ANNOUNCEMENT: The Game Narrative Kaleidoscope launches this Wednesday! Over 100+ essays on the craft of game writing and narrative design; affordable priced. … AND we’ll also launch with the first two episodes of the podcast series, where we talk to the article writers about their craft.

Century of Sounds: the album is out now! This free/pay-what-you-like album brings together some of the highlights from our partnership with @pittriversmuseum.bsky.social, bringing together musical styles from all over the world: citiesandmemory.bandcamp.com/album/a-cent...

I regularly see people wondering how it's possible that there are so many musicians and writers and film makers and artists from a tiny nation like Iceland. And the answer is really simple: State funding for art education and artists. I literally get a salary from the government to write books.

Any UCU members here that just received their election ballots -- I can recommend Gillian Jack @drgillhistory.bsky.social as someone who puts their heart and soul into the union on a daily basis.

Cleaning an old fountain pen which belonged to my dad. It's had thirty scoosh-throughs and four warm water soaks and this sucker is still producing squid-like quantities of ink.

Ok, I could *really* do with a vague idea of how many people might be interested in this event, otherwise finding a suitable venue is a nonsense. I've set up a temporary event page here: ti.to/tabletop-unc... If you're conceptually interested, please click through and register your interest!

New to the #SoloRPG List: Alone Against the Flames by @gavininglis.bsky.social An Introductory Solitaire Adventure for Call of Cthulhu. A horror story set in the 1920s. CLICKY: solorpglist.com/search.php?i...

I am not really into Christmas. However I just ate a bunch of different cheeses then fell asleep on the sofa in front of a Sean Connery film. So maybe I have the basic skills.

Today is the day to repost this meme about International Men's Day, one of the most unironically wholesome memes that has ever been made. Shoutout to all my fellow champs, chiefs, and kings. ✊

Just found some interactive fiction from 1945 in a local bookshop -- Treasure Hunt by 'Alan George'. Digital version here: bookwise.io/alan-george/...

Birds but they get spookier each time. 🎃👻 Enter if you dare...🚪

Unsolicited writing advice, no. 999: It’s not just the story that matters, it’s the person telling it. Your stories are filtered through your experience, your culture, your upbringing, your identity. Don’t be afraid to let it show. Those things matter. You matter.

One step beyond

“Ah you’re struggling to find pleasure in reading? Have you considered making it stressful? Maybe adding a pass/fail element into the mix?”

We made a long drive to play this and it was totally worth it. Some real head-twisting, impactful moments. Ideal for a convention game.

If you're going to @tabletopscot.bsky.social this year, booking just opened for my Sunday morning RPG, Disco Ambulance: tabletopscotland.co.uk/product/spir... Don't snooze if you want a seat.

This week was a good one for gigs. Bookended by King Diamond (Monday) and Zombina and the Skeletones (Friday).

This is really well done. Worth a watch if the news is getting you down.

SHOOGLY IS IN THE OED LET'S GOOOO

Possibly unwise life choices, item 2746:

Secret project.

Noisy building works next door, so I'm playing heavy rain sounds while I work. Makes every scene seem really ominous.

Sorry to see Frederick Forsyth has died. I learned a lot about story structure from reading his thrillers.

Fifteen times a day, for the last three years, a guy called 'Eric' has hit my contact form claiming to have 'just discovered' my website and offering 'sales leads'. I never read beyond the first line. Keep trying, man; maybe tomorrow will be that special day when I finally respond.

Peter Pan: The Graphic Novel, the 10th Anniversary Special Edition, is now LIVE on Kickstarter! From Stref (Stephen White), myself and @comicscene.bsky.social Faithful to the original, an all-ages book that was a real labour of love for us! Check it out here www.kickstarter.com/projects/com...

I look for the implied story in stock photos. Here I think she's supposed to be a student, delighted with her new personal feedback from the AI. In fact she's from a stock photo called "Trendy young business woman" and has previously been used for marketing recruitment.

