Mark Illis

@helenlohara.bsky.social You mentioned Aliens about six times, but you forgot Ridley Scott. Second film: Alien! (Without the exclamation mark)

That seems unlikely.

You wait years to get a book award and then …

You send your book out into the world, and you don’t know how it’s going to be received. So delighted when something like this happens!

We're so thrilled that Running Away for Beginners by @markilliswriter.bsky.social is the winner of the Berkshire Book Award 2025!

Running Away for Beginners is a heart-rearranging, own-voices teen novel about a 14-year-old boy diagnosed with cancer - thank you to the awards & huge congrats Mark!

Really delighted about this. The perfect book for your 11-13 year old! Thank you Berkshire Book Awards.
#kidlit #booksky

I’m delighted that my book Running Away For Beginners is one of those little thumbnails. The world could use *a bit* more empathy.
*a vast amount*

Really proud that our author Mark Illis’ brilliant novel for teens has been chosen for this collection. It is such a gem! @empathylabuk.bsky.social

So happy my book Running Away For Beginners is in the 2025 ReadForEmpathy collection from @EmpathyLabUk.bsky.social The world needs more empathy.
www.empathylab.uk/RFE

Me, looking serious and wrinkly.

Delighted to have joined Children’s Books North!
#books #children’sbooks

Turns out the deep state is them.

Wait, what’s wrong with Sgt Rock? Love that song

Missed that

‘Most of us live lives of quiet desperation’ - Thoreau. It’s Americans too!

@helenlohara.bsky.social Bicycles in films - I’d have liked a mention of Breaking Away! I saw it when it came out and remember loving it. People were applauding at the end.

Sign the Petition Save Audio Drama at the BBC

chng.it/HrjqMGNjkR

Didn’t love it, but ‘you had me at motherfucker’ is an excellent ep title, and an excellent line.

Bluesky has video! I was going to post this the other day. It’s a bit late now.

Is there any other team that leaves fans so nervous when they’re 2 - 0 up at half time? COYS

I might need to return to the Empire podcast to soothe the nerves

Spurs fans completely relaxed now. What could possibly go wrong?

A starter pack of people who’ve been writing novels for years - really good ones - with negligible sales, but keep going like fucking idiots who really should know better. (Bit niche?)

How to get your teens reading.
If they’re a Goth - smear glue on a copy of Interview With A Vampire, catch a large house spider, place gently on book.
Hand to grateful teen.

If you’re British and of a certain age, she looks a lot like Shirley Williams. She was probably big in the Tatoooine Social Democrats.

Potential Nazgûl at the end of this track.

A small owl sitting politely with their legs crossed

SUBERB OWL FACT

owls have knees and can sit cross-legged