Thomas Wrightson (he/him)
LightNews LightNews
banner
thomaswrightson.bsky.social
Thomas Wrightson (he/him)
@thomaswrightson.bsky.social
1.5K followers 530 following 1.9K posts
Writer of fiction, currently with Roan & Weatherford. In life and art: Veritas Vincit ("truth prevails"). Current projects: The Cluster Cycle, The Angry House.

Website: https://thomaswrightson.co.uk/
Posts Replies Media Videos
thomaswrightson.bsky.social
#ScifiMonth2025 Day 9: My #ShelfieSunday will have to be #SpinePoetry. And I know I'm no good with rhyming or scanning.
#scifi #BookSky💙📚
A stack of books, the titles making up a poem of sorts. The Word for World Is Forest In The Country of the Blind. Our Friends from Folix 8 Future's Edge Our Child of Two Worlds The Lathe of Heaven
November 9, 2025 at 7:46 PM
thomaswrightson.bsky.social
#ScifiMonth2025 Day 4: random sci-fi #toptentuesday
A Fall of Moondust
The Andromeda Anthology
Our Child of the Stars
In the Country of the Blind
Axiom's End
The Kraken Wakes
Future's Edge
Jurassic Park
Our Friends from Frolix 8
Dune
A selection of ten books photographed on a bed sheet. The books are called A Fall of Moondust The Andromeda Anthology Our Child of the Stars In the Country of the Blind Axiom's End The Kraken Wakes Future's Edge Jurassic Park Our Friends from Frolix 8 Dune
November 4, 2025 at 1:03 PM
thomaswrightson.bsky.social
The #Halloween feast in three pictures:
Starter: Tokfozelek (pumpkin soup)
Main: Chicken Paprikash (served with rice and cabbage)
Pudding: Chocolate-topped muffins.
All gluten and dairy free.
#writerslife #food
October 31, 2025 at 7:02 PM
thomaswrightson.bsky.social
Today's Book Quote Wednesday, and the word is 'miss'.
Sometimes things seem strangely out of place not because something is wrong, but because something is right. Engineer Sudu consults with the one person he trusts, the android Livesey.
#BookQW #scifi #spaceopera #BookSky💙📚
“I’ve heard none. At least none I would call true disrupting arguments.” “Exactly. A thirty-plus crew, most of them strangers both to us and one-another, and you get nothing. No spats, no fights, no complaints, no petty rivalries, not even a missing tool or misplaced bit of cargo. We squabble all the time, and we’re just seven people. But these thirty…. It’s not natural.” “You seem to have made up your mind.” “How long have you been on ships?” “Long enough. Why?” “You don’t seem to know much. I’ve spent almost my entire life on ships like this, and I know the things that go on. Even in the most well-trained merchant crew, you get squabbles. Who ate what when it was someone else’s, why this was done and that wasn’t…. You know what I mean.” “I think I do.” “But these new people, there’s been nothing. It’s like I’m walking through a pack of veterans who’ve worked together for years. I took a look at the applications before we set off yesterday, during a break. I saw them when they first came aboard, but I was also grateful to have them aboard. I didn’t think until just now, when I noticed those… interactions between them.” “What’s so special about their applications?” “Nothing. That’s the point. None of them seems to have put in any serious time with any one ship. Yes, they’ve got plenty of experience, but not enough to justify this. And none of them have ever worked together. And still, no arguments?”
October 29, 2025 at 6:43 PM
thomaswrightson.bsky.social
October 25, 2025 at 10:30 PM
thomaswrightson.bsky.social
Oookay, trying again with the images.
October 22, 2025 at 8:29 PM
thomaswrightson.bsky.social
Some shots at the end of recording for 'The Angry House' on on 20 October 2025.
In image order; Charlie Richards, Marie-Clair Wood, David Monteith (@roguespirit.bsky.social) and Sarah Golding .
More details on Sunday...
#radio #update #horror
October 22, 2025 at 8:01 PM
thomaswrightson.bsky.social
Book Quote Wednesday's word is 'self' #BookQW
Solet is used to emergencies, and must now save his ship and others from an unexpected mid-flight threat.
