Simon Spanton
@simonguy.bsky.social
"I strongly feel that this is an insult to life itself."
Wandering. Wondering. Freelancing. Often acquiring and editing SFFH for Angry Robot Books. Live in Edinburgh. Views my own and independent of my employers. Photos my own unless otherwise etc.
Wandering. Wondering. Freelancing. Often acquiring and editing SFFH for Angry Robot Books. Live in Edinburgh. Views my own and independent of my employers. Photos my own unless otherwise etc.
Pinned
Simon Spanton
@simonguy.bsky.social
· Nov 26
"Out on the pale criss-crossed sand, high-stepping, fringed, gauntleted, stalked some fantastic leviathan..."
To The Lighthouse, Virginia Woolf
To The Lighthouse, Virginia Woolf
Portal number 78.
December 14, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Portal number 78.
There are larpers in the winter woods.
December 14, 2025 at 12:55 PM
There are larpers in the winter woods.
"He heard the voice calling from the direction of the river, so clear and ringing through the trees that he hardly knew it as Mr Oakes's; 'Who is he dares enter these my woods?'"
Happy birthday, Shirley Jackson.
Happy birthday, Shirley Jackson.
December 14, 2025 at 11:28 AM
"He heard the voice calling from the direction of the river, so clear and ringing through the trees that he hardly knew it as Mr Oakes's; 'Who is he dares enter these my woods?'"
Happy birthday, Shirley Jackson.
Happy birthday, Shirley Jackson.
Jackson Pollock knew.
December 14, 2025 at 9:41 AM
Jackson Pollock knew.
"Slowing time down and giving it space."
December 14, 2025 at 9:04 AM
"Slowing time down and giving it space."
Reposted by Simon Spanton
"Have you got the time on you, Jim?"
*throws off coat* "WHY, YEEEESSS!!"
"...Jesus, Jim what have you done to yourself?"
"I'm in so much pain."
*throws off coat* "WHY, YEEEESSS!!"
"...Jesus, Jim what have you done to yourself?"
"I'm in so much pain."
December 13, 2025 at 7:46 PM
"Have you got the time on you, Jim?"
*throws off coat* "WHY, YEEEESSS!!"
"...Jesus, Jim what have you done to yourself?"
"I'm in so much pain."
*throws off coat* "WHY, YEEEESSS!!"
"...Jesus, Jim what have you done to yourself?"
"I'm in so much pain."
Misted portalage.
December 13, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Misted portalage.
Same! Also going to see it a second time and taking a look along the row to watch everyone jump in their seats when the facehugger in the stasis tube whacked against the glass.
Aliens. First week of release. 1986, before social media, so no one had even heard of 'spoilers'. Ripley reappears in the loader. To say the entire audience cheered as one doesn't begin to cover it. We roared!
Raising the always fun question: What are your most memorable theater-going experiences?
Mine also include The Matrix, Blair Witch, and being way too stoned in Belgium when Fellowship of the Ring was sold out so we sat in the back row for Mulholland Drive instead.
Mine also include The Matrix, Blair Witch, and being way too stoned in Belgium when Fellowship of the Ring was sold out so we sat in the back row for Mulholland Drive instead.
December 13, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Same! Also going to see it a second time and taking a look along the row to watch everyone jump in their seats when the facehugger in the stasis tube whacked against the glass.
Reposted by Simon Spanton
Tales for winter nights...Joan Aiken's Wolves Chronicles...
www.joanaiken.com/book_categor...
www.joanaiken.com/book_categor...
December 13, 2025 at 10:17 AM
Tales for winter nights...Joan Aiken's Wolves Chronicles...
www.joanaiken.com/book_categor...
www.joanaiken.com/book_categor...
"Easy Listening. Why 'easy'? What is supposed to be over there, crouching in the shadows, that is darker and edgier and therefore more *real*? How and when did 'easy' come to sound so pejorative? Music to swoon or daydream to - is that such a bad thing?
...Let the mind drift where it may."
...Let the mind drift where it may."
December 12, 2025 at 9:31 PM
"Easy Listening. Why 'easy'? What is supposed to be over there, crouching in the shadows, that is darker and edgier and therefore more *real*? How and when did 'easy' come to sound so pejorative? Music to swoon or daydream to - is that such a bad thing?
...Let the mind drift where it may."
...Let the mind drift where it may."
Movie night. It's Christmas eve and our hero touches down...
Countdown to Christmas starts here.
Countdown to Christmas starts here.
December 12, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Movie night. It's Christmas eve and our hero touches down...
Countdown to Christmas starts here.
Countdown to Christmas starts here.
Happy birthday Patrick O'Brian.
Author of one of my obsessions.
Author of one of my obsessions.
December 12, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Happy birthday Patrick O'Brian.
Author of one of my obsessions.
Author of one of my obsessions.
"From a dozen constricted throats came the same words: 'She's going.'
There was a muffled explosion, which they could each feel like a giant hand squeezing their stomachs, and Compass Rose began to slide down. Now she went quickly, as if glad to be quit of her misery..."
There was a muffled explosion, which they could each feel like a giant hand squeezing their stomachs, and Compass Rose began to slide down. Now she went quickly, as if glad to be quit of her misery..."
December 12, 2025 at 12:41 PM
"From a dozen constricted throats came the same words: 'She's going.'
There was a muffled explosion, which they could each feel like a giant hand squeezing their stomachs, and Compass Rose began to slide down. Now she went quickly, as if glad to be quit of her misery..."
