Dr Mike Hollows/MJ Hollows He/Him
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mikehollows.bsky.social
Dr Mike Hollows/MJ Hollows He/Him
@mikehollows.bsky.social
1.1K followers 270 following 580 posts
"The John Lewis Christmas Advert of Authors." Historical fiction/SFF Author. PhD Creative Writing (Science Fiction)/Lecturer. ME/CFS, late diagnosed ADHD. He/Him. Liverpool-based. Rep’d by Liverpool Literary Agency
https://linktr.ee/mikehollows
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mikehollows.bsky.social
We’re having a wholesome evening watching bake off
My two back and white cats sitting on my lap and next to be giving each other a nose bop
September 2, 2025 at 7:28 PM
mikehollows.bsky.social
Getting lots of work done this morning…

But then I needed kitten cuddles. Until he decided the tummy was a trap.
June 10, 2025 at 9:38 AM
mikehollows.bsky.social
I love eBay messages like this. Good for you, mate. The auction starts at £40…
An eBay message saying ‘I am interested in buying this for 35 bucks’
April 23, 2025 at 3:12 PM
mikehollows.bsky.social
It's up to #3! Can we get it to #1?
www.amazon.co.uk/Violinists-S...
#Books #HistoricalFiction
The top 3 on Amazon for Action and Adventure Literary Fiction.
March 1, 2025 at 8:24 PM
mikehollows.bsky.social
My new novel The Violinist's Secret is up to #112 on the Amazon.co.uk store.
I would love to get it higher! If you haven't grabbed a copy yet it's currently only 99p!
And if you have a copy, please share far and wide! www.amazon.co.uk/Violinists-S...
#Books #HistoricalFiction
Best Sellers Rank: 15,353 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store) 112 in Action & Adventure Literary Fiction 150 in Literary Sagas 221 in Psychological Literary Fiction Customer reviews: 4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 7 ratings the Violinist's Secret cover with 99p tag.
February 28, 2025 at 3:57 PM
mikehollows.bsky.social
Oh, my. How is this for a review of The Violinist's Secret? 5⭐'beautifully plotted', 'devoured in 2 sittings.' I'm blown away. Thank you!
You can order your copy now: linktr.ee/mikehollows
#BookReview #HistoricalFiction
I found myself transported to World War 2 Hamburg with the heroine of the story, German born Charlotte Weber, who is of Swedish-Prussian descent. A university philosophy student, Charlotte through her music finds release from the worries of the war and the problematic feelings she has as she tries to navigate it. The smell of bomb raids, the tragedy of the Nazi regime, the grief, the confusion, the terror and constant fear of 'being on an anti-Nazi list' with the added touch of romance blend together to make this a poignant, thought provoking read. Charlotte's character as a young woman hopeful of a life beyond the expectations of being a wife and mother, is relentless in her quest to unravel the complexities of a war and a regime which she increasingly disagrees with. The murder of her friend leads her to lead a double life which troubles her and this beautifully plotted story narrates Charlotte's journey, mistakes, hopes and fears beautifully leading to a climatic ending I didn't see coming. Absolutely loved this and devoured it over 2 sittings.
January 24, 2025 at 10:02 AM
mikehollows.bsky.social
Said spoon
A piece of wood vaguely in the shape of a spoon.
January 20, 2025 at 12:27 PM
mikehollows.bsky.social
Just listened to the sample of The Violinist's Secret audiobook read by the wonderful Sofia Engstrand.
It's always incredible and surreal to hear your writing read by someone. Sofia has done an amazing job. I couldn't be happier!
It's out today!
linktr.ee/mikehollows
#Books #HistoricalFiction
The cover of Violinist's Secret on a device. With some earpods next.
January 16, 2025 at 10:33 AM
mikehollows.bsky.social
Jut listened to the sample of The Violinist's Secret audiobook read by the wonderful Sofia Engstrand.
It's always incredible and surreal to hear your writing read by someone else. Sofia has done an amazing job with this one. I couldn't be happier!
It's out today!
#Books #HistoricalFiction
The cover of Violinist's Secret on a device. With some earpods next.
January 16, 2025 at 10:12 AM
mikehollows.bsky.social
My next novel The Violinist's Secret is released (in all formats) a week today!
Preorders are still very much encouraged!
www.amazon.co.uk/Violinists-S...
@hqstories.bsky.social #Books #HistoricalFiction
The cover of the Violinist's Secret, featuring a blonde woman in a red coat standing in front of the Rathaus in Hamburg, with the caption'The woman who played both sides of the war.'
January 9, 2025 at 3:44 PM
mikehollows.bsky.social
Well I just slipped down these stairs onto my lower back, which I already jarred last week.

My next book should have been called The Tiny Violin 🎻
A set of six stone stairs outside the Buchanan galleries in Glasgow. Slightly damp.
November 23, 2024 at 3:00 PM
mikehollows.bsky.social
Hello to my new followers. My publisher isn't on here yet, but yesterday we had a cover reveal for my new novel:

In Nazi Germany Charlotte works as a double agent, using her cover as an orchestra’s violinist to infiltrate and subvert the regime from within.

