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thebrokenspine.co.uk
The Broken Spine
@thebrokenspine.co.uk
7.1K followers 3K following 3.6K posts
Independent poetry press + cultural review platform. We publish narrative-led work with edge. #PoemsAbout #LiftToTheSky #WednesdayWIPs
#PromoteIndieLit
Edited by @alanparrywriter.co.uk
www.thebrokenspine.co.uk
https://linktr.ee/brokenspinearts
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thebrokenspine.co.uk
Tinsel hides nothing.
This Friday: #PoemsAbout #YouShouldntHave — the gifts that sting, the smiles that lie, the obligation dressed as generosity.
Start Friday. Don’t post early.
Tag #PoemsAbout. Use Alt Text. Prompts every Saturday: shorturl.at/0Xm7A
A Christmas tree dimly lit with warm white fairy lights stands in a dark, moody room. Beneath it, wrapped gifts in muted gold and silver sit untouched. The Broken Spine logo appears top left; "@thebrokenspine.co.uk" sits top right. Bottom right reads: "Read Repost Reply #POEMSABOUT #YOUSHOULDNTHAVE".
December 7, 2025 at 4:00 PM
thebrokenspine.co.uk
The softest poetry won’t survive the winter.
This one’s all edge, ash, grief, grace.
Give someone This Wilderness.
@martinkennedyyates.bsky.social #ThisWilderness
www.amazon.co.uk/Wil...
Book cover of This Wilderness & Other Concerns by Martin Kennedy Yates, published by The Broken Spine. The cover artwork depicts an urban canal or waterway running between old brick and industrial buildings, with graffiti on one wall and a dark, moody atmosphere. A quote from writer and poet Jonathan Davidson reads: “These poems are a pleasure both to encounter and to read.”
December 7, 2025 at 1:52 PM
thebrokenspine.co.uk
Editing Soot & Boots reminded me how short fiction can cut straight to the bone. #SootAndBoots
Book cover for “Soot & Boots: An Anthology of Short Festive Fiction.” The illustration shows a pair of tall, black, soot-dusted boots standing on a scuffed wooden floor against a textured blue-grey wall. The title appears in bold white lettering above the boots, and The Broken Spine’s logo sits at the bottom of the cover.
December 5, 2025 at 11:36 AM
thebrokenspine.co.uk
They’re loose: #PoemsAbout #Imps is live.
From now ‘til Thursday, write your chaos.
Use Alt Text. Tag your post.
#TakeRisks #EndOnAnImage #AvoidCliché
Read, repost, reply to 3+.
Krampus is watching.
Inbox prompts: shorturl.at/0Xm7A
A shadowy, menacing figure resembling Krampus stands with glowing white eyes and gnarled horns. The scene is low-lit and atmospheric. Top left: The Broken Spine logo. Top right: "@thebrokenspine.co.uk". Bottom right reads: "Read Repost Reply #POEMSABOUT #IMPS".
December 5, 2025 at 7:00 AM
thebrokenspine.co.uk
Tomorrow: #PoemsAbout #Imps
Unleash your tricksters. Write what hides behind holiday cheer.
Chaos in small doses. Or full-blown curse.
Tag it. Use Alt Text. Post from Friday.
Saturday prompts hit inboxes: shorturl.at/0Xm7A
Same dark Krampus figure dominates the image, its form caught in firelight. Its curled horns and glowing eyes are central. The Broken Spine logo is top left, "@thebrokenspine.co.uk" top right, and the bottom right text reads: "Read Repost Reply #POEMSABOUT #IMPS".
December 4, 2025 at 6:04 PM
thebrokenspine.co.uk
"This book is a wholly sensory experience... a well-wrought work of art worth owning." – Emma Purshouse
Give a gift that doesn’t play it safe.
@martinkennedyyates.bsky.social #ThisWilderness
www.amazon.co.uk/Wil...
Book cover of This Wilderness & Other Concerns by Martin Kennedy Yates, published by The Broken Spine. The cover artwork depicts an urban canal or waterway running between old brick and industrial buildings, with graffiti on one wall and a dark, moody atmosphere. A quote from writer and poet Jonathan Davidson reads: “These poems are a pleasure both to encounter and to read.”
