New post on Cadence Publishing's Timepieces Substack, reflections shifting from science fiction to historical fiction, memories of a novel I tried to write when I was 13, real life becoming indistinguishable from ridiculous SF, and a double twist ending. timepieces3.substack.com/p/mirrors-an...

For Timepieces as Cadence Publishing’s editor-at-large I reflect on my journey from science fiction to historical fiction, from judge of the Arthur C. Clarke Award, to editing Clouds Over Bowland by Rosemary Sturge. I think it's one of my best essays, so do take a look. substack.com/home/post/p-...

@bmthwritingfest.bsky.social celebrates #RobertLouisStevenson - 175th birthday at his former home, where he wrote #DrJekyllandMrHyde and #Kidnapped. 13th November - performances, readings, poetry from Stevenson experts. @alibacon.bsky.social www.bournemouthwritingfestival.co.uk/networking-e...

Organising Chaos: Turn a Messy Draft into a Publishable Novel originated as a talk I gave with Sophie Beal (Director of Cadence Publishing) at the Bournemouth Writing Festival. It proved so successful we are now doing an extended version for Writing Magazine: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/organising...

Last night was the July Author Events' Books & Bubbles at Sobo:Sommelier. Bestselling psychological thriller writer @alexstoneauthor.bsky.social (The Quiet Sister) interviewed bestselling psychological thriller Jackie Kabler (The Revenge Plot). I adjudicated the fun and chaotic competition.

I'm delighted that #WiildaAndTheTrollTrials by #LindaLiebrand, which I worked on last year, is now published. Linda says: 'I wrote Wiilda and the Troll Trials for curious kids who don’t quite fit in. For those who ask too many questions, or dream of adventures no one else sees.'

Really looking forward to this crime writer panel with Andreina Cordani, TH Carrington, Alex Stone, and MA Hunter. @andreinacordani.bsky.social @alexstoneauthor.bsky.social authorevents.co.uk/2025/03/30/2...

New guest post on the #AuthorEvents Substack. From being asked to chair a panel at #RomanceWritingFestivalBournemouth via #Frankenstein to how for a brief while I thought I'd been published by #PrincetonUniversityPress and didn't even know it. #AlexStone authorevents.substack.com/p/the-write-...

My client Mark deMeza’s The Thirteenth Child, based on his family’s history in the Holocaust, was a bestselling success, with a 4.4 rating from over 2000 Amazon customers. Today the sequel, The Heroine of Auschwitz, for which I also provided editorial feedback during development, is published.

I've just reread the prologue of #TheSurvivor by #JamesHerbert, first reading it around 45 years ago. The gradual shift from normality to overwhelming horror in just six pages is masterfully done, while the 50 year old story could have been written yesterday... Let's see if the rest holds up.

As an editor I can't help but be amazed that no one at Tyrrell's took a look at this packaging and said, 'Hold on a minute...' Because really, I'm not even 25% convinced that crisps made with recycled plastic is the selling point they think it is. #tyrrells #recycling #recycledplastic #editingfail

Some new information about Shakespeare's domestic arrangements for his birthday. #shakespeare #annehathaway

Last year I wrote an article for #WritingMagazine, Organising Chaos: How to Turn a Messy First Draft into a Publishable Book, to coincide with my talk with #SophieBeal of #CadencePublishing at the #BournemouthWritingFestival. On Saturday we are giving an updated version at this year's festival...

Just three weeks until the #BournemouthWritingFestival, where I'll be co-presenting Organising Chaos: Turn a Messy Draft into a Publishable Book with #SophieBeal of #CadencePublishing. Happily the #BWF is far too nice to have anyone like the chap from this #PrivateEye cartoon in our audience...

Members of the Society of Authors are protesting at Meta's London HQ today. societyofauthors.org/2025/04/01/s... #libgen #meta #dothewritething #bookthieves

Jane Goodall, the internationally renowned primatologist, environmentalist, activist and author celebrates her 91st birthday today. So here's wishing Bournemouth's most famous living author a very happy birthday. (Photos are from my collection of Jane Goodall's many books.)

