"Daddy why did you go into politics?" "Well, I always hoped that one day I might be able to make a difference. Like if people were fleeing war and persecution, and they arrived on our shores desperate and afraid, then maybe I could be the one to suggest we nicked their jewellery."

Publishing strategy: Observe lots of people like romance in fantasy Label everything romantasy Observe lots of people like fantasy without romance Label everything anti-romantasy Observe lots of people like romance in fantasy Label everything anti-anti-romantasy...

We finished watching Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue and all I can say is, this is a great show if you want the experience of being psychic because wow is it possible to foretell the future.

I read Felonious Monk (Tommy Martini, #1) by William Kotzwinkle

Went for a walk and was stopped by two women in athleisurewear who urgently needed me to settle an argument about what colour one of their tops was. I mean, it was brown? So I said "Coffee" authoritatively, which was met with apparent satisfaction, and went on my way.

I really enjoyed this. If you want a book that does not tell you what to think and very much expects you to draw your own conclusions, voila.

I read Obstetrix by Naomi Kritzer

My office is clean, my inbox is down to four emails, I've taken my vitamins, the laundry is done, I'm up to date on taxes please jesus can I just start the new book yet I'm going insane here

If you're in North London on Sat 22nd Nov, there is a smashing concert in Mill Hill! Dvorak, Saint-Saens, Frank, Faure, with four wonderful soloists and a full choir! Tickets on the website or the door.

Well, it's a little clearer now why billionaires are so invested in technology that produces better written emails.

Is anyone on here going to the SoA coffee and chat today? @julietemckenna.bsky.social?

Guys I think this one is definitely real

Checking out the Goodreads Readers Choice first round nominations for romance and, not for the first time, I haven't read a single one of the books. I read romance *all the time*. It's just such a salutary reminder of the sheer size and scope of the genre.

"Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt personally victimised by the Barbican’s layout." Maybe the redesign could include *not* stopping signing destinations two turns and 150m before you get there?

Last Friday: Well, I cleaned up that MS good! fixed the XXX FIX THIS, fixed the dates, sorted the travel, the days of the week, the times of day, and even the smoking. Smooth. Bolt upright in bed at 3 this morning: ...four of the seven main characters have surnames beginning with C.

looking through the kobo daily deals and noting that the new publisher fad is to claim that all series detectives are 'unforgettable'.

That's me caught up on reviews, except for the five (FIVE) books I DNFd in the past two weeks. (One romance where the Edwardian British heroine was an intolerably modern American, one very stupid thriller, one tonally bizarre fantasy, and two pointless non-fictions clearly bought on premise alone.)

I read Strange New World (Dr. Greta Helsing, #4) by Vivian Shaw

I read Magically Generated by Jackie Lau

I read Testimony of Mute Things (Penric and Desdemona #15) by Lois McMaster Bujold

I read Dope Girls: The Birth of the British Drug Underground by Marek Kohn

I read By Marsh and by Moor (Marsh and Moor, #1) by Annick Trent

I am reading a truly shitty 'speculative thriller' with mysterious non human stuff happening and one of the characters is called "Neil Amai" which I invite you to read backwards.

We watched the new Naked Gun movie last night and if you like the original Airplane! and jokes of incredible density in every sense, you will love this. Liam Neeson plays it as straight as required and there are some magnificently stupid gags.

Misty morning. Taking the boy to rugby and then off for a long walk to think about the next book.

Six people died from tampered Tylenol and the company pulled 30 million bottles off the market. ChatGPT is accused of urging seven people towards suicide, and OpenAI just assures us they’re still working out the kinks. Billions in investment, zero accountability.

Our open online book group here at Romancing the Gothic is looking very exciting going into the end of the year! Check out our upcoming reads and sign up for some of our author visits with Nilima Rao and KJ Charles! romancingthegothic.com/book-group-a...

I have been enjoying a couple of scary podcasts (Lovecraft Investigations and Magnus Archives) but reflecting somewhat resentfully that it would be nice if I could call on atmospheric background music at will.

