Right, time to log off and go outside. Blossom and tulips and scent and birdsong.

In what crazy world does it make sense to bar the brightest students from Sudan, Afghanistan and other countries from coming to study in the UK?

18 yr old Bahar had offers from York and Reading, but 'thanks to Shabana Mahmood, she will now never escape the Taliban.' 'Britain has decided that the girl who fought the Taliban’s agenda, who learned English in secret, who turned down a forced marriage, who won her place, is an asylum risk.'

And so we write to brilliant postgraduate students from Sudan, withdrawing the offers and scholarships they won in open competition with the best in the world. A sad day for the University of Oxford.

Sir Ian, making the case for strangers from Shakespeare's words, 400 years ago.

Remember at the start of Covid we all learned about R numbers and that it was 2-3 and that was bad. Well R no of measles in an unvaccinated population is 12-18. That’s half a classroom. And there will be classrooms where only half are vaccinated….

She is brilliant. Also, every publicity department in every publishing house in the land is now trying to get their authors on the next series of Traitors.

“Farage claimed last year to have “bought a house” in his constituency but the property is actually owned in the name of his partner, meaning he legally avoided higher-rate stamp duty on the purchase of an additional home – given he already owns other properties” www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Let’s see how the outrage machine is deployed in this case shall we www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

I am very excited to report that my book is now available for pre-order!! If you like things that fly – be it aircraft, bugs or birds, then this book is for you! I am also so delighted with the beautiful cover art by @Rachelhillustrates.bsky.social :) www.penguin.co.uk/books/461507...

Eileen Blair, from South Shields, UK, was believed to have had a large influence on her husband George Orwell's writing. 'Nineteen Eighty-Four's title and idea is thought to be based on one of her poems - 'End of the Century, 1984' #womensart

Unbound/Boundless are officially bust and I am selling the remaining copies of my book. Freelance writers, The Pyjama Myth will make you a better, happier freelancer. freelancewritingjobs.substack.com/p/buy-the-py...

I'm working regularly with @bmj.com again, 10 years after going freelance. I've taken on a part-time freelance role as clinical editor at BMJ Learning, working on their excellent CPD courses. Clinicians who are interested in peer review or writing, let me know!

A lovely account of a special moment from the 2025 Refugee Tales Festival of Walking: www.aviddetention.org.uk/article/refu...

Extraordinary story. As Lewis Goodall says, what else don't we know that we don't know?

The Observer published an interview yesterday with my Refugee Tales friend Pious, about his long journey to a sort of freedom here. It's well worth a read, especially to counter the myths about the asylum and immigration system that we hear every day. observer.co.uk/culture/inte...

Important clarification.

1 in 5 of the UK’s care workforce have a non-British passport. Starmer would have us believe these carers are the “squalid” result of a “failed experiment”. I say they do vital, necessary, humane, skilled work and they are worth their weight in gold.

I led an @RefugeeTales walk along the coast of Kent on Saturday, 30 of us enjoying friendship, sharing stories and sandwiches and enjoying the views over the English channel. An island of strangers? Couldn't be further from the truth.

"I have spoken to many care workers who have built a life in the UK and hold a great commitment to the work we provide, but are ready to pack their bags and move to a country where our labour is valued." Time to listen to the care workers themselves.

Do you prefer listening to reading? I'm moving into audiobooks, and you can listen to the audiobook of my novella Murder At The Ritz free and for nothing... for now! Follow the link to Bookfunnel here: dl.bookfunnel.com/469glrk6n6

In case you missed it: here's the new cover design for the next Marjorie Swallow mystery. Thanks as always to Donna at DLR Cover Designs for another beautiful cover.

Looking for some free mystery e-books this weekend? Check out the Amateur Sleuth promotion on Bookfunnel, here: books.bookfunnel.com/amateursleut...

Sun's back! Now, which one of these is your garden reading for the weekend?

Sneak preview of the cover of my next Marjorie Swallow mystery, Murder On The White Cliffs. Thanks as always to my cover designer Donna Rogers, who makes the most beautiful covers!