#scifi #spaceopera #BookSky💙📚
Lenore was staring at Solet. “What the hell are you doing?” “If we can put up enough of a barrier, and match the light frequency of the blast, we’ll be able to ride it out. It’ll be bumpy, and might blow a few minor systems, but we’ll be able to stay in warp and not blow ourselves up.” “And if it doesn’t work?” “The other ships have back-ups. We’ll probably be blown to bits. Well?” Alkmeney looked at the timer. “Impact in two minutes.” “If this works—” Lenore never finished her sentence. Solet settled himself, watching the stream of orders and confirmations through the comm chat. The crews of all four ships were working like maniacs, lowering their warp field output and preparing the light frequency adjustment. It was a long two minutes. It felt like more than that. Every crew member who cared tried must be trying not to imagine the solar shock wave striking them. The other ships had reduced their warp field power quite quickly, and according to the display had moved into a horizontal triangle formation around the Benbow. The small ship rested at the heart of the formation, like a single cygnet protected by a gaggle of swans. Alkmeney looked hard at the console, focusing on the slow ticking of time. “Impact in one minute…. Fifty seconds….” Solet tightened his grip on the console. Syndac glared at him. “Sometime today would be nice.” “Not yet.” Solet spoke in a hiss. “We do it now, we might as well not do it at all.” “Forty seconds.” “All ships, stand by.”
October 22, 2025 at 10:49 AM
thomaswrightson.bsky.social
Back home after an incredible day yesterday at the recording with @storiesalt.bsky.social 's Chris Gregory and a stellar cast. More information to follow on Sunday.
#update #writerslife #radio
A picture of the interior of Orpheus Studio: an audio recording station with monitors, two speakers, and a sound board.
October 21, 2025 at 7:38 PM
thomaswrightson.bsky.social
Book Quote Wednesday's word is 'gold' #BookQW
Sometimes doing the 'right thing' is a terrible burden for someone. For Gaspard Atarex, it is almost impossible to bear.
#writingcommunity #scifi #SpaceOpera
Gaspard looked up with blurry eyes. “Yeah? What is it, oh, grand Mercedes Solari? Want a drink?” “No. I wanted to see you.” “You’ve seen me. That’s all sorted. Hey.” He seemed struck by a thought. “I didn’t ever get to see the penal mine shafts. They always told me there was gold down there. Never got to find out. Heh. Laughable.” He struggled to make a sound like laughter, then burbled and hid his face. Mercedes struggled to hide her disgust at his condition. “You seem more than distressed. I would think you were glad to leave that place.” Gaspard answered dryly, his voice slurring, his blurry eyes staring directly at Mercedes. “Oh sure I’m distressed. That place was one of the only jobs I could get along with scraping out engine coils. I’ve thrown it up, let my co-workers die, helped some Kavki bitches kill my superior. Then there’s you, a prisoner for whom I gave up more than she’ll want to know to survive that hell. And here I am, drinking shit and getting hollow sympathy.” “You might not be as drunk as you seem. I know that defense. Cruel words may be taken lightly when spoken through a fog of alcohol.”
October 15, 2025 at 5:29 PM
thomaswrightson.bsky.social
Today, at 21:30 PM BST, I'll be part of an hour-long reading session at @spacemagiccon.bsky.social. Queer authors read queer stories. Fun for all!
#writingcommunity #reading #lgbtqia #BookSky💙📚
Saturday Reading Rainbow Space Magic. October 4–5. RainbowSpaceMagic.org. Logo: A fountain pen draws a circle around the rainbow-colored letters RSM, ending in a little flying dragon and a ringed planet. Background: A starry sky with a rainbow.
October 4, 2025 at 3:44 PM
thomaswrightson.bsky.social
It's starting tomorrow...
#BookSky💙📚
October 3, 2025 at 12:14 PM
thomaswrightson.bsky.social
Book Quote Wednesday's word is 'hard' #BookQW
On board the freight ship Benbow, Lenore and Faarax share a vow no-one beyond themselves would understand.
