IN OUR GARDEN

In our garden yesterday...

A large stick insect. 

From tip of antenae to tail it was about 15 cms or 6" in length.  

And in other news, 

THE FUGITIVE QUEEN  
progresses apace as the end approaches.

Approaching

THE FUGITIVE QUEEN has not yet been completed, but it will be done by Christmas, all being well. The first 100,000 words have been reworked a number of times, and I am reasonably happy with them, but the next 20 thousand still need a bit of work. The final 10 thousand is underway. And yes, I will soon be on the hunt for beta readers.

The only person to have read any of it so far, an editor friend with a critical eye, seems to be enjoying it, so that's good news. (And no, it doesn't matter how many books you have published, you still think the latest is terrible. Consequently, you soak up any praise as if it was rain in a drought.)

And here's a photo I took recently of the caterpillar of a case moth, scurrying along across a path. It has clothed itself in a camouflage gown of straws. That sort of furry stuff at the top is its head poking out.