Blend anyway you can, little guy🦋

I've been hiding my face a bit, but here I am again. Writing has been an escape. My mind is full of moths and roots. Poems and scripts. Goblins and a woodland bog. And finally, my current novel-in-progress. It's a story of time, and relics, and love, and I can't wait to see how it shapes up⌚⌛👴👵🌌💜🔥

Not one to tell people what to do😂, I've just blogged about zero drafts! But what in the world is a zero draft, and why does writing have to be even more complicated than it was before?! It's not, I promise. Link in my bio!

That's my handwriting!

Still find it surreal that my writing is in these!

My copy arrived, my copy arrived! Can't wait to lose myself in DAYTIDE once more. Couldn't be more proud to have myself immortalised within it's pages with a poem😍✍️

I wrote a thing a while ago that writers say they're finding helpful, so here it is! Let your postmodern wonders fly free! carolinehardakerwrites.com/2025/10/13/w...

Another week, another secret writing collaboration begun🤐 And yes, I hold my pen weird✍️

"Instead I felt empty, as if something had been scooped out and not replaced. But in that hole something lived and breathed..." Mothtown by @carolinehardaker.bsky.social and four of Chris Riddell's amazing illustrations for the book.

Next up #onmyreadinglist ! Looking forward to seeing how Murakami explores some of my own favourites themes here...

Apropos of nothing, I highly recommend the novel "Composite Creatures" by @carolinehardaker.bsky.social

It’s not a plot hole that Elmo has been 3 years old for 50 years. He was bitten by The Count, willingly. Elmo asked for the Dark Gift

Still enjoying my return to journalling this year✍️Somewhere between a sketchbook, scrapbook, and commonplace book, it's 2026 in a nutshell. . . . . #hobonichi #commonplacebook #journalling

Woodland-ready🌳🌳🌳🌳

Didn't think I'd be face to face with an ice sculpture of Vecna today😮

'An accurate description of my current WIP plot, 2026' It's sort of all there, but it's in a right tangle. It all needs teasing out. Sometimes I realise there's a loose end in there, and it needs woven in. But all in all, it's a full story, in the perfect shape of a world💚🌍🩵

A little bit of moonlight never hurt anyone ☁️🌕☁️

A bookshop all to myself?! 😍😍😍

Been quite poorly this week. Not had any energy for anything, but I'm finally starting to pick up. Tonight's #onmyreadinglist is dedicated to a little bit of research for the current WIP...

Loyal little sofa pal (as long as her favourite blanket is spread out beside me, otherwise I'm abandoned)😽

Next up #onmyreadinglist is this little book. I've always loved Shakespeare's works - but never actually thought too much about the man beyond the most well-known facts. Well, now I vow to learn more!

A poem hidden within the clouds☁️☁️☁️

I've lost count of the scarves I've knitted this winter. It's been the perfect way to do something mindless when I've been overwhelmed or feeling a bit lost. And while I love making intricate things, almost every scarf I've made has been simple and safe. Says it all, really.

Just hit 200 pgs and nearly 54k words on my 2027 novel. I'll always cherish the feeling of creating something from nothing, struggling with the story until that magical point where it clicks and blooms into something special. It's a singularly human experience that AI will never be able to match. 🖤

"This absolute song of a book." @scribeofhades.bsky.social "But Mothtown is silent... It's hard to believe it could ever have been a town, with its naked hills burning beneath the stars. Its wild twists of woodland. The loudest quiet." @carolinehardaker.bsky.social

I just published an interview with the author @carolinehardaker.bsky.social about her stunning novel, Mothtown! Check it out! gabrielahouston.substack.com/p/mothtown-b...

Continuing my journey on the George Saunders train. This man knows how to do titles!👌 #onmyreadinglist

My only sale splurge this year! Hoping this helps me develop lots of new ideas and avenues for the current WIP and more🌠✍️📚

Mr.H and me began a new tradition last night. One night each month, we'll have an arty or crafty night together❤️ January was my pick, and I chose watercolours. More specifically, using watercolours to paint the cosmos🌠☄️🌒

Reading time for one of the best-namer novels I have - next up #onmyreadinglist 📚📚📚📚📚📚

2026 shall be my seaweed year🌊

Let the Solstice begin🪾✨🌬️

It's that time of year again when I ruminate on the last year and think WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED 😂 Enjoy! carolinehardakerwrites.com/2025/12/17/2...

A random and unexpected purchase from The Accidental Bookshop in Alnwick, recently. When I picked it up, it just seemed like serendipity. Anyone else read it? #onmyreadinglist

Isn't everything just BETTER when there's a creepy puppet or two??

In Stephen McKenna’s novel ‘The Oldest God’ (1926), the mysterious Mr Stranger is judged by some to be ‘the reincarnation of the nature-spirit,’ while others tell him ‘that your hat concealed the horns, your boot the cloven hoof, of the traditional devil.’ #BookWormSat

You know you've gone a bit strange when you're loving the kismet between your current WIP and a specific notebook💚😂This WIP is brimming with the weird and uncanny, brings together storytelling, poetry, and illustration, and may contain a fair few of the following🪾🏚️🪾 🧚‍♂️🔮🧌💀🪾

“No,” said Lizzie, “No, no, no; Their offers should not charm us, Their evil gifts would harm us.” Christina Rossetti was born #otd 1830 and her “Goblin Market” tells the cautionary tale of forbidden fruit coming as gifts. At first. Wrapped up here for #FolkyFriday 🎨 Arthur Rackham

What feels like festive scarf number #642,687 completed👍👍

First day of the advent calender. What's behind the door? It's the Abyss! *Stares*

When you've been working all day and then - after family time - you're back on the laptop again💻✍️📝This #writinglife be tiring, but at least we're making some magic✨🔮🧙

The GOAT🐐👑

🔮✍️✨

Cover launch for DAYTIDE with a poem be MEEEEEE

In interviews, I'm always asked about the relationship between being a poet and a novelist. At this point, I usually gush about how poetry fuels prose, sharpens language, and more. Anyway - curious to find out more? Here's the blog >> carolinehardakerwrites.com/2025/05/28/h...

Lovely weekend celebrating @chrisriddell.bsky.social superbly Christmassy window at Fenwick Newcastle🌟⛄❄️ Also talked collaborations, ate food, and drank a lot of wine🍷Little N may have also made a friend for life☺️❤️

Hallowe'en ready, baby🎃🔮🧙‍♂️ (Side note: I've swallowed a LOT of fake hair tonight)

Having a week off from writing. Burnt myself out completely typing into the dark each night to finish final edits on the SEA BOOK🌊🐚🦭. It's finally done, and up to my agent when it'll be released to publishers. And then I'll be in a new phase of waiting and wondering. But for now, rest.

Very excited by my poetic birthday haul!! @carolinehardaker.bsky.social @jesstraynor.bsky.social @alinaetc.bsky.social 📚