Feeling so good about the manuscript I'm working on. What a privilege to write about things that excite and challenge me. That's when you know you've chosen the right project!

I'm sitting and working in the garden. OUTSIDE. And it's not raining? Those in the UK will understand how amazing and strange this feels after the past few months. Bring on Spring! 🙌

Beautiful crocuses in my garden

My third novel, The Wandering Queen, is a historical fiction retelling of the legendary Queen Dido - founder of Carthage and tragic heroine of Virgil's Aeneid. Out now in the UK and US! 📚

I'm very grateful to Dr Alicia Matz for her academic review of my new novel, The Wandering Queen. If you're interested in Dido or the issue of reinterpreting the classics for modern audiences, this is a great read!

So thrilled with this review from the Historical Novel Society, for my new novel The Wandering Queen. The book is out next week, in the UK and the US! 🏺📚 historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/the-...

Behold this lovely thread, which ranges from an artist who has definitely seen a zebra, to an artist who has definitely not seen a zebra. 🏺

My new novel is out next week! Here's a cool little promo. Just absolutely in love with this cover for the US edition.

I'm starting a new series with Seed Talks! "The History of Greek Mythology", opening in Brixton & online on 18th February 🏺 More dates to come 🏺 www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-histor...

Look at this flat. You will not regret it. www.thisiscolossal.com/2025/01/ron-...

Just finished drafting 'Part 2' (/4) of my latest manuscript, and feeling pretty chuffed about that! I almost didn't take on this project because I was intimidated by it, but it's coming together one paragraph at a time. Happy Friday everyone!

I don't think we talk enough about how smoked mackerel is the tastiest food in the world

Have a feeling Medea would have really vibed with Lily Allen's West End Girl album

Starting to see some really lovely early reviews for my upcoming novel, THE WANDERING QUEEN - out next February. Always a relief when you're putting new work out into the world! It's available for preorder if you'd like to treat your future self.

Around half way through The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley and finding it enjoyable, original, and highly impressive - especially for a debut. Just brilliant, thoughtful fiction.

Going back through my photos from Athens, and thought I would share this beautiful Mycenaean object from the National Archaeological Museum 🏺 Label: 'Bronze dagger with inlaid decoration. A Nilotic landscape with felines chasing aquatic birds among papyrus flowers is depicted on the blade.'

My new novel, THE WANDERING QUEEN, is one of the chosen titles in the Waterstones 25% off preorder sale. Preorder using code OCTOBER25 between now and Friday, and get a juicy 25% off! #WPreorder THE WANDERING QUEEN is a Dido retelling, out in February 2026

Was prehistory a feminist paradise?

Friends in UK/ those with friends in UK, please share widely! 🤗 @corabeth.bsky.social @lucianixon.bsky.social @armanddangour.bsky.social @gregwoolf.bsky.social @lejenksbrown.bsky.social @emilylhauser.bsky.social

A marvellous scene of daily life for #ReliefWednesday: A #Roman funerary relief depicting the transport of two (wine?) barrels on a four wheeled cart pulled by two oxen. A #dog, probably the driver's beloved companion, is sitting on the barrels. 🧵1/2 🏺 #archaeology

Today I'm researching Ancient Greek riddles, but can you solve the riddle that, according to one account, caused Homer to die from vexation? Posed to him by some boys on the island of Cos: 'What we caught, we threw away. What we did not catch, we kept.'

There's a giveaway running over on Goodreads for advance copies of my new novel, THE WANDERING QUEEN! If you're based in the US you can enter for a chance to win 1 of 10 copies. Open until 29th September. Good luck! 🤞 www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sho...

Working on a new Greek myth retelling where sooo many of the the characters have names beginning with A. And I just know this is going to be confusing for readers but also... those are their names? Sorry in advance, I guess! #amwriting

There are so many amazing finds from prehistoric pile dwellings settlements: 3,500-year-old wooden whisks found in settlements at the Lake Carera/Italy. By rotating the shaft, it’s possible to whip cream until it turns into butter. Larger whisks were presumably used for.... 🧵 1/2 #archaeology 🏺

There's a replica Spanish galleon in Bristol harbour? Say no more.

