Carl Shuker
@rcshuker.bsky.social
Author of The Royal Free. Also: A Mistake, Anti Lebanon, Three Novellas for a Novel, The Lazy Boys, and The Method Actors.
Official Memorial Device Alternative National Treasure.
Official Memorial Device Alternative National Treasure.
Yeah, I was asked to recommend good writing about sex, and yeah, I went there
thespinoff.co.nz/books/03-07-...
thespinoff.co.nz/books/03-07-...
July 3, 2025 at 9:14 AM
Yeah, I was asked to recommend good writing about sex, and yeah, I went there
thespinoff.co.nz/books/03-07-...
thespinoff.co.nz/books/03-07-...
Sample (just a sample) of the Smiths collection with period pricing
June 21, 2025 at 11:53 PM
Sample (just a sample) of the Smiths collection with period pricing
A present from my old friend to celebrate completion of the first draft of my new project. 39 for this and so much else over so long @ryskel.bsky.social
June 21, 2025 at 2:20 AM
A present from my old friend to celebrate completion of the first draft of my new project. 39 for this and so much else over so long @ryskel.bsky.social
It’s publication day in the US for The Royal Free. I’m so proud of this book and grateful to be with Counterpoint Press who published geniuses like Ballard and Janet Frame in the US, and Evan Connell and David Markson. Thank you. I’m a lucky man.
June 18, 2025 at 9:29 AM
It’s publication day in the US for The Royal Free. I’m so proud of this book and grateful to be with Counterpoint Press who published geniuses like Ballard and Janet Frame in the US, and Evan Connell and David Markson. Thank you. I’m a lucky man.
This is the really scary language now. “Republican forces.”
June 14, 2025 at 8:39 PM
This is the really scary language now. “Republican forces.”
Coming up in the US in seven days from Counterpoint! THE ROYAL FREE all silky and dark.
June 10, 2025 at 1:29 AM
Coming up in the US in seven days from Counterpoint! THE ROYAL FREE all silky and dark.
How I used to think about writing fiction.
Waking up every morning trying to figure out what happens next while giving the impression I knew everything all along.
Determined to be brave and delighted at the end of every day.
#amwriting
Waking up every morning trying to figure out what happens next while giving the impression I knew everything all along.
Determined to be brave and delighted at the end of every day.
#amwriting
June 8, 2025 at 11:16 PM
How I used to think about writing fiction.
Waking up every morning trying to figure out what happens next while giving the impression I knew everything all along.
Determined to be brave and delighted at the end of every day.
#amwriting
Waking up every morning trying to figure out what happens next while giving the impression I knew everything all along.
Determined to be brave and delighted at the end of every day.
#amwriting
Someone on X said this is a list of the new Pope’s favourite books, and I’m like daym
May 9, 2025 at 6:49 AM
Someone on X said this is a list of the new Pope’s favourite books, and I’m like daym
Finished the epic and epochal Bass on the lesser-known Nuremberg of Asia. Just amazing. Comprehensive in ways we’ll grapple with for a century. Standouts: weaponisation of the Indian judge’s dissent making the colonialist case Japan was doing what Allied empires were doing for hundreds of years.
May 4, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Finished the epic and epochal Bass on the lesser-known Nuremberg of Asia. Just amazing. Comprehensive in ways we’ll grapple with for a century. Standouts: weaponisation of the Indian judge’s dissent making the colonialist case Japan was doing what Allied empires were doing for hundreds of years.
Collapsed chair from teenage rocking and leaning inexpertly repaired with a cheap screw through the back?
Simply remove twisted and broken screws, chisel and sand every fleck of old wood glue from mortise and tenon for an hour, glue, reassemble and ratchet strap and minutes of function return!
Simply remove twisted and broken screws, chisel and sand every fleck of old wood glue from mortise and tenon for an hour, glue, reassemble and ratchet strap and minutes of function return!
May 4, 2025 at 2:51 AM
Collapsed chair from teenage rocking and leaning inexpertly repaired with a cheap screw through the back?
Simply remove twisted and broken screws, chisel and sand every fleck of old wood glue from mortise and tenon for an hour, glue, reassemble and ratchet strap and minutes of function return!
