How do people vote for their book of the year? I'm always a couple of years behind trends when I give in to friends saying, 'you really should read this book.' I mean, I've only just read Fourth Wing, and ACOTAR.

I'm incredibly excited and honoured to be included in the upcoming Encounters with Cryptids anthology. Huge thankyou to @andrewcull.bsky.social and @slimyswampghost.bsky.social for putting this together and I can't wait to read all the contributions!

We've sold out of Magic, Maps, and Mischief at The Syndicate table at @worldfantasy2025.bsky.social but I'm told we can still sell them and ship them to you! Plus, loads of other amazing books at the table. Thanks to everyone who made Maps a sell out!! 🦉

Sitting and listening to a panel about neurodiversity in fantasy and feeling guilty because I’m also reading stuff on my phone, but ya know: adhd.

On the train to Brighton with @losbennett.bsky.social for @worldfantasy2025.bsky.social and I’m on a panel at 9pm tonight. I’m pretty sure there’s nothing good on telly at the same time… 😬 Who will I see there? Say hi!

Booo. They murdered my favourite. Not watching anymore

I would absolutely love to one day open up a little genre bookshop and hobby shop (boardgames, card games, etc.). So I’m thinking of starting small and online. Is this a terrible idea? I know I will need to get set up with suppliers, probably register at companies house, etc. But advice is welcome.

Recommendations for Kindle Scribe covers please? I had a look on Etsy and got overwhelmed. Or even if you have a nice Kindle Paperwhite, etc. cover, where did you get it from? (I'd prefer to support independent artists.)

Oh no. Bread week. #GBBO

Are we ready for week 2 of #GBBO?

Oh yeah? Two can play at that game!!!

Right, who do we think is going home first? #GBBO

Had one of those days. Seriously, what is it about Tuesdays? But I’m really looking forward to Bake Off being back. Who’s watching? #GBBO

Maybe someone on here will know the answer to this: Why are pedestrian crossing signals now low on your side of the road where, say, someone can walk up and stand in front of them and you have no idea when it’s safe to cross as opposed to when they used to be the other side of the road and elevated?

I forgot I had this. If you’ve enjoyed my work (or haven’t, I’m not fussy) or waiting for a new book, you can buy me a coffee to help me out so I can get on with writing ko-fi.com/mikehollows

In which @mikehollows.bsky.social discusses war + empire --> impact on authors --> the impact of those authors on later writing... Subscribe to read this & an extra essay every month: AUD30/year (GBP15 / USD19!) www.speculativeinsight.com

A new subscriber essay in which @mikehollows.bsky.social discusses some immediate post-WW2 SF writers (mostly) and their influence on later authors. Read it by subscribing (AUD30/year; ~USD19/GBP15) and get 11 other subscriber essays over the year too! www.speculativeinsight.com

Me: emails Company: phones me a week or so later Me: doesn’t answer phone, I emailed for a reason, because there are details in the email. Company: please call us Why in the 21st-century are we still so shit at using emails?

I’m so exhausted from putting on a brave face and telling myself I have to somehow keep going. When I just want to cry all the time.

Lying in the floor (not really) watching TV right now because I feel like I need grounding. I live in a 4th floor flat.

Getting lots of work done this morning… But then I needed kitten cuddles. Until he decided the tummy was a trap.

I walked too fast and now I’m too early for my therapy session. Having a sit down for a few minutes then I can go into the building and still be 10 minutes early…

@louiseminchin.bsky.social excellent talk tonight, brilliant authors, fascinating books and affirming writing talk. I would have bought them all, but I’m in the middle of moving from Liverpool to Chester so not allowed! Hope they come back for the next fest and there’s more crime on the programme!

Just finished 4 inclusive sessions of counselling through the uni, with a 3rd party, and I've booked in for more sessions. It makes such a difference, I honestly believe that everyone in this country should have much better access to therapy. It's important to find the right therapist though.

I applied to be a Royal Literary Fund fellow and found out today I didn’t get shortlisted. I was really hoping I’d get a chance and quite looking forward to the role. I don’t know what I have to do… But I could really do with a win at the moment.

Really feeling the lyrics to We Came as Romans' Learning to Survive at the moment. That and all of the new Sleep Token album.