December 4, 2025 at 1:42 PM
thebrokenspine.co.uk
Looking for a seasonal read or a gift for a book lover? Soot & Boots is ready for December nights. #SootAndBoots
Book cover for “Soot & Boots: An Anthology of Short Festive Fiction.” The illustration shows a pair of tall, black, soot-dusted boots standing on a scuffed wooden floor against a textured blue-grey wall. The title appears in bold white lettering above the boots, and The Broken Spine’s logo sits at the bottom of the cover.
December 3, 2025 at 2:14 PM
thebrokenspine.co.uk
#PoemsAbout #Imps starts Friday.
Write the saboteurs, the whisperers, the sharp-toothed elves in your psyche.
Krampus doesn’t come for the good ones.
Draft now. Post Friday. Use Alt Text. Tag #PoemsAbout. Prompts here: shorturl.at/0Xm7A
The same eerie image of a horned Krampus figure in the shadows. The beast’s glowing eyes and snarling expression make it feel alive. Branding details consistent: The Broken Spine logo top left, "@thebrokenspine.co.uk" top right, and bottom right: "Read Repost Reply #POEMSABOUT #IMPS".
December 2, 2025 at 2:43 PM
thebrokenspine.co.uk
Your name is not a logo. Your poem is not a pitch.
#SpineEdicts #KillTheBrand #SpeakTheBody #ChooseTuesdays
Quote reads: “You are not a brand. You’re a body with a voice.” Typography is jagged and urgent.
December 2, 2025 at 9:00 AM
thebrokenspine.co.uk
If you pick up Soot & Boots, show us where you're reading. Indie lit grows through community. #SootAndBoots
Book cover for “Soot & Boots: An Anthology of Short Festive Fiction.” The illustration shows a pair of tall, black, soot-dusted boots standing on a scuffed wooden floor against a textured blue-grey wall. The title appears in bold white lettering above the boots, and The Broken Spine’s logo sits at the bottom of the cover.
December 1, 2025 at 2:17 PM
thebrokenspine.co.uk
It’s December. You want poetry with guts?
Try this: "No flinching. Just beauty and broken concrete."
Under £10. Fits in a stocking. Hits like a brick.
@martinkennedyyates.bsky.social #ThisWilderness
www.amazon.co.uk/Wil...
Book cover of This Wilderness & Other Concerns by Martin Kennedy Yates, published by The Broken Spine. The cover artwork depicts an urban canal or waterway running between old brick and industrial buildings, with graffiti on one wall and a dark, moody atmosphere. A quote from writer and poet Jonathan Davidson reads: “These poems are a pleasure both to encounter and to read.”
December 1, 2025 at 7:00 AM
thebrokenspine.co.uk
We’re heading toward end-of-year roundups. If this book stuck with you, say so. Reviews help. Posts help. You help.
@martinkennedyyates.bsky.social #ThisWilderness
www.amazon.co.uk/Wil...
Book cover of This Wilderness & Other Concerns by Martin Kennedy Yates, published by The Broken Spine. The cover artwork depicts an urban canal or waterway running between old brick and industrial buildings, with graffiti on one wall and a dark, moody atmosphere. A quote from writer and poet Jonathan Davidson reads: “These poems are a pleasure both to encounter and to read.”
November 30, 2025 at 6:41 PM
thebrokenspine.co.uk
You gave us heat last week—now let’s cause some chaos.
This Friday begins: #PoemsAbout #Imps.
Mischief with teeth. Lies wrapped in ribbon.
It’s Krampus season—write the troublemakers.
Post from Friday. Use Alt Text. Tag #PoemsAbout. Prompts here: shorturl.at/0Xm7A
A terrifying figure dressed in black fur with glowing white eyes and twisted goat horns stands in dim light. The creature’s snarling face is part mask, part myth. Top left: The Broken Spine logo. Top right: "@thebrokenspine.co.uk". Bottom right text reads: "Read Repost Reply #POEMSABOUT #IMPS".
