Seeing 99 red balloons live and drinking in a sunny field is a great way to spend a day.

I am not allowed in the tower. The cow says no 🙄

I have my first story of the year out today! A comedy fantasy piece about the bureaucracy of limbo and the struggles of trying to move on. You can give it a listen below: open.spotify.com/episode/6L0b...

I wrote a novelette to avoid editing my novella. I've now done a 5k short to avoid editing the novelette. I need to commit to a flash next don't I?

Feeling very lucky today. Not only is this fantastic view a 15 minute walk from the house, but the 30 minute round trip is not remotely a problem anymore. Going to be a good summer 🙌

I am delighted to announce the ToC for @bsfa.bsky.social 's Fission #6 anthology. It's been an honour to edit these wonderful works, and I cannot wait to see it out in June / July. www.bsfa.co.uk/fission/

@britfantasysoc.bsky.social voting closes today! If you haven't voted, nows a great time to vote for your favourite works of last year. There's a great list of pieces on the suggestions list, and a couple of mine for consideration below. But the important thing is you vote if you can 😁

@britfantasysoc.bsky.social voting closes today! If you haven't voted, nows a great time to vote for your favourite works of last year. There's a great list of pieces on the suggestions list, and a couple of mine for consideration below. But the important thing is you vote if you can 😁

I wanted to write. Work wanted me to be in a teams call. We have compromised!

Went for drinks in the sun to celebrate the fact we actually had sun. Came back home: The dog jumped on me and stole my hat. The toddler gave me a bagel then ate most of it. Toddler then put my shoe in the fridge and went to bed. Family life!

I've got 3-4 months left until I can return to sport so picked up this bad boy to regain my cardio. Sprints thrice a week will be awful, but I'm still just excited to be able to train at all again 🙌

It's Earth Day! So treat yourself to a magic collection of science fiction that celebrates the natural world, including BSFA-Award-shortlisted "One Step at a Time" by @rickandwrite.bsky.social 99p from Payhip: payhip.com/b/LNWd2

This pub was my local for seven years and I love it. Nearly 400 years old, has a room where they plotted against the king during the civil war, does a great pint of Guinness and has a human skull behind the bar. What's not to love?

Somehow I've never written first person before. In over 40 shorts sold I've just never done. Decided to try it, I'm now 4k into it and the words are just falling out. Huh. Maybe this is the way for me!

Sooooo for the first time I get to say: HEY! I have something eligible for this year's British Fantasy Awards! I'm even shameless enough to put a little video of me reading part of the story at the anthology's launch on the social graphic, which must be worth a vote, surely? 🧵⬇️

@britfantasysoc.bsky.social award voting has now opened! So go forth and vote for all the cool stuff you liked :) I have a couple of pieces that are eligible that I would be honoured if you would consider. britishfantasysociety.org/voting-opens...

@britfantasysoc.bsky.social award voting has now opened! So go forth and vote for all the cool stuff you liked :) I have a couple of pieces that are eligible that I would be honoured if you would consider. britishfantasysociety.org/voting-opens...

Happy pub day to @cameronjohnston.bsky.social Great guy, I absolutely loved his last book and I'm really looking forward to this one!

I set a new record for BSFA award nominations without a win! (always a pleasure to be nominated.) I had an incredible time @easterconuk.bsky.social and I'm already excited for the next one. Its the best atmosphere in the world.

@laurenwrites.bsky.social doing stellar work on my behalf as I forget to mention Eastercon at all. Please come say hello 😁

Time to plan an escape: why do we like to visit the real sites that inspire SFF? After @rickandwrite.bsky.social mentions NYC & Men In Black, I now can only think of Hook & Ladder 8 firehouse being Ghostbusters HQ… Also with @niallharrison.bsky.social, Soph W & mod Sandra Unerman.

I had one hour to write. Sat down. And the chair exploded. Not today, apparently!

I've got my panels through for @easterconuk.bsky.social in 2 weeks time and I am stoked to get such a good set. Outside of these times you will probably find me at the bar. :)

@bsfa.bsky.social Fission Stats. We received 422 submissions in a 2-week window. 42 were shortlisted. All of which we loved, but alas, we had to choose All were read by both editors within a month, and rejections have been sent out. The overall quality was good! I had a blast.

