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Robert Welbourn

@robertwelbourn.bsky.social

1.3K followers 310 following 1.6K posts

THE ONES WE FEAR coming April 2026 from SRL Publishing. https://srlpublishing.co.uk/authors/w/robert-welbourn He/him

srlpublishing.co.uk

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Robert Welbourn @robertwelbourn.bsky.social · 7d

£10.97!

That's all it costs to buy all three of my novels direct from @srlpublishing.bsky.social.

Publishing is on its knees right now - you'll wouldn't blink at buying a £15 blank notebook from Waterstones, so why not buy 3 actual novels for 2/3 the price!?

srlpublishing.co.uk/product/belo...

The covers of Belonging, Great Romances of the 20th Century and Ideal Angels by Robert Welbourn.

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Robert Welbourn @robertwelbourn.bsky.social · 1h

My second novel Belonging tackles bisexuality!

Robert Welbourn @robertwelbourn.bsky.social · 2h

🎉🎉🎉

Robert Welbourn @robertwelbourn.bsky.social · 3h

You get even better answers asking an actual person.

New Scientist @newscientist.com · 4h

Are you terse and informal when speaking to an AI chatbot? If so, you might be getting worse answers than if you used more formal language.

Chatbots work best when you speak to them with formal language

Are you terse and informal when speaking to an AI chatbot? If so, you might be getting worse answers than if you used more formal language

www.newscientist.com

Robert Welbourn @robertwelbourn.bsky.social · 4h

The Running Man adaptation I understand, although it's completely pointless because the Arnie adaptation from the 80s is a classic.

Even a Roadwork adaptation would be better, even though it'll never be made because the story is vehemently anti-capitalist and anti-authority. No one would dare.

Robert Welbourn @robertwelbourn.bsky.social · 4h

Like, seriously.

The story is 99.8% psychological; the 0.2% is walking.

And walking. And walking.

Nearly 400 miles of walking over 5 days.

Mercy me, it must be the dullest movie ever made.

Robert Welbourn @robertwelbourn.bsky.social · 4h

Re-reading this one as it's been a few years and I can't help but think, why on earth have they made a film of The Long Walk?

It's an excellent story, but I can only imagine it might just be the most boring film ever made.

(Book also has Roadwork and The Running Man)

The cover of The Bachman Books by Stephen King.

Reposted by Robert Welbourn

SRL Publishing @srlpublishing.bsky.social · 10h

"I loved this ARC, I could not put it down!"
"Would fully recommend. I absolutely loved it."

HALF THE WORLD AWAY, is set in the midst of Section 28, and the BBC launch an inter-school pen pal project.

Theo writes. Alex replies.

This is what happens next.

Pre-order now! #BookSky

Book cover of HALF THE WORLD AWAY, by James A Lyons

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Robert Welbourn @robertwelbourn.bsky.social · 10h

Amazing review of Great Romances of the 20th Century on Instagram!

Available now from @srlpublishing.bsky.social:

srlpublishing.co.uk/product/grea...

Great Romances of the 20th Century by Robert Welbourn. Set in New York City, a British guy who is obsessed with romantic comedy films decides that his pretty coworker is The One, and that he needs to do everything in his power to win her over.

Before this book, I'd been in a bit of a reading slump - no book could hold my interest, so I didn't finish any of them. I just wanted to find something GOOD. It only took a few pages of Great Romances, when the protagonist was explaining his chronic loneliness and his propensity for crywanking, that I knew I was locked in.

I enjoyed the first person narrative, a stream of consciousness so filled with mundane anxieties and tangents that it sometimes felt like a Peep Show voiceover (this is high praise - I love Peep Show). The protagonist's voice is beautifully, painfully British, which is an interesting counterbalance to the glamorous setting of NYC.

Each chapter is loosely linked to a classic romcom (Say Anything, Sliding Doors, 500 Days of Summer, etc) as the protagonist attempts to understand the logic of the characters and apply it to his own love life. Unfortunately, as we all know, films like these aren't always realistic.

I don't want to give spoilers, but the story got way darker than I was expecting. I thought that reading this book would feel cosy, like watching a romcom, and for a little while it did. Then it got downright chilling.

This was exactly what I needed to break me out of my slump!

