Kate Macdonald 📚 🧶 🐸
@kateem.bsky.social
Mover of words at peachfieldpress.uk. Latest story out now! https://houseoflongshadows.substack.com/p/hls-no-44-the-rules-about-knives Also at katemacdonald.net and @OxfordBrookes. Recorder of🏺finds, organiser, Q clerk, knitter, frog fosterer.
Pinned
Kate Macdonald 📚 🧶 🐸
@kateem.bsky.social
· Feb 14
The Handheld Diaries | Kate Macdonald | Substack
We published 48 books in seven years to recover forgotten fiction and lost authors. This is how we did it. Click to read The Handheld Diaries, by Kate Macdonald, a Substack publication with hundreds o...
katemacdonald.substack.com
Greetings, all those who wander in the Bluesky! I write SFF fiction at peachfieldpress.uk, I write about how I set up a small but doughty publishing house at katemacdonald.substack.com, I move words around, I measure excavated things and I organise. 💙📚🧶🏺🐸🌱🍫
Reposted by Kate Macdonald 📚 🧶 🐸
It’s the time of year when I do my Christmas auction. This mouse icon is up for auction and it’s to raise money for Shelter Cymru & Doctors without borders. 100% of the money raised will go to these charities on a 50-50 basis.
December 4, 2025 at 11:29 AM
It’s the time of year when I do my Christmas auction. This mouse icon is up for auction and it’s to raise money for Shelter Cymru & Doctors without borders. 100% of the money raised will go to these charities on a 50-50 basis.
One of two very large metal 1950s filing cabinets trapped in our cellar. Moved by ancient #physics, a wooden mop handle cut in half. Disassembly now proceeding as someone built a wall after they went in.
December 4, 2025 at 11:27 AM
One of two very large metal 1950s filing cabinets trapped in our cellar. Moved by ancient #physics, a wooden mop handle cut in half. Disassembly now proceeding as someone built a wall after they went in.
Reposted by Kate Macdonald 📚 🧶 🐸
Calling British short science-fiction writers who have had stories published this year - window closing soon for Best of British Science Fiction 2025. Get your story in under the door!
December 2, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Calling British short science-fiction writers who have had stories published this year - window closing soon for Best of British Science Fiction 2025. Get your story in under the door!
Reposted by Kate Macdonald 📚 🧶 🐸
Scenes from DellCon87. A few old favourites came off the shelf this time. Dates for the spring season are available now. See dellcon.uk
December 2, 2025 at 12:06 PM
Scenes from DellCon87. A few old favourites came off the shelf this time. Dates for the spring season are available now. See dellcon.uk
Sister-in-law found an overlooked data chip in one of her late mother's cameras. Birdwatching trip to Syria in 2010 when she was also blithely photographing military installations on the Iraq border. Nobody could tell a formidable ex head teacher from Liverpool what not to photograph. #rolemodel
November 30, 2025 at 8:43 PM
Sister-in-law found an overlooked data chip in one of her late mother's cameras. Birdwatching trip to Syria in 2010 when she was also blithely photographing military installations on the Iraq border. Nobody could tell a formidable ex head teacher from Liverpool what not to photograph. #rolemodel
Reposted by Kate Macdonald 📚 🧶 🐸
✨ A few years back I stood outside Wells Cathedral for a full day and photographed the impact of the light on the front facade. I was amazed at the outcome - at how a single entity could morph and change under the changing light. 🌅 #thread
November 28, 2025 at 7:13 AM
✨ A few years back I stood outside Wells Cathedral for a full day and photographed the impact of the light on the front facade. I was amazed at the outcome - at how a single entity could morph and change under the changing light. 🌅 #thread
This reports an amazing performance of blatant voter manipulation by the US Republicans in Tennessee. 'Party leadership will be [all caps] very disappointed'. And telling Democrats the wrong election date! 🤦♀️
“Orwellian shit going on in Tennessee — Republican voters are being threatened to vote, Democratic voters are being told to vote a day late.”
