Queen of Grimdark
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annasmithspark.bsky.social
Queen of Grimdark
@annasmithspark.bsky.social
Author of critically acclaimed grimdark epic fantasy, EMPIRES OF DUST, A WOMAN OF THE SWORD, A SWORD OF BRONZE AND ASHES. A SWORD OF GOLD AND RUIN out now.
Dyslxic, dyspraxic, ASD, PhD.
Pinned
A SWORD OF BRONZE AND ASHES and A SWORD OF GOLD AND RUIN. Out now in stunning sprayed-edged hardback.

#fantasy #epicfantasy #fantasybooks #myth #mythology #folkhorror #grimdark #books
📖📖📖🔥🔥🔥
Barcelona: the interior of Gaudi's Casa Batllo. Strange and beautiful, a dream house: and therefore all the more bizarre seeing images of families in stiff Edwardian clothing and black-clad maids living there.
November 26, 2025 at 3:53 PM
And finally the Hill of Crosses at the highest point of Park Guell. There are three crosses, but I could only ever see two at once. I spent a long time here - the parakeets flying about and the afternoon light made it more beautiful and melancholy.
November 25, 2025 at 4:40 PM
The hypostyle hall at Park Guell. I cried standing in here, because it is the closest I will come to standing in Persepolis.
November 25, 2025 at 4:23 PM
More Barcelona photos: from Sagrada Familia I walked up to Park Guel, my favourite of Gaudi's creations and a place I have long dreamed of visiting.
November 25, 2025 at 4:17 PM
I suddenly realised I never shared most of my Barcelona photos. Here are some images of Gaudi's unfinished masterwork Sagrada Familia. I've never seen it in real life before but have long been obsessed with it as a building from my darkest nightmares.
November 24, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Reposted by Queen of Grimdark
«De la herida brotó sangre negra, seguida de entrañas que se desparramaban, blancas, rojas y viscosas. Era tan bonito como una fuente. Los hombres aullaron. El dragón tenía ya dos espadas clavadas en el cuerpo.»

La corte de los cuchillos rotos, @annasmithspark.bsky.social

📚⚔️🩸🔥🐉
November 23, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Reposted by Queen of Grimdark
«El dragón era tan grande como un caballo de tiro. Su piel estaba surcada de cicatrices, como un bordado grotesco, y sus alas, negras, blancas y plateadas, eran pesadas y feroces como cuchillas.»

La corte de los cuchillos rotos @annasmithspark.bsky.social

@distopolis.bsky.social

shorturl.at/qGKbX
November 20, 2025 at 4:48 PM
'QueenGrimmy, the poet-sorceress of modern fantasy'

The most amazing, wonderful review of A SWORD OF GOLD AND RUIN.

'This isn’t just a novel. It’s a soul laid bare in mythic form with the use of symbols and meaning as a justification for its existence.'📚📖🔥

www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Jay's review of A Sword of Gold and Ruin (Sword of Bronze and Ashes, #2)
5/5: ★★★★★ — 4.999/5 Not sure how the fuck she does it - truly another great read. There are writers I have said summon worlds in my last review - but with those worlds come those who tell stories, ...
www.goodreads.com
November 19, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Today it's the playlist / soundtrack to A Sword of Gold and Ruin, my latest novel, and I think probably my best yet in terms of literary quality.
open.spotify.com/playlist/2Af...
A Sword of Gold and Ruin
Playlist · AnnaSmithSpark
open.spotify.com
November 18, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Reposted by Queen of Grimdark
«La espada de plata se alza y cae. Cinco hombres. Diez. Veinte. Una pila de cuerpos. Hipnotizado, contempla a los moribundos. Y en la matanza, ve una belleza pura, brutal. Matar. Matar. Y una dicha perfecta que casi duele.»

