A gorgeous way to start the day with this review of Night Fire - 'accomplished, subtle and unheimlich... I would be disappointed if it did not appear on prize longlists.... It is always a pleasure to say an author’s new work is better than their last: l fully expect the trajectory to continue.'

Richard Strachan@richardstrachan.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Absolutely delighted with this review of Night Fire, from Stuart Kelly. Incredible. www.scotsman.com/arts-and-cul...

It may be St George's Day and Shakespeare's birth/deathday, but it's also the publication day for my second novel, Night Fire! Last push for the book launch this evening at Blackwells Edinburgh, 7-8pm: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/richard-st...

Richard Strachan: Night Fire

Join Richard Strachan as he chats about his new book, Night Fire

eventbrite.co.uk

Happy publication day to @richardstrachan.bsky.social for the historical masterpiece that is Night Fire. A hugely moving, atmospheric WW2 novel that has (rightly) been described as 'Exquisitely written' Lucy Ribchester, 'superb' Unseen History and 'astonishing' Martin MacInnes.

Thank god for stories such as these in these times www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Cumbria Nature Festival mixed up with event for nudists

Cumbria Nature Festival offers a refund to anyone who

bbc.co.uk

I've reached an age where the targeted ads that follow me around the internet are for pond plants and sweet pea obelisks.

I still haven't reconciled myself to editing via Track Changes - I feel my edits are not as strong as when I did them by hand. I have just been eyeing up a new colleague's kindle scribe, which does look really appealing in terms of being able to edit by hand on a screen. Does anyone here use one?

This is truly horrifying www.thebookseller.com/news/some-ed... - seriously editors, no - but also I am fascinated to know how agents suspected editors were using Chat GPT to assess m/s. Was it what their word choice in their rejections? Or the way they phrased them?

Ugh, someone is trying to impersonate me and email authors asking for their work. Thanks to the people who have already alerted me to two different email accounts purporting to be me and please do be aware I do not send out emails soliciting material from authors: it's not how editors operate.

Thank you to Time Out for compiling the full sound track of How To Get To Heaven from Belfast www.timeout.com/news/how-to-... Tatu and the Vengaboys emerging from the darkest corners of my mind as I watched

Netflix ‘How to Get to Heaven From Belfast’ Soundtrack: Full Tracklist of Songs by Episode

The creator of ‘Derry Girls’ is back with a killer noughties playlist

timeout.com

What an amazing man Nathan Newby is; also loving the detail that 'He was in for a lung infection, but had signed himself out for the night and spent the past few hours talking to a friend in a nearby pub' www.ft.com/content/cd59...

‘It’s just a bomb’

The true story of two strangers and an extraordinary act of courage

ft.com

Things I did *not* have on my 2026 bingo card - one of the presents we bought for our son for his birthday being recalled because of a risk of ASBESTOS. Turns out this is a thing thanks to Chinese laws so if you have any toys using sand - including those excavation kits which he had - be wary!

Spring is sprung! And the battle of our office thermostat begins. Currently trying to explain why I, the person sitting right next to the single glazed windows in the Georgian townhouse that is the Bloomsbury offices, am colder than the people sitting in the sunlit uplands of the middle of the room.

Proof that sometimes you really do have to plug away for years till you achieve success. Emily Bronte is a Sunday Times bestseller this week, with Wuthering Heights. Finally* the recognition she deserves! *just to clarify this last sentence is a joke but she is a ST bestseller for real.

Book 18 of 2026: @spookypurcell.bsky.social's House of Splinters I'm going to level with you: if you want some of the best modern Gothics that do surprising things with the foundational conventions of the genre, you really need to read Laura Purcell's The Silent Companions and House of Splinters.

