Reported theft of son’s bank cards to police. We know where they were taken, when they were used, there is CCTV in the shop and a foolproof way of IDing anyone on that CCTV. Email response more annoying than theft with its tone of surprise that I would think it reasonable for them to investigate.

One of these years one of my southern household members will just get on with it, get outside and first foot without whinging. But it is not this year. #northerntraditions

How are you supposed to deliver stockings to teenagers while maintaining any semblance of Christmasy spirit? Just encountered Boy 1 in the hallway while clutching his stocking. Me: ‘Um, ho ho…ho?’ Him: ‘Er, shall I just take that?’ Then Boy 2 emerged for a wee and to criticise my lack of stealth.

Village Christmas. 6pm Hark the Herald Angels sing. 11pm I’m twisted firestarter. It was a night or two halves.

Just stole someone’s trolley in Costco. Failed to notice for several aisles. Shrieked, failed to find the owner, retrieved mine, then had to go back for the stuff I’d put in it after waltzing off with it. Thus looking as though I was stealing someone else’s AS batteries and granola.

Just had to ask someone to stop influencing by the hand dryers in the Bath station toilets so I could actually dry my hands. There have to be better places to pose with one hand behind your head and the other on your hip while your friend stage directs from behind the phone camera.

Wow. You really can buy anything on Amazon.

Just finished watching Firefly and Serenity with Boys 1 and 2. The desperate hope in Boy 1’s voice when he said ‘Is there…like, a post credits scene? Or something?’ It was like watching small children realise there’s no Santa. #firefly #scifi

Today I finally found my meat handling limit as a vegetarian in a meat-eating family. The words ‘reach inside the chicken’ seemed entirely innocuous until the moment of the reaching arrived. Reader, I found another recipe.

Boy 1’s English lit paper flagged for remark - 2 marks off higher grade. One problem - his teacher will find out he abandoned Frankenstein and answered the Christmas Carol questions based solely on multiple viewings of the Muppet version. And did substantially better than expected. Just…how?

Relief here after GCSE results. Boy 1 decided not to do any work before mocks, thinking natural ability would get him through. Cue a frantic scramble before the real things. It could have gone either way. Solid set of results - a couple of disappointments but a couple of pleasant surprises too.

I seem to be everyone’s ‘oops, not for you’ this morning. I have had an apology for cancelling tonight’s session at short notice (partner, and he was talking about rowing!) and my mother in law informing me that she’s just spoken to me and will be seeing me later and that we’ve had wasps nests.

It’s meeeee!

Stars and Sabers@starsandsabers.bsky.social · last yr.

We're ecstatic to introduce anthology contributor @annecorlett.bsky.social, whose short story “Thirteen Lies” appears in our upcoming magic-themed anthology, Of Enchantment, Enigma, and the Infinite! Read more about Anne and her work: www.starsandsabers.com/2025/07/18/a... #fantasy #writers

On a bus which has a fault that is making it give a ‘Please apply handbrake’ alert every 5 seconds while the bus is moving. I am fully expecting the driver to hurl himself from his window any second. Then ‘please apply handbrake’ will become a pressing matter for all of us on board.

I am a vegetarian, but if it would make chirpy mcchirpface outside my window shut up, I would gladly eat him, feathers and all. Yes, rhw sun is rising. It happens every day. Calm down.

Me: OMG how much weight have I put on since I last wore this dress? I can't even get it on. What am I going to wear tomorrow? Aaaaaargh! Less stupid me: You know you haven't undone the zip, right?

Me: My parcel has been delivered to the wrong house. The house in the picture is not mine, or in fact any house in this very small village. Evri: Have you checked with all your household members? Me: Yes, they're all pretty sure they also don't live in that house that's not our house. HTH.

Actual footage of my face for the 15 minutes when I thought Scrivener had somehow deleted all traces of every copy and backup of the book that will be going to my agent by the end of this week. Turned out to be a misunderstanding between me, the wifi and Dropbox. #writing

a close up of a stuffed animal with a rainbow in the background .

ALT: a close up of a stuffed animal with a rainbow in the background .

media.tenor.com

Your one week reminder of what should be a fun event at Covent Garden Waterstones, talking about writing for and about the stage, obviously including immersive theatre! With @emilyhowes.bsky.social, Lianne Dillsworth and Seb Huang of Sleepwalk Immersive. www.waterstones.com/events/anne-...

Anne Corlett, Lianne Dillsworth and Emily Howes in conversation with Sebastian Huang | Events at Waterstones Bookshops | Waterstones

Events at Waterstones get you closer to the books and authors you admire most. Find information and tickets about Anne Corlett, Lianne Dillsworth and Emily Howes in conversation with Sebastian Huang t...

waterstones.com

This was so much fun. Thanks to @minimumlabyrinth.bsky.social for the invitation. It’s a great way to spend an afternoon if you’re interested in London history or immersive theatre - or both!

Minimum Labyrinth@minimumlabyrinth.bsky.social · last yr.

Thank you so much to @annecorlett.bsky.social, author of The Space Between the Stars, and The Theatre of Glass and Shadows, for this lovely review of Doin' The Lambeth Walk (Oi!). annecorlett.co.uk/writing-blog...

All the best conversations happen while drinking in barns in Somerset. And I say this as a committed northerner.

That thing where you live in a really small village, go drinking with your neighbours and then have to tittup home through the pitch dark and 100 yards takes about 20 minutes.

Boy 3 has turned out to have an unexpected talent for music and is teaching himself piano. This is lovely and to be encouraged but does mean I am woken up early every morning to the opening strains of the How to Train Your Dragon theme. And really loud birds.

Woman in fitting room: what do you think of this fit? Me: errrrrr Woman: It’s ok. I want an honest opinion Me: I don’t think it’s a great fit. It doesn’t hang nicely. You could find something better. Woman: [steely deathstare] Me: I’ll just be, um, over there. Lesson learned. ‘It’s lovely!’

The AI generated Chicago Times summer reading story would be funny if it wasn’t for the fact that there is so little mainstream media space left for book reviews. What a shame that Marco Buscaglia couldn’t find enough respect for his fellow writers to even look up the actual books they’d written.

Lovely recommendation!

Karen Cole@karlou72.bsky.social · last yr.

Every Saturday, I recommend a book on Alfred FM. Life meant I haven't been able to share last week's recommendation, the fabulous The Theatre of Glass and Shadows by @annecorlett.bsky.social with you until today. open.spotify.com/episode/7wSF... (from approx 55:20) #BookSky 📚💙

Finally got to watch the first episode of the new Handmaid's Tale season. I did not expect that moment at the end. Now sniffling on the sofa.

Currently waiting to find out whether I actually need to help my elderly neighbour buy something online, or whether I just ruined a very convincing scammer's day with my cheery 'popped round but you didn't hear the doorbell. Give me a shout when you're free. And do you want anything from Tesco?'

Did not anticipate spending today in hospital after what’s looking like a low blood pressure triggered collapse at the top of the stairs. Head first into the wall apparently. I was sure I’d just sat down for a minute. I had no idea why an ambulance was on its way. I thought everyone had gone mad.

There are very few things in life more irritating than a late night train. The woman behind had no idea how close she came to having her shoe ripped off and hurled out of the window. I think turning round and snarling ‘Get. Your. Foot. Off. Me. Now’ was restrained in the circumstances.