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Reposted by Adrian Raffill

Stephanie Bretherton @brethertonwords.bsky.social · 5d

Happy #AdaLovelaceday !
And here’s to all the brilliant women who broke the mould and made it important and vital (if often overlooked ) contributions to the worlds of STEM ! If not from a scientist then from a punter who is in awe and has women scientist driving her novels…
#booksky

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Adrian Raffill @aidyraff.bsky.social · 8d

Just bought a couple of cracking reads for #BookshopDay from Alex at @fourbearsbooks.bsky.social in Caversham, Berkshire.

@booksaremybag.bsky.social

#BookSky #WritingCommunity

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Reposted by Adrian Raffill

Stephanie Bretherton @brethertonwords.bsky.social · 8d

Happy #bookshopday!
Some of my happiest moments have been during launches or events in bookshops. And there’s still such a thrill from seeing your books rubbing shoulders with other wonderful authors on the shelves… or even better, in a window, table or till display! #booksky

A window display full of Bone Lines by Stephanie Bretherton at the former Broadhursts of Southport

Bone Lines rubbing shoulders with Books by Lindsay Clarke and Robert Woodhaw for an event at Waterstones Exeter

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Adrian Raffill @aidyraff.bsky.social · 8d

My local bookshop did a magnificent thing on Christmas Day in 2023 and they're doing it again this year.

@fourbearsbooks.bsky.social are such an important part of our community, as are all indie shops to theirs, which is why we have #BookshopDay today to support them.

Support yours! #BookSky

Fourbears Books @fourbearsbooks.bsky.social · 9d

In 2023 we opened on Christmas Day for anyone on their own. Food, drink, games and plenty of festive cheer. We're doing it again this Christmas Day. 10.30am-1pm. Spread the word so people know they can come to Caversham if they want some company.

Thanks to @garethpjones.bsky.social for the video.

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Adrian Raffill @aidyraff.bsky.social · 9d

Damn, I missed it.

But in my defence, I was writing this week's newsletter which is all about my week at Henley Literary Festival and Bookshop Day tomorrow!

My Week at Henley Literary Festival

Plus how to support your local bookshop on Bookshop Day.

open.substack.com

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Adrian Raffill @aidyraff.bsky.social · 9d

Ride over to Henley with me on your 1970s Raleigh Chopper and hear all about memoir writing, Alan Davies’s White Male Stand-Up and Mick Herron on what plot is just an excuse for.

#BookSky #WritingCommunity

open.substack.com/pub/caversha...

My Week at Henley Literary Festival

Plus how to support your local bookshop on Bookshop Day.

open.substack.com

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Reposted by Adrian Raffill

Keith W. Dickinson @keithwdickinson.bsky.social · 11d

Today is a day when arts degrees are worthless, but the product of those degrees is so valuable it would kill an entire industry if they were made to pay for it.

The Verge @theverge.com · May 26

Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry

Paul McCartne, Elton John and others signed an open letter.

buff.ly

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Reposted by Adrian Raffill

Curtis Chin 🐵✍️🏳️‍🌈🇺🇸🎥 @curtischin.bsky.social · 25d

#London, it's #ESEA Heritage Month. Join us for a reading from my memoir "Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant" @guanghwabookshop on Thursday (tomorrow) at 6:00 with my friend @hsienc

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Reposted by Adrian Raffill

Susie Dent @susiedent.com · 25d

To ‘ultra-crepidate’ (19th century) is to lecture others on subjects you know very little about.

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Reposted by Adrian Raffill

Julia Carrie Wong @joolia.bsky.social · 29d

this exists it is called thinking

Matthew McConaughey says he wants a private LLM, fed only with his books, notes, journals, and aspirations, so he can ask it questions and get answers based solely on that information, without any outside influence.

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Reposted by Adrian Raffill

Alice Roberts @profaliceroberts.bsky.social · Sep 19

We need to be very clear about this.

Rising Christian nationalism is a threat to us all.

humanists.uk/2025/09/17/r...

Rising Christian nationalism: a threat to us all

Scenes on Saturday of Christian preachers denouncing ‘Secular Humanism’ from the main stage of Tommy Robinson’s radical right Unite the Kingdom rally in London may have been surprising to see on the s...

humanists.uk

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Adrian Raffill @aidyraff.bsky.social · 29d

Something to look out for, @louisaguiseauthor.bsky.social

Paul Carnahan @pacarnahan.bsky.social · 29d

Looks like my old pals Samson Ultimate and Harper Collinsworth are still up to their old author-scamming tricks. Stay sceptical, folks...
writerbeware.blog/2025/09/19/r...

