Collecting my reserved books at the library: They're under the name Marriott.
Librarian: Oh, like the author!
Me: Huh?
Librarian: You know, the author - Zoë Marriott!
Me, blankly: This... has never happened to me before.
Librarian: All right. Can I have your library card?
I mean, call me crazy, but I'd rather pay the extra few bob National Insurance and have a functioning NHS? But I suppose that's not an option under this government.
I think a lot of people are assuming the humour in this situation comes from the librarian not recognising me, when in fact it's that when she recognised my name, I spent a good five seconds wondering if there was some other author called Zoë Marriott she had mistaken me for.
Do Netflix realise how counterproductive their strategy is? They're panicking because they're losing market share to other streaming services. To save money, they start canning basically every other show. This rightfully infuriates subscribers, which drives them away even faster.
To those kind souls who seek through the medium of Twitter to correct my outsized awkwardness, let me ease your burden: my mother has been lecturing me on the topic for more than 30yrs now, and if she can't shame me into changing my personality, I'm afraid the task is hopeless.
@SoSaysLucia
Well, I sort of went, "Aha. Um. Yes. That is me?" & handed her the card & she went, "What? Really? We have all your books here, they're so good!" And I sort of made a strange laugh, thanked her, grabbed my books & card & skittered off like the weird badly socialised gremlin I am.
As a writer who has been working in the industry since 2005 & has published nine books, I have one completely vital piece of advice that ALL writers must know. Listen well:
**When you search & replace, always, always tick the Whole Words Only box**
You're welcome.
Viewing figures are going down even among subscribers they DO keep, bc we're all wary of starting new shows when we know how often they finish on a cliffhanger & then get canned. Lower viewing figures trigger even more show cancellations. More subscribers give up & leave.🤷♀️
@chicklets_1999
Oh no. That would have been a very cool way to handle it but... I am not cool. I sort of went: " Um. Aha. Yes. That. Is? Me?" And then SHE was very cool about it and kindly told me how much she liked my books. And then I ran away as fast as I could. Bc omg.
Is... this going a bit viral? Feels like I ought to do the thing with the SoundCloud, right, except I don't have one, so here's a link to my new book instead. Pre-orders give writers life (literally, actual life)!:
@SoSaysLucia
I mean, there might have been some more strange babbling on my part in there but really, do we need to go into that? No. I did promise I'd sign anything she wanted me to sign, totally, authors love signing things, we're obsessed with it, I'll even bring my own pen ha ha ha.
#GHOSTS
, man! Singlehandedly infusing Christmas day with a compassionate, hilarious and humane warm-hearted joy that makes the whole world seem right, just for 30mins. Best thing on TV, hands down.
#BBCGhosts
@LeftOfPete
@SoSaysLucia
I accept the approval of awkward people on the internet gladly. They are, in fact, my tribe. We are probably related. Thank you.
"He was drunk - he wasn't responsible for his actions - he didn't know what he was doing - so it wasn't his fault."
"She was drunk - she wasn't responsible in her actions - she didn't know what she was doing - so it was her own fault."
Both these things cannot be true.
Er? I just checked my book's Amazon rank and... WHAT.
This... this book isn't even out until next year. It's normal for me to cry now, right? Imma cry now.
Those who are following me for my Genuine Awkward Person(tm) content may like to know that just now while carving a piece of pork I managed to punt half of it across the kitchen directly into my dog's face. It hit him like a hockey puck. He's never been so happy to be concussed.
Just a quick note here that commenters who presume to explain to me how NI works are wasting their time. I used to be a civil servant. I know more about the inner workings of tax than you do. Good day, Sir.
@LurkerInTheLoft
@Cfpercy
I can't believe I'm confessing to this, but... a knitted sweater vest and brogues (what Americans call Oxfords, I think). I mean. What am I doing.
Abused person: My ex-partner is stalking me. He's violent. I have a restraining order. Help.
Met Police: look, he hasn't broken the law yet, sorry.
Peaceful protestors: How can you arrest us when we haven't broken the law?
Met Police: I dunno, you look suspicious.
Hamza, once again proving that he is an actual human ray of sunshine, who can heft a mortal women with one hand and bring joy to the nation without breaking a sweat.
'What a man!' says Anton.
Hard agree, Anton. Hard agree.
#scd
#StrictlyFinal
Am now muting this thread, since mainsplaining has reached toxic levels. My children, if you can somehow explain why the Tories are randomly cutting taxes instead of tackling our failing public services, pls go ahead: I'm sure the void welcomes your wisdom.
New
#DoctorWho
has such ridiculous amounts of Bisexual Energy. Unprecedented levels. Makes me want to curl up in a tiny ball and giggle madly into a pillow.
What's that, Twitter? You would love to hear some SUPER EXCITING PUBLISHING NEWS that I have been sitting on for months and months?? Well, today is your lucky day: tl;dr - I wrote a book for adults, it's timey-wimey & romantic, and it's coming NEXT YEAR. x
@Retrocade_Media
@CaseyBroughton
Learned about him never being recognised, but also learned what an amazing person he was in addition to being a famous skater 😀
I am one of those unlucky individuals whose tongue is programmed to register coriander as soap. Even a small amount of the stuff makes a dish inedible for me. But for those of you who can actually taste coriander... what is it LIKE? Peppery? Aniseedy? Tell me your secrets!
@kblakemanwriter
Was literally asked to remove "squashed fly biscuits" from my recent ms (1920s) by the editor because she didn't think readers would know what on earth it meant. Second editor agreed!
@Joannechocolat
Why do they always chase the thief? As a regular visitor to Cleethorpes I see this all the time, and I can never work out what the goal is? Are you going to wrestle the battered sausage/iced bun/croissant from the gull's beak and eat it???