November 30, 2025 at 1:36 PM
thebrokenspine.co.uk
What do you reach for in winter—ghosts, tenderness, suspense? Soot & Boots has a little of each. #SootAndBoots
Book cover for “Soot & Boots: An Anthology of Short Festive Fiction.” The illustration shows a pair of tall, black, soot-dusted boots standing on a scuffed wooden floor against a textured blue-grey wall. The title appears in bold white lettering above the boots, and The Broken Spine’s logo sits at the bottom of the cover.
November 29, 2025 at 2:25 PM
thebrokenspine.co.uk
“Shallow black-rainbow puddles shimmered…” From one of the opening stories in Soot & Boots. #SootAndBoots
Book cover for “Soot & Boots: An Anthology of Short Festive Fiction.” The illustration shows a pair of tall, black, soot-dusted boots standing on a scuffed wooden floor against a textured blue-grey wall. The title appears in bold white lettering above the boots, and The Broken Spine’s logo sits at the bottom of the cover.
November 28, 2025 at 6:32 PM
thebrokenspine.co.uk
Stocking filler for under a tenner. Beautifully brutal. Quietly radical. This one says more in 50 pages than most say in 400.
@martinkennedyyates.bsky.social #ThisWilderness
www.amazon.co.uk/Wil...
Book cover of This Wilderness & Other Concerns by Martin Kennedy Yates, published by The Broken Spine. The cover artwork depicts an urban canal or waterway running between old brick and industrial buildings, with graffiti on one wall and a dark, moody atmosphere. A quote from writer and poet Jonathan Davidson reads: “These poems are a pleasure both to encounter and to read.”
November 28, 2025 at 2:07 PM
thebrokenspine.co.uk
#PoemsAbout #NoFuture is live. Post from now ‘til Thursday. Use Alt Text. Tag it. #TakeRisks #EndOnAnImage #AvoidCliché. This isn’t a drill. Engage with 3+. Don’t ghost the wreckage. Sign up for next week’s prompt: shorturl.at/0Xm7A
Silhouettes of leafless trees stand against a red-lit night sky with fires burning behind them. The horizon is fractured with flame. The Broken Spine logo appears top left, website top right, and the words “Read Repost Reply #POEMSABOUT #NOFUTURE” are written at the bottom right.
November 28, 2025 at 6:00 AM
thebrokenspine.co.uk
Tomorrow begins the blackout: #PoemsAbout #NoFuture. Don’t post early. From Friday we rage, grieve, and name the broken systems. Tag your post. Use Alt Text. Get the final prompt drop in your inbox: shorturl.at/0Xm7A
A forest fire rages in the distance, lighting the silhouettes of tall, thin trees. The air is thick with red smoke and darkness. Top left: The Broken Spine logo. Top right: "@thebrokenspine.co.uk". Bottom right text: "Read Repost Reply #POEMSABOUT #NOFUTURE".
November 27, 2025 at 2:59 PM
thebrokenspine.co.uk
“Winter hides in my heart…” A glimpse of the stories inside Soot & Boots. Out this month. #SootAndBoots
Book cover for “Soot & Boots: An Anthology of Short Festive Fiction.” The illustration shows a pair of tall, black, soot-dusted boots standing on a scuffed wooden floor against a textured blue-grey wall. The title appears in bold white lettering above the boots, and The Broken Spine’s logo sits at the bottom of the cover.
November 26, 2025 at 11:36 AM
thebrokenspine.co.uk
#PoemsAbout #NoFuture hits Friday. Write climate collapse, political burnout, joy lost in the algorithm. The ground beneath us is cracking. Draft now. Post Friday. Use Alt Text. Tag it or be lost. Sign up for more prompts: shorturl.at/0Xm7A
wildfire scene, with bare trees silhouetted in front of roaring orange flames. The sky is blood-dark and hazy. The Broken Spine branding appears top left and right, and bottom right reads: "Read Repost Reply #POEMSABOUT #NOFUTURE".
November 25, 2025 at 6:39 PM
thebrokenspine.co.uk
Don’t perform your stance. Embed it in every line.
