Queen of Grimdark

Thank you!

A new curse I've invented:

May you be as a cat who's desperate for a poo when it's absolutely chucking it down outside

I hope you're enjoying it!

Less than two months before A SWORD OF GOLD AND RUIN is published. The sequel to the 'astonishing' 'Tolkienesque' 'masterpiece' A SWORD OF BRONZE AND ASHES from Flame Tree Press.

#books #booksky #fantasy #fantasybooks #mythology #folklore #folkhorror 📖🔥

The glorious moment, 120,000 words into your work in progress, you can finally remember how to spell a secondary character's name!!!!

#fantasyauthorproblems

www.butserancientfarm.co.uk/butser-liter...

Picture shows a number of authors including Anna Smith Spark. Lucy Holland and Ben Kane, who will be speaking at Butser Ancient Farm, Hampshire, on Sunday 19th October as part of the Buster Bookfest.

I'm a speaker @butserancientfarm.co.uk Bookfest on Sunday 19th October, talking about grimdark, fantasy and historical influences in a replica Anglo-Saxon mead hall! There'll also be writing workshops, music, crafts, food, shopping.
#books #fantasy #fantasybooks #grimdark #mythology #history

Oh, thank you!!!!

What a review of In The Shadow of Their Dying! All that I am summed up in a few words.

Probably. Although I'm embarrassed to admit I can't much serious horror because I get too involved and end up running out of the room screaming in terror (Hardwear ... dear gods, the box alone still scares me). So I can't make a definitive view of horror films.

I adore this film. And ten billion bonus points for staring Jurgen Prochnow.

Queen of Puddings! Bread-and-custard, jam, meringue. I meant to post a photo before we ate it, but it smelled so good coming out of the oven we'd eaten half of it before I remembered.

I certainly intend to. It's slightly too far to visit for the day from my house, so this is a brilliant opportunity to visit.

www.butserancientfarm.co.uk/butser-liter...

I'll be at Butser Bookfest on Sunday 19th October. Butser Ancient Farm is an experimental archaeology site in Hampshire with recreated buildings from the Neolithic to the early Middle Ages. The event looks amazing: authors, folk music, story telling, crafts and workshops. Link in the comments below.

I had a brilliant time recording this and could have spoken to @noorajahangir.bsky.social all week on the subjects we discussed.

REVIEW: Anderson Versus Death My first foray in the the off-screen world of Judge Dredd is the absolutely wild and very Anna Smith Spark Anderson Versus Death.

'buckle up because Anderson versus Death is—as I find myself saying every time I review one of Smith Spark’s books—an absolute experience.'
@grimdarkmagazine.bsky.social on my @2000ad.bsky.social official novel Anderson Versus Death.
www.grimdarkmagazine.com/review-ander...
#grimdark #fantasy #books

I will!!!

worldfantasy2025.co.uk/world-fantas...

What a thing to wake up to! In The Shadow of Their Dying by @michaelrfletcher.bsky.social and myself has been shortlisted for a World Fantasy Award. Probably the first grimdark gorefest comedy about cunnilingus to be a finalist for a World Fantasy Award. Hopefully not the last.

My ARC of A SWORD OF GOLD AND RUIN arrived this week from Flame Tree Press . So beautiful! And I think the book is my best written yet.

#fantasy #epicfantasy #grimdark #fantasybooks #mythology #celticmythology #folkhorror #books📖

I have an ARC of A SWORD OF GOLD AND RUIN in my hands! The cover art is amazing (and I do think fairly groundbreaking for fantasy showing an older woman and a child with swords). And there are some wonderful reviews of my writing on the front. Our in September, pre-orders open now.

Bookmail! The very generous people @titanbooks.bsky.social have sent me Sara Omer's amazing looking The Griffin King. Fantastical beasts, world conquerors and Ottoman-inspired worldbuilding. I cannot wait to start reading.

I'll have some very fine bookplates for people who pre-order A Sword of Gold and Ruin.

Things I'm doing this weekend (2): I'll be @sfsfsocial.bsky.social at Patriot Games from 12noon on Sunday, reading from A Sword of Gold and Ruin, answering any questions and talking about anything anyone wants to discuss alongside the lovely @aknighton.bsky.social Free entry, just turn up.

All the things I'm doing this weekend (1):
@britfantasysoc.bsky.social @worldfantasy2025.bsky.social online event. I'm reading at 11.10 am , discussing creating fantasy worlds at 1.40.
Free to BFS members, £5 for non-members. Tickets at:
britishfantasysociety.org/events-calen...

And it's official... @ozeditorial.com are bringing out a Spanish translation of The Court of Broken Knives this autumn. I am so excited to see this. And the title and tag line look superb in Spanish as well. #booksky #books #fantasybooks 📖🔥

But don't whatever you do ask @aknighton.bsky.social about the Battle of Sterling Bridge.

A publicity visual for an author event. There are pictures of the authors Anna Smith Spark and Andrew Knighton, covers of their books, and three different logos - for SFFS, Northodox Books, and the British Fantasy Society. Details of the event say: Patriot Games, Mary St, S1 4RT, Sunday 22nd June from 12pm. Author readings. Q&A sessions. Books for sale from Northodox books! Book swap table!

This Sunday in Sheffield is @sfsfsocial.bsky.social
with me & the endlessly entertaining @annasmithspark.bsky.social. Browse the book swap table, buy more books from @northodoxpress.bsky.social, enjoy some dramatic readings, ask us questions about writing, enjoy tea & cake with other sff folks