Terrific weekend at @conpulsion.bsky.social meeting hordes of creative, positive people. Here's our unwatchable art house movie from the Kaleidoscope game. Find it on all good file sharing services under the filename 'SlugsWig.mov'.

3 DAYS UNTIL CONPULSION 2025 Talks - Workshops - TTRPGs - LARPs - & More Check out our talks and displays happening : conpulsion.org/programme/ta... Pleasance, Edinburgh Booking link in bio #ttrpg #gamedev #indiegaming

Great to see @radiophrenia.bsky.social is live again for two weeks of audio curiosities: radiophrenia.scot Have just listened to a Brazilian forest. My exploration of how lockdown affected one Glasgow psychic is on at 4pm.

GUEST ANNOUNCEMENT: Gavin Inglis is a writer and teacher based in Edinburgh, with a background in tech and music. He writes for Chaosium, including the Call of Cthulhu solo ‘Alone Against The Flames’. He recently won a Gold ENNIE for ‘The Domestic’, his introduction to the Rivers of London RPG.

Munkidori holo, Twilight Masquerade; Causewayside, Edinburgh. #cardsinstreet

We're looking to hire a mid-level or senior Writer and Narrative Designer to work on Fallen London. Full time, permanent, remote! Full spec and details of how to apply: www.failbettergames.com/jobs/writer-...

Five of Diamonds, generic red back; Market Street, St. Andrews. #cardsinstreet

Proudly, we and @magpiegames.bsky.social present the quickstart guide for Fallen London: The Roleplaying Game! The Kickstarter for the full book will launch on the 11th of February at 10am Eastern time. magpiegames.com/pages/fallen...

I went to a panel and networking event last night and afterwards someone asked me 'why did you take so many notes?' This tapped into something that has really surprised me recently. One of your most precious (if not THE most precious) resources/commodities you have is time. Thread -

At GROGMEET, Gavin Inglis @gavininglis.bsky.social was presented with a GOLD ENNIE for The Domestic for @chaosium.bsky.social Rivers of London - The Best Free Game/Product. Paul Fricker had brought it safely from GenCON ‘24. Congratulations!

Two of Swords from Tattoo Tarot; Dale Street, Manchester. #cardsinstreet

One thing I have learned from tiktok is not to take advice from anyone speaking in their living room with a three second echo

I wrote a few words about John Miller, a compelling Edinburgh comics talent who died this year: www.gavininglis.com/blog/271224....

morning

If losing all your students to old-school horrors in the wilderness sounds fun -- Alone Against the Frost is on a nice discount from @chaosium.bsky.social right now: www.chaosium.com/alone-agains...

Just trying some Genoa cake. Can recommend it for weight training or home defence.

I'm stunned -- but delighted -- to have my eerie piece Crows Made Them included on the @citiesandmemory.bsky.social Sounds of the Year album: citiesandmemory.bandcamp.com/album/sounds...

Kind of fascinated by this wildly expensive orchestral version of the Yazoo hit, and how barely a single person in the audience is showing any interest: www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDvu...

It might seem trivial in this weighty & vexed time, but I do feel the need to comment on the Pantone 2025 Color of the Year: Mocha Mousse. www.pantone.com/color-of-the-year/2025 Mocha is a port city on Yemen's Red Sea coast that sat at the center of maritime trade networks in the 17th & 18th C.

I will never, ever get over this.

This time next week we're having a wee seasonal soiree. If you're free and fancy an evening of brilliant fiction, come join us!

Celebrating Nova Scotia Volume Two - an anthology of new speculative fiction from Scottish writers, edited by Neil Williamson and Andrew J Wilson. An Event Horizon special, writers reading their stories, and chatting with the editors. 4th Dec, Edinburgh. www.shorelineofinfinity.com/product/shor...

Idea: Create an “introverts' corner” at all future gatherings. Provide an out-of-the-way space with puzzles and craft supplies. As an introvert, I don’t always want to be alone; I want to share energy and joy, and I want to share community, just not in extroverted ways.

If you have sixty seconds, you can read my cold little story at 101 Words today: 101words.org/designated/