Barcelona mini-break

For anyone who shares my funding pain! huddersfieldhub.co.uk/huddersfield... @huddlitfest.bsky.social

NEWS: I’ve set up an independent anti-racist reporting and monitoring organisation. We’ll document racist attacks, support victims, pressure authorities to act, and amplify the voices of smaller, more isolated Black and Asian communities across Britain.🧵

What a fascinating story www.theguardian.com/books/2025/j...

Good morning. It is Independent Bookshop Week. If you are able please do support your local bookshop. They pay their taxes and support the community! @bookcornerhx.bsky.social @sevenoaksbookshop.bsky.social @forumbooks.bsky.social @drakebookshop.bsky.social @grovebookshop.bsky.social

Penguin Michael Joseph Undiscovered Writers' Prize now open for horror writers from underrepresented backgrounds. The winner will receive a publishing contract with a £10,000 advance, and representation by an agent Link here www.penguin.co.uk/about/publis... Please share :)

Enjoyed so many events at this year's @huddlitfest.bsky.social including lots of presenting with some amazing authors. Now to regroup and plan next year

I've always loved the Moomin stories and their message www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

In some strange synchronicity, I was just thinking about Jane Gardam last night. An incredible talent, so smart but also one of the nicest authors I had the pleasure to work with - she took the trouble to send me the gift of a scarf when I left Little Brown. www.theguardian.com/books/2025/a...

🧵/ Ahead of Earth Day next week, here's a round up of Britons' attitudes to the environment 67% of Britons believe the scientific consensus that the climate is changing due to human activity Climate changing, due to humans: 67% Climate changing, not due to humans: 17% Climate not changing: 4%

My sister Antonia Hodgson's epic fantasy novel The Raven Scholar is out today - and it's brilliant! 'It's thrilling, romantic, often tragic, and always funny' ALIX E. HARROW 'Simply glorious!' GEORGIA SUMMERS 'Fiendishly charming and clever' TASHA SURI www.foxlanebooks.co.uk/product-page...

Hi. Books are incredibly important. Please let them be.

I’m joining @trusselluk.bsky.social in calling on the government to rethink its cruel, shameful & completely irresponsible plan to cut benefits which will plunge 250,000 people, including 50,000 children into poverty - on its own impact analysis This is how you can help youtu.be/XrX4dF3wqt0?...

UK Authors, sign this open letter to the government. Protect authors’ livelihoods from the unlicensed use of their work in AI training chng.it/6tkbpcq8C6

Fascinating www.theguardian.com/books/2025/m...

It's both the actions and the rhetoric that are so appalling www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Amazing that this organisation is celebrating its 60th anniversary. I had the honour of chairing it in the 90s/early 00s. It wasn't just about the awards, it was a great way to share ideas and learn about opportunities to promote books www.thebookseller.com/news/ppc-cel...

Looking forward to our #CultureCollective session with Huddersfield MP @harpreetuppalmp.bsky.social this morning. We had a great event in January advocating for culture in the region

Formerly anti-vax parents on how they changed their minds: ‘I really made a mistake’

Our @huddlitfest.bsky.social brochure is now available for download - a host of author talks, poetry and music/dance performance, workshops, children's events & more www.huddlitfest.org.uk/wp-content/u...

Two weeks today I'll be interviewing one of TV's most beloved interviewers at Lawrence Batley Theatre #Huddersfield as part of @huddlitfest.bsky.social Early bird tickets £12.50/£10. Come along if you can! www.thelbt.org/what-s-on/sp... #internationalwomensday

It's a start. But more funding is also desperately needed for grassroots arts and culture www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Tickets for our @huddlitfest.bsky.social event with Philippa Gregory have now all gone! Best to move quick if you're planning on coming to our other pre-Festival event on 8 March with Lorraine Kelly www.thelbt.org/what-s-on/sp...

🍃 We're delighted to say that the #WainwrightPrize is now on Bluesky! Celebrating the finest nature and conservation writing, we're excited to spotlight a whole host of brilliant books in 2025. Follow along! 💚

This www.theguardian.com/global-devel...

Then they came for the arts www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Lorraine is coming to Huddersfield! 8 March pre-Festival event for @huddlitfest.bsky.social we can't wait! www.huddlitfest.org.uk/event/lorrai...

