Denis Smyth Díaz
@smythdiaz.bsky.social
One part British, one part Spanish, with a hint of Belgian. Amateur dad and amateur writer, author of Dolores and Other Sorrows (finalist for the Eyelands Awards). Posting about literature, music, art and, somewhat reluctantly, politics.
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Denis Smyth Díaz
@smythdiaz.bsky.social
· Apr 20
Non-Amazon ways of buying Dolores and Other Sorrows
The world has changed. I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air. Oops, sorry, I got carried away there for a second. The world is quickly becoming a scary place in an i…
smythdiaz.com
Huuuuuge shoutout to Librebook, @biggreenbooks.bsky.social, @allgoodbookshop.co.uk and @quinnsbookshop.bsky.social for their efforts to protect beauty and sanity for all of us.
#booksky #booksellers #indiebooksellers #doloresandothersorrows
#booksky #booksellers #indiebooksellers #doloresandothersorrows
Reposted by Denis Smyth Díaz
Hello Bluepals, like the tub of Quality Street we bought at the weekend that was supposed to be saved until December 23rd, we are open.
November 25, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Hello Bluepals, like the tub of Quality Street we bought at the weekend that was supposed to be saved until December 23rd, we are open.
Did you know that the story Annihilation in #doloresandothersorrows started off as a novel that never got past draft 1? I wanted to include the opening words of that novel ('Most of us are cowards.'), but in the end decided it didn't fit. #booksky
November 25, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Did you know that the story Annihilation in #doloresandothersorrows started off as a novel that never got past draft 1? I wanted to include the opening words of that novel ('Most of us are cowards.'), but in the end decided it didn't fit. #booksky
Do any of you know Pocket MFA? I've received a message from them, but I'm automatically suspicious if someone praises my writing and then asks me for money. #booksky
November 24, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Do any of you know Pocket MFA? I've received a message from them, but I'm automatically suspicious if someone praises my writing and then asks me for money. #booksky
Ok, I've had enough of following accounts that talk about politics. For the sake of my mental well-being i think I'm only going to check social media for books, music and puppies. I'm not even getting much information out of it, just rage.
November 21, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Ok, I've had enough of following accounts that talk about politics. For the sake of my mental well-being i think I'm only going to check social media for books, music and puppies. I'm not even getting much information out of it, just rage.
Great workshop on query letters with @writeloudly.bsky.social. Thanks for your time and insight. The best bit was knowing that agents are humans that get nervous too! 😁😁 #booksky
November 19, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Great workshop on query letters with @writeloudly.bsky.social. Thanks for your time and insight. The best bit was knowing that agents are humans that get nervous too! 😁😁 #booksky
Reposted by Denis Smyth Díaz
Reposted by Denis Smyth Díaz
Did you know that the farmer in the story Home in #doloresandothersorrows was inspired by a real Spanish farmer who would use 'usted' (the Spanish formal pronoun for 'you') instead of the informal 'tú' when talking to his cows or barking orders at them?
November 9, 2025 at 8:04 AM
Did you know that the farmer in the story Home in #doloresandothersorrows was inspired by a real Spanish farmer who would use 'usted' (the Spanish formal pronoun for 'you') instead of the informal 'tú' when talking to his cows or barking orders at them?
Just finished Norwegian Wood, by Murakami. What an amazing book! It's like a road trip through the early years of adulthood, a bit like The Catcher in the Rye but with miso soup instead of burgers. 10/10
November 2, 2025 at 10:25 AM
Just finished Norwegian Wood, by Murakami. What an amazing book! It's like a road trip through the early years of adulthood, a bit like The Catcher in the Rye but with miso soup instead of burgers. 10/10
Doomscrolling checkpoint.
October 30, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Doomscrolling checkpoint.
Pretending to be fine is exhausting.
October 30, 2025 at 10:22 AM
Pretending to be fine is exhausting.
Sometimes the muses call you and you simply have to answer the call: 99% of the story 'Dolores' in #doloresandothersorrows was written in about 15 mintues. I got an idea and wrote it down as quickly as I could. I was at work too, and I stopped what I was doing to write the story. #booksky
October 25, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Sometimes the muses call you and you simply have to answer the call: 99% of the story 'Dolores' in #doloresandothersorrows was written in about 15 mintues. I got an idea and wrote it down as quickly as I could. I was at work too, and I stopped what I was doing to write the story. #booksky
Did you know that the inspiration for the story 'Somewhere, anywhere' in #doloresandothersorrows came from the album art of a #RageAgainstTheMachine record? #booksky
October 23, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Did you know that the inspiration for the story 'Somewhere, anywhere' in #doloresandothersorrows came from the album art of a #RageAgainstTheMachine record? #booksky
My teenage son has accepted going to karate class with me. However, I have specific instructions to go into the class by myself and to practice at different ends of the tatami, to make sure no-one thinks we're related. I'm still going to count it as a victory, though, and enjoy the crap out of it🤘.
October 11, 2025 at 5:14 PM
My teenage son has accepted going to karate class with me. However, I have specific instructions to go into the class by myself and to practice at different ends of the tatami, to make sure no-one thinks we're related. I'm still going to count it as a victory, though, and enjoy the crap out of it🤘.
