Paul Leyland
@paul51.bsky.social
Insect photographer & bibliophile
Reposted by Paul Leyland
Oak trees have been revered for centuries, symbolizing power and ancient wisdom. They can live for hundreds of years – and provide food and homes for hundreds of different wildlife species, including birds, mammals, and insects.
More native trees to grow:
littlegreenspace.org.uk/features/Tre...
More native trees to grow:
littlegreenspace.org.uk/features/Tre...
November 13, 2025 at 10:03 AM
Oak trees have been revered for centuries, symbolizing power and ancient wisdom. They can live for hundreds of years – and provide food and homes for hundreds of different wildlife species, including birds, mammals, and insects.
More native trees to grow:
littlegreenspace.org.uk/features/Tre...
More native trees to grow:
littlegreenspace.org.uk/features/Tre...
Reposted by Paul Leyland
Reason #3583 we love Chris Packham! Town says no to Boxing Day hunt!
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/11...
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/11...
Town declares Boxing Day hunt ‘not welcome’ after Chris Packham attack
BBC presenter has urged councillors in Tiverton, Devon to reject the ‘horrific’ practice
www.telegraph.co.uk
November 20, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Reason #3583 we love Chris Packham! Town says no to Boxing Day hunt!
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/11...
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/11...
Reposted by Paul Leyland
Reposted by Paul Leyland
Autumn Woodland - by painter and printmaker, Carry Akroyd
More of this artist's gorgeous artwork, here: carryakroyd.co.uk
#art #printmaking #autumn
More of this artist's gorgeous artwork, here: carryakroyd.co.uk
#art #printmaking #autumn
November 18, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Autumn Woodland - by painter and printmaker, Carry Akroyd
More of this artist's gorgeous artwork, here: carryakroyd.co.uk
#art #printmaking #autumn
More of this artist's gorgeous artwork, here: carryakroyd.co.uk
#art #printmaking #autumn
Reposted by Paul Leyland
Share if you agree!
November 18, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Share if you agree!
Reposted by Paul Leyland
"Beginners always win, & they always react the same. They get wildly elated. They fill with conceit & all of a sudden you can't tell them anything. There floods into them the feeling that they are at home here, that they're enjoying themselves, & like kids they want to show that they're big boys."
The Lowlife – Alexander Baron
I have read some wonderful books published by Faber Editions in the past – The Mountain Lion by Jean Stafford, Maud Martha by Gwendolyn Brooks, and The Glass Pearls by Emeric Pressburger, to name a…
readersretreat2017.wordpress.com
November 16, 2025 at 7:17 PM
"Beginners always win, & they always react the same. They get wildly elated. They fill with conceit & all of a sudden you can't tell them anything. There floods into them the feeling that they are at home here, that they're enjoying themselves, & like kids they want to show that they're big boys."
Reposted by Paul Leyland
"O'Connor once spoke about how, when giving a talk, she was asked 'Why do you write?' and replied, 'Because I’m good at it'. She 'at once felt a considerable disapproval in the atmosphere' — but she was spot on."
Me on three story collections by Cynan Jones, Tim MacGabhann and Flannery O'Connor:
Me on three story collections by Cynan Jones, Tim MacGabhann and Flannery O'Connor:
From Celtic fringe to Bible belt | John Self | The Critic Magazine
When is a short story not a short story? Last month, one chapter of a novel won the BBC National Short Story Award, as a stand-alone work of fiction
thecritic.co.uk
November 14, 2025 at 4:18 PM
"O'Connor once spoke about how, when giving a talk, she was asked 'Why do you write?' and replied, 'Because I’m good at it'. She 'at once felt a considerable disapproval in the atmosphere' — but she was spot on."
Me on three story collections by Cynan Jones, Tim MacGabhann and Flannery O'Connor:
Me on three story collections by Cynan Jones, Tim MacGabhann and Flannery O'Connor:
Reposted by Paul Leyland
This is Richard Smith of the South Durham Hunt and he thinks it’s ok to hit a horse over the head. Make this ‘man’ famous.