"La corte de los cuchillos rotos", de @annasmithspark.bsky.social 🔪💥
November 18, 2025 at 10:22 AM
Today's playlist / soundtrack is much more folk music based - fitting the folk horror and Celtic myth elements of A SWORD OF BRONZE AND ASHES. Possibly more uplifting too.
open.spotify.com/playlist/7HV...
Spotify – Web Player
open.spotify.com
November 17, 2025 at 4:50 PM
A brilliant panel discussion at #festival42 .
November 17, 2025 at 12:58 PM
A bit late today, but here's the playlist for A Woman of the Sword. My most personal, rawest novel.
open.spotify.com/playlist/3Nu...
A Woman of the Sword
open.spotify.com
November 16, 2025 at 6:34 PM
And today the playlist is for The House of Sacrifice, the final, extremely violent book in my 'masterpiece of dark fantasy' Empires of Dust trilogy.

open.spotify.com/playlist/5MZ...
The House of Sacrifice
open.spotify.com
November 15, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Reposted by Queen of Grimdark
I have created the playlist on YouTube Music in case anyone wants to listen.
music.youtube.com/playlist?lis...
The Court of Broken Knives
Listen to The Court of Broken Knives on YouTube Music - a dedicated music app with official songs, music videos, remixes, covers, and more.
music.youtube.com
November 14, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Today's playlist / soundtrack is for The Tower of Living and Dying. The second in the Empires of Dust trilogy, the classic 'space for characters and the world to just be' middle book - with probably my favourite ever battle scene.

open.spotify.com/playlist/6O7...
The Tower of Living and Dying
open.spotify.com
November 14, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Crowned with golden stars in Barcelona!
November 14, 2025 at 9:25 AM
Music is very important to my writing process. I've created soundtracks / playlists for all my novels. Starting today with The Court of Broken Knives.

#Books #Fantasy #FantasyBooks #GrimDark #EpicFantasy
@listigeplaylists.bsky.social
📖🎸
open.spotify.com/playlist/7dS...
The Court of Broken Knives
open.spotify.com
November 13, 2025 at 12:34 PM
'Her words are not just ink on paper—they are an invocation. They pulse with rhythm and breath, both brutal and beautiful. [...] she has a gift for merging the lyrical and the lethal, for shaping fantasy into poetry and pain [...]' www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Jay's review of A Sword of Bronze and Ashes (Sword of Bronze and Ashes, #1)
5/5: ★★★★★ — 4.999/5* *read again/reviewing a'new as ItIs ThaTg0od! ------- There are writers who tell stories, and then there are writers who summon worlds. Anna Smith Spark belongs firmly in the ...
www.goodreads.com
November 13, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Music is very important to my writing process. I've created soundtracks / playlists for all my novels. Starting today with The Court of Broken Knives.

#Books #Fantasy #FantasyBooks #GrimDark #EpicFantasy
📖🎸

open.spotify.com/playlist/7dS...
The Court of Broken Knives
open.spotify.com
November 13, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Tomorrow! @britfantasysoc.bsky.social presents Kill the Gods: Epic Fantasy Religion. @stewarthotston.com , Alexandra Beaumont, Marvellous Michael Anson, Will Wiles and me in conversation at Covent Garden Waterstones from 6pm.
November 12, 2025 at 8:13 PM
A beautiful picture of what I think is my most beautifully written book yet.
Glad for the new entry from the Queen of Grimdark 🔥

@annasmithspark.bsky.social
#ASwordOfGoldAndRuin #Reading #BookSky
November 12, 2025 at 12:20 PM
The toilets @gigamesh.com were the first place I visited in Spain, and did seem very nice. However, the toilets in Foyles Charing Cross Road are possibly superior. ( @foylesforbooks.bsky.social you are welcome to put up a similar plaque).
November 11, 2025 at 8:39 AM
Reposted by Queen of Grimdark
El momento diadema de la reina del grimdark @annasmithspark.bsky.social en la @gigamesh.com ❤️ Mil gracias, ha sido una tarde súper especial 🙏
November 10, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Reposted by Queen of Grimdark
The BFS and Waterstones Covent Gdn is excited to bring you Kill the Gods: Epic Fantasy Religion on Thursday 13th November at 6pm.

Ticket: tinyurl.com/bfswatgod

@stewarthotston.com @abeaumontbooks.bsky.social @annasmithspark.bsky.social @justmarvewrites.bsky.social @willwiles.bsky.social
November 10, 2025 at 1:06 PM