The Mijas Cowboy — Editing Complete

There's a particular feeling that comes when you finally put the pencil down on a manuscript. Not quite relief, not quite satisfaction. Something in between. Something quieter than both.

That's where I am today with The Mijas Cowboy.

The editing is done. The manuscript has been through more passes than I care to count, chapter by chapter, line by line. Characters have been deepened, scenes tightened, music added, loose ends tied. Two entirely new chapters were written during this pass — backstory chapters for Frankie and Ronnie that the book needed and didn't have. They're better for being there.

The Mijas Cowboy follows four Cardiff octogenarians — Vince, Alfie, Frankie and Ronnie — who travel to Mijas in southern Spain to confront a friend who disappeared twenty-six years ago. It's a book about male friendship, invisibility, ageing, secrets and second chances. And yes, there's a cowboy.

The manuscript now goes to my proof-reader. After that, cover design, formatting, and then publication. We're on track for October 2026.

If you want to follow the journey, keep an eye on this page. And if someone asks what the book is about, tell them to follow the ghost to Spain.

Michael J Phillips — Tales From the Monkey House