What have you done to ease your inner peace? I turned off news notifications the night before the traitors final. I do not miss them at all. Not seeing whatever the media wants me to, and making a conscious choice to only look when I have emotional capacity has made a small, consistent difference

Hope everyone has had a great weekend with @spotlightindie.bsky.social !

The Big Indie Weekend runs 20th and 22nd February - panels and live chats, plus daily giveaways and the launch of our Patreon. Get ready for an epic indie weekend! #writingcommunity #indieauthors @bengalley.bsky.social @adrianmgibson.bsky.social @hannafordjenny.bsky.social @llmacrae.bsky.social

A change of scene- to the lounge. Frustratingly someone’s has changed location too and this laptop is getting pushed closer and closer to me!

A day off from gardening today , thanks to the drizzle, and very sore arms. Time to get some extra writing done instead. It’s windy without the brambles so might just sneak out between showers and try to get the screening up… maybe…

I hit yo use a chainsaw for the first time today!! So much fun

I had briefly considered trying to record some content over half term. My voice has decided it’s also having a holiday . 😂

Sometimes we “kill our darlings” as authors. Today I shall take great delight in dumping a chunk of text I have decided I hate. It’s okay if it’s not working to start again. It might have worked as a story if I’d kept at it. But I viscerally hate this bit. It’s going, straight after coffee.

Sat in a car trying to recharge my battery. It’s started and got home, but the dread of the next time I try to start it, is real. Going to have to go on a bit of a drive on my next day off, I think. Yes- I possibly need a new battery too

Today I tried something new. I booked a desk at a local hot desk hub, so I wasn’t distracted by anything but good coffee, and it worked. I love working from home, but also apparently my brain likes a change too.

I wrote the 1st book I published in 2020. The Skin. It’s about a stabby Selkie with a real issue with bullies. Chapter 34 contains these words… We followed others back through the guarded archway while the king spouted a rambling speech about nothing and everything, but mostly about himself. 1/2

Some days writing like words. And some days it looks like tax returns.

The biggest challenge of being a DM for authors is knowing how twisty their plots are… So I know how twisty they can think And I have to prepare for them to do anything. Also. My groups are rolling high for weeks and I am rolling appallingly. When this changes- it’s going to get spicy

Me- I struggle with brain space for marketing, and it takes me away from writing. Also me- doom scrolls for an hour. #writing #author #procrastinate

Accidentally putting a ball of will in the washing machine with fabric was every bit as chaotic and ridiculous as you would expect

I have a high pitched radiator squeal. No problem- I have a radiator key that was left here when we moved in. right? The key is for none of the radiators in this house. The radiator is still screaming, I have fished out ear plugs

Do you have an album or singer that just lights joy in your chest. Regardless of how that album might have aged? For me it’s Bat out of Hell. One and two It literally makes me relive all the happiness those albums and concerts and the stage show made me feel

I wrote some badly spelled but useable words this morning, and it’s snowing!!

I wrote some badly spelled but useable words this morning, and it’s snowing!!

2025 has been a year of change. Home, country, job… It’s been a lot of great things but they have taken a lot out of me. I’m ready for a shiny new year. Finishing Gates and on to shiny new projects!!

I just made prawn cocktail , for only the second time since I made it with Covid lack of taste and smell. I still vividly remember my poor husband trying valiantly to eat something that must have been entirely inedible n my attempt to be able to taste it!

I’m at my desk… and I found a little snippet as I started to write. Who do you think it is about?

So… I guess I had better finish Gates. I feel a little like Elissa-but wrangling words… ‘In all her days in Dragonsbreath, at no point could she have imagined that one day, she’d be enticing reluctant dragons into places she wanted to go.‘

Today has been a ‘day.’ I am going to drink mulled wine, eat cheese , and play Wanderstop, which thanks to @sennydreadful.bsky.social apparently I had the premonition to buy in advance of today!!

If I owe you returned contact, or a job or task, it’s on my list and I’m frantically working through it! Hopefully I’ll have caught up with everyone by Friday. If i made a promise of an interview, or anything else and you haven’t heard by then, please message me.

