Tom Gaisford
@tomgaisfordwriter.bsky.social
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Barrister and writer; author of SANCTUARY
https://www.cintopress.co.uk/sanctuary.html
Highly recommend this debut legal thriller by none other than the
@barristersecret.bsky.social
, recently published by
@picadorbooks.bsky.social
👌🏼👏
substack.com/@tomgaisford...
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The Cut Throat Trial by the Secret Barrister, writing as S.J. Fleet.
A review
https://substack.com/@tomgaisford/note/p-174329779?r=4e6hpk&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
2 days ago
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reposted by
Tom Gaisford
Linda Hill
6 days ago
Not quite sure how Sanctuary by
@tomgaisfordwriter.bsky.social
reached me but it sounds fascinating and is out in paperback from Cinto at the end of October Thank you Clare!
www.cintopress.co.uk/sanctuary.html
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reposted by
Tom Gaisford
Nicola Kelly
7 days ago
Next Thursday 25th, I'll be speaking about my book 'Anywhere But Here'
@southwarkcathedral.bsky.social
. And... tickets are only a fiver! Get them here, see you there.
share.google/JIo5NLVyfZ59...
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Anywhere but Here: Britain's Broken Asylum System - Southwark Cathedral
A talk by Nicola Kelly
https://share.google/JIo5NLVyfZ59ThaCV
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substack.com/@tomgaisford...
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Tom Gaisford (@tomgaisford)
Another stunning sketch by Magdalen Hashimi; another beautifully understated animation by Chris Keenan. The scene, from my debut novel, Sanctuary, depicts Alex’s night walk through London with Amy, a...
https://substack.com/@tomgaisford/note/c-149950859?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=4e6hpk
28 days ago
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open.substack.com/pub/tomgaisf...
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The Adventure of a Lifetime:
when I unwittingly became Chris Martin
https://open.substack.com/pub/tomgaisford/p/the-adventure-of-a-lifetime?r=4e6hpk
about 1 month ago
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reposted by
Tom Gaisford
Jo McMillan
about 1 month ago
Insider knowledge makes this novel special. Years of experience in asylum and immigration law have been turned into a drama that’s propulsive and intricately plotted, has razor-sharp dialogue and is just waiting to be brought to the screen.
shorturl.at/o0fBX
@tomgaisfordwriter.bsky.social
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Sanctuary, the debut novel by Tom Gaisford
Can novice refugee lawyer, Alex, prove himself worthy of the job and the woman he adores? In SANCTUARY, desperation reigns, art mirrors life and twisty thriller meets witty love story.
https://shorturl.at/o0fBX
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Excellent interview and well worth a listen. This is what leadership looks like.
add a skeleton here at some point
about 1 month ago
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‘New on Ratio Podcast: Dr Luke McDonagh speaks with LSE alum, barrister & novelist Tom Gaisford about his career, the move from solicitor to barrister, and how his work in immigration and asylum law inspired his new book, Sanctuary. Listen now on Spotify:
open.spotify.com/episode/6Rk8...
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about 1 month ago
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open.substack.com/pub/tomgaisf...
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'Once more I sense my breathing becoming shallow...'
Collaboration, Part II (contains strong language)
https://open.substack.com/pub/tomgaisford/p/once-more-i-sense-my-breathing-becoming?r=4e6hpk
about 1 month ago
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A bit more about me and the book…
@cintopress.bsky.social
@bathpublishing.bsky.social
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about 2 months ago
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Greatly enjoyed collaborating on this 👇🏻
open.substack.com/pub/tomgaisf...
@chriskeegan.bsky.social
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'It's hard to say how ideas come to you...'
A collaboration
https://open.substack.com/pub/tomgaisford/p/its-hard-to-say-how-ideas-come-to?r=4e6hpk
about 2 months ago
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Book recommendation 👌🏼👇🏼
#TheAccidentalImmigrants
by
@jomcmillan.bsky.social
(publisher:
ofmooseandmen.bsky.social
, 2025).
open.substack.com/pub/tomgaisf...
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Postcard from St Mira
A short review of The Accidental Immigrants by Jo McMillan
https://open.substack.com/pub/tomgaisford/p/postcard-from-st-mira?r=4e6hpk
about 2 months ago
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'Sanctuary was conceived in the arrivals queue at Stansted airport. It was my first time and the whole thing was over in a matter of seconds.' Little piece I wrote on the highs and lows of writing my debut novel,
#Sanctuary
.
open.substack.com/pub/tomgaisf...
