Brian C. Veteran Bookseller
@chainborne.bsky.social
Bookseller (British, bearded, bespectacled, bald). Fantasy-fan. Sci-Fi guy. Word-nerd. He/Him.
On a mission to read all the middle-grade science fiction books.
On a mission to read all the middle-grade science fiction books.
Without naming your job, tell me something you say over and over again at work:
"Hello there! Do you need a bag today? And do you have one of our reward cards? You get a stamp for every £10 spent, and when you get 10 stamps you get £10 credit! I just need an email address to get you up & running."
"Hello there! Do you need a bag today? And do you have one of our reward cards? You get a stamp for every £10 spent, and when you get 10 stamps you get £10 credit! I just need an email address to get you up & running."
"Without naming your job, tell me something you say over and over again at work."
'Here are the concepts I've come up with for this project so far. Do any of these (or any variation of these) look like they might work? Thanks! :) '
'Here are the concepts I've come up with for this project so far. Do any of these (or any variation of these) look like they might work? Thanks! :) '
"Without naming your job, tell me something you say over and over again at work."
Ok this is great, but a bit of a mess. Let's calm it down and add some, and stop me if you've heard this one before: curated details
Ok this is great, but a bit of a mess. Let's calm it down and add some, and stop me if you've heard this one before: curated details
February 7, 2026 at 9:02 PM
Without naming your job, tell me something you say over and over again at work:
"Hello there! Do you need a bag today? And do you have one of our reward cards? You get a stamp for every £10 spent, and when you get 10 stamps you get £10 credit! I just need an email address to get you up & running."
"Hello there! Do you need a bag today? And do you have one of our reward cards? You get a stamp for every £10 spent, and when you get 10 stamps you get £10 credit! I just need an email address to get you up & running."
Reposted by Brian C. Veteran Bookseller
Like if you're on bluesky, you're very likely not normal. You're someone who was on twitter (already not most people) and then decided to change platforms due to some opinion about how it was run. So you're a highly engaged, atypical person.
February 7, 2026 at 6:15 PM
Like if you're on bluesky, you're very likely not normal. You're someone who was on twitter (already not most people) and then decided to change platforms due to some opinion about how it was run. So you're a highly engaged, atypical person.
How did Gollum eat the occasional raw goblin (and potentially hobbit) with only six teeth?
February 6, 2026 at 6:44 PM
How did Gollum eat the occasional raw goblin (and potentially hobbit) with only six teeth?
Me, ill, with dry skin, running a fever, cracked lips and a parched throat:
"Huh, maybe I better drink some water."
"Huh, maybe I better drink some water."
February 6, 2026 at 12:50 AM
Me, ill, with dry skin, running a fever, cracked lips and a parched throat:
"Huh, maybe I better drink some water."
"Huh, maybe I better drink some water."
Not too be morbid, but judging by the way headcolds just now just obliterate me ever since COVID, I'm pretty sure when my time comes it will be a respiratory infection that sees me off. 🤧
February 4, 2026 at 6:31 PM
Not too be morbid, but judging by the way headcolds just now just obliterate me ever since COVID, I'm pretty sure when my time comes it will be a respiratory infection that sees me off. 🤧
Feeling slightly crazy about the fact that I finally 100-percented Monster Train 2 on XBox, and literally the very next day they released an expansion with 9 new achievements. 😩
February 4, 2026 at 1:40 AM
Feeling slightly crazy about the fact that I finally 100-percented Monster Train 2 on XBox, and literally the very next day they released an expansion with 9 new achievements. 😩
These are... interesting.
Milk is a good neutraliser of capsaicin, so you get a bit of sweet heat without it lingering afterwards.
I'm always up for trying a novelty cereal, but I can't imagine them ever being a breakfast staple.
Milk is a good neutraliser of capsaicin, so you get a bit of sweet heat without it lingering afterwards.
I'm always up for trying a novelty cereal, but I can't imagine them ever being a breakfast staple.
February 2, 2026 at 5:41 PM
These are... interesting.
Milk is a good neutraliser of capsaicin, so you get a bit of sweet heat without it lingering afterwards.
I'm always up for trying a novelty cereal, but I can't imagine them ever being a breakfast staple.
Milk is a good neutraliser of capsaicin, so you get a bit of sweet heat without it lingering afterwards.
I'm always up for trying a novelty cereal, but I can't imagine them ever being a breakfast staple.
Seems like our buyers are going to need an "Are they in the Epstein Files?" checklist when ordering socioeconomics/popular science "Smart Thinking" books for range.
January 31, 2026 at 11:38 PM
Seems like our buyers are going to need an "Are they in the Epstein Files?" checklist when ordering socioeconomics/popular science "Smart Thinking" books for range.
Reposted by Brian C. Veteran Bookseller
I keep seeing it without a source link, so here it is:
January 16, 2026
MINNEAPOLIS LABOR UNION DELEGATION AND LOCAL REGIONAL LABOR BODIES ENDORSE JANUARY 23: DAY OF TRUTH AND FREEDOM
NO WORK, SCHOOL, OR SHOPPING
minneapolisunions.org/system/files...
