Jo Zebedee@TheSecretBookshelf
@jozebwrites.bsky.social
Writes blasting sci fi and fantasy. Dogsbody at Secret Bookshelf Carrickfergus. Consultant in all things management
Reposted by Jo Zebedee@TheSecretBookshelf
Your occasional reminder that @bookshop.org is open for all of your Christmas book shopping needs. Every sale supports independent bookstores, the books arrive beautifully packaged, and they even have gift wrapping options.
Buy some great books and stop paying for Jeff's botox
uk.bookshop.org?next=t
Buy some great books and stop paying for Jeff's botox
uk.bookshop.org?next=t
Bookshop: Buy books online. Support local bookshops.
A better way to buy books online. Every purchase financially supports local independent bookshops.
uk.bookshop.org
November 27, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Your occasional reminder that @bookshop.org is open for all of your Christmas book shopping needs. Every sale supports independent bookstores, the books arrive beautifully packaged, and they even have gift wrapping options.
Buy some great books and stop paying for Jeff's botox
uk.bookshop.org?next=t
Buy some great books and stop paying for Jeff's botox
uk.bookshop.org?next=t
Reposted by Jo Zebedee@TheSecretBookshelf
Fascists stink!
Trump’s approval rating is negative with EVERY pollster for the first time.
Every Pollster in America Agrees America Hates Trump
It marks the first time that Trump’s approval rating has been negative with every pollster.
www.thedailybeast.com
November 26, 2025 at 11:52 PM
Fascists stink!
Reposted by Jo Zebedee@TheSecretBookshelf
All the Right Wing apologists are cheering the fall in UK immigration announced today while missing what could be a huge problem - 99% of emigrants are under the age of 35. That’s a big brain drain.
November 27, 2025 at 12:49 PM
All the Right Wing apologists are cheering the fall in UK immigration announced today while missing what could be a huge problem - 99% of emigrants are under the age of 35. That’s a big brain drain.
Reposted by Jo Zebedee@TheSecretBookshelf
Nigel Farage has spent £1m taking out adverts in the papers to distract from the Nathan Gill Russian bribe scandal.
We can't let him buy himself out of this. We need an investigation into Russian influence in our politics.
We can't let him buy himself out of this. We need an investigation into Russian influence in our politics.
November 27, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Nigel Farage has spent £1m taking out adverts in the papers to distract from the Nathan Gill Russian bribe scandal.
We can't let him buy himself out of this. We need an investigation into Russian influence in our politics.
We can't let him buy himself out of this. We need an investigation into Russian influence in our politics.
Managed to step back from engaging online with an arsehole. Salute me.
November 24, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Managed to step back from engaging online with an arsehole. Salute me.
Reposted by Jo Zebedee@TheSecretBookshelf
If fancy a taste of what it's like to train as a book illustrator, and you're within reach of Dublin on week-days, I'm starting a course in the @irishwriterscentre.bsky.social in January.
#SpeirGorm #Illustration #ChildrensBooks
#SpeirGorm #Illustration #ChildrensBooks
I've a new 6-week Book Illustration course starting on the 14th of January, from 6.30pm - 8.30 pm at the @irishwriterscentre.bsky.social in Dublin. Want to learn the basics of communicating stories with pictures? Check out the course description.
#SpeirGorm
irishwriterscentre.ie/courses/book...
#SpeirGorm
irishwriterscentre.ie/courses/book...
irishwriterscentre.ie
November 24, 2025 at 1:21 PM
If fancy a taste of what it's like to train as a book illustrator, and you're within reach of Dublin on week-days, I'm starting a course in the @irishwriterscentre.bsky.social in January.
#SpeirGorm #Illustration #ChildrensBooks
#SpeirGorm #Illustration #ChildrensBooks
Reposted by Jo Zebedee@TheSecretBookshelf
I’d suspect the numbers here are actually even lower than this. This report is only based on authors who shared details of their income with the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS). That’s more likely to be the ones who write as part of their living.
A reminder that the median book deal for a debut author in the UK is £7000, paid over 12-18 months. (from 2022 Society of Authors report). Some of your favourite writers are struggling. societyofauthors.org/2022/12/06/a....
A profession struggling to sustain itself - The Society of Authors
ALCS report on author incomes shows 60% drop in median incomes since 2006
societyofauthors.org
November 24, 2025 at 5:53 PM
I’d suspect the numbers here are actually even lower than this. This report is only based on authors who shared details of their income with the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS). That’s more likely to be the ones who write as part of their living.
Funniest thread on Twitter currently - Strictly spoiler trying to garner sympathy for loss of income from a non-dance off weekend. It seems Dave takes the job more seriously than many punters, or the bbc, who just don’t care
November 24, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Funniest thread on Twitter currently - Strictly spoiler trying to garner sympathy for loss of income from a non-dance off weekend. It seems Dave takes the job more seriously than many punters, or the bbc, who just don’t care
Nice little article here about CS Lewis - delighted to chat to @belfasttelegraph.co.uk about it. Lewis was Belfast through and through and we are proud of him and his legacy
November 22, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Nice little article here about CS Lewis - delighted to chat to @belfasttelegraph.co.uk about it. Lewis was Belfast through and through and we are proud of him and his legacy
Well shocker. Sectarian divisions led to chaotic decision making during Covid.
And health now.
And education.
And everything.
Norn Iron your dysfunctional mate.
And health now.
And education.
And everything.
