#19andFFV:
Chapter 1 – Deep Space Decisions
Chapter 2 – The Wild Yonder
Chapter 3 – A Clash With Clan Callahan
Chapter 4 – Welcome To Death Flash City
Chapter 5 – Blindsided
Chapter 6 – Fuzzy
Chapter 7 – The Eternal Echo of Jacobi Crane
Chapter 8 – Doctor Davron
Chapter 9 – Sky Diamond
Chapter 10 – Sacrifice / 19&FFV
For what it’s worth (probably not a lot)…
⚡️🎵MY TOP TEN TRACKS OF 2025 🎵⚡️
On the one hand it’s a maddening racket from an over hyped band lead by a nepo baby but on the other (if you give yourself to it) it’s unsteady tempo and cacophonous edging make for a thrillingly tangible rollercoaster of a song that feels wonderfully alive in this age of digital music with its rigid beats and pitch correction.
Another fuzzy, buzzy melodic gem from Big Thief.
A toss up between this one and Thief from Little Simz this year but Flood just edges forward with dark rhythmic and Simz assertive rhymes.
Papa and the nameless ghouls continued to answer the accusations that aren’t ’proper metal’ by pushing even further into Scandinavian pristinely produced POP rock instead with the Skeleta album. Santanized was its calling card – big, crunchy, a Headbangers Ball friendly howling guitar solo but with some light folk touches and a melodic flavour that pushes more towards ABBA than SABBA(TH)
Not quotes as magically wistful as last years Fontaines track ‘Favourite’ but still hits the mark with its jangly nod to The Smiths and The Lotus Eaters.
Funny and insightful spoken word piece over a sample and a beat that takes the concept of a mum doing the washing and runs it through various ideologies.
Bringing the beach bum slacker mentality to the Gen Z kids, the Fikester returns with 1x weary yet irreverent verse, 1x great chorus and 1x sandblasted guitar solo and then it just ends because who needs long songs when the kids will only spend a minute and a half max watching a TikTok video before swiping.
Possibly the catchiest song of the year for me. Slight Belly meets Frente vibes like The Beths and all that. It plays in my head a lot.
Unexpected Johnny Cash cover from Jarvis and the gang. It’s nicely rhythmic and builds quite splendidly. Lots of fun, Jarvis hasn’t sounded this pleasingly arch in decades.
10 – Ad Astra – ASH & GRAHAM COXON
Tim Wheeler doing what he does best (charmingly playful pop punk about space travel and such like) with the added bonus of a guitar solo duel rock out between him and Blur’s Graham Coxon.
Thrilled to have received a great video review for 🧛BITE BACK❗️🧛♀️ from DanniReads.
I’ve been answering social media requests that ask for authors to suggest their books for consideration and attempting to push Survive the Universe 💫 and 🧛BITE BACK❗️🧛♀️ towards reviewers all year with little to no success. However just when I presumed that my books just weren’t what book social media were looking for this happened.
Proof if ever that an author’s readers are out there, it’s just sometimes takes time to find them.
An update to explain the lack of news or content from author Phoenix Phil Morley
“WHERE THE BLOODY HELL HAVE YOU BEEN!?!”
…you may ask and you’d be within your rights to do so. Apologies for the E-distance but this year’s been a bit of a rollercoaster.
I had grand plans, didn’t I? Novella by Whitsun bank holiday followed by a load of 🧛BITE BACK❗️🧛♀️ promo throughout the Summer to celebrate (cough cash in on) the 30 year anniversary of the summer of Britpop. And yet, the novella didn’t arrive and my promo work was minimal. I don’t have excuses but I do have reasons.
Primarily my father was suffering from an extremely rare brain tumour. So rare in fact that its position meant that there wasn’t a surgeon in the country prepared to do a biopsy and as such there wasn’t a diagnosis. His health deteriorated rapidly throughout the spring and eventually he passed away in the Summer. Naturally this meant that completing the novella was often put on the back burner and I’d down tools more often than not, I did and indeed continue to work on it though. It’s getting there with eight out of a proposed eleven chapters done. I think the biggest takeaway I’d like to serve you is that part of the reason it’s taken longer than expected is that captured my imagination and I’ve added bits and bobs that weren’t originally going to be in it. This isn’t just some dashed off ‘reader magnet’ , it’s fun little adventure with some new characters and I’m really enjoying creating and developing them. It’ll be worth the wait I promise.