Return of the Nigerian Prince Redux: Beware Book Club and Book Review Scams - Writer Beware

A few weeks ago, I wrote about a rising and extremely prolific marketing scam that I’ve been able to trace back to operators in Nigeria. Using highly personalized (AI-generated) email solicitations th...

writerbeware.blog

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Adrian Raffill @aidyraff.bsky.social · Sep 19

No heating, no hot water… but I’m writing on gas 🔥

Read my new short story, plus reflections on Orwell, Didion, and the meaning (or meaninglessness) of words.

Also: the four-letter word we need to reclaim…

open.substack.com/pub/caversha...

#WritingCommunity
#AmWriting
#BookSky

Plumbing the Depths of Language

A short story on the 'F' word, George Orwell on the decline of the English language, and our members enjoy our latest prompted writing session.

open.substack.com

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Adrian Raffill @aidyraff.bsky.social · Sep 16

Use actual hammers in hammer throw.
Set fire to barriers in steeplechase.
Walkers must carry some heavy shopping bags.

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Reposted by Adrian Raffill

Stephanie Bretherton @brethertonwords.bsky.social · Sep 15

Well, I’m a bit speechless! But also absolutely thrilled, grateful and honoured, to have won an #NYCBigBookAward for The Fire In Their Eyes! Makes me wonder if I might actually be doing something right and all love, sweat, tears and years are properly worthwhile?
#bookaward #awardwinningfiction

Winners badge for the NYC Big Book Award

Cover of The Fire In Their Eyes, winner in the Medical Fiction category

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Adrian Raffill @aidyraff.bsky.social · Sep 15

Fantastic! Congratulations.

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Adrian Raffill @aidyraff.bsky.social · Aug 29

What's the worst writing advice you ever heard?

#BookSky #WritingCommunity

open.substack.com/pub/caversha...

The Worst Writing Advice Ever

Don't do this.

open.substack.com

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Adrian Raffill @aidyraff.bsky.social · Aug 14

Whatever gets you through the day!

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Adrian Raffill @aidyraff.bsky.social · Aug 14

I think Tito may already be on a planet made entirely of drugs.

Good luck editing him... 😁

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Adrian Raffill @aidyraff.bsky.social · Aug 9

There seems to be a degree of apathy on the subject of book piracy. Is this because it just isn't that much of a problem, or is it too difficult to fix?

#BookSky #WritingCommunity #Authors #Writers

Adrian Raffill @aidyraff.bsky.social · Aug 8

Why playing whack-a-mole with pirates isn't as much fun as it sounds.
An author friend found copies of her book pirated online. Every author I'd ever interviewed were pirated on the same site.
So I asked them what they thought and here’s what they said.

#BookSky

open.substack.com/pub/caversha...

How to stop online book piracy...
…or why playing whack-a-mole with pirates isn't as much fun as it sounds. Authors respond to seeing their work on book piracy websites.

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Reposted by Adrian Raffill

Stephanie Bretherton @brethertonwords.bsky.social · Aug 9

Yes, we know we may not be flashy, but we will keep on keeping on because we believe in what we’re doing and that authors deserve to be at the centre of the industry not at the bottom of the pile…

Breakthrough Books @breakthroughbook.bsky.social · Aug 9

Breakthrough Books is the only publisher to arise from the Unbound ashes that’s author-centred and author-led. A “happy ending” growing organically not flashily. Maybe a good news story of trailblazing authors just isn’t headline worthy? @observeruk.bsky.social

observer.co.uk/news/busines...

Death of a publishing dream: how the Unbound revolution b...

The literary disrupters enjoyed great success with their crowdfunding model, signing authors that other publishers overlooked. And then the money ran out…

observer.co.uk

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Reposted by Adrian Raffill

Breakthrough Books @breakthroughbook.bsky.social · Aug 9

Breakthrough Books is the only publisher to arise from the Unbound ashes that’s author-centred and author-led. A “happy ending” growing organically not flashily. Maybe a good news story of trailblazing authors just isn’t headline worthy? @observeruk.bsky.social

observer.co.uk/news/busines...

Death of a publishing dream: how the Unbound revolution b...

The literary disrupters enjoyed great success with their crowdfunding model, signing authors that other publishers overlooked. And then the money ran out…

observer.co.uk

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Adrian Raffill @aidyraff.bsky.social · Aug 8

Why playing whack-a-mole with pirates isn't as much fun as it sounds.
An author friend found copies of her book pirated online. Every author I'd ever interviewed were pirated on the same site.
So I asked them what they thought and here’s what they said.

#BookSky

open.substack.com/pub/caversha...

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Adrian Raffill @aidyraff.bsky.social · Aug 3

Ooh, just thought of a perfect track for the list - The Certainty of Chance by The Divine Comedy.

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Adrian Raffill @aidyraff.bsky.social · Aug 3

Surely that list needs Fire and Ice by Pat Benatar and Trapped Under Ice by Metallica!!

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