I've walked a mile for the first time since I tore my achilles in November! And I've swapped the crutch for a small cane. The slow progress continues and I am just happy to be outside.

Just finished this absolute banger by @mikebrooks668.bsky.social Really enjoyed the yin and yang style pov shifts with this one. It kept me thoroughly entertained and distracted while my toddler had a tonsillectomy (he's doing great and munching toast) which is a good as it gets!

Another book by a great author. Happy new book day @aknighton.bsky.social !

I looked away for one second to get my child's water bottle...

@theslabpress.bsky.social editor Donna has kindly let me post Vivid Worlds for free on my website during the @bsfa.bsky.social awards process. It is a finalist for the Short Fiction, and if you would like to consider it, you can find it here. It may get weird. www.rickdanforth.com/one-step-at-...

Please check this out and consider supporting it. It's a wonderful piece of work by a wonderful author @trip.bsky.social

I'm both overwhelmed and very grateful to have 5 items on the @bsfa.bsky.social award short list. It's an honour to be nominated against pieces from: @foxesandroses.bsky.social @slashnburnett.bsky.social @drfionamoore.bsky.social @bethkesh.bsky.social @emilyinkpen.bsky.social Congrats all 🙌

Thanks to @rickandwrite.bsky.social for letting me know that Voidscarred is on the Nebulas recommended reading list! Massively grateful for this inclusion :) www.sfwa.org/reading-list...

3 months of progress! It's awkward as hell, takes forever and I'm absolutely grateful for every step. 🙌 The goal is walking unassisted for eastercon.

@drfionamoore.bsky.social phrased this far better than I could, so I'm just going to steal her post!

Are you a member of @bsfa.bsky.social? Reminder, today, 19th Feb, is your last day to nominate. I'd really love you to consider Vivid Worlds for Best Collection and "One Step at a Time" by @rickandwrite.bsky.social and "Tractors in the Mist" by Cécile Cristofari.

I would like to say I spent all day reading submissions but I spent all morning reading them then got lost in this blast from the past. Just one more turn...

@bsfa.bsky.social Fission is now open! Please send us your words, we are excited to see them! :) Any questions, please ask me. www.bsfa.co.uk/fission

After 13 weeks I am castband boot free! I'm back on crutches, scared to bump it but I can finally shower and for that I am eternally grateful. Physio loading. Hopefully walking by eastercon.

I am now the Co-Editor of the @bsfa.bsky.social fission anthology. We open for submissions midnight on 13th February, and now pay 3p (roughly 4c) a word. I hope to see lots of great stories. I am very excited about this! 😁 www.bsfa.co.uk/fission

This is my favourite story I had out last year. Not only is it longlisted alongside a great (and also longlisted) collection but it's now available for 99p! What's not to love? 😁

My first work of the year! A non-fiction piece about my feelings regarding apologies in fiction and why it's so hard to give them true emotional impact.

I'm so happy to get to share a free to read version of this. I love this story, I get dark with it, it explores troublesome father-son dynamics and it's inspired by the real life Ghost Merchants shop in York. I really need to go write that sequel.

I'm feeling very blessed to have five items on the longlist for the @bsfa.bsky.social awards. If you're voting please consider my works. Congratulations to everyone on the long list, it's full of great works! (It does make a fantastic reading list.)

This is an 800 word story that I've been thinking about all day. Give it a read if you fancy a real emotional trip in such a low word count.

The derp bear is once again pretending to be a cat. (and making me stop writing to come and get him)

4 weeks to go until the boots off. My foots been covered since November and I am so excited. That first proper shower is going to be incredible.

I read a lot of great books last year. Out of 60, 57 were SFF, but Conclave by Robert Harris just blew me away It was so exciting and engrossing, especially the MC struggling with doubt and just trying to do his best. I really never thought I could be so invested in voting for a pope.

The best part of being an adult, is that noone can stop me having this as me evening meal. (Garlic doughballs and camembert. Allegedly for four, tonight for one. )

Sat down to edit the novella. Wrote a 1500 non fiction article instead. Procrastination by writing other projects is still writing, right?

The dog literally barged in to stop me writing. He only sits here when I'm writing and has ignored me all afternoon otherwise. Worst writing assistant ever