Norn Iron your dysfunctional mate.
November 20, 2025 at 11:45 PM
Well shocker. Sectarian divisions led to chaotic decision making during Covid.
And health now.
And education.
And everything.
Norn Iron your dysfunctional mate.
And health now.
And education.
And everything.
Norn Iron your dysfunctional mate.
Delighted to have my contributors’ copy of this beauty - packed with information and guidance! Well done Ruth McKee. 🙂
November 20, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Delighted to have my contributors’ copy of this beauty - packed with information and guidance! Well done Ruth McKee. 🙂
November 20, 2025 at 10:02 AM
Reposted by Jo Zebedee@TheSecretBookshelf
Waterstones made a pledge in the past not to open shops competing with indies (although they've repeatedly broken it). Communicating with an indie 100m away from a new proposed location would seem in line with that supposed commitment.
November 18, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Waterstones made a pledge in the past not to open shops competing with indies (although they've repeatedly broken it). Communicating with an indie 100m away from a new proposed location would seem in line with that supposed commitment.
Loving the fight @argonautbooks.bsky.social are taking to @waterstones.bsky.social who have quietly built a monopoly on our high streets that is undermining indie bookstores - the specialists who are the last bastion of the mid list and debut authors. Support your local community not a hedge fund.
It’s been a pretty busy couple of days all things considered! Our priority now is to meet with civic leaders to discuss how this affects our business.
We will also be calling for public consultations with both the indie businesses and the wider community of Leith regarding future Newkirkgate plans.
We will also be calling for public consultations with both the indie businesses and the wider community of Leith regarding future Newkirkgate plans.
November 20, 2025 at 7:34 AM
Loving the fight @argonautbooks.bsky.social are taking to @waterstones.bsky.social who have quietly built a monopoly on our high streets that is undermining indie bookstores - the specialists who are the last bastion of the mid list and debut authors. Support your local community not a hedge fund.
Love the smell of hypocrisy in the morning
Oh my.
James Talarico is incredibly skilled in dismantling Christian Nationalists.
Get this man in the Senate.
James Talarico is incredibly skilled in dismantling Christian Nationalists.
Get this man in the Senate.
November 20, 2025 at 7:31 AM
Love the smell of hypocrisy in the morning
Reposted by Jo Zebedee@TheSecretBookshelf
John Major yesterday at LSE: 1. “In an act of collective folly, the United Kingdom voted to lead to European Union across the world, our enemies celebrated and our friends despair.”1/
November 19, 2025 at 9:36 PM
John Major yesterday at LSE: 1. “In an act of collective folly, the United Kingdom voted to lead to European Union across the world, our enemies celebrated and our friends despair.”1/
Reposted by Jo Zebedee@TheSecretBookshelf
Morning Bluesky.
November 19, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Morning Bluesky.
Reposted by Jo Zebedee@TheSecretBookshelf
Don’t threaten us with a good time.
AI advocates have warned that if every author in the class action filed a claim, it would "financially ruin" the entire industry.
Authors celebrate “historic” settlement coming soon in Anthropic class action
Advocates fear such settlements will “financially ruin” the AI industry.
arstechnica.com
November 18, 2025 at 7:36 AM
Don’t threaten us with a good time.
Reposted by Jo Zebedee@TheSecretBookshelf
In light of the astronomical increases for my health insurance next year, I thought it would be a good time to encourage people to subscribe. (A few hundred should cover it. Sigh.)
clarkesworldmagazine.com/subscribe/
clarkesworldmagazine.com/subscribe/
November 17, 2025 at 4:19 PM
In light of the astronomical increases for my health insurance next year, I thought it would be a good time to encourage people to subscribe. (A few hundred should cover it. Sigh.)
clarkesworldmagazine.com/subscribe/
clarkesworldmagazine.com/subscribe/
Reposted by Jo Zebedee@TheSecretBookshelf
Trump has executed another three civilians in a small boat off Venezuela. Death toll now stands at 83.
November 16, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Trump has executed another three civilians in a small boat off Venezuela. Death toll now stands at 83.
Weirdest moment in my life to date - suggestion in local town discussion to rename Prince Nonce Way to (Jo) Zebedee Way. Got 43 likes. I’ve suggested the (magic?) roundabout might be more appropriate lol, in between being totally scundered
November 15, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Weirdest moment in my life to date - suggestion in local town discussion to rename Prince Nonce Way to (Jo) Zebedee Way. Got 43 likes. I’ve suggested the (magic?) roundabout might be more appropriate lol, in between being totally scundered
Reposted by Jo Zebedee@TheSecretBookshelf
The TWENTIETH strike?! The US is now murdering boat crews so often, it has stopped making headlines. Imagine any other democracy doing this? (If we’re still calling it a democracy)
Updated: Our tracker on the military strikes on boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, with 20th strike disclosed by Southcom, the Pentagon outpost in Miami.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Tracking U.S. Military Killings in Boat Attacks
In two months, the Trump administration has killed dozens of people it accused of smuggling drugs aboard boats. Here are the acknowledged strikes so far.
www.nytimes.com
November 15, 2025 at 2:15 PM
The TWENTIETH strike?! The US is now murdering boat crews so often, it has stopped making headlines. Imagine any other democracy doing this? (If we’re still calling it a democracy)
Sickening
November 15, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Sickening
Reposted by Jo Zebedee@TheSecretBookshelf
Reposted by Jo Zebedee@TheSecretBookshelf
