Read. Read widely. Encourage other people, your family, friends and strangers, to do the same. This poem says it all.

ICYMI: BookTrust has launched its Christmas appeal, aiming to deliver 18,000 book parcels to disadvantaged children and those in care across England, Wales and Northern Ireland 👇 #BookSky

We're revisiting a series in our second bitesize episode by taking a look at this intriguing addition to the Verhoeven series by Pierre Lemaitre translated by @terribleman.com. How does it fit in? Does it need to fit in? Is Camille a hero or not? outoforderbookclub.alitu.com/episode/71f2...

Worth a read if you're an aspiring/newbie writer like me. It's an insight into how social media (doesn't) matter as much as you think. For a procrastinator like me, feeling like I have to have followers to sell a book would stop me trying to even write a draft...another excuse to add to the pile!

Saturday's podast is a bitesize one looking at 'Rosy and John' by Pierre Lemaitre translated by Frank Wynne. It is the fourth book in the Camille Verhoeven series that includes 'Alex' which was the focus of an earlier episode this season. Thanks @terribleman.com for suggesting I give it a try!

The 'Queen B' episode is here! This is the prequel to the bestselling 'Her Majesty's Royal Coven' series by @junodawson.bsky.social. This is a slim novel, but I have a lot to say about the themes of persecution and revenge to holidays in Haworth! outoforderbookclub.alitu.com/episode/22b1...

Well, this cleared up a decades old mystery. Back in my early teens, I found myself watching a film that scared me so much I scurried off (after 20 minutes) with the image of a glowing 'T' embedded in a medieval wall. I thought I'd imagined it. Nope! Thanks for clearing that up! Much appreciated!

Saturday's podcast will take a look at 'Queen B' by Juno Dawson, the prequel to the Her Majesty's Royal Coven series. I'll be talking about whether this is a good place to start with the series, and going on a tangent about places to visit in Yorkshire if you're interested!

This week I'm looking at 'Death Shall Overcome' (1966) by #EmmaLathen. This is a crime novel that deals with racism and protest on Wall Street, and I'll certainly reflect on whether anything has changed. This was a genuinely thought provoking read. outoforderbookclub.alitu.com/episode/a9c0...

This was an enjoyable listen, especially the discussion about the successful UBI experiment in Ireland. It gave me a bit of an insight into how UBI can affect writers and artists on a daily basis. However, the discussion about smells for books shows there actually can be bad ideas in a brainstorm!

On this Saturday's podcast, I'm looking at 'Death Shall Overcome' by #EmmaLathen. I didn't know anything about the 'Agatha Christie of Wall Street' before I found this on a book sale table in the Church of the Holy Rude Stirling, just a few metres from where James VI of Scotland was crowned.

I saw both Doug Johnstone and Adam Oyebanji (with Ben Aaronovitch and Sarah Pinborough) at the Harrogate Crime Writing Festival at, what I thought, was one of the best events I saw this year. It was hilarious and thought provoking, it was just great to sit and listen to them.

I saw both both Lilja Sigurdardóttir (with Katrín Júlíusdóttir) and Craig Sisterton (chairing an event with two New Zealand authors) at two separate events @bloodyscotland.bsky.social last year. Both events were great, really funny and insightful. I'm looking forward to listening to this!

This week's episode is out, and I'm looking at #TheObsidianThrone by @jamesoswald.scot. It's the fifth book in a five book series, and in a genre that I don't often read. What could possibly go wrong? Is it too challenging for an 'out of order' reader? outoforderbookclub.alitu.com/episode/fb02...

Saturday's podcast looks at 'The Obsidian Throne' by J.D. Oswald aka @jamesoswald.scot. Listeners will know, I haven't read many fantasy series, so in the 'out of order' spirit of reading widely, I jumped right into the final book in a five book series. Did I get as lost as Errol and Sir Benfro?

This is an interesting read and I have to agree, at least from my experience. This week I'll be publishing a podcast about a fantasy novel which dealt with issues of life, aging, guilt - tons of themes. I'm constantly talking about genre fiction which deals with big ideas in a nuanced way.

The bitesize episode about 'Save the Cat' is out. It's a quick 25(ish) minute look at a book that you may know well but I hadn't a clue about! There are few tangents (promise!) except one on petite women in fiction. Tangent or rant? I'm not sure... outoforderbookclub.alitu.com/episode/52cb...

On Saturday, I'll be posting my bitesize 25 min. episode on 'Save the Cat' by Blake Snyder. It was mentioned several (total = 3, maybe 4!) times by novelists at Harrogate Crime Writing Festival this year, so I decided to give it a read. Can a screenwriting book really help a wannabe novelist?

I'm so happy to share this, I only discovered it through following someone else. I've had a dip in and out since I started following, and it's fascinating stuff and, more importantly, valuable work. Definitely worth a follow!

The 'Smoke and Ashes' by @radiomukhers.bsky.social episode is out! This is where I display my historical ignorance, relish the first page starting with an opium fuelled (correct term?) character discovering a dead body, and admit I'm too lazy to research. outoforderbookclub.alitu.com/episode/a490...

