Attacked our very overgrown garden today wearing my crocs with bare feet and felt a pinch; took off my croc to find my foot COVERED in red. Immediately convinced myself I had somehow cut my foot and was bleeding out. Then realised it was a sort of pinky-red... folks, I had a blackberry in my croc.

Thanks to @argonautbooks.bsky.social for sending M home with this one last month; she inhaled it this evening in the pub with a soundtrack of 90s and 00s Britpop, which was apparently "A++ vibes" for this unsettling little read.

My way of coping with all of the madness is focusing on what I can do to make my community a little bit stronger. So excuse me for all of the earnestness, but I wrote about ways we can all pitch in to support a thriving literary culture. lithub.com/how-to-be-a-...

Daughters of Nicnevin, available for pre-order now: uk.bookshop.org/p/books/daug...

Have you ever dreamed of turning your short stories into a collection? 📘 These top tips from Dark Crescent author @lyndseycroal.bsky.social might be just the thing you need. 💡

Remaking the World is for anyone who wants to use writing to bring about positive social change. We’ve taught this course all over the world and have made a version of this course available free of charge. books.windandbones.com/product/rema...

Good morning it’s their day

🚨ARC GIVEAWAY🚨 🌊 Locked boat murder mystery 🌊 A world haunted by digital ghosts 🌊 Dark Academia after the world ends Drop a wave 🌊 in the comments, like, repost and subscribe to be in with a chance to win an ARC of @rainewilson.bsky.social 's THE SALT ORACLE! UK/IE only, closes 23:59 BST 30/09

Haha, a PR offered to promote my book (for money) and when I said no, this is what she sent me!

In the UK? Want a print copy of our book? Don't wanna pay any money? Then head over to Storygraph and enter the giveaway! app.thestorygraph.com/giveaways/c2...

Yay! The Shape of Monsters has been shortlisted for a Speakie (audio book award) 🎉🎉🎉🎉 Definitely helps that voice actor Omari Douglas is fantastic www.thebookseller.com/british-audi...

It's CJ's birthday and she's generous enough to give US a treat because her books are so good! Pre-order or buy them now!!!

Scotland has a choice. We can be defined by fear or we can lead with compassion. The vast majority of Scotland want to be a country that treats all people, regardless of where they were born, with dignity and respect. We must say clearly that racist protests have no place here.

In good ocean news, Scotland is officially banning bottom trawling in 11 marine protected areas starting October 16, in a move welcomed by both environmental groups and the Scottish Fisherman’s Federation. Oceana UK buff.ly/JSOEao3 #ShareGoodNewsToo

"The Needfire strikes me strongly as a novel caught between twin pillars of fear and hope, isolation and connection, denial and acceptance." A lovely review from @hawkwinglb.bsky.social in Locus Magazine!

We're giving away a couple free codes for The Needfire audiobook over on Instagram - head over if you want a chance to win a real treat for your ears! www.instagram.com/p/DOfu5o2ClqN/

It's two months until publication and events are starting to open for tickets! I'm so very excited to be talking with Sam K Horton @samkhorton.bsky.social and Meg Macdonald @megintransition.bsky.social in November www.waterstones.com/events/sam-k...

This takes "be gay, do crimes" to previously unimagined levels

🏳️‍🌈 🔥 THE NEEDFIRE is aflame! @mkhardywrites.com 's Scottish Sapphic gothic is roaring onto bookshelves! Here's what @sunyidean.com @natania.bsky.social @aliettedebodard.com @rainewilson.bsky.social and more wonderful authors think of the book! Buy now geni.us/needfire

Lesbians in Space vol 2 is coming out! Featuring a Captain Artemis story in which Artie's eternally disastrous love life threatens her bid to be Captain of the Mars shuttle fleet! Preorder, and get extra features and merch, here: bit.ly/4gcYtSP

I guess I am now a HYBRID AUTHOR: here's my first foray into self publishing (on the micro scale!) with LONDON WEIRD, a three-story collection about cosmic, Weird and haunted London. The ebook is 99p / 99c / free on Kindle Unlimited 🖤

The @britfantasysoc.bsky.social has a diverse mentor program for writers at all levels. But we need mentors. This first year of the program has been excellent so if you are in publishing please consider it (especially if you’re a marketer, an editor and/or a leader).

