Ben from Spookily Drawn Swords

I've picked up some followers lately so I'll do a new intro post - for many years I ran a very funny epic fantasy podcast called Crudely Drawn Swords, which you can listen to right now. I'm also a musician, programmer, game designer, horse trainer and apparently now novelist? I'm learning to draw.

Running late today, but here's your quote from Breath and Bone: "You - you were - you're a _horse!_" That was Barris. "Do we have time for this?" I asked. "No. Um, no, my lady?" Ebook sale on now at the usual places including www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/...

Peachtober day 26: "blanket" As you are probably aware, on sufficiently wet terrain, where it's often raining and the ground never fully dries (such as most of Wales) peat can form on the peaks and hillsides, creating blanket bogs. #peachtober #peachtober26

Peachtober day 26: "blanket" As you are probably aware, on sufficiently wet terrain, where it's often raining and the ground never fully dries (such as most of Wales) peat can form on the peaks and hillsides, creating blanket bogs. #peachtober #peachtober26

A smooth and logical path to the greensward: I solved the daily #CluesBySam, Oct 26th 2026 (Easy), in 04:05 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 cluesbysam.com

In serendipitous timing, the OED has added the word "bwbach" (a household goblin from Welsh myth). Now, if you fancy reading a story that features a mischievous, brandy-drinking bwbach, then pre-order the anthology "They Are Still Here", which incl. my bwbach story "Don't Forget to Feed Barry" 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 1/2

Peachtober day 25: "school" I think I somewhat exceeded my grasp here but how else does one learn? #peachtober #peachtober26

Let's FUCKING GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

My wife is bullying my poor innocent big-eyed baby horse again.

Peachtober day 25: "school" I think I somewhat exceeded my grasp here but how else does one learn? #peachtober #peachtober26

A little afternoon session with the precious baby.

This is a favourite fantasy series of mine. Combines some really smart worldbuilding (magic comes from the decay of dead gods, of which a busy, multi-cultural trade city has many) with a grounded noirish style like if Chandler was writing about wizards.

Peachtober day 23: "stardust" This one is inspired a little by the Voyager title sequence and by the Parthenon ships from @aptshadow.bsky.social's Final Architecture trilogy. #peachtober #peachtober26

While I'm shouting at clouds, UK gov telling everyone to stockpile for climate-change-driven emergencies while fast-forwarding fossil fuel drilling is... I had thought it was the government's responsibility to fix problems, not cause problems and then tell us to deal with the fallout at our expense.

Peachtober Day 22: "green" Just a friendly green fellow on a green horse showing up to bring a bit of festive cheer to your great hall. What's the axe for? Don't worry about it! #peachtober #peachtober26

Y’know, the “forever gm” meme is kind of annoying. Gming isn’t something I dislike, it is my favorite way to play games. You know what I DO dislike? Being the forever scheduler. The forever planner. The one who’s gotta get the ball rolling every time. I think that’s like half of gm burnout for me

Peachtober Day 22: "green" Just a friendly green fellow on a green horse showing up to bring a bit of festive cheer to your great hall. What's the axe for? Don't worry about it! #peachtober #peachtober26

Not to put too fine a point on it, drawing this earwormed me very badly and I apologise if sharing that leads you to believe I'm not actually your friend, but I am.

Microsoft, Sony, EA, purchasing video game heritage. Forcing them to chase trends away from these studios’ strengths and then being surprised when those games do not connect with the game buying public. Billions spent, line didn’t go up. Close studio. How do they keep their jobs?!

Not to put too fine a point on it, drawing this earwormed me very badly and I apologise if sharing that leads you to believe I'm not actually your friend, but I am.

Peachtober day 21: "nightlight" Who watches over you? #peachtober #peachtober26

If you self-host and run PHP on it (which is very likely) you NEED to update it later today, ASAP. A major vulnerability that affects PHP versions since 5 has been found, which allows remote code execution (very bad). You MUST retweet and share with friends who self-host. THIS IS CRITICAL. ⚠️

King Arthur's spear was called "Ron"???

A pleasing flow to today's greensward: I solved the daily #CluesBySam, Oct 21st 2026 (Tricky), in 04:04 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 cluesbysam.com

Started the day with a right to work ID check. Wondering who the haggard elderly man staring back at me out of the selfie cam was. Doesn't he look tired?

Peachtober day 20: "seal" #peachtober #peachtober26

Peachtober day 20: "seal" #peachtober #peachtober26

Let me tell you, drawing a central location from my teenage years while listening to "Together Alone", an album I loved in the autumn of 1993, and that still stands up, that conjured some feelings.

Peachtober day 19: "basket" This one is very cosy and nostalgic to me specifically. #peachtober #peachtober26

Available now, our very Welsh Kickstarter project. They Are Still Here features stories of resistance and resilience in Welsh community, with a little help from our supernatural friends. wizardstowerpress.co...

Something really funny to me about the Arthurian stories is that jousting was a sport. Every time someone's out questing and there's a knight at the ford determined to joust against all who would pass, it's like insisting every passer-by joins you for a round of golf, except a bit more violent.

Peachtober Day 17: "sprinkles" #Peachtober #Peachtober26

genAI boosters are always like “you think you’re better than me because you drew a picture? You think you’re better than me because you read a book?” and it’s like, well, no, but you seem very unhappy

Peachtober day 17: "braid" Not much drawing time today and not a great job but sometimes it's like that on a daily drawing challenge. #peachtober #peachtober26

The audiobook of The Redstone Rescue is something I'm really proud of but it's impossible to track how many downloads it has had and platforms like Audible seemingly just pay you as much as they feel like. It's not a predictable market at all.

I guided my friend through her first ride on her baby horse today. I enjoy starting young horses but there's something so special about enabling people to do it for themselves.

Palestinian skateboarder in Gaza doing a kickflip over an unexploded US-made (in Garland, Texas) Mk. 84 2000lb aerial bomb, provided to Israel as one of many tens of thousands of aerial bombs in the 1,000 and 2,000lb class included in US military assistance.

Peachtober day 15: "sun" Peachtober day 16: "moon" It's not good but I was playing with physical media so the undo function was very lacking and the layers kept interfering with one another. #peachtober #peachtober26

A smooth and satisfying greensward: I solved the daily #CluesBySam, Oct 16th 2026 (Tricky), in less than 7 minutes 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 cluesbysam.com

Add "for Tax Purposes" to a movie: Diamonds Are Forever for Tax Purposes

Add "for Tax Purposes" to a movie: You Only Live Twice for Tax Purposes

No Peachtober today but if you want some fun art from the first two weeks of the month there's a bunch of it on my media tab.

Peachtober day 14: "crayon" I just took this prompt as a chance to play with (the digital version of) the medium, for the first time since school. Reference by @trueref.bsky.social, as ever. #peachtober #peachtober26