Skionar
@skionar.bsky.social
Roger Clarke. Author of A Natural History of Ghosts, published by Penguin Books (2012). Former writer for the Independent Newspaper, Sunday TimesUK, Sight & Sound. In it for the long haul with severe chronic illness, dealing with NHS on a weekly basis
Pinned
Skionar
@skionar.bsky.social
· May 6
'Beautifully written, lithe, complicated and hugely rewarding' Sunday Times
'Splendid... a compelling read... Clarke manages to give goose-flesh and a giggle while informing the reader...an enviable feat' Scotland on Sunday
'Outstanding...deeply enjoyable' Shade Point
'Splendid... a compelling read... Clarke manages to give goose-flesh and a giggle while informing the reader...an enviable feat' Scotland on Sunday
'Outstanding...deeply enjoyable' Shade Point
Going away for a bit
September 8, 2026 at 11:35 AM
Going away for a bit
Reposted by Skionar
September hedgerow flora-a small scientifically proven bit of botanical relaxation for your brain. Zoom in to the patterns and details and an extremely cool experiment has shown that these good sprigs will help you recover from stress 60% more quickly 🌿
September 7, 2026 at 9:41 AM
September hedgerow flora-a small scientifically proven bit of botanical relaxation for your brain. Zoom in to the patterns and details and an extremely cool experiment has shown that these good sprigs will help you recover from stress 60% more quickly 🌿
Reposted by Skionar
Tragically today, it’s the 386th anniversary of the death of René Descartes’ daughter Francine at the age of just five—to which he responded by building a robot daughter he took everywhere with him until she was murdered by superstitious sailors, hastening the philosopher’s own death
Well... 🧵
Well... 🧵
September 7, 2026 at 8:51 AM
Tragically today, it’s the 386th anniversary of the death of René Descartes’ daughter Francine at the age of just five—to which he responded by building a robot daughter he took everywhere with him until she was murdered by superstitious sailors, hastening the philosopher’s own death
Well... 🧵
Well... 🧵
Relevant to my interests @cultauthor.bsky.social
September 7, 2026 at 9:55 AM
Relevant to my interests @cultauthor.bsky.social
Two films about writers. Willem Dafoe in Late Fame plays a long-forgotten blue-collar poet adopted by wealthy Donna Tartt types. A rare American film about class. Tony is a film about Anthony Bourdain as a young man; it made me sad.
September 6, 2026 at 7:54 PM
Two films about writers. Willem Dafoe in Late Fame plays a long-forgotten blue-collar poet adopted by wealthy Donna Tartt types. A rare American film about class. Tony is a film about Anthony Bourdain as a young man; it made me sad.
Reposted by Skionar
Historical hottie du jour AND today's artist w/out a known birthday: Godfried Schalcken of Dordrecht, Leiden, The Hague etc. Here, looking handsome in his Rembrandt phase (everybody had one).
September 6, 2026 at 1:29 PM
Been eating lunch in Soho Square on and off since a holiday job in 1985. It's a dust-bowl currently, I've never seen it in such a wretched condition. It's been going on for years though; I feel sorry for the gardeners
September 5, 2026 at 1:16 PM
Been eating lunch in Soho Square on and off since a holiday job in 1985. It's a dust-bowl currently, I've never seen it in such a wretched condition. It's been going on for years though; I feel sorry for the gardeners
Reposted by Skionar
For Heritage Open Days this year Borley church will open for guided tours on 19/20 September. It is free, and the parish is also running an exhibition on the ordinary people buried in the churchyard called 'The Stories behind our Stones'. www.heritageopendays.org.uk/submission-e...
Borley Church, Sudbury: Guided Tours
Learn about the history of Borley Church by taking one of our guided tours.
Enjoy refreshments provided by Borley Bakes whilst soaking up the atmosphere and beautiful views across the Stour Valley,...
www.heritageopendays.org.uk
September 5, 2026 at 8:09 AM
For Heritage Open Days this year Borley church will open for guided tours on 19/20 September. It is free, and the parish is also running an exhibition on the ordinary people buried in the churchyard called 'The Stories behind our Stones'. www.heritageopendays.org.uk/submission-e...