#bookshopday yes! I love it when the excuses to buy books land on my lap as I wake up. #booksky #doloresandothersorrows
October 11, 2025 at 8:00 AM
#bookshopday yes! I love it when the excuses to buy books land on my lap as I wake up. #booksky #doloresandothersorrows
Airports are weird environments: people in suits sitting next to people in slippers while others have coffees or beers at 9 in the morning (is it their first of the day or a nightcap in the time zone their body is still in? )
September 19, 2025 at 8:07 AM
Airports are weird environments: people in suits sitting next to people in slippers while others have coffees or beers at 9 in the morning (is it their first of the day or a nightcap in the time zone their body is still in? )
If anyone is in the Glin/Listowel area in Ireland this Friday, this could be interesting.
www.facebook.com/share/v/177q...
www.facebook.com/share/v/177q...
Redirecting...
www.facebook.com
September 5, 2025 at 8:29 AM
If anyone is in the Glin/Listowel area in Ireland this Friday, this could be interesting.
www.facebook.com/share/v/177q...
www.facebook.com/share/v/177q...
I had a great dream today: I was being interviewed by Stephen #Colbert in the Late Show, and I got to see the band and talk about #doloresandothersorrows. Quite a nice change from nightmares about house renovations.
September 4, 2025 at 6:35 AM
I had a great dream today: I was being interviewed by Stephen #Colbert in the Late Show, and I got to see the band and talk about #doloresandothersorrows. Quite a nice change from nightmares about house renovations.
Reposted by Denis Smyth Díaz
IT'S WEDNESDAY!
It's #buyastrangerabook day.
The grooviest of all the days.
I'll give out TWO books.
FOR FREE.
If you'd like one, let me know.
Also, if you'd like to #BuyAStrangerABook too, let me know.
It's a thing! Look.
biggreenbookshop.com/stuff-you-mi...
UK only
It's #buyastrangerabook day.
The grooviest of all the days.
I'll give out TWO books.
FOR FREE.
If you'd like one, let me know.
Also, if you'd like to #BuyAStrangerABook too, let me know.
It's a thing! Look.
biggreenbookshop.com/stuff-you-mi...
UK only
Buy A Stranger A Book. #buyastrangerabook - Stuff you might like... - Big Green Bookshop. @biggreenbooks on Twitter. Cheese fan. My Mum says hi.
The Big Green Bookshop an independent online bookshop in selling awesome titles by awesome authors to awesome people
biggreenbookshop.com
September 3, 2025 at 11:20 AM
IT'S WEDNESDAY!
It's #buyastrangerabook day.
The grooviest of all the days.
I'll give out TWO books.
FOR FREE.
If you'd like one, let me know.
Also, if you'd like to #BuyAStrangerABook too, let me know.
It's a thing! Look.
biggreenbookshop.com/stuff-you-mi...
UK only
It's #buyastrangerabook day.
The grooviest of all the days.
I'll give out TWO books.
FOR FREE.
If you'd like one, let me know.
Also, if you'd like to #BuyAStrangerABook too, let me know.
It's a thing! Look.
biggreenbookshop.com/stuff-you-mi...
UK only
Reposted by Denis Smyth Díaz
"The 500 Club" update.
Raising money to send loads of books to loads of schools!
It was launched 5 weeks ago, but already, we have £220 raised.
THANKS SO MUCH
If you want to help out, here are all the details.
www.biggreenbookshop.com/big-green-bo...
Raising money to send loads of books to loads of schools!
It was launched 5 weeks ago, but already, we have £220 raised.
THANKS SO MUCH
If you want to help out, here are all the details.
www.biggreenbookshop.com/big-green-bo...
September 1, 2025 at 10:33 AM
"The 500 Club" update.
Raising money to send loads of books to loads of schools!
It was launched 5 weeks ago, but already, we have £220 raised.
THANKS SO MUCH
If you want to help out, here are all the details.
www.biggreenbookshop.com/big-green-bo...
Raising money to send loads of books to loads of schools!
It was launched 5 weeks ago, but already, we have £220 raised.
THANKS SO MUCH
If you want to help out, here are all the details.
www.biggreenbookshop.com/big-green-bo...
#booksky I finished draft 3 of my novel!!! YEEESSS!! Onto draft 4.... #kidneystone
August 31, 2025 at 5:08 PM
#booksky I finished draft 3 of my novel!!! YEEESSS!! Onto draft 4.... #kidneystone
Perfect day in #Brussels: sunny weather, art nouveau and the #PompomPom craft cider festival.
August 24, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Perfect day in #Brussels: sunny weather, art nouveau and the #PompomPom craft cider festival.
Reposted by Denis Smyth Díaz
Denmark to end book tax to encourage people to read
Denmark to end book tax to encourage people to read
Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt said that the measure was aimed at fixing Denmark's 'reading crisis.' The Scandinavian country's 25% sales tax on books is currently the highest in Europe.
www.lemonde.fr
August 20, 2025 at 9:26 AM
Denmark to end book tax to encourage people to read