Launched this today. Get involved.

And now we wait. My bit is done. Time for a coffee.

I need to make a change. And so, I've hatched a plan. A modern take on a traditional arts ‘patronage’ to support me and my writing. Please share among your network. Who do you know who would be an ideal patron for Dragon’s Pen? tomstaniford.substack.com/p/23-dragons...

It's taken about 17 years, because somebody else had it, but an eagle-eyed friend noted tomstaniford.com was available at last. I am @tomstaniford basically everywhere now, and giddy with digital monopoly glee. I'll get a proper website up eventually but, for now, it just redirects to my linktree.

Started writing the key events overview/timeline for my autobiography today. It feels painful and embarrassing, much less as I don’t feel I have achieved anything worthy of record, but a fair few have asked me to write it and it may prove to be a useful first step into the publishing game.

Is ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ worth reading, or is it another example of celebrity author hysteria? I will prob watch the film at some point, regardless (too many good people involved). But, the book. Is it a good book?

Isn’t it amazing how so many of life’s complex passionate meanings, politics, and beliefs can be boiled down to “don’t be a dick”? And isn’t it amazing how many people obfuscate that simple truth for profit? And people, of all ‘sides’, buy it? Don’t be a mug. Just don’t be a dick. Simple.

Timeline cleanse

Sky News says police are "overwhelmed by the numbers". Met coped perfectly well with 2x as many at the pro-Gaza rally, 5x as many at the anti-Brexit march, and 15x as many at London Pride. They're not overwhelmed by the numbers. They're overwhelmed by the ratio of violent thugs in those numbers.

Delightful evening eating balti and drinking Laphroaig shows me my alcohol tolerance is desperately low but my friendship strengths are enviably high. An interesting week. Lots of unexpected but welcome and, tbh, long overdue developments. Will let you all know over coming fortnight or so.

It is quite clear the goals of the fascist Republican party. Note the change in tone now that the shooter is a young straight cis white male.

“Free speech”. Read Charlie Kirk’s speeches. Political violence is unforgivable. So is retcon whitewashing.

mad to me how many people are apparently struggling with this!

Stale, Male, and so much beyond the Pale.

One for my coffee followers, and those who might consider themselves caffeine-adjacent. I do love the glass espresso cups- you get to see the shots materialise like a little Guinness.

Charlie Kirk MINED the politics of division bsky.app/profile/13sa...

Charlie Kirk was killed for saying things "that used to be simple common sense," says Boris Johnson. Here's a few of those things

Johnson, however low one’s expectations, always manages to be worse.

Peace is fragile; constitutions are fragile; civil order is fragile. Wise political leaders realise this.

We have a bit of a natural experiment here. Compare the tone, quantity and duration of Charlie Kirk coverage with that of the two Dem lawmakers gunned down in their homes in Minnesota 6 months ago. May be revealing.

It’s so funny it’s pathetic

If you haven't bought this - why not? Ignorance is very rarely a defence in the eyes of the law.

Quite the image

So I will be planning some heavy streaming TV binges in the near future. Iconic/landmark TV series I (incredibly) still haven’t seen one episode of: The Wire The Sopranos Grey’s Anatomy The X-Files Northern Exposure Twin Peaks What am I missing? What is overrated? I have time. Thanks

New surgery date confirmed Wed 15 Oct. Over 5 weeks away. Could’ve been worse, but… yeah. It is what it is. I’ll get around to a new blog at some point but tbh atm I don’t feel like doing much of anything at all.

More wheelchair exercise in sunny Devon. Canine crew.

We have worked out (with tape measures as we are both accurate and slightly pathetic) that with Trevor I have gone from 6ft3” to 5ft4” on that side. With amputation, my wife and I are now the same height. 😂

Date night. Our options somewhat limited by finance and mobility; we’re revelling in the wonders of a drive thru KFC. I know how to keep the magic alive. #SecretBlend #HotWings

Masochist’s delight: long drag gravel in a wheelchair. Terrier support crew.