#SpineEdicts #PoetryIsPolitical #CaptionCultureIsRot #ChooseTuesdays
Image shows the phrase: “Put your politics in the poem, not in a caption.” in white/red/blue text.
November 25, 2025 at 9:00 AM
thebrokenspine.co.uk
Hardback or paperback, your choice. Soot & Boots is built for firelight reading. Pre-orders soon. #SootAndBoots
Book cover for “Soot & Boots: An Anthology of Short Festive Fiction.” The illustration shows a pair of tall, black, soot-dusted boots standing on a scuffed wooden floor against a textured blue-grey wall. The title appears in bold white lettering above the boots, and The Broken Spine’s logo sits at the bottom of the cover.
November 24, 2025 at 7:37 AM
thebrokenspine.co.uk
Last week was fire. This week? Ashes. #PoemsAbout #NoFuture starts Friday. Write ruin, hopelessness, rage. The end of days or just Tuesday. Don’t post early—fade into the feed. Tag #PoemsAbout. Use Alt Text. Sign up for Saturday prompts: shorturl.at/0Xm7A
A burning treeline glows against a pitch-black night sky, flames and smoke rising in the background. Leafless trees stand silhouetted in front of the blaze. Top left: The Broken Spine logo. Top right: "@thebrokenspine.co.uk". Bottom right text: "Read Repost Reply #POEMSABOUT #NOFUTURE".
November 23, 2025 at 5:39 PM
thebrokenspine.co.uk
Christmas is coming. Poetry that isn’t all sugar and sentiment is rare—this one’s got bones.
@martinkennedyyates.bsky.social #ThisWilderness
www.amazon.co.uk/Wil...
Book cover of This Wilderness & Other Concerns by Martin Kennedy Yates, published by The Broken Spine. The cover artwork depicts an urban canal or waterway running between old brick and industrial buildings, with graffiti on one wall and a dark, moody atmosphere. A quote from writer and poet Jonathan Davidson reads: “These poems are a pleasure both to encounter and to read.”
November 23, 2025 at 9:16 AM
thebrokenspine.co.uk
Two new drops before month’s end. Couldn’t be more different. Couldn’t be more us.

#SootAndBoots – our first seasonal fiction set – hits in hardback & paperback. Wintry stories with dirt under their nails.

#RitesAndTrials Coming-of-age poems stitched with class, becoming, longing, & defiance.
A book cover for Soot & Boots: An Anthology of Short Festive Fiction by The Broken Spine. The right-hand side shows an illustration of a pair of worn, frost-covered black boots with fur at the top, standing on a cold wooden floor against a textured, wintry blue-grey wall. The title “Soot & Boots” appears above the boots in large, pale, glowing letters. At the bottom, the Broken Spine publisher logo is present. The left-hand side, presented as the back cover, features centred white text on a dark green background. The text describes the anthology as a gritty, unsentimental seasonal fiction collection filled with longing and winter magic. It highlights contributions from writers including Sadie Maskery, Ellen Harrold, Victoria Harris, and Jordan River, and notes that the anthology is edited by Alan Parry. A bright yellow rectangle sits near the bottom, reserved for a barcode. A book cover for Rites & Trials: Coming of Age Poetry, part of The Broken Spine’s Slimline series. The right-hand panel features an abstract, atmospheric illustration: a silhouetted profile of a person facing right, rendered in deep black, set against a vivid red circular shape that resembles a sun or moon. Dark plant leaves overlap the silhouette, creating layered shadows. The background blends burnt orange and textured black. The title “Rites & Trials” appears in white, with “SLIMLINE” in a rounded rectangular frame. The left-hand panel shows the back cover text on a white rounded-rectangle box set against a dark background. The text describes the anthology as a stitched-together testament to becoming, naming contributors such as Molli Russell, Sam Szanto, Debbie Ross, Dave Kurley, Mana Misaghi, Rachel Burrows, Simon Maddrell, and others. The description highlights themes of class, faith, queerness, desire, and family, and characterises the poems as intimate, raw, and reaching toward connection. The Broken Spine logo sits at the bottom of the right-hand panel.
November 22, 2025 at 11:02 PM