Filmed by North East Hunt Monitors on 08/11/25
Filmed by North East Hunt Monitors on 08/11/25
November 13, 2025 at 6:04 PM
This is Richard Smith of the South Durham Hunt and he thinks it’s ok to hit a horse over the head. Make this ‘man’ famous.
Filmed by North East Hunt Monitors on 08/11/25
Filmed by North East Hunt Monitors on 08/11/25
Reposted by Paul Leyland
So another series of ‘I’m a Celeb’ is about to start. Another year of senseless animal cruelty for ‘entertainment’ no doubt. We definitely won’t be watching! Who’s with us?
November 13, 2025 at 10:30 AM
So another series of ‘I’m a Celeb’ is about to start. Another year of senseless animal cruelty for ‘entertainment’ no doubt. We definitely won’t be watching! Who’s with us?
Reposted by Paul Leyland
New on the blog today, I've written about CROOKED CROSS by Sally Carson.
A brilliant, terrifying novel about the rise of Nazism, the falling apart of a country’s codes of decency & the moral fortitude required to oppose persecution. Frighteningly timely. 💙📚
jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2025/11/09/c...
A brilliant, terrifying novel about the rise of Nazism, the falling apart of a country’s codes of decency & the moral fortitude required to oppose persecution. Frighteningly timely. 💙📚
jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2025/11/09/c...
Crooked Cross by Sally Carson
For a novel first published in 1934, Sally Carson’s Crooked Cross feels remarkably timely, charting, as it does, the rise of Nazism in the early 1930s, the falling apart of a country’s fundamental …
jacquiwine.wordpress.com
November 9, 2025 at 7:17 AM
New on the blog today, I've written about CROOKED CROSS by Sally Carson.
A brilliant, terrifying novel about the rise of Nazism, the falling apart of a country’s codes of decency & the moral fortitude required to oppose persecution. Frighteningly timely. 💙📚
jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2025/11/09/c...
A brilliant, terrifying novel about the rise of Nazism, the falling apart of a country’s codes of decency & the moral fortitude required to oppose persecution. Frighteningly timely. 💙📚
jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2025/11/09/c...
Reposted by Paul Leyland
November 5, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Reposted by Paul Leyland
🚨 REVEALED THROUGH FOI FROM PROTECT THE WILD - PLEASE READ
Nature Scot should be utterly ashamed of themselves for allowing the slaughter of hundreds of Gannet chicks to continue this sick tradition.
Nature Scot should be utterly ashamed of themselves for allowing the slaughter of hundreds of Gannet chicks to continue this sick tradition.
November 5, 2025 at 4:30 PM
🚨 REVEALED THROUGH FOI FROM PROTECT THE WILD - PLEASE READ
Nature Scot should be utterly ashamed of themselves for allowing the slaughter of hundreds of Gannet chicks to continue this sick tradition.
Nature Scot should be utterly ashamed of themselves for allowing the slaughter of hundreds of Gannet chicks to continue this sick tradition.
Can you beat this for a news story
"A top FBI official with 27 years standing has reportedly been fired by the bureau after its director, Kash Patel, became enraged by press stories revealing he had used a government jet to travel to see his girlfriend sing the national anthem at a wrestling match."
"A top FBI official with 27 years standing has reportedly been fired by the bureau after its director, Kash Patel, became enraged by press stories revealing he had used a government jet to travel to see his girlfriend sing the national anthem at a wrestling match."
November 2, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Can you beat this for a news story
"A top FBI official with 27 years standing has reportedly been fired by the bureau after its director, Kash Patel, became enraged by press stories revealing he had used a government jet to travel to see his girlfriend sing the national anthem at a wrestling match."
"A top FBI official with 27 years standing has reportedly been fired by the bureau after its director, Kash Patel, became enraged by press stories revealing he had used a government jet to travel to see his girlfriend sing the national anthem at a wrestling match."
