Queen of Grimdark
@annasmithspark.bsky.social
Author of critically acclaimed grimdark epic fantasy, EMPIRES OF DUST, A WOMAN OF THE SWORD, A SWORD OF BRONZE AND ASHES. A SWORD OF GOLD AND RUIN out now.
Dyslxic, dyspraxic, ASD, PhD.
Dyslxic, dyspraxic, ASD, PhD.
And another archive review for the book otherwise known as The Court of Broken Knives...
'The novel is outstanding, and I will be reading everything that Spark writes – consider me hooked. Five luminous stars! A true grimdark masterpiece.'
share.google/tX6QB6gwVXjI...
'The novel is outstanding, and I will be reading everything that Spark writes – consider me hooked. Five luminous stars! A true grimdark masterpiece.'
share.google/tX6QB6gwVXjI...
November 10, 2025 at 9:02 AM
And another archive review for the book otherwise known as The Court of Broken Knives...
'The novel is outstanding, and I will be reading everything that Spark writes – consider me hooked. Five luminous stars! A true grimdark masterpiece.'
share.google/tX6QB6gwVXjI...
'The novel is outstanding, and I will be reading everything that Spark writes – consider me hooked. Five luminous stars! A true grimdark masterpiece.'
share.google/tX6QB6gwVXjI...
Day four of celebration for La Corte de los Cuchillos Rotos... Launch party tonight, 6.30 pm @gigamesh.com (my new favourite bookshop), Calle Bailen, Barcelona.
And yes, even Darath's parties look small compared to the celebrations for this book.
And yes, even Darath's parties look small compared to the celebrations for this book.
November 10, 2025 at 8:56 AM
Day four of celebration for La Corte de los Cuchillos Rotos... Launch party tonight, 6.30 pm @gigamesh.com (my new favourite bookshop), Calle Bailen, Barcelona.
And yes, even Darath's parties look small compared to the celebrations for this book.
And yes, even Darath's parties look small compared to the celebrations for this book.
Day three of celebrating La Corte de los Cuchillos Rotos from @ozeditorial.cois with a review from @grimdarkmagazine.bsky.social 'The world is rich and gorgeous and brutal and harsh and only eclipsed by the depth of its characters'
share.google/1NNYE1CBrLpS...
share.google/1NNYE1CBrLpS...
November 9, 2025 at 8:16 AM
Day three of celebrating La Corte de los Cuchillos Rotos from @ozeditorial.cois with a review from @grimdarkmagazine.bsky.social 'The world is rich and gorgeous and brutal and harsh and only eclipsed by the depth of its characters'
share.google/1NNYE1CBrLpS...
share.google/1NNYE1CBrLpS...
The chapter headings for La Corte de los Cuchillos Rotos and the earrings Jenny Hannaford gave me last week.
November 8, 2025 at 10:07 AM
The chapter headings for La Corte de los Cuchillos Rotos and the earrings Jenny Hannaford gave me last week.
La Corte de los Cuchillos Rotos: las canciones antiguas, los laments por los heroes muertos.
Out now from @ozeditorial.com .
(I'm told it's pretty good in the original Literan too).
Out now from @ozeditorial.com .
(I'm told it's pretty good in the original Literan too).
November 8, 2025 at 9:33 AM
La Corte de los Cuchillos Rotos: las canciones antiguas, los laments por los heroes muertos.
Out now from @ozeditorial.com .
(I'm told it's pretty good in the original Literan too).
Out now from @ozeditorial.com .
(I'm told it's pretty good in the original Literan too).
And to celebrate the publication of La Corte de los Cuchillos Rotos, here's my favourite ever review, as seen in Waterstones Gower Street.
'The Court of Broken Knives. Grimdark battle fantasy par excellence - like Joe Abercrombie meets Leonard Cohen in a particularly filthy public toilet'.
'The Court of Broken Knives. Grimdark battle fantasy par excellence - like Joe Abercrombie meets Leonard Cohen in a particularly filthy public toilet'.
November 6, 2025 at 5:34 PM
And to celebrate the publication of La Corte de los Cuchillos Rotos, here's my favourite ever review, as seen in Waterstones Gower Street.
