Karen Godfrey
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evertheoptimist.bsky.social
Karen Godfrey
@evertheoptimist.bsky.social
190 followers 900 following 8 posts
Trying to be a better painter, missing my Welshie, love the countryside and a meat and cheese platter.
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Reposted by Karen Godfrey
dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social
I was flying on Substack a year ago: gaining huge numbers of subs with every post.

But then, for political & personal reasons, I decided to leave Substack

I moved my newsletter here: www.tom-cox.com

Some people got pissed off.

I stand by my decision.

I hope a few of you might subscribe...
Tom Cox
New writing by bestselling author Tom Cox.
www.tom-cox.com
January 23, 2026 at 5:50 PM
Reposted by Karen Godfrey
dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social
www.tom-cox.com/the-magic-ro...
What had prevented my mum making the art she wanted to during the first five and a half decades of her life? The same stuff that stops endless amounts of people fulfilling the more creative life they desire: a tiring full-time job, the concomitant extra job of being a good parent, house moves and house renovations, a lack of self-belief rooted to an extent in class and background and place. Throughout my childhood, in addition to his work as a supply teacher, my dad sold paintings to galleries, then, in his late 40s, began to write children’s books, but I had no idea about my mum’s artistic desires, as she never mentioned them. When I did become aware of them, it was not because of the volume at which my mum talked about her ambitions, but because of the volume of her output. All of a sudden the house was full of art. Actually, the house had always been full of art – most of it my dad’s – but now
January 10, 2026 at 8:44 AM
Reposted by Karen Godfrey
dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social
"Jennifer Aniston did not call me ‘that tiny scuttling slag with the ears’ for nothing."

www.tom-cox.com/at-home-with...
You might think my cat Roscoe looks a lot like a small angry version of Batman here but I assure you I have at least a couple more photos where she looks even more like a small angry version of Batman.
January 10, 2026 at 8:49 AM
Reposted by Karen Godfrey
dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social
Three recommended walks and why it’s vital that you go on them as soon as possible:

www.tom-cox.com/recommended-...
An enchanted boulder-strewn river A foliage window leading out to sea A magical land of giant mossy rocks
January 9, 2026 at 5:24 PM
Reposted by Karen Godfrey
dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social
I thought it might be nice to give away my last 2 signed hardbacks of my novel 1983, with two lovely linocut hares by my mum.

All you have to do to enter is repost this (& leave a reply).

The book's been called "Stranger Things rewritten by Kurt Vonnegut and Sue Townsend”.
Extract in the replies.
The final two first edition hardbacks of my novel 1983 that I have in my house. Two cut-out linoprint hares by my mum, Jo. This is a hare linoprint which she originally did to illustrate a chapter in my earlier (non-fiction) book, Ring The Hill, which has a hare subtheme darting through it.
January 9, 2026 at 12:57 PM
Reposted by Karen Godfrey
dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social
www.tom-cox.com/the-guns-alw...
“WHERE ARE YOU PARKING?” he asked me before I left for my event in Newark. “I’m not sure yet. I’ll find somewhere.” “DON’T PARK IN THE SUPERMARKET. IT’S FULL OF BOY RACERS. TWO PEOPLE GOT RUN OVER THERE RECENTLY. ONE OF THEM DIED.” “Bloody hell. Ok, I’ll try somewhere else.” “THE FRONT LEFT TYRE ON YOUR CAR LOOKS BALD.” “I only had it put on last month. Can you stop worrying just for a second? It’s all ok.” “OF COURSE I CAN’T. IT’S IN MY NATURE. I USED TO SIT BETWEEN MY MUM AND MY GRANDMA COUPLAND AND THEY’D PLAY DISASTER PING-PONG. ONE OF THEM WOULD SAY ‘MRS MANTWELL FELL DOWN HER STAIRS: THE BOWL OF GRAPES SHE WAS CARRYING SMASHED TO SMITHEREENS AND A SHARD OF GLASS PIERCED HER JUGULAR’ AND THEN THE OTHER WOULD BAT IT BACK WITH ‘OUR MILKMAN’S WIFE’S DEAD NOW’ OR ‘DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE LITTLE BOY FROM ANNESLEY WOODHOUSE WHO CHOKED TO DEATH ON A FISH BONE?’ YOU DON’T NOT END UP LIKE ME IF YOU’VE LISTENED TO THAT EVERY WEEK FOR THE FIRST SIXTEEN YEARS OF YOUR LIFE.”
December 31, 2025 at 9:50 AM
Reposted by Karen Godfrey
dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social
At the beginning of the year I had to face up to the fact my ex-publishers were imploding & would never pay me what they owed me for the 7 books I wrote for them.

