W. J. Davies

My free monthly newsletter THE GLUE FACTORY goes out this Friday to 2000+ subscribers.
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Featuring indie press news, links to broadcasts, podcasts and substacks; forthcoming fiction, non-fiction and poetry; all that.

Also, in connection, Sarah Langford’s Rooted. Countryside romanticism tempered by the blunt realities of modern farming. There’s just enough optimism that you don’t end up in total despair over our soils and hedgerows (but not much).

Adrien Bell’s Corduroy, republished by @slightlyfoxed.bsky.social. Beautiful rural writing interspersed with reflections on the decline in farmers’ fortunes and the impact of favouring industrial techniques over traditional methods that could have been written last week.

The older couple who don’t have people over and watch television every evening to forget how their home looks are heart breaking.

Great clarification, Stu. Pretty half-arsed reporting from the BBC.

No council, or councillor, has the right to "ban" any books. The library service are the only body that makes decisions on stock selection. A councillor, as a member of the public, can *request* books are removed on a title-by-title basis, but the reply should come that under @cilip.bsky.social

Wonderful to hear @alicefwrites.bsky.social talk about her short story collection, The Truth Has Arms and Legs, at Camberley Library this evening. @flyonthewallpress.bsky.social

Top castle. Corfe appears as Corvsgate Castle in Hardy’s The Hand of Ethelberta, but the story about Mary Bankes defending the castle during the civil war is far better. Recommend The Scott Arms pub in Kingston for good cider and views over Corfe.

I’ve only ever torn napkins when I’ve written on them. Must practice.

You might like this note from the Collected about those wartime volumes, and about ‘For Johnny.’

A great reminder to pull these off the shelf. Thanks, David. ‘A sense of history in the narrow lane’.

Extirp the worm! Toothpull of St Dunstan, the testimony of an unnamed, immortal Canterbury dentist, begins with a Donne-ish invitation: “Walk with me. Let your ears attend

My review of Kevin Davey’s Toothpull of St Dunstan, a wild ride through 700 years of dentistry at the gates of Canterbury, is in this week’s TLS @thetls.bsky.social.

www.the-tls.com/regular-feat...

Extirp the worm! Toothpull of St Dunstan, the testimony of an unnamed, immortal Canterbury dentist, begins with a Donne-ish invitation: “Walk with me. Let your ears attend

My review of Kevin Davey’s Toothpull of St Dunstan, a wild ride through 700 years of dentistry at the gates of Canterbury, is in this week’s TLS @thetls.bsky.social.

www.the-tls.com/regular-feat...

Sadly, @eeahahayteatea.bsky.social has fractured her ankle and is off work. It’s clinically proven that buying her artwork will aid in recovery.* www.studioerratt.com

*probably.

Sadly, @eeahahayteatea.bsky.social has fractured her ankle and is off work. It’s clinically proven that buying her artwork will aid in recovery.* www.studioerratt.com

*probably.

Yesterday evening, I finished @alexpheby.bsky.social’s Waterblack, the third in the Cities of the Weft trilogy. Incredible. Whether you read fantasy or not, these books are significant.

@galleybeggars.bsky.social

It's Thursday afternoon and officially NEARLY the weekend, and A Personal Anthology! This week's guest editor, picking and introducing a dozen favourite short stories, is @robertloyko-greer.bsky.social

Sign up here if you don't already subscribe. RT if you do!

apersonalanthology.substack.com/about

Exactly right, Stu!

Interesting discussion on Radio 4 this morning about the difference between reading books and listening to audiobooks that seemed to entirely forget the existence and history of…radio.

Good morning.

It is Independent Bookshop Week.

If you are able please do support your local bookshop.

They pay their taxes and support the community!

@bookcornerhx.bsky.social
@sevenoaksbookshop.bsky.social
@forumbooks.bsky.social
@drakebookshop.bsky.social
@grovebookshop.bsky.social

An engrossing search for understanding and meaning in a single, brilliant poem. A Crumpled Swan is a thoughtful and irrefutable demonstration of the power of art. DC is such a knowledgeable and companionable writer.
Published by @saggingmeniscus.bsky.social

My new short story, The Man in the U-Bend, is in the summer issue of Exacting Clam @exactingclam.bsky.social. Looking forward to reading what looks like another splendid gathering of pieces. Clam on exactingclam.com/issues/no-17...

A brief but revitalising dip back into academic life this weekend at the Samuel Beckett Society conference in Edinburgh. Lovely to see @annamcmullan.bsky.social, @davidpattie.bsky.social and other friends.

Exacting Clam No.17 is here.

Gina DeMartino's A Clam at the Bellagio adorns the cover.

Stunning fiction, poetry, criticism and essay adorns the rest of it.

Subscribe today

https://www.exactingclam.com/subscribe/

Published today.

Congratulations, David!

Reality is getting there before the satirists again.

New fiction coming soon in the @exactingclam.bsky.social summer issue.

Wonderful news!