Out on 16th January 2025, preorder now!
HQ Stories 📚 COVER REVEAL 📚 In Nazi Germany Charlotte works as a double agent, using her cover as an orchestra’s violinist to infiltrate and subvert the regime from within. Out on 16th January 2025 #TheViolinistsSecret is available to request on @NetGalley now: http://bit.ly/3Z85ptT And a picture of a women in a red coat holding a violin in front of the Rathaus in Hamburg.
November 21, 2024 at 3:08 PM
mikehollows.bsky.social
Tonight I painted a wall. First time. Quite happy with that.
Bedroom wall painted Nordic Sky (which is a pale blue colour)
October 18, 2024 at 9:49 PM
mikehollows.bsky.social
And because it’s #BookshopDay I visited Waterstones Chester during #Fantasycon2024 and they had a copy of The German Messenger!
It would be lovely is someone went home with that book today.
Picture of the frontage of Waterstones Chester in the Rows, a faux Tudor row of shops on the upper level of the high street. Black beams, white plaster and balustrades. A picture of my book The German Messenger depicting a woman in a red coat wheeling a bicycle in front of the Liver building, Liverpool. Front out on the shelf in Waterstones Chester.
October 12, 2024 at 1:09 PM
mikehollows.bsky.social
On my way to #Fantasycon2024 on a train through sunny Wirral. (As I have no car rn!)
A picture showing the Rock Ferry platform sign in front of the rising walkway to cross platforms. A bright blue sky with a white fluffy cloud and on the platform there is a yellow salt bucket.
October 11, 2024 at 1:00 PM
mikehollows.bsky.social
I’m considering buying this hat and making it my entire personality.
Me wearing a blue, wide-brimmed hat, possibly a Homburg
September 26, 2024 at 3:32 PM
mikehollows.bsky.social
Okay. I'm filling out a cover letter for a Creative Writing Lectureship, and what the hell does this criteria mean? Any ideas? I don't even know where to start, let alone how to explain my experience in this.
Any ideas?
Image says: E2 Demonstrated commitment to open research, as appropriate to the discipline, through open data, open code, open educational resources and practices that support replication.
September 23, 2024 at 3:31 PM
mikehollows.bsky.social
Hello, I am Dr. Not Qualified For Anything.

Hjälp
Image says 'There are no jobs that match your search'
September 20, 2024 at 11:41 AM
mikehollows.bsky.social
Wow, it's my lucky day. Two million dollaridoos.
September 19, 2024 at 12:57 PM
mikehollows.bsky.social
Check out this incredibly well designed power point in Costa Liverpool One.
A power plug that is too short for my MacBook charger to fit underneath
September 18, 2024 at 1:18 PM
mikehollows.bsky.social
??
Review: Dianne Jackson 2.0 out of 5 stars Dud Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2024 Verified Purchase You can definitely figure out that the writer was British as it was written with too much emphasis on the beginning that was not pertinent to get to the story itself. It was written in a boring monotone that took forever to finish reading it. Would not recommend reading it!
May 13, 2024 at 10:29 PM
mikehollows.bsky.social
I mean, one of these things is possible...
An email with the subject 'Win Wimbledon tickets and enjoy tennis.'
May 13, 2024 at 12:18 PM
mikehollows.bsky.social
This top 10 will probably change several times by tomorrow. #Eurovision
My Eurovision top ten, Germany 12, Norway 10, Croatia 8, Luxembourg 7, Italy 6, Armenia 5, Ukraine 4, Sweden 3, Ireland 2, Finland 1.
May 10, 2024 at 4:04 PM
mikehollows.bsky.social
From the email I just received:
The Society of Authors aims to be a union in which every member feels represented and safe to express their opinion. After last week’s EGM, some of you have written to say you approved of the process, while others have suggested alternative approaches that we should have taken. A few of you, sadly, have tendered your resignations from the SoA. As we said at the EGM, we acknowledge that war and conflicts are taking place in many different communities across the globe, and that many of us are deeply affected and impacted by this context in different ways. We condemn abuse and the incitement to hatred of any kind, including anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim racism and hate speech. Following our 2022 AGM, we started work on a series of governance changes which we hoped would protect all members’ interests. These included the development of new policies on who speaks for the union and when we comment. Our aim was to clarify the SoA’s public role while protecting individual members’ freedom of expression. This policy and position does not represent a lack of compassion for the sufferings and grief in Israel and Palestine over the last seven months. It would be inhuman not to be horrified by so much death and destruction, murder and mendacity. We do understand the strength of feeling among members, and of course we all hope for a fair peace in the region. The range of comments received after the EGM will be the leading agenda item at our next Management Committee board meeting on Thursday 16 May - an extended meeting to ensure we have the time to give these issues the discussion they deserve. We still want to make sure our policies are the best we can achieve. We want your input and we are listening.
May 9, 2024 at 4:34 PM
mikehollows.bsky.social
Happy #WorldBookDay! I’ve just been and signed all my books in @waterstones.bsky.social Liverpool. Go and grab yourself a copy!
Picture shows the from cover of my book The German Messenger and the title page with my signature.
March 7, 2024 at 5:14 PM