Bray spray on a grey day

New blog post: an interview with writer @katebeales.bsky.social about her gorgeous debut novel #BrokenHorses, set in Patagonia in 1921. Somebody please turn this into a film/BBC drama series! anneolearyblog.wordpress.com/2026/02/04/b...

Amazing

Here’s a poem called ‘Message to the 14-Year-Old Me’.

Very pleased to share details of a new permanent academic job opportunity in Creative & Cultural Industries at University College Dublin. We are seeking candidates with a PhD whose work engages with the commercial creative industries. Deadline: 6 March 2026 universityvacancies.com/university-c....

New blog post: an interview with writer @katebeales.bsky.social about her gorgeous debut novel #BrokenHorses, set in Patagonia in 1921. Somebody please turn this into a film/BBC drama series! anneolearyblog.wordpress.com/2026/02/04/b...

Issue 4 is launching! The competition issue will be presented by the journal's four editors, Stephen Brophy, Sinéad Griffin, Patrick Holloway and Jennifer Matthews in Waterstones, Cork, on Tuesday 17th February 2026 at 6.30PM, and will include readings from contributors

‘Whoa Black Betty...’

Congratulations to you all, you have completed January. Please progress to Level 2.

The Lee by the busy Marina Market during a sunny spell today 🌤

❤️

Such a loss www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUGK...

The International Rubery Prize 2026 Competition deadline: 31st March 2026 The International Rubery Prize is a prestigious international book award seeking the best books by indie writers, self published authors and books published by independent presses. It is also judged by reputable judges.…

Are you looking for book reviews, recommendations, author interviews, guest posts & so much more? Check out all these fabulous bookish folk We are as the name suggests: A Bunch of Book Bloggers with a passion for 📚 go.bsky.app/MQN615J

This is lovely

One thing that is true in this age of "AI" is that authenticity is going to be prized more than ever before. A single hand-scrawled sign is going have more impact than the smoothest "AI" image because the people seeing it knows it comes from someone's brain, not a tuned algorithm.

Irish writer residency in Belgrade www.literatureireland.com/latest/call-...

📗Our friends over at the @irishwriterscentre.bsky.social have published all the juicy opportunities for you this February📗 booksirelandmagazine.com/competitions...

Looking forward to reading more stories.

Only a few days left to submit your short story to our anthology. We are seeking short stories for our upcoming anthology, Modern Decadent, which embraces the fin de siècle literary and arts of the decadents, along with 19th century symbolism & aestheticism. #booksky #writingopportunity 👇

My lovely writer/facilitator friend Kate Beales, together with publishing consultant Anna Burtt, is running a writing retreat in March in the hellish location of Piemonte, Italy. There are 3 places remaining and it will be SUCH a safe, nurturing space casalunagetaways.com/event/writin...

New blog post: a list of upcoming novel competitions for 2026 anneolearyblog.wordpress.com/2026/01/26/n...

“Be kind, be involved, believe in your art. At a time when people tell you art is not important, that is always a prelude to fascism.” - Guillermo del Toro

last chance! i'll probably close the form this week so i have to review for an early february feedback surgery. this is your time to potentially receive *free* feedback on the first 300 words of your manuscript #booksky #pitch #writingopportunity

On 11 Feb, we turn TWO! We're celebrating by holding meet-ups and events all over Europe and online. Join us! We are so happy to have built such a wonderful community ❤️ 🍾

HOWL opens for subs for New Irish Writing once every two years, and that window is quickly approaching! From Feb 13th - Feb 23rd you can submit your poetry, fiction, and nonfiction to HOWL 26 at howlwriting.ie We hope we are lucky enough to receive your work!

Wild Hunt Books are seeking short stories (1500-5000 words) for our upcoming anthology, Modern Decadent. The anthology embraces the fin de siècle literary and arts of the decadents & more Submissions are now open and close on 1st February 2026, 20:00 GMT 🖤 www.wildhuntbooks.co.uk/blog/now-ope...

We are delighted to announce that applications for the Raising Voices 2026 programme for aspiring writers and illustrators are now open 🧑‍💻 The Raising Voices Fellowship runs from March until November 2026. Application deadline: 19/02/26 at 3pm. Full details childrensbooksireland.ie/news-events/...

Highly recommend writers of any early level to apply. Getting a spot on this last year was a delight, and I can't emphasise enough how beneficial the whole mentorship has been.

New to #Bluesky? Here's a starter pack for Literary Journals the Island of Ireland #BookSky go.bsky.app/EdG3Ruv

Following on from my post about Irish novels coming in 2026, here's a list of short story collections and nonfiction that I'm looking forward to this year. 746books.com/2026/01/09/i...

New to #Bluesky? Here's a starter pack for Bricks & Mortar Bookshops on the Island of Ireland #BookSky go.bsky.app/G4kmxVq

*Quick Response Submissions* We need more Fiction, CNF, and Brewer's Choice submissions for Flight 4! We are opening a quick response submission window: anyone who submits before 8pm AK time on Wednesday, January 14th will receive a response by the afternoon of Saturday, January 17th.

Magnificent. Make sure you click on the "1 more reply" link to make sure you read the whole thread. You will not regret it.

Lots of really interesting-sounding books ahead

This is absolutely lovely.

No, I don't want to "quickly hop on a call with you". I want to bump into you at random on a rain-lashed heath, nod at you in silent mutual admiration as we watch a buzzard gliding smoothly over a dramatic chicane in the river, then get the fuck on with my day

New blog post: a shiny new list of UK and Ireland short story competitions for 2026 anneolearyblog.wordpress.com/2026/01/08/s...

One of the best literary journals anywhere, outside and in, is @winterpapers.bsky.social. Their open submissions period for the 2026 issue is 14-28 February. Everything will be read and replied to early August. The editing is excellent: acute & sympathetic. Have a go! winterpapers.com/submissions

* DEADLINE EXTENDED * We are now accepting applications for the 2026 National Mentoring Programme until Friday 16 January, at 5pm. This is an opportunity open to all writers across the island of Ireland. For all the information you need, check out our site: irishwriterscentre.ie/national-men...

Happy new year! We're now open for fiction collections. The most recently published book from this list, Show Me Where the Hurt Is b @haydenmcasey13.bsky.social, was recently longlisted for the PEN/Bingham award. Could YOU be next? Dust off that manuscript, and send it to us!!!

Get your subs ready, Raw Lit takes the best care of your work! @delgeo14.bsky.social

Rob Reiner (1947–2025)

I’ve been seeing this cover over and over and I just… In the original you’re aware of the horror of falling, but the body positions of the workers are solid on the beam. Here, most of them should be falling off, yet they don’t, because they live in an unreal, consequence-free space.

Please share :)

Freelance writers! The deadline for my new editorial series is fast approaching - get your pitches in before noon tomorrow! freelancewritingjobs.substack.com/p/call-for-p...

"We are currently looking for: Crime & thrillers Psychological thrillers Cozy crime Historical fiction Romance & romantic comedies We currently don’t accept non-fiction, science fiction, YA, children’s books, literary fiction, poetry or short stories."

Belgrade Irish Festival Residency 2026 Belgrade Irish Festival Residency Application Deadline: 18th December 2025 The Belgrade Irish Festival and Literature Ireland are seeking applications from creative writers for a residential bursary in Belgrade, Serbia. This is an opportunity for an Irish…