Anna Benn

Dad’s books are full of empathy, common sense, and a healthy suspicion of the powerful. But at its heart his work is also about how systems keep people poor while pretending it’s their own fault. So I hope Kemi’s taking notes as well as reading the jokes.

"We call prose “purple” because we’ve gotten too used to prose without any color at all." @alixeharrow.bsky.social has summed up wonderfully multiple different unsettlednesses that have been eating away at the back of my mind.

If you see this, quote with the energy you bring to Bluesky.

The Mischievous Letters of the Marquise de Q. The cover depicts a white hand resting on a pillow, holding a book, with one thumb between the pages. The title is written on ripped pieces of paper.

It's the Narratess Indie Sale this weekend! Browse 300+ discounted or free sci-fi, fantasy, and horror ebooks at https://indiebook.sale/

My novel THE MISCHIEVOUS LETTERS OF THE MARQUISE DE Q is $0.99. It's a bisexual romance about solving problems with polyamory and murder!

If you're in Ireland, please fill out this public consultation about the future of the Basic Income for the Arts scheme, the best thing that's happened to Irish artists in a very long time. We need it to continue.

ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/run...

are you tired of "dark academia" that is neither dark nor academic?? do you want gothic, folkloric horror in a wonderfully specific college setting???? THE BEWITCHING is here for you!

So, I think it's time I begin, in detailed specifics, talking about the mess that is Unbound / Boundless as a book publisher, in essence stealing most of a years royalties from me and many other authors, as a result of poor financial decisions, and legal BS.

Please read and share this thread.

I had a brilliant time ringing in the @ilfdublin.bsky.social at Merrion Square over the weekend. So many savvy speakers giving us the inside scoop on publishing, book tents, and of course we couldn't have asked for better weather!

Your occassional reminder that Google has an AI-free search they don't promote: udm14.com

April is full of fab new Irish children's books. Check out the @irishkidsbooks.bsky.social posters for some of our favourites for all ages.

Designed by @bexsheridan.bsky.social
#DiscoverIrishKidsBooks

The posters can be downloaded free from discoveririshkidsbooks.ie/new-irish-ch...

Please share!

The Crow is a super(anti)hero, right? The soundtrack has The Cure, Nine Inch Nails, Rage Against the Machine... surely a top contender!

Spending all morning researching zeppelin designs so I can write a convincing sentences about gas cells in the keel is difficult and frustrating!

Going out of my comfort zone to write a more sci-fi/steampunk scene and oof, there is a reason I do not stray from fantasy. Writing about forests that are older than time, vengeful ghosts and girls with powers that are magical and bewildering is easy and right up my alley...

Protest Meta's Theft of Irish Writing I've just signed this petition protesting Meta's theft of Irish writing, which they've used to build their AI tool. Will you sign too?

I've just signed this petition protesting Meta's theft of Irish writing, which they've used to build their AI tool. All seven published books were stolen and used to train their system. my.uplift.ie/petitions/pr...

The Essential Tanith Lee (Gift Article) The eclectic, prolific author wrote more than 90 novels — primarily fantasy and science fiction, but also horror, erotica, mysteries and historical fiction. If you’ve never read her work, here’s where...

I wrote a profile for the NYT talking about Tanith Lee's work and suggestions to where to start with her vast bibliography.
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/30/b...

This meme was my laptop wallpaper for years!

Reposting this partly because, Happy Trans Rights Readathon! And also partly as a reminder to myself, who am badly remiss at reading short fiction, to check these out once I take a break from my TBR list of much-too-long novels.

A heartening thread to remind us that people are still decent and curious and trying to understand each other.

I can attest, my appetite for horror, blood & guts, etc. in fiction was pretty limitless when I was a kid. I only got squeamish about it as a grownup.

Reminder: Kennys Bookshop delivers for free in Ireland. Easons have free delivery over 10 euros (and also sell toys and games and stationary). Lots of lovely booksellers in the actual stores too, like Books Upstairs, Gutter Bookshop, Hodges Figgis.

Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: Section 1.  Purpose.

This, by the by, is an effing disaster if it holds up. The number of public libraries that will go under if IMLS is shuttered is mind-boggling. www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

Hi, we are an alternative to Amazon-owned Audible 👋🏻 With us, you select the independent bookshop you want to support (we have 3,000+ partners across the globe), and we share profits from your purchase with them.

We're also employee-owned and a registered Social Purpose Corporation.

RTÉ Radio 1 is looking for writers for their new series The Prompt is a brand new series for writers...

Submissions are now open for The Prompt, a new writing series for RTÉ Radio 1. Eight of Ireland's best writers have set prompts for you - details here: www.rte.ie/culture/2025...

There's a guitar riff before the last verse in Pink Pony Club that calls to mind the riff in Don't Stop Believing that leads into "Singer in a smoky room". I've decided this is deliberate, that Small-Town Girl and City Boy have made it to the Pink Pony Club and are having a great time dancing it up

Navola by Paolo Bacigalupi!*

*Disclaimer, I have not read it yet, but I hear good things and my copy is on its way through the postal service to me as I type!

Dream job alert! Do you want to be Santa Claus, but for books? Children's Books Ireland are looking for an Assistant Book-Gifter!

📕HAPPY WORLD BOOK DAY, ASPIRING AUTHORS!📕
Are you a writer of Children's stories, looking to publish your book? Today only, I am offering 10% off ALL my editing services. Just quote "World Book Day" using my contact form when you email to book in!
melissawelliver.com/editorial-se...

Libraries Are for Everyone | Enamel Pin | Librarian | Pride | - Etsy This Pins & Badges item by GoodGoodCat has 6134 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Tremont, IL. Listed on Mar 3, 2025

Hey, this shop got ripped off by Temu and they make great enamel pins of their own design.

Hint hint.

www.etsy.com/listing/1024...

In other #WorldBookDay news, I just ordered myself a novel about airships and other steampunkery, which I am justifying as Very Important Research for my WIP, then ordered an extra 36 euros worth of books so I could cash in a 5 euro discount for signing up to the bookshop's mailing list. Huzzah!

And this might be deliberate, just by virtue of the difference of Julia as a character and her approach to life from Winston's... but currently the book reads like it's set in a world that's bleak and violent, but which hasn't yet succeeded in annihilating humanity. But again, I'm only 40 pages in.