Breakthrough Books
banner
breakthroughbook.bsky.social
Breakthrough Books
@breakthroughbook.bsky.social
An award-winning indie publisher putting creatives and readers first, with lovingly made, quality books… and a fair deal! E-shop now open on our website!
https://www.breakthroughbookcollective.com
https://linktr.ee/breakthroughbooks
Pinned
🎉🎉🎉 Huge congratulations to @brethertonwords.bsky.social for being recognised by the Chanticleer Global Thriller Awards and for winning the Medical Thriller category in the NYC Big Book Awards! Needless to say we are… thrilled! 🥳🍾
#NYCBigBookAward #GabbyBookAwards #AwardWinningPublisher #SmallPress
Huge thanks to the prestigious Historical Novel Society for featuring a write-up on The Fire In Their Eyes by Stephanie Bretherton!
📖 ✍️ 📖 ✍️
We’re delighted that the reviewer found much to like in this dual timeline novel set in both ancient prehistory and the present day.
🕰️ 🌍 🕰️ 🌍
February 3, 2026 at 11:43 AM
Reposted by Breakthrough Books
Where the bloody hell is Jeremy? ;)
#booksky
A new #substack post with an #extract from Entropy by @brethertonwords.bsky.social, one of the short stories in our #anthology, Order and Chaos.

What would you do if your partner was there one minute and had completely disappeared, the next?

Link in comments…
February 1, 2026 at 6:00 PM
A new #substack post with an #extract from Entropy by @brethertonwords.bsky.social, one of the short stories in our #anthology, Order and Chaos.

What would you do if your partner was there one minute and had completely disappeared, the next?

Link in comments…
February 1, 2026 at 5:59 PM
Well this is just as it should be! We are tickled pink to see the uniquely brilliant Two Similar-Looking Men With Umbilical Hernias on the shortlist for Satire and Humour in the CIBAs!
#humorousfiction #shortlistedbook #comedywriting
@zenabarrie.bsky.social
January 19, 2026 at 6:48 PM
Huge thanks to Hannah's Bookshelf 📖 for her review of 🔥 The Fire In Their Eyes 🔥 by Stephanie Bretherton on North Manchester Radio 1066 FM!

“THOUGHT-PROVOKING and COMPELLING in its scope.”
“ENGAGING characters that feel very real, very flawed, and most importantly, very human.”
#bookreview
January 17, 2026 at 4:00 PM
If you are not yet familiar with the humorous musings of Zena Barrie, we highly recommend you familiarise yourself with a free #extract from her hilarious and surreal collection, Two Similar Looking Men With Umbilical Hernias, now up on our #Substack
substack.com/home/post/p-...
The Original Umbilical Hernia Man
An extract from Zena Barrie's hilarious and surreal collection, Two Similar Looking Men With Umbilical Hernia's, illustrated by Claire Robinson, published by Breakthrough Books
substack.com
January 16, 2026 at 4:13 PM
Reposted by Breakthrough Books
Almost embarrassed to keep posting this stuff, but hey, I worked hard for it and it would be ungracious not to be thankful? So, of course I’m “thrilled” to have also progressed as a Global Thriller Finalist in the Chanticleer Awards with the Fire In Their Eyes! #booksky
January 15, 2026 at 12:42 PM
Reposted by Breakthrough Books
Thrilled to get further recognition for The Fire In Their Eyes, and this time for “Visionary Fiction” - thanks to The Independent Press Awards for a “Distinguished Favourite” badge! Maybe all that daydreaming hasn’t been a waste? @breakthroughbook.bsky.social
#booksky
January 13, 2026 at 1:08 PM
Absolutely thrilled that Figgles & Flo, our children's book for Families In Grief has made the shortlist of the Chanticleer Little Peeps awards! Fantastic to see this helpful and enriching book get the recognition it so deserves. #kidlit #booksthathelpkids #picturebooks #shortlisted
January 3, 2026 at 12:17 PM
What a year! Six books, one award win, a new webshop and a few free short stories on our Substack!

