Critical thinking skills. We need them yesterday, for today and the future.

Spotting fake news (I'm all in favour of it) has been an important part of history teaching for many years, mind you. I wrote this blog-post over 10 years ago. It described the situation long before that. georgehharris.blogspot.com/2013/06/what...

In Finland they’ve been taught how to spot fake news as part of a critical thinking curriculum since 2014 including how to spot a doctored photo, check for inconsistencies as well as countering misinformation that sows division. We are more than 10 years behind on this.

@kitdewaal.com 👀👀👀

In 2019 I attended Stratford Literary Festival for the 1st time as an aspiring writer. Can’t believe I’m there today signing copies of my debut novel! 🤗 If you’re at the festival, please stop by & say hi! - the Authors stand, Crown Plaza, between 2.30 & 4.30 pm. #WritingCommunity #DreamsComeTrue

The first starter pack I appeared in was this one - a long story. I owe @kitdewaal.com a lot for how well my first year on BlueSky has gone. And the pack is a wonderful miscellany of writers, poets and good eggs. Please follow and share with your networks🙏 #writingcommunity #poetrycommunity #booksky

This is so true. She says, gawping at a pristine red admiral on the sunlit ivy. 🦋

I'm thinking of writing a novel. 14 years old and still true. www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9fc...

This Black History Month, we’re celebrating books by Black British authors, favourites in our reading projects. These books reach: ✨ Prison reading groups ✨ Books in the Nick & Books for First Nighters ✨ Family Days ✨ Raising Readers @kitdewaal.com @malorieblackman.bsky.social @dapsdraws.bsky.social

The Buddha says it best.

Black Bag with Michael Fassbender, Cate Blanchet, Pierce Brosnan and host of other good names. Fifteen minutes in and I’m not getting it. Don’t want to read any reviews because they usually spoil it or influence my enjoyment but it feels very, very bad. Although there are some nice outfits ….

The Barbellion Prize (barbellionprize.org) will be relaunched online on Saturday 1st November at 7pm (London Time). It's hosted by prize founder Jake Goldsmith and special guests. f you're not on my mailing list and would like to come please email me via my website: davidjcollard.wixsite.com/my-site

Liverpool Irish Festival launches at 8pm today with Eimear McBride and myself in conversation. Wide-ranging, informal and lots of fun. You can watch this recording live online throughout the Festival. www.liverpoolirishfestival.com

"Times are hard for indie presses – but they are also leading the way in agility and resourcefulness" @thebookseller.com recent Comment piece. 2026 event: indie @borzoibookshop.bsky.social & @dauntbookspub.bsky.social's @marigoldatkey.bsky.social www.campdenmayfestivals.co.uk/literature/a...

How Does It Feel, D’Angelo? It feels very shit, my man. RIP.

Thrilled to be on the @climate-fiction.bsky.social prize judging panel this year, this is why…

I'll be at Birmingham Literature Festival on 11th October with some great names, brilliant writing workshops, events for children and much more. Come if you can! Link here www.birminghamliteraturefestival.org

So many people I'd like to thank in Ireland for championing Leonard and Hungry Paul @ronanhession.bsky.social Here's a few @jackielynam.bsky.social @kitdewaal.com Donal Ryan. @martindoyle.bsky.social @rickoshea.bsky.social And all the booksellers & Librarians! www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/...

Time for make-up? go.bsky.app/V4vxCeh

38 calls for themed submissions and competitions this October authorspublish.com/38-themed-su...

One of our Fab 2025 authors @kitdewaal.com who was interviewed by the amazing @megster.bsky.social is at www.birminghamliteraturefestival.org 11th Oct

Only just read this amazing book by @kitdewaal.com but savoured every page and didn’t want it to end. Now I want to devour all her writings #books #KitDeWaal #writers

Thanks to @kevinboniface.bsky.social for this link to Adelle Stripe talking about her fascinating memoir 'Base Notes' open.spotify.com/episode/0jb8.... Sure to be of particular interest (from 13m15s on) to my three apostate sisters @arielanderssen.bsky.social, @kitdewaal.com and Ali Millar.

www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=the+best... The Best of Everything from @kitdewaal.com is 99p on Amazon today (kindle only) You can thank me later 😊

I'll be at Birmingham Literature Festival on 11th October with some great names, brilliant writing workshops, events for children and much more. Come if you can! Link here www.birminghamliteraturefestival.org

My new novel is only 99p on Kindle, today only. That's half a coffee where I come from.

