally Jane Thompson on that Dark Horse book we seem to have been talking about for years and years now.

We’re also working on a couple of new series for Dynamite Entertainment after a few years, and that’s nice.

I’m sure I’m forgetting loads of things. There are loads of partly done things, things we’re waiting to hear back about, things people have asked for when we get a chance, etc. We seem to be busier than ever (although I always seem to say that). Come the Autumn though, you should start to see new stuff coming out from us on a fairly regular basis though by then we’ll already be panicking about a completely different set of stuff.

The summer is here and life is good. It isn’t easy, but it’s good. We’ve lots to be thankful for, so let’s give thanks and enjoy what we have while we have it. Happy Solstice to you and yours.