#scifi #spaceopera #writingcommunity #BookSky💙📚
“Some salve and bandages for these.” “Hadn’t noticed. I can do it.” “Nonsense. Both your hands are burned, I can tell. You’re being foolish, not brave. What will you use to apply it, your teeth?” Faarax argued no further. Rather than go straight to the control area, the two went to the ship’s sick bay. Hardly the most lavish example of its type, nor did it have a dedicated doctor ministering to its patients. It was all rough and ready, served and administered by the self or a willing companion. Seated on the small room’s single sick bed, Faarax allowed his hand to be treated and bandaged. Lenore performed this action with all the gentle maternity any mother might give her son. She looked hard into the boy’s eyes. Was that a slight softening? Or frustration? Would their bargain have to be delayed? Might as well ask and get it over with. “Does this mean the bargain’s off for now?” Faarax nodded, his mouth sullen. “Yeah. Can’t kill you with duff hands.” “No, you can’t. But these should heal in a week or two.” “Thanks. For the assist.” “Whatever our agreements, you’re still my son in all but blood. And any mother looks after her son.” The two stared at each other, the unspoken agreement reaching across any boundaries of either family or species. It was a deep, unspoken connection. An agreement most would see as unsettling or unnatural. One the others either knew nothing of, or pretended not to see. She had brought him aboard, a frightened and sullen child, nearly fifteen years ago. Solet had appreciated the addition of some young blood, and a competent Feles combat expert. The pair had carved their niche among the ragtag crew. But always the agreement, the tacit understanding. “When the day comes, I’ll kill you.” Faarax had said. “And when that day comes, I’ll let you try, but you may fail.” Lenore had said.
October 1, 2025 at 9:49 AM
thomaswrightson.bsky.social
Age yourself with a film you saw in a cinema as a kid
A low-resolution cinema poster for the 2002 movie The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
September 28, 2025 at 7:57 PM
thomaswrightson.bsky.social
On October 4 and 5, I'll be taking part in two events during @spacemagiccon.bsky.social; a reading from my next book, and a panel talk.
Times here: www.rainbowspacemagic.org/schedule-2/
September 26, 2025 at 8:35 PM
thomaswrightson.bsky.social
Book Quote Wednesday's word is "last".
Faarax, a lonely human jack-of-all-trades on a rickety freight ship, does an emergency repair for the last leg of a trip.
More information and samples on my website. The third book, The Murderer's Lament, is in edits.
#BookQW #scifi #writingcommunity #BookSky💙📚
“Probably some kind of energy build up.” It was a mere mutter as he activated the final cut-off and positioned himself one last time. “Or a knot developing. Or perhaps a few of the plasma streams fused when critical. If they did….” He glanced at the large warp drive. “Good thing it didn’t blow itself up.” With the section powered down, he opened the six auxiliary hatchways on either side of the fused coupling and drew out the secondary wires. The warmth of the pulsing plasma wiring hummed through his gloves, and as he connected them was careful about any feedback. Plasma feedback wasn’t like the old records of electric shocks on Ancient Earth. One bit of plasma on his wrist would take his hand off and leave him screaming in agony for a week from the poisonous aftershocks. The secondary conductors were all in place, and after flicking the stand by switches for each, he reconnected that section. The auxiliary conductors glowed, and the section’s electronics hummed and purred in satisfaction. All was well, for the moment. He signaled down to Sudu. “All fixed. Conductor burned out. We’ll need to fix it at Cape Cisternaea.” “Okay, I’ll note that.” “Also make sure it’s a full half-length. The damage spread out a bit.” “Understood. You’d best come down now. Solet’s probably panting to get going again and we don’t want to be in here when the warp drive activates.”
September 24, 2025 at 12:04 PM
thomaswrightson.bsky.social
A timeline cleanse for my fellow writers. This artwork's from Chaos Rings III, it's by Reo Obata, and it's super evocative.
#artwork #videogames #writingcommunity
Key art by Reo Obata for Chaos Rings III A half-naked woman stands with her back to the viewer, her hair and skirt billowing behind her and a flower in the foreground behind her head. The background shows a vista of a large ocean and a starry sky. The whole picture is shaded blue.
September 19, 2025 at 9:54 PM
thomaswrightson.bsky.social
Book Quote Wednesday's word is 'Idea' #BookQW
Sometimes in grim settings, light moments are incredibly welcome. The android Livesey lets crew-mate Sudu perform some maintenance...