Why do software available on Windows and Mac so often have very different user interfaces? Why is that even a design decision? I'm using Nvivo on a Mac, but I've been trained to use it on Windows and things aren't even labelled the same. The terminonology should be universal.

I’m feeling really down today. It’s not easy. So much I want to say, but it’s enough just to get that written down.

My 79-year-old mum has banked with Barclay's for 30-odd years. We have a joint account (for ease) and I want to leave, not just because of their funding genocide, but their new ban on trans women in toilets. How easy is it to just transfer a current account? #BoycottBarclays Biology is not binary.

l read this as a teenager. Literally just realised that Arnold Rimmer had ADHD

Why have we learned nothing from COVID? Personal space seems to be even less respected than it was prior to 2020. Often when I queue for a coffee or till now someone stands right behind me, almost breathing down my neck. Gonna have to start charging.

I love eBay messages like this. Good for you, mate. The auction starts at £40…

So I got an email from @unitedutilities.bsky.social saying they’re going to be investing in water facilities in the north west but to do it they’re going to have to put our bills up. Aren’t they making money hand over foot and paying it out to their CEO?!

The last six months have been the hardest of my life, after a couple of difficult years. You may have noticed I haven’t posted in ages, and I won’t go into it. But in the spirit of rebirth, I’m back and ready to post some nonsense. (Oh and should probably remember to post book stuff too)

On the 3 April we’re organising a day of protest against Meta following revelations of pirated books being used to train their large language models. More information on how to get involved 👇 societyofauthors.org/2025/04/01/s...

📢Join us tomorrow at Granary Square 1pm for a protest Meta following revelations of pirated books being used to train their large language models. More details below 👇

Guess who’s back? Presenting the 2025 I Am Writing Competitions! Take a look at the dazzling dozen… #Writing #WritingCommunity #IAmWritingComp #WritingCompetitions #WritingAwards #Querying

It's come to my attention that some people believe you can't buy a new book until you've read the books you already have. Let me assure you, as both a lawyer and a writer, that this idea is legally and morally WRONG and BAD. Buy more books.

It's pub day for this wonderful book! If you like zombies, post-apocalypse action and adventure, military action and an enemies-to-lovers romance ... check it out! harpercollins.co.uk/products/tho...

It's up to #3! Can we get it to #1? www.amazon.co.uk/Violinists-S... #Books #HistoricalFiction

My new novel The Violinist's Secret is up to #112 on the Amazon.co.uk store. I would love to get it higher! If you haven't grabbed a copy yet it's currently only 99p! And if you have a copy, please share far and wide! www.amazon.co.uk/Violinists-S... #Books #HistoricalFiction

If there's apparently a "loneliness epidemic" linked to us staying in our houses on screens too much then why not invest in community spaces, night life & the arts? Oh right because it's not actually our mental health that's the real concern here, is it.

Why are they all wearing red Adidas trackies?! 🤣

Started watching Traitors Australia. It has such a different vibe.

and a regime which she increasingly disagrees with. The murder of her friend leads her to lead a double life which troubles her and this beautifully plotted story narrates Charlotte's journey, mistakes, hopes and fears beautifully leading to a climatic ending I didn't see coming.

& fear of 'being on an anti-Nazi list' with a touch of romance blend together to make this a poignant, thought provoking read. Charlotte's character as a young woman hopeful of a life beyond the expectations of being a wife and mother, is relentless in her quest to unravel the complexities of a war

A university philosophy student, Charlotte through her music finds release from the worries of the war and the problematic feelings she has as she tries to navigate it. The smell of bomb raids, the tragedy of the Nazi regime, the grief, the confusion, the terror

Book Review 10 The Violinist’s Secret by @MikeHollows I found myself transported to World War 2 Hamburg with the heroine of the story, German born Charlotte Weber, who is of Swedish-Prussian descent. Absolutely loved this and devoured it over 2 sittings. 5*

Okay. That was the quickest I've ever completed it. (I keep pretty detailed records). And it said I didn't have to pay NIC Class 2 voluntarily this year as it counts as paid. Winner,

Ahh the joy of filling in a tax return. Said no one ever. Oh, and I know you can do it in summer. And I mean to every year.