Richard Wiles
@richard-wiles.bsky.social
Author, Fiction: The Serpent’s Child. Non-Fiction: Bon Courage! & Bonne Chance! Compiler: LaSource bilingual dictionaries. Editor: Aerostat, journal of British Balloon & Airship Club
A cut above: Small Bites
…émouleurs, knife-grinders in Thiers at the start of the 20th century… worked in a prone position to avoid straining their backs, sometimes with a dog sitting on their legs for warmth.
For more, read the Substack post:
waymarks.substack.com/.../a-cut-ab....
…émouleurs, knife-grinders in Thiers at the start of the 20th century… worked in a prone position to avoid straining their backs, sometimes with a dog sitting on their legs for warmth.
For more, read the Substack post:
waymarks.substack.com/.../a-cut-ab....
December 17, 2025 at 4:12 PM
A cut above: Small Bites
…émouleurs, knife-grinders in Thiers at the start of the 20th century… worked in a prone position to avoid straining their backs, sometimes with a dog sitting on their legs for warmth.
For more, read the Substack post:
waymarks.substack.com/.../a-cut-ab....
…émouleurs, knife-grinders in Thiers at the start of the 20th century… worked in a prone position to avoid straining their backs, sometimes with a dog sitting on their legs for warmth.
For more, read the Substack post:
waymarks.substack.com/.../a-cut-ab....
My latest newsletter, the first of a two-part feature on knife-making in France, is live on Substack. Please read and enjoy, share and generally support my writing!
Please also see my special Christmas offer – a 50% discount on paid-for subscription.
waymarks.substack.com/a24adb8d
Please also see my special Christmas offer – a 50% discount on paid-for subscription.
waymarks.substack.com/a24adb8d
December 15, 2025 at 3:20 PM
My latest newsletter, the first of a two-part feature on knife-making in France, is live on Substack. Please read and enjoy, share and generally support my writing!
Please also see my special Christmas offer – a 50% discount on paid-for subscription.
waymarks.substack.com/a24adb8d
Please also see my special Christmas offer – a 50% discount on paid-for subscription.
waymarks.substack.com/a24adb8d
The latest post from Waymarks is now live, and winging its way to subscribers by the magic of email. Enjoy this tasty treat, and if you want to join the party, all you need to do it subscribe – it’s gratuit!
December 8, 2025 at 1:02 PM
The latest post from Waymarks is now live, and winging its way to subscribers by the magic of email. Enjoy this tasty treat, and if you want to join the party, all you need to do it subscribe – it’s gratuit!
This week’s instalment of Hungarian Rhapsody: Tracks in the snow is now live on Substack! Please read and enjoy, share and generally show appreciation for my Waymarks publication. If you don’t already, consider subscribing for weekly content. It’s free!
December 1, 2025 at 2:57 PM
This week’s instalment of Hungarian Rhapsody: Tracks in the snow is now live on Substack! Please read and enjoy, share and generally show appreciation for my Waymarks publication. If you don’t already, consider subscribing for weekly content. It’s free!
After a significant delay, completion of La Source!, third book in my trilogy of humorous travel-genre books, is back on track for publication early next year – although I still have twenty or so chapter opening illustrations to draw! (rod for own back springs to mind)
November 27, 2025 at 1:17 PM
After a significant delay, completion of La Source!, third book in my trilogy of humorous travel-genre books, is back on track for publication early next year – although I still have twenty or so chapter opening illustrations to draw! (rod for own back springs to mind)
My Waymarks post Balloons, Siege & Saxophones has just been published in the winter edition of Trailrope, the journal of the British Balloon Museum & Library. It’s included in the BBM&L annual membership package. Find out more and get your subscription via www.britishballoonmuseum.org.uk
November 26, 2025 at 5:47 PM
My Waymarks post Balloons, Siege & Saxophones has just been published in the winter edition of Trailrope, the journal of the British Balloon Museum & Library. It’s included in the BBM&L annual membership package. Find out more and get your subscription via www.britishballoonmuseum.org.uk
My latest post from Waymarks is now live on Substack. Please read, enjoy, and share. If you're not already, become a subscriber. It's free.
November 24, 2025 at 12:37 PM
My latest post from Waymarks is now live on Substack. Please read, enjoy, and share. If you're not already, become a subscriber. It's free.
My latest post from Waymarks is now live on Substack. Please read and enjoy, share and comment. If you're not already, consider becoming a subscriber to my publication to receive free weekly newsletters.
November 17, 2025 at 12:13 PM
My latest post from Waymarks is now live on Substack. Please read and enjoy, share and comment. If you're not already, consider becoming a subscriber to my publication to receive free weekly newsletters.
This week's essay is 'Llama labour force', and now live on Substack. Please enjoy, and share, and consider subscribing (for free!) to Waymarks for further weekly offerings.
November 10, 2025 at 12:55 PM
This week's essay is 'Llama labour force', and now live on Substack. Please enjoy, and share, and consider subscribing (for free!) to Waymarks for further weekly offerings.
Announcing a new edition of 'Dictionary of French Building Terms', celebrating 20 years of publication across several reprints – helping thousands of English speakers navigate the vagaries of home renovation in France. A companion book to others in the 'La Source! Bilingual Dictionaries' series.
November 9, 2025 at 10:12 AM
Announcing a new edition of 'Dictionary of French Building Terms', celebrating 20 years of publication across several reprints – helping thousands of English speakers navigate the vagaries of home renovation in France. A companion book to others in the 'La Source! Bilingual Dictionaries' series.
Having traipsed through the wildness of the Amazon rainforest (see the six instalments of ‘Call of the Jungle’ in the Waymarks archive) this week we stroll through the formal traditional gardens of France. Please enjoy, share, and generally support my writing!
