Rob McIvor
@rob-mcivor.bsky.social
Read a lot, write a bit; walk a lot, ride a bit. Happiest at altitude. 2x Page Turner finalist, Exeter and JBA longlisted. Cheshire Novel Prize top 100. New novel, “What Goes on Tour”, published May 2026.
Location: Blackheath, London
www.robmcivor.com
Location: Blackheath, London
www.robmcivor.com
Sad to hear that Chris Rea has died. Saw him a few times in the early 80s and was always taken by what a good guitarist he was. His Shamrock Diaries album is a particular favourite still.
December 22, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Sad to hear that Chris Rea has died. Saw him a few times in the early 80s and was always taken by what a good guitarist he was. His Shamrock Diaries album is a particular favourite still.
Great evening with @blackheathwriters.bsky.social sharing specially-written stories with a festive theme. We’ve been doing this for a few years now and the stories get crazier and funnier every year. Maybe one day we’ll put them all together in an anthology.
Blackheath & Greenwich writers (@blackheathwriters.bsky.social)
A workshop group for confident writers in southeast London, est 2018. www.blackheathwriters.com
blackheathwriters.bsky.social
December 18, 2025 at 11:08 PM
Great evening with @blackheathwriters.bsky.social sharing specially-written stories with a festive theme. We’ve been doing this for a few years now and the stories get crazier and funnier every year. Maybe one day we’ll put them all together in an anthology.
During Covid we set up a neighbourhood WhatsApp, for mutual help and support. It’s still going, of course, and every now and again it offers a beautiful illustration of what life is really like in the war-torn hell hole otherwise known as London:
December 17, 2025 at 7:25 PM
During Covid we set up a neighbourhood WhatsApp, for mutual help and support. It’s still going, of course, and every now and again it offers a beautiful illustration of what life is really like in the war-torn hell hole otherwise known as London:
Good idea, esp if it’s the local congressman or senator. Many in the UK call last year’s street violence the Farage Riots, after the politician whose tweets and broadcasts inspired many of the rioters. He hates that.
Start naming mass shootings after politicians who take money from the NRA.
December 14, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Good idea, esp if it’s the local congressman or senator. Many in the UK call last year’s street violence the Farage Riots, after the politician whose tweets and broadcasts inspired many of the rioters. He hates that.
Reposted by Rob McIvor
Michael C. Rockefeller got shipwrecked in 1963, washed up on an island, and was promptly eaten by cannibals.
December 13, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Michael C. Rockefeller got shipwrecked in 1963, washed up on an island, and was promptly eaten by cannibals.
Reposted by Rob McIvor
WHY ARE YOU ANNOYED THIS IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO HAPPEN
December 13, 2025 at 6:41 PM
WHY ARE YOU ANNOYED THIS IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO HAPPEN
Reposted by Rob McIvor
Please tell your friends who are working on their novel/short story collection that if they want a friendly constructive writing workshop in southeast London we are always open for new members
The group is now not meeting again for a workshop until the new year! But this is a great time to send through your writing sample and introduce yourself to us www.blackheathwriters.com
December 13, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Please tell your friends who are working on their novel/short story collection that if they want a friendly constructive writing workshop in southeast London we are always open for new members
Reposted by Rob McIvor
If handing someone their arse, was a video clip
December 12, 2025 at 8:12 AM
If handing someone their arse, was a video clip
A book club in the US has been kind enough to read the draft of my next novel, set in Blackheath. Among the incredibly helpful feedback is my favourite comment: “I can’t believe how much wine the characters drink”. I guess they’ve never been to Blackheath 😁
December 11, 2025 at 12:41 PM
A book club in the US has been kind enough to read the draft of my next novel, set in Blackheath. Among the incredibly helpful feedback is my favourite comment: “I can’t believe how much wine the characters drink”. I guess they’ve never been to Blackheath 😁
Reposted by Rob McIvor
White House Begins Christmas Season With Ceremonial Lighting Of Cross
December 10, 2025 at 10:00 PM
White House Begins Christmas Season With Ceremonial Lighting Of Cross
So, after 37 years of hard service, this little workhorse has finally succumbed to age and begun distorting lower frequencies 😢.
On the bright side, both Christmas and my birthday are approaching…. 😁
On the bright side, both Christmas and my birthday are approaching…. 😁
November 27, 2025 at 6:38 PM
So, after 37 years of hard service, this little workhorse has finally succumbed to age and begun distorting lower frequencies 😢.
On the bright side, both Christmas and my birthday are approaching…. 😁
On the bright side, both Christmas and my birthday are approaching…. 😁
Shameful
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 11:18 AM
Shameful
Reposted by Rob McIvor
Why don't you Google it, Kevin. The Internet is full of short films demonstrating this.
November 23, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Why don't you Google it, Kevin. The Internet is full of short films demonstrating this.
I have seriously angered the management of some restaurants, esp in the US, by refusing to pay service charges. I tip the staff, directly, in cash. I’d certainly challenge an “admin charge”.
I see the London restaurant service charge story has been picked up by other outlets, do share the original by @londoncentric.media instead www.londoncentric.media/p/admin-char...
Goodbye service charge, hello 'admin fee'
Plus: The difficulty of sourcing live snails for a London restaurant and a tribute to one of London's leading American candy shops.
www.londoncentric.media
November 6, 2025 at 12:18 PM
I have seriously angered the management of some restaurants, esp in the US, by refusing to pay service charges. I tip the staff, directly, in cash. I’d certainly challenge an “admin charge”.
