Lovely evening in Newcastle at an event for author @joannapocock.bsky.social and her book Greyhound. A really interesting, thoughtful conversation on travel, community and America. Can't wait to read the book!

There's one week left for writers in the North of England to send us their stories! We're looking for folklore-inspired tales to publish in our first anthology. It's been a real treat to read all the submissions so far, but we'd love to squeeze a few more in 🙏 carnyxpress.co.uk/submissions

Busy prepping for this week's workshop on folklore-inspired stories. There are still places available if you'd like to join us on Zoom for an evening of writing. www.amylordauthor.com/events

"A hand grenade of a debut." "An unflinching tale of resistance in dark political times." What if reading the wrong book could get you arrested THE DISAPPEARED, set in a broken Britain where books are banned. Both hardback and paperback ON SALE on our website

After running lots of writing workshops & 1-1 sessions this year, one thing that came up again and again is the need for emerging writers to build confidence. When I was asked to write a guest post for a local writers' group blog, it seemed a good topic to explore! bcwg.co.uk/4-ways-to-bu...

Join us for a jam-packed programme of events and classes on writing and publishing short stories. £10 off when you book your place today. There are also bursary places for those on a low income. Email me for more info. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/short-stor...

This autumn, I'm running a few fun online writing workshops on different themes. We'll be exploring: ✨ Folklore ✨ Ghost stories ✨ Alternative lives ✨ Plotting a Christmas mystery I'd love to see you there! You can find the full details & booking links on my website: www.amylordauthor.com/events ✍️

Heartbreaking & evil www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...

This autumn, I'm running a series of fun online writing workshops, starting with: 🧚‍♂️ Exploring Folklore 📆 Wed 24 Sep, 7pm-8.30pm We'll be experimenting with our own folklore-inspired story through a range of writing exercises. www.amylordauthor.com/events

I’ve written a long read for @tribunemagazine.bsky.social about happened with Baillie Gifford, @fossilfreebooks.org and all the festivals. A lot of fake news circulated at the time so, whatever side you came down on, I’d be grateful if you read and shared it. tribunemag.co.uk/2025/09/writ...

Can fully recommend Amy's workshops!

I don't know why Farage is in the US and not in Parliament, but this was certainly worth watching 👏

This autumn, I'm running a few fun online writing workshops on different themes. We'll be exploring: ✨ Folklore ✨ Ghost stories ✨ Alternative lives ✨ Plotting a Christmas mystery I'd love to see you there! You can find the full details & booking links on my website: www.amylordauthor.com/events ✍️

Freelance work has been thin on the ground lately. But the plus side is, if things remain lean for this financial year, that means it gives me an extra year before I have to enrol for quarterly tax updates.

Well, the retirement community setting in The Thursday Murder Club film is distractingly posh. The retirement home my gran lived in did not look like that.

AI advocates have warned that if every author in the class action filed a claim, it would "financially ruin" the entire industry.

It's a good while since I posted about my book, but if you're somehow not getting enough dystopian drama from the news, maybe go check it out?! It's got a country sliding into authoritarianism, banned books, and the Authorisation Bureau disappearing people... srlpublishing.co.uk/product/the-...

And he's planning to visit Middlesbrough for a project with the working classes! 👀 I am actually enjoying this book, but I always have *thoughts* whenever Boro crops up in a novel by someone who isn't from this part of the world.

The Sale is on! 25% off all orders in our webstore this week with the code SUMMER25. And if you order one of the currently out of stock titles like these beauties, you'll get the first copies when the new print arrives in the next week or so! share.google/dYx6o6YrmQQR...

Migrant poets’ cultural labour is often overlooked in policy debates, yet they bridge gaps where integration falls short

Quote from current audiobook, about a 1960s London playwright: He cared about things, like nuclear war and the north of England.

The arts sector really should take a look at the salaries on offer, because they've barely moved in over a decade and some officer and even manager level stuff is not much above minimum wage now.

Might be worth a look for a few ex-Unbound authors 👇

What fresh AI hell is this?!

Tricking my writing brain into work using my notes app instead of the laptop, where it refuses to function.

It's hard to look back on my experiences with Unbound now. I published with them back in 2019, but despite selling several thousand copies, my book went out of print in 2023, before the author royalty nightmare began. Even then, I had to chase payments. observer.co.uk/news/busines...