Reposted by Paul Leyland
I love Notes from Underground, and was struck by it's similarities to The Catcher in the Rye. It's almost the same plot, except one's a student and one's a civil servant (currently listening to this ep)
November 2, 2025 at 9:23 AM
I love Notes from Underground, and was struck by it's similarities to The Catcher in the Rye. It's almost the same plot, except one's a student and one's a civil servant (currently listening to this ep)
An unlikely story by J L Carr, How Steeple Sinderby Wanderers Won the F A Cup. Recommended for #NovellasinNovember, it's more about village politics than football so don't be put off by the title. As usual with J L Carr its a bit sad, a bit happy, a bit funny and a bit wise. A great read.
November 1, 2025 at 10:26 AM
An unlikely story by J L Carr, How Steeple Sinderby Wanderers Won the F A Cup. Recommended for #NovellasinNovember, it's more about village politics than football so don't be put off by the title. As usual with J L Carr its a bit sad, a bit happy, a bit funny and a bit wise. A great read.
Reposted by Paul Leyland
If you're thinking of doing #NovellasInNovember, you're in luck - here is an A-Z of brilliant novella suggestions!
www.stuckinabook.com/an-a-z-of-br...
www.stuckinabook.com/an-a-z-of-br...
An A-Z of Brilliant Novellas
As Novellas in November is starting, I thought I’d recommend some novellas you might like to read. And after jotting down a few, I thought… would I be able to make a whole alphabet of t…
www.stuckinabook.com
November 1, 2025 at 7:46 AM
If you're thinking of doing #NovellasInNovember, you're in luck - here is an A-Z of brilliant novella suggestions!
www.stuckinabook.com/an-a-z-of-br...
www.stuckinabook.com/an-a-z-of-br...
Reposted by Paul Leyland
New on my blog - Blasts from the Past: Close Range by Annie Proulx (1999) alifeinbooks.co.uk/2025/10/blas... #BookSky
Blasts from the Past: Close Range by Annie Proulx (1999) - A Life in Books
Book reviews, snippets of book news, and alerts about books outside the glare of the publicity spotlight.
alifeinbooks.co.uk
October 31, 2025 at 8:25 AM
New on my blog - Blasts from the Past: Close Range by Annie Proulx (1999) alifeinbooks.co.uk/2025/10/blas... #BookSky
Reposted by Paul Leyland
It's Wednesday afternoon, and so nearly the weekend... and A Personal Anthology! This week's guest editor, picking and introducing a dozen favourite short stories, is June Caldwell, @junec.bsky.social, author of the collection Room Little Darker.
Hitting inboxes Friday. Sign up below!
Hitting inboxes Friday. Sign up below!
About - A Personal Anthology
A weekly guest-editor picks and introduces a personal anthology of twelve favourite short stories. Click to read A Personal Anthology, by Jonathan Gibbs, a Substack publication with thousands of subsc...
apersonalanthology.substack.com
October 29, 2025 at 2:19 PM
It's Wednesday afternoon, and so nearly the weekend... and A Personal Anthology! This week's guest editor, picking and introducing a dozen favourite short stories, is June Caldwell, @junec.bsky.social, author of the collection Room Little Darker.
Hitting inboxes Friday. Sign up below!
Hitting inboxes Friday. Sign up below!
Reposted by Paul Leyland
Enjoyed talking to Cynan Jones and Anthony Shapland at @belfastfestival.bsky.social last night.
Jones talked about the moment when he took a 90,000-word historical novel, and cut 60,000 words in one go. Was that hard? "No, it felt great." The result was his 2014 novel The Dig.
Jones talked about the moment when he took a 90,000-word historical novel, and cut 60,000 words in one go. Was that hard? "No, it felt great." The result was his 2014 novel The Dig.
October 29, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Enjoyed talking to Cynan Jones and Anthony Shapland at @belfastfestival.bsky.social last night.
Jones talked about the moment when he took a 90,000-word historical novel, and cut 60,000 words in one go. Was that hard? "No, it felt great." The result was his 2014 novel The Dig.
Jones talked about the moment when he took a 90,000-word historical novel, and cut 60,000 words in one go. Was that hard? "No, it felt great." The result was his 2014 novel The Dig.