👋🏽 We are here. These mailers are real.
And secretary of voter suppression Tre Hargett seems unconcerned🤔
👋🏽 We are here. These mailers are real.
And secretary of voter suppression Tre Hargett seems unconcerned🤔
November 30, 2025 at 1:33 PM
This reports an amazing performance of blatant voter manipulation by the US Republicans in Tennessee. 'Party leadership will be [all caps] very disappointed'. And telling Democrats the wrong election date! 🤦♀️
I've been reading non-fiction. I wonder if we could rejig the terminology to make fiction the outlier, and non-fiction the main game?
katemacdonald.net/2025/11/29/t...
katemacdonald.net/2025/11/29/t...
These I have definitely enjoyed
Here are some recent non-fiction reads about which my main report is ‘this is GOOD’, with some Christmas present recipient recommendations added. Consider this an early contribution to …
katemacdonald.net
November 29, 2025 at 11:23 AM
I've been reading non-fiction. I wonder if we could rejig the terminology to make fiction the outlier, and non-fiction the main game?
katemacdonald.net/2025/11/29/t...
katemacdonald.net/2025/11/29/t...
Playing Ada's Dream for 2nd time. It's very nicely designed but hard work. Perilously close to losing my temper through frustration at not being able to gain the resources needed to do X to achieve Y before game end triggered. Argh. But once I've learned more it'll be more fun than fury. #boardgame
November 28, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Playing Ada's Dream for 2nd time. It's very nicely designed but hard work. Perilously close to losing my temper through frustration at not being able to gain the resources needed to do X to achieve Y before game end triggered. Argh. But once I've learned more it'll be more fun than fury. #boardgame
Reposted by Kate Macdonald 📚 🧶 🐸
LAUNCH DAY!
Makeshift by Sarah Campion is out today!
Sarah Campion tells the story of Charlotte Herz, a German Jewish woman, from the end of the First World War and the time of the Weimar Republic to the rise of Nazism and Hitler's takeover as Reichs Chancellor.
Makeshift by Sarah Campion is out today!
Sarah Campion tells the story of Charlotte Herz, a German Jewish woman, from the end of the First World War and the time of the Weimar Republic to the rise of Nazism and Hitler's takeover as Reichs Chancellor.
November 28, 2025 at 3:00 PM
LAUNCH DAY!
Makeshift by Sarah Campion is out today!
Sarah Campion tells the story of Charlotte Herz, a German Jewish woman, from the end of the First World War and the time of the Weimar Republic to the rise of Nazism and Hitler's takeover as Reichs Chancellor.
Makeshift by Sarah Campion is out today!
Sarah Campion tells the story of Charlotte Herz, a German Jewish woman, from the end of the First World War and the time of the Weimar Republic to the rise of Nazism and Hitler's takeover as Reichs Chancellor.
Agreed to peer review a book proposal on an author on whose work I used to be a leading authority.
Receive proposal. No fee.
Realise that I reviewed the same MS, which does not look like it's been changed much, a year ago for a different publisher.
Am I really the only expert on their work?
Receive proposal. No fee.
Realise that I reviewed the same MS, which does not look like it's been changed much, a year ago for a different publisher.
Am I really the only expert on their work?
November 28, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Agreed to peer review a book proposal on an author on whose work I used to be a leading authority.
Receive proposal. No fee.
Realise that I reviewed the same MS, which does not look like it's been changed much, a year ago for a different publisher.
Am I really the only expert on their work?
Receive proposal. No fee.
Realise that I reviewed the same MS, which does not look like it's been changed much, a year ago for a different publisher.
Am I really the only expert on their work?
Reposted by Kate Macdonald 📚 🧶 🐸
UNBOUND AUTHORS: Leftover copies of your books in the UK (MacMillan) warehouse will be pulped within the next week or two. DM me for a link to the warehouse stock list and contacts.
