So, this happened last night — a huge surprise and a wonderful evening! Congratulations to my fellow Dagger winners and many, many thanks to @thecwa.bsky.social and @alcs.co.uk.

Permit a retired person a moment's boasting. So very pleased that my lovely former author @susannahstapleton.bsky.social won the non-fiction dagger last night & I was there to see her do so! #ThatDarkSpring is a perfect summer read too. So off you go ...

Shortlisted! Hooray!

Very pleased to be in such fine company with That Dark Spring. Thank you, @thecwa.bsky.social

I've just been shown a copy of 'Look and Learn' (1960s magazine for children) by friend @susannahstapleton.bsky.social and we've become slightly hysterical over the idea that the average 11 year old might be tempted to pore over a full page article on the novels of George Meredith.

One of the joys of historical research is revealing unexpected connections as you get to know your subject. This one was a real surprise, and a tad intimidating, but I'm glad to report that he seems delighted with my book about his Great Aunt Olive. #ahem1stcousintwiceremoved #phew #ThatDarkSpring

Happy news for the wonderful, brilliant George; bittersweet for the rest of us. But, if anyone deserves to put their feet up, it's @georgeisediting.bsky.social. A great editor and a lovely person to boot. ❤️

Ah, yes. I probably should have mentioned this. I have a new book out! Published yesterday, and one that was a joy to research and write. All good bookshops, etc., thanks to @georgeisediting.bsky.social and all the fab folk at @picadorbooks.bsky.social uk.bookshop.org/p/books/that...

There are two exhibitions in London/Essex that I was really excited about seeing over the next couple of months. I may yet get to go. And maybe you can, too? They would make a fantastic weekend. Here’s a clue.

PSA: I'm confined to barracks again by my Pesky Brain Disease. Screens are painful, but I do miss chatting with my online bookish friends. As I can't participate fully, I will be randomly sharing goodies when I can. My skyline will look weird & self-centred, but so be it. 'tis temporary.

I'm currently filming the projects for my online 'Introduction to Prehistoric Textiles' class that starts on January 14. My classes include projects in easily sourced materials as well as the full scale versions in the types of materials used in the past.

I was a beta reader for this fab book. 1930s Greek archaeology, ancient spirits and a gutsy young heroine - I loved it all (and my younger self would have, too).

Fresh out of the oven c.1930, but I still fancy a nibble. And that’s why I’m not allowed to work in museums anymore.

My girls, adopted from foster care, arrived with few possessions, apart from a box of books they'd each been given by @Booktrust. These books, read together, became our first shared memories. Spread the joy of reading by donating this Christmas: www.booktrust.org.uk/xmas

Shropshire weather report: cold and fluffy.

4/4 My shed is also where I write books. My first book, The Adventures of Maud West, Lady Detective came out in 2019. After a little break(down) while I dealt with a pesky brain disease, That Dark Spring is coming out in April 2025. I will no doubt bang on about this in due course.

3/4 I love tinkering in my shed. Most of it comes to nothing, but occasionally something works. This is a simple automata I made a few years back using beach-combing finds and inspired by Dylan Thomas’s Under Milk Wood. I also knit, sew, paint and hammer stuff in an equally hit-and-miss fashion.

2/4 I’m a collector. In an attempt to tame some of my hoarding tendencies, I’m creating a museum in my downstairs loo called the British Looseum. There are still boxes of stuff to display and it also turns out to be very hard to photograph, but here goes. More to come as it fills up.

Isn’t it lovely here? By way of introduction, I thought I’d expand a bit on my bio. First up (1/4): I love reading. This is the current pile – a mixture of treasure hunting, dissolute Russian counts, space crones and practical exercises involving arsenic and chloroform. All excellent.

Testing… testing…