Bob Johnston
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bobjohnstonbooks.bsky.social
Bob Johnston
@bobjohnstonbooks.bsky.social
'Our Big Day' LGBTQ+ award-winning picturebook published 2022. Currently subbing agents w/ a gay novel for adults. Husband, dog lover, cat misser, biscuit eater, previously @gutterbookshop ... he/him. linktr.ee/bobjohnstonbooks
He was/is a huge advocate for Irish writing & was always great to do interviews with. Unlike George Hook who was awful. But Tubs, he's a talker alright (& very thin).
January 17, 2026 at 10:17 PM
Ha, imagine, "a bush in Phoenix Park"...
January 17, 2026 at 9:28 PM
The problem is is that we both like the same things. I have been known to say "Oh, what did you make of that therapist in X though?" which is really not what I'm spending my money for... #boundaries
January 17, 2026 at 9:26 PM
Bord Gais Theatre for the Irish Book Awards Shortlist announcements - function room on the top floor I think, guessing 2012ish. I mean he's lovely but I'm having a pee not an interview.
January 17, 2026 at 9:24 PM
I had a wee next to Ryan once & he chatted to me the whole time & really...
January 17, 2026 at 9:18 PM
Ha, my therapist is always "Have you seen that new Netflix series "x" because..." Obviously the answer is usually yes but I do have "I will not discuss boxsets" as a therapy mantra now... (She's very good & there's always a pertinent point...)
January 17, 2026 at 9:17 PM
Reposted by Bob Johnston
Really blown away by The Black Pool by Tim MacGabhann so far – about 2/3 through it. Perhaps hits harder that I spent some time with Tim and know what a gentle person he is, to see how hard his life became. This is a memoir about his slide into drinking, heroin use. A slow surrendering of the self.
January 17, 2026 at 9:52 AM
Oh sunshine, how I've missed you! #Malaga #VitaminD #WritingWeek
January 17, 2026 at 3:33 PM
Reposted by Bob Johnston
Eleven years ago today, my then-girlfriend came in the living room and asked if I wanted to get a cat. So we went to Edmonton Green and a woman met us in the street and dumped this wee black kitten on us and drove off. We called him Archie.
January 17, 2026 at 10:26 AM
Hopefully I'll learn that the title is #LoveLane by the time I interview him (we have a nightclub called Lost Lane in Dublin which shows you where my brain is...)
January 17, 2026 at 8:50 AM
Reposted by Bob Johnston
This photo was taken in 1911 using glass plate technology by Herbert Ponting who was part of Scott's Antarctic expedition,

The composition and detail are exquisite with the band of white snow/ice creating a perfect frame around the two people and the ship in the distance

Iconic imo
January 17, 2026 at 7:12 AM
Early start: heading to Málaga for a writing week & (hopefully) some sunshine - Irish winters are not SADs friend.. Anyway, #DublinAirport is heaving but I have #Prince & Patrick Gale to keep me company. I'll be interviewing Patrick about new novel #LostLane in @gutterbookshop.bsky.social on 31/3..
January 17, 2026 at 8:36 AM
Do you think he deserves my @blackwells.bsky.social 'Head Office Personality of the Year 2006' glass book? No, me neither... #Awards
January 16, 2026 at 11:40 PM
"Walk the dog..."
January 16, 2026 at 10:41 PM
Aged 7, I went to the local fête dressed as C3P0 - the elderly lady judge in a large floral hat said "and what are you supposed to be?" & I learned a lesson about knowing your audience... #NoPrizeForBob (I did have a light-up yo-yo in my Xmas stocking tho...)
January 16, 2026 at 10:34 PM
Possibly my NatWest piggybank - a 'prize' for opening a savings account...
January 16, 2026 at 10:28 PM
Reposted by Bob Johnston
LADY: [does a fraud]

TRUMP: [pardons lady]

LADY: [does a fraud again]

TRUMP: [pardons lady again]

ME: hmm I wonder what that lady will do next
Trump Sets Fraudster Free From Prison for a Second Time
www.nytimes.com
January 16, 2026 at 8:49 PM
Reposted by Bob Johnston
The 88% of Spotify songs demonetised thing really brings home the scale of Spotify - the sheer bulk of stuff that’s on there, huge amounts of which just gathers virtual dust
January 16, 2026 at 10:07 AM
Do you know what I like? Most things. There's some things I don't like, but I do like most things.
a woman holding a bottle with the words i love this thing behind her
Alt: an influencer holding a pump bottle & saying i love this thing
media.tenor.com
January 16, 2026 at 7:35 PM
Welcome to your fifties! You're now not sure if body aches mean you're getting the flu or that's just what your body feels like now.
Welcome to your fifties! You now measure a good night's sleep by how many times you got up to pee.
Welcome to your fifties! Now you start planning naps before you get out of bed in the morning.
January 16, 2026 at 6:40 PM
Saw this & immediately started singing "In the name of Jesus every knee shall bow" so that's aged me...
January 16, 2026 at 6:38 PM
Ha, well that made me laugh this morning! Thought I'd try the '2026 is the new 2016' viral trend so went into Facebook to find a suitable 2016 photo & this popped up! Sometimes muscalid dreams do come true ... #2026isthenew2016 #NewYear #IrishWildlife #PineMartens
January 16, 2026 at 11:39 AM
Reposted by Bob Johnston
Poor move on her part.

He got what he wanted. She got nothing in return. Now her name only evokes to him that she had HIS prize.

She'll get nothing.
Trump actually taking Maria Corina Machado's earned Nobel Peace Prize is such a pathetically sad and needy thing to do. Everyone knows how to manipulate Donald because he has no pride in the face of meaningless flattery.
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado met President Donald Trump at the White House as part of her push for greater influence in the wake of Nicolas Maduro’s ouster
January 16, 2026 at 10:23 AM
Reposted by Bob Johnston
#3goodthings
1. Cherry cake, by special request. Hope to God the cherries stayed afloat.
2. Beef curry, following a complaint that my veg curry had no meat in it. 🙄🙄🙄😂😂
3. Charlie on the lookout.
January 14, 2026 at 10:56 PM
Reposted by Bob Johnston
Good morning, I am once again reminding you all that we are going to keep pushing and we are going to win:
January 16, 2026 at 10:24 AM