Periodical reminder: please place your orders by 15th Dec to allow postage time. (I've got top notch cards, book merch and stocking fillers, but relatively low stocks this year due to an MA deadline so don't sleep on ordering!). folksy.com/shops/france... #Mythology #Stationery #BookSky

Ever wanted to gift someone a membership to a Patreon creator but not known how? My latest blog post talks you through it step-by-step: francescasthoughts.com/2025/11/08/g... #Patreon #IndieBusiness #SmallBusiness

Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein is finally out on Netflix! I actually saw it in the cinema a few weeks ago and was immediately hooked. To celebrate the release I wanted to paint Jacob Elordi as del Toro's Creature in the style of The Fallen Angel by Alexandre Cabanel, so here it is :D

Trying to avoid mass consumerism this festive season? Give your fave small businesses time to mail your order! If you'd like a signed book, merch or stationery from my shop, I recommend ordering by 15th Dec. 📚 Shop: folksy.com/shops/france... 🌟 Digital gifts, ebooks etc: francescaswords.com #Folksy

HOT LIBRARY INTEL: you can ask your library to purchase specific titles for their collection, usually right through the library's website. Librarians can't know every single new title, nor can they mind-read what their patrons might want to check out. Give it a shot!

It is the first day of November— Throwback to this 2011 trailer I animated and composed for The Scorpio Races. (Notice the paint is still wet on a bunch of slides because I was so behind on a bunch of real deadlines while I was playing around with this).

Here's what happens when you buy an indie published urban fantasy novel with sprinkles of horror and political commentary this Halloween: a ghost says WO OOOO in both a ghostly and a supportive way. Also, the UK arts scene grows a tentacle. francescaswords.com/rotting-tree... #BookSky #Halloween

Check your spam! My next newsletter is about gifting my work this festive season, plus upcoming blog posts and fun projects. It’s going out on 3rd Nov, so keep a look out. Join us at francescas-words.kit.com/newsletter (and enjoy a free month of the No. 1 Readers’ Club!). #IndieCreator #IndieAuthor

Throwback to when I wrote a Bezzina's Emporium story about a killer plant francescaswords.wordpress.com/2023/09/25/g... #ShortStories

Looking for something different and mostly free to do today? (It’s All free unless you are enticed and start spending money on us traders 🤣). Loads of live performances and so many stalls to explore from makers to local charities. Sneinton #Nottingham 12 to 6, come say hi! #Samhain #paganpride

Tarot and chat for October is up! www.patreon.com/posts/tarot-... #Patreon

My latest blog post is answering questions about the inspiration and production process of my last short film, KENDRA'S ADVENTURES IN INFLUENCERLAND: francescasthoughts.com/2025/10/16/b... #ShortFilm #IndieFilm

We’re all being more careful with money. Small businesses may not be the cheapest, but it’s worth asking why. What are cheaper alternatives made from? Who is paid fairly in the chain? What is the quality? Will this item continue to delight? Shop considered, not cheaply. #smallbiz #makerslife

“How was it?” I always say selling in person is more than money on the day. It’s connecting with makers, discovering opportunities, enjoying folk find their perfect thing. Hopefully, you’re in someone’s mind for future sales. Some days, it can feel difficult. Hugs to all who bought, or chatted!

UK start-up Books By People has launched a new certification – the Organic Literature Certification – with a group of independent publishing houses to “counter AI-generated books” 👇 #BookSky

Semi-regular reminder that you can find ROTTING TREES in a couple of bricks and mortar shops: Carpe Noctem in Frome, Somerset, and Books-on-Sea in Southend-on-Sea in Essex. You can also request it to any local bookshop! francescaswords.com/rotting-tree... #BookSky #SouthendOnSea #Frome #IndieBook

A reader asked me if every detail in THE LISTENERS was historically accurate, then clarified what she really wanted to know: did J. Edgar Hoover REALLY use three exclamation points in letters to his agents? Yes!!! Happy to report this is historically accurate punctuation usage for him.

A great article from Rachel, who really understands the heart and soul of Dad’s work.

Discworld QOTD, from Snuff

Psst, you can read the opening chapters of ROTTING TREES (young adult, witchy, bad decision making) completely free: ko-fi.com/s/621e00a660 #BookSky #IndieAuthor #IndieBook #YAReads

2025 going down in history as the year I decided I am never becoming a YouTuber

Happy October! I love when it gets to spooky season, I'm making the most of autumn at the moment with colourful leaf decor and plenty of pumpkin spice 🎃 I actually made this as a character reference for artfight in the midst of several heatwaves. I'm glad it's finally season-appropriate 😛

etiquette tip: if you are on an airplane next to a novelist who is working on a chapter on her laptop, PRETEND HER SCREEN IS BLANK DO NOT READ OVER HER SHOULDER WHAT ARE YOU DOING STOP NO STOP I CANNOT WORK UNDER THESE CONDITIONS

Sending October's newsletter out on Monday! Sign up to get a complimentary month of access to the No. 1 Readers' Club alongside monthly-ish emails from me: francescas-words.kit.com/2c2c49b312