January 16, 2026
MINNEAPOLIS LABOR UNION DELEGATION AND LOCAL REGIONAL LABOR BODIES ENDORSE JANUARY 23: DAY OF TRUTH AND FREEDOM
NO WORK, SCHOOL, OR SHOPPING
minneapolisunions.org/system/files...
January 16, 2026 at 11:40 PM
I keep seeing it without a source link, so here it is:
January 16, 2026
MINNEAPOLIS LABOR UNION DELEGATION AND LOCAL REGIONAL LABOR BODIES ENDORSE JANUARY 23: DAY OF TRUTH AND FREEDOM
NO WORK, SCHOOL, OR SHOPPING
minneapolisunions.org/system/files...
January 16, 2026
MINNEAPOLIS LABOR UNION DELEGATION AND LOCAL REGIONAL LABOR BODIES ENDORSE JANUARY 23: DAY OF TRUTH AND FREEDOM
NO WORK, SCHOOL, OR SHOPPING
minneapolisunions.org/system/files...
My vulture capitalism is waiting for the AI bubble to burst so I can build a new PC once the prices of RAM and graphics cards crash.
January 15, 2026 at 9:50 AM
My vulture capitalism is waiting for the AI bubble to burst so I can build a new PC once the prices of RAM and graphics cards crash.
I appreciate the fact that Lego gives you spares of the little fiddly pieces in every build, but it also gives me anxiety when I see them left over at the end, in case I missed a step in the instructions.
January 14, 2026 at 6:48 PM
I appreciate the fact that Lego gives you spares of the little fiddly pieces in every build, but it also gives me anxiety when I see them left over at the end, in case I missed a step in the instructions.
• All men are mortal
• All Scotsmen are Men
• Connor MacLeod is a Scotsman
• But Connor MacLeod is immortal
• Ergo Connor MacLeod is not a true Scotsman
This is the origin of the "No True Scotsman" fallacy.
• All Scotsmen are Men
• Connor MacLeod is a Scotsman
• But Connor MacLeod is immortal
• Ergo Connor MacLeod is not a true Scotsman
This is the origin of the "No True Scotsman" fallacy.
January 1, 2026 at 5:46 PM
• All men are mortal
• All Scotsmen are Men
• Connor MacLeod is a Scotsman
• But Connor MacLeod is immortal
• Ergo Connor MacLeod is not a true Scotsman
This is the origin of the "No True Scotsman" fallacy.
• All Scotsmen are Men
• Connor MacLeod is a Scotsman
• But Connor MacLeod is immortal
• Ergo Connor MacLeod is not a true Scotsman
This is the origin of the "No True Scotsman" fallacy.
Just got a text message from "Gemini in Google Messages", so I Blocked and Reported it as spam.
December 22, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Just got a text message from "Gemini in Google Messages", so I Blocked and Reported it as spam.
My mum used to send me off to bed by wishing me "Good Night, God Bless", except it was always abbreviated to "Night God Bless", and now I'm wondering what dark deity she unwittingly invoked all those years, and what umbral benisons it may have granted me.
December 14, 2025 at 11:34 PM
My mum used to send me off to bed by wishing me "Good Night, God Bless", except it was always abbreviated to "Night God Bless", and now I'm wondering what dark deity she unwittingly invoked all those years, and what umbral benisons it may have granted me.
How come I have printed T-shirts that are 20+ years old and still good, but the prints on modern (branded) tees seem to disintegrate after just a few months?
December 11, 2025 at 11:01 AM
How come I have printed T-shirts that are 20+ years old and still good, but the prints on modern (branded) tees seem to disintegrate after just a few months?
Is there a mnemonic to help you remember that Kimmel is the good Jimmy and Fallon is the bad one?
December 9, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Is there a mnemonic to help you remember that Kimmel is the good Jimmy and Fallon is the bad one?
Vaguely reassured that even after taking dozens of selfies over the years, Google Photos apparently has no idea what I'll look like. 🤷♂️
In the picture are
1. Author Caim (C. K.) McDonnell
2. Actor Richard Dormer as Captain Vimes
3. Honestly not sure who that is, but it's not me.
(I did not tap)
In the picture are
1. Author Caim (C. K.) McDonnell
2. Actor Richard Dormer as Captain Vimes
3. Honestly not sure who that is, but it's not me.
(I did not tap)
![A screenshot from Google Photos personalised round-up of 2025, inviting me to "Tap on your face to personalised your experience" with further text which reads "Not seeing you? [Show More]"
Underneath are three roundels with cropped headshots from my gallery of the two men mentioned in the post, and a black & white headshot of an attractive brunette lady, possibly another author from a book jacket.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:5l4ffkowbyiezvh5ye3tqrft/bafkreidukhdlkwo354bcdlx2iwr6yovx4gehzbrcuyx3cnusdmc5bxampa@jpeg)
December 7, 2025 at 8:45 AM
Vaguely reassured that even after taking dozens of selfies over the years, Google Photos apparently has no idea what I'll look like. 🤷♂️
In the picture are
1. Author Caim (C. K.) McDonnell
2. Actor Richard Dormer as Captain Vimes
3. Honestly not sure who that is, but it's not me.
(I did not tap)
In the picture are
1. Author Caim (C. K.) McDonnell
2. Actor Richard Dormer as Captain Vimes
3. Honestly not sure who that is, but it's not me.
(I did not tap)
Showing off my digital media collection:
"These shows default to the original language with English subtitles, but *these* ones do that AND have chapter breaks for Prologue, Opening & End Credits and Epilogue/Preview, and *these* ones do all of that AND have proper Title tags for every episode..."
