“Worthy fellow writers, critics with pious and generous hearts! What a pity that no one is thinking of setting up a little inquisitorial literary tribunal in which you would be the torturers!” George Sand has a pop at literary critics in the introduction to her 1831 novel Indiana.

The excellent #Todmorden Book Festival has just published its 2025 programme. Pleased to be there sharing the stage with @gritstonebooks.bsky.social colleague @andrewmccloy.bsky.social and @anitasethi.bsky.social. We'll be celebrating the 60th birthday of the Pennine Way.

Really honoured to say that on Friday November 7th, I'll be at the Todmorden Book Festival, talking about my book Maybe I'm Amazed, music, autism.... and the Beatles, Kraftwerk, Funkadelic, The Clash... www.ticketsource.co.uk/todmorden-bo...

My impression of Ed Sullivan was formed by rock music; the conservative scold who censored rebellious performers. I was far less aware of how this working-class Harlem-born journo was at the forefront of putting Black artists on US TV. This Netflix doc educated me. www.netflix.com/title/82048609

Back to school time!

Author of #GreenInk @stephenmay1.bsky.social is in conversation with Sophie Haydock on 18 October at @ilkleylitfest.bsky.social to discuss how they reimagined real life historical figures and events in their latest novels. Buy 🎟️ shorturl.at/0kQBB

"Barker can turn on a traditional novelist’s skills. But mostly she chooses not to follow the trad path. She would rather be the Picasso of fiction, breaking the rules to see what comes out." Me on Nicola Barker's energising and exasperating new novel, TonyInterruptor:

Happy 56th anniversary to this all-time banger headline.

Thanks google AI but I meant to type “shut”…

"Here is a thing to carve in pokerwork and hang over your typewriter. 'No one will ever complain because you have made something too easy to understand.' "And here is another thing to remember every time you sit down at the keyboard: a little sign that says 'Nobody has to read this crap.'"

Apropos of nothing, here's a picture of Frankie Howerd being strangled by the Sugar Puffs Honey Monster... from November 1980...

Scandalously cheap

I had my doubts about Sabrina Carpenter’s album cover, but now I realise she was parodying Arturo Martini’s fascist art of the 1930s as a commentary on these times, and not recreating Spinal Tap’s Smell the Glove

We're Hiring! Marketing and Publicity Executive / Manager 📖 Find out more: tinyurl.com/6jn22wrk #PublishingJobs #JobsInBooks

Typically insightful piece by @andrewmale.bsky.social Twelve of Brian Wilson’s greatest songs – from surf to psychedelia and beyond www.theguardian.com/music/2025/j...

Astérix et Ozempix

"At certain times in one's life anything more emphatic is murderous."

Nails it 👇

An essay about Scott Walker’s “late style” dadadrummer.substack.com/p/isolation-...

I interviewed the Pulitzer-winning Percival Everett. He was fun and pretty punchy ... www.thetimes.com/culture/book...

"I didn't like winning the Booker at all. Success can be a lot more challenging than failure. I was used to failure, like most writers are. I did failure beautifully, believe me. I didn’t do success quite so well." I spoke to Pat Barker about her @thebookerprizes.bsky.social-winning The Ghost Road:

Get your tickets to #GreenInk by @stephenmay1.bsky.social at @huddlitfest.bsky.social on 16th May. 🎟️https://shorturl.at/Wkz6y

Hello! It doesn’t cost anything to repost but it helps me spread the word about my small business. My online shop is full of bold & colourful prints, homewares and cards. I’m also available for freelance design work and art licensing. gailmyerscough.co.uk

"Notes to John is a scrapbook of secondary material. Reading it for an experience of Didion’s work is like trying to listen to Abbey Road by looking at photographs of the recording equipment." Me on an entirely new experience: reading a boring Joan Didion book. Not to mention the ethics of it...