Bookshop.org has launched a new e-book platform, enabling indie bookshops to access the growing e-book market in the UK 👇 #BookSky

In honour of Pumpkin Season, here's a short story I wrote last year, SPOOKY SEASON SHENANIGANS, in the Ines' Adventures in Paganism series (each story is a standalone, no need to read in any order). Ines just wants a day off!!! francescaswords.wordpress.com/2024/11/20/s... #BookSky #SpookySeason

September's tarot & chat is up for the No. 1 Readers' Club! Talking about pushing back mirrornovel, my MA adventures and more (plus a lovely reading I reckon): www.patreon.com/posts/tarot-... #BookSky #WritingCommunity #AmWriting

This giveaway is open til the end of today! #BookSky #YALit #EbookGiveaway

New blog post! A Read, If You Like... for 'Julie Chan is Dead' by Liann Zhang, which I read in one sitting: francescasthoughts.com/2025/08/27/r... #BookSky

This dog already saw this week's news and decided her dad didn't need to know all that. 14/10 (Sasha via ViralHog)

Still offering complimentary authenticity reading/sensitivity reading services as I move into more manuscript work! Feel free to ask questions and I'll always recommend another reader if I think they're more suited to your project. #AuthenticityReader #SensivityReader #BookSky

Giving away ebooks of my last two novels, The Princess and the Dragon and Other Stories About Unlikely Heroes (2020) and Rotting Trees (2025). Just sign up to my monthly-ish mailing list by 28th August. Next newsletter goes out circa 8th Sept! Sign up: francescas-words.kit.com/2c2c49b312 #BookSky

Chuffed to have a short story shortlisted in the @burnhambookfest.co.uk writing contest! It'll be an excellent festival so CHECK IT OUT www.burnham-on-sea.com/news/burnham... #BookSky #BurnhamBookFestival

"One ought to hold the line at Naziism, the novel suggests. There can be no healing until we do." @nochshorn.bsky.social looks at how Maggie Stiefvater's The Listeners handles Naziism in a time where our approach is more important than ever:

Psst, I have spaces for free sensitivity reading (for chronic illness, ME/CFS, ADHD) in August and September as I move into more editorial work. Info, credentials & contact: francescaswords.com/2025/08/10/f... (Don't hesitate to ask if you have questions!) #AuthenticityReading #SensitivityReading

New post up at francescasthoughts.com tomorrow featuring BOOKS, which I will forget to share when it's live so here's your 12 hour warning I guess

Psst, I have spaces for free sensitivity reading (for chronic illness, ME/CFS, ADHD) in August and September as I move into more editorial work. Info, credentials & contact: francescaswords.com/2025/08/10/f... (Don't hesitate to ask if you have questions!) #AuthenticityReading #SensitivityReading

It’s so strange how every person who takes a photo of a book in our store and buys it later on Amazon ends up contracting an incurable illness! No idea why this happens!

Happy two month premiere-versary to Callum, Kendra and Kendra's fans | KENDRA'S ADVENTURES IN INFLUENCERLAND: youtu.be/Lh_90gPKlYI?... #ShortFilm #EcoInfluencer #IndieFilm #IndieCreator

Tarot & chat for July is up for the No. 1 Readers' Club! Bonus card this month plus a little snippet of mirrornovel: www.patreon.com/posts/tarot-...

Newsletter subscribers, you've got a little note from me! (I know a few people's emails are still going to their spam folder since I changed providers, check there if you're expecting to hear from me...)

Are Private Eye jokes now... criminal? PALESTINE Solidarity campaigner Jon Farley was arrested during a silent march in Leeds last weekend. What egregious act had prompted the police to act? He was, er, carrying a Private Eye joke piece as a placard! (1/2)

MCR tour starts today, and I feel these immortal words from Bill & Ted—also often shared by members of the band—need reiterating: “BE EXCELLENT TO EACH OTHER!” Remember: We are all in this because we love the same music. Have a blast, and be kind! Long Live The Black Parade 🖤💀

Reopened shipping to the USA! Get your sarcy stationery and signed books! folksy.com/shops/france... (Postage is higher than in years gone by because I'll send everything tracked, but if an order comes in under weight I'll refund the difference.) #Folksy #SmallBusiness #ShopSmall

This is more dramatic in some genres than others. AI is getting more and more sophisticated at aesthetics, but because it is only a digital aggregate, it can only ever offer a mimicked fairy feast of meaning.

Here is the difference between an AI novel and a human-authored novel: AI novels can only learn to copy the words printed on the page. Great human-authored novels also have stories whispering through what ISN'T printed on the page. What isn't said is just as important as what is.

Consistently forgetting Bluesky even though it's the chillest platform so here's an update before it's on the other socials: - Prologue to Chapter 3 of Rotting Trees available for free: ko-fi.com/s/621e00a660 - Signed copies and merch bundles are back: folksy.com/shops/france... #BookSky #YA

Over on my Substack, I've written about the terror of writing novels that reward the reread: open.substack.com/pub/maggiest...

The Witch's Curse

It's out! THE LISTENERS is now available at your favorite bookstore in print and audio! Read what NYT Books has to say here: www.nytimes.com/2025/06/03/b...