I wrote a piece with Festival Director #DominicWong about the #BournemouthWritingFestival for the May issue of #WritingMagazine. In shops 3 April, available as a print or digital edition online now. www.bournemouthwritingfestival.co.uk/home www.writers-online.co.uk/store/back-i...

In Great Expectations Charles Dickens perfectly captures today. In the sun it feels like the first day of summer, and I have my office doors open for the first time this year. In the shade, that breeze still has a wintery bite.

The Bournemouth Writing Festival is offering a 15% off discount until the end of February, which includes the talk I am giving with Cadence Publishing director Sophie Beal - Organising Chaos: Turn a Messy Draft into a Publishable Book. Booking link: www.pdsw.org.uk/whats-on/org...

Meet me, and lots of other publishing industry professionals and authors, at the Author Marketplace at the Bournemouth Writing Festival, 27 April. If you are looking for an editor, want some writing advice, or to chat about your writing, come along and say hello. authorevents.co.uk/2025/02/12/t...

The audiobook of Mark deMeza's The Thirteenth Child, read by Maria Cusick, is published for #HolocaustMemorialDay (27 January). The print edition has a 4.4 score on Amazon from 1820 customer ratings, probably the most successful self-published book I have edited. www.amazon.co.uk/Thirteenth-C...

Spotted on this morning's walk, bringing an important question to mind. What if the CS Lewis' Narnia wardrobe was a TARDIS with a working chameleon circuit? #cslewis #narnia #thelionthewitchandthewardrobe #doctorwho #tardis #chameloncircuit

Sue Barrow's SOLD ("compulsively readable" - The Guardian) is currently 99 cents as an e-book on Amazon US. The School Library Association (UK) picked SOLD as their recommended summer read for 13-16 year olds. www.amazon.com/SOLD-What-wi... #cadencepublishing #childtrafficking #suebarrow

Surely the world's first combined seven word existential time travel paradox story and advert for proofreading.

#ElanorMcBay, #NickBeal, #AlexStone (The Perfect Daughter), #SophieBeal, director of #CadencePublishing, #SteveCouch (Foul and Fair) and myself at the 2025 #BournemouthWritingFestival launch. Photo by BWF director #DominicWong. @alexstoneauthor.bsky.social www.bournemouthwritingfestival.co.uk

It's the launch of the 2025 Bournemouth Writing Festival on Thursday. Here are some photos from past BWF networking events, including Sophie Beal of Cadence Publishing, Sar Mor, Curie Scott, Alex Stone and Festival Director Dominic Wong. @alexstoneauthor.bsky.social #bournemouthwritingfestival

Gerald Durrell, celebrated conservationist and bestselling author, including of My Family and Other Animals, was born 100 years ago today. Durrell lived locally for a time, and 'My Family' was written in Bournemouth in 1955. Photo: my 1956 book club reprint of his modern classic. #thedurrells

JRR Tolkien and his wife Edith often stayed at the Hotel Miramar in Bournemouth in the 1950s and 60s. In 1968 they bought a house three miles away in Poole, at 19 Lakeside Road. Photo was taken in the early 70s in nearby Branksome Chine. Tolkien was born this day, 3 January, in 1892.

The third book I have edited for Stephan Eicke, A Dream Come True: The Collaboration of David Lynch and Angelo Badalamenti is published by Bloomsbury Academic in September. tothelastword.com/blog/a-dream... #DavidLynch #angelobadalamenti #stephaneicke #BloomsburyPublishing #bloomsburyacademic

Given the dark and brooding weather, we decided to visit Netley Abbey, almost certainly an inspiration for Jane Austen's Gothic parody, Northanger Abbey. The bitter sea fret rolling off Southampton Water certainly added to the Gothic atmosphere. #janeausten #northangerabbey #netleyabbey