Clegg: ‘Art may have been central to human existence since the first cave paintings or campfire stories. But artists have never actually paid me to say anything on their behalf.’

In the light of this week’s finalist announcement for the 2025 Orwell Prize, I have updated this starter pack. Some more brilliant writers and journalists in here for you to follow. Please repost the pack if you can to promote them and their great work widely #OrwellPrize #writingcommunity

Geometry, Keir Starmer. You try to move right to beat the right. But the right defines you as left & wants to be on your right. Move in their direction; they’ll simply move further away. There is always space to your right. You won’t outflank them. You’ll radicalise them. And send them further right

A book recommendation for each letter of the alphabet. Today is: "Q" - The Quiet Librarian By Allen Eskens @alleneskens.bsky.social #alphabeticalTitleChallenge #Booksky

A book recommendation for each letter of the alphabet. Today is: "P" - Paper Cup By Karen Campbell @writerkcampbell.bsky.social #alphabeticalTitleChallenge #Booksky

A book recommendation for each letter of the alphabet. Today is: "O" - Only Here, Only Now By Tom Newlands @newlands.bsky.social #alphabeticalTitleChallenge #Booksky

Thanks as ever to all the indy booksellers out there, including Jo from The Secret Bookshelf. This is from today's Belfast Telegraph.

14 April. My #poem, Claggart, conceived 9 years ago, a meditation on destructive, abusive aggression, is inescapably associated for me with this date. It’s in this edition of #Poetry NI’s excellent FourXFour magazine on p. 47. Lots of other good stuff in there too. #booksky #poetrycommunity

A book recommendation for each letter of the alphabet. Today is: "N" - Notes on a Drowning by Anna Sharpe @annamazz.bsky.social #alphabeticalTitleChallenge #Booksky

Lila channelling my Monday morning mood 🤦‍♀️ #Monday #cats

A book recommendation for each letter of the alphabet. Today is: "L" - The Long, Long Afternoon by Inga Vesper @wekesperos.bsky.social #alphabeticalTitleChallenge #Booksky

A book recommendation for each letter of the alphabet. Today is: "K" - Kala by Colin Walsh #alphabeticalTitleChallenge #Booksky

It's publication day of my new novel - The Best of Everything! Here I am telling you a little bit about it!

Word of the day is ‘foozle’, from the 19th century: of a golfer, to bungle a shot. More generally, to make a complete mess of something.

A book recommendation for each letter of the alphabet. Today is: "J" - Jericho by Ann McMan @annmcman.bsky.social #alphabeticalTitleChallenge #Booksky

A book recommendation for each letter of the alphabet: "I" - I'm sorry you feel that way by Rebecca Wait @alifeinbooks.bsky.social #alphabeticalTitleChallenge #Booksky

A book recommendation for each letter of the alphabet: "H" - Habitat by Catriona Shine @lilliputpress.bsky.social #alphabeticalTitleChallenge #Booksky

A book recommendation for each letter of the alphabet. "G" - The Guise of Another by Allen Eskens @alleneskens.bsky.social #alphabeticalTitleChallenge #Booksky

A book recommendation for each letter of the alphabet. F - Fundamentally by Nussaibah Younis @nussaibah.bsky.social #alphabeticalTitleChallenge #Booksky

A book recommendation for each letter of the alphabet. E - The Extinction of Irena Rey By Jennifer Croft @jenniferlcroft.bsky.social #alphabeticalTitleChallenge #Booksky

A book recommendation for each letter of the alphabet. D - Dead Writers in Rehab By Paul Bassett Davies @thewritertype.bsky.social #alphabeticalTitleChallenge #Booksky

A book recommendation for each letter of the alphabet. C - Crossing Over By Ann Morgan @annmorgan.bsky.social #alphabeticalTitleChallenge #Booksky

A book recommendation for each letter of the alphabet. B - Boy Parts By Eliza Clark #alphabeticalTitleChallenge #Booksky

A book recommendation for each letter of the alphabet. A - Amy and Isabelle By Elizabeth Strout #alphabeticalTitleChallenge #Booksky

Excited to be part of the BBK-QMUL PGR team organising this collaborative graduate symposium—hopefully the first of many! Please do send in proposals on any aspect of historical methodologies by the end of April. It'll be a welcoming space for people at all stages of their research to present!

Thank you, @roguestrands.bsky.social. Signed copies of two collections by very talented poet Matthew Stewart have arrived 🥳. Looking forward to diving in... #poetry #thelastcarry

Words To Live By Number 202

As parents, we're supposed to remember the first time we did stuff with our kids, but the last time is equally as significant, if not more. This poem is from Whatever You Do, Just Don't (HappenStance Press, 2023), my second full collection...

A list of ten words that sound rude but aren’t… 10. Fallacious 9. Kumquat 8. Penal 7. Cleat 6. Succulent 5. Titular 4. Gesticulate 3. Rectory 2. Manhole 1. Pumpkin (vegetable or incest?)

After my #StarterPack of writers seeking an #agent I made a waiting list. It got huge. So instead I've done Pack 2, adding other people #querying Please repost to help them out. If you want one of the few places left, please follow the instructions at the end of the thread #booksky #writingcommunity

My money's on Alison Hammond

nationalparkcity.london/visit?utm_so... #LondonNationalParkCity

The beautiful London Library offers emerging writers one year’s free membership including masterclasses, networking opportunities, peer support, access to all the Library’s resources and publication in an anthology. Details below. Please share :) www.londonlibrary.co.uk/about-us/ll-...

Launch party! @waterstones Leamington Spa. 10th April 7pm I would LOVE to see you there. www.waterstones.com/events/the-b...

Please share

It's almost like giving Amazon this much power was a bad idea.

Happiness is a cat and a library.

Fact: by replacing your morning coffee with Green tea, you can lose up to 89% of what little joy you still have left in your life.

I'm thrilled to see The Best Of Everything included in @the-bookseller.bsky.social magazine'10 titles not to miss in April ! I hope you all love it as much as I did writing it. I'll put the link to pre-order in a comment below :)

NEW YEAR GIVEWAY! Win an early signed hardback of my legal/political thriller NOTES ON A DROWNING plus a *£20 Book Voucher*. Just follow me and share this post. ‘Pacy, absorbing and smart, with great characters and brilliant dialogue on every page.’ - TM Logan www.waterstones.com/book/notes-o...

I can share that, as in the inaugural #Curae prize for writer-carers, there is a dedicated mentoring spot for a trans writer in the 2025 competition. We open tomorrow! thecuraeprize.uk

Early exposure to literacy can set the tone for a whole lifetime

Weatherglass Prize for a novella (rare in this day and age), with the wonderful Ali Smith as judge. International. Please share: weatherglassbooks.com/novella-priz...

new year's resolution 🐐

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers #Books #BookSky 💙📚 #BookChallenge Day 20

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers #Books #BookSky 💙📚 #BookChallenge Day 19

Open call for full-length poetry manuscripts plus chapbook contest abd itger prizes. Please share :) balticwritingresidency.submittable.com/submit

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers #Books #BookSky 💙📚 #BookChallenge Day 18