Alison Hennessey
@alisonhennessey.bsky.social
Publishing Director of Raven Books, an imprint of Bloomsbury Books. Lover of the gripping & the gothic, the contemporary & the cunning. Comprehensive school girl in literary world. Easily bribed with a chocolate orange.
Reposted by Alison Hennessey
As we move into “foreigners are cancelling Christmas in the name of political correctness” season it’s worth remember that Christmas was indeed once banned in England, by Christians and the man who enforced the ban has a statue in his honour outside the Houses of Parliament.
November 20, 2025 at 9:49 AM
As we move into “foreigners are cancelling Christmas in the name of political correctness” season it’s worth remember that Christmas was indeed once banned in England, by Christians and the man who enforced the ban has a statue in his honour outside the Houses of Parliament.
'If we assume that the annual rate of teaspoon loss per employee can be applied to the entire workforce of the city of Melbourne (about 2.5 million), an estimated 18 million teaspoons are going missing in Melbourne each year.'
70 teaspoons placed in tearooms around the institute & observed weekly over 5 months. 80% of spoons disappeared; spoon halflife~81 days. Communal room halflife lower than in specific labs. 250 spoons annually required to maintain 70 spoon population.
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...
The case of the disappearing teaspoons: longitudinal cohort study of the displacement of teaspoons in an Australian research institute
Objectives To determine the overall rate of loss of workplace teaspoons and whether attrition and displacement are correlated with the relative value of the teaspoons or type of tearoom. Design Longitudinal cohort study. Setting Research institute ...
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
November 20, 2025 at 9:42 AM
'If we assume that the annual rate of teaspoon loss per employee can be applied to the entire workforce of the city of Melbourne (about 2.5 million), an estimated 18 million teaspoons are going missing in Melbourne each year.'
Two of my authors were scheduled to deliver new drafts today. One then asked for (and received!) an extension so for now, I sit poised, with a cup of tea, ready - hopefully! - for a new draft. It feels like the perfect kind of cold, calm day for an edit...
November 20, 2025 at 9:35 AM
Two of my authors were scheduled to deliver new drafts today. One then asked for (and received!) an extension so for now, I sit poised, with a cup of tea, ready - hopefully! - for a new draft. It feels like the perfect kind of cold, calm day for an edit...
I am starting to wonder whether there are more true crime podcasts or more novels that feature true crime podcasts. It definitely feels a lot of my subs now feature a true crime podcast.
November 19, 2025 at 12:22 PM
I am starting to wonder whether there are more true crime podcasts or more novels that feature true crime podcasts. It definitely feels a lot of my subs now feature a true crime podcast.
Reposted by Alison Hennessey
NEWS JUST IN! A new book will in fact solve all your problems
November 17, 2025 at 9:17 AM
NEWS JUST IN! A new book will in fact solve all your problems
Look at this beauty! Some of our most brilliant @bloomsburyraven.bsky.social authors have been joined by even more amazing authors to create a collection of stories inspired by the beasts that have stalked Britain. The most gorgeous gifty edition, whether that's a gift for you or someone else.
Monstrous Tales is out now. A spine-tingling collection of short stories inspired by the beasts and legends that have haunted Britain for centuries.
Featuring new stories from Janice Hallett, Rosie Andrews, Abir Mukherjee, Stuart Turton and more.
Don’t look behind you… 👁️
Featuring new stories from Janice Hallett, Rosie Andrews, Abir Mukherjee, Stuart Turton and more.
Don’t look behind you… 👁️
October 23, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Look at this beauty! Some of our most brilliant @bloomsburyraven.bsky.social authors have been joined by even more amazing authors to create a collection of stories inspired by the beasts that have stalked Britain. The most gorgeous gifty edition, whether that's a gift for you or someone else.
Ugh. How has my body forgotten the basic rule that you come back from the Frankfurt Book Fair with a cold, you don't go there with one.
Apologies in advance to everyone I will see with streaming eyes and endless sneezing.
Apologies in advance to everyone I will see with streaming eyes and endless sneezing.
October 13, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Ugh. How has my body forgotten the basic rule that you come back from the Frankfurt Book Fair with a cold, you don't go there with one.
Apologies in advance to everyone I will see with streaming eyes and endless sneezing.
Apologies in advance to everyone I will see with streaming eyes and endless sneezing.
Gleefully delighted that several of the reviews on Amazon for @spookypurcell.bsky.social's House of Splinters have said it's even creepier than The Silent Companions, mwahahaha 👻👻
You can still buy the gorgeous @waterstones.bsky.social special edition here www.waterstones.com/book/house-o...
