Saturday 15 November, beginning at 6pm at the Thrive Cafe, Cambridge, I'll be one of the selected open micers and will be reading a couple of my poems from Songs of Steelyard Sue and Underword. Sadly, the lovely Thrive Cafe will be closing its doors for good the following day, Sunday 16 November.

A digested Booker line-up

👏👏👏 @banxtoons.bsky.social hitting the nail squarely on the head again. Every politician should be made to look at this drawing every single day. 👇

he Poets' Version of Beckett: Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail worse. No matter. Try again. Fail far worse still. Try again. Fail beyond your imagination's ability to comprehend the scale of possible failures open to you . . .' (contd p.94)

Helpful advice 109 - when focusing on a tricky piece of ironing held in place with your left hand whilst reaching backwards for the very hot iron with your right, make sure the iron handle and not the hot plate is turned to face you. Just saying...

This is one of @writeforwellbeing.bsky.social's brilliant poetry starter packs. Please follow and repost if you can #poetsonbluesky #poetrycommunity

Hi! I'm so excited to read your work :) For more guidelines check out inksweatandtears.co.uk/submissions/ or follow the link in our bio to the submissions page: share.google/AeU3wkv9bjiK... -SA #prose #poetry #onlinezine #creativewriting #inksweatandtears #poetrydaily #poetrylovers #poetrygram

Pic 38 in my brick wall series. Dutch brick from an angle #brickinthewall

Starting to get bookings for readings and talks in 2026, which is always encouraging.

Saturday's cat has far to go (yes, I know it should be Thursday's, but #Caturday only takes place on Saturday).

I was going to deny this on the grounds that I have never written a poem about a horse and then I remembered I have written two... thefridaypoem.substack.com/p/26-more-th...

Yesterday's late sunset glow was something.

A view from yesterday when there was some blue amongst the grey.

I ❤️ Emma Thompson.

This weekend's purchase. No spoilers until I've read it, please. #BookSky

Will somebody please tell my brain that it's an hour earlier than it thinks it is...

Yesterday's angled dusk on phone camera.

‘It’s insanely sinister’: horror writers on the scariest stories they’ve ever read

As we are all on a social media site, its seems apposite to re-post this.

So yes, I know it's still only October, but, as is the way of things, here are my top 3 reads of 2025 (or, at least, January - October 2025). shepherd.com/bboy/2025/f/... #BookSky

A wee piece of advice to book marketing scammers: when writing to me, do make sure the book in question is one of my books, and, if it is, do try to get the title right...

Pic 37 in my brick wall series. Ornate South Cambridgeshire brickwork (or it may be a face) #brickinthewall

'It turns out the most important part of creativity is not the having done, but the doing. That’s the human part.'

‘Next great leap’: grassroots movement to wild East Anglia goes national

Still an issue for many - be aware.

Autumnal Cambridge view from yesterday afternoon.

David Harewood returns to Othello: ‘I don’t just want to open the door but kick it down for the people behind me’

I've just, belatedly, come across PinkSky. Can anyone explain its purpose to me? Is it an automatic Instagram equivalent of Blusky? And why?

sarahhealeyeditor.com/articles/sca... It sometimes feels like the social media world is a shark pool. I joined Bluesky – a nice, friendly place - and followed some bookish people - nice, friendly people. But then I had a DM. I wrote an article about it… #writerscommunity

Not my photo, but a worthy addition to my growing collection of brick wall photographs #brickinthewall

This is another of my starter packs. It's growth has been rather slowed by the fact that many of the publishers and magazines who have published me don't appear to be on BlueSky :🙁#BookSky go.bsky.app/FbCTiqm

I'm a fan

This has been growing slowly but surely. You might want to check it out. go.bsky.app/G75Kbmc

A sequel to the garlic-focused article I shared a while back. #booksky

I know I'n not the only writer they are targeting, but really book marketeers, three or four emails a day is three or four emails too much. I'm ignoring you for a reason.

Happy World Bookshop day! #bookSky #writingandbooks

Eeeew to garlic-mayo scented books, but an entertaining, non-aromatic, article.

A one minute, flash-fiction read for the Halloween month.

I was hoping to announce a new piece of flash fiction by yours truly today, but it doesn't seem to have gone live yet. The complications of different timezones. Feel free to check back tomorrow to see if my writing has crossed the dateline...

Ironically the most segregated community in the UK is the English upper class.

reminder that you can be the gentlest, kindest person--you can dedicate your life to protecting the planet!--and still keep a little list of people you fucking hate. it's okay to be angry! anger is a symptom of giving a shit!

I have a shiny new, bitter-sweet story of between the wars published in the October issue of Corncrake. You can read "An Easy Life" here: corncrakemag.com #writing

I've just found a greater number of posts from people I'm following under the Discover tab than the Following tab. BlueSky, what is up?

Pic 36 in my brick wall series. More dutch brick c/o the Rijksmuseum #brickinthewall

Whilst an appointment to the Church of England is not my concern, I'm pleased they have finally appointed a woman.

A poem for National Poetry Day. The theme of the day is "Play". I don't have any really on-theme poems, but this one is, more or less, about colouring. #poetry #NationalPoetryDay #YearsAgoYouColouredMe

RIP Brian Patten

Small Publishers Fair returns to London's Conway Hall later this month, with 66 UK & international publishers, a special exhibition, and readings & talks. Fri 24 & Sat 25 October (11am-7pm) FREE, all welcome Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL Further details: smallpublishersfair.co.uk

Our blogs have a new look: bit.ly/BL-Blogs All previously published blogs will be available in our archive, launching in coming weeks. Watch this space for an update on when that goes live.