Erica

@briteeyedviolet

Optimist with a slight northern side and soft spot for Wales, parkrun and cats. Bookshop blogger for fun, copy editor for hire. www.thebookshoparoundthecorner.co.uk

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Bluesky

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Erica@briteeyedviolet· 12d

We’re prommers! I know it’s standing, but so far the experience feels a lot more civilised than up where the heat rises.

A photograph taken from the floor of the arena area of the Royal Albert Hall, looking up towards the stage and organ. Directly in front of us are the backs of other people who are sat on the floor too. In the middle, a small white blob is actually the bust of Sir Henry Wood.

Erica@briteeyedviolet· 13d

We have our first borlotti bean flower! And several buds further down the stem. I’ve no idea of the timeframe for these so it’s a surprise and a relief to see something is happening.

A small, delicate, pale pink flower comprising two small and two slightly larger petals in a sort of oblong shape, sticks out of a stem next to a big, green leaf.

Erica@briteeyedviolet· 13d

Last year we finally admitted defeat and gave up chopping back the brambles at the bottom of our garden. Today we have been rewarded 😊

A cereal bowl is half-filled with tiny wild blackberries.

Erica@briteeyedviolet· 13d

I really should try better with my photography, this picture doesn't do justice to how lovely The Beverley Bookshop is inside. www.thebookshoparoundthecorner.co.uk/2026/07/fina...

A photograph of the front of The Beverley Bookshop. The top is a long banner with the name, then a big window which appears dark inside and shows lots of lovely books. It's not really dark inside, this is just the result of my bad photography.

Erica@briteeyedviolet· 13d

This was mesmerisingly weird and soothing at the same time. I recommend it.

A photograph of a bookmark and book being held up in front of a dark red curtain. Both are monochrome. The bookmark is black and white and represents Store 104, a bookshop in Rochester, Kent. The book is grey and white, the cover shows an image of an open door, with another open door through it. The book is Air by Christian Kracht.

Erica@briteeyedviolet· 15d

I’m going in.

A photograph of a book on a lap. The book is Mapp & Lucia by E F Benson.

Erica@briteeyedviolet· 21d

I get a bit self-indulgent in this week's bookshop blog. That's the way it is sometimes although I admit I hadn't expected it to go that way when I started writing. Anyway, meet Store 104 in Rochester: www.thebookshoparoundthecorner.co.uk/2026/07/memo...

A photograph of the front of Store 104 in Rochester. There's a big window with a lot of reflection, but we can still see that there are books on display.

Erica@briteeyedviolet· 22d

Proms season has begun for @twpeople.bsky.social and me. What a view. As I am fascinated by the percussion section, I now want to never sit anywhere else.

A photograph taken from my seat in the Choir East section of the Royal Albert Hall. Most of the bottom half of the image is illuminated blue-white for where the orchestra’s equipment is in position (the musicians themselves are not yet in position). The rest of the image shows the red seating of the audience, facing towards us. Within the orchestra, the nearest section and therefore the easiest for me to see is the percussion section, which is filled with a range of instruments and music stands.

Erica@briteeyedviolet· 28d

This week the bookshop blog travels north to Stockton. Should you ever find yourself within 300 miles (or fewer) of @drakebookshop.bsky.social, it's well worth a visit. www.thebookshoparoundthecorner.co.uk/2019/07/drak...

A photograph of the front of Drake the Bookshop. It has a black frontage with the name in orange letters. A big window is full of books. There are also some branded barriers marking off a seating area out the front.

Erica@briteeyedviolet· 29d

Dolly says it’s time for some fuss.

A close-up photo of a tabby cat. Dolly is lying on her back with her paws up near her chin. So the top of her tummy and her throat are visible in all their furry gloriousness.

Erica@briteeyedviolet· Jul 10

Dolly would approve of Biscuit’s timeline cleanse but she’s too busy sleeping her way through the heatwave.

Erica@briteeyedviolet· Jul 10

This little cutie (and a whole crowd of friends and family) was keeping me company while I worked in the garden earlier.

A photo of a light brown insect that I believe to be a cricket. It’s around one inch long and is sat on the frame of a patio door.

A photo of the same light brown insect that I believe to be a cricket. It’s around one inch long and is sat on the frame of a patio door. This time we’re looking at it from the inside. So we have a vaguely better view of its face and legs.

Erica@briteeyedviolet· Jul 9

I get childishly excited about stumbling across a bookshop around a corner, which is exactly what happened when we found @realmagicbooks.bsky.social: www.thebookshoparoundthecorner.co.uk/2026/07/disc...

A photograph of the front of Real Magic Books in Wendover. There's a large window with the name of the bookshop on the glass.

Erica@briteeyedviolet· Jul 9

A recent trip to Broadstairs was what helped me to finally decide to re-start the bookshop blog. Thanks to The Best of Times: www.thebookshoparoundthecorner.co.uk/2026/07/a-ne...

A photograph of the bright yellow frontage of The Best of Times Bookshop and Cafe in Broadstairs.

Erica@briteeyedviolet· Jul 7

I’m sat in the garden, listening to a very busy group (an orchestra?) of crickets somewhere within this patch of wilderness. It’s a wonderful sound.

A photograph that mostly shows long grass of varying types and heights. The bottom half of the image, which contains a few ox eye daisies, is in shade.
In the top left, we can see a part of a metal frame for a piece of garden furniture (you wouldn’t know from the picture, but it’s a swingy chair).

Erica@briteeyedviolet· Jun 22

Once upon a time I was a redhead, very active on that other social media platform and commonly known as the bookshop blogger. I'm not reinstating the red hair, but I am giving the blogging a go again. All encouragement will be gratefully accepted. www.thebookshoparoundthecorner.co.uk/2026/06/reme...

