I don’t think friends who aren’t willing to read it would be any use at all.

Find readers who love the genre you write in, and who would buy the novel when published. They are the only critics who matter

I met him when I was doing work experience at Matrix, and I liked his vibe very much. Saw him in action at a SIAC case - and he won for his immigrant client

Remember that when Rabinder Singh represented the government he was, as a barrister, professionally & ethically bound to a) take the case & b) make the best case he could for his client. Unfortunately for his opponents he is an excellent lawyer

I would be genuinely frightened in that room

Lime. That’s what gets them going. Breathabilty. Surprised it’s only 22,000 really

Presumably there is at least one Lord of the Rings fan at the Met Office.

Next will be storm Frodo

Free Palestine has been banned on TikTok as hate speech.

But it isn't banned here.

Free Palestine.

I’m so excited… look what’s arrived! Two copies of @regretteruane.bsky.social’s second novel.

I loved ‘This Is Yesterday’ and was buying ‘Birding’ for my friend Tracey (she too loved TIY) - and realised I had completely failed to buy and read it myself!

I just look at Elon Musk and think ‘Oh, he’s put on a bit of weight’.

This technique of shallow judging on the basis of appearance and body shape has sidelined and diminished the capabilities and effectiveness of women for generations.

Might it now do the same to Musk

I hope it went OK Rose, and you’ll soon be able to re-focus on the important things in life like Snoopy and Bagpuss.

I know people say ‘Don’t sweat the small stuff’, but my philosophy is ‘Don’t sweat the big stuff’! x

No, no don’t! Leave it as it is.

How else are non-conformist outbuildings to be promulgated?

Oh, they had them then, too - or was it a Nostradamus moment?

I was SO sure Postman Pat was hairy! Damn

Didn’t have a TV?

Ok, so I seem to have never heard of #DavidLynch.

Am I a bad person?

I think that was before the cuts.

Our postman at Start Point walked 13 miles a day, without a pony and carriage

All my Twitter-beefs were utterly consequential.

My inconsequential beef was on Bluesky. A photographer got irate because someone posted a stylistic diagram of several aligned planets. He described it as “false shit” because it did not depict the real sky. His own example was black with white specs

I have SO much time for lawyers and the law.

Note to self: must publish my undergraduate dissertation

‘The Law as a Tool of Political Change’

(although as it featured Keir Starmer it might need a rewrite…)

Ohh, why does my ever-inappropriate brain always see humour in the face of tragedy?

I can’t help putting inverted commas around your post and seeing it as a caption to the picture!

I hope the speaker’s 92 year old bird-mum gets better soon!

It was a few years ago now, but I think my friend got a no-frills deal for £17.

She didn’t like him though- abusive ex partner, she was only arranging the funeral because he died intestate and she was the Deputy for her brain damaged son who was appointed executor

Much dearer if you like them

I love propaganda that succinctly paraphrases all the beliefs I already held, extrapolates from them into applications I have not previously envisaged, and summarises into a snappy 140 character retort, infused with wry humour.

Oh, and supplies authoritative links to substantiate it.

Oh, you sound quite interesting, in the wider scheme of things

I thought it was a Freudian slip in the Bible printing department…

It does sort of matter that people are prepared to change the ‘facts’ (literary competence) to suit a new personal narrative.

Recognising merit, but now deciding to boycott the person & their work is more honest. (Hypothetically. I was genuinely never mad keen on his stuff)

And vice versa…

Because normal, ordinary people, with various skills & abilities, can be abusers. Being abusive is not the prerogative of those who are bad at things, as if we can rest assured that we’ll easily recognise them by their being overall flawed human beings

Good. Can’t have too many law journalists on any platform!

White on black line drawing of naked man, troubled, by candlelight

I have just discovered there is a thing called #portfolioday

Unfortunately no-one seems to agree on which date it is.

Just in case it is today, here is Davey Kirk, the male protagonist in my #WIP The Scottish Exiles

Invisibility is sorely underrated