If you have no dosh, another publisher (Wilton Sq) is willing to buy the books & distribute on a 50/50 profit split
If you have no dosh, another publisher (Wilton Sq) is willing to buy the books & distribute on a 50/50 profit split
November 27, 2025 at 3:25 PM
UNBOUND AUTHORS: Leftover copies of your books in the UK (MacMillan) warehouse will be pulped within the next week or two. DM me for a link to the warehouse stock list and contacts.
If you have no dosh, another publisher (Wilton Sq) is willing to buy the books & distribute on a 50/50 profit split
If you have no dosh, another publisher (Wilton Sq) is willing to buy the books & distribute on a 50/50 profit split
Signed! Click on the link and you (UK citizens only) can too.
🚨BOOM!! The Petition calling for a public inquiry into Russian influence on UK politics & democracy has now rocketed past 50,000 signatures! Let’s get it to 100,000. If a petition is what it’s going to take let’s get this done!
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74...
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74...
November 26, 2025 at 6:58 AM
Signed! Click on the link and you (UK citizens only) can too.
Castles. What's your preferred mighty bastion of stone from the past?
Here's Dunnottar Castle, Stonehaven, in the north east of Scotland, a truly splendid ruin with good rockpooling on the basalt slabs of the beach below. Scene of terrible crimes in the 17thC. Film set for Hamlet.
Here's Dunnottar Castle, Stonehaven, in the north east of Scotland, a truly splendid ruin with good rockpooling on the basalt slabs of the beach below. Scene of terrible crimes in the 17thC. Film set for Hamlet.
November 25, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Castles. What's your preferred mighty bastion of stone from the past?
Here's Dunnottar Castle, Stonehaven, in the north east of Scotland, a truly splendid ruin with good rockpooling on the basalt slabs of the beach below. Scene of terrible crimes in the 17thC. Film set for Hamlet.
Here's Dunnottar Castle, Stonehaven, in the north east of Scotland, a truly splendid ruin with good rockpooling on the basalt slabs of the beach below. Scene of terrible crimes in the 17thC. Film set for Hamlet.
I really really like Libro.fm. I buy an audiobook from them each month. They donate some of that paynent to a local bookshop that I chose. Their history selection is terrific. And when one of my books had an incomplete edit, they hustled the publisher to release a corrected version. Use them!
November 25, 2025 at 6:00 PM
I really really like Libro.fm. I buy an audiobook from them each month. They donate some of that paynent to a local bookshop that I chose. Their history selection is terrific. And when one of my books had an incomplete edit, they hustled the publisher to release a corrected version. Use them!
Bought a 'Glow in the Dark Star' with a Plants by Post gift voucher. Thought it would be an interesting pale echeveria.
It's been spray-painted. Paint is already peeling off. It'll probably die. What an absolute con. 🌱🌵
It's been spray-painted. Paint is already peeling off. It'll probably die. What an absolute con. 🌱🌵
November 24, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Bought a 'Glow in the Dark Star' with a Plants by Post gift voucher. Thought it would be an interesting pale echeveria.
It's been spray-painted. Paint is already peeling off. It'll probably die. What an absolute con. 🌱🌵
It's been spray-painted. Paint is already peeling off. It'll probably die. What an absolute con. 🌱🌵
Husband wrote notice for parish council about needing more volunteers.
Edited it for him, it's fine.
He sent it to another parish councillor.
'Do you want me to run it through ChatGPT in case the language can be improved?'
Considering murder.
Edited it for him, it's fine.
He sent it to another parish councillor.
'Do you want me to run it through ChatGPT in case the language can be improved?'
Considering murder.
November 24, 2025 at 12:52 PM
Husband wrote notice for parish council about needing more volunteers.
Edited it for him, it's fine.
He sent it to another parish councillor.
'Do you want me to run it through ChatGPT in case the language can be improved?'
Considering murder.
Edited it for him, it's fine.
He sent it to another parish councillor.