There was a muffled explosion, which they could each feel like a giant hand squeezing their stomachs, and Compass Rose began to slide down. Now she went quickly, as if glad to be quit of her misery..."
A future publishing world of readers swimming oceans of bland AI slop to reach far-flung arabesque islands of human writing.
(Yes, I am probably suffering from that Friday feeling.)
(Yes, I am probably suffering from that Friday feeling.)
December 12, 2025 at 11:50 AM
A future publishing world of readers swimming oceans of bland AI slop to reach far-flung arabesque islands of human writing.
(Yes, I am probably suffering from that Friday feeling.)
(Yes, I am probably suffering from that Friday feeling.)
Reposted by Simon Spanton
“It could be verified that no princess was ever asked whether she wanted to be rescued and carried off by a dragon-slayer to a fate (no doubt) worse than death.”
Travel Light, Naomi Mitchison
Travel Light, Naomi Mitchison
December 12, 2025 at 9:15 AM
“It could be verified that no princess was ever asked whether she wanted to be rescued and carried off by a dragon-slayer to a fate (no doubt) worse than death.”
Travel Light, Naomi Mitchison
Travel Light, Naomi Mitchison
Reposted by Simon Spanton
I've been enjoying drawing these 'goldbirdthings' recently, a more loose style against a kind of scuffed background. More coming soon
www.worldofmoose.com/collections/...
www.worldofmoose.com/collections/...
December 12, 2025 at 8:50 AM
I've been enjoying drawing these 'goldbirdthings' recently, a more loose style against a kind of scuffed background. More coming soon
www.worldofmoose.com/collections/...
www.worldofmoose.com/collections/...
This is a deeply strange and really rather wonderful book.
If you're in the UK, there's still time to get a signed book for Christmas. William Blake, the Russian revolution, a spymaster confectioner, and a priest hole. 🖤
ko-fi.com/s/7292dd0671
ko-fi.com/s/7292dd0671
Pseudotooth paperback (signed) - Verity Holloway's Ko-fi Shop
The debut novel from Verity Holloway, Pseudotooth is an adult take on ‘portal fantasy’, boldly tackling issues of trauma responses, social difference ...
ko-fi.com
December 11, 2025 at 7:33 PM
This is a deeply strange and really rather wonderful book.
Reposted by Simon Spanton
Happy Birthday Sylvia Townsend Warner, born 6 December 1893. Here she is, reciting her poem Gloriana Dying, recorded in Frome Vauchurch in February 1978 by Fraser Steel and Michael Schmidt, two months before her death:
poetryarchive.org/explore/?key...
poetryarchive.org/explore/?key...
December 6, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Happy Birthday Sylvia Townsend Warner, born 6 December 1893. Here she is, reciting her poem Gloriana Dying, recorded in Frome Vauchurch in February 1978 by Fraser Steel and Michael Schmidt, two months before her death:
poetryarchive.org/explore/?key...
poetryarchive.org/explore/?key...
"There was no invention, they said, of the most lawless imagination expressed by pen and pencil, that could surpass the extravagance of their appearance."
Puffin editions of The Princess and the Goblin and The Princess and the Curdie by George MacDonald. The cover art is Pauline Baynes.
Puffin editions of The Princess and the Goblin and The Princess and the Curdie by George MacDonald. The cover art is Pauline Baynes.
December 11, 2025 at 1:26 PM
"There was no invention, they said, of the most lawless imagination expressed by pen and pencil, that could surpass the extravagance of their appearance."
Puffin editions of The Princess and the Goblin and The Princess and the Curdie by George MacDonald. The cover art is Pauline Baynes.
Puffin editions of The Princess and the Goblin and The Princess and the Curdie by George MacDonald. The cover art is Pauline Baynes.
Reposted by Simon Spanton
Bookending Jeff Noon's career so far.
Our new editions of his first two novels, Vurt and Pollen, with new guest introductions and new afterwords from Jeff.
His two most recent novels (with Steve Beard), Gogmagog and Ludluda.
And watch out for his new novel, Moon Over Brendle, in May 2026.
Our new editions of his first two novels, Vurt and Pollen, with new guest introductions and new afterwords from Jeff.
His two most recent novels (with Steve Beard), Gogmagog and Ludluda.
And watch out for his new novel, Moon Over Brendle, in May 2026.
December 11, 2025 at 11:43 AM
Bookending Jeff Noon's career so far.
Our new editions of his first two novels, Vurt and Pollen, with new guest introductions and new afterwords from Jeff.
His two most recent novels (with Steve Beard), Gogmagog and Ludluda.
And watch out for his new novel, Moon Over Brendle, in May 2026.
Our new editions of his first two novels, Vurt and Pollen, with new guest introductions and new afterwords from Jeff.
His two most recent novels (with Steve Beard), Gogmagog and Ludluda.
And watch out for his new novel, Moon Over Brendle, in May 2026.
Reposted by Simon Spanton
Here's the sound of a pebble bouncing across a frozen lake at the Wetlands in January.
Sound ON!
[AD=misty light over the frozen water on a grey day. Flats and pylons in the distance across the water.]
Sound ON!
[AD=misty light over the frozen water on a grey day. Flats and pylons in the distance across the water.]
December 11, 2025 at 10:28 AM
Here's the sound of a pebble bouncing across a frozen lake at the Wetlands in January.
Sound ON!
[AD=misty light over the frozen water on a grey day. Flats and pylons in the distance across the water.]
Sound ON!
[AD=misty light over the frozen water on a grey day. Flats and pylons in the distance across the water.]