It's been a battle.

There's still a lot of repair work to be done.

Bluesky has helped.

If you bought one of these in 2025, thank you.
My most recent books, from left to right: Everything Will Swallow You, 1983, Villager, Notebook, Ring The Hill, Help The Witch, 21st-Century Yokel. Everything Will Swallow You came out in hardback via Swift Press in September. All of the others have now been republished by Swift in paperback, except Notebook, which will be arriving in April. If you do decide to get any of them, please check it's the Swift Press version, not the small number of Unbound versions that are floating around (Unbound owe me over £20,000 and I will never receive a penny for these sales).
December 13, 2025 at 8:45 AM
Reposted by Karen Godfrey
nisreenalwan.bsky.social
Stand up to the far right rather than appease it.
More of that please!
zackpolanski.bsky.social Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · Dec 12
I'm just over 100 days as the leader of the Green Party.

We've had several polls where we're in second place above Labour.

And today we found out we are closing in on overtaking Labours membership.

Then we're coming for Reform.

Join.greenparty.org.uk
Join the Green Party
Join the Green Party from just £6 a year. Become a member today - join the only party standing up for people and planet.
Join.greenparty.org.uk
December 12, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Reposted by Karen Godfrey
dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social
www.tom-cox.com/december/
December
These are my bad weeks. It’s the same every year. If I seem reluctant to come out and see you on some kind of social occasion, don’t take it personally. I’ve just decided to save you the hassle of bot...
www.tom-cox.com
December 12, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Reposted by Karen Godfrey
dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social
FINAL book giveaway of the year.

To enter: reply below & repost this extract.

Up for grabs:

THREE signed Villager paperbacks with free art (bookmarks & postcards) by my parents.

Enter if you enjoy
Folklore
Nature
Rivers
Hills
Social history
Lost art
Ghost
Tangled psychedelic narratives
Silliness
A review of Villager by Dave from Exeter Waterstones. Thanks Dave!
December 8, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Reposted by Karen Godfrey
robinince.bsky.social
Let’s not break people so they fit into society rules , let’s change the rules #adhd #autism #neurodiversity #mentalhealth

uk.bookshop.org/p/books/norm...
December 4, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Reposted by Karen Godfrey
dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social
THREAD.

3 years ago, with no warning, a brilliant orange farm cat wandered over from the draughty barn where he had been living, in rural Cornwall, and decided he wanted to live with us instead.

We decided to call him Jim.

This is the first photo I took of him, on that night: December 1st, 2022.
As you can see here, right from the very first day he entered our house, Jim found great difficulty in getting settled and making the environment his own.
November 26, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Reposted by Karen Godfrey
bylinesnetwork.co.uk
✍️ “Do not go gentle into that good night, Rage, rage against the dying of the light”

Old certainties are disappearing before our eyes – we need to fight for the light before we lose it for good

By Andy Brown

@andybrown1951.bsky.social
@yorkshirebylines.co.uk
“Do not go gentle into that good night, Rage, rage against the dying of the light”
Old certainties are disappearing before our eyes – we need to fight for the light before we lose it for good
yorkshirebylines.co.uk
November 18, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Reposted by Karen Godfrey
ruthwatson.bsky.social
More of this everywhere, please.

(ICYMI @mrjamesob.bsky.social @vicderbyshire.bsky.social @lewisgoodall.com)
tuc.org.uk Trades Union Congress @tuc.org.uk · Nov 6
Which one is more English?
November 6, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Reposted by Karen Godfrey
soozuk.bsky.social
The part of Mamdani's speech that I found most exciting was "you dismantle the conditions that allowed him to gain power. That's how we stop Trump — and the next one."