Reposted by Paul Leyland
Just read this masterpiece. Wow. Not a book I thought would be my cup of tea and a book usually I would avoid but Backlisted podcast did an episode on it so thought I would check it out. And. Wow. Highly recommend it @backlisted.bsky.social
October 28, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Just read this masterpiece. Wow. Not a book I thought would be my cup of tea and a book usually I would avoid but Backlisted podcast did an episode on it so thought I would check it out. And. Wow. Highly recommend it @backlisted.bsky.social
Reposted by Paul Leyland
Take Swifts. Their numbers have plummeted by 68% in just 28 years.
We're proud to stand with @hannahbournetaylor.bsky.social in calling for Swift bricks. Nesting spaces built into new homes would give these remarkable birds a future.
Amendment 245: simple fix, huge impact. Surely a no-brainer?
We're proud to stand with @hannahbournetaylor.bsky.social in calling for Swift bricks. Nesting spaces built into new homes would give these remarkable birds a future.
Amendment 245: simple fix, huge impact. Surely a no-brainer?
October 27, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Take Swifts. Their numbers have plummeted by 68% in just 28 years.
We're proud to stand with @hannahbournetaylor.bsky.social in calling for Swift bricks. Nesting spaces built into new homes would give these remarkable birds a future.
Amendment 245: simple fix, huge impact. Surely a no-brainer?
We're proud to stand with @hannahbournetaylor.bsky.social in calling for Swift bricks. Nesting spaces built into new homes would give these remarkable birds a future.
Amendment 245: simple fix, huge impact. Surely a no-brainer?
Reposted by Paul Leyland
New on the blog today for the #1925Club, I've written about GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES by Anita Loos.
A wonderfully witty satire featuring Lorelei, the ultimate girl about town. It's smart, engaging and a whole lot of fun! #BookSky 💙📚 #FilmSky
jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2025/10/26/g...
A wonderfully witty satire featuring Lorelei, the ultimate girl about town. It's smart, engaging and a whole lot of fun! #BookSky 💙📚 #FilmSky
jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2025/10/26/g...
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos – a post for the #1925Club
As some of you will already know, Karen and Simon are hosting another of their hugely popular ‘Club’ events this week. In fact, it’s ten years since they started this venture, so congratulations to…
jacquiwine.wordpress.com
October 26, 2025 at 7:12 AM
New on the blog today for the #1925Club, I've written about GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES by Anita Loos.
A wonderfully witty satire featuring Lorelei, the ultimate girl about town. It's smart, engaging and a whole lot of fun! #BookSky 💙📚 #FilmSky
jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2025/10/26/g...
A wonderfully witty satire featuring Lorelei, the ultimate girl about town. It's smart, engaging and a whole lot of fun! #BookSky 💙📚 #FilmSky
jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2025/10/26/g...
Reposted by Paul Leyland
This might also explain the slow and steady decline of common insects. I am sure they cannot avoid these pesticides either and low levels could disrupt behaviour or reduce survival rates www.theguardian.com/environment/...
‘I was contaminated’: study reveals how hard it is to avoid pesticide exposure
Silicone wristbands worn by volunteers in the Netherlands captured 173 substances in one week
www.theguardian.com
October 24, 2025 at 6:15 PM
This might also explain the slow and steady decline of common insects. I am sure they cannot avoid these pesticides either and low levels could disrupt behaviour or reduce survival rates www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Reposted by Paul Leyland
My new blog post on Sally Carson's superb, prescient novel, CROOKED CROSS. Another excellent title from Persephone.
readersretreat2017.wordpress.com/2025/10/23/c...
readersretreat2017.wordpress.com/2025/10/23/c...
Crooked Cross – Sally Carson
I’ve read such wonderful books from Persephone this year such as Diana Tutton’s Guard Your Daughters, Elizabeth Jenkins’ Harriet, and Frances Towers’ Tea with Mr Rochester, and now I’ll happily add…
readersretreat2017.wordpress.com
October 23, 2025 at 7:01 PM
My new blog post on Sally Carson's superb, prescient novel, CROOKED CROSS. Another excellent title from Persephone.
readersretreat2017.wordpress.com/2025/10/23/c...
readersretreat2017.wordpress.com/2025/10/23/c...