You can still buy the gorgeous @waterstones.bsky.social special edition here www.waterstones.com/book/house-o...
House of Splinters by Laura Purcell | Waterstones
Buy House of Splinters by Laura Purcell from Waterstones today! Click and Collect from your local Waterstones or get FREE UK delivery on orders over £25.
www.waterstones.com
October 10, 2025 at 9:50 AM
Gleefully delighted that several of the reviews on Amazon for @spookypurcell.bsky.social's House of Splinters have said it's even creepier than The Silent Companions, mwahahaha 👻👻
You can still buy the gorgeous @waterstones.bsky.social special edition here www.waterstones.com/book/house-o...
You can still buy the gorgeous @waterstones.bsky.social special edition here www.waterstones.com/book/house-o...
The happiest of book birthdays to the wonderful @spookypurcell.bsky.social! Her SIXTH novel with us, the brilliant House of Splinters is out today and is absolutely the kind of fun horror (ie lots of great scares, will not make you scared to go out in the dark) this season is calling out for 👻
'An enormous treat . . . beautifully vivid, claustrophobic and macabre . . . a masterful page-turner' Bridget Collins, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Binding
House of Splinters will soon be haunting shelves near you.
Pre-order here: https://t.co/qvI9PXgETJ
@spookypurcell.bsky.social
House of Splinters will soon be haunting shelves near you.
Pre-order here: https://t.co/qvI9PXgETJ
@spookypurcell.bsky.social
October 9, 2025 at 1:45 PM
The happiest of book birthdays to the wonderful @spookypurcell.bsky.social! Her SIXTH novel with us, the brilliant House of Splinters is out today and is absolutely the kind of fun horror (ie lots of great scares, will not make you scared to go out in the dark) this season is calling out for 👻
Reposted by Alison Hennessey
the most delightful version of logging on to see what news you've missed
October 8, 2025 at 5:45 AM
the most delightful version of logging on to see what news you've missed
I really wish Jess McDonald's memoir, No Comment, about the toxic culture inside the Met Police didn't continue to be so screamingly relevant www.waterstones.com/book/no-comm...
No Comment by Jess McDonald | Waterstones
Buy No Comment by Jess McDonald from Waterstones today! Click and Collect from your local Waterstones or get FREE UK delivery on orders over £25.
www.waterstones.com
October 2, 2025 at 8:54 AM
I really wish Jess McDonald's memoir, No Comment, about the toxic culture inside the Met Police didn't continue to be so screamingly relevant www.waterstones.com/book/no-comm...
Yaaaaay! My beloved dark, unsettling, mad and truly wonderful The Unrecovered by @richardstrachan.bsky.social is the Scottish Book of the Month for @waterstones.bsky.social!
Thank you so so much booksellers for championing such a brilliant book.
Thank you so so much booksellers for championing such a brilliant book.
October 1, 2025 at 8:24 AM
Yaaaaay! My beloved dark, unsettling, mad and truly wonderful The Unrecovered by @richardstrachan.bsky.social is the Scottish Book of the Month for @waterstones.bsky.social!
Thank you so so much booksellers for championing such a brilliant book.
Thank you so so much booksellers for championing such a brilliant book.
Honestly quite disappointed that Nigel Slater hasn't written 'A Thousand Ferrets' as my blurry sleep deprived eyes just read. 100% would buy.
September 30, 2025 at 8:28 AM
Honestly quite disappointed that Nigel Slater hasn't written 'A Thousand Ferrets' as my blurry sleep deprived eyes just read. 100% would buy.
Wondering how much time of my life I could save if I didn't have to constantly check Amazon to make sure they haven't randomly removed one of our authors' editions for no good reason.
September 29, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Wondering how much time of my life I could save if I didn't have to constantly check Amazon to make sure they haven't randomly removed one of our authors' editions for no good reason.
Today I am enormously grateful for the joys/privileges of my job: I'm currently going through the new draft of a fantastic debut novel I am publishing next summer and then this evening I'm going to a special screening of The Woman in Cabin 10, one of the most fun books I've published.
September 25, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Today I am enormously grateful for the joys/privileges of my job: I'm currently going through the new draft of a fantastic debut novel I am publishing next summer and then this evening I'm going to a special screening of The Woman in Cabin 10, one of the most fun books I've published.
Absolutely delighted for Richard Strachan, his exceptional novel The Unrecovered has been longlisted for the Scottish National Book Award for Fiction! www.thesaltires.org.uk
September 12, 2025 at 9:55 AM
Absolutely delighted for Richard Strachan, his exceptional novel The Unrecovered has been longlisted for the Scottish National Book Award for Fiction! www.thesaltires.org.uk
Sigh: 'The cache of files suggest that between October 2022 and May 2024, Johnson was paid approximately £5.1m for 34 speeches.'