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Beware the Muse...
On writing my debut novel, Sanctuary
https://open.substack.com/pub/tomgaisford/p/beware-the-muse?r=4e6hpk&utm_medium=ios
about 2 months ago
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reposted by
Tom Gaisford
Tom Fletcher
about 2 months ago
This is progress, but vast amounts more aid needed to stave off famine and a catastrophic health crisis in Gaza. Across UN agencies and humanitarian community, we are mobilized to save as many lives as we can.
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V. grateful for this lovely review of Sanctuary by Barbara Hungin of Justice First in their summer newsletter -
justicefirst.org.uk
2 months ago
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open.substack.com/pub/tomgaisf...
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Forty Years of Avoidable Deaths at Sea
My interview with Rafael Quirós - June 2025, Zahara de los Atunes, Cádiz
https://open.substack.com/pub/tomgaisford/p/forty-years-of-avoidable-deaths-at?r=4e6hpk
3 months ago
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reposted by
Tom Gaisford
Nicola Kelly
3 months ago
Book post! Looking forward to these by
@jomcmillan.bsky.social
and
@tomgaisfordwriter.bsky.social
.
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My review of
#WeCameBySea
by the brilliant
@horatioclare.bsky.social
open.substack.com/pub/tomgaisf...
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We Came By Sea by Horatio Clare - a review
(Little Toller Books, 2025)
https://open.substack.com/pub/tomgaisford/p/we-came-by-sea-by-horatio-clare?r=4e6hpk
3 months ago
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reposted by
Tom Gaisford
Lucy Popescu
3 months ago
Two books for
#RefugeeWeek
: Determination by
#TawseefKhan
and Sanctuary by
#TomGaisford
camdennewjournal.co.uk/article/i-wo...
@counterpoints.org.uk
#refugeeswelcome
@refugeeaction.bsky.social
@newjournal.bsky.social
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‘I would finish a scene, only to witness it play out in real life a short while later’
In Refugee Week, Lucy Popescu talks to two debut authors about the UK asylum system
https://camdennewjournal.co.uk/article/i-would-finish-a-scene-only-to-witness-it-play-out-in-real-life-a-short-while-later
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reposted by
Tom Gaisford
Big Green Books (Simon)
4 months ago
I have a lovely
#buyastrangerabook
offer from
@tomgaisfordwriter.bsky.social
. Tom's offering to buy someone a copy of Exactly What You Mean by Ben Hinshaw. Check it out and get in touch if it's one that you'd like. UK only
add a skeleton here at some point
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reposted by
Tom Gaisford
Ana Gonzalez
5 months ago
Just finished reading
#sanctuary
, the first novel written by my talented friend
@tomgaisfordwriter.bsky.social
. The plot revolves around Alex an asylum solicitor desperate to make a difference for his very vulnerable clients in the cold UK asylum system. Very highly recommended! Link below
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reposted by
Tom Gaisford
Lit Hub
7 months ago
What makes a good villain? 15 writers on how to be good at crafting characters who are bad.
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What makes a good villain? 15 writers weigh in.
Putting together our bracket to determine the best villain in literature brought up a lot of existential questions about villains: What makes a good one? Can a character be villainous without being…
https://lithub.com/what-makes-a-good-villain-15-writers-weigh-in/
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Publisher’s smart new poster for the book 👇
7 months ago
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reposted by
Tom Gaisford
Irish Literary Times
7 months ago
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/04/b...
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Harper Lee’s Early Short Stories to Be Published for the First Time
Before she published “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Lee had written short stories in which she explored some of its themes and characters.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/04/books/harper-lee-land-of-sweet-forever.html
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reposted by
Tom Gaisford
Jenny O’Brien
8 months ago
Lovely to catch up with
@tomgaisfordwriter.bsky.social
Can’t wait to read Sanctuary!
www.amazon.co.uk/Sanctuary-gr...
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Amazon.co.uk
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sanctuary-gripping-thriller-author-Gaisford/dp/1917447027/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=2WJGKZEDR8DRT&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.qdN9-Tc0fQ4wKWynlsCiiQ.N_UiEWZsQIXC-0gK2kAUbGuoBWe1K6S6CiEVQ4glyFE&dib_tag=se&keywords=sanctuary+tom+gaisford&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1736947847&sprefix=tom+gaisford%2Caps%2C164&sr=8-1
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