Elen Caldecott
@elencaldecott.bsky.social
I write children's fiction. I puppy-wrangle. Hoffi coffi. If there's dancing, I'm in. Senior Lecture, Creative Writing at Lancaster. Published Bloomsbury, OUP, Andersen Press. All jokes my own. She/her
I feel about Michelle Visage the way that Michelle Visage feels about Madonna.
What a stone cold goddess.
What a stone cold goddess.
November 14, 2025 at 6:24 PM
I feel about Michelle Visage the way that Michelle Visage feels about Madonna.
What a stone cold goddess.
What a stone cold goddess.
This is my reading material tonight. I blame @oliverklangmead.bsky.social.
November 10, 2025 at 9:00 PM
This is my reading material tonight. I blame @oliverklangmead.bsky.social.
Poor dog hates bonfire night so much. A blanket fort helps a tiny bit.
November 8, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Poor dog hates bonfire night so much. A blanket fort helps a tiny bit.
Let's say you were a person who might soon be walking in an academic procession. And you have a choice of two robes. One looked a bit shower-curtain-y and one looked a bit Chrismas-elf-y. Which do you go for? (With MASSIVE apols to the people in the photos - you look amazing!)
October 23, 2025 at 10:32 AM
Let's say you were a person who might soon be walking in an academic procession. And you have a choice of two robes. One looked a bit shower-curtain-y and one looked a bit Chrismas-elf-y. Which do you go for? (With MASSIVE apols to the people in the photos - you look amazing!)
It is just as brilliant as I'd hoped. Warm, delicate, angry, lost, connected. Worth your time. Mostly, it's prose, but this poetry section brought tears to my eyes. 'Crossing' by Sabrin Hasbun ❤️
June 28, 2025 at 3:05 PM
It is just as brilliant as I'd hoped. Warm, delicate, angry, lost, connected. Worth your time. Mostly, it's prose, but this poetry section brought tears to my eyes. 'Crossing' by Sabrin Hasbun ❤️
Prepping gifts for the colleagues leaving or being redeployed as part of Lancaster's voluntary severance/restructure. Those leaving today aren't counted as part of the 400 we are to lose in the coming year. Gutting. 💔💔💔
June 26, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Prepping gifts for the colleagues leaving or being redeployed as part of Lancaster's voluntary severance/restructure. Those leaving today aren't counted as part of the 400 we are to lose in the coming year. Gutting. 💔💔💔
When the thermometer creeps above 25C my local pub scatters school chairs haphazardly around the pavement and - for a few glorious hours - we all pretend we're in Naples, and not on an urban rat run that smells of rollies and kebabs.
June 19, 2025 at 8:23 PM
When the thermometer creeps above 25C my local pub scatters school chairs haphazardly around the pavement and - for a few glorious hours - we all pretend we're in Naples, and not on an urban rat run that smells of rollies and kebabs.
I have finished work for the day and get to spend a while reading this beauty. I met Sabrin when we were PhD students so have known about this book for a long time. It is a true labour of love by a very talented writer. So proud of her. So pleased it's out in the world.
June 11, 2025 at 11:59 AM
I have finished work for the day and get to spend a while reading this beauty. I met Sabrin when we were PhD students so have known about this book for a long time. It is a true labour of love by a very talented writer. So proud of her. So pleased it's out in the world.
My father-in-law has had sole access to my Prime account for the last week. I looked today. My God. Never in the field of human conflict has an algorithm been so banjaxed for so many by so few.
It's like the bloody Somme in there.
It's like the bloody Somme in there.
May 25, 2025 at 5:32 PM
My father-in-law has had sole access to my Prime account for the last week. I looked today. My God. Never in the field of human conflict has an algorithm been so banjaxed for so many by so few.
It's like the bloody Somme in there.
It's like the bloody Somme in there.
Got a sensible haircut after four years of an undercut. Feel like Iona at the end of Pretty In Pink.
Laugh and I'll deck you.
Laugh and I'll deck you.
May 22, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Got a sensible haircut after four years of an undercut. Feel like Iona at the end of Pretty In Pink.
Laugh and I'll deck you.
Laugh and I'll deck you.
Stumbled across this today. It's my dog back when she was a puppy and learning to be a van dog. She mastered it!
April 30, 2025 at 8:20 AM
Stumbled across this today. It's my dog back when she was a puppy and learning to be a van dog. She mastered it!