Call to halt Boris Johnson’s £115,000 allowance after Boris Files revelations
Call to halt Boris Johnson’s £115,000 allowance after Boris Files revelations
Senior politicians want taxpayer-funded support for former PM suspended, as watchdog opens investigation
www.theguardian.com
September 9, 2025 at 9:27 AM
Sigh: 'The cache of files suggest that between October 2022 and May 2024, Johnson was paid approximately £5.1m for 34 speeches.'
Very sad to have lost one of South London's bookselling greats www.thebookseller.com/news/iconic-... I have bought a lot of books from that shop and seen them support a lot of my authors
The Bookseller Crow owner Jonathan Main dies
Jonathan Main, co-owner of The Bookseller Crow in Crystal Palace, has died following a short illness.
www.thebookseller.com
September 4, 2025 at 8:20 AM
Very sad to have lost one of South London's bookselling greats www.thebookseller.com/news/iconic-... I have bought a lot of books from that shop and seen them support a lot of my authors
My colleague is publishing a historical Arctic horror novel next year, and she just pitched it to everyone as 'Michelle Paver meets Sarah Waters' and I am SOLD.
September 3, 2025 at 10:49 AM
My colleague is publishing a historical Arctic horror novel next year, and she just pitched it to everyone as 'Michelle Paver meets Sarah Waters' and I am SOLD.
Very much enjoying the Back to School vibes of September at Raven HQ - the leaves are falling, good clothes are on the horizon & we have some cracking books publishing this Autumn including a folk horror anthology, the new novel from @spookypurcell.bsky.social + Joey Batey's debut, It's Not a Cult.
September 2, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Very much enjoying the Back to School vibes of September at Raven HQ - the leaves are falling, good clothes are on the horizon & we have some cracking books publishing this Autumn including a folk horror anthology, the new novel from @spookypurcell.bsky.social + Joey Batey's debut, It's Not a Cult.
Spending my last day before a holiday finishing the edit of a FANTASTIC debut publishing next year, reveling in some lovely news about one of my 2025 debuts and replying to excited emails from colleagues about the new book from one of my existing authors who has just smashed it out the park.
August 20, 2025 at 1:09 PM
Spending my last day before a holiday finishing the edit of a FANTASTIC debut publishing next year, reveling in some lovely news about one of my 2025 debuts and replying to excited emails from colleagues about the new book from one of my existing authors who has just smashed it out the park.
I've spent a good part of today's tea breaks scouring the internet for reviews of child bike seats after finally ordering a new bike after mine was stolen. I have never cycled with my small person on a bike with me so if anyone has any top tips I am here for them!
August 18, 2025 at 4:01 PM
I've spent a good part of today's tea breaks scouring the internet for reviews of child bike seats after finally ordering a new bike after mine was stolen. I have never cycled with my small person on a bike with me so if anyone has any top tips I am here for them!
Why am I an editor with over twenty years experience in publishing and I still find myself having to google which is a metaphor and which a simile?
August 14, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Why am I an editor with over twenty years experience in publishing and I still find myself having to google which is a metaphor and which a simile?
Reposted by Alison Hennessey
Coming up this evening, 7pm!
argonautbooks.co.uk/product/murd...
Looking forward to doing this event with Lucy Ribchester at @argonautbooks.bsky.social on the 14th!
Looking forward to doing this event with Lucy Ribchester at @argonautbooks.bsky.social on the 14th!
Murder Ballad + The Unrecovered // Lucy Ribchester & Richard Strachan – Thurs. 14th August @ 7pm
Three women. A deadly score to settle. EDINBURGH, 1791. Isobel Duguid and her friend, the famous castrato Clessidro, are stars of the Edinburgh Musical Society. Despite her cavalier attitude toward…
argonautbooks.co.uk
August 14, 2025 at 10:22 AM
Coming up this evening, 7pm!
I went to see Born with Teeth last night, which was enormous fun. Edward Bluemel is great in it but oh my, Ncuti Gatwa has such CHARISMA. An unbelievably hot, sexy, arrogant Marlowe - just as you'd want. Also loved that Shakespeare is played as a nerd who just wants to work.
August 14, 2025 at 8:46 AM
I went to see Born with Teeth last night, which was enormous fun. Edward Bluemel is great in it but oh my, Ncuti Gatwa has such CHARISMA. An unbelievably hot, sexy, arrogant Marlowe - just as you'd want. Also loved that Shakespeare is played as a nerd who just wants to work.