It's so weird that of the people talking about the new ChatGPT release, half are evangelising and the other half are pointing out that the tool insists there are 3 bs in the word blueberry.

If I have to explain to you why it's a bad idea to use a machine that makes shit up 15-80% of the time AND destroys the environment AND contributes to rising fascism and genocide AND puts brilliant skillful creatives out of work by stealing their work, then we're already speaking different languages

New YouGov polling. A monumental failure of our political class to educate, a monumental failure of our media to report fairly, for a generation

New Writers Prize for 5,000 word short story. Prize is £3K and scholarship for MA at Brunel University, runner up prizes too. Details in link. Please share :)

Palestinian children have been killed at a rate of more than one child per hour during Israel's war in Gaza. “A whole classroom of children killed every day for nearly two years,” UNICEF’s executive director said. Here are some of their stories: wapo.st/3UCiAjn

Please read & share the scholarship story of Gazan poet Haia, ❗️and how you can take one action now to help her and the other scholars trapped in Gaza by UK govt red tape ❗️

May I point bookish people towards Breakthrough Books? It’s the only survival from Unbound made up of authors. Their experiences led them to create a supportive group where skills are pooled and shared. Some titles are revised Unbound books, but there are originals too. bsky.app/profile/brea...

Excited to see the first edition of Transporter magazine drop through my letterbox today! It was great to be a part of focus group and workshop sessions exploring the need for a literary magazine to showcase the work of Teesside writers, and I'm really happy to have a short story included 🥰✍️

Five minutes into a random Netflix doc about men in a prison restorative justice programme making quilts for local foster kids and I swear I'm bawling

It's a good while since I posted about my book, but if you're somehow not getting enough dystopian drama from the news, maybe go check it out?! It's got a country sliding into authoritarianism, banned books, and the Authorisation Bureau disappearing people... srlpublishing.co.uk/product/the-...

It’s out! Our July roundup of opportunities for writers across Europe just hit subscriber inboxes📩 From mega grants to residencies and submission calls, we’re filling your dance card with deadlines to get you writing and achieve your dreams. Happy writing!

It's lovely to be involved in this prize and Anna works so hard to bring it all together and offer meaningful support to the writers 👏🥰

Have had an amazing time as Writer in Residence for @newwritingnorth.bsky.social's Durham Writes programme. It was our final masterclass session tonight and I've so enjoyed working with this group 🥰

We’ve Just opened our first open submissions window for working-class writers. We’re looking for stories that capture something about being working class in Britain in 2025. Can be fiction or non-fiction, & 500-3000 words long. Please pitch us. Details here: thebeemagazine.com/open-call-fo...

What could possibly go wrong 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️

Got to break out the flashcards again this morning, delivering a creative writing workshop for early career academics in anthropology, geography and politics at Durham University ✍️

Palestine is perhaps the clearest expression today... of how “power feels threatened by the truth.” www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...

One of the problems with trying to juggle writing around work is lack of continuity. I'm restructuring the second half of the novel I'm working on (60k words). Took a week off in April and got a massive chunk done, then managed a few writing sessions here & there before work commitments ramped up.

No council, or councillor, has the right to "ban" any books. The library service are the only body that makes decisions on stock selection. A councillor, as a member of the public, can *request* books are removed on a title-by-title basis, but the reply should come that under @cilip.bsky.social

Gaza: Doctors Under Attack is horrific. There really aren't words to capture it. This is unflinching journalism and we should not look away.

This government is getting way too comfortable with the tech giants' vision of the future. share.google/abQenJDPjUnS...

The gates have opened, the horns are blowing, submissions are open for our folkloric anthology! From now until the end of September, send us your delicious folklore-inspired tales. We're going to make something magic happen. Find out more: carnyxpress.co.uk/submissions/

This article is extremely graphic and upsetting, almost impossible to read. Kudos @theguardian.com Devastating atrocities committed against women & girls during Tigray genocide According to the UN, there is “no likely prospect that the domestic judicial system will hold perpetrators accountable"

Reminder to anyone who needs it today: you have until midnight tonight to submit books and audiobooks for PLR UK: your future self will thank you when the cheque comes in!