Found some work from my first year studying English Literature at the University of Luton. We worked with pen and paper, and all essays had to feature a drawing of either Beavis or Butthead in the margins. I graduated in 1997 with a solid Desmond (2:2) and still enjoy Wordsworth today.

Big thanks to the all-new Waterstones at Arnison Centre in Durham. Finally (FINALLY) you can actually buy my books on my home turf of DC (Durham City) Photo by my Mam, obviously.

Half a million strong. Together. The biggest march against the far-right in British history.

Post a non-religious picture you think of as holy.

Excerpts from my 'great' 'lost' novel, The Missing Kidney (written in 2005, status: unpublished): www.3ammagazine.com/emissions/20... And a promo film: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uapa...

Today I tripped over in a record shop, dropped all my money into the till and somehow left with a Withnail & I seven inch vinyl box-set.

Here's the Daily Mail's infamous campaign of 1934 in support of the British Union Of Fascists. I think we can expect something comparable once The Sun give Farage a column, and the right-wing press fully commit to him closer to the next election.

Always enjoy reading @adellestripe.bsky.social and this clear-eyed episodic memoir no exception. “An alternative confessional of working-class life in the closing years of the twentieth century”.

A recent books cartoon for @theguardian.com

In 2027 we will be launching Bluemoose Classics. Two fantastic books by two brilliant writers. WOUNDING by @heidijames.bsky.social THE SECRETS TO NOT DROWNING by @colettesnowden.bsky.social Marvelous. @thebookseller.com @theguardian.com @thetimes.com

There's something quite reassuring about having a daft lad blast 'The Thong Song' at me at the traffic lights on this, a clear spring morning.

Not everything is awful! Twice a year the good people at @alcs.co.uk gather and distribute money for writers. No-one actually knows where it comes from, but it is always gratefully received. Thank you to them, and happy extra-slice-of-cake day to my fellow scribes.

This happened to me in January - I posted a photo from a walk in Northumberland and got loads of grief from random people. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Dear Moby, I disagree completely. To me, 'Lola' is perhaps the first - arguably best - pro-Trans anthem, and spawned glam and all that followed. www.theguardian.com/music/2026/m...

First time listening to one of my audiobooks all the way through. I'm biased but my God, Rory Kinnear delivers the hell out of this. Somebody please give him and the Bloomsbury audio team an award. open.spotify.com/show/6F02Htm...

Adelle Stripe meets the artist George Shaw in Sheffield to discuss the 13 records that shaped his formative years, from Annette to Fred Wesley, ska to electro pop Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man: #GeorgeShaw’s Favourite Records buff.ly/WuLj5rB

I'm getting the impression that Bluesky is not a place to enthuse about books, literature etc. When I do: digital tumbleweeds.

The Pill Box (2015) by David Hughes. So dark. So good.

Happy St Cuthbert's Day.

The opening paragraph of the new Willy Vlautin book, The Left and the Lucky, is perfect.

"Release your inner soul and make blissful memories so that your heart soars like an eagle and sings like that bloke from Level 42." - Benjamin Myers, righter

I'm very much enjoying this, by Sara Baume. @grantabooks.bsky.social

Surely for everyone in Britain it's "Darling, hold my hand..."?

Here, now.

Hello. I finally have a website! Includes potted writing “biog” and a mini-archive of my TV reviews & features. I’m always looking for fun/interesting TV reviewing and comedy work, so do get in touch!

I sat down with George Shaw last week to discuss his 13 favourite records for @thequietus.com. This was a total pleasure to write and record. His new exhibition ‘Small Returns’ runs until 25 April at Persistence Works Gallery in Sheffield. thequietus.com/interviews/b...

This is so good. God bless the Beeb. www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...

This is so good. God bless the Beeb. www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...

In search of the Schelly, a herring-like sea fish, deposited into just 4 freshwater lakes during the melting of the glaciers. And there they remain in deepest Cumbria.

It's a supreme honour to join Marlon James, Ben Okri and John Gray in writing a new Foreword for the Penguin Classics US publications of William Golding's novels. I got to write about a personal favourite, The Spire. william-golding.co.uk/news-feature...

Sandy the Patterdale terrier looking towards the house where the first ever recognised Patterdale was bred circa 100 years ago.

Good lord. The Oscars is 3 hours and 40 mins - or seven tiddles - long.

'How can I have a more performative book collection?' Just beautiful. www.reddit.com/r/Bookshelve...

How the goddamned fuck is the World Cup still happening in the US

I loved the novel (Box Hill by Adam Mars-Jones) and now I love the film. It's brave, funny, saucy, silly, unique, very English and very moving.

MEET THE COVER STARS! In a week of crazy things around Tales of the Suburbs it was a joy to meet Chuck and Dave, who were photographed in 1985 by Sunil Gupta and are still going strong!

When did your obsession with hot toxic women begin?

Spoken word from a few years back …

Celebrating 20 years of @ofmooseandmen.bsky.social and 40 years of The Book Case in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire. I took one photo - of head honcho Kevin Duffy espousing in an atmosphere that can only be described as "Prince-like".

Thanks to Libby Bove for sending me a Roadside Magic package, which has arrived on MOT day. It includes several charms to ensure safe passage as I travel the highways of byways in my whip. Check out Libby's work and her book Roadside Magic: A Manual. www.alimentation.cc/product/road...

AI-generated subtitles ON EVERYTHING are an insult to the deaf or hard of hearing.

Happy birthday to Bluemoose Books, who I have now known for 15 years. They are 100% independent and published my novels Pig Iron (2012), Beastings (2014) and The Gallows Pole (2017) and continue on a path to literary glory.

Thinking of setting up an Only Fans for photos of my typing finger.

In the early days of Twitter a post like this would have got me an agent, an Edinburgh run, and my own Radio 4 series. Or made me friends with Stewart Lee at the very least.

4'33" by John Cage should really be referred to as 'Four Feet Thirty-Three Inches'.

Every night at 7.30pm my dog insists I play 'Happy Talk' by Captain Sensible for him. Every single night. "Do the dance," he says. "Do. The. Dance. Or I'll cut you." I always oblige, but it's exhausting.

"It's an *investment*," I whisper, as I buy another Crass record.

I reckon it's only a matter of days before Trump appears on an aircraft carrier wearing one of those brown leather flying jackets.