Reposted by Skionar
My writing has prompted people to mention: Robert Aickman, Ghostwatch, Inside No. 9, Patricia Highsmith, M.R. James, Nigel Kneale, Alan Garner, Alan Moore, Rod Serling, H.P. Lovecraft, Brian Evenson and, erm, John Harris. In case you were wondering if you might like this book.
My latest collection, Thin Places in Hard Concrete, is now out, with 10 new stories of cults, ghosts, impossible infrastructure, haunted Mellotrons...
Paperback www.amazon.co.uk/Thin-Places-...
eBook www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...
Find out more precastreinforced.co.uk/2026/04/30/t...
Paperback www.amazon.co.uk/Thin-Places-...
eBook www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...
Find out more precastreinforced.co.uk/2026/04/30/t...
Thin Places in Hard Concrete is out
My latest collection, Thin Places in Hard Concrete, is now out, with 10 brand new weird stories. You can buy the eBook and paperback from Amazon wherever you are. For starters, here’s where you’ll …
precastreinforced.co.uk
September 2, 2026 at 8:36 PM
My writing has prompted people to mention: Robert Aickman, Ghostwatch, Inside No. 9, Patricia Highsmith, M.R. James, Nigel Kneale, Alan Garner, Alan Moore, Rod Serling, H.P. Lovecraft, Brian Evenson and, erm, John Harris. In case you were wondering if you might like this book.
After delaying for two weeks, I finally filled in the new style hospital questionnaire yesterday. It says it takes 45 minutes. It took me three hours. Meanwhile the dates available for the operation have now vanished. The burden being placed on patients to organise their own NHS care is INTOLERABLE
September 4, 2026 at 9:41 AM
After delaying for two weeks, I finally filled in the new style hospital questionnaire yesterday. It says it takes 45 minutes. It took me three hours. Meanwhile the dates available for the operation have now vanished. The burden being placed on patients to organise their own NHS care is INTOLERABLE
Reposted by Skionar
Two pages from the extremely rare book 'Nightmare Land' by G. Orr Clark, illustrations by Caroline Love Goodwin, 1901. Its probably hard to find as so many parents would have destroyed copies on behalf of their terrified children.
September 2, 2026 at 10:42 PM
Two pages from the extremely rare book 'Nightmare Land' by G. Orr Clark, illustrations by Caroline Love Goodwin, 1901. Its probably hard to find as so many parents would have destroyed copies on behalf of their terrified children.
Summer hippy. Winter Goth.
September 3, 2026 at 10:39 AM
Summer hippy. Winter Goth.
Reposted by Skionar
Reposted by Skionar
Today's the feast of St Gregory, 6th Century Pope and Doctor of the Church. He appears on nearly 20 surviving medieval rood screens in Norfolk alone, often with his papal crown scratched out by the 16th Century reformers, as here at Ludham.
September 3, 2026 at 6:55 AM
Today's the feast of St Gregory, 6th Century Pope and Doctor of the Church. He appears on nearly 20 surviving medieval rood screens in Norfolk alone, often with his papal crown scratched out by the 16th Century reformers, as here at Ludham.
Reposted by Skionar
Final spooky image from me for #WyrdWednesday. John Tenniel's contemporary depiction of Jack The Ripper.
#WyrdWednesday #Victorian
#WyrdWednesday #Victorian
September 2, 2026 at 3:27 PM
Final spooky image from me for #WyrdWednesday. John Tenniel's contemporary depiction of Jack The Ripper.
#WyrdWednesday #Victorian
#WyrdWednesday #Victorian
Couldn't make it
Back in the basement of Treadwell’s Books signing more copies of ‘Hookland Fragments Volume One’ and inserting the exclusive Right To Reside cards. So if you’ve ever wanted a signed copy with RTO card, I guarantee they are back in stock at @treadwells-books.bsky.social
September 1, 2026 at 9:29 PM
Couldn't make it