Very good review from @john-self.bsky.social of Green Ink from @stephenmay1.bsky.social. Stephen is in Barnsley this Saturday to talk about the book, and we will be there with signed copies. Go to the Barnsley Libraries website events page and book your free ticket to join us. #booksky

This is happening on Monday if you fancy it... You don't book you just turn up. Feel free to re-sky or repost or whatever...

this may be the single greatest humblebrag I have ever seen

New episode of #MeetTheWriters on monocle.com Stephen May's 'Green Ink' (via @swiftpress.bsky.social) is another title to look out for this year - He speaks to @georginagodwin.bsky.social and discusses the writing process for his latest work > monocle.com/radio/shows/...

Just posted a p1 of a longish two-parter on AI and the future of literature on the northseapoets substack. TL;DR: it’s time to start panicking. But good may come of it. open.substack.com/pub/northsea...

Author @stephenmay1.bsky.social speaks to @georginagodwin.bsky.social about his new novel #GreenInk 'A fascinating title that explores the world of politics with vigour, curiosity and flare' Listen to the full interview: shorturl.at/ab4my

See @stephenmay1.bsky.social author of #GreenInk in conversation with Darren Coffield on 28th April. 'Intrigue, betrayal, redemption' Rachel Seiffert 'Stephen May has a nose for fascinating historical events' @thetimes.com Read the book: bit.ly/GreenInkBook

'Grand, provocative entertainment' @john-self.bsky.social #TheCritic Read the full review of #GreenInk by @stephenmay1.bsky.social 🖋️ shorturl.at/DuXla

We're looking for an Editorial Assistant ✏️ 📖 Join an award-winning Independent publisher. Find out more @thebookseller.com #jobsinbooks ➡️ tinyurl.com/mryx6b7z

#GreenInk by @stephenmay1.bsky.social is 'smart and energetic' and out now. 'The flow is an energetic ragtime as this roving, restless man encounters a memorable cast of characters... full of sharp, spry asides' Read the full @irishtimes.com review: shorturl.at/nbw8m

“When all the books are gone, there will be nothing to remember but a single porch light at the far end of the road…” ‘As If From The End Times’ by John Burnside (from his forthcoming final book of poetry, The Empire of Forgetting)

#GreenInk by @stephenmay1.bsky.social received a rave review in @financialtimes.com 'One of its chief pleasures is the authorial voice, which, with its maxims on pity, ambition, boredom and so forth, is of an omniscience rarely encountered in contemporary fiction’ Buy the 📖: bit.ly/GreenInkBook

The Big Issue…

'There's real cultural capital associated with coming from the North.' Novelist Stephen May takes to #NorthernVoices to talk about his new book Green Ink @swiftpress.bsky.social, finding Northern identity and writing in general. on.soundcloud.com/ajgfNQHmZp5q...

In store now! We are please to be supporting @stephenmay1.bsky.social and will be at an event (with books!) at Barnsley Library on 12 April. See next post for details... #booksky

I think you are confusing “you shouldn’t be too judgemental about the choices of another human being” with “all literature has the same value”. An easy mistake.

Terrific book, lively and fun and beautifully written.

‘London is confused. London is angry and grieving. And afraid of its own shadow. London is out of its mind...’ Happy publication day to the 'clever and playful' #GreenInk by @stephenmay1.bsky.social 🖋️ Buy your copy: bit.ly/GreenInkBook

'Sex, politics, espionage, violence, jokes. This is all in the first 30 pages of #GreenInk' @thetimes.com Pre-order the new novel by @stephenmay1.bsky.social bit.ly/GreenInkBook

The annual Resonance 104.4FM fundraising drive starts today. If you enjoy Little Atoms please consider donating. fundraiser.resonance.fm?utm_source=S...

On today's new Little Atoms podcast, Stephen May on his wonderful new novel Green Ink. Out now from @swiftpress.bsky.social. Listen to it wherever you get your podcasts or here: shows.acast.com/b5fe8d16-751...

The Crack magazine… they generally know whats what

Some books arrived.

Author of #GreenInk @stephenmay1.bsky.social features in @yorkshirepost.co.uk discussing the intriguing story of the little-known historical figure that inspired his new novel. Read the article: shorturl.at/iaj5J Pre-order: bit.ly/GreenInkBook

Some gentle self-promotion- thanks to Yvette Huddlestone for the interview