I wish there were cosy warm cafes that open in the evenings to just go and relax, read, listen to music... Yes, I'm missing Borders again 😭

New post up! This one on why publication days are both lovely and strange. Please share, I'm still struggling to find my readers after shifting platforms 😬 www.patreon.com/posts/143052...

Exhausted. Resting with books today. Also someone has been leaving these tiny ducks around our area - this one's on our wall. Little glimmers of fun! 😊❤️

Cover Reveal Day! I promise you that this book is amazing. And the cover absolutely does it justice. Congratulations to @danaiwrites.bsky.social! Art by Audrey Benjaminsen, publishing in April from @michaeljbooks.bsky.social 📚

Absolutely fantastic read - a fast-paced thriller of steampunkery and mystery. #books #reads #steampunk #booksky mybook.to/zfCv2

A million congratulations to @helleborezine.bsky.social for successfully ruffling some feathers in the Guardian this morning. Chaps, you can RUN to their shop, these jumpers are super cosy (I have several!) www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Today is busy. I have just done a Very Stressful Thing; now a cuppa before the next task. Everything's manageable and I will NOT let the brain weasels make it more difficult. Also hugely glad of friends near and far. Beyond glad to know y'all ❤️ Happy Friday, folks. Stay safe.

at what point do i tell everyone who’s obsessed with GDT’s frankenstein that my literary horror dystopia was described as ‘Frankenstinian’ in the Bookseller and features a man/monster doing a Silence of the Lambs-esque moral reckoning with the scientist protagonist, because-

I've almost finished. Reading slowly because I want to hold on to this atmosphere for as long as I can ❤️👏🏻 @rainewilson.bsky.social @solarisbooks.bsky.social

I keep seeing people posting about how boring or useless nonfiction books are. So anyway, here's my signing setup for my two nonfiction books that still have magic in. They've done quite well and people seem to like them.

Everything is shit but young people discovering and falling in love with Discworld still brings me tremendous joy Yes, youth of today: Nanny Ogg IS awesome

A new review is up on my Substack - a fantastically magical book about household folklore! catsbooks.substack.com/p/household-...

Authors, Beware! There's a firm called "ClaimsHero" doing aggressive social media outreach claiming to "help" you file to get $ in the Anthropic class action. In fact, it's a bait-and-switch, they are luring authors to sign up with them, then OPTING THEM OUT of the class action so they'll get zilch.

I've been in a really bad MH place lately (due to coming off bad meds plus Life Stuff). I'm doing my best, which right now looks like self-care and survival. I'm sorry I haven't been able to do more - I will when I can again. And I finally found useful help today from local services. Battling on.

This book is my absolute favourite of @tkingfisher.com's many titles! Wonderful characters, the Best Pup, genuine adventure and true magic. Loved it.

Today, I found that if you're brave enough to call for help in MH crisis, if you get someone who isn't interested on the phone, you're basically stuffed. They just want you off the line asap. Including emergency services (who suggested I find private therapy). Now hiding with blanket and tea 😞

Today, my brain weasels have once again been trying to tell me how useless and unwanted I am. To the point of Not Being Here 😞 I threw myself into my book. Because other worlds are solace right now. Made it through. Whatever works. #MentalHealth

NOT NOW PREVIOUSLY BURIED 1700s OBVIOUSLY VERY CURSED AND HAUNTED STONE CRYPT UNCOVERED BY AN UNEXPECTED GRAVEYARD TOMB COLLAPSE NOT NOW

*quietly* Sometimes the mind falls down. And down. And down. And books - the worlds, characters, imagination - are what keep me going. Authors are heroes.

I honestly don’t get the value of this company. They hoover up energy and water. Their product constantly gets things wrong and, in extreme cases, coaches people into suicide. And it’s all built on what seems to be malicious and vast intellectual property theft. What does OpenAI offer the world?

Never used it or anything like it.

Freyja Stokes goes deep into the historical connections between European witchcraft and sex work, and draws out how #Pratchett uses these in the person of Mrs Palm. It's got history AND sexy puns... This one's very reasonably-priced - it's free! Read it now: www.speculativeinsight.com

Seen as it looks like I won't have a main job for a while (and seen as I haven't been paid anything since September) if you'd like to support the work that I do through Romancing the Gothic, you can! You can also buy courses (in case you didn't know!) ko-fi.com/samhirst

Every billionaire is a failure of our ability to function as a society Every *millionaire* is a question mark at this point If you have more money than you and your family need to live and thrive, and you hoard it like a fairytale dragon instead of using it helpfully - YOU are a failure

'every line in The Salt Oracle is a work of art' 🥹 Massive thanks to the wonderful creature that is Frasier Armitage, for this delightful review! 🤗🤗🤗

Random rant: I REALLY hate Pleather. I have leather boots and coats that date from the 90s and 2000s, but the plastic equivalents last less than a year or two. Not comfortable, not environmentally friendly, overpriced and generally URGH. That's all.