'Do you want me to run it through ChatGPT in case the language can be improved?'
Considering murder.
Excellent analysis of the romantasy boom and the positive things that can be said about this for the SFF industry. Even if you're not interested in that subgenre! 💙📚
Science fiction now is a far smaller part of the industry, and if it wants to regain its prominence and remain relevant, publishers and readers are going to have to find new approaches and stories.
I jotted down some thoughts: transfer-orbit.ghost.io/romantasy-sc...
I jotted down some thoughts: transfer-orbit.ghost.io/romantasy-sc...
Cross-genre takeover
A new report points to 2025 being the biggest year for speculative fiction ever, thanks to the ongoing boom in romantasy fiction
transfer-orbit.ghost.io
November 23, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Excellent analysis of the romantasy boom and the positive things that can be said about this for the SFF industry. Even if you're not interested in that subgenre! 💙📚
Reposted by Kate Macdonald 📚 🧶 🐸
It’s so important to understand- as Arthur explains here - that the so called peace plan is not only a disaster for Ukraine but a threat to all of Europe
Moscow's guilty men in the White House are trying to destroy Ukraine and weaken Europe.
open.substack.com/pub/arthursn...
open.substack.com/pub/arthursn...
Another Day, Another Russian-US Attempt to Betray Ukraine and Destroy Europe
The Putin-Trump surrender plan will lay the groundwork for Russia to expand its attacks on other parts of Europe
open.substack.com
November 23, 2025 at 12:28 PM
It’s so important to understand- as Arthur explains here - that the so called peace plan is not only a disaster for Ukraine but a threat to all of Europe
Reposted by Kate Macdonald 📚 🧶 🐸
The plan was leaked by the Russians and no one in America’s historically inept administration knew what anyone else was doing so people started getting behind it because they thought it was official policy.
Putin totally played the US, knowing full well he was up against incompetents and idiots.
Putin totally played the US, knowing full well he was up against incompetents and idiots.
November 22, 2025 at 11:15 PM
The plan was leaked by the Russians and no one in America’s historically inept administration knew what anyone else was doing so people started getting behind it because they thought it was official policy.
Putin totally played the US, knowing full well he was up against incompetents and idiots.
Putin totally played the US, knowing full well he was up against incompetents and idiots.
Editor. PhD. Editor. Postdoc research. Freelance journalist. University lecturer. Editor. Author. Publisher. Here we are.
November 23, 2025 at 7:39 AM
Editor. PhD. Editor. Postdoc research. Freelance journalist. University lecturer. Editor. Author. Publisher. Here we are.
Reposted by Kate Macdonald 📚 🧶 🐸
My sweetheart and my parents
I left in my old hometown
I'm out to do the best I can
As I go ramblin' round ...
My sweetheart and my parents
I left in my old hometown
I'm out to do the best I can
As I go ramblin' round
I left in my old hometown
I'm out to do the best I can
As I go ramblin' round ...
My sweetheart and my parents
I left in my old hometown
I'm out to do the best I can
As I go ramblin' round
November 23, 2025 at 7:36 AM
My sweetheart and my parents
I left in my old hometown
I'm out to do the best I can
As I go ramblin' round ...
My sweetheart and my parents
I left in my old hometown
I'm out to do the best I can
As I go ramblin' round
I left in my old hometown
I'm out to do the best I can
As I go ramblin' round ...
My sweetheart and my parents
I left in my old hometown
I'm out to do the best I can
As I go ramblin' round
I wrote a story, and here it is published. 💙📚🪄 A bit ghost, a bit Gothic. houseoflongshadows.substack.com/p/hls-no-44-...
HLS No. 44: The Rules About Knives
Postwar Gothic from Kate Macdonald
houseoflongshadows.substack.com
November 22, 2025 at 6:23 PM
I wrote a story, and here it is published. 💙📚🪄 A bit ghost, a bit Gothic. houseoflongshadows.substack.com/p/hls-no-44-...