2026 TOUR STARTS THIS WEEK! 💥 LONDON! (4-19 Oct) 💥 NOTTINGHAM! (24 Oct) 💥 SALE! (3 Nov) 💥 WOLVERHAMPTON! (6 Nov)

I will not only be relieved but truly *ecstatic* to be wrong, if more and better studies soon start showing that AI actually improves learning and cognitive motivation. But so far they all show the opposite, and that is consistent with the evidence that I and other educators are seeing on the ground

It was a very silly twitter feed about a maverick detective called Crimer and every so often his superiors would despair and yell "CRIMER!" after him as he threw his badge at them and went to befriend the criminal.

I love Luther, but it sometimes feels like it's based on the Crimer twitter feed.

Also, if I was recruited, I might be tempted to say there had been a recruitment attempt on me, but that I had turned it down. That kind of bold play worked for Jonathan Ross WAY longer than it should. I think it might work in this context too.

Why didn't they recruit Bella?! I think this is a bad move.

I used to quite like him (MANY years ago) but he went severely downhill with the expenses scandal and has been on a downward trajectory ever since.

I can imagine if they're using AI *within a process* rather than solely (e.g. generating a cover or promo video but using original art as well alongside it) it could be very hard to prove. And how would authors like us take them to court over it anyway? It's a nightmare!

Society of Authors have some great recommended clauses to ask for in any contract. My worry, particularly with the Big Five, would be if/how they would be enforced. Have a hard enough time proving student AI use and that's often very obvious.

Bit of a long shot, but does anyone recall articles about the (crap) portrayal of mutism in 2018's Mute? I'm struggling to find anything beyond a brief mention of it in addition to more general critiques of the film. Certainly nothing like all the thinkpieces on Nyong'o & vocal disorders?

Hey, guys! I'll be helping out at another library branch when a librarian is away on maternity leave as a children's librarian. Do any of you have recommendations for children's horror authors?

Day 10 of the UCU workers' strike at the University of Edinburgh, over major job cuts, worsening terms & conditions, and the continued financial mismanagement of the senior leadership. Scenes from the picket lines reveal how we continue to fight. In this image, members of our UCUE leadership ...

If ever I go to prison it will be because of the people who wait until they are on the bus in front of the bus driver to search for their pass having just stood in the queue for five minutes.

Three little kids on the bus and as we crossed the Tay, they all stopped what they were doing and one shouted: "Oh Gosh!" Same kids, same.

"Releasing over 700 files at once is not a demonstration of scholarship, but a demonstration of power."

In Jan and Feb, I'll get my research days back as I'll have taught all my new material and will just be supporting student projects. BUT is it too risky to just assume I can get the lion's share done then? I think so!

Now in new job, research days are currently taken up writing new lectures. Weekends will soon be taken up by promo for new novel. Christmas will be squeezed by visiting relatives as my family don't travel so none of them will come to us. Getting a *bit* stressed.

When I originally agreed to the deadline, I had no intention of leaving my job and had weekly research days mapped out to work on it. Then I got a new job & as I worked out my notice, research days became handover days.

My non-fiction publisher doesn't follow me on here so I can say this- folks, I'm so behind on this book. They've given me an extension until the end of February which basically means I have to write 20k over Christmas. I know I can do it *in theory* but...