Call for mass pickets at select locations last week so I joined this one at the Wave which meant I got to meet some brilliant people, including @sheilawebber.bsky.social who has inspired me to pursue my pipedream of one day doing a PhD by publication ❤️🙌 #ucustrike @sheffielducu.bsky.social

Just remembered my dream last night involved moving back to an old student house and discovering giant rats living in the sofa but when we tried to tempt them out with cheese they were nowhere to be seen…because they were actually living in my hair. Make of that what you will.

At pickets today I saw a friend I’ve not seen in aaages so we got a coffee afterwards, lovely strike serendipity ❤️ if you want to know why we’re striking, more info here: ucu.group.shef.ac.uk/campaigns/st... I have a different surname at work btw! #ucustrike @sheffielducu.bsky.social

This book is something really special and you all need to read it. Read my review for Northern Soul to find out why it’s so bloody good: www.northernsoul.me.uk/bog-people-a... #bogpeople #folkhorror

Sometimes you write a review that’s less about the show and more about a chapter of your life ❤️ This is one of those 🦖🦕🌋 www.northernsoul.me.uk/dinosaur-wor...

Very lucky to get to talk to @adamjfarrer.bsky.social about his new book and the power of sharing stories. It’s a brilliant book, you’ll love it 🤩 ❤️ and yes, I ate all the prop biscuits after taking this photo. www.northernsoul.me.uk/adam-farrer-...

I spoke to @amyfleurstone.bsky.social at Northern Soul about Broken Biscuits and Other Male Failures, the power of shared embarrassment to forge human connections and, unexpectedly, Gladiators. #booksky www.northernsoul.me.uk/adam-farrer-...

So chuffed with this purchase: Dead Cats Club shirt for £8 in St Luke’s hospice charity shop 😍can’t wait to wear this for day-job meetings and grin menacingly at anyone who backs away when they inspect the print 😈

To the knobhead in Costa: being posh doesn’t give you the right to be a nasty prick to baristas or anyone else for that matter, your wife and kids are clearly scared of you as well, get some help

Went to Sheffield Cocktail Festival for Northern Soul and had a blast! www.instagram.com/reel/DJyr2FH...

This was mad good. MAD GOOD. That’s how articulate I am after a long week but if you want to read some real sentences strung together in actual paragraphs please read my review: www.northernsoul.me.uk/swan-lake-bo...

My review of Hamlet Hail to the Thief is here: www.northernsoul.me.uk/hamlet-thief... I can’t stress this enough: you have to go and see this production, it’s a masterpiece @the-rsc.bsky.social #hamlethailtothethief

This was apparently the most read article for that month and I’m really chuffed about that because I’m pretty sure it’s down to the fact I waded into a debate in the comments section of another review that completely slated the production, and the actors, in a way that made me quite quite mad

Predictably, I absolutely loved Broken Biscuits and it was so good to talk to @adamjfarrer.bsky.social today! Even though I was inarticulate and rambling as usual, it was worth it just to tell him it was a great book. Watch this space for review/interview but in the meantime: buy the book, people

Saw this last night at Factory International, absolute belter. Wrote my review on the train home but lost my programme in the process, gutted! #hamlethailtothethief #hamlet #hailtothethief @the-rsc.bsky.social #factoryinternational @northern--soul.bsky.social

Dylan (not fussed about sweet things) has kept this monstrosity intact since Easter for the sole purpose of torturing his brother Joey, who inhaled his chocolate because his sweet tooth is rivalled only by mine. D opened the box purely to make sure J can see/smell the chocolate if he’s nearby. Evil.

Proof that nothing can happen in this house without intervention from kids and cats. Can’t wait to read Broken Biscuits and Other Male Failures by @adamjfarrer.bsky.social - I absolutely loved Cold Fish Soup so I’m well excited for this! Review and interview coming soon for Northern Soul ❤️

My review of a Streetcar Named Desire @sheffieldtheatres.bsky.social is one of the Editor’s Picks for Northern Soul. Five stars, I loved it. www.northernsoul.me.uk/streetcar-de...

Perfect Saturday night @bookwormvaught.bsky.social ❤️

As far as I can tell, the team behind #ghoststories isn’t on Bluesky but I’d love them to see this! My review of Ghost Stories at the Lyceum in Sheffield last night, for Totalntertainment ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ www.totalntertainment.com/live-reviews...

What’s with the 60 second limit on videos with Bluesky? Bah. Anyway, you can see approx. 90 seconds of my trip to Lincoln to support the opening of my wonderful friend’s art exhibition ‘Scarborough Macabre’ here 🖤 www.instagram.com/reel/DFyXQ7z...

Last night I went to the housewarming party for the new location of the Botanist in Sheffield, it’s a great space! 🍃🌿🌱 www.instagram.com/reel/DFd99y8...

Unpaid carers, there are millions of you out there and this is for you! Publishers, industry people, please spread the word 🙏🏻

Major TW. Tough read but important to share - esp. in light of these women breaking their NDAs that were intended to silence. I remember being so starstruck when Neil Gaiman retweeted my review of the Ocean at the End of the Lane for Totalntertainment. archive.is/2025.01.13-1...