"These shows default to the original language with English subtitles, but *these* ones do that AND have chapter breaks for Prologue, Opening & End Credits and Epilogue/Preview, and *these* ones do all of that AND have proper Title tags for every episode..."
December 4, 2025 at 4:34 AM
Showing off my digital media collection:
"These shows default to the original language with English subtitles, but *these* ones do that AND have chapter breaks for Prologue, Opening & End Credits and Epilogue/Preview, and *these* ones do all of that AND have proper Title tags for every episode..."
"These shows default to the original language with English subtitles, but *these* ones do that AND have chapter breaks for Prologue, Opening & End Credits and Epilogue/Preview, and *these* ones do all of that AND have proper Title tags for every episode..."
@robynholdaway.bsky.social I think you'll like this story-behind-a-story. 😊
Eleven years ago, I wrote to Tom Stoppard to ask about this coup de théâtre from 1949. It took me down an unexpected rabbit hole - in memory of Stoppard, here's what I found.
December 1, 2025 at 12:39 PM
@robynholdaway.bsky.social I think you'll like this story-behind-a-story. 😊
The only reason I turned off Gmail's "Smart Features" btw is that I logged into Gmail on the Windows desktop for the first time in a long while, and it ran like absolute ass while telling me my browser was out of date.
Now I can't access Gmail's email Categories (Promotions, etc.) on my phone...
Now I can't access Gmail's email Categories (Promotions, etc.) on my phone...
I'll say this for it, turning off Gmail's "Smart Features" has finally forced me to clean out my inbox.
November 30, 2025 at 8:40 AM
The only reason I turned off Gmail's "Smart Features" btw is that I logged into Gmail on the Windows desktop for the first time in a long while, and it ran like absolute ass while telling me my browser was out of date.
Now I can't access Gmail's email Categories (Promotions, etc.) on my phone...
Now I can't access Gmail's email Categories (Promotions, etc.) on my phone...
I'll say this for it, turning off Gmail's "Smart Features" has finally forced me to clean out my inbox.
November 29, 2025 at 11:06 PM
I'll say this for it, turning off Gmail's "Smart Features" has finally forced me to clean out my inbox.
ABOUT FUCKEN TIIIIIIIIIME!!!!! 🗡️
THIS NEWS HAS MADE MY YEAR!! 🥳
THIS NEWS HAS MADE MY YEAR!! 🥳
***ANNOUNCEMENT***
Coming on February 23rd in the UK and February 24th in North America on #4K and Blu-ray from @arrowvideo.bsky.social: #Excalibur (1981)!
FORGED BY A GOD. FORETOLD BY A WIZARD. FOUND BY A KING.
From John Boorman, the director of Point Blank, Deliverance and Zardoz comes
Coming on February 23rd in the UK and February 24th in North America on #4K and Blu-ray from @arrowvideo.bsky.social: #Excalibur (1981)!
FORGED BY A GOD. FORETOLD BY A WIZARD. FOUND BY A KING.
From John Boorman, the director of Point Blank, Deliverance and Zardoz comes
November 28, 2025 at 3:56 PM
ABOUT FUCKEN TIIIIIIIIIME!!!!! 🗡️
THIS NEWS HAS MADE MY YEAR!! 🥳
THIS NEWS HAS MADE MY YEAR!! 🥳
Reposted by Brian C. Veteran Bookseller
Looking for a bespoke Christmas gift? Look no further!
Let me know your preferred book genre/theme and budget and I'll put together a book box for you.
Perfect for hassle-free Christmas gifting! Postage within UK.
#saletown #christmasbookgifts
Let me know your preferred book genre/theme and budget and I'll put together a book box for you.
Perfect for hassle-free Christmas gifting! Postage within UK.
#saletown #christmasbookgifts
November 27, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Looking for a bespoke Christmas gift? Look no further!
Let me know your preferred book genre/theme and budget and I'll put together a book box for you.
Perfect for hassle-free Christmas gifting! Postage within UK.
#saletown #christmasbookgifts
Let me know your preferred book genre/theme and budget and I'll put together a book box for you.
Perfect for hassle-free Christmas gifting! Postage within UK.
#saletown #christmasbookgifts
The cooking instructions on my frozen stone-baked pizza said "you may notice charred areas of dough, this is normal", and I immediately thought that Chardaereus of Doh would be a great name for a renowned wizard or hero character.
November 26, 2025 at 1:49 PM
The cooking instructions on my frozen stone-baked pizza said "you may notice charred areas of dough, this is normal", and I immediately thought that Chardaereus of Doh would be a great name for a renowned wizard or hero character.