I would invite Angela Rayner around to mine for tea and telly any day, and get out the good china and the chocolate biscuits, too.
If any member of the Tories showed up on my doorstep I would call the police and lock myself in the bathroom for good measure.
@bringingcomfort
I mean, it was great, but I wish I had known what was coming so that I could... prepare some flash cards, do mantras, maybe breath deeply into a paper bag for a bit...
"Paperchase brand bought by Tesco, stores facing closure"
Me: *Staggers*
Friend: What's wrong?!
Me: *Staring into the ether* There was... a great disturbance in the force. As if a million writers & stationery geeks cried out in agony, and were silenced...
Black/mixed race writer earning under £25k?
@OU_Literature
is offering THREE - that's right THREE - fully paid scholarships on their wonderful Creative Writing MA. I urge you to apply! Could I get an RT for this amazing opportunity
@Joannechocolat
?
My Mother's Inspiring Pep Talk:
"I don't know why you're bothering. Why put all this effort into it if you never get anywhere. Just give up and save yourself the disappointment. It's not like it really matters anyway."
A mother's love. SO rare. SO precious.
@WillowNealEnv
I am a terminal case, I think!
I just went part-time so I can start a fellowship at the uni of Lincoln (next week!), so I'll be submitting April 2025. Luckily, since I don't even have a finished draft yet. Eek!
@ZJAyres
Long before I realised I was autistic - before I knew someone with the traits I have could *be* autistic - I read a book about Highly Sensitive People and I thought: "This is it! Wow, this explains everything!" But ALL the HSP traits ... are my autistic traits.
I will not buy anymore books.
I absolutely will not buy anymore books.
I don't need anymore books.
I will not buy more books.
*Buys a bunch more books*
Dammit! Ok, Ok - but for real now. I will not buy anymore books.
Amazing news! My short story has been shortlisted for the Oxford Flash Fiction Prize, & will be published in their next anthology, before Christmas! I love this weird little story so much, and I'm so excited!
@OUGradSch
@Oxfordflash
@OU_Writers
#phdlife
@PhDForum
Let's be real, Helen Skelton would not be scared of being in the woods with wolves. Helen Skelton would go native, become part of the pack and have to be forcibly removed six months later...
#scd
#StrictlyComeDancing
Does anyone else go into a kind of mourning everytime they finish a re-watch of the LOTR trilogy? If only The Hobbit weren't a hollow travesty with just enough excellent fragments to smash my heart to a thousand pieces...
New Book: The Moonlit Maze Cover Reveal & Pre-Order Links A real doozy of a post including (but not limited to): my 1st adult historical novel sold, it has a new title AND cover art! And you can pre-order it! Phew. x
@KateJShaw
@headlinepg
@SheriseHobbs
If the
@BBC
@BBCNews
is really committed to 'impartiality' and 'balance', then from now on everytime a Reform MP is allowed to speak, a Green MP must also be offered the opportunity to speak. Come on BBC, I know it'll hurt, but you can do it.
Now we're having a musical number and this show has reached peak queer. I mean, it doesn't get any queerer than this, hat's off, no notes, chef's kiss...
#Drwho
#DoctorWho
#bisexualenergy
@AO3_Status
All I can think is, thank heavens it didn't happen last week when Astolat was posting two chapters a day of her GoT fic. People would straight up have RIOTED. And I include me in that.
Millie Gibson leaving after one season is like Christopher Ecclestone leaving after one season. We're left wanting more, but without any diminishment of our joy in what we had. Great job guys. You knocked it out of the park.
#DoctorWho
#DrWho
#EmpireofDeath
@JayHulmePoet
I know that you are a deeply kind, decent person. A true Christian. But. This is the time to buy a strawberry mikshake and pour it across their hood, roof, boot, windows. Everywhere except the windscreen. EVERY. TIME. THEY. PARK. THERE.
@piercepenniless
No one is owed forgiveness for hurting another person. Forgiveness is grace; we can only hope for it. Making it an obligation robs it of meaning & puts an unfair burden on the unjured party. People must live with the consequences of their own actions & the harm they have done.
Gosh turns out that the 'trans agenda' is that trans people just want to live their own normal lives in peace like everyone else exactly as they always said what a shock.
Three good days work on my thesis in row and then, bam, right on schedule, a day when I cannot focus and nothing is getting done at all. So frustrating!
#phdlife
#academicwriting
Clothes manufacturers: please internalise the fact that women cannot get enough of pockets. We want pockets. We literally cannot get enough of pockets. If you made a pocket into a dress and every pocket had a pocket, that would still not be quite enough pockets. GIVE US POCKETS.
@Rowan_Lawton
It's the same logic that allows Uncle Freddy to sit in a corner at Christmas spewing misogynistic & racist slurs for 10yrs while everyone pretends not to hear, but if one of the kids says 'Hey, that's not OK' the whole family rushes to shame them for 'making a scene'.
Off to embrace the auntcore aesthetic I've only just learned I have by making cauliflower cheese and other wholesome baked deliciousness. I'm even going to put on an apron.
As an ancient Millennial I would like to share a gem of wisdom with future generations who may be struggling. Are you ready? I'll wait.
OK. Here goes.
It doesn't matter if clothes are 'in', 'out' or 'over'. Only whether you like them & feel good in them.
You're welcome.
Women having human rights has not impinged on the rights of men.
People of colour having human rights has not impinged on the rights of white people.
Trans people having human rights will not impinge on the rights of cis people.
Either we're all equal, or none of us are.
So glad to be an
@OpenUniversity
PhD student. I didn't even realise what a fantastic decision I'd made to chose the OU until I started. I've met some of the most amazing & inspiring staff & fellow students, and I can't imagine, now, pursuing my doctorate anywhere else.
@OUGradSch