"I thought you were on the path to redemption... What happened to 'Things can only get better'?" – breaking ground on a sequel to the title story in ANIMUS for #WIPSnips today (& the original is still free to download!)

What is this? His sixth sense? His imagination? A half-forgotten memory... and if a forgotten memory then whose? – something for #WIPSnips that might go in ANIMUS (RELOADED). BTW, ANIMUS itself is currently free to download.

Like a wounded man in a foxhole he wrestled with his wet raincoat until he found the hip flask of cognac... #wound for #vss365 from ‘The Illusionist’, collected in ANIMUS (nine stories), which is FREE today here: mybook.to/ANIMUS

#Ghost owl Beats whisperless wings Fading into nothing as it floats away From a cone of downcast roadside light Out of sight But I watch Hopeful To see it drift back into view Back into existence Back into life #Vss365

Your #vss365 #prompt for Feb 4 is #ghost "But that isn’t all. Some of my ghosts are planets. Not bright. Not young. Spiraling deep in the dusk of my body as saucers or moons pleased with their belts of colored dust & hailing no others." 'Ghosts', Kiki Petrosino #4

We see the expedition members switching positions, swapping equipment, preparing to approach the simple wooden construction that’s wedged into the rock face. A frame, a door, a window. A row of icicles. A line of blood-stained rags. #WIPSnips from ‘We…’, which may be collected in ANIMUS (Reloaded)

These disgusting revelations about Mandelson bring back the #pain of first discovering the rot at the heart of Blair's government. Which was very much the bitter inspiration for the title story in ANIMUS. Although, of course... completely fictional... etc., etc. #vss365

Re neutron activation: pay special attention to chocolate, cocoa, soya, oatmeal, nuts & other foodstuffs with high nickel content. (Also, there’s calcium & phosphorous in Fido’s food, just as there was in Fido himself.) Packaged non-perishable food. Dispose of packaging... #WIPSnips 'HANDOVER NOTES'

#WIPSnips from my not-quite-a-childhood-memoir '76... Her lips pursed a little more, suggesting not so much a smile as a sympathetic wince. I saw the orange squash move up and down inside the straw, as though we were caught in some kind of endlessly repeated moment, forever winding back and forth.

The formations march past an old-style analogue billboard, a vandalised mug-shot of Mayor Jedward Johnson beside his much-mocked catchphrase KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON, to which has been appended the ambiguous graffito ROBBIN’… a #WIPSnips from 'Once Upon', which may one day appear in ANIMUS (Reloaded)

Limping a little in the clutch of so much cold stone, the third American peered behind each pillar, scanned every shadowy alcove and searched the obfuscating patterns of ornamental ironwork for a familiar silhouette. Surely she would have come… an #obfuscate for #vss365 from THE HERRENHAUS FORFEIT

“We have lift-off...” This was the moment he had been waiting for, when all those memories or what remained of them were blasted away and the only thing that mattered, and all that would ever matter now, was the mission to put the world back the way it was meant to be. ('Aftermath' for #WIPSnips)

He must have been recording himself as he went along: “...was wrong... we’re not pilgrims, we’re paladins... Grail knights... Rosicrucians... The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn... Oh Christ, it’s a sodding quest!” #WIPSnips from the short story 'We', perhaps for the mooted ANIMUS 2 (RELOADED)

He kept a shrine to his beloved indie authors. Copied out their desperate posts, in blood. #Dappled himself with tattoos of their covers. Displayed selfies he’d taken with them at book events––bordered with the hair he’d surreptitiously removed. He just didn’t buy their books. #horrorprompt #vss365

Quick update then I'll stop selling... today is the LAST DAY to pick up THE BORODINO SACRIFICE for 99¢/99p here: mybook.to/Chasing-Mercury

There's still time (just...) for those last-minute Christmas presents! Plus, if you're in the UK, the paperback of THE BORODINO SACRIFICE now qualifies for FREE delivery on Amazon here mybook.to/Chasing-Merc... – even without Prime. (Or simply gift it as an eBook for only 99p/99¢!)

A brand new collection of suspenseful short stories, out now! mybook.to/ANIMUS

For the first time – and not for long! – ALL the Chasing Mercury thrillers are reduced to £0.99 / $0.99 here: mybook.to/Chasing-Merc...

"I really like the writing style of the author. The stories flew by and I flew along with them." SpyGuys+Gals is an amazing compendium of fictional spies run by true fan (& sometime doyen of the secret world) Randall Masteller. Very proud to be in there! spyguysandgals.com/sgShowChar.a...

Crime, espionage, history, satire, with undertones of the speculative (perhaps…) And all for less than two quid. Out on 22 November. At Oxford Indie Book Fair 23 November. Pre-orders now available. #vss365 #undertone #oxindiebookfair mybook.to/ANIMUS

Monday morning. One hour late. A hollow voice unanimous – The inanimate will #sublimate! In stories branded ANIMUS #FromOneLine #vss365 #horrorprompt 1960 (Due out 22 November. Pre-order now.) mybook.to/ANIMUS

Not just A chance but THE last chance to pick up THE BORODINO SACRIFICE for only 99¢/99p on a #KindleCountdownDeal today here mybook.to/Borodino. And speaking of the definite #article – I'm very grateful for the great new review from Nik Morton. #vss365 nik-writealot.blogspot.com/2025/09/the-...