Just opened a notebook to find M's practice page; a bit The Shining, no?

If you have any interest in linguistics, languages, or puzzles, this is well worth your time!

Love a Jamedi review, and now The Needfire has one of its own!! 🔥🔥🔥

I’ve 2 short stories out soon: 1 in Wrath Month @bonabooks.bsky.social & 1 in HAVOC Files 6 Candy Jar Books www.candy-jar.co.uk/books/lethbr... where you can find my Lethbridge-Stewart novels, too. The Disinformation War is still relevant & available: mitpress.mit.edu/978191338080... #AmWriting 💙📚🪐

If you've never watched Jurassic Park while drinking fizz in a hot tub you are missing out.

Less than two days left in the goodreads giveaway, less than two days left to take your chance to win one of 50 print copies of THESE FAMILIAR WALLS! (also good morning and happy weekend friends, I hope you're all about to have a great day!)

Out now: @agathaandrews.bsky.social 's SHE WORE BLACK featuring our very own @isabelcanas.bsky.social talking all things Demonic and Gothic whilst discussing her latest Horroromance THE POSSESSION OF ALBA DÍAZ! Coming to the UK this October. Preorder geni.us/palbad Listen bit.ly/4gdHUGI

Hey, it's Sapphic September! The best month of the year! We have a Scottish sapphic gothic novel for all your lesbian needs: heaps of yearning, a sleeve rolling up scene (iykyk), and a woman moving in with her lover WAY too soon. Buy it now! geni.us/needfire

Khajiit has a quest for you

Big skies over Fife this evening.

Oh to be a dog, joy and comfort always close at hand.

There's a reason a shooting estate shows up in Wolf Book... and they're not the good guys.

Leon is a great artist and an extremely cool person, if you want some lovely art of your character then now's your chance!

There are over 18,000 types of lichen in existence. My personal favourite is ‘village bench lichen’, which devotes its entire existence selflessly to gradually making communal public seating more furry and comfortable.

Yay it's live! Super excited to chat with @oliverklangmead.bsky.social on the 19th October at Lancaster Library; if you're nearby come join us! litfest.org/events/langm...

Reminder that all the books we published were meant to be read in Autumn. (I know it's not Autumn yet. But one can dream.) Help a publisher out. undertowpublications.com

Happy 1-year-versary to Limelight today - tales of not-so-far futures...! To celebrate: a GIVEAWAY, 2 paperbacks & 3 ebooks from @shortwavebooks.bsky.social! Just repost & comment preference ebook/paperback (or either)! For a bonus tell me your fave dark SF read! Will draw at random on 10th Sept ✨️🖤🚀

A man on the streets of the UK is asked about the “problem of immigration” and dismantles talking points with ease.

COVER EVOLUTION!! With the release of the sequel incoming, WITCHES OF MERCHANT CITY has gotten a brand new cover drawn by the inimitable @jennicoutts.bsky.social! Look at it!! *grabby hands*

These books are free to anyone who wants them. They come from my late ex-publisher. If you want one, let me know in the replies (there are 200 in total). If you can afford the postage, brilliant. If not, no problem. I'll still sign & post one to you tomorrow. P.S. Stephen Fry called it "hilarious"

Come for the creeps, stay for the delightful alt-text.

Happy Labor Day, Americaland! Here to remind everybody to JOIN YOUR UNION. And if you don't have one, AGITATE FOR A UNION. Our workplace is currently going through considerable financial hardship caused by a combination of gross mismanagement and ingrained structural unsustainability.. (cont)

August newsletter, in which you will find TWO ways to win a copy of HIGHER MAGIC this month *and* learn how I accidentally method wrote a horror novella. 🫠

Just doing some last-minute very important edit notes to my co-writer...

Lichens are just the coolest.

Millennials are middle aged now but not me. I stayed young somehow

Honestly the only honest headline here is “EVEN harder” because this is already extremely difficult and complicated!

Sound of Barra, 2023 #otd