We need popular political figures to point out that Trump is not an anomaly and there are plenty more to take his place.
November 6, 2025 at 7:32 AM
Reposted by Karen Godfrey
mc00.bsky.social
It's genuinely worth a quick check of the advanced moderation settings as there's plenty I'm sure people would like to tweak but aren't aware that they can.
evilbatwitch.cryptoanarchy.network Evilbatwitch @evilbatwitch.cryptoanarchy.network · Nov 5
If you aren't seeing skeets from some of your fave people, they might have been labeled "Rude" by bsky mods. Idk what they are thinking, I don't need a mommy to tell me who to be buddies with. Anyway, go into Settings > moderation > bluesky moderation (advanced) and turn Rude off.
Rude Rude or impolite, including crude language and disrespectful comments, without constructive purpose. Highlighted Off, darkened Warn, and darkened Hide buttons.
November 6, 2025 at 8:01 AM
Reposted by Karen Godfrey
viviane49.bsky.social
A perfect 10 of #LabourAchievements. Busy #FixingBritain In just the last four days announcements covering veterans, military homes, people in work up and big savings on electricity costs for business. 👏👏👏#FixingBritain every week by hard work and good government
1. New Defence Housing Strategy, with £9bn to improve 40,000 military homes 2. More than 1/3 of manufacturing firms will accelerate investment projects as a result of the government’s modern Industrial Strategy. 3. ONS figures from Labour force survey show 475,000 more people in jobs compared to a year ago 4. Almost 60,000 knives removed from streets since July 2024 5. Veterans and families get safe homes as £4.5m awarded to housing providers 6. New Town of Culture competition to shine a spotlight on the contribution of towns that tell national story 7. British Businesses to Save over £400m a Year on Electricity Costs 8. £17.3 million from UK Government funding to boost Aberdeen’s Energy Transition Zone 9. Labour saved over £1bn by processing asylum seekers more rapidly 10. Labour has told hotel owners they must repay £46million in excess profits. 11. A £4bn data centre investment in the UK by Equinix
November 2, 2025 at 7:58 AM
Reposted by Karen Godfrey
zackpolanski.bsky.social
We're just getting started.

Time to lower bills. And tax billionaires.

If you want to see the Green Party take on Reform - this is the moment.

Join.greenparty.org.uk
electionmaps.uk Election Maps UK @electionmaps.uk · Oct 30
Westminster Voting Intention:

RFM: 32% (=)
GRN: 17% (+2)
CON: 16% (-1)
LAB: 16% (=)
LDM: 12% (=)
SNP: 2% (=)

Via @findoutnow.bsky.social, 29 Oct.
Changes w/ 22 Oct.
October 30, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Reposted by Karen Godfrey
bars.bsky.social
Reminder: CfP closes for BARS 2026 'Romantic Retrospection' at the University of Birmingham, UK, and online on 30 November.
Details below:
www.birmingham.ac.uk/events/arts-...
October 31, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Reposted by Karen Godfrey
13sarahmurphy.bsky.social
Gotta love Private Eye.
Always cuts through the crap.
Minority representation on TV causes outrage There has been widespread support for prominent Reform MP Sarah Pochin after she complained about the over-representation of minorities on television. Said one angry viewer, "She's right. Every time you turn on the telly there's another Reform MP being interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg." She added, "I respect their way of life and their strange customs, but Reform MPs comprise only 0.7 percent of the House of Commons. Yet Nigel Farage is on Question Time more than Fiona Bruce." "I'm not prejudiced. Some of my best friends are swivel-eyed loons, but enough is enough. There are too many people with angry red faces on television.”
October 31, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Reposted by Karen Godfrey
michaelwolffnyc.bsky.social
Michael Wolff vs. Melania Trump: See you (and your husband) in court.
October 22, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Reposted by Karen Godfrey
viviane49.bsky.social
This is my Labour Top Ten.

Since July 2024 they have delivered consistently for this country and the ordinary people who voted for them. No wonder the elite are squealing.
- [ ] Great British Energy launched to power UK’s clean energy future - [ ] Water companies put under special measures with tougher regulation - [ ] Britain set to become a clean energy superpower - [ ] National Minimum Wage increased for over 3 million workers - [ ] Employment Rights Bill delivers biggest boost to workers’ protections in a generation - [ ] Major infrastructure investment in broadband, transport, and digital networks - [ ] NHS funding boosted with record investment in repairs and new hospitals - [ ] Education funding increased and school rebuilding programme expanded - [ ] 1.5 million new homes target set as part of Labour’s Plan for Change - [ ] Planning reforms fast-track green energy and infrastructure projects
October 9, 2025 at 8:05 AM
Reposted by Karen Godfrey
kathyburke.bsky.social
Yes, yes I know I keep banging on about my fucking book! However, if you want one repost this and I’ll do a random winner pick thing by the end of the week because I’m great like that. ♥️📚
#amindofmyown
October 7, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Reposted by Karen Godfrey
rhi.bsky.social
Dad’s books are full of empathy, common sense, and a healthy suspicion of the powerful. But at its heart his work is also about how systems keep people poor while pretending it’s their own fault. So I hope Kemi’s taking notes as well as reading the jokes.
paulhaine.bsky.social Paul Haine @paulhaine.bsky.social · Oct 7
Kemi Badenoch claiming Terry Pratchett as her favourite author is wild
October 7, 2025 at 12:46 PM