@kitdewaal.com Good afternoon from The Dickinson Museum where I'm at my money making job painting. I just got word that @rsbc.bsky.social has accepted my children's book to be included on the app Thank you for posting and causing that to happen

#booksky #writingcommunty

2026 Climate Fiction Prize Announce Stellar Judging Panel as Submissions Open! 📚 @arifa.bsky.social 📚 Jessie Greengrass 📚 @kitdewaal.com 📚 @frediotto.bsky.social 📚 @savidgereads.bsky.social Publishers have until 13th November to submit novels published between 1 Sept 2024 – 31 Aug 2025.

The Climate Fiction Prize celebrates the most inspiring novels tackling the climate crisis. I will be one of this judges this year and would love to read your work. The £10,000 prize is awarded annually to a single novel. Submissions now open. Link here climatefictionprize.co.uk Please share :)

Just back from a great literary festival in Wexford after being placed in the poetry comp, such a joy to be back in Ireland 🇮🇪 & to spend time with Claire Keegan & hear the wonderful @kitdewaal.com

Bookbanks, the brilliant charity putting books into food banks is recruiting for a North-West Regional Lead forging new partnerships with food banks and authors, publishers, booksellers and the book industry. Details in link here : static1.squarespace.com/static/6525a... www.bookbanks.co.uk

The Best of Everything by @kitdewaal.com “Paulette is mighty. She is righteous. She has heartbreak and grief and loss on her side.” Paulette will stay with me. A story of kindness, and its consequences. This line broke me for a bit- “He nods and smiles. ‘He’s mine’ he says.” Gorgeous.

Can't believe all this loveliness was 2 weeks ago already. Thank you again to everyone who came to the first proper big @saloneurope.bsky.social and made it better than I ever could have imagined. Can't wait for Madrid!

Great article here on the much needed Basic Income for the Arts Please read

EXCITING!!!!

I’m adapting my debut novel My Name is Leon for the stage. It will be on in 2027 - can’t wait but alot to do before then. Chuffed.

I don't write children's stories except there's a children's story contained within In The Valley Of The Wind. Maybe I'll excise it and send it in? 🤔

This charity also accept voice donations. You can upload your voice reading a story to their app bedtime-donations.com The app is free and doesn't require account registration. Everyone can enjoy it. That's real inclusivity.

I don’t write prose but there are lots of wonderful authors of words for children. If you’re one or you know one….

Sounds like they should do a partnership with BookDash.org, the awesome South African NGO that releases original kids books for free under Creative Commons licence, created by volunteer professional illustrators, writers, designers and editors. All the books are on their website, freely available.

fyi, this is their email: [email protected]

#KidLit Call for bedtime stories writers are willing to donate to an app for blind children:

The Royal Society for Blind Children (RSBC) urgent appealing to children’s authors, writers and publishers to donate stories to its new bedtime stories app. The charity relies on stories in the public domain but are running out of books. Anyone willing to donate should contact [email protected].

London Writers Award now open, great prizes, lovely people and different categories. Also details available in different formats. Details in link below. Please share :) www.spreadtheword.org.uk

Hugely recommend The Best Of Everything by @kitdewaal.com Wonderful characterisation and compassion, such empathy for a range of characters. There is a particular kind of solace and inspiration to be found in a novel as good as this.

I don't read poetry and I don't write poetry but if I did ....

Just a note to all the Americans, no matter what you're seeing over there, we don't like your President. We don't want him here. He has been 100% kept away from the public here in UK & that's why it all looks rosy. They know allowing him to be face to face with British public would be messy. 1/3

David Letterman is right: you can't appease a tyrant.