Another hurdle I’ve had this year is that my laptop has aged-out. So I’ve been severely restricted tech wise which has impacted lots of promo plans and formatting work I’d hoped to do this year. I’m currently saving as hard and as fast as I can but money’s tight these days.
In brighter news, despite the lack of promo my books have had had a couple of sales spikes over the past few months with Bite Back❗️getting some Kindle unlimited page reads and reviews recently so it’s good to know people are finding my books and enjoying them.
Right, back to the novella. Thanks for sticking with me, I’ll update again soon.
And you can trust this…
It’s from the lips…
Of the ‘niX
xxxx
⚡️FREE DOWNLOAD FOR FIVE DAYS⚡️
Thrilled to announce that my chart topping, 5 star rated darkly comedic Britpop era vampire novel 🧛BITE BACK❗️🧛♀️ is available to download for FREE for a limited time on AMAZON for Kindle app or device.
Grab your free copy here: http://mybook.to/BITEBACK
PRAISE FOR 🧛BITE BACK❗️🧛
“WHAT A CRACKER! This is the second book from this author that I’ve read. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, the characters really came alive for me and I was transported back to the 90’s in a heartbeat. Well rounded and an interesting take on the vampire story line, with some excellent “nods” back to when music was still awesome!” – 5 star Amazon review
“METHINKS THE GOTH DOTH PROTEST TOO MUCH! When I was halfway through this I still didn’t know where it was going, which for a book one might initially have summed up as “vampire love triangle” is a big achievement. Obviously this is a lot more than that and that second half does indeed go some places, but at its core it’s a story of 90s indie kids in Sittingbourne discovering who they really are. You might say, “But I’ve never been to Sittingbourne, is this really going to resonate?” and I would answer, “Neither have I but I’m already going to be casually calling it ‘the Bourne’”. Anyway, characters are big and, despite their many mistakes, highly loveable. There are some good laughs and while stuff gets serious, it never gets heavy.” – 5 star Amazon review
“KEPT ME HOOKED! Being from Sittingbourne it was nice to read about places I know and have grown up in for the last 51 years.” – 5 star Amazon review
“SALEM’S LOT MEETS SUBMARINE. Bite Back’s ability to capture the teen experience is spot on. I felt myself recognise, cringe and laugh in equal measure at all the naive missteps and awkward social interactions. I burned through the back chapters in an evening. Hanging out with Christine and Benjamin in the Summer of ’95 was so much fun. Recommended!” – 5 star Goodreads review
“EXCELLENT TEENAGE VAMPIRE FUN set in the ‘90s. I loved it. It’s a quirky little book that mixes coming of age comedy drama with horror, essentially two teenage vampires run amok in a small town while a love triangle builds around them. Things really pick up in the second half of the book when they switch from being the hunters to the hunted and it turns into one hell of a page turner. There’s some very funny moments and quite emotional character beats too. And if you like 80s and 90s music there’s lots of references.” – 5 star Barnes and Noble customer review
We’re just a few months away from the 30th anniversary of the fateful night a vampire named Christine walked through Woodberry Drive and discovered a young man called Benjamin Cooper.
As I’ve found myself back in the ‘Bourne over the Easter break I thought I’d take some modern day snaps of their old hang out – the roof of the Icelands looking over St. Michael’s church graveyard.
Sadly it’s just one of the many abandoned empty stores in the high street these days but the roof remains (should any of you Creatures of the Night wish to follow in their footsteps and hang out there). Also sadly left abandoned and unloved is the old cinema where Batman Forever came and went.
If you don’t know what I’m on about but are intrigued by my ramblings check out my novel 🧛BITE BACK❗️🧛♀️🦇🩸. Download or read via #KindleUnlimited here:
mybook.to/BITEBACK
And also available at book stores.
Hello lovely readers,
Just thought I’d drop a little update to you all as I know it’s been a quiet start to the year.
I suppose the biggest headline is that your new favourite space opera novel SURVIVE THE UNIVERSE 💫 got a little bit of a boast last month. I was thrilled to see that it had picked up readers in Japan 🇯🇵 for the first time. I’m always humbled and grateful when my books travel to other countries especially as they haven’t been translated (I’d love to translate them but y’know it’s expensive to do). Also it climbed back up in to the TOP TEN of a few genre charts, which I always find charming. There’s always something I loved about genre charts, I think it goes back to the data of ITV pop music show THE CHART SHOW where they’d have the indie chart and all kinds of underground curios got a chance to shine on TV if only for a second or two.