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Every British person on the internet is complaining about you

I have a new book coming out next year! THE WANDERING QUEEN is a historical fiction retelling of the legendary Queen Dido. Cover reveal for the UK hardback edition:

A Dido and Aeneas #MosaicMonday. The Low Ham #Roman mosaic shows the tragic love story. A 4th century AD piece found in the bath block, the oldest object in Britiain that tells a complete story. shorturl.at/3QrPK 📷 The Museum of Somerset #AncientBlueSky #ClassicsBlueSky #archaeology

Spending my afternoon researching prehistoric beekeeping 🐝

A more than 3000-year-old Egyptian basket of coiled palm fibre with a lid. Baskets served as household containers and were frequently placed in tombs, containing grave goods such as jewelry or food offerings. The basket has been remarkably preserved because of Egypt's arid desert climate. 1/2 📷me 🏺

Every museum had a perfect little zoomorphic guy, and this is the one from the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. A hedgehog? 2800-2300 BC 🏺

Ten years in the making and I finally made it to Mycenae! I set half of my first novel, DAUGHTERS OF SPARTA, here and have been desperate to see the site with my own eyes ever since. Surreal and special experience 🏺

"Stop procrastinating" in cuneiform: "Why don't you write your tablet and do your homework? If you don't, they will say: "Is *this* the sister of Sheru'a-eṭirat, eldest daughter of the Succession Palace of Ashur-etel-ilani-mukinni, the great king, mighty king, king of the world, king of Assyria?"

Gorgeous object 😍 You'll find this game featured in my new novel, out next year

This is high art

#ReliefWednesday - Melian terracotta plaque showing the return of Odysseus disguised as a beggar: ca. 460-450 BC. Penelope appears distraught, but it looks as if Eumaeus is so shocked his hat's popped off! #AncientBluesky 🏺 Image: MMoA, New York (30.11.9). Link - metmuseum.org/art/collecti...

Did I buy an intaglio amethyst necklace so I could feel like a Roman lady? Yes I did. Would I recommend it? Yes I would.

Tickets still available - this Friday! 📚🏺

Four Greek myth books in one go! Come and see us at Waterstones Covent Garden, we’d love to say hi 😎

I'll be at Covent Garden Waterstones next Friday to chat about myth retellings with Natasha Pulley, Laura Shepperson, and Claire North. Book a ticket if you'd like to join us! #booksky www.waterstones.com/events/natas...

The paperback of my comedian’s guide to autism is out today! I get about a message a day saying the book helped them understand their husband/wife/child/parent or even that they have recommended the book to their client/teaching establishment! I’d appreciate any shares! ❤️ 👉🏻 geni.us/pierrenovell...

A thing that makes me happy: spring flowers

This relief is a Buddhist interpretation of the fall of Troy. From Gandhara - now part of Pakistan and Afghanistan - it depicts the Greek warrior Sinon and King Priam pushing the horse towards Troy, while the Trojan priest Laocoön obstructs it and Cassandra predicts disaster. 🏺 100-200 CE. 📸 me

The Mithraeum in London is an amazing place to visit. Not only is the Roman temple to Mithras on display, but there are some fabulous ancient artefacts to see too! #SiteSaturday #RomanArchaeology #AncientBlueSky 📷 my own

10% of the way through a new manuscript and I'm feeling the writing buzz. You know when the ideas and the characters and the words just feel fizzy in your brain? That's the best way I can describe it! Needed this after the editing trenches. #AmWriting #WriteSky

For me, the most incredible artefacts from the ancient world are the letters people wrote on clay tablets and sent to one another over thousands of years in Mesopotamia, going back to more than 5,000 years ago. They contain recognisable humanity, warmth and humour. Here's a thread of my favourites.

It’s 🇬🇧 publication day! My debut novel has flown the nest & is now yours to enjoy. I hope you all love NEPHTHYS. Please do get a copy & leave a review, & if you see it out in the wild then I’d love to see photos. Now available in bookshops!!

Was great to watch this production of Medea at the Loft theatre in Leamington Spa! Still on until Saturday

Three days left to enter The Bristol Short Story Prize. @bristolshortstory.bsky.social #FlashFiction #ShortStories Deadline: 31 January Genre: any Word count: 4,000 max (no min) 1st Prize: £1,000 In-person awards day: June 7th bssp.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/rules/