So I sent the Big Book to the editor today. More scary than usual because not my home genre, but I am cautiously confident.

Me: I need to rename a character. Let me just look through my Kelly's Directory for some good-sounding plausible period surnames. Directory: How about Lancelot and Lazarus Fletcher, for brothers? Me: Don't be silly. Directory: Tax? Evill? Flux? Me: Not helping. Directory: Got it. De Worms.

okay well if I owe you a reply, or a review, or a tax form, I guess I'll be doing that now. /looks around vaguely/

I...think I've finished? The book? I think I've finished the book????? (what is this brave new world in which I will not be writing this book) (am I allowed not to be writing this book) (is book finish)

I was just leafing through 1725 occult tome The Secret Magic of Abramelin the Mage in search of scary invocations for the BOOK, and I came across this list of subordinate spirits to the princes of Hell.

You might also like the chief of the subaltern demons and inspector general of sorcery, black magic and witchcraft... Leonard. He's illustrated in the 1818 Dictionnaire Infernal. This is Leonard.

I was just leafing through 1725 occult tome The Secret Magic of Abramelin the Mage in search of scary invocations for the BOOK, and I came across this list of subordinate spirits to the princes of Hell.

"I wonder if the author fact checked this single sentence detailing how the characters get from Location A to Location B in 1922" said literally nobody EVER, and yet...

OK, I have had a few weird coincidences for this book, of the usual "I put in X thing and it turned out to be weirdly relevant" type. However.

“London and New York, two of the west’s largest, richest, and most diverse cities are now run by Muslim men, both of them elected on the ticket of left wing, pro-LGBT, pro-multicultural parties…The victory is a reminder of the fundamental weakness of Trumpism, Faragism, and the politics of hate.”

They’ll insist this is a one-off victory — something that can only happen in New York & nowhere else. They’re wrong. New York is the world financial capital — home of Wall Street & billionaires from across the globe. If everyday people can defeat oligarchs here, we can defeat oligarchy anywhere.

yeah so now apparently I have to go through this 113,000 word MS and fix all the XX STREET and XX OCCULT STUFF and XX CHECK HERE things that some bone-idle cow typed instead of actually bothering to do her own goddamn research. it is, frankly, a travesty.

Death in the Spires ebook is on cheap at Amazon UK in November! Get your Edwardian academia murder mystery with extra pining right here! (I do not control sales for this book, I don't know if it will price drop anywhere else, sorry.) www.amazon.co.uk/Death-Spires...

Just looking at alchemy illustrations, and wow, this guy has a serious case of morning wood.

If you want kids to read: -Reopen the closed libraries -Give them free books -Sponsor author visits in schools with high % pupil premium or FSM students -Work on adult literacy Then Y8s will have a chance of passing this test www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

me to myself every night this past week: do NOT start the new, Gothically creepy KJ Charles at night, especially when you have to get up early the next morning! me today at 1pm: aahhhhhhhh me today at 7pm: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA me today at 11pm: aaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Highly recommend.

Catching up with Traitors and a now quite in favour of Joe Marler for PM.

A reminder that Slippery Creatures is on sale everywhere just for the weekend!

Woman in bar: I just don't get it. I've got a successful book club, with a cult following of 3000 who will read any book I recommend. I'm desperate to help my favourite authors build an audience, but everyone I contact tells me to fuck off! Exiled Nigerian prince: [heavy sigh] Tell me about it.

There is a fine line between genius and insanity, and Mr KJC is teetering along it.

Thanks for all the birthday wishes and shares of the Slippery Creatures sale! I had a lovely day involving an entertainingly bad exhibition, a really delightful Booksellers Association social where I met loads of wonderful indie booksellers, and an unexpected birthday present from Tor!

It's my birthday, so have a present. SLIPPERY CREATURES (Will Darling Adventures book 1) is going on cheap over the weekend. 1920s pulp adventure m/m romance with plots, spies, Bright Young People, and emotional support knife, all for 99p!