'The Court of Broken Knives. Grimdark battle fantasy par excellence - like Joe Abercrombie meets Leonard Cohen in a particularly filthy public toilet'.
'The Court of Broken Knives. Grimdark battle fantasy par excellence - like Joe Abercrombie meets Leonard Cohen in a particularly filthy public toilet'.
Tomorrow morning I'm heading off to Barcelona to unleash La Corte de los Cuchillos Rotos on the world as part of #festival42bcn . Marith in Spanish is a dream.
November 6, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Tomorrow morning I'm heading off to Barcelona to unleash La Corte de los Cuchillos Rotos on the world as part of #festival42bcn . Marith in Spanish is a dream.
Kill the Gods: Epic Fantasy and Religion. Alexandra Beaumont, Marvellous Michael Anson, Stew Hotson and Will Wiles in conversation.
Waterstones Covent Garden, Thursday 17th November, 6pm.
Waterstones Covent Garden, Thursday 17th November, 6pm.
November 5, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Kill the Gods: Epic Fantasy and Religion. Alexandra Beaumont, Marvellous Michael Anson, Stew Hotson and Will Wiles in conversation.
Waterstones Covent Garden, Thursday 17th November, 6pm.
Waterstones Covent Garden, Thursday 17th November, 6pm.
I'm (slightly surprised to discover) I'm talking at Waterstones Covent Garden on Thursday 13th November alongside Alexandra Beaumont, Stew Hotson, Marvellous Michael Anson and WP Wiles.
#books #fantasybooks #epicfantasy #grimdark #folkhorror #mythology
#books #fantasybooks #epicfantasy #grimdark #folkhorror #mythology
November 5, 2025 at 7:09 PM
I'm (slightly surprised to discover) I'm talking at Waterstones Covent Garden on Thursday 13th November alongside Alexandra Beaumont, Stew Hotson, Marvellous Michael Anson and WP Wiles.
#books #fantasybooks #epicfantasy #grimdark #folkhorror #mythology
#books #fantasybooks #epicfantasy #grimdark #folkhorror #mythology
A SWORD OF BRONZE AND ASHES and A SWORD OF GOLD AND RUIN. Out now in stunning sprayed-edged hardback.
#fantasy #epicfantasy #fantasybooks #myth #mythology #folkhorror #grimdark #books
📖📖📖🔥🔥🔥
#fantasy #epicfantasy #fantasybooks #myth #mythology #folkhorror #grimdark #books
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November 4, 2025 at 6:31 PM
A SWORD OF BRONZE AND ASHES and A SWORD OF GOLD AND RUIN. Out now in stunning sprayed-edged hardback.
#fantasy #epicfantasy #fantasybooks #myth #mythology #folkhorror #grimdark #books
📖📖📖🔥🔥🔥
#fantasy #epicfantasy #fantasybooks #myth #mythology #folkhorror #grimdark #books
📖📖📖🔥🔥🔥
So close to being the first grimdark comedy horror epic fantasy gorefest to win a World Fantasy Award!
Although it's lucky we didn't win, as Mike's part of the speech was an f-bomb.
#grimdark #grimdarkfantasy #epicfantasy #fantasybooks
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Although it's lucky we didn't win, as Mike's part of the speech was an f-bomb.
#grimdark #grimdarkfantasy #epicfantasy #fantasybooks
📖📖📖🔥🔥🔥😢
November 3, 2025 at 4:33 PM
So close to being the first grimdark comedy horror epic fantasy gorefest to win a World Fantasy Award!
Although it's lucky we didn't win, as Mike's part of the speech was an f-bomb.
#grimdark #grimdarkfantasy #epicfantasy #fantasybooks
📖📖📖🔥🔥🔥😢
Although it's lucky we didn't win, as Mike's part of the speech was an f-bomb.
#grimdark #grimdarkfantasy #epicfantasy #fantasybooks
📖📖📖🔥🔥🔥😢
I have a Meet the Author event as part of @worldfantasy2025.bsky.social on Thursday 30th at 7pm. I have some very nice art postcards and a couple of t-shirts to give away. And I will give a special reading from a top top secret new project I've been working on. Sign up at the con registration desk.