As for new stuff? I’m still chipping away at the novella. I’m about half way through, it’s taking me much longer than I hoped it would but I seem to struggle to write during winter. Though I struggle with most things in winter, I’d happily hibernate through January and February if I were able. Still as the nights grow lighter I’m feeling more productive so hopefully it’ll be ready in a couple of months. Dare I propose a Whitsun release?
One problem I do have is that my MacBook has grown too old for updates so I’m without the tech to publish. I’m desperately trying to save for a new-second hand one but I’m not getting far with that so if anyone wants to gift me an old one I’d be grateful – no harming in asking right? 😉
ANYHOWSA I hope you all are happy and healthy and if not I hope you’re getting the help you need to make things better.
Much love to you all.
Your ever lovin’ niXy P
“He’s been quiet… I hope he’s hard at work!”
I’d love to tell you all that the next book is on its way but I’ve been busy. Honest. Admittedly I’m writing this one pint deep listening to old school house music in a pub (HITCHIN’S flighty and fun Coopers Arms) BUT I haven’t forgotten you dear readers.
I’m working away on both my novella and the sequel to BITE BACK❗️but factors such as my MacBook aging out (saving for a new one) and general winter nonsense have hindered my progress. I thank you for your patience and can guarantee it’ll be worth it. The novella is shaping up far better than I could have hoped and I’m dreaming up one helluva follow up to BB❗️for all you Creatures of the Night out there.
Oh yeah also SURVIVE THE UNIVERSE 💫 is free on kindle for 5 days from Valentine’s Days 💖 so spread the word and spread the love.
Blessing you ⭕️
Yes indeed I’m thrilled and honoured to announce that by their request your new favourite space opera SURVIVE THE UNIVERSE has been added to the available catalogue inventory of the following libraries:
The Bodleian Library Oxford University,
The Cambridge University Library,
National Library of Scotland,
National Library of Wales and
Trinity College Dublin
So if you’re a study cat swinging by any of those fine institutions feel free to borrow it.
If you’d rather buy a copy it’s still available and still awesome from Amazon :
Or if you like to parade magnificently around the boutiques and boulevards it’s still available by quoting ISBN 9781068648601 at your nearest book trader.
Or U.K. 🇬🇧 friends with Waterstones vouchers go spend them here!
Or if you’re in U.S. 🇺🇸 hit up Barnes and Noble!
Loads of lovely reviews coming in for BITE BACK! Thanks to everyone who’s rated and/or reviewed it so far.
“WHAT A CRACKER! This is the second book from this author that I’ve read. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, the characters really came alive for me and I was transported back to the 90’s in a heartbeat. Well rounded and an interesting take on the vampire story line, with some excellent “nods” back to when music was still awesome!” – 5 star Amazon review
“METHINKS THE GOTH DOTH PROTEST TOO MUCH! When I was halfway through this I still didn’t know where it was going, which for a book one might initially have summed up as “vampire love triangle” is a big achievement. Obviously this is a lot more than that and that second half does indeed go some places, but at its core it’s a story of 90s indie kids in Sittingbourne discovering who they really are. You might say, “But I’ve never been to Sittingbourne, is this really going to resonate?” and I would answer, “Neither have I but I’m already going to be casually calling it ‘the Bourne'”. Anyway, characters are big and, despite their many mistakes, highly loveable. There are some good laughs and while stuff gets serious, it never gets heavy.” – 5 star Amazon review
“KEPT ME HOOKED! Being from Sittingbourne it was nice to read about places I know and have grown up in for the last 51 years.” – 5 star Amazon review
“SALEM’S LOT MEETS SUBMARINE. Bite Back’s ability to capture the teen experience is spot on. I felt myself recognise, cringe and laugh in equal measure at all the naive missteps and awkward social interactions. I burned through the back chapters in an evening. Hanging out with Christine and Benjamin in the Summer of ’95 was so much fun. Recommended!” – 5 star Goodreads review
“EXCELLENT TEENAGE VAMPIRE FUN set in the ‘90s. I loved it. It’s a quirky little book that mixes coming of age comedy drama with horror, essentially two teenage vampires run amok in a small town while a love triangle builds around them. Things really pick up in the second half of the book when they switch from being the hunters to the hunted and it turns into one hell of a page turner. There’s some very funny moments and quite emotional character beats too. And if you like 80s and 90s music there’s lots of references.” – 5 star Barnes and Noble customer review
Phoenix Phil Morley - author 