We were delighted to have @michaelpedersen.bsky.social and @holliemcnish.bsky.social pop in to see us! #SuperSheltie is demonstrating with his wee hooves the amount of delight #ThisMuch

Announcing 6 special guests for each night of #NineLessons inc @helenczerski.bsky.social, @garwboy.bsky.social, Julia Shaw, Jakko Jakszyk, @holliemcnish.bsky.social, @funsizesuze.bsky.social + plenty more (with more to come of course!) Hosted by @robinince.bsky.social cosmicshambles.com/ninelessons

Late night poem: En route back from a London gig. A woman needs the loo on the train. There’s no loo. She tried to piss on the platform. She’s drunk. Staff tell her she’ll be fined £500 if she does. She waits and pisses on the train seat. Just sits and pisses. Smiling. Laughing.

So excited to be in London for this today! £5 with a wee glass of wine and two of my favourite writers and comedian @waterstones Islington ❤️

Out Oct ‘25 VIRGIN by @holliemcnish.bsky.social💥 In this eagerly awaited poetry collection, Hollie McNish explores the impact of a single word on her life with her trademark mix of humour, fury and compassion Pre-order now to get a #SIGNED & dedicated copy✍️ 👉 www.foxlanebooks.co.uk/product-page...

Reproductive rights are under attack! Take 2 mins to write to your MP TODAY to demand that abortion is decriminalised. action.goodlawproject.org/decriminalis...

If you like to have sex, please sign this : you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/de...

last year i got asked to do a gig for a private members group in a castle and i asked what the fee and expenses were and they said the lady of the house would be more than happy to give me a private guided tour of the castle.

Just searched 'are sore breasts normal before period'? It said yes due to peak progesterone levels but will subside when those levels normalise' and I was wondering who decided which week was the 'normal' personality week of the cycle? It's like saying Spring is normal and the other seasons aren't?

❤️ 5 in 6 boys think andrew tate is a prick ❤️

ROME! I've just realised that a reading I'm doing next week, Thursday May 29th John Cabot University is open to the public. If you know anyone who fancies a little poetry from me, I'd love you to share this event. Sign up here: calendar.johncabot.edu/event/spoken... and bring ID on the day. xx

This time next week I’ll be talking to the literary giant Stephen Fry at @hayfestival.bsky.social. Tonight I’m talking to the equally lustrous @valmcdermid.bsky.social at @portybooks.bsky.social (which can be streamed online). Swooning to a croon. 💜💙❤️‍🔥 Come join: www.michaelpedersen.co.uk/events

It takes me two cups of tea to write about 50 poems. I’m much more water-efficient than AI poetry x

Gracias! Xxx

Dear @teamlabouruk.bsky.social . I am leaving the party because of your stance on Gaza. If you can renew the membership without the membership number, why can’t I leave without it? Please make this an option. And please stop selling arms to Israel

❤️❤️❤️

driving around a supermarket car park for five minutes to find a space to save five seconds of walking

This morning my daughter went on her phone, laughed a lot at a message from her friend and sent me a cute meme about a kitten. Just sharing this for some balance.

For anyone going into the GCSE Unseen poetry exam, here’s some advice from a poet. Good luck! ❤️ youtu.be/Mt2Y6nSysZQ?...

The reason why I cry listening to these old songs isn't because I want to return to the past. It's through music that I get to bear witness to all my past selves. I can see the girl and woman I used to be. She doesn't know I'm there. I know my future self is here, right now, watching these tears.

I’ve many attempts to find the words to express my <3 for #libraries. A declaration of love but also a plea for their very existence and I’ll continue trying but for now, @holliemcnish.bsky.social caught all my feels:

Just updated my shop on @bookshop.org with my most loved novels. If you fancy some recommendations, check it out: uk.bookshop.org/lists/my-mos...? All purchases support indie bookshops and authors

Great discussion of a fabulous poem @holliemcnish.bsky.social ‘Arguing in the Headmaster’s office.’ Made me think about how we can be sexist when we have conversations around how we dress. We need to change this and ensure our ‘judgement’ is equitable… Thankyou as ever @bedsidereading.bsky.social

My brilliant publicist Lilly has made a link to all the indie bookshops currently selling pre-order signed copies of my next collection. Support the indies. They pay tax and are beautiful: geni.us/VirginSigned

RIP Virginia Giuffre. So sad. "The Queen poured millions of pounds into her son’s civil suit against Giuffre, The Daily Telegraph reported. And, as Andrew’s income is not enough to cover the £12 million ($16.3 million) settlement, she will reportedly be helping to cover those costs too."