October 27, 2025 at 11:45 AM
I have a Meet the Author event as part of @worldfantasy2025.bsky.social on Thursday 30th at 7pm. I have some very nice art postcards and a couple of t-shirts to give away. And I will give a special reading from a top top secret new project I've been working on. Sign up at the con registration desk.
A SWORD OF GOLD AND RUIN out now! My most beautifully written book yet.
October 23, 2025 at 4:09 PM
A SWORD OF GOLD AND RUIN out now! My most beautifully written book yet.
Some wonderful, wonderful reviews for A SWORD OF GOLD AND RUIN, book two in The Making of This World Ruined and the sequel to the 'masterpiece' A SWORD OF BRONZE AND ASHES.
📖📖📖🔥🔥🔥#booksky #books #fantasybooks #epicfantasy
📖📖📖🔥🔥🔥#booksky #books #fantasybooks #epicfantasy
October 22, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Some wonderful, wonderful reviews for A SWORD OF GOLD AND RUIN, book two in The Making of This World Ruined and the sequel to the 'masterpiece' A SWORD OF BRONZE AND ASHES.
📖📖📖🔥🔥🔥#booksky #books #fantasybooks #epicfantasy
📖📖📖🔥🔥🔥#booksky #books #fantasybooks #epicfantasy
Panels, signings, a booklaunch... What I'm up to at WorldFantasyConvention 2025 in Brighton next week.
October 22, 2025 at 10:43 AM
Panels, signings, a booklaunch... What I'm up to at WorldFantasyConvention 2025 in Brighton next week.
Me reading from A SWORD OF GOLD AND RUIN in the house Kanda builds at the beginning of A SWORD OF GOLD AND RUIN. Like a dream come true - thank you @butserancientfarm.co.uk
October 20, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Me reading from A SWORD OF GOLD AND RUIN in the house Kanda builds at the beginning of A SWORD OF GOLD AND RUIN. Like a dream come true - thank you @butserancientfarm.co.uk
About to head off the @butserancientfarm.co.uk for #butserbookfest. Saturday, I'm running a pworkshop on using details of daily life and setting to enrich your world building. Sunday I'm talking about my own writing, in the very house that Kanda builds at the beginning of A Sword of Gold and Ruin.
October 17, 2025 at 10:58 AM
About to head off the @butserancientfarm.co.uk for #butserbookfest. Saturday, I'm running a pworkshop on using details of daily life and setting to enrich your world building. Sunday I'm talking about my own writing, in the very house that Kanda builds at the beginning of A Sword of Gold and Ruin.
I'll be @butserancientfarm.co.uk on Saturday 18 October as part of #butserbookfest , giving a practical workshop on using descriptions of daily life to build a richer, deeper and more magical fantasy or historical world.
#fantasy #fantasybooks #fantasyfiction #historicalfiction #historicalfantasy
#fantasy #fantasybooks #fantasyfiction #historicalfiction #historicalfantasy
October 15, 2025 at 5:07 PM
I'll be @butserancientfarm.co.uk on Saturday 18 October as part of #butserbookfest , giving a practical workshop on using descriptions of daily life to build a richer, deeper and more magical fantasy or historical world.
#fantasy #fantasybooks #fantasyfiction #historicalfiction #historicalfantasy
#fantasy #fantasybooks #fantasyfiction #historicalfiction #historicalfantasy
I'll be giving a workshop @butserancientfarm.co.uk on Sat 18 October as part of #butserbookfest . I'll take people through building a rich, magical, mythic but human world for a fantasy or historical novel or short story.
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October 9, 2025 at 6:00 PM
I'll be giving a workshop @butserancientfarm.co.uk on Sat 18 October as part of #butserbookfest . I'll take people through building a rich, magical, mythic but human world for a fantasy or historical novel or short story.
📖📖📖
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Two weeks' from today, on Sunday 19th October, I'll be @butserancientfarm.co.uk for #butserbookfest , talking about writing fantasy and creating ancient mythic worlds.