If you aren't seeing skeets from some of your fave people, they might have been labeled "Rude" by bsky mods. Idk what they are thinking, I don't need a mommy to tell me who to be buddies with. Anyway, go into Settings > moderation > bluesky moderation (advanced) and turn Rude off.

Uninstall Grammarly NOW. They've partnered with an AI company and actively scrape your writing to train its models.

Such a great book 😊❤️📚

The brain weasels are loud today (depression), due to coming off most recent meds (BAD side effects). No motivation, spoons or self-worth. Don’t know whether to scream or cry. Why is my own mind like this?! 😭 *mental health rant over*

Times are so difficult. Post-apocalyptic fiction is hard to read for me (since 2020 actually). But these two books held me with their beautiful vibes of hope and humanity in quiet, everyday ways that are powerful for their sheer endurance. @tinywriterlaura.bsky.social @rainewilson.bsky.social ❤️

For those who know, I'm gathering stories about our beautiful Ni who recently passed. Please DM me any recollections (yes, including the fun or daft!) and I'll be compiling them to remember her as we say farewell. If you're unable to attend, I'll be glad to send any wishes privately. Much love.

This week has been SO busy. Mostly in a good way - from meeting Famous Authors to catching up with old friends - but today is for rest. With Real Books, so no distractions. Happy Autumn, folks 😊

"The ability of writers to imagine what is not the self, to familiarize the strange and mystify the familiar, is the test of their power." Toni Morrison

Next week LinkedIn will use your personal data for AI training by automatically enabling permissions. To manually turn off go to: Settings ➡️ Data Privacy ➡️ under “How LinkedIn uses your data” click “Data for Generative AI improvement” ➡️ toggle off

#Horror is not just #horrorbooks, #horrorauthors, and #horrorreaders it is a #horrorcommunity @timlebbon.bsky.social @michaelwehunt.bsky.social @sgj.bsky.social @fletcherhorror.bsky.social @ericlarocca.bsky.social @saratantlinger.bsky.social @nuzo.bsky.social @comptonwrites.bsky.social

8K GIVEAWAY! Win books from @csecooney.bsky.social @voidcricket.bsky.social @emmanewman.bsky.social @natania.bsky.social an early ARC from @authortrmoore.bsky.social & more! Like, follow, repost and drop a book 📙 in the comments to enter! Ends 23:59 GMT on 13/10/25. Open to UK & IE, CAN & US only.

Happy November 1st! Welcome to second October. Things are dying. Night comes sooner, hungrier than in the summer. The cold is here. Things haunt the woods. Snow can trap you, Donner Party your plans. Colds and flus awake, go hunting. Yeah, it’s still spooky season. It’s always spooky season.

New month, new book bundle! 📢 📚 From Nov. 1 to Nov. 15, you can snatch up the Trans People Take on the World book bundle. 32 books for a minimum of $35.00 (or a little extra, if you'd like to help out) you can support seeing the trans rep in books you want to see! itch.io/b/3352/trans...

Medusa's sister in a charity shop in Cheem Among other stories... #urbanfantasy #scifi #fantasy #amreading #booksky #books #readers www.amazon.co.uk/Rum-Rosemary...

Dears! Our popular A HAUNTED HISTORY OF INVISIBLE WOMEN is on digital sale! 2.99 across ALL RETAILERS, including @bookshop.org! Support your local independent store AND examine women's history through the lens of ghost lore! In time for Halloween AND #NonfictionNovember! bookshop.org/p/books/a-ha...

Including my pick! Paging @rebeccathorne.bsky.social! 🥰📚

FB Memories tells me that exactly two years ago, I finished writing this book, published earlier this year by @elsewhen.press. This is one of my books that needs more love. In my opinion, THE DEVIL'S HALO is my best fantasy novel :-) 💀👻 #booksky #fantasy #fiction #novels #ghosts #demons

From Private Eye 😂

A Halloween Handfasting today! Happiness and union - then home for pumpkins, treats, fire and remembrance later. Season's blessings, friends ❤️

@wib.bsky.social I have A Question so am asking a Warty Thou expert (that's you): Could a Titan wear two Landraiders as rollerskates? 😁

My busiest week of the year (professional Pagan), and I'm so tired! The self-doubt is also strong. But I'm doing my best. Also regular rests and tea 🤪

“Fantasy is nearer to poetry, to mysticism, and to insanity than naturalistic fiction is. It is a wilderness, and those who go there should not feel too safe. And their guides, the writers of fantasy, should take their responsibilities seriously." From Elfland to Poughkeepsie, Ursula K Le Guin

So I was out last night on a Bookish Adventure! Exhausted today but it was so much fun! 😊