It has been an extraordinarily difficult week, but I am grateful to the gifts of family, friends, and good books.

I haven’t felt this shit in quite some time. It will pass, but it’s rubbish while it lasts.

So, depression is a bit rubbish isn't it?

My cousin Sam passed this morning. He was a good friend and a good man. I saw him on Sunday in the hospice. His brother sat beside his bed playing guitar for him as sunlight streamed through the window. It was heart-breaking and beautiful.

Watching Leonard and Hungry Paul and Small Prophets, and being reminded of the miraculous nature of kindness. God, but these are gorgeous shows.

Visited my terminally ill cousin in the hospice this afternoon. His brother was sat by his bedside playing guitar while sunlight poured in to the room. Sam is surrounded by so much love. It's heart-wrenching but also peaceful.

Last call for 25% off, offer ends today 👇📚

'By using words well, writers strengthen their souls... And their words make the souls of their readers stronger, brighter, deeper.’ — Ursula K. Le Guin youtube.com/shorts/ePEpI...

How I know oldest daughter is definitely mine - we were in a restaurant and Maia kept sniggering every time the waiter announced an order for table 69. So proud.

“Are we going to charge him, Sarge?” “Not right away, constable. Stick him in a cell and let him sweat for a while.” “Er…”

Love parents with non-neuro diverse kids who just assume we are terrible parents. So so helpfull.

You know what they say - never look a gift donkey in the eye. Never marry your cousin to a hog. Never glance askance at a chicken. Don't confuse a duck. You know, the classics.

As you're considering your award nominations for this year, do remember that my eyebrows are just as luxurious as Adrian Tchaikovsky's. They do still have a Best Eyebrows category for the Hugos, yes?

25% off my second book at Waterstones when you pre-order with the code FEB26 www.waterstones.com/book/get-ahe...

A tribute to Saltburn, to the tune of Roxanne: Keoghan, you don't have to drink the spunky bath water. [...] Chorus: Keoghan Don't drink the spunky water Keoghan Don't drink the spunky water Keoghan Don't drink the spunky water

I have cleaned the house, and as a special treat I'm going to the tip this afternoon. Have also done all my emails. This is the edge of the seat way I live my life.

Last night's movie was The Ballad of Wallace Island, which was tender, and beautiful, and deeply moving. Tim Key in particular puts in a nuanced and powerful performance.

It being Valentine's Day, the top 5 date movies as chosen by me. 5. Antichrist 4. Frankenhooker 3. Tetsuo II: Bodyhammer 2. When the Wind Blows 1. Those weird student films Clive Barker made where he gets his lad out that you used to be able to get on indie VHS.

I really like video games, but increasingly I'm finding they give me motion sickness after about 30 mins. First person games seem to be the worst.

Do check out my client Michael Widebrook's excellent new novel. Rich, compelling and hugely entertaining. www.amazon.com/Poisoned-Pas... www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMnR...

Powering through the TV series Evil. Massively enjoyable. Just my cup of diabolic tea.

In the despair pit. Parenting is being super hard and it feels like nothing we do helps. Also having constant anxiety dreams and sick of the socials telling me how dreadful the world is every day. I am utterly empty.

This afternoon's movie was Strange Darling - a clever thriller with an excellent cast.

Jesus wept, stop using AI to 'brainstorm ideas' and then saying that the book is all your own work. All you need to brainstorm ideas is a pen, a bit of paper, and your actual brain.

If you're going to go for a simile, it does help if the thing you're describing is actually like the other thing.

If you used AI to brain storm or generate ideas, no you did not write the book.

Parenting has been an ever living nightmare this week. On top of a heavy cold and a cousin who is critically ill.

Just had to put together wording to the effect of 'please don't use my editing to train generative AI.' Isn't tech great?

Look, stop saying January is the bleakest month. It's my birthday in a couple of week's time, therefore you can consider the days leading up to the end of January as some Jon-based advent. Each day, contemplate the Jonness of Jon, and drink a shot.

Jon is fantastic to work with: he was my editor for my first two novels and he’s both v v smart and exceptionally lovely

This is me wishing my WIPs were ready. He's great to work with, insightful, and great at spotting the little errors you don't want in your manuscript. If you've got something ready, and can afford it, he can help you find a way to get that extra polish you want into your work.

Jon is an excellent, nay brilliant, editor.

One of the best in the business. Go hire him

Well fuck. A client has gone silent on me and skipped their due payment. This means I now have a hole in my schedule for next week. If anyone wants any editing done asap, drop me a line, as it looks like next week is likely going to be free.

Last night's movie was The Surrender (on Shudder). Reminded me of A Dark Song, though not quite as strong. Even so, it had some genuinely weird moments and as a depiction of an occult ceremony it was convincingly played.

Femgore is a genre now? I can't keep up.

Finished Stranger Things. I like the epilogue much more than the last battle, but still wrapped up in a satisfactory way.

Happy Jools Holland applies Boogie Woogie piano to any piece of music no matter how inappropriate-eve to those who celebrate.

Last night's movie was Maxxxine, which I enjoyed, though I still think that X is the strongest of the trilogy. Mia Goth is just mesmerising. I will watch anything she's in. Particularly liked her in Infinity Pool, in which she was suitably nuts.

It's been almost six years since I left my last office job. A horrible place where I encountered not just shitty management but spiritual abuse. I still have bloody nightmares about it.

The Christmas freelancer magic continues. Client still hasn't paid invoice from two weeks ago and another client has cancelled literally when the first invoice is due.

It's less than a week to Christmas and I still haven't cried at the John Lewis ad. Am I dead inside?

Now enjoying that most festive of seasonal freelancing pastimes - trying to persuade the client to pay the invoice before Christmas.

Hey do you want lesbian yearning? I have lesbian yearning

'I used AI for brainstorming and plot development, but the story is all mine.' No. Not it isn't.

As a freelancer, I will be going all out at my office Christmas party. Getting proper drunk and telling the boss to fuck right off. That'll learn him.

@markduplass.bsky.social just goes from strength to strength in the Creep Tapes. Chilling and hilarious in equal measure. Man, that stare....

"Oooh betty the cat has done a whoopsy in my beret." And by 'the cat' I mean a fascist turd trumpet and by 'whoopsy in my beret,' I mean killed what remains of a career stone dead.

Last night's movie was a re-watch of Exorcist III. I was underwhelmed the first time round, but this time I really rated it. The best moments in the film are in the dialogue rather than the scary, and it's a very different movie to The Exorcist. Almost theatrical at times and quite restrained.

Last night's movie was 28 Years Later. 99% brilliant (fairy tale atmos, beautifully shot, a meditation on grief and death) and 1% 'oh my god why would you do that to the end of your movie!?' [SPOILER] They're going to have to have a pretty fucking good excuse for the Jimmys in the next one.