Word of the day, should you be feeling a little huffish, is ‘apanthropy’ (18th century): a love of solitude and the desire to be away from other people.

I feel like the wheels are coming off and I’m unravelling. This is a tough time of year for neurodivergent families. Throw in some perimenopausal existential angst and it’s a perfect storm. I am retreating with books blankets and tea 💆🏻‍♀️

F wesstreeting and this damaging hateful narrative

Stunning winter’s day for a long walk & a creative boost

Polite public announcement: I'm taking an extended break from reviewing books in order to rebalance my workload and focus on my writing. Publisher/PR people: best not to send me proofs. Likewise, blurb requests. I have always tried to be supportive but I need to read for my own writing now. 🙏

20 more mins of this and my husband is already beyond grumpy! We’re going to need stronger drink 🥃🫣 #IREvRSA

One day I WILL travel to India. It has always held a special place in my heart, yet a country I only understand via the literature I’ve read. In the meantime this new epic (in every sense) will suffice #booksky #amreading #GreatEasternHotel #RuchirJoshi @4thestatebooks.bsky.social

72 hours until I can get back here. The mountain of work and life-stuff that needs to happen between now and then seems insurmountable but Connemara, I’m coming for you 💚

Another working week done and once again I’m coiled like a spring. Going to sack off my usual Friday chores and get in a sneaky nap to see if it will reset my nervous system somewhat ahead of a busy weekend.

🏳️‍🌈📚 Not gonna lie, our books? They damn slap. Plot twists. Vibes. Chaos. Feels. Wreckage. If you’re not reading us yet, what are you doing? #SapphicSky #LGBTQSky #BookSky

#SlantingTowardsTheSea by @lidijahilje.bsky.social I’m only two chapters in and this is giving me ALL the feels! #amreading

Happy 100th @natlibscot.bsky.social Thank you to all the librarians & cleaners & accountants & coffee-shop folk & all the other staff & volunteers who take care of Scotland’s stories & open our doors to the world. Proud to be a Centenary Champ with Val McDermid. www.theguardian.com/books/2025/j...

Living my best life today: I’ve descaled the kettle AND the coffee machine 🤣

The best 3 days solo writing retreat. I’ve come back, not necessarily refreshed (as I was writing like a demon day & night), but with renewed clarity and focus. Very grateful to have had this opportunity in the beautiful Surrey Hills. #writingcommunity #retreatyourself

Nooooo 🥺

2 more days of work then I’m off on my solo writing mini break 🙌

Uk dwellers: can anyone help me get a copy within the UK? Waterstones showing as unavailable, even online is delivery August-October? What gives? Desperate to get my paws on a copy 🙏 #WallyLamb #BookSky #BookLovers

Participated in a wonderful sensory walk this afternoon as part of our work ‘away day’. Thought I was good at connecting with nature but this was next level. Managed to do some journalling mid walk too #alwayscarryanotebook

@andreatromans.bsky.social 🖤🦇😭

Booked myself a cheeky 2 night solo writing retreat for next month. I’m going to try and leave my chronic levels of procrastination and perfectionism at the door and get this novel ready for submission.

First day of no school-run-shenanigans means a quiet coffee in my garden with serotonin-boosting sunlight on my eyelids before I start my working week. Don’t forget to carve out some “you time” time today, no matter how small ❤️‍🩹 #itsthesmallthings

Can't believe I am saying this, but I'm getting booked up for September! Do get in touch if you're thinking of getting some honest, helpful, affordable feedback on your manuscript after the summer to make sure I have you on my list! www.elspells.com

In the interest of connecting more with the roots of the book community... Please share with me what you're reading/what you've loved this year and what you're excited to read next Or ask for a rec? Just chat books with me!!! 💞💞💞 #BookSky

#Writers #Creatives can anyone recommend a journal/notebook with high gsm please that has alternate lined and blank pages? Or am I asking for the moon? #writingcommunity #journalling

Send help 🥵

Happiest of publication days to @laurasrobinson.bsky.social and this absolutely stunning book #TheArtOfALie. It was wonderful to hear Laura talk about her inspiration behind the book & some of the research she undertook. Here she is last night at her event at #WareLibrary. Out now! 🎉💚🍍

Good morning. We are open. 📖☕️

What an opening page!! #FlightBehaviour by #BarbaraKingsolver

Thrilled that THE ART OF A LIE is in @goodhousekeeping.bsky.social '20 hottest books of the summer' feature. And in some very lovely company! 🍍🍦💚

Thrilled to be taking #TheBlackbirdsofStGiles to @NairnFest in September! Join me and @Marciathewriter when we discuss our ‘outsider history’ novel with the brilliant @seanlusk1 on Friday Sept 5th 🐦‍⬛💚🐦‍⬛

Epsom salts bath, freshly laundered towels and bed linen dried outside, a glass of wine, some dark chocolate and new books. #Sundaynightdoneright

Such a brilliant way to kick start my weekend with a zoom with @menigestew tonight; chatting all things writing and books. That man is a diamond

Cannot wait to get my paws on this! So exciting. Congratulations @jenniegauthor.bsky.social 🙌

FYI when we say ‘ugh where did summer go/how is it still raining/oh such a shame it’s grey today’ We really mean ‘what a great excuse to cancel plans/reading to the sound of rain is so cosy/can’t wait to get home to my book’ 🤗

Once again, Elspells Writing Feedback is going into a new month just about fully booked! Thank you to all my lovely clients 😊🎉 Please do get in touch ASAP if you want to get pencilled in for JULY! www.elspells.com

My medieval mystics novel, For Thy Great Pain Have Mercy On My Little Pain, currently costs just 209 of your shiny pennies on Kindle! (I have had one gin (one!) and got my own title wrong the first time I tried to post this. 😂🥂)

Launched my Substack today! Interesting to see how it goes… I find Substack a really great medium just now for connecting with people

#booksky #books Fiction recommendations please set in Hebridean islands. Not Peter May - I’ve read most of his. Thanks 🙏

Overcooked myself at work this week, so this afternoon has looked like this 📚🐕

BOOK NEWS! Susie Dent @susiedent.com has a new book coming out in September. "Words for Life". Offering year's supply of verbal vitamin shots guaranteed to entertain and enlighten! And Susie will be doing SIGNED & DEDICATED copies exclusively for us! Order HERE. tinyurl.com/3b2rtkc4

Can anyone recommend a good explanatory book/guide/website for getting started on Substack please 🙏

Anyone know how to remove/disable the AI thing from WhatsApp chats? 😤

A couple of hours of me-time. Some edits Some reading A cheeky cocktail 🍹 🙏

A new low, even by Streeting/Telegraph standards Telling kids to "toughen up" in a cultural climate of permacrisis - instead of investing in the failing systems accelerating that crisis - should warrant a swift kick to the (figurative, and possibly also literal) bollocks, not a broadsheet op-ed

Call for Work: Autistic Protest Poetry This call for work seeks poetry by autistic writers that is socially-engaged, politically-charged, and geared toward raising our voices together against oppression and erasure. Deadline: July 1st More details: medium.com/anomalyblog/...

If you have a printer that works, then time to stop doing whatever it is someone else is making you do. Get yourself a good book to read... maybe sit in a park somewhere. If you haven't got a printer that works, you should have done this hours ago.

Books packed and everything prepared for The Mithraeum Connection launch in Norwich tomorrow! A dark and brooding historical crime novel from the brilliant Stephanie Amey, you can order the book here: www.northodox.co.uk/product-page...

If you think trying to access mental health care for young people is a nightmare in this country - think again when it comes to the vulnerable elderly 😭

Dog walk and petrichor are a much-needed balm