I teach from home. I have a dog. She is quite protective over our house. The gas board are digging up my drive this morning. This is going to be ‘fun.’

Why… Why do Word and pages have different numbers of lines per page? This is driving me mad.

Recognising when to stop is just as important as pushing through. Tired editing is going to need checking twice. As this last check through appears to be proving to me.

Daily Challenge 8: Out Of This World - Share a science fiction book you loved! Reply or repost with your answer to enter, and remember to include the tag #AMoRaR

I wrote a repugnant character with a good heart. Friend 1 - I love him. I wrote a guy whose entire obsession in life is power. Friend 2 - I want to be his friend .

It's A Month of Rain & Reads, and it's Tuesday, which means it's Interview Day. Today, we hear from British multi-genre author Julian M. Miles (@rafellin.bsky.social), about the life he's lived, the stories he's told, and tales yet to come: www.readindiefantasy.com/amorar-inter... #AMoRaR #BookSky

It’s been a short rest between cons… but I’m about to re-pack. Bristol was amazing. Thank you to everyone who came, it may have been smaller than usual, but it was still perfectly formed. If I didn’t get to say hi, let’s try to next year!

A round of applause please for @hannafordjenny.bsky.social for flying the indie flag with such effortless grace @bristolcon.bsky.social and thanks to everyone that came for being collectively amazing!

Oh, there's picture proof of me surviving a panel on #SPFBO at #BristolCon! The wonderful guest of honor @hannafordjenny.bsky.social moderating, @tomunro.bsky.social and @patricksamphire.bsky.social jumping in at the very last minute! The whiskey definitely helped with smoothing nerves...

You need this wonderful book in your life… just saying… Psttt it’s out today ! #cosy #fantasy #adventure #ownvoices #autism mybook.to/magicmapsand...

Time to pack!! Swarmrest is edited and with betas.

www.instagram.com/p/DQFytWsCPc... We’re coming…

Amazing!!! I’m looking forward to getting my hands on this anthology. Time for stretch goal!!

At World Fantasy Con, Brighton next week, we have a table as Indie Syndicate! If you’ve wanted a physical, signed book by any of us, now is your chance!! @robjhayes.bsky.social @grahamaustinking.bsky.social @aliciawanstallb.bsky.social @fantasticphil.bsky.social @davidgreenwriter.bsky.social

I am SOOO excited to see so many friends over the next couple of weeks starting with Bristol Con then World Fantasy Con!! Because of our move, I haven’t seen most people since last October. And I can’t wait to HUG you all!! And I know I’ll get to meet some people I have never met in person too!

Queer urban fantasy with Celtic mythology? As a treat? And less than £1 for either ebook or audiobook? You deserve it 😘 shop.ravenswordpress.com/products/jac...

It’s coming in for spooky season… and I have a cosy, witch novella about a group who lose their familiars, just before the intervillage games… Trouble is brewing in Unfamiliared, with a few soggy boots! 📚🐉 #cosyfantasy #autumn #witch #book

See this face? And this shell? Cariad has once again found the snail out of the tank… and nursed it until I realised he had it, and put it back in! As for the ‘innocent’ in this situation. I only took the coaster off the open tank corner last night! #friends #frenemies #dog #runaway #snail #pets

Who is excited for Bristol and Brighton this month? Who do I know coming to either of them? #bristoncon #worldfantasycon #books #fantasy

Welll… Offering a tickerisation prize leads to some funny emails I suppose. How would you like to die today? And in which world. What shall I call you as I arrange your (literary) departure? 😂

How did I get this far into the month, before remembering it’s #Inktober? I haven’t hit any new hectors prepared this year, but I love looking at the posts.

So tired that I just got into a yawn-off with my dog!

I know it’s outside my usual content. But big boobed girls, GO AND GET FITTED properly. By a bra shop. Yes it’s expensive to get the expensive bras… BUT My back ache is gone, I have to stand properly now, ( better for posture !) Plus I can’t remember when they last looked this flipping good!

My job for today appears to be the annual… ooops I haven’t updated my website for a year day

The new book has gone to alpha readers… Now, I wait.