A photograph of a wall of books on rows of shelves. The books are all facing forwards so we are bombarded with a range of cover art and titles.

Erica@briteeyedviolet· Jun 22

What the photo doesn’t show is that her paws are twitching ever so slightly. Our old lady is running in her dreams ❤️

A photo of a tabby cat asleep on a bed. We can see her head at an upturned angle, and her legs stretched out across the image, with two paws as a central focus of the image.

Erica@briteeyedviolet· May 31

I’m wondering how many Tunbridge Wells people there are on here who may remember Kate Mouse and #TWcheesetours? This Facebook memory has prompted some happy reminiscences.

A screenshot of a Facebook post dated 31 May 2014. It contains the text: This weekend I’m looking after Kate Mouse as part of Twitter’s #twcheesetours, so today I took her to meet a pirate mouse at Maidstone’s independent children’s bookshop.
Then under the text is a photo showing, from left to right: a small brown cuddly mouse, this is Kate Mouse and she’s approximately four inches tall. Then there is a small, white homemade paperback book of the same height, on its cover is a line drawing of a mouse reading a book, with the caption Little Mouse Books underneath. Next to it is a model pirate ship that’s around twice the height of the book, stood on the deck is a white mouse that’s the same size as Kate.

For context: at the time I briefly lived in Maidstone. Sadly, the sweet children’s bookshop closed down some time later.

Erica@briteeyedviolet· May 7

Starting the day with a stop off at the polling station during my walk to work. @twpeople.bsky.social and I have voted.

A selfie of a man and a woman who are smiling, stood in front of a polling station sign.

Erica@briteeyedviolet· May 3

Approximately 25 years after my first attempt at Middlemarch, I’ve completed a re-read. Younger me hated it. Current me loved it. Some reads benefit from a lot more life experience before reading.

A paperback book, the top two thirds is a black and white photograph of a marble bust of a woman. Below are the words: Penguin Classics, George Eliot, Middlemarch.

Erica@briteeyedviolet· Apr 17

I do love an English woodland in the spring.

A photograph showing a carpet of green leaves with a good infill of bluebell flowers. The carpet is interrupted by the occasional young tree trunk, with trees and bushes getting more dense in the background. Sunlight shines through the canopy, which opens into glimpses of blue sky. As an additional observation, the only sound is bird song. It is a beautiful sight experience.

Erica@briteeyedviolet· Apr 14

Good night all, from her and me.

A photograph of a sleeping cat. She is a tabby and she’s sprawled across a pale grey blanket. Paws and tail stretching out in front of the curve of a fluffy tummy. She looks peaceful as she sleeps.

Erica@briteeyedviolet· Apr 8

Sorry to show off, but my lunch break was perfect.

A photograph showing the top edge of a Basildon Bond letter pad and a pen. They are in an area of grassland. At the far side of the view are gorse bushes covered in flowers. Further back is an assortment of trees, with a bright blue sky above. In the foreground, tree-shaped shadows indicate that I am located in the cool shade on a sunny day.

Erica@briteeyedviolet· Apr 6

Fairy cakes in Hastings, by @twpeople.bsky.social, whose phone has run out of power. #photography

A portrait-oriented photograph focused on a tabletop in a pub. Sunlight shines on the empty, slightly crumpled, paper wrappers of two fairy cakes on individual porcelain saucers. The dark background is out of focus and provides a contrast to the yellow and orange paper wrappers. It contains the silhouette of a person sat in front of a window.
To my untrained eye, the background reminds me of a Hopper painting.

Erica@briteeyedviolet· Apr 6

Morning! We’ve the promise of bluebells at the bottom of our garden (see photo by @twpeople.bsky.social). Also, if you get the chance, take a walk down Rodean Road. The rhododendrons were looking particularly stunning on Saturday.

A photograph showing a mass of green, grass-shaped leaves that belong to bluebells. We know this because lots of tiny bluebell buds can be seen near the top of the bunch of leaves.

Erica@briteeyedviolet· Apr 5

This book - bought years ago after listening to an interview on @cerysmatthews.bsky.social’s radio show - is proving to be a very enjoyable read. I’m sharing here before I’ve even finished it, for anyone looking for an alternative journey through history.

A photograph of the book Watling Street by John Higgs.

Erica@briteeyedviolet· Apr 5

I was the Bunny Boss at @rtwparkrun.bsky.social yesterday. Happy Easter all. 🐰

A photo of me viewed from behind. I’m wearing a parkrun run director top, my hair is loose, on top you can see a pair of bunny ears. I’m stood in front of a crowd of people in brightly coloured running kit, as they listen to me giving the pre-parkrun briefing in Dunorlan Park, Royal Tunbridge Wells.

Erica@briteeyedviolet· Mar 20

Dolly and I send all best wishes. She’s dreaming them for you.

A photo of a sleeping tabby cat, all fur and paws and tail curled in an oval.

Erica@briteeyedviolet· Mar 16

Time for tea.

A photograph looking across part of a bed covered in a pale grey, lightly striped blanket that’s lying in ridges. In the foreground is a high ridge, where a leg is covered. Then we have the back of the head of a small, cuddly toy sloth, which is looking towards a mug that’s resting on the bed. The mug is white with a faded graphic showing the chemical composition of tea. In the background, a white radiator is on a blue wall. The bottom of a dark blue curtain is just visible, along with some hints of light to indicate a nearby window.

Erica@briteeyedviolet· Mar 12

Now we are leaving the beautiful St Ives, can #MothSky tell me what this beauty is, please?