I haven't done a social media for a while because I had a brain melting fever for about a week and a half. The good news is I no longer have the brain melting fever. The bad news is I've got nothing to talk about because it melted my brain.

It's time for part 2 of our conversation with @theengineer.bsky.social as Darran M. Handshaw joins @frasierarmitage.bsky.social and Amber to troubleshoot some writerly problems youtu.be/uxMtWGKIVZQ?...

Anytime I'm at a train station, I put my headphones on and play a game where I assume something positive about every person I see. 'They look like they'd be polite to restaurant staff, 'I bet they've never cheated at Monopoly'. I've no idea if any of it is true, but it makes the world seem nicer.

Absolutely gutted not to be going to Bristolcon or now Brighton this year 😢 the whole house is currently infected with what sounds like the plague. I'm currently the only person still standing but I suspect infection is imminent. Next year, people!

New video up on Spotlight Indie. It's 10% dice rolling, 20% wombats, 70% facial hair and 100% awesome. No beards were harmed in the making of this video.

You've met the gang, now find out what they do. Amazon link: books2read.com/u/mdvY2w My website thedeepdarkscave.com

My writing: Death!Despair! Evisceration! My writing mug:

In today's episode of 'Why Aren't You Writing Your Book, Tinsley?': I've brought a new blender and now I must make ALL the soups, put them in the freezer and never ever eat them.

It's shaping up to be another awesome day over at Spotlight Indie!

Very much looking forward to this discussion. Come join us at 9pm!

The second day of our big indie weekend is half way through and we've just posted this fantastic workshop on audio drama writing from Chris and Emily! This weekend just keeps getting better and better :)

This is a really good watch for anyone wanting to explore fusing historical influence or fact into their writing.

Join us in approx. 10 mins!

Going live with this in just over half an hour! Come and join us to work on projects and enjoy some author chat on this wet and stormy Saturday afternoon!

Day 2 - let's go! If you're a writer don't forget to join us for our live write-a-long session from 1pm with @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com @timhardieauthor.bsky.social and @ronitjauthor.com plus we have panels at 3pm, 5pm, 7pm and 9pm BST.

Our penultimate video of today - and it's a good one! This is a really interesting chat with lots of good insight!

Our third panel of the day just dropped on Spotlight Indie, and our first live panel starts in just under an hour!

Our second panel of the day is up now and available to watch!

I'm very excited for our epic weekend of content, but I'm even MORE excited to be working with the incredible bunch of people who helped put it together, and I feel privileged to know and be able to work with them all. What an epic bunch of legendary sorts.

We've got a load of giveaways going on over at Spotlight Indie this week, including free book giveaways and this extremely exciting prize from the wonderful team at Alternative Stories. Head on over to our page to see what's on offer!

Our first giveaway to celebrate our Big Indie Weekend has just begun over on Spotlight Indie (yes we know it's only Wednesday but we've got a lot to squeeze in this week!).

Trying to work out if I can justify the cost of going to Brighton for Fantasy Con when I'm not actually going to the convention, but will be around for drinks and socialising in the evenings.

Happy launch day, Alex! The world needs more bad tempered talking badgers.

Excitement is mounting at Spotlight HQ as we get ready for next weekend, it's going to be a busy one but so much fun!

Eldest niece requested a vintage themed cupcake table for her birthday party. There may be frosting on my ceiling, flour in the carpet and I'll definitely be picking sprinkles off the floor for a month, but I'm pretty pleased with the results.

Very grateful to @nicksnapeauthor.bsky.social for this fantastic review of We Men of Ash and Shadow. So happy Vanguard has found another fan!

Me, even after five years, everytime someone says something kind like this about my book. Thank you

I'm looking forward to all of the panels during our Big Indie Weekend but I'm really looking forward to this one!

Very excited to be part of this, get the dates in your calendars!

Have you seen this? Spotlight Indie's Big Indie Weekend is coming, and I'm more excited about it than a book-loving puppy in a library full of cake.

We're live right now! Come and join us for some chilled out writing and chat

Looking forward to seeing everyone later for our live writing party - the last one was so much fun. The link is below for anyone wanting to join us between 2pm and 4pm. See you there!

Thank you @emmaladams12.bsky.social for such a brilliant review. I'm glad you enjoyed the floating nuns!

Looking forward to this. The last one was so much fun. Who's joining us this weekend? #writingcommunity #indieauthors #writers

We did it! Go Team Vanguard! 40 sales for my 40th birthday month. Jokes aside, thank you to everyone who brought, shared or recommended my book this month. You're all legends of the highest order. FYI the sale is still on until tomorrow: tinyurl.com/bde2nkyv

Want to help me hit my sale goal of 40 books for my 40th birthday this month (only 5 to go!)? Of course you do, because you're a good sort, you love books and that haircut looks great on you. Have you been working out? The Vanguard Chronicle ebooks - on sale now for 99p! tinyurl.com/bde2nkyv

Oi, Tinsley I hear you cry. How many more books do you have to sell to hit your birthday target of 40 books this month? Well I shall tell you via the medium of GIANT BADLY EDITED DICE. Go get yourself a grimdark low fantasy bargain here: tinyurl.com/bde2nkyv #indieauthors #booksky #indiebooks

For the evening crowd: The mission - to sell 40 books in the month I turn 40 (which happened yesterday). Current status: 10 books to go! We can do this! Here's the links to my grimdark, gaslamp, low fantasy series. Currently on sale for £0.99p. tinyurl.com/bde2nkyv

ICYMI, it was my birthday yesterday (why yes I am milking this for all the marketing it's worth) and as such I have set myself the target of selling 40 books this month. I only need to sell 12 more to succeed and incidentally, they're on sale right now ➡️tinyurl.com/bde2nkyv

A snarky grizzled protagonist past their prime embarks on an emotional rollercoaster, supported by a ragtag crew of loveable rogues and scoundrels. But enough about how I've spent my birthday. The first two books in The Vanguard Chronicles are just £0.99p for a limited time! tinyurl.com/bde2nkyv

Reasons to celebrate today: It's my birthday! Also the first 2 books in The Vanguard series are on sale right now! Why not celebrate one by purchasing the other for the very reasonable cost of 0.99p for the ebook? tinyurl.com/bde2nkyv #indiebook #indieauthor #BookSky

It was an absolute joy to have @adrianmgibson.bsky.social on the channel this month, this video has a lot of great advice in it on using your individual non-author skills to improve your author experience 😀

Currently only £5 away from our fundraising target! Please come and join in with the madness that is occurring www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAwF...

This is happening in 1.5(ish) hours! Hope to see some of you there!

I can't wait for this! Come along and watch us roll some dice and do some terrible Sean Bean impressions in the name of charity. Audience participation encouraged. Tomorrow at 7pm BST on the Spotlight Indie YouTube channel!

Things I have googled today while writing Vanguard 3: 1. What does my hippocampus look like? 2. When was the Gigli saw invented? 3. What's the best way to preserve a human brain? So by internet standards, I'm now a brain surgeon. If anyone is feeling a little headachey, give me a shout. I got you.

Check out who dropped into Spotlight Indie recently!

Highlights of my holiday so far: 1. Met an armadillo called Melon. 2. Successfully fired three cross bow bolts into the same target. 3. Went book shopping. 4. Watched a caterpillar traverse the entire length of a washing line because I had nothing else to do and nowhere to be.

I'm not saying 40 feels like a very different birthday to 30. What I am saying is that I recently made a pact with my coworkers and now they're all on Botox Watch.

OK, I'm in need of new random hobbies/activities to try. Hit me with your weird/unusual/niche hobby suggestions ⬇️