Enjoyed the afternoon in Matlock. It was nice to pay a visit to The Lost Cauldron as well.

Up late writing tonight but I think I've finally cracked a story that I've been wrestling with for a while. Let's see how I feel in the morning once I've slept on it.

Back after an inspiring day at Edge-Lit in Derby. The TBR pile has just grown.

Another 1000 words down on the first draft of my latest story. Typically I have an idea about how it will end but I'm not so sure with this one, but I do like where it's going.

I just hit 500 words on a new story then my cat positioned herself between my hands and my laptop, so I guess that's enough for now.

There's something special about watching the Lunar Eclipse of a Blood Moon fade into the evening sky

My book buying process: 1. Author/publisher directly 2. Local bookshop 3. hive.co.uk (nominate local bookshop) 4. Waterstones 5. Anywhere but Amazon 6. Amazon This has led to me spending more than if I went straight to Amazon, but I really want small/independent press and bookshops to exist.

TIL that the phrase "Bloody Nora" came about after a 17th century Duke caught his maid killing someone with a stick of celery.

Over the past few days I've been working on an old story. I've completely torn it apart. I still think it's a good story but I've found a better way to tell it.

From an uptick in comms from wildlife rescue places lately: don't use glue traps, they're so cruel; do not spray paint wildlife, including birds and turtles; do not pick any animal by the tail or you can severely injure their spine. This includes opossums, for whom it can be life threatening.

Just picked up the latest @timlebbon.bsky.social book. Looking forward to reading this.

I've just submitted a story to a publication for the first time. After writing short stories for around 5 years it feels good to actually put something out into the world. I know it's a long shot and have realistic expectations, but to even submit feels like an achievement to me right now.

Bring Her Back. Entertaining, tragic and sad. There was plenty of gore, all of which I felt was jusitified, and I have a pretty strong stomach for that kind of thing, but that one scene... I had to look away.

Looking forward to getting stuck into these chapbooks from @nightjarpress.bsky.social

Today is a sad day for music. RIP Ozzy 🤘

Just when you think there couldn’t possibly be any more reasons to quit Spotify, the brutal news keeps coming

Settled on Tidal as a Spotify replacement. Slightly less convenient not having Google Home integration, but casting works so not a big issue.

We've lost track of the number of different species of bees and butterflies in our garden. My wife has done an amazing job of rewilding. We're giving the local nature reserve a run for their money.

I'm so glad that Instagram has started notifying me when someone else comments on someone else's post.

Struggling to find a viable music service to replace Spotify. It needs to work on iOS, Android, MacOS, Google Home and a Marantz amp. Amazon seems to be the only alternative that ticks all those boxes but I'm not super keen on supporting them either.

If you're at all sensitive to noise I highly recommend Loop ear plugs. They are saving my life in a coffee shop right now.

Do you know anyone who has experience setting up a #nonprofit organisation in the UK? I'd like to hear your stories on how to get started and look after one, how much time it takes and any things to look out for. Please share for wider reach. TIA.

I really enjoyed the series of talks and workshops over the past few days at Midsummer 3. I now have some new writing tools that I'm looking forward to putting into practice. Thanks @alexdavis1981.bsky.social for putting on a great event!

Very much enjoying Black Mirror season 7

I read The Inner Room by Robert Aickman last night and couldn't shake the feeling that it felt familiar, then discovered this morning that I already had it 🙄

Oh dear. Helping People is back around the Market Square. It's part of a Brazilian evangelical homophobic church. We got their illegal street collections banned a few years ago locally. It's the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God. Wikipedia reveals all. Today they are just leafleting.

I had my final writing class led by @giselleleeb.bsky.social at @fiveleavesbooks.bsky.social in Nottingham last night, and I must say I learned so much and am excited to put it all into my writing going forward.

This -> nohello.net/en/

A flash fiction story from the writing class I've been taking steverydz.substack.com/p/the-blood-...

Looks like some good stuff coming up. Signed up for the Midsummer workshops

I've been reading and writing short stories for quite some time, but the writing class I've been attending has introduced me to flash fiction and now I'm obsessed with it.

I finished watching Adolescence on Netflix last night. It's a powerful and unsettling story which is well told and supported by very good acting. Definitely worth watching.

I can't recommend NORMALLY WEIRD and WEIRDLY NORMAL by @robinince.bsky.social enough for people who either have experience of being neurodivergent or who want to deepen their understanding of it.

Is this thing on?