The only taxidermied blue whale in the world, 1865 CE, now housed at the Natural History Museum in Sweden. The public was allowed to enter the whale up until a couple was found having sex inside it. Now the whale’s jaws are opened only for special occasions, such as Swedish election days.

David Hume here, making me think publishing in the 18th century had some similarities to now. Love his resilience, though. I need to work on my sanguine temper.

Americans/Canadians/anyone with NordVPN: my Anna Sharpe thriller NOTES ON A DROWNING is 99c in ebook for 3 days and you can also buy real copies of it online. Two determined women unravel a scandal involving misogyny, conspiracy and murder. A Times thriller of 2025. www.amazon.com/Notes-Drowni...

Finished The Clockwork Girl by @annamazz.bsky.social and really liked it. Beautifully-written, fantastic characters, a historical mystery - just wonderful! #booksky

When did you last tell a lie? Go on: be honest. We all lie, all the time. Reviewers/bloggers - LIE FOR YOUR LIFE is on NetGalley. Please do request it and review it. Nicole, a barrister from a criminal family, must prosecute the wrong man and find the right one in order to save her brother.

Where am I and what am I drinking? 🧚🏻

New book, bitches! I’ve made this one really good so you should order it. A criminal barrister from a criminal family is forced to prosecute a man she realises may be innocent. LIE FOR YOUR LIFE coming Jan 27 from Anna Sharpe who is secretly me. geni.us/LieForYourLi...

My Gold Dagger award-winning novel, The Book of Secrets is in the Kindle 99p deal if you fancied some discount historical poisoning. Books in book shops also available, but the idea of these promotions is to ‘raise visibility’. Reviews also help. Unless they’re shit www.amazon.co.uk/Book-Secrets...

I love the dramatic way they ring a bell and say THE FINAL DESTINATION OF THIS BUS HAS CHANGED like it might now be headed for enemy territories and we should all load our pistols

I've seen and heard about some sick things in my life, but my mum said a man sat down next to her last week and ate a banana WHOLE without removing the skin, and I don't know what to do what that information.

Famous people whose names are better when you swap the first letters of their first and last names: Sailor Twift Bustin Jiebers Tronald Dump Bandy Aurnham Wenzel Dashington Cenedict Bumberbatch

"Beautifully written and with beautiful title pages, The Bruegel Boy is a clever and skillfully drawn story of love, art and faith set in a fascinating era alive with religious and political unrest” says @annamazz.bsky.social of The Bruegel Boy. More here: buff.ly/2QuN1Yi

Breaking up all future literary events with obligatory ‘hydration breaks’ where I just shout BUY MY BOOK for three minutes.

British: bash the bishop Polish: beat the horse Dutch: beat the monkey Portuguese: drown the swan US: choke the chicken Norway: pull the salmon German: butter the salmon Any other international slang terms I should be aware of in this context??

Writers and illustrators, remember to register any new work for PLR by 30 June. (This is the money we receive every time someone takes our book taken out of libraries in the UK. Use libraries!). plr.bl.uk/login

The word 'brainchild' is horrible, isn't it? Your brain had a baby? What? With who? Who the hell impregnated your brain?

In which I recommend KILLING ME SOFTLY by Christie Watson and THE PINNACLE by @radiomukhers.bsky.social and @avaglassbooks.bsky.social and I fight it out over doppelgänger books.

Book Off!@ohdobookoff.bsky.social · 2mo ago

On the latest episode of #bookoff @avaglassbooks.bsky.social and @annamazz.bsky.social chat bad billionaires, pseudonyms, writing angry, sultry spies and balancing humour and heart. Hear them discuss their new novels - and other #bookrecommendations - on our latest episode! 🎧👇 pod.fo/e/428f69

For anyone who's worked in civil actions against the police, the idea that the English police might be TOO anti racist is absolutely wild. But the populists tell the lies they know people want to believe.

I’m a day late for Daphne Du Maurier‘s birthday (sorry, Daphne) but here’s the notebook she used to jot down ideas for Rebecca. She wrote initial ideas in pencil in small blue exercise books before expanding on them at one of her many typewriters.

Why were so many of the women Ramón Casas painted knackered? Was he deadly boring?

Really difficult to know if the fatigue and irritability I’m feeling is from perimenopause or British politics

Daily reminder. From The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.

Tori Amos in @rollingstone.com on why London is her favourite city.

Some useful public speaking tips from Freud here.

Adore this unexpected WINGS OF FEAR comic in a 1988 Bunty book in which a strange girl called Leonie uses her ‘power of controlling birds’ to attack random people who piss her off.

People of Peckham (and surrounding areas)! I’ll be at lovely Review Books on Bellenden Road on the eve of Weds 6 May talking with Philly Malicka about thrillers, what they are, how to write them, writing, motherhood and more. All welcome, including dogs. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/thrilling-...

Thrilling! Philippa Malicka + Anna Mazzola

authors Philippa Malicka + Anna Mazzola celebrate their new novels - In Her Defence and Notes on a Drowning... thrillers! or are they?

eventbrite.co.uk

Busted! All of us bibliophiles fondling our books are actually filthy perverts in search of penises. (This is from James Delbourgo’s interesting book about collectors - A Noble Madness)

Was not expecting that last sentence.

America! NOTES ON A DROWNING is 99c on ebook for a very limited time. London and Tokyo. Two determined women unravel a scandal involving misogyny, conspiracy and murder. ‘A brilliantly-pacy page-turner with a deeply compassionate centre.’ - The Express. A Times thriller of 2025 a.co/d/08pOsiPK