Still no payment from my ex-publisher, so I'm selling a few more of these (all purchased from their warehouse). The offer I'm doing is ALL FOUR of these, signed, for the price of the 1983 hardback (£16.99) plus postage. Please email me at [email protected] with your address if you want to nab them.

🗣️The 2025 MJA Awards are now open for entries! We support journalism that informs, challenges, and inspires. Whether you’re an experienced journalist or an emerging voice in health reporting, we encourage you to submit your work. 🗓️Deadline: June 1, 2025

My book Ultra Women written with @emmajourno.bsky.social is out today. We were originally told that men wouldn't buy this book so there was no market for it (as apparently women don't buy sports books!!!) - we desperately want to prove that marketing person wrong! www.amazon.co.uk/Ultra-Women-...

Want to know some secrets? I wrote a post about my favourite research resources for writing historical fiction, over on Substack. Why not take a look? annasayburnlane.substack.com/p/secret-sit...

I had a birthday over the weekend and received these lovely flowers from my lovely stepson, lighting up a cloudy day. I do adore fresh flowers and it's even nicer to have them delivered!

Watched the old movie 9 To 5 last night and I think what the world needs now is more Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda.

My May newsletter is out now! Sign up via my website for all the news and offers each month - including a free audiobook and e-book. Link here: annasayburnlane.com/signup/

Looking for something new to read? I'm taking part in the Bookfunnel Amateur Sleuths promotion this month. Dozens of free e-novels and novellas ready to be downloaded:

Happy May Day! This month, I shall mostly be hanging out on the allotment, listening to the bees and drinking tea. Maybe a spot of gardening if I get bored.

Want to peek behind the scenes at the research websites I rely on to write my 1920s mysteries? I've written about my top nine favourite resources on Substack, here:

Blue Tuesday... feeling all the blues by the seaside today. I've finished the first draft of the next book and lined up some freelance work for later, so I'm off to the beach!

This sounds suspiciously like the plot of my first novel, written in 1978 when I was nine. The Life And Times of Captain O'Neil, in which the Eskimos kill the invading British sailors with knives made from icicles. I believe my mother still has the sole extant copy, however.

For anyone who thinks Bluesky has no sense of humour. The comments are great.

Who's this handsome young man? My great-grandfather, William Frank Ball, had a perilous start in life, but went on to start a successful building firm in south London. My family history has influenced my 1920s books - I wrote about William's story here: annasayburnlane.substack.com/p/a-dickensi...

There are few things more exciting than listening to a professional narrator read your audiobook! Kim Bretton has done a brilliant job of recording Murder At The Ritz. You can download it free here: dl.bookfunnel.com/9mscs0o6bq

Up on Hawkshill Freedown, the primroses are blooming all over and the bees are having a marvellous time. This is one of my favourite places for a walk (or a sit down, if I've been working hard!)

I usually plot all my mystery books out from the start... but this week that plan's gone out of the window. I've changed my mind about whodunnit! A whole lot of re-engineering coming up. Do any other authors do this?

A more personal post on Substack this week, thinking about how my own family history has shaped my fictional 1920s heroine, Marjorie Swallow. Plus! Link to a free audiobook of Murder At The Ritz.

Looking for something to read? There are dozens of free mystery e-books available in the April Murder Madness promotion on Bookfunnel. I'm taking part with Murder At The Ritz. Why not see what else is on offer? books.bookfunnel.com/murdermadnes...

Friday reading recommendations! I asked my Readers Club recently for their favourite funny books, given that we all need a bit of a laugh. They had some great suggestions - but here are my favourites.

Tea, cucumber sandwiches... and murder? Download the free audiobook of my Marjorie Swallow novella Murder At The Ritz, and enter the world of 1920s murder mysteries. Follow the link to Bookfunnel to download:

Tulips by British author, illustrator and natural scientist Beatrix Potter (1866-1943) #womensart

Honestly both of these @mja-uk.bsky.social events are not to be missed (and have involved a lot of hard work behind the scenes). Want attention grabbing stories while having the chance to network - no problem, we've sorted it!

Tulip time! A present from my neighbour: heavenly.