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves…
#HappyNewYear #YearInReview #ThankYou #BookLife
December 31, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Brussels season is at an end. Now is the epoch for a new vegetable to rise…

Please enjoy this tasty little palate cleanser over Betwixmas with this short story from Breakthrough’s own Jamie Chipperfield, available for free on our Substack!

substack.com/@breakthroug...
Carrots
a short story by Jamie Chipperfield
substack.com
December 28, 2025 at 8:35 PM
A new fun and #festive story just been posted, and is available for free, on our Substack. Weekend reading sorted! #Free #ShortStory #FestiveSeason

substack.com/home/post/p-...
Uncle Jack And The Turkey Funeral - part 1
A seasonal short story (in two parts) set during the lockdowns of 2020, by Dan Brotzel
substack.com
December 21, 2025 at 2:34 PM
With only one more weekend until Christmas, now is the perfect time start getting in the mood for the festive season with this free short story from our very own @brethertonwords.bsky.social!
#FreeShortStory #ChristmasReading #FestiveSeason #Substack

breakthroughbooks.substack.com/p/arctic-yul...
Arctic Yule
a seasonal short story by Stephanie Bretherton
breakthroughbooks.substack.com
December 14, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Reposted by Breakthrough Books
Many congratulations, @brethertonwords.bsky.social! How fantastic to see The Fire in Their Eyes on the list! 👏👏👏 @breakthroughbook.bsky.social
Well, this is nice! The Fire In Their Eyes makes a Top 20 book pick in a holiday gift guide…
@breakthroughbook.bsky.social
#booksky #booksforchristmas #giftsforbookworms
December 9, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Reposted by Breakthrough Books
Well, this is nice! The Fire In Their Eyes makes a Top 20 book pick in a holiday gift guide…
@breakthroughbook.bsky.social
#booksky #booksforchristmas #giftsforbookworms
December 9, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Oh come on, it’s not #Christmas without #books as gifts?
And if you’re doing the right thing by the ones you love, why not support ethical indie businesses, while also getting a fantastic read?
Whether that’s an award-winning literary thriller, YA fantasy with brilliant world building…
December 7, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Our first Substack post is live! It’s a general introduction to who we are and what we do, with much more to come. So for all our latest updates and bonus content, please consider subscribing!

open.substack.com/pub/breakthr...
Breaking Through
Who the hell do we think we are?
open.substack.com
December 5, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Lovely to see Nicole Swengley and The Portrait Girl getting the attention they so deserve in Round & About magazine.

Huge thanks to Liz Nicholls for this lovely piece!
#AuthorInterview #MysteryThriller #Victoriana #ArtWorld #BookClubRead
December 3, 2025 at 4:34 PM
It’s too soon to think about Christmas! But in case you are, books such as these make excellent Christmas presents for the readers in your life!
#booksky #giftsforbookworms #christmasgiftideas
Starting to think, or even panic about, the Christmas shopping?
Don’t forget books make wonderful presents! And for a thought-provoking, award-winning, fictional thrill-ride for the bookworms in your life, look no further…
#booksky #giftsforbookworms
@breakthroughbook.bsky.social
November 29, 2025 at 3:03 PM
We are delighted to announce that our children’s book, Figgles & Flo, has been long listed for the Little Peeps category of the Chanticleer International Book Awards.

#Books #ChildrensBooks #PictureBook #KidLit #BooksWorthReading #CharityBook #Longlisted
November 13, 2025 at 12:24 PM
After some bone-chilling reading for #halloween? Breakthrough has some seriously #spooky offerings from some dangerously imaginative authors…
#HappyHalloween #SpookySeason #HalloweenReading #Books #Bookstagram #BooksWorthReading
October 30, 2025 at 5:41 PM
#ICYMI, the e-book of Nicole’s Swengley’s “thoroughly engaging mystery”(FT) The Portrait Girl is now only 99p for a limited time in celebration of its birthday!
An ideal #bookclub read, this is for fans of #art, design, #Victoriana and contemporary female sleuths…
To mark the first #bookbirthday of The Portrait Girl by Nicole Swengley, the e-book is now at the very special price of 99p (on both Amazon and our own website) for a limited time! Why not help us celebrate and load your #Kindle with what the FT described as “a thoroughly engaging mystery”!
October 24, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Reposted by Breakthrough Books
Thanks @brethertonwords.bsky.social and @womenwritersnet.bsky.social for a great #AuthorInterview. The hour passed in a flash as usual. It was hard to keep up. Stephanie, you did a great job.
October 23, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Reposted by Breakthrough Books
Welcome to our #WomenWritersNet #AuthorInterview series. Today, we're chatting with Stephanie Bretherton, author of the recently published novel, "The Fire In Their Eyes". @brethertonwords.bsky.social @breakthroughbook.bsky.social
October 23, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Final reminder! #AuthorInterview hosted by @womenwritersnet.bsky.social and @valeriavescina.bsky.social begins in less than an hour! #BookTalk
Join us today at 6pm BST for our next #WomenWritersNet #AuthorInterview. @valeriavescina.bsky.social will interview @brethertonwords.bsky.social about her award-winning new novel, The Fire In Their Eyes @breakthroughbook.bsky.social
Come join us and get your questions ready.
October 23, 2025 at 4:20 PM