#scifi #spaceopera
“You sure you’re all right leaning against the wall tonight?” “I don’t need a bed. Besides, I’m heavy. If I did lie on most beds, I’d probably break something. Or strain it beyond use. I just need to shut off for a set period of time, and make sure I’m not standing on an unsound floor.” “Oh, right. I said I’d check your alarm system. You were having trouble waking up a few days ago.” “If you must.” Why shouldn’t she protest at that? Any android hates the idea of someone poking round in certain parts, and the alarm system was one of them. It connected straight to her neutral network. Closing the chest panel, Sudu waited as Livesey turned round, exposing the small panel over what would have been her lower spine. The panel slid back and Sudu’s questing fingers fiddled with the wiring. Suddenly there was a sharp change in frequency, and her voice took on the metallic note of an overstretched autotune. “Watch what you’re pulling down there!” Sudu’s laugh couldn’t be controlled, she knew that. Her voice sounded ridiculous, transformed from its usual level tone into a singsong top C. His giggles subsided, Sudu quickly readjusted, and her voice returned to normal. “Sorry.” He was still stifling sniggers. “Got some wires crossed.” “Kindly remember to hot-cross-bun…. Oh, Fluckh—” “Hold on! Wait, got it!” “Thank you.” “I think I must’ve been sending junk data to your vocal centers.” “Be careful down there. If you cross the wrong wire, I’ll be gyrating around the room like a tangled puppet. Probably singing ‘Geddan.’” “Gods forbid. Ah! Here’s the trouble. Your alarm should work now. Wait, you know ‘Geddan?’” “It’s amazing what you pick up when surfing local archive networks. Now if you’ve quite finished, I need to run a diagnostic. You might’ve scrambled something.”
September 17, 2025 at 10:00 AM
thomaswrightson.bsky.social
“Think back to your childhood. Do you remember when the anxiety started?”
A screenshot of a Silurian from the 1970 Doctor Who serial "The Silurians".
September 15, 2025 at 8:53 AM
thomaswrightson.bsky.social
Book Quote Wednesday's word is 'pour'. #BookQW
Every writer probably sympathises with Alkmeney, the navigator of the Benbow penning her experiences beyond the Cluster. And hoping to make money from it.
Follow the link for more info.
#scifi #spaceopera #writingcommunity #BookSky💙📚
ALKMENEY ARRESTED HER fingers for the second time in ten seconds, pouring back over her writing and correcting a fluffed piece of spelling. How could she possibly describe this in her handwritten account? What column or blog worth its salt would report on the aftereffects of a funeral? It would be gauche, in the worst taste. “I cannot do that. But it is leaving such an impact on everything. How can I not say anything about it.” It had been very quiet after Sudu’s sendoff. Everyone had been working in a kind of near-silence, death and blind to any attempts at conversation. Especially was that so when Sudu was the subject being raised. Livesey had taken over his position, and ran everything with a mechanical precision. Hardly surprising, given who she was. All the same, Livesey had been distrait, and snapped at her when she tried talking to her that day. Seemed to be muttering something about “strange faults” and “Sudu said.” What had Sudu said to her, if anything, a few days ago? Solet hadn’t been any better, always depressed. He did his duty, and was a champion at keeping the other ships from abandoning the expedition, also making sure the warp link-up would work as intended. Alkmeney had half-expected the other captains to just leave, but they seemed to have calmed down. Solet had worked that strange magic of his. It helped that there were no odd reports of faults happening anymore. Perhaps fixing those had been Sudu’s last act. Lenore and Faarax were the strangest of the lot. In all the time she had known them, they seemed to have a kind of stiff formality. Now things had changed a little. She saw them looking at each other, and that strange hardness in their eyes was gone. Almost like they cared for each other. Ridiculous, of course. How could they care for each other at all? They’re enemies.
September 10, 2025 at 12:59 PM
thomaswrightson.bsky.social
If you see this, repost with a vampire that is not Dracula
September 5, 2025 at 10:12 PM
thomaswrightson.bsky.social
So, I'm attending these two events at @spacemagiccon.bsky.social. I also attended last year, and had fun. Worth attending, and it's entirely online.
