Stephen Baird

Paperback cover of The Ring of Bright Water trilogy, by Gavin Maxwell. As well as the title, the cover is a photograph of a boy holding the oars in a rowing boat, looking at an otter (which is wearing a collar and is in the boat with him and the photographer). The otter is looking at the camera. The boy has his trousers rolled up and the hills of the Lochalsh peninsula in the background. The boy is called Jimmy Watt and the otter is called Edal. The photographer was probably Gavin Maxwell.

This week I will be mostly reading The Ring of Bright Water, by Gavin Maxwell

Good grief, March. The current bedtime story for the Mrs, Bookshops and Bonedust, Travis Baldree. Cozy sequel to a cozy fave and, bookstore. Always bookseller bait. Personally, Tom Holt, The Outsorcerer's Apprentice. Cover blurb from Christopher Moore, longtime local author friend. Plus, on sale.

The audiobook cover of Ben Aaronovitch’s Stone and Sky. Cover art is a stylised, white on blue line drawing of the Scottish coastline around Aberdeen. The sea is blue material with Scottish flag just visible, with an oil rig, a whale and a ship being attacked by a giant squid.

Good morning Monday, and to you Stephen. This week I shall be mostly listening to Ben Aaronovitch’s tenth Rivers of London novel, Stone & Sky. I’ve loved this series, one of my favourite escapisms, and I have you to thank because it was your reread of the series that got me into it. So, thank you!

2 from the International Booker longlist (one on Kindle, one physical): Kehlmann's The Director and The Remembered Soldier by Anjet Daanje

Cover of Keith Rosson's Coffin Moon

Coffin Moon - @keithrosson.bsky.social

Of Monsters and Mainframes (phone)

The Incandescent (hardback)

Brotherless Night by VV Ganeshananthan.

I know very little about Sri Lankan history and the Tamil Tigers, so this is a fascinating, human insight from the point of view of a young aspiring doctor and her family. Really enjoying it so far.

just after midnight here. This week I will finally finish Hermione Lee’s chunky biography of Edith Wharton. And I hope to finish The Voyage Out by Virginia Woolf. Then I can work on the International Booker longlist. Audio is America, America by Greg Grandin, which i’m now finding gripping.

Nash Falls - David Baldacci

The indie publisher Tyrant Books is returning, under new ownership. Independent publishing great Tyrant Books—which has been dormant since its founder Giancarlo DiTrapano’s death in 2021—is coming back. As Publisher’s Marketplace reports, author and screenwri…

Tyrant Books is back.

white circle in a blue background and the words "It's Monday! What are you reading?" in the circle

It's Monday again and today I'm reading "Monk and Robot" by Becky Chambers

What book(s) are you reading this week?

💙📚 #BookSky #AmReading #MondayReads #TBR

alt text in images please

Commute 2nd March 2026 currently reading Monk and Robot by Becky Chambers Just realised why Monday mornings feel more busy than other days, it’s because it is. Setting up the blog, […]

2nd March 2026 currently reading Monk and Robot by Becky Chambers Just realised why Monday mornings feel more busy than other days, it’s because it is. Setting up the blog, […]

This is a free short story from the growing collection on Ko-Fi, this is a sampler so you can see the kind of stories going up on the ever growing […]

trying to read more non-fiction this year as I realised the largest proportion of physical books in the house are non-fiction

A linocut print of a black leopard (or panther) with the words “HAVE YOU SEEN THIS CREATURE?” underneath. It’s printed in black ink on off-white paper.

I made this linocut print as a tribute to the hundreds of mysterious big cat sightings reported every year in Britain. Have you seen this creature?

Storygraph February 2026 Wrap-up - 10 books read 2470 pages read - really low average rating this month of 3.4

A slow month but been enjoying not trying to rush too many books through

Yeah but biscotti

or the earthy spices from east Africa

wonderful!

I like those spices but c’mon where’s the fiery reds?

sour cherries are essentials

Waitrose spice isle is tame

Find a Bookstore Every independent bookstore that has signed up to participate in Bookstore Romance Day 2026 thus far. If you don’t see your favorite, encourage them to join us! A link to the registration for…

Less than ten bookstores to go to hit 500 stores registered for this year's #BookstoreRomanceDay! Still looking for stores from Alaska, Rhode Island, & both North & South Dakota. I'd also love to see more stores from Canada & other non-US locations.
bookstoreromanceday.org/participatin...

so little mini reviews/thoughts for the first three episodes up now

Thanks, just

Thanks still feeling wiped bit not full on

and whether you can go dark

Thanks I think I did but still feeling slightly wiped

Good Morning Blue Sky! Hope you’re all ok? Today I’m currently reading The Misheard World by Aliya Whiteley which has some pointed thoughts on war. What are you reading at the moment?

Morning, just starting Monk and Robot by Becky Chambers