I'd 100% recommend it. Anyone who listened to my episode about his novel 'I Only Killed Him Once' knows I've never even seen an episode of 'Stranger Things'! Definitely worth a shot, even if your only knowledge of 'Stranger Things' is that it involves teens, monsters and stuff. Is that right?!

On Saturday, we'll be taking a look at 'Smoke and Ashes' by @radiomukhers.bsky.social. It's a journey! Starting with me going on about my history curriculum (e.g. Is it possible to get too much Tudor history? Yes, yes it is!) Ending with how much the story reflects the state of the UK in 2025.

This week's podcast is here. I'm be looking at 70s 'spoof of a spoof' spy novel 'The Loo Sanction' by #Trevanian. It's a strange book, in fact, the Dr Evil figure is named Maximillian Strange, so it's not subtle either. Join me on the oddest read so far. outoforderbookclub.alitu.com/episode/02ed...

This Saturday, the podcast will take a look at 'The Loo Sanction' by #Trevanian. I'd never heard this or the author before I found it on 'bookswap' bookshelf. It's truly bonkers with gruesome deaths, strange characters (with one called 'Strange' - subtle!) and the usual 1970s content warnings.

This 'Full Dark House' episode has advice from Fowler's blog on how to read #BryantandMay, plus tangents on Brimham Rocks' secondhand bookshop and how (one day!) I will combine descriptions of characters with place to improve my writing. I can but dream! outoforderbookclub.alitu.com/episode/9bdb...

On Saturday, I'll be talking about 'Full Dark House' by #ChristopherFowler from the #BryantandMay series. It's the first book in this series, so am I breaking the 'out of order' rules? Nope, as Fowler himself argued this book wasn't necessarily the best place to start, so I'm testing his theory!

This week's podcast will focus on a novel by #ChristopherFowler from the long-running Bryant & May series. Like last week's podcast, I had a particular 'go to' resource that should interest readers and writers alike - Christopher Fowler's blog. www.christopherfowler.co.uk/blog

I had a lovely day @bloodyscotland.bsky.social events. @lauralippman.bsky.social and #MarkBillingham even gave some advice on reading their series. For Lippman's Tess Monaghan series start at Book 5 if you aren't anally retentive and want to meet her as a much more fully formed detective.

The 'I Only Killed Him Once' episode is out. Join me as I get intimidated when previous interviews reveal the work ethic of @adamchristopher.me, and I consider if Ray Electromatic's memory issues make this the best book for any 'out of order' reader. outoforderbookclub.alitu.com/episode/9959...

In the podcast on Saturday I'll be looking at 'I Only Killed Him Once' by @adamchristopher.me. Not since Lucy Snowe in Villette have I so identified with a lead character, which is a concern since Ray Electromatic is a not only a robot but a PI and a hitman. Best not dwell on that...

On this Saturday's podcast, I'll be looking at a book from the LA Trilogy by @adamchristopher.me. Since I mention his interview with @ukpageone.bsky.social quite a lot in the podcast I thought I'd share it here. www.youtube.com/watch?v=H86T...

'The Witch of Lagg' is out! In the book, the children unleash 'the witch' from an old well. In the podcast, I don't unleash a Scottish accent, I wonder if parents in YA books are still as awful as in the 80s, and if I'm capable of reading any horror. outoforderbookclub.alitu.com/episode/c964...

Saturday's podcast looks at 'The Witch of Lagg' by Ann Pilling. To be honest, I'm revisiting my childhood with this and my pre-teen reading habits surprised me. Apparently, I can read serial killer novels without any issues, but one disembodied hand tapping at a kid's window and I'm a wreck.

Memories are funny things! This week's podcast isn't about 'The Pit' but another book in the series. I read this as a child and again 10 years ago. For some reason, it always surprises me how terrified the boy looks. I guess I think books from my childhood won't have mortal terror on the front!

The second episode is out, and it's 'Alex' by Pierre Lemaitre and translated by @terribleman.com. This book was a revisit for me, which I rarely do with crime novels. However, I think it's something I should do more often as it felt like a different book, in a good way! #podcasts #books

On Saturday's podcast, we're looking at 'Alex' written by Pierre Lemaitre and translated by Frank Wynne - @terribleman.com. A novel that was actually published in the UK out of order, so it's a fitting choice. Sadly, I need to give another health warning about my pronunciation, though!

The first episode of the podcast is out! Link below! This week it's 'Betrayals' by @kelleyarmstrong.bsky.social. I had a great time reading the book, and a terrifying time recording. Hindsight says, "Don't set yourself pronunciation challenges in your first episode!" outoforderbookclub.alitu.com

On Saturday, the first episode of Out of Order Book Club will be out! I'm starting with the fourth book in the Cainsville series 'Betrayals' by @kelleyarmstrong.bsky.social. In this episode, I try not to insult Welsh speakers with my pronunciation and face down my fear of love triangles. Join me!

New to Blue Sky, podcasting and having a website! Just published the trailer to my first podcast called, well, Out of Order Book Club. Busy day so far, I need to have a cup of tea and relax with an action flick. Anyway, the link to the website is here: outoforderbookclub.alitu.com/1?order=newest