Wood pigeons in a cherry tree, Portobello

More copies of Night Fire signed at @edinburghbookshop.bsky.social and @portybooks.bsky.social!

The Illuminated Man: Life, Death and the Worlds of JG Ballard, by Christopher Priest and Nina Allan A personal appreciation

open.substack.com/pub/richards...

L: A young W B Yeats wearing pince nez and a large bow tie. R: A middle-aged Aleister Crowley wearing a large (possibly homburg) black hat and the ‘I’m mad, me’ expression that he always put on for photos

Ah! 19 April – 126th anniversary of the day William Butler Yeats kicked Aleister Crowley downstairs as they fought for control of the British branch of the not-at-all-ridiculous Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn in the Battle of Blythe Road. According to legend, anyway... 🧵

Busy day going round signing copies of Night Fire at Waterstones Edinburgh Gyle, Toppings, Typewronger and Argonaut Books. More bookshops to follow over the next few days!

#booksky

list.co.uk/news/richard...

Enjoyed being interviewed by Lucy Ribchester for the List magazine.
@thelistuk.bsky.social

First copies of Night Fire in the wild, now signed at Waterstones Edinburgh West End!

#booksky

And copies signed @goldenharebooks.bsky.social as well!

#booksky

Thanks!

First copies of Night Fire in the wild, now signed at Waterstones Edinburgh West End!

#booksky

Promotional image for Night Fire by Richard Strachan: 'One of the best books I've read this year', against which I can't argue...

One week to go until Night Fire is published! I've heard rumours that it might already be on the shelves in all/some good bookshops ...

Night Fire: The moving story of World War II jeopardy 'Every page, every sentence bears a remarkable intellig…

Five for five...

www.goodreads.com/book/show/23...

‘This craving to go viral is tiresome’: the artists sick of the pressure to promote on social media From Stewart Lee in his wolf costume to Werner Herzog’s big steak sizzle-up, artists are now under huge duress to ‘chase the algorithm’ and reach audiences. Many of them are hitting burnout – and hitt...

Unbelievably miserable and depressing article. Who on earth would want to see my stupid face promoting anything I do?

www.theguardian.com/culture/2026...

Thirty flights. No guarantees. Only ghosts, guilt, and a bird‑skull talisman to keep death at bay in WWII's war-torn skies.

Moving and beautifully written, Night Fire by Richard Strachan @RWStrachan1977 is available to preorder now: https://bit.ly/4tP5yih

The last push for my second novel, Night Fire, before it's published on the 23rd April ... Retweets/skeets, preorders, even adding to Goodreads - every little helps!

linktr.ee/richstrach

The last push for my second novel, Night Fire, before it's published on the 23rd April ... Retweets/skeets, preorders, even adding to Goodreads - every little helps!

linktr.ee/richstrach

Some more Substacking:

open.substack.com/pub/richards...

Some more Substacking:

open.substack.com/pub/richards...

New History Books for April 2026 - Unseen Histories From Pompeii to the Kim Philby, Renoir to Offa of Mercia

From Pompeii to Kim Philby, Renoir to Offa of Mercia, here’s a selection of history books that will be released over the month ahead. With books from @mollycrabapple.bsky.social, @richardstrachan.bsky.social, @rorynaismith.bsky.social and more👇

The first review is in for Night Fire, from Unseen Histories...

Absolutely delighted with this!

www.unseenhistories.com/new-history-...

Very pleased you enjoyed it, thanks so much!

Thanks as ever to @alisonhennessey.bsky.social and everyone @bloomsburyraven.bsky.social!

The moment of truth! Author copies of Night Fire arrived today, it's always a huge thrill to see the finished article. Just look at that gorgeous cover!

Enjoyed being interviewed by @thelistuk.bsky.social about my new novel, Night Fire, published in only three weeks!

Strolling past Robert Louis Stevenson's old house.

Started using the Merlin birdsong identifier app. Life-changing.

Not long now... Night Fire, my second novel, published 23 April!

AI lectures, Old West folk heroes and Mark Twain: what is Bob Dylan up to joining Patreon? By far the biggest musician to have joined the membership-based platform, Dylan’s posts have so far been puzzling – and therefore entirely in character

Loved this:

www.theguardian.com/music/2026/m...

Artwork of an owl drawn in abstract sort of cubist) style with thick black lines, orange for the eyes and blue for the body

#OwlishMonday 'Owl no. 2' by Italian modernist Sergio Ruffolo, 1974

Mostly reading A shorter update this week, which I’ve mostly spent reading Ezra Pound and tinkering away at various parts of what will (hopefully) be my fourth novel.

open.substack.com/pub/richards...

New Substack