It's almost a year away but Hackney Empire stalls are selling swift. There are some gorgeous front row dress circle seats free, which is my favourite spot of the theatre. Good view, no worries of being accidentally spat on x www.hackneyempire.co.uk/events/holli...

You can now pre-order signed and dedicated copies of my new poetry collection from one of my favourite bookshops. 💐 www.theportobellobookshop.com/978034912744...

Quick plead not to say ‘you are a woman now’ when your daughter starts her period

If you are a writer and a mother, my biggest piece of practical career advice is not to take too many tips on how and where to write from those who aren't also mothers

summary of USA news katy perry back on earth safe, smiling billionaires avoiding tax genocide continues

Great conversation on Woman’s Hour right now about shame and sending nudes. Listen back if you can. X

Sometimes when I’m reading about war I replace the word ‘soldier’ with ‘teenage boy’ so I remember exactly how tragic this shit is

What I wrote when I realised that every single sx scene i ever saw on screen in my teens, every scream of pleasure, every yess and ohh and that’s it (except dirty dancing) was scripted by an older man.

Myself and @bigstevepoet.bsky.social are both doing a support slot for @holliemcnish.bsky.social in Ludlow at the Assembly Rooms tonight (9th April). If you are in the area why not get yourself a ticket. There were a few left when I looked yesterday...but not many...not many at all. Better rehearse!

Today is my first weekend off work in months. I’m sewing my summer dresses and cooking all day for my kid and friends and realised I’m basically a tradwife just without the husband part

A sound suggestion from poet @holliemcnish.bsky.social

Daily reminder we live on a planet where giraffes actually exist. Sometimes I forget that.

I’m en route to Rome to read poems to university literature students who may possibly tell me they know more about poetry than me. That only happened once but it stuck with me and I didn’t take another uni gig for four years. Then I got asked to go to Rome and I got over myself

today i found a dead rat in my garden. i suddenly felt like 'this is why people don't live alone', in case they end up having no-one to help lift a dead rat with. then my friend came and got it for me. and that's why it's ok if you live alone, even if you find a dead rat, because friends

Tickets are now on sale for my gig at the UK's most northerly arts centre in Shetland... Tell you Shetland friends cos I have none! Thur 17 July tickets.shetlandarts.org/sales/catego... with Michael Pedersen and Roseanne Watt All other gigs up at : www.holliepoetry.com/livedates

Today I learnt that there is a specific word in Turkish for moonlight shining on water (gumusservi) and it made me feel more beautiful

My new book is officially announced @thebookseller.com and the tour is on sale www.holliepoetry.com/livedates and I am preparing for this week's tour by doing what I always do; making sure all my kid's school uniform is washed for when we get back. See you in Southampton or Bath! x

Final two days of editing the next collection. I always read poetry before editing any poem. To get my brain in gear and to learn from writers skilled in whatever I’m working on. This morning it’s Ada Limon, who is so brilliant at capturing snapshots of childhood

Some advice for touring poets. If you can, gig in venues that feed you. My top picks are Oran Mor in Glasgow, Mac Arts in Galashiels and Tolmen Centre in Constantine, where Barbara cooks you a homemade meal and dessert and you roll onto stage happy ❤️

I was today years old when I discovered robin's eggs are blue. Just in case you also didn't know. I'm on the final edits of my next book and found the line 'as sure as sky is blue' which was very, very lazy, boring simile so I looked up other blue things. Robin's eggs were my favourite find. x

Thank you to everyone who came to the last run of gigs. And to Laurie Bolger for the amazing support. If you don't know Laurie Bolger's poetry, check her out. If you want to try your hand at poetry and don't know where to start, she runs a weekly drop in! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-creati...

I once fancied a guy at school who didn't fancy me back. I got really good grades, did my hair really well, made my eyelashes look lovely and fluttery, played sports, kept in good shape, wore lovely clothes. And he still didn't fancy me. That's it, that's where the story ends.

A poem for anyone who wakes with kids sprawling over them. By Tahmina Ali ❤️