I still haven't seen Wuthering Heights yet but this, from @theonion.com, made me cackle theonion.com/bookseller-s... 'At press time, sources confirmed Mueller was on his hands and knees pleading with the Wuthering Heights director to check out their vast array of Colleen Hoover titles'

Bookseller Scrambles To Hide All The Classics After Seeing Emerald Fennell Approaching Door

LONDON—Calling for all hands on deck as he seized an armful of paperbacks, local bookshop owner Colin Mueller was reportedly scrambling to hide the classics Monday after he spotted filmmaker Emerald F...

theonion.com

I have the first draft of a book by one of our brilliant authors in my inbox, Holly Watt is coming in this afternoon to talk about her electrifying new thriller, The Good Listener & on Thursday I get to launch Matilda's Wilding's book club dilemma novel, The Waiting List. This week shaping up well

Away from all the other news, I am DELIGHTED to share this trailer for an amazingly atmospheric, deeply satisfying and twisty debut I am publishing this summer which is just perfect for fans of Broadchurch, Erin Kelly and Susie Steiner. The Summer We Lied is an absolute corker of a read.

Bloomsbury Books UK@bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social · 7mo ago

A devastating event. Many versions of the truth. We’re thrilled to share the cover for #TheSummerWeLied, the clever, multi-voice, twist-after-twist debut from Rebecca Hardy. Coming July 2026. Available to pre-order now.

A devastating event. Many versions of the truth. We’re thrilled to share the cover for #TheSummerWeLied, the clever, multi-voice, twist-after-twist debut from Rebecca Hardy. Coming July 2026. Available to pre-order now.

Hurray for @waterstones.bsky.social's 25% off books publishing very soon www.waterstones.com/campaign/feb... not least because it features some of our cracking @bloomsburyraven.bsky.social authors including @richardstrachan.bsky.social's historical masterpiece, Night Fire

February Pre-Order Offer | Waterstones

Discover our full range of books, gifts, toys, stationery and audiobooks at Waterstones.com. Click & Collect within 2 hours or buy online with Free UK Delivery on Orders Over £25.

waterstones.com

Truly brilliant review readers for The Good Listener - a brilliantly original thriller about a woman trying to identify her daughter's killer over an anonymous phone call - *and* I totally charmed a colleague's baby. Well done, Monday.

Not sure if this will get any traction here but has anyone taken a five year old to see My Neighbour Totoro on stage? I saw it last year and it was honestly one of the most magical things I have ever seen on stage. I'd love to take my little one as he loves the film, but is that *too* little...

🎉 Huge congratulations to our shortlisted authors for the 2026 Bloomsbury Mentorship Programme! Read more here: www.bloomsbury.com/uk/connect/b...

Watched the latest episode of Industry last night and had the weirdest, most stressful dreams as a result. This programme is amazing, but so very brutal.

It’s frankly insulting that the worlds worst people weren’t meeting in a command center in a volcano wearing ceremonial robes but were all emailing on Hotmail accounts like “want 2 atrosity? With wemen?”

The 10:12 train has left the station...🚆 Happy publication day to The 10:12 by Anna Maloney! The gripping 'what would you do' thriller with an unforgettable heroine. Perfect for fans of Sarah Vaughan, Catherine Ryan Howard and Ava Glass. Shop now: https://bit.ly/4t5LV5R

Good morning! I'm not remotely connected to this but it seems like a banging job so somebody cool please get it, thank you - Schools Engagement Lead, Children’s Booker Prize jobs.theguardian.com/job/10021632...

Schools Engagement Lead, Children’s Booker Prize - UK-based hybrid with London office attendance job with BOOKER PRIZE FOUNDATION | 10021632

Lead school engagement strategy for the Children’s Booker Prize, fostering a love of reading with hybrid UK work and growth opportunities.

jobs.theguardian.com

Almost sad I am not still on Twitter just to see the reactions to LBF moving to Excel next year. Hope Caroline Michel has been consulted on the carpet colour* *if you weren't around in publishing in 2006 this may mean nothing to you

Please can an agent find me a thriller to publish at @bloomsburyraven.bsky.social that replicates the experience of watching Industry?

My first proof of 2026! And it’s for an absolutely stunning debut - brilliantly atmospheric, smart suspense, truly one of the most satisfying mysteries I have read in a very long time. If you love Erin Kelly and Susie Steiner, you’ll love The Summer We Lied by Rebecca Hardy.