Thoughts and prayers for my mouldy car getting its MOT today - failed last year, pretty sure it’ll happen again. Unless they decide its ability to grow moss supersedes all the mechanical deficiencies 🙏🏻

The kids always sing to Thomas ‘Tommy, Tommy Boo’ to the tune of ‘Daddy, Daddy Cool’ and he always gives this same confused, slightly worried look in response

They’re not on Bluesky yet but I’m honestly not lying when I say I’m now officially ‘Sheffield Correspondent’ for Northern Soul ❤️ www.instagram.com/share/BBlF30...

thecuraeprize.uk The 2025 #Curae prize for writer-carers opens on New Year’s Day (GMT!) Unpaid carers UK and ROI - this one’s just for you. Everything you need is on the site and it’s free to enter - for fun and focus, or maybe for steps into industry. Prizes are amazing Please share

In all the Christmas hullabaloo I forgot to give this jumper the airtime it deserves. Only available from the menswear range at Primark, fyi. Nephew upstaged me but I’ll allow it because he’s adorable

💫 Merry Christmas 🎄 A few photos of some festive highlights 1. Blustery, beautiful York last week. One of my favourite happy places, is York ❤️ I have to give a massive thank you to @oshald87.bsky.social who is the only reason I’m sane(ish)

Northern Soul’s Best Reads for 2024 are here! Here are my grumpy cats, resentfully posing with the three books that stayed with me this year www.northernsoul.me.uk/best-reads-2...

My interview with @petemckee.bsky.social is our Editor’s Pick (top of the home page guys, just saying) I’d love you all to read this - but more importantly you must go to the exhibition. It’s one not to miss and it’s one to return to ❤️ www.northernsoul.me.uk/pete-mckee-i...

Anyone have experience of selling old stuff, I have no idea what I’m doing #vintagesky #antiquesky #ebaysky

@tlmythstorian.bsky.social I’m making a mental note to message you when I’m not overrun with day job/kids etc, I have a project I’m working on that I’d love to talk to you about!

Glad this happened because without it, I wouldn’t have asked the bloke over to fix it who has just spent half an hour telling me about how his deceased dog haunts him at night, it has really brightened my day

Top artists not really representing how much time I spent streaming Mötley Crüe and Harry Styles for the children here #spotifywrapped

@petemckee.bsky.social this article I wrote in 2022 for Northern Soul, including an extract from a foreword I did for an anthology for working class student writers at the uni, articulates what I was trying to say last week better than I said it in person 🤣 www.northernsoul.me.uk/enjoy-readin...

Well this has cheered up my Sunday ❤️

Day-job question: anyone know of any good resources on the application of AI in English Literature research? #edusky #highered #academicsky

It was an absolute pleasure, thank you for taking the time to chat to me and write about my show ✊️

TODAY marks the opening of @petemckee.bsky.social ‘s new exhibition, The Boy with a Leg Named Brian, at Weston Park Museum in Sheffield. I was incredibly lucky to get a sneak peek when I interviewed him yesterday! It’s a real belter of an exhibition, this one. Article coming soon - what a legend 🤩

My 5 year old telling me how to do his hair: ‘I want it chuffed up’ ‘Eh? You mean like this?’ ‘No, not spiky, I want it chuffed.’ ‘Erm…like this?’ ‘No, not swept.’ ‘I don’t…’ ‘Chuffed, mum. Just chuff it.’

Now let’s see if there are any Simpsons fans who follow me. Ones that are easily pleased.

‘Oof,’ as my seven-year-old would say, ‘right in the puddings’ #writingcommunity #writingadvice #writersofbluesky #substacksky #amwriting

I absolutely loved this book and you should all read it - simple as that - but please justify my editor’s excellent decision to feature it in Northern Soul’s Editor’s Picks by reading my review of Burnt Ice Cream by Candi Martin 🙏🏻❤️😅@writtenoffbooks.bsky.social www.northernsoul.me.uk/burnt-ice-cr...

@adamjfarrer.bsky.social I thought you might enjoy this - my mother in law sent me this photo (from her Blackpool mini break) of a seagull that appears to be stood on the pavement next to the road and is therefore approximately the same size as a T-Rex

This cat is begging me for forgiveness after deliberately staying out to miss his vaccination appointment at the vets. He does it every year. We always manage to get him there in the end, just requires longer captivity every time 🙄 meanwhile his brother (the tux on the right) brings in squirrels 🤦🏼‍♀️

I am so chuffed that I'll be interviewing @petemckee.bsky.social in a couple of weeks. Was genuinely considering letting my seven year old bunk off school to come meet him (big fan) but realised I'm not capable of doing a good interview AND managing a kid. He's given me some questions to ask tho 😅

It’s true, I had a Simpsons themed wedding cake back in the days when themed wedding cakes were just not a thing. My only regret is that it wasn’t the ‘To a whale of a wife’ one but I remain hopeful @oshald87.bsky.social will commission this for our anniversary 🙏🏻

Thread of writing things I'm proud of... let's start with my books! The Raven Wheel was first published in 2019, then a reprint with a gorgeous new cover in 2021. Really proud of these reviews: afstone.uk/2019/08/15/1... also who is this person? She looks so young, I don't recognise her