When my publisher was falling into trouble, I contacted their head of communications to ask where I and my contract stood. She didn't reply. She's now set up her own publisher. For the books world I hope it succeeds, but I also hope she's kinder and more respectful to her new authors. 😥

Veganism has faded partly because consumers want *protein*, but a Greggs vegan sausage roll has more protein than a meat one. A Cambridge study that, if you label sausage rolls for their protein content, the % of consumers choosing meat-free more than doubles: www.eurekalert.org/news-release...

Made my day to receive this from one of the first readers of my debut. Thank you, kind reader!

This is sad. On a day when I could have been writing my second novel, I'm instead packaging up copies of my debut that I paid to have printed - because of the collapse of my publisher, Neem Tree Press, taken over by Unbound. I felt none of my friends who preordered it should be out of pocket.

I've always had Samsungs but now my work has given me an iPhone and I need a 10-year-old to show me how to use it. For starters, switching it off is always a struggle, taking me at least half a dozen goes.

And I've signed up with the lovely folk at Viv Loves Film to represent me. 🤞

Exciting news about my debut novel. I finally have a copy in my hands (yay!) despite the demise of my publisher @neemtreepress.bsky.social. It's complicated. Here's why: jane-dalton.com/book-blog

What could be more normal than animals wearing vegetables on their heads?

I answered the door to the Waitrose man with a piece of tissue stuck to my face where I'd been wiping away eye drops that lubricated my skin more than my eyes.

OK, this is wild. In September 2023, geophysicists across the world started monitoring a very odd signal coming from the ground under them. It was picked up in the Arctic. And Antarctica. It was detected everywhere, every 90 seconds, as regular as a metronome, for *nine days*. What the HELL? 1/

Play some music with a fast beat to watch this.

Sad that fewer people are interested in books. I guess we're all on social media on our phones much more.

How serious are these warnings? Will my PC crash or is Norton just trying to scare me into buying more stuff?

If these people were doing genuine hard work they just wouldn't have time to brag about it on LinkedIn.

Do any other writers suffer from extreme dry-eye syndrome, which hits just as you sit down to write in the evening, necessitating the use of warm masks, which somewhat hampers the #writing?

Devastating news. After a long wait, I've learnt that my publisher Neem Tree Press is folding, so my debut novel will not now see the light of day. If there are any publishers out there interested in an unorthodox literary contemporary suspense novel, I'm your woman.

I have no idea whether there's a real danger to my PC here or whether it's just Norton trying to sell me things. Does everyone with Norton get the same sometimes?

Thanks, Audible, but do you have to keep calling me Mrs?

Mr D went away for 24 hours today, leaving me with instructions to finish writing my wip (my second novel) by the time he was back. I'm halfway through, at about 42,000w. So far I've reorganised the wrapping paper cupboard. What do we think are the chances of my succeeding?

At my book club tonight, there were three of us. And only two of us had read the book. But the good news is we loved it. 😀 📚

Pink sky to match pink roses

I was delighted by the alliums in the garden. Mr D said there was spem between them. Eh? I said. Then he produced this (second pic).

Any other readers fed up with novels whose main protagonist is a young woman unhappy with her job and who has boyfriend problems, drinks wine and/or goes to bars with friends but is lonely underneath? Even if the novels are well written, it's now a massive cliche...

The Independent: "TRUMP: TAKE PEACE DEAL NOW - OR RISK LOSING EVERYTHING" @journojane.bsky.social for @the-independent.com. FULL STORY: t.ly/q8Nza #DonaldTrump claims end to war is 'very close' but warns #VolodymyrZelenskyy is harming the process. #TheIndependent #IBPAPERS #TomorrowsPapersToday

Anyone else use their weights to make sure airers don't blow over in the wind?

I don't like criticising other writers' novels too much but I couldn't help a hint of negativity in my latest review. Have I been unfair, d'you think? www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Still don't know though how he did 25 hours without going to the loo.

To my delight, a women's book club has been set up in my town. This is our first read - and it's not an easy one. Malala Yousafzai, famously shot by the Taliban, recalls in vivid detail how evil took over the beautiful place where her family lived, the Swat valley in Pakistan. (Pic: Wikimedia)

Andrius Kubilius, the European Commissioner for Defence Industry and Space: “There are 450 million Europeans. We should not be crying out for 340 million Americans to defend us against 140 million Russians, who are not even able to defeat 38 million Ukrainians.

The Independent: "ZELENSKY DEFIES TRUMP: HANDS OFF MY NUCLEAR PLANTS" @journojane.bsky.social for @the-independent.com. FULL STORY: t.ly/BE4Jc President Of Ukraine VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY insisted "all nuclear power plants belong to people of Ukraine". #TheIndependent #IBPAPERS #TomorrowsPapersToday

"In a country where even looking out the window is banned, women in Afghanistan are living in one of the most brutal regimes on earth. But a movement is stirring at a grassroots level, and every sewing machine used in a back room, every literacy lesson quietly delivered offers hope"

Full marks will go to the first supermarket that includes "plastic-free" as a filter option on its website. I think it's safe to say I won't be giving away any marks in the near future.

Google is offering me Gemini, which apparently is an assistant that can help me with all sorts of things. I will ask it to clean the house for me.

Voters will feel misled.

Lots of people are saying you can take coffee to libraries or even get it there but I think that's more in the US. Anyone know of a UK library where drinking coffee is commonplace?

Everyone has to be really careful about what they take because of the risk of overdosing, especially when other elements are added to many supplements. I think you even have to be cautious over multivitamins, especially those with A and E in.

This is exciting - look at what Father Christmas (belatedly) brought me.

I was tailed.

For two weeks I've been working on building an author website - and now after many tears, much wailing and a load of stress it's finally live! I hope it's not too bad. jane-dalton.com

Books to look out for this year: www.independent.co.uk/arts-enterta...

Do you want to do something BIG this year that’s as good for the planet as it is for you? #FlightFree2025 now open for pledges! vimeo.com/1043145182

First bird of the year on the #birdfeeder: Mr Woodpecker.

Mr Journo, filling in next year's calendar: "Are there any birthdays in May?" Me: "Yes - my novel is born on the 15th. Yay!" @neemtreepress.bsky.social @unbounders.bsky.social

Hello @terrasabaea.bsky.social Not sure why you've blocked me. I think I'm pretty inoffensive. Not mean-spirited. 😟

More and more evidence points to the fact that the Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane that crashed in Kazakhstan yesterday was hit by Russian air defense systems. The plane, traveling from Baku, Azerbaijan, to the capital of Russian Chechnya, Grozny, crash-landed near Aktau in Kazakhstan.

Evie Wyld's The Bass Rock - a message that bears repeating: www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

There's one essential, universal and timeless gift that's often overlooked - but is the best gift you can give: books, says Elif Shafak in this beautiful piece: elifshafak.substack.com/p/spectacula...

I met a friend for coffee today. We went through Narnia to get there, and it was lovely.