#writingcommunity #BookSky💙📚
Saturday Reading Rainbow Space Magic. October 4–5. RainbowSpaceMagic.org. Logo: A fountain pen draws a circle around the rainbow-colored letters RSM, ending in a little flying dragon and a ringed planet. Background: A starry sky with a rainbow. Writing About the Past to Talk About the Present. Jessica Lucci, Robin S. Blackwood, E.H. Lupton, Gideon Marcus, Thomas Wrightson. Rainbow Space Magic. October 4–5. RainbowSpaceMagic.org. Logo: A fountain pen draws a circle around the rainbow-colored letters RSM, ending in a little flying dragon and a ringed planet. Background: A starry sky with a rainbow.
September 4, 2025 at 8:21 AM
thomaswrightson.bsky.social
A character you wish could've seen the light?
Yes, this lady. I believe she's called Agni. Will I use her as inspiration for a character? Maybe...
#art #squareenix #writerslife
An official artwork depicting Agni, an Asian woman in a red dress with a large feather collar and golden accessories, flanked by two robed figures.
September 3, 2025 at 7:03 PM
thomaswrightson.bsky.social
It's Book Quote Wednesday and this week's word is 'flesh'.
In this extract, Captain Solet of the Benbow is torn between his prejudices and his mistrust.
Link here to an audio extract: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph_h...
#BookQW #scifi #spaceopera #BookSky
“It’s all very well having a skeleton crew when traveling between ports and planets, but for the Uncharted Belt we’ll need something more.” Solet eyed his second. “How much more, might I ask?” Syndac shrugged, her fur ruffling slightly around the necklace she wore. “As much as we like. We shall at least be pursuing an antique space habitat with tech worth selling. At most, this expedition is in pursuit of the greatest treasure hoard in the Cluster’s history.” “If Livesey is to be believed—” “Do you continue to doubt her? You should cut her some slack. She may not be organic, and I will be the first to admit that I do not get along with her, but she is a person. With feelings that can be hurt.” “A machine’s a machine, and I don’t trust them to think for themselves. I prefer flesh and blood manning my ships. I once did have them manning it, until it was taken from me.” “Don’t go harping on that.” “I won’t.” Syndac’s tone abruptly hardened. “But since you continue to hold no love for androids of any kind, perhaps you could rely on me, for once. You have your little clique around you and that is good enough for standard cargo runs, but you need labor. The drudgery of the ship that makes us complain and jibe about it day in and day out.” “So what do you suggest? Can you magic a crew out of nothing?” “No, but I can entice a crew that will work from the people on Cape Cisternaea. Short hops are all very well, but do you really think a seven-person crew can manage that ship on a trip lasting upward of a month?” Solet looked into that cold stare, the strange twist of the lip that showed nothing and everything. She always did have a way with her, the little…. Finally he sighed and nodded. “All right. You can go hunt for your crew.” “Thank you, ‘Captain.’”
September 3, 2025 at 1:17 PM
thomaswrightson.bsky.social
Book Quote Wednesday's word is 'zip'. On an isolated station, an unpleasant mystery is starting to unfold.
See my website for order links for both Lost Station Circé and Starborn Vendetta.
#BookQW #scifi #spaceopera #BookSky💙📚
“Look at this.” Sarida enlarged the display of the DNA. “I set to the smallest scan point, just as part of the full scan. Notice anything?” Syndac spoke, leaning in to look at the display. “That does not look much like DNA to me. But then after so long it will have degraded.” “That is what it appears to be on the surface. But this does not fit in with standard models of genetic degradation over time. If I were more fanciful, I might believe the DNA had been ripped apart, unzipped if you will. Hence why I am doing the test. And for that, I need to be left alone.” Even Syndac could not go against her Medico. She and Lenore left. Back in the corridor and heading for the control area, Syndac frowned, glancing round the pristine corridor. “Get the feeling we are being watched?” Lenore nodded. “Yes. But by what?” Before Syndac could answer, her comm bracelet buzzed. “Sinestra to captain, come in please.” Syndac quickly responded. “Go ahead.”
August 27, 2025 at 11:34 AM