Reposted by Rob McIvor
Since when did it become a nail bar & waxing clinic?
November 5, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Since when did it become a nail bar & waxing clinic?
Reposted by Rob McIvor
Our next workshop is Thursday 6th so please get in touch if you're a confident writer looking for a supportive community www.blackheathwriters.com
November 2, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Our next workshop is Thursday 6th so please get in touch if you're a confident writer looking for a supportive community www.blackheathwriters.com
Ah. Decisions, decisions…
October 28, 2025 at 10:40 AM
Ah. Decisions, decisions…
I know everyone says that first view of the Treasury at Petra is pretty heart-stopping (as it was, just after dawn), but the first sight of the Monastery after the climb of Ad-Deir is not bad either.
October 26, 2025 at 12:37 PM
I know everyone says that first view of the Treasury at Petra is pretty heart-stopping (as it was, just after dawn), but the first sight of the Monastery after the climb of Ad-Deir is not bad either.
Open air bookstore - Amman style 😁
October 23, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Open air bookstore - Amman style 😁
Can we add: people joining Zoom conference calls in cafes without headphones? It’s bad enough listening to one moron “circling back” or “deep diving”. When there’s a dozen of them… 😤
people playing music/videos on their phone speakers in public is more than just mildly annoying and is instead a leading indicator of the decline of community and empath
Do you have any extremely niche, but serious, ethical stances?
October 20, 2025 at 8:56 AM
Can we add: people joining Zoom conference calls in cafes without headphones? It’s bad enough listening to one moron “circling back” or “deep diving”. When there’s a dozen of them… 😤
Define your musical taste in 8 artists
The Beatles
Deaf School
Joe Jackson
Louis Jordan
John Martyn
Steve Newman & Tony Cox
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
Neil Young
I’m also hearing a lot of new music that I like but I figure 25 years of listening is the baseline qualification for a “favourite”
The Beatles
Deaf School
Joe Jackson
Louis Jordan
John Martyn
Steve Newman & Tony Cox
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
Neil Young
I’m also hearing a lot of new music that I like but I figure 25 years of listening is the baseline qualification for a “favourite”
Define your musical taste in 8 artists
Morphine
TV on the Radio
Bruce Springsteen
They Might Be Giants
Lorde
Ministry
Big Maybelle
Soul Coughing
Forgive me for being alive in the nineties and having two ears connected to a heart
Morphine
TV on the Radio
Bruce Springsteen
They Might Be Giants
Lorde
Ministry
Big Maybelle
Soul Coughing
Forgive me for being alive in the nineties and having two ears connected to a heart
Define your musical taste in 8 artists:
- Aespa
- Disembodied Tyrant
- Poison
- Megadeth
- Avril Lavigne
- Ano
- DragonForce
- The Carpenters
Impossible!
- Aespa
- Disembodied Tyrant
- Poison
- Megadeth
- Avril Lavigne
- Ano
- DragonForce
- The Carpenters
Impossible!
October 18, 2025 at 10:24 AM
Define your musical taste in 8 artists
The Beatles
Deaf School
Joe Jackson
Louis Jordan
John Martyn
Steve Newman & Tony Cox
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
Neil Young
I’m also hearing a lot of new music that I like but I figure 25 years of listening is the baseline qualification for a “favourite”
The Beatles
Deaf School
Joe Jackson
Louis Jordan
John Martyn
Steve Newman & Tony Cox
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
Neil Young
I’m also hearing a lot of new music that I like but I figure 25 years of listening is the baseline qualification for a “favourite”
Apparently today is Mental Health Day and tomorrow is Bookshop Day. That’s about as perfect an example of a problem meeting à solution that you could ask for 🙂
October 10, 2025 at 10:47 AM
Apparently today is Mental Health Day and tomorrow is Bookshop Day. That’s about as perfect an example of a problem meeting à solution that you could ask for 🙂
Reposted by Rob McIvor
I run this writer's workshop group with three friends so if you're looking for a constructive space in which to workshop your next masterpiece please take a look!
Hello all! Our website will be going live soon so watch this space! Www.blackheathwriters.com
October 4, 2025 at 1:22 PM
I run this writer's workshop group with three friends so if you're looking for a constructive space in which to workshop your next masterpiece please take a look!
Slightly surreal moment at à gig last night. I was wearing a T-shirt with another band’s logo and the guitarist in that band tapped me on the shoulder and said “nice t-shirt”.
October 3, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Slightly surreal moment at à gig last night. I was wearing a T-shirt with another band’s logo and the guitarist in that band tapped me on the shoulder and said “nice t-shirt”.
I hasten to stress that this offer is not from me, it's from someone whose opinion of your writing has some value!
A chance for me to read your writing... open.substack.com/pub/honested...
A chance for me to read your writing... open.substack.com/pub/honested...
A chance for me to read your writing...
A competition, and a run-through of what you may have missed...
open.substack.com
October 1, 2025 at 12:51 PM
I hasten to stress that this offer is not from me, it's from someone whose opinion of your writing has some value!
A chance for me to read your writing... open.substack.com/pub/honested...
A chance for me to read your writing... open.substack.com/pub/honested...