November 3, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Having traipsed through the wildness of the Amazon rainforest (see the six instalments of ‘Call of the Jungle’ in the Waymarks archive) this week we stroll through the formal traditional gardens of France. Please enjoy, share, and generally support my writing!
After six parts of 'Call of the Jungle', next week’s Waymarks on Substack will be a respite from the swamps and claustrophobia of the Amazon rainforest: in 'Living Tapestries' I invite you to join me on an amble through the formality of le jardin à la française.
Photo © Snap Wander/Unsplash
Photo © Snap Wander/Unsplash
November 1, 2025 at 5:38 PM
After six parts of 'Call of the Jungle', next week’s Waymarks on Substack will be a respite from the swamps and claustrophobia of the Amazon rainforest: in 'Living Tapestries' I invite you to join me on an amble through the formality of le jardin à la française.
Photo © Snap Wander/Unsplash
Photo © Snap Wander/Unsplash
The latest issue of Aerostat, the quarterly 52-page glossy journal that I produce for the British Balloon & Airship Club, is on its way to members. For those interested in getting involved in hot air ballooning, please consult www.bbac.org.
October 28, 2025 at 6:00 PM
The latest issue of Aerostat, the quarterly 52-page glossy journal that I produce for the British Balloon & Airship Club, is on its way to members. For those interested in getting involved in hot air ballooning, please consult www.bbac.org.
The final instalment of Call of the Jungle is now live on Substack. Please read this account from Iane Gomes, who I first met during the Jungle Marathon in 2003 in Amazonas. Please read, enjoy, share and, if you don't already, subscribe to Waymarks for further tales of travel and adventure!
October 28, 2025 at 8:58 AM
The final instalment of Call of the Jungle is now live on Substack. Please read this account from Iane Gomes, who I first met during the Jungle Marathon in 2003 in Amazonas. Please read, enjoy, share and, if you don't already, subscribe to Waymarks for further tales of travel and adventure!
Chapter five of my serialisation of Call of the Jungle is now live on Substack. Please read, enjoy, shed tears, and generally whoop and cheer. If you don't yet subscribe to 'Waymarks', perhaps you'd like to give it a try. It's buckshee!
October 20, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Chapter five of my serialisation of Call of the Jungle is now live on Substack. Please read, enjoy, shed tears, and generally whoop and cheer. If you don't yet subscribe to 'Waymarks', perhaps you'd like to give it a try. It's buckshee!
Chapter four of my serialisation of Call of the Jungle is now live on Substack. Please read and enjoy, share, and if you don't already, subscribe to Waymarks for further episodes – and so much more!
October 13, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Chapter four of my serialisation of Call of the Jungle is now live on Substack. Please read and enjoy, share, and if you don't already, subscribe to Waymarks for further episodes – and so much more!
Chapter three of my serialisation of Call of the Jungle is now live on Substack. Please read and enjoy, share, and if you don't already, subscribe to Waymarks for further episodes – and so much more!
October 13, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Chapter three of my serialisation of Call of the Jungle is now live on Substack. Please read and enjoy, share, and if you don't already, subscribe to Waymarks for further episodes – and so much more!
My Virginia Creeper is looking splendid in its autumn colours. Like as not the last time I shall witness this phenomenon (not because I’m expecting to peg out, I might add, but due to impending relocation).
October 12, 2025 at 4:04 PM
My Virginia Creeper is looking splendid in its autumn colours. Like as not the last time I shall witness this phenomenon (not because I’m expecting to peg out, I might add, but due to impending relocation).
Chapter two of my five-part serialisation of 'Call of the Jungle' is now live on Substack. Please read, enjoy, laugh, cry, and otherwise share the story! If you don't already, please subscribe to 'Waymarks' for weekly instalments.
September 29, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Chapter two of my five-part serialisation of 'Call of the Jungle' is now live on Substack. Please read, enjoy, laugh, cry, and otherwise share the story! If you don't already, please subscribe to 'Waymarks' for weekly instalments.
Here we go gathering nuts… My home is on the Route de la Noix du Périgord, which winds its way through the walnut groves of the Corrèze, Lot and Dordogne valleys in southwestern France, offering four main varieties: Franquette, Grandjean, Corne and Marbot. I believe these are Marbot.
September 28, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Here we go gathering nuts… My home is on the Route de la Noix du Périgord, which winds its way through the walnut groves of the Corrèze, Lot and Dordogne valleys in southwestern France, offering four main varieties: Franquette, Grandjean, Corne and Marbot. I believe these are Marbot.
This week's 'Waymarks' is the first of a five-part serialisation of Call of the Jungle, my running adventures in the Amazon rainforest. Please enjoy, share, and if you don't already, subscribe for further free instalments.
September 22, 2025 at 1:02 PM
This week's 'Waymarks' is the first of a five-part serialisation of Call of the Jungle, my running adventures in the Amazon rainforest. Please enjoy, share, and if you don't already, subscribe for further free instalments.
Grasping hands
September 15, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Grasping hands
A grove of plane trees in Place de la République, Saint Céré, the Lot, France, their flaky bark and pollarded branches architectural against the sky. Summer leaves provide shade. Once a livestock market – announced by the plaque, ‘Reserved for veal calves, market opens at 9am’ – it's now a car park.
September 15, 2025 at 1:51 PM
A grove of plane trees in Place de la République, Saint Céré, the Lot, France, their flaky bark and pollarded branches architectural against the sky. Summer leaves provide shade. Once a livestock market – announced by the plaque, ‘Reserved for veal calves, market opens at 9am’ – it's now a car park.