I think the children in my local park have gone full Blair Witch. Can only hope they're praying to the Green Gods to restore order. The alternative is, we can blame America's demise on the curses of Gen Alpha.
April 4, 2025 at 3:56 PM
I think the children in my local park have gone full Blair Witch. Can only hope they're praying to the Green Gods to restore order. The alternative is, we can blame America's demise on the curses of Gen Alpha.
I mean, hell in a handcart out there, obviously.
But I am going to have line-dried sheets. Small mercies are still mercies.
But I am going to have line-dried sheets. Small mercies are still mercies.
April 3, 2025 at 7:38 AM
I mean, hell in a handcart out there, obviously.
But I am going to have line-dried sheets. Small mercies are still mercies.
But I am going to have line-dried sheets. Small mercies are still mercies.
Just finished a little embroidery square. British-style rebellion.
March 24, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Just finished a little embroidery square. British-style rebellion.
Robert Jenrick could get a fairly decent definition of Englishness by running the responses to this image through Chatgpt.
February 28, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Robert Jenrick could get a fairly decent definition of Englishness by running the responses to this image through Chatgpt.
I'm not one for photographing my food. However, I do have a photo of me and a Greggs pain au chocolate at sunrise. The strange beauty of life on my island.
February 16, 2025 at 5:33 PM
I'm not one for photographing my food. However, I do have a photo of me and a Greggs pain au chocolate at sunrise. The strange beauty of life on my island.
I've got a new book out! 'Family Tree' is the next installment of the Whodunnit Family Detectives with OUP. I hadn't planned on writing a sequel, but we all had such a good time writing/illustrating/editing the first that it felt like a natural next step.
February 1, 2025 at 11:47 AM
I've got a new book out! 'Family Tree' is the next installment of the Whodunnit Family Detectives with OUP. I hadn't planned on writing a sequel, but we all had such a good time writing/illustrating/editing the first that it felt like a natural next step.
Happy solstice. In the North, we're the furthest from the light we can be. It's incrementally better from here on in.
December 21, 2024 at 10:08 AM
Happy solstice. In the North, we're the furthest from the light we can be. It's incrementally better from here on in.
My Christmas present to myself arrived!
I've read and loved Andrew Cowan's work in the past, so I have high hopes, despite the dour title! #academicsky
I've read and loved Andrew Cowan's work in the past, so I have high hopes, despite the dour title! #academicsky
December 18, 2024 at 10:58 AM
My Christmas present to myself arrived!
I've read and loved Andrew Cowan's work in the past, so I have high hopes, despite the dour title! #academicsky
I've read and loved Andrew Cowan's work in the past, so I have high hopes, despite the dour title! #academicsky
The dog is not allowed to watch the street because if anything - person, bike or, god forbid, another dog - goes past, she loses her shit. But she longs to watch. You're your own worst enemy, Peggy.
December 15, 2024 at 4:21 PM
The dog is not allowed to watch the street because if anything - person, bike or, god forbid, another dog - goes past, she loses her shit. But she longs to watch. You're your own worst enemy, Peggy.
So. Bluesky has proved its worth as a breaking news site. But I'm curious, how useful is it proving to the publishing industry?
Which book has Bluesky made you buy?
I'll start
Which book has Bluesky made you buy?
I'll start
December 9, 2024 at 9:58 AM
So. Bluesky has proved its worth as a breaking news site. But I'm curious, how useful is it proving to the publishing industry?
Which book has Bluesky made you buy?
I'll start
Which book has Bluesky made you buy?
I'll start
Not a Christmas tree any of us want to see. New Reflecting Realities report published today.
clpe.org.uk/system/files... #ukkidlit
#ukkidlitnews
clpe.org.uk/system/files... #ukkidlit
#ukkidlitnews
November 29, 2024 at 9:56 AM
Not a Christmas tree any of us want to see. New Reflecting Realities report published today.
clpe.org.uk/system/files... #ukkidlit
#ukkidlitnews
clpe.org.uk/system/files... #ukkidlit
#ukkidlitnews
I took a photo of it some 20 years ago. It was on the skids even then.
November 16, 2024 at 2:01 PM
I took a photo of it some 20 years ago. It was on the skids even then.
It's giving it a go!
November 12, 2024 at 8:22 PM
It's giving it a go!