@smythdiaz.bsky.social
One part British, one part Spanish, with a hint of Belgian. Amateur dad and amateur writer, author of Dolores and Other Sorrows (finalist for the Eyelands Awards). Posting about literature, music, art and, somewhat reluctantly, politics.
I don't know whether to laugh or cry at this #booksky
Just like the one i made the other day. 😆 I should have written something in Latin somewhere; that's a nice touch.
Ok, the evening at Librebook went well. It didn't quite feel like having my skin ripped off without anesthesia. Besides, i got into a conversation with a lovely Venezuelan and an equally lovely French/Ghanan. Ah, wonderful #Brussels! #booksky #writingcommunity
There's A LOT of people in Librebook this evening! Holy moocow.... #Brussels #booksky #writingcommunity
It's aperobook time in Librebook! Drop by tomorrow, Thursday 26th, at 7Pm for a drink, some poetry and some short stories. If you have anything you'd like to read, I'd love to hear it. #Brussels #librebook ##doloresandothersorrows
It feels great to be able to watch top tier ice hockey live. Shame my team is getting slaughtered... 😕 #Olympics #milanocortina
Watching birdies eating is relaxing, so much so that I went from one feeder to three so that i could put different types of food in them. Now half the neighbourhood birdies stop for breakfast at our garden.
Ah, beautiful Rome! Sun. People shouting all the time. Traffic jams under 2000-year-old bridges. Casual coffee next to works by all the great Renaissance artists. Men in kilts? Ah, yes, it's the #sixnations! 🏉🇮🇹🏴
A colleague of mine just told me that she bought #doloresandothersorrows online and that she should be receiving it in a couple of days. That's kind of made my day, to be honest. I can safely go back to bed and I will have had a good day. #booksky
this event is a happnin tonight
two talks where you find out the topic when they start
this event is a happnin tomorrow
Somewhere in this mass of leaves there's a turd that my dog just dropped. I think this could make for an interesting new take on #whereswaldo. #dogs #doglife
Unsolicited writing advice:
Trop beau! On aura notre @writefestbe.bsky.social la bas et on est tous content 🤩
Congress Allocates $500 Million For Development Of Funkier Bass Lines https://theonion.com/congress-allocates-500-million-for-development-of-funk-1819579171/
My son went to have lunch with his mates. When he came back he saw me practicing on my bass and told me that over the holiday period he'd love to get me to teach him a bit of bass. I think that clearly means he's drunk.
Hello Bluepals, like the tub of Quality Street we bought at the weekend that was supposed to be saved until December 23rd, we are open.
Did you know that the story Annihilation in #doloresandothersorrows started off as a novel that never got past draft 1? I wanted to include the opening words of that novel ('Most of us are cowards.'), but in the end decided it didn't fit. #booksky
Do any of you know Pocket MFA? I've received a message from them, but I'm automatically suspicious if someone praises my writing and then asks me for money. #booksky
Ok, I've had enough of following accounts that talk about politics. For the sake of my mental well-being i think I'm only going to check social media for books, music and puppies. I'm not even getting much information out of it, just rage.
Great workshop on query letters with @writeloudly.bsky.social. Thanks for your time and insight. The best bit was knowing that agents are humans that get nervous too! 😁😁 #booksky
Extract from my new book in the Guardian today!
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/n...
Need to send a loved one a book within the UK? We do it at the All Good Bookshop!
We can take your order and send your book to anywhere in the UK. We can also send it gift wrapped for a couple of quid extra.
Book cost+£3.60 p&p
#books #bookshop
Did you know that the farmer in the story Home in #doloresandothersorrows was inspired by a real Spanish farmer who would use 'usted' (the Spanish formal pronoun for 'you') instead of the informal 'tú' when talking to his cows or barking orders at them?
Just finished Norwegian Wood, by Murakami. What an amazing book! It's like a road trip through the early years of adulthood, a bit like The Catcher in the Rye but with miso soup instead of burgers. 10/10
Doomscrolling checkpoint.
Pretending to be fine is exhausting.
There were some minor touch-ups, but most of the story was done in those 15 minutes. It was weird and magical in equal measure. Like being possessed (I suppose! 😆).