A brand new edition of #TheArtsDividend by @henleydarren.bsky.social is published today! This book encourages us to consider our country’s innate creativity and the invaluable rewards to be gained from the public investment that enables the arts, museums and libraries to be part of everyone’s lives

The spectacular shortlist for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2025 is here! 🥳 Chosen by booksellers across the country, there's magic on every page, whatever their age. Discover the amazing shortlisted authors and illustrators here: bit.ly/3w9ZuZb #WCBP25

Labour MPs pressure Starmer to call out Trump's Gaza remarks as 'ethnic cleansing' 'Either you stand for international law and basic human decency, or you don’t,' says Clive Lewis after President proposes 'takeover' inews.co.uk/news/politic...

Donald Trump's plan to ethnically cleanse Gaza "sounds very appealing to me" says Nigel Farage

🚨 We’ve conducted a huge poll across the country to see what would happen if a General Election happened right now. Shockingly, the far right Reform UK could be on course to take up to 169 seats in parliament.

Exciting news - @huddlitfest.bsky.social is hosting a special pre-festival event with Lorraine Kelly for the pb of her debut novel The Island Swimmer: Sat 8 March 6.30pm Lawrence Batley Theatre. Tickets go on sale tomorrow (31 Jan) from the LBT box office www.huddlitfest.org.uk/event/lorrai...

Fantastic day at our Culture Collective: Creativity in Kirklees event at the Media Centre today. It took a few months of planning but great to see so many creative individuals and organisations come together #Huddersfield #Kirklees #Creativity

All UK writers - follow @thelitconsultancy.bsky.social for great writing advice, editorial feedback, courses, free reads and more.

Excellent and important news www.theguardian.com/environment/...

The most powerful man on the planet just gave the Nazi salute to 200+ million people and I’m supposed to think the trans community is the greatest threat to society. This demonising is a despicable distraction by the absolute worst and most dangerous people.

To the crowds cheering Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Agreement: Do you think you live on a different planet, which climate breakdown does not affect? Do you imagine only greens and progressives will be harmed by Earth systems collapse? Do you believe you can win an argument with physics?

Hard to overstate how catastrophic this is for global public health. The WHO has helped saved literally millions of lives, particularly those of children, from malnutrition, malaria, TB, HIV etc. Pure callous disregard for vulnerable humanity from Trump - as expected.

The Arts Council annual budget for Project Grants is £116.8m. The Tories wasted more than this on one small part of their failed Rwanda scheme. And yes, of course there are lots of other comparisons of how it could have been used in schools, hospitals etc.

If you're in #Huddersfield #Yorkshire or striking distance, we have some fab @huddlitfest.bsky.social events now up for booking www.huddlitfest.org.uk - if you're further afield, look out for our hybrid and online events. Particularly looking forward to An Evening with #JackieKay 9 May

Anne Brontë was born #OTD 1820 in Thornton, Bradford. For decades the youngest Brontë's reputation languished, seen as the quiet, conventional one, but is now viewed in some ways as the most radical of the sisters.

Donald Trump would have been convicted over 2020 election, special counsel report says

Wow, we're already at 40% of our target after one day! So grateful for all the support for @huddlitfest.bsky.social and for the lovely comments. Here's a selection of performers already lined up for our May 2025 Festival, you can support us here: localgiving.org/fundraising/...

Not going to pretend to be surprised about this because I wrote a book about January 6. But yes—if you were wondering—the most malevolent criminal in US political history is about to be POTUS in 6 days. It's an unimaginable situation, essentially a living nightmare, and very few fully comprehend it.

I don't like to ask in challenging times, but our Festival needs support this year - funding cut by ⅓ & three sponsors down. If you can spare any amount it will go back into our not-for-profit @huddlitfest.bsky.social providing free/low-cost events for #Huddersfield localgiving.org/fundraising/...

I'll be on Loose Ends tonight on Radio 4 at 6:15 - talking about urban fairies, growing up in Barnsley, and what Chocolat means to me. Please tune in if you can!

Trump, Musk and Zuckerberg have declared war on facts and truth. The pushback must start now @emilybell.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...