When you try to take a picture and your dog yawns into the camera instead. Nice.

(c) K Wicks
When you try to take a picture and your dog yawns into the camera instead. Nice.

(c) K Wicks
Another lovely December sunrise. I forget to download the photos from my Nikon sometimes and get a pleasant surprise weeks later when I go back through them.

(c) K Wicks

Hey Guys! I am Max and I will be attempting to construct one of the articles in my “end of the year series” today. This series consists of Worst Books of 2020, Best Books of 2020 and Most Anticipated Releases of 2020. Today, I will be manufacturing the most controversial article in this series and […]
Worst Books Of 2020 — Maxxesbooktopia
Under the Apple Tree and other dark short stories.
I have been very lucky to get some awesome reviews for my first book of short stories, so thought I would share a few with you. They can also be found on Amazon with the book (link at bottom of post) and of course just in case anyone is looking for a creepy read to fill the time 😉
Reviewer 1 – Six creepy stories that are guaranteed to lodge themselves firmly under the skin. Each story invites the reader into a world where you are certain that from the very first word, things are not going to end with a cheery musical number. They are ‘dark’ stories for a reason. A quick read for those looking for a chilling end to the evening, each tale comes with its own twist. Personal favourites include ‘Doctors Visit’ and ‘Clocking Off’.
Reviewer 2 – Thoroughly enjoyed these short stories reminiscent of Roald Dahl’s ‘Tales of the unexpected’. Particular praise for ‘Clocking Off’
Reviewer 3 – All the stories here have their own flavour. Another review mentioned Tales of the Unexpected and I’d say that’s on the money. Imaginative, well-written, I’m looking forward to more from this author.
Reviewer 4 – Although the stories are set in present day, the author’s writing style is reminiscent of classic horror like Stevenson or Shelley, which can feel odd at times but carries the stories well. And, similarly to the classics, there’s not a lot of gore or curse words, which makes this collection enjoyable for fans of all ages. In a way, Under the Apple Tree: And other dark short stories remind me of scary stories you tell around the campfire or are passed around during sleepover parties, and like those stories these tales stay with you for a long time.
The full review for No.4 is much longer and covers each story separately, but this last paragraph made me smile very much.
I can only hope that people get as much enjoyment from reading my stories as I did all those years ago reading every one else’s.

It was nice to see the hills covered in snow. It didnt really settle in the garden so I enjoyed the view from the warmth of the upstairs bedroom.

(c) K Wicks
It continues. I have some metallic acrylic paint too so had an experiment with that.

I love the boldness of the colours, but still need to get the hang of stars. Splattering paint looks easy but…

I thought this one was a right off, until I added the metallic overlay and attempted my first palm tree. I was really chuffed with it in the end. It seems to be the pieces I think I have ruined, I then relax and don’t worry about ruining it! I need to be more confident it will turn out ok.
(c) K Wicks
A funny but slightly weird moment from my past (there are many). My grandpas 80th birthday just over a decade ago and I was 28 at the time. A party of about 20-30 or so people were invited, mostly people I didn’t know apart from a few relatives. The seating was all prepared, Grandma had decided to put me next to an old friend who worked in recruitment, because I had too. I guess she thought it would give us something to talk about. That friend of theirs however, went straight in with a different line of questioning I was not expecting. He asked about my parent, thinking it was my uncle but obviously realised it possibly wasn’t to ask about it, when I confirmed he wasn’t, he was shocked and slightly confused. I had to say that my father was the youngest son. None of these friends knew about the second son it turns out. The conversation didn’t get noticed round the table, but I suspect it was probably talked about after when he went home! It was an odd feeling to have to explain myself and where I fit in the family, but it was also strange to know their friends didn’t know they had a second son. If you just don’t tell people, they don’t know, and by this right, they had removed the rogue element in their story.
Ah, if only it were that easy…

(c) K Wicks
I miss these little guys when I go back through my pictures. Lizards were everywhere in Spain as well as geckos and other wildlife. This is a Psammodromus lizard, with it’s colourful stripe easy to identify.

Their tails and underbelly turns bright orange when they are in mating season.

They are so cool.

(c) K Wicks
It’s strange but all
I can presume
Is that the masses
Accept this doom
That has been set
Through clever disguise
With stats and figures
And twisted through lies
There won’t be what
We had before
We don’t even know
What is in store
The ones who think
It’ll be just fine
Seem not to know
This is by design
All I can hope
That this coming year
Will be less fraught
With gloom and fear

Rhyme and Reason
(c) K Wicks
Volume 1 published 2018 – volume 2 coming soon.
The question asked
Was how can we
Make the sheeple
Really see
What is there
Before our eyes
A dastardly plot
So riddled with lies
All the sensible
Logical folk
Are seen as mad
A bit of a joke
Strange to think
That people find
It odd to query
Or use your mind
Because it’s safer
For the blind to keep
Their self-denial
And stay asleep
It becomes more obvious
Quite plain to see
We’re not in the same
Reality
But were we ever?

Rhyme and Reason
(c) K Wicks
My first book of Rhyme and Reason poetry published in 2018. Volume 2 is on it’s way, 2020 has been motivational for trying to make sense of the world even more than before!