The weekend is almost upon us, prepare the books and blankets! - Michael

Absolute peak Sunday yesterday—I had the whole day to myself, it was raining and grey outside so I got to put on fairy lights and make a cup of hot chocolate, and I sat watching the rain with a quilt around my shoulders and my Kindle good to go.

Every now and then it's nice to pick your head up from your book, reacquaint yourself with the world, take a hard pass and immediately go right back to reading. Balance is important.

Lads the HONK I just honked

Well well, I blogged again, once again surprising myself, and possibly also the people who subscribed to the website a couple of years ago and are now wondering what's going on with me that I'm all up in their inbox for the FOURTH time this month. isabelmurrayauthor.wordpress.com/2025/07/25/f...

I’m making the most of working outside before the sun hits my patio full on and I run screaming for the shade. That’ll happen in about 10 mins, by my guess. Juuuust enough time to repost this. (Because I *still* keep forgetting to use tags. 🤣) #mmromance #booksky

Release day for my fantasy romance novella, The Naiad’s Lover! Here’s the trope thingy: ❤️ mortal 4 immortal ❤️ age gap (thousands of years) ❤️ size difference (👀) ❤️ hurt/comfort ❤️ hissy fit And here are some links: www.amazon.com/dp/B0DZ83M2PS books2read.com/u/bMMnZa

Friday miniblog: it's all about novellas today! The First Dates and Birthday Cakes sale (US/CA) ends on 30th June, The Naiad's Lover will be out in a couple of weeks (😱), and I've almost finished the first draft of a novella sequel to my merman romance, Catch and Release. #mmromance #booksky

I have a book on sale! First Dates and Birthday Cakes is a romcom novella about a man who turns 40, loses his cool (and his phone), and finds his happily ever after. (And his phone.) It's a #Kindle Monthly Deal on Amazon US and CA for the month of June. #mmromance #romcom #booksky

Fabulousness from @raprevec.bsky.social. ;)

A rainy Tuesday morning miniblog: I’m in the middle of proofreading my latest novella (The Naiad’s Lover, which I’ll publish in June or July) (probs July) and at this point, I think I’ve read it start to finish about 20 times since January. Maybe more 😆 #booksky #amwriting #amediting

This is Bodie. He’s here to celebrate the start of Pride Month. Been working on this pose for weeks. 14/10 the parade starts right behind him 🌈🐾 (IG: hellobodie)

🤳

Mermay season. Friday doodle. #art #queerart egorodriguezshop.com/products/dryan

Monday mini-blog: I’m in a big re-reading mood at the moment. Of the 14 books I read in April, 8 are re-reads. Absolute standout among my favourites: Claimings, Tails, and Other Alien Artifacts by Lyn Gala. It was the first alien #mmromance I ever read years ago, and is still the best. #booksky

This week on the reading blog, I have two fabulous contemporary paranormal #mmromance reads from @jordanlhawk.bsky.social and @isabelmurray.bsky.social. Both wonderfully absorbing stories! elliethomasromance.wordpress.com/2025/04/17/r...

🌸📚 I posted a spring update blog on Goodreads! Here’s the short version: - Not That Ridiculous is out now in paperback - I’m currently editing a low-angst novella in my Immortal Bonds fantasy romance series - I’m still pondering my next writing project #mmromance #booksky The longer version ⬇️

If the UK government agrees to a wholesale undoing of copyright, to excuse Meta's massive theft of books, art, movies etc as 'data', then the creative industries and all of us working in them are finished. All viewers and readers will get in future is unoriginal, derivative slop. #MetaBookThieves

I'm supposed to be editing a novella today (and for the rest of the month) and I found myself missing Kevin and Charlie, so I made a little video instead! Not That Ridiculous: www.amazon.com/dp/B0DY9JSJ11

First day of spring and it's *lovely*. I'm sitting outside with coffee as I write this, enjoying the sunshine, the blue sky, and the pretty white clouds. I’m also periodically ducking the clumps of moss that a bunch of jackdaws are helpfully picking out of my gutters and tossing down to the patio.

An unexpected trip home to my parents for a long weekend has me spinning my wheels a bit on the work front, but it's actually good timing! It's over a week since Not That Ridiculous released and I'm still catching up with all the little things (everything) I dropped to focus on Kevin and Charlie.