#books #fantasy #fantasyfiction #epicfantasy #historicalfiction
#books #fantasy #fantasyfiction #epicfantasy #historicalfiction
October 5, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Two weeks' from today, on Sunday 19th October, I'll be @butserancientfarm.co.uk for #butserbookfest , talking about writing fantasy and creating ancient mythic worlds.
#books #fantasy #fantasyfiction #epicfantasy #historicalfiction
#books #fantasy #fantasyfiction #epicfantasy #historicalfiction
In two weeks' time, on Saturday 18th October, I'll be @butserancientfarm.co.uk for #butserbookfest , giving a workshop on building a magical, fantastical, yet tangibly human world.
#books #fantasy #fantasyfiction #epicfantasy #historicalfiction 📖📖📖
#books #fantasy #fantasyfiction #epicfantasy #historicalfiction 📖📖📖
October 4, 2025 at 3:23 PM
In two weeks' time, on Saturday 18th October, I'll be @butserancientfarm.co.uk for #butserbookfest , giving a workshop on building a magical, fantastical, yet tangibly human world.
#books #fantasy #fantasyfiction #epicfantasy #historicalfiction 📖📖📖
#books #fantasy #fantasyfiction #epicfantasy #historicalfiction 📖📖📖
I'm going to be @butserancientfarm.co.uk for #butserbookfest on Sat 18 and Sun 19 October. On Sun 19, I'll be talking about writing fantasy and creating ancient worlds - in the house in chapter two of A Sword of Gold and Ruin.
#fantasy #fantasybooks #epicfantasy #folklore #historicalfantasy
#fantasy #fantasybooks #epicfantasy #folklore #historicalfantasy
October 2, 2025 at 11:36 AM
I'm going to be @butserancientfarm.co.uk for #butserbookfest on Sat 18 and Sun 19 October. On Sun 19, I'll be talking about writing fantasy and creating ancient worlds - in the house in chapter two of A Sword of Gold and Ruin.
#fantasy #fantasybooks #epicfantasy #folklore #historicalfantasy
#fantasy #fantasybooks #epicfantasy #folklore #historicalfantasy
I'm going to @butserancientfarm.co.uk for #butserbookfest on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th October.On Saturday 18th at 2.30, I'll be giving a workshop on fantasy world building - in a Saxon Mead Hall!
#fantasy #fantasybooks #epicfantasy #folklore #historicalfantasy
📖📖🔥
#fantasy #fantasybooks #epicfantasy #folklore #historicalfantasy
📖📖🔥
October 2, 2025 at 11:32 AM
I'm going to @butserancientfarm.co.uk for #butserbookfest on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th October.On Saturday 18th at 2.30, I'll be giving a workshop on fantasy world building - in a Saxon Mead Hall!
#fantasy #fantasybooks #epicfantasy #folklore #historicalfantasy
📖📖🔥
#fantasy #fantasybooks #epicfantasy #folklore #historicalfantasy
📖📖🔥
After my heroic attempts to be on every podcast everywhere, I'm now embarking on a quest to appear at every possibly in-person event. Kicking off this Saturday with a panel and reading at the INNSMOUTH LITERARY FESTIVAL, Bedford, a celebration of all things weird fiction. Tickets via link below.
September 26, 2025 at 10:15 AM
After my heroic attempts to be on every podcast everywhere, I'm now embarking on a quest to appear at every possibly in-person event. Kicking off this Saturday with a panel and reading at the INNSMOUTH LITERARY FESTIVAL, Bedford, a celebration of all things weird fiction. Tickets via link below.
A SWORD OF BRONZE AND ASHES is being re-released in a stunning sprayed-edged hardback to match A SWORD OF GOLD AND RUIN. With a new short story about the glory days of the Six of Roven. I just gave a reading from it and I have to say I'm rather proud of it.
September 21, 2025 at 1:00 PM
A SWORD OF BRONZE AND ASHES is being re-released in a stunning sprayed-edged hardback to match A SWORD OF GOLD AND RUIN. With a new short story about the glory days of the Six of Roven. I just gave a reading from it and I have to say I'm rather proud of it.