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Reposted by Robert Welbourn

The Bookseller @thebookseller.com · 10h

UK start-up Books By People has launched a new certification – the Organic Literature Certification – with a group of independent publishing houses to “counter AI-generated books” 👇 #BookSky

Startup launches ‘industry-first’ certification for human-made books

ebx.sh

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Robert Welbourn @robertwelbourn.bsky.social · 12h

"No smell but the decaying reek of this brave year 2025."

Stephen King wrote this line in the 1970s. Very prescient.

Robert Welbourn @robertwelbourn.bsky.social · 1d

I fucking love the Inbetweeners.

I'm gutted they're making new Inbetweeners.

1) leave well enough alone
2) write new stories

I have 3 books just waiting to be adapted you guysssssssss.

Robert Welbourn @robertwelbourn.bsky.social · 1d

Hey you! Yes, you!

I did a newsletter, have a read of it here;

buttondown.com/RobertWelbou...

Reposted by Robert Welbourn

SRL Publishing @srlpublishing.bsky.social · 1d

FREE SHIPPING - get the below titles in your basket and you'll get FREE SHIPPING. Just use the code FREESHIP at the checkout on our website.

UK only, unfortunately - thanks Brexit.

#BookSky

Free shipping (UK only) - use the code FREESHIP

The Mind Hack (paperback)
The Disappeared (hardback)
Belonging (Hardback)
A Novel Solution (paperback)

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Reposted by Robert Welbourn

Robert Welbourn @robertwelbourn.bsky.social · 2d

Oh shit, I did a newsletter:

buttondown.com/RobertWelbou...

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Robert Welbourn @robertwelbourn.bsky.social · 2d

Managed 2 episodes of Wayward; not for me.

Robert Welbourn @robertwelbourn.bsky.social · 2d

Oh shit, I did a newsletter:

buttondown.com/RobertWelbou...

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Robert Welbourn @robertwelbourn.bsky.social · 2d

Also, dear Netflix shows: what's up with Jewish mums?

Between Long Story Short and Nobody Wants This I cannot stand them; they can't all be this insane, surely?

Robert Welbourn @robertwelbourn.bsky.social · 2d

Absolutely cannot put my finger on whether I like Long Story Short.

Some episodes are entrancing, others are so boring I want to scream.

I'm going to finish it, but is that because I like the show or because I love Raphael Bob-Waksberg?

Robert Welbourn @robertwelbourn.bsky.social · 2d

When I finished Turbine 34 on Saturday, that made it 100 books read this year.

I don't normally count, but a few years ago someone asked me how many books I read in a year; that year I read 99 and not hitting 100 has been winding me up ever since.

The smallest niggle in my brain has been cured!

Robert Welbourn @robertwelbourn.bsky.social · 2d

If they understood the concept of subtext I feel like they wouldn't be banning books in the first place.

Robert Welbourn @robertwelbourn.bsky.social · 3d

If the food takes too long to go to you, simply go to it.

A tortoise shell cat standing in a white cupboard filled with cat food.

Robert Welbourn @robertwelbourn.bsky.social · 3d

3 amazing novellas, 1 incredible event.

Join me as I chair a panel with @jodierobins.bsky.social, Gemma Fairclough and Katherine Clements to discuss their books.

All 3 are part of the @wildhuntbooks.bsky.social Northern Weird Project.

Buy tickets now:

houseofbooksandfriends.com/event/author...

The covers of Turbine 34 by Katherine Clements, The Off-Season by Jodie Robins and The Retreat by Gemma Fairclough.

A poster for an event with the wording:

AUTHOR PANEL

THE NORTHERN WEIRD PROJECT

GEMMA FAIRCLOUGH, KATHERINE CLEMENTS, JODIE ROBINS

NOVEMBER 5TH

6:00PM - 7:00PM

HOUSE OF BOOKS & FRIENDS

Robert Welbourn @robertwelbourn.bsky.social · 4d

Well I guess there definitely won't be a Lostprophets reunion then

Robert Welbourn @robertwelbourn.bsky.social · 4d

What a pleasure to be able to visit the location of Turbine 34 on the day I finish it.

Such a deep, heartfelt tale told in so few words. The threads that are weaved together are wonderful and I loved every word.

Coming soon from @wildhuntbooks.bsky.social:

share.google/OLmGpBoOfGSS...

The cover of Turbine 34 by Katherine Clements.

The Brontë moors; brown and green fields underneath a clear blue sky.

Robert Welbourn @robertwelbourn.bsky.social · 4d

And here she is in all her glory on this most wonderful Bookshop Day!

The shop front of Wave of Nostalgia in Haworth.