This is Breuer. He's still figuring out how to sit. Wants to know what you think of his plop in the meantime. 12/10 (IG: chase.n.breu.labradors)

Release day for Not That Ridiculous, my MM romantic comedy! Book 3 in the Not That series features a grumpy and overworked coffee shop owner and the sunshine handyman who wants to fix everything. (Also some random dead guys. Just ignore them. Srsly. So random.) #mmromance #booksky 📚💙

Every UK national newspaper has printed identical front pages. A thousand UK musicians have released a silent protest album: apnews.com/article/uk-m... Amazing list of publishers and creative associations: www.creativerightsinai.co.uk/members Join the fun, write to your MP today!

A #fridaykiss post for Valentine's Day! Today's word is *squeeze* and until I searched my doc for a snippet, I honestly had no idea that I used it as often as I apparently do. 21 times in 100k words isn't too much, but I was still surprised! 😆 #mmromance #romancelandia

Release day for A Queen and Her Knight: Short Stories from the Being(s) in Love Universe. (Basically a bunch of little previously published side stories that are like bonus content) books2read.com/u/bMJrA8

Every now and then it's nice to pick your head up from your book, reacquaint yourself with the world, take a hard pass and immediately go right back to reading. Balance is important 📚❤️

Well done for making it to the end of January. Stop whatever you're doing and read a book to reward yourself. If you don't have a book, then buy one from an indie bookshop, that way you'll be making TWO people happy.

From today's edits: On Friday, he asked me to join him for a pint with his mates after the gym. I declined. Kevin might have awakened me sexually, but no force on earth could awaken me socially. By the end of the week, I'd earned some alone time with my dog, my sofa, and my Kindle. #mmromance 📚💙

This is Nellie. She is experiencing her first bad hair day. Please give her a moment. 12/10 (IG: little_cocker_nellie)

My weekend reading plans are now sorted!😆 #mmromance #booksky

Authors, post something related to your WIP without context.

I didn't realised you like #mermen that much. Here you have some more. Bit old but still good. #art #fantasyart #illustration #queerart

‘The Writer’s Dog’ - My cartoon for this week’s @theguardian.com books

Was woken up at 5.30 this morning by the wind SCREAMING 😱 past my window and rattling my bedroom door—lovely way to wake up, really starts the day off right—and now I’m cross-legged on my bed drinking coffee in a glorious patch of sunshine as clouds drift past in a clear blue sky. #writinglife

This is Moose. He’s had a very long day. Tried to go down some stairs but got stuck. 13/10 someone please help Moose

Did you know that I also write historical mysteries set in Ancient Rome? Juvenalia, the second book in the Valerius Mysteries, is out now. You can get started on the series here with Book 1, Sub Rosa: books2read.com/valerius1/

An adorable little Vole on the woodland floor. 😍 Taken this weekend at Swell Wood in Somerset. 😀

Go make the art you’ve always wanted to make. Write the stories you’ve been dreaming of. Sing your heart out. Pick up an instrument & play. Do the things you’ve been holding back on because you’re worried about what others might think. Just do it. Do it now. Life is short. Life is precious. Please.

Monday miniblog: last week’s editing went better than I hoped (yay) and it looks like I’ll finish the draft this week and be able to move it into Vellum for copyedits, proofreading, and formatting. #mmromance #booksky 📚💙 #writingcommunity

My plans for the afternoon if I can get to 80% on my current draft...

Joining in with this week's #fridaykiss prompt: #mmromance #booksky #writingcommunity

“For the wise man looks into space and he knows there is no limited dimensions.” —Zhuangzi This week's #fridaykiss theme: SPACE. All writers and all genres welcome. Have fun! 💋 #FridayKiss #weeklyprompt #writingprompt #romancelandia

Sheep and Tale

A snippet from this morning's edits: “Tomorrow, Charlie, I’m going to come into your coffee shop like always. Only tomorrow, you’re going to know the whole time that I’m thinking about this. About you. About doing this to you.” #mmromance #wipwednesday #booksky

Unsolicited writing advice, #17171617: Don't just write. Read books. Watch films. Look at paintings and sculpture. Play games. Go to plays. Listen to music. Think about how these things make you feel. Making art is a two-way stream. To make art, you have to consume art.

Monday morning miniblog: beautiful frost and fog over the weekend. I let myself get a bit distracted noodling around with a story that is *wildly* different from the book I’m editing right now. On further contemplation, I don’t think that’s a bad thing—it’s kind of like a mental counter stretch.

First Monday of the year feels like a good time for my first post (that isn't a repost), so here it is! I've got a *lot* of editing ahead of me in January. Today I’m starting Draft 3 of a 100k-word romcom. Hoping to get it done by the middle of the month.🤞

My first completed illustration of the year is a follow up to one of my most popular illustrations (linked below). This new one is titled "Fealty." 😁