Dan Richards

Shadows & Reflections: @danzep.bsky.social reflects on a year of sharing stories of darkness and light www.caughtbytheriver.net/2026/01/shad...

Choo-Choo-Cha-Boogie Lo-Co-Motion

'How fast are we going? Ten, 12 miles an hour? How amazing that must have been 200 years ago; as fast as a horse, but for miles and miles.'

@danzep.bsky.social takes a ride on the very first locomotive train.

www.the-fence.com/choo-choo-ch...

Candid photo of Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hamill in a hotel room doing a loose re-creation of the poses from the original Star Wars theatrical poster, with Carrie holding cinnamon rolls up to her ears to mimic Leia’s iconic hairstyle…

A long time ago, in a hotel room far, far away…

Absolutely

Pilsdon Pen Looking out from the lower turf ramparts of Pilsdon Pen we sight a crescent moon of hills - a vein within a leaf spring - arcing to the coast. Somewhere in there lies our quarry; a lane diving into the dark. An inky eye, an ammonite. A hollow, foot-querned way. Turning away from the sea we begin to scale the hill. Over the stile, spiralling up between tussocks and gorse, stepping through the sudden cloud-line into thickly mantled murk. A lichen souper. Up until we clamber out on a floating island steppe - a layered mist rolling about our three glades in the fog. There is a trig: there, silent cattle; here, earthworks - mounds and humps. All elsewhere is milk. A void. We spread out to search our margins: Rob to the left, Stan to the right, me down the middle of the dim flat top. We do not orchestrate this trident sweep but each, finding himself alone, determines to carry on through the ether, round the worked ellipse, skirting the moat, to the point we'll surely converge.. on the edge of the fern-table brume. A fume quoit caught on this whittled marl peg.

Yeah this is one of those reads that’s quite lovely to read out loud

We’re recording the audiobook in the new year 👍

Quite right!
All best to you for Christmas and New Year & thanks again
Dan

Thank you!

Book Dude Book of the Day Overnight: Journeys, Conversations and Stories After Dark by Dan Richards Published by Canongate Books      There is something special abo...

#BookSky 💙📚 Book Dude Book of the Day
@danzep.bsky.social @canongate.co.uk

YouTube video by Manchester Poetry Library Night Vision: Dan Richards and Helen McGhie

For anyone who missed the recent series of curated events by Jean Sprackland, you can watch back on the Manchester Poetry Library's YouTube site.
Find Helen McGhie and Dan Richards here:
@danzep.bsky.social
www.youtube.com/watch?v=idoT...

Another wonderful evening of image, sound & writing from Manchester's Poetry Library last night, with Jean Sprackland's final event in her curated series Night Vision. A fantastic presentation of Helen McGhie's work & conversation & readings from @danzep.bsky.social - hosted by Andrew McMillan.

TONIGHT!

This piece is now up on my website – complete with ace pictures by Alice Morrissey & Owen Richards.

Vintage trains, the Night Mail, my grandfather's service on the Western TPOs – a journey that expands on stories in my recent book 'Overnight' @canongate.co.uk

www.danrichards.uk#steamdreams

Night Vision: Dan Richards and Helen McGhie Writing and photography come together to reveal what really goes on after dark.

In the last event of the series, Jean Sprackland is joined by @danzep.bsky.social and Helen McGhie to discuss all things darkness and night time.

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/night-visi...
#BookSky

Night Vision: Dan Richards and Helen McGhie (ONLINE TICKET), 04 Dec 2025 Reading, Online

Thursday at Manchester Poetry Library - online link
Join Jean Sprackland for the third in her curated series of events at the Poetry Library for Night Vision. This week she is joined by the brilliant @danzep.bsky.social & Helen McGhie to talk all things darkness & night
www.mmu.ac.uk/news-and-eve...

Tom Stoppard was just one of many C19/ C20 writers who started out on local newspapers. The long list includes Graham Greene, J. M. Barrie, Monica Dickens, Arnold Bennett, Michael Frayn....now that local papers barely exist, where will all that latent writing talent be nurtured in future?
#booksky

Spent today writing Christmas cards. A ritual I very much enjoy.

Next week at Manchester Poetry Library & Online - the wonderful Dan Richards & Helen McGhie are in conversation with Jean Sprackland. In celebration of the night & all things darkness. The 3rd in Jean's specially curated series for Night Vision.
#BookSky @danzep.bsky.social @mcrcityoflit.bsky.social

Thank you, Dave.
All Best to you
Dan

Night Vision: Dan Richards and Helen McGhie, 04 Dec 2025 Reading, Manchester Poetry Library

in-person tickets at Manchester Poetry Library:
www.mmu.ac.uk/poetry-libra...

Night Vision: Dan Richards and Helen McGhie (ONLINE TICKET), 04 Dec 2025 Reading, Online

The upcoming third of three curated events by Jean Sprackland to celebrate the launch of her new non-fiction book Night Vision, is on 4th December.
In conversation with @danzep.bsky.social & Helen McGhie, to discuss all things night & darkness.

Online tickets: www.mmu.ac.uk/poetry-libra...

Anger as Waterstones snaps up prime site on doorstep of independent bookshop UK's biggest bookselling chain under fire over plans for new store beside Edinburgh tram line.

We need your help.

@waterstones.bsky.social, without any direct communication with us, will be opening their 6th Edinburgh branch less than 100 metres from our front door at the Foot of the Walk in Leith.

Please read on for more information

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2562908...

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Steam dreams: catch a vintage train through Cumbria | The Observer

A piece about @railway200.bsky.social, Vintage Trains and my grandfather’s service on the TPO night mails ran with the Observer yesterday

observer.co.uk/style/travel...

My essay about the joy of the night train is up on The Winding Trail, a long read for a lazy Saturday or Sunday morning, dreaming about adventures past and journeys to come…

the-winding-trail.com/2025/07/25/t...

We have three copies of Jean Sprackland's 'Night Vision' to give away on this afternoon's newsletter, courtesy of @jonathancape.bsky.social. Make sure you're signed up to the mailing list for entry details!

Night Vision: Book Launch with Karen Solie and Jean Sprackland, 20 Nov 2025 Reading, Manchester Poetry Library

in person tickets for Jean Sprackland's book launch, with Karen Solie:
www.mmu.ac.uk/poetry-libra...

Join Nicholas JR White and I at the National Gallery of Scotland - 12:45, Tuesday 18th November - for a talk about how we're aiming to follow in the wake of Alfred Buckham's aerial photography (available to attend in-person & online) I've updated the linktree in my bio with details of forthcoming events and book talks, as well as recent newspaper and magazine articles.

Join Nicholas JR White and I at @nationalgalleries.bsky.social - 12:45, Tuesday 18th November - for a talk about how we're aiming to follow in the wake of Alfred Buckham's aerial photography (available to attend in-person & online)

www.nationalgalleries.org/event/two-me...