MrsRJ is very pleased with her Robert Smith vase. (A one off by the wonderful Ginnel and Snicket.)

2k words today so this document currently sits at around 68k which feels about right.

Furious about that Odyssey trailer. The only way Nolan can win me back is by giving us a historically accurate harpies and cyclops.

Lovely internet friends, acquiantainces: wonderful book readers, publishers, sellers and related trades, enjoy MrsRJ's Christmas card. Have a lovely holiday. (Forgive my awful photograph.)

I cannot say I enjoyed this movie. profadamroberts.substack.com/p/avatar-fir...

Over the Christmas period all unwanted email is sent by Spamta Claus.

Netgalley arcs of SCRATCH MOSS were being approved yesterday… will you find a lump of folk horror cursed coal in your stocking this Christmas? Reviewers and bloggers, request yours now. www.netgalley.co.uk/catalog/book...

FINAL DAY OF THE ADVENT CALANDER! It's the Abyss again. Oh my god. It's staring back.

If a duck kills an immortal it experiences The Quackening

A pre Christmas reminder of the most fun I've had writing a book ever. A spiky, difficult man who can't let down his walls. A street kid bent on vengeance. A monster no one knows if they can trust. All dragged into a murderous conspiracy. And there's crows. So very many crows.

Rizzo Rat's put in The Muppet's Christmas Carol thing. Gonzo's the coolest Dickens you ever saw.

Went to see A Christmas Carol at Leeds playhouse and it was EXCELLENT.

Day 23 of the advent calander and it's Rage Against the Machine performing Killing in the Name Of at ear splitting volume. A lot for so early but I'm going with it. Looking through the window I'm not sure if they are very small or very far away.

Getting a bet down now that (if ever built) these end up being thoroughly skewered in a @dreadships.bsky.social thread.

Thank you! Glad you're enjoying them. :)

Armadillo, Armadillo. Armadillo. Armadillo, Armadillo. Armadillo. Armadillo, Armadillo. Oh oh oh Armadillo Come on and rock me Armadillo

What a better way to start a Monday than with the second part of "A Jam's list to 2026 releases"? Second part of my most awaited titles for 2026 and that I hope to cover in the blog (depending on review copies and all): jamreads.com/articles/a-j... 💙📚

History type friends. Have we any gods likely to be found in the UK predating Cernunnos that are associated with hunting? Also, how many different pronunciations are there for Cernunnos?

Day 22 of the Advent Calendar. It's food. Dear god please, not more food.

Pretty rude of the US to bring back corporate piracy under a letter of marque and not at least bring powdered wigs with it. Bunch of fopdoodles.

Funny how writing works. I realised that how I planned this book shortcutted to the end, left me about 10k words short of what I wanted it to be. So I had a think and put in a sequence with a creature. A throwaway really. Except it never is.

REMEMBER, as we near Christmas it's not too late to pick up one of my books for a loved one. They are full of the spirit of the season; good cheer, kittens, and heart warming, beautiful feasts*! *Content may differ from description.

Day Twenty one of the Advent calendar. It's a terrifying chimpanzee! I'm not sure what it has to do with Christmas.

A Lord of the Rings cover band called Dinosauron Jnr.

Can't help thinking that the Edward Ferrers of Sense and Sensibility would be very dissapointed by the way his ancestor treated Paddington Bear.

Thanks, Trey! Really glad you enjoyed the voyage. :)

For anyone who may be hastily returning certain books they bought as Christmas presents, here's a thread of excellent children's books I highly recommend you buy instead: Loki A Bad God's Guide To Being Good by Louie Stowell Funny, chaotic and a little bit naughty okay, a lot naughty

The Boy introduced me to Dragonsweeper and I am NOT happy about it. Still, maybe just one more game. Just one. danielben.itch.io/dragonsweeper

Day 20 of the advent calendar. It's schadenfreude.

Jake Paul in those photos has the beaten puppy expression of a man who simply cannot understand why his bank balance isn't rushing into the ring to protect him. I look forward to when we're seeing that same expression on others in the law courts

Forget Elf on the Shelf, we have a new festive tradition in Jake Paul On The Floor.

True, tea simply cannot be grown anywhere but on Ilkley Moor where brave, hatless, men accompanied only by thier hardy brew whippets pick the choicest leaves.

Unnatural and against god.

Oh wow, didn't know there was a new Avatar film out for me to immediately forget.

Remember, if someone has earned a title, such as MBE, Lord, or Noted Sex Pest, we should always be respectful and use it when referring to them.

It’s really good, you guys.

Sometimes you just gotta zig when everyone else thinks you'll zag. Wondermark #779; The Breakthrough

"But who shall write our third rate Roald Dahl ripoffs now?' Cry people who give very little thought to the books they buy.

About 2k words today and now the entire doc stands at 60k words.

Okay, a quick vox pop. What pleasant sound from your childhood would make you want to torn round and look at it?

Is it though?

If this does not get a Booker I will kick off. Also, someone give this lady a Speakie award because her delivery kills.

Day 19 of the advent calendar and it's the song 19 by electro-pop pioneer Paul Hardcastle.

100% all in on this.

Turns out my friend who had a pet sow, had also bought two other sows which he kept and looked after secretly on separate farms. Yes, that's right. He was a pigamist.

Please check out the Kickstarter pre-launch page for THE DEVIL'S SOUND, the new immersive audio horrorexperience in the world of WITHERED HILL. Nobody wants your money (until next year!) but if you could sign up for updates, that would be absolutely fabulous. www.kickstarter.com/projects/tom...

Massive news!!!! The Devil’s Sound - a six part immersive audio series, set in @davidmbarnett.bsky.social’s Withered Hill universe, is coming to Kickstarter January 9th. Sign up for updates: www.kickstarter.com/projects/tom... Follow the Devil’s Sound Instagram: www.instagram.com/thedevilssou...

Anyway, 4k words-ish today. Forgot I was back on that nonsense.

Ooh, I have just created a monster for the ages. I love it, and yet I cannot tell you about it. Being a writer is AWFUL sometimes.