Ah, the #pungent aroma of shameless supplication... but the final part in my postwar spy/action series is newly hatched today – or if you want to start at the beginning, Book One is on a 99p/99¢ deal – so please share! #vss365 #NewRelease Series link here: mybook.to/Chasing-Mercury

Newly hatched! open.substack.com/pub/paulphil...

Last peek into Advance and Retreat on the blog. The hardest decision of Toni's life: tracystjohn.blogspot.com/2025/08/now-... Amazon: bit.ly/4kok3V9 Nook: bit.ly/4lceL0a Smashwords: bit.ly/40AObW3 Apple: bit.ly/4kffGeP Kobo: bit.ly/4lc9GF4 Print: bit.ly/3HdCVbF #scifiromance #spaceopera #booksky

Those boxes outside the bookshops and charity shops in the 70s & 80s had a #mystical draw on me – and they issued a mystical challenge. #vss365 I have a new blog post that gives my books an 'origin story': www.bypaulphillips.com/blog/the-end...

Like Sir Bob, he went on a charm offensive... without the #charm #vss365

We, the mischief makers Do (somewhat) solemnly swear To keep the tyrants on their toes A constant pebble in the shoe A wedgie that can’t be plucked free To laugh, dance, and sing Despite the storm clouds thundering above #vss365 #mischief

Turn that frown upside down Turn that #scowl with a trowel Turn that pout inside-out Turn that duckface… Shut up fuckface! #vss365

Mischief hatches... mischief catches... It all comes home to roost later this month with the release of the series finale! #vss365 #mischief mybook.to/Chasing-Mercury

A tribute to the great Tom Lehrer. Since he was good enough to leave all his songs in the public domain (& they're being sadly misattributed on Google as a result, ho #hum...), you can look it up and #hum along to this shameless adaptation of his ditty about the shameless Wernher von Braun. #vss365

OK folks. #Tear it up – you know the tune! #vss365

I'm not asking for #idolatry, but here's a "Deleted Scene" Easter Egg from Book Two, if you give me a (free) subscribe in return... #vss365 paulphillips44.substack.com

Going for mass market appeal was clearly my #hamartia... Shouldn't I have gone for broke and made it arty-fartier? #vss365 (The Borodino Sacrifice, Chasing Mercury Book One, is only 99p/99¢ here: mybook.to/Borodino)

Yes there is #space on your #kindle on your bookshelf for these... #vss365 mybook.to/Chasing-Mercury

Including yesterday's advance review for THE SAFEHAVEN COMPLEX 😊, the CHASING MERCURY series has been favourably compared to Alistair MacLean, Wilbur Smith, Jack Higgins, Len Deighton, John le Carré... Influences, yes. Can I claim any as my #progenitor? Modesty forbids. #vss365

There once was a fat orange criminal, His intellect, at best, subliminal. Still, a crude limerick About the old prick Should tick off today’s prompt word: #liminal #vss365

If they can't paralyze with fear They'll galvanize with hate Either way, we're puppets In the hands of the warped Dancing on the ends of their strings Unless we go still long enough To hear the small voice The profound voice That teaches the truth Listen #vss365 #small

Could I ask a small favour? If you’ve read my book(s), please go to the Amazon product page and simply leave a rating (or even a short review – one word even!) And if you haven’t read them yet… what’s stopping you, anyway? You see, to me, it isn’t a #small favour at all. #vss365

Lovely family-run motel Not quite like any other Young man at the desk says would I like to meet his mother #vsspic

Four was too many, so I settled on a trilogy – and the final part is now available to pre-order! It would mean all the world if you could #spring for it, or at least spread the word... (I'll be contacting ARC readers asap 🙏🙏😃) #FromOneLine #vss365 mybook.to/Safehaven

A touch of airsickness, she had said. Bradley made sure she was still covered by her blanket and fished for his cigarettes. When his lips drew one from the pack, a hand appeared in the corner of his #vision. A flick, and a blurry flame followed. The man in Seat 7. #vss365 mybook.to/Chasing-Mercury

Now is the time to catch up with MERCURY! mybook.to/Chasing-Mercury

Where I am staying I need no musty store To stir my every sense With #vellichor. And when I leave, today! - If not my head I know my heart will balk At leaving so, so much unread. #vss365

I'm not usually big on spy thrillers, but @paulphillips44.bsky.social novel "The Borodino Sacrifice" is definitely worth the read. Fascinating characters and story. So many twists and turns...you truly don't know how it will end. www.amazon.com/dp/B0CQVR87Y...

Sure, there were extended periods when the hall was a tad footfall-#free, others when the passing punters seemed alarmed to find books at a book festival, but to those wonderful readers who stopped for signed copies – Jess, Kieron, Sarah et al – know how much I value you! #vss365

A reminder: Mark Zuckerberg, a man with all the money in the world, pirated the works of authors who have no money at all – including me. If you think that’s unfair, maybe consider becoming an honest #customer of the many victims of LibGen and Meta. Mine are here: mybook.to/Chasing-Mercury #vss365

It’s almost within spitting #distance now… (although tbh I’d prefer a nicer review!) #vss365 #ARCreaderswanted

This won't even make a dent in your #luggage allowance... #vss365 #AprilFoolsDay mybook.to/Borodino