Simply remove twisted and broken screws, chisel and sand every fleck of old wood glue from mortise and tenon for an hour, glue, reassemble and ratchet strap and minutes of function return!
Just the ARC proof of The Method Actors, and minus the ephemeral THREE NOVELLAS FOR A NOVEL, starting to occupy a decent slice of bookshelf
April 22, 2025 at 9:58 PM
Just the ARC proof of The Method Actors, and minus the ephemeral THREE NOVELLAS FOR A NOVEL, starting to occupy a decent slice of bookshelf
Kirkus reviews the upcoming US release of THE ROYAL FREE. More positive than their review of THE LAZY BOYS way back when they said “Absent clear guidance, take these lessons: Stay clear of beer bongs. And of this book, too.”
April 22, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Kirkus reviews the upcoming US release of THE ROYAL FREE. More positive than their review of THE LAZY BOYS way back when they said “Absent clear guidance, take these lessons: Stay clear of beer bongs. And of this book, too.”
Early copies of the US edition have arrived and are silky and gorgeous. Out June 2025 in the US from Jack and the brilliant team at Counterpoint…
April 16, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Early copies of the US edition have arrived and are silky and gorgeous. Out June 2025 in the US from Jack and the brilliant team at Counterpoint…
January 19, 2025 at 11:15 PM
Shots of my hols so far: panamas, swimming, gazing and window glazing
January 15, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Shots of my hols so far: panamas, swimming, gazing and window glazing
Made the kids a rope ladder out of leftover kwila and some old rope
January 8, 2025 at 4:34 AM
Made the kids a rope ladder out of leftover kwila and some old rope
Reposting this 2024 vibes meme because accurate in so many ways and John Carpenter
December 21, 2024 at 8:39 PM
Reposting this 2024 vibes meme because accurate in so many ways and John Carpenter
I love this flawed unfinished film that brilliantly disappointed me as a kid. Every shot choice is perfect but I particularly love the reverence for Ripley…
(It ruins a beautiful thing beautifully and any true artist given the job would do the same, admit it)
(It ruins a beautiful thing beautifully and any true artist given the job would do the same, admit it)
December 20, 2024 at 9:16 AM
I love this flawed unfinished film that brilliantly disappointed me as a kid. Every shot choice is perfect but I particularly love the reverence for Ripley…
(It ruins a beautiful thing beautifully and any true artist given the job would do the same, admit it)
(It ruins a beautiful thing beautifully and any true artist given the job would do the same, admit it)
Stoked to see The Royal Free among the best NZ books of the year in @thespinoff.bsky.social. Multiple talents at play.
thespinoff.co.nz/books/10-12-...
thespinoff.co.nz/books/10-12-...
December 11, 2024 at 3:06 AM
Stoked to see The Royal Free among the best NZ books of the year in @thespinoff.bsky.social. Multiple talents at play.
thespinoff.co.nz/books/10-12-...
thespinoff.co.nz/books/10-12-...
Takahe calls THE ROYAL FREE “a fantastic read, at once entertaining, compassionate, and stylistically exciting.”
Super-engaged and intelligent review live here: www.takahe.org.nz/the-royal-fr...
Super-engaged and intelligent review live here: www.takahe.org.nz/the-royal-fr...
December 9, 2024 at 1:21 AM
Takahe calls THE ROYAL FREE “a fantastic read, at once entertaining, compassionate, and stylistically exciting.”
Super-engaged and intelligent review live here: www.takahe.org.nz/the-royal-fr...
Super-engaged and intelligent review live here: www.takahe.org.nz/the-royal-fr...
Fairouz: “My eyes are on you, O Damascus, for it is from you that the morning flows.”
December 8, 2024 at 11:43 PM
Fairouz: “My eyes are on you, O Damascus, for it is from you that the morning flows.”
Vogue's 2011 feature article on Asma Al Assad was called "A Rose in the Desert" and was organised by a lobbying firm.
Vogue defended it before taking it down shortly after. www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
Vogue defended it before taking it down shortly after. www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
December 8, 2024 at 9:36 PM
Vogue's 2011 feature article on Asma Al Assad was called "A Rose in the Desert" and was organised by a lobbying firm.
Vogue defended it before taking it down shortly after. www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
Vogue defended it before taking it down shortly after. www.theatlantic.com/internationa...