Stephen Cox

a guillotine made from gingerbread, decorated with white icing snow and icicles

I am brimming with holiday spirit

‘MIT researchers showed that *95 percent of companies get zero return from their pilot programs* with generative AI."‘

I am in this tweet and I don't like it

#thiswritinglife #writing

When I finish a first draft, I find the act of returning to it almost physically difficult. It becomes something alien and a bit alarming that I have somehow to embrace.

And explained when they had sole responsibility for apprenticeships 2015-2024 it got worse

You'd never have guessed it from looking at the papers, but Peggie mostly lost her case. Her only 'victory' was the court acknowledged the trust had screwed up some of the HR paperwork. Anything substantive relating to her supposed 'discrimination' and complaints about Dr Beth Upton was dismissed

The conservative pledge to have more apprenticeships led to significantly fewer.

Front cover of a novel, titled "Unquiet", with eerie pale flowers and the misty figure of a man. Subtitle: Secrets don't stay buried forever.

Keep forgetting to say that my novel is *ideal* for cold weather, full of candle-spots of warmth swallowed up by the chill gloom. Victorian London and West Country folklore tied into a seasonal bundle.
Also has an artist heroine, unrequited/inadvisable love, and a chap who's back from the dead.

This is still one of my fave threads

This story should stick in your mind and be a resource for when people say "you cannot rewrite history'

Until 1840, British people believed Hadrian's Wall was build by the emperor Severus (because Bede said so)

I don't think the quote justifies the headline here tbh. bsky.app/profile/repi...

Really thrilled to learn that due to a huge outpouring of public support, Argonaut Books in the Edinburgh area will not have to compete with a Waterstones planned for around the corner. Kudos to Waterstones for listening and everyone on insta for being vocal. One of my very favorite UK bookstores.

Jesus comes out of the shower and says "I had this weird dream"

Just because you are unable to imagine how someone else’s mind works does not mean that person’s mind does not work like that

After a meek start, Blair largely delivered the middle of the road LGB agenda and some trans gains - the Gender Recognition Act. Delivering civil partnerships 2004 not same sex marriage reflected what was possible, inc some divisions in the queer community.

This is an excellent book.

'UK has too many ADHD diagnoses' doesn't pass the smell test as explanation for UK's rising number of young people not in education, employment or training - ADHD diagnoses have gone up at similar rates across our peers, but the UK's rising NEETs are a UK issue.

CREEDENCE CLEAR-ROAD SURVIVAL

Tory drive to increase apprenticeships - and conflating with other options - led to fewer not more.

Human lives have value, and it’s urgent that we do everything that we can to preserve them

even if they don’t contribute to capitalism.

I would say: I can’t believe we’ve forgotten this basic concept, but I wonder if we, as a society, broadly understood– that is to say power – ever understood it.

The radio silence about Farage from people who are usually supremely vocal about antisemitism is so so telling.

Oh, this is sickening, cool

My dad abhors any negative comments about immigrants. Asked him recently why he’s so strong on it: ‘Because we’re always happy to take the rich and clever ones. Which means it’s not about disliking immigrants. It’s about disliking the poor and vulnerable. And that’s a bad human instinct.’

You have til midnight TONIGHT to bid on #Creatives4Sudan - your chance to help raise funds for Emergency Response Rooms in Sudan and bag some incredible Christmas presents (including for yourself)

app.galabid.com/creatives4su...

The real question is not "Why is Bluesky so left-coded," the real question is "Why can't the right exist in a social media environment without algorithmic assistance, where people can ignore them"

a british flag with a coat of arms on it Alt: Pitcairn Island flag

Needs new administrator

Four arrested after Tower of London display case containing State Crown defaced The group Take Back Power says its members poured custard and apple crumble on the Crown Jewels display.

I think we’ve found the most British crime:

Four people have been arrested after custard and apple crumble were flung at a display case containing part of the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London.

Fell off my chair when I heard Unbound didn't start to pay (some) royalties on the first non-crowdfunded sales. A fact not explained when I met them many years back.

"When I visited Auschwitz many years ago, someone in our group said that this is what happens when extremism flourishes. Our tour guide replied: “This place is not explained by extremism. It is explained by conformity.”"

Quote: a devilish dance through Victorian fakery... a story that's mysterious, driven, and above all grewat fun to read. David, Blue Book Balloon blog. The Crooked Medium’s Guide to Murder by Stephen Cox A striking book cover with the title and author name dominating. A rich dark blue background, and a touch of mist. The text appears in gold in a gold rectangular frame, the font is old fashioned implying C19th century. The frame has three rondels or cameos each containing a picture. Top right is a golden bee brooch with the body and one wing streaked with red blood. Middle left is foxgloves, spires of small bell flowers in pink, white and purple. Bottom right is a dark brown medicine bottle, with a pale label. The word LAUDANUM is just visible. There are pink highlights on some of the letters. Taken together it is bold, mysterious, and Victorian.

Working through the WIP, and boy, spotting continuity errors from a book I've done in months on, months off, is wild. I think the current draft needs work but it feels like the shape and tone are there.

It's a sequel to The Crooked Medium's Guide to Murder which you should totally buy.

#booksky