What on earth indeed...

ICYMI - here is the announcement of the winner of the Bylines Network Sky Hawkins Poetry Prize. 10 fantastic poems on the shortlist. One of which was chosen by Ian McMillan and Kate Fox as the best of the best. bylinesnetwork.substack.com/p/live-video...

Good news: Trevor is now healed on the outside. Little bit sensitive but to be expected. Bad news: haven’t got a date yet for postponed surgery. Hoping for one tomorrow. Think the less we say about that the better. But it’s tough.

Chicken Dhansak and a Cobra Zero. Is it a curry, is it a dhal? Bit heavy on the tamarind paste, but otherwise really good. Definitely lamb next time.

Surgery cancelled. In a gown since 0800 but they called it at 1330: 2 emergencies in, and one needed to go back in again. Reasonably, not enough time/space left on shift. New date forthcoming. Ho hum. Retreating within my shell for a bit. Thank you for all your concern.

Obligatory final pre-surgery pic. Customary sharpie arrow in place- although not sure they have much of a choice for which lower leg to target.

Forgive me my melodrama, but this was my last espresso with legs. One door closes; another opens. See you on the other side.

Tomorrow. Both Alice and I woke up today saying there was a feeling in the air. Not ominous, just… significant. Big changes coming. I sense a disturbance in the force. 😂

2 days to go. Please cross all digits/limbs and pray to your preferred deit(y/ies) and/or supernatural power(s) that surgery is not postponed again. I cannot handle further boredom.

Alice sent me this, saying ‘this is you’. “You can leave hospital in 7 days.” I’ll do it in 6. “Maybe read some books?” I’ll do 12 in 4 weeks. “This show has 84 episodes”. Bet I can finish it in 2 weeks. “You won’t be walking that soon”. Who says? Competitive recovery. It’s a sickness. 😂

Some say that his words flow like nectar from a rare orchid, and that he’s a champion of the dispossessed - England’s answer to Émile Zola. Others say he’s a delusional misanthrope with a questionable surgery obsession. All agree he has impeccable taste in shoes. Read his latest.

UK online safety law in practice.

I feel like every day of my life moves me one step closer to having a squadron of runner ducks. The crushing sense of inevitability is, er, crushing.

Some say that his words flow like nectar from a rare orchid, and that he’s a champion of the dispossessed - England’s answer to Émile Zola. Others say he’s a delusional misanthrope with a questionable surgery obsession. All agree he has impeccable taste in shoes. Read his latest.

Here we go again, again. Powerful, profound, more than a little faintly pretentious thoughts on Amputation #2 in 5 days. Plus exciting footwear. tomstaniford.substack.com/p/22-here-we...

I have written a blog (publishing tomorrow, as I expect you funky party weasels are all enjoying your Fri night elsewhere). I have a homemade shepherd's pie, a choice🍷, and some baklava lined up. I am winning on all counts.

If you are going to be spending a lot more time in a wheelchair imminently, maybe you too can be gifted a small lap cushion tray decorated with dinosaurs. (This photo series features some of my very best spontaneous dinosaur impressions.)

Governors of Six (red) states have sent their states' national guard troops to – and now occupy – (blue) Washington D.C. What would you call this? Historians will call it civil war.

Another #Wheelchairing adventure. Hands don’t like it, but everything else does. Today the Brig and I pondered the Cranbrook pump track and decided against it. There are limits to our courage.

#TheCutThroatTrial is out on 28th August (next week), but you can preorder the audiobook - and the hardback and the ebook - through these links here. bio.to/7zNmPU If you can support your local independent bookshop, even better.

So. I might have mentioned, in passing, in a deeply non-publicity thirsty way, that my debut novel #TheCutThroatTrial is out next week - 28 Aug 2025. But this thread isn’t about that. Instead I want to share a few bits from the audiobook. Because I’m so excited I could weep🧵