Zena Barrie
@zenabarrie.bsky.social
Author & co-director of Camden Fringe
Writes things, reads things, goes to watch things
www.zenabarrie.com
Writes things, reads things, goes to watch things
www.zenabarrie.com
Reposted by Zena Barrie
Did a stack that might resonate with a few but will probably just end up with a load of unsubscribe. Serves me bloody right…
substack.com/@stephaniebr...
substack.com/@stephaniebr...
Stephanie Bretherton (@stephaniebretherton)
Ooops. Might have just made my first ‘article’ post. Cue… the unsubscribes ;)
substack.com
April 23, 2026 at 10:44 AM
Did a stack that might resonate with a few but will probably just end up with a load of unsubscribe. Serves me bloody right…
substack.com/@stephaniebr...
substack.com/@stephaniebr...
Reposted by Zena Barrie
We cannot believe it has only been three years since we brought out our first book! And we have so many reasons to celebrate.
#happybirthday #publishingjourney #books #thankyou
#happybirthday #publishingjourney #books #thankyou
April 17, 2026 at 12:14 PM
We cannot believe it has only been three years since we brought out our first book! And we have so many reasons to celebrate.
#happybirthday #publishingjourney #books #thankyou
#happybirthday #publishingjourney #books #thankyou
Some ramblings
open.substack.com/pub/zenabarr...
open.substack.com/pub/zenabarr...
Jane Austen, tiny pants and ponds
I haven’t written anything for a while.
open.substack.com
April 17, 2026 at 9:38 AM
Some ramblings
open.substack.com/pub/zenabarr...
open.substack.com/pub/zenabarr...
Reposted by Zena Barrie
MORE Book News! 📢 📖 🎉
YESENI AND THE DAUGHTER OF PEACE
We are so pleased to have performed a rescue mission for this amazing book!
The second edition of Solange Burrell’s debut, this stunning historical fantasy is now back exactly where it should be…
#yafantasy #BlackLit #AltHistory #TimeTravel
YESENI AND THE DAUGHTER OF PEACE
We are so pleased to have performed a rescue mission for this amazing book!
The second edition of Solange Burrell’s debut, this stunning historical fantasy is now back exactly where it should be…
#yafantasy #BlackLit #AltHistory #TimeTravel
March 30, 2026 at 12:31 PM
MORE Book News! 📢 📖 🎉
YESENI AND THE DAUGHTER OF PEACE
We are so pleased to have performed a rescue mission for this amazing book!
The second edition of Solange Burrell’s debut, this stunning historical fantasy is now back exactly where it should be…
#yafantasy #BlackLit #AltHistory #TimeTravel
YESENI AND THE DAUGHTER OF PEACE
We are so pleased to have performed a rescue mission for this amazing book!
The second edition of Solange Burrell’s debut, this stunning historical fantasy is now back exactly where it should be…
#yafantasy #BlackLit #AltHistory #TimeTravel
Reposted by Zena Barrie
Proud and privileged to have had a hand in helping to bring this amazing book back to life… #booksky
MORE Book News! 📢 📖 🎉
YESENI AND THE DAUGHTER OF PEACE
We are so pleased to have performed a rescue mission for this amazing book!
The second edition of Solange Burrell’s debut, this stunning historical fantasy is now back exactly where it should be…
#yafantasy #BlackLit #AltHistory #TimeTravel
YESENI AND THE DAUGHTER OF PEACE
We are so pleased to have performed a rescue mission for this amazing book!
The second edition of Solange Burrell’s debut, this stunning historical fantasy is now back exactly where it should be…
#yafantasy #BlackLit #AltHistory #TimeTravel
March 30, 2026 at 1:59 PM
Proud and privileged to have had a hand in helping to bring this amazing book back to life… #booksky
Reposted by Zena Barrie
Congrats to my hilarious friend @zenabarrie.bsky.social for being named a FINALIST in the CIBA Humour & Satire Awards! Her unique collection Two Similar Looking Men With Umbilical Hernias out from @breakthroughbook.bsky.social is not to be missed… #booksky
March 10, 2026 at 1:52 PM
Congrats to my hilarious friend @zenabarrie.bsky.social for being named a FINALIST in the CIBA Humour & Satire Awards! Her unique collection Two Similar Looking Men With Umbilical Hernias out from @breakthroughbook.bsky.social is not to be missed… #booksky
Reposted by Zena Barrie
Happy World Book Day! Here’s to anyone reading or writing any kind of truly human-made book. Let’s turn up the dial on empathy, awareness, connection and let’s celebrate the quiet, simple pleasures. Let’s rediscover the humanity of sharing in inspiration, imagination and craft.
#worldbookday
#worldbookday
March 5, 2026 at 9:25 AM
Happy World Book Day! Here’s to anyone reading or writing any kind of truly human-made book. Let’s turn up the dial on empathy, awareness, connection and let’s celebrate the quiet, simple pleasures. Let’s rediscover the humanity of sharing in inspiration, imagination and craft.
#worldbookday
#worldbookday
Reposted by Zena Barrie
And what an honour on #worldbookday to be appearing on this fascinating podcast that is discussing and archiving literature that does not shy away from addressing #Covid - do check out pandemic pages on Instagram, TikTok and Spotify!
March 5, 2026 at 1:25 PM
And what an honour on #worldbookday to be appearing on this fascinating podcast that is discussing and archiving literature that does not shy away from addressing #Covid - do check out pandemic pages on Instagram, TikTok and Spotify!
Reposted by Zena Barrie
I am in Southwark tonight at The White Hart, The Brunswick in Brighton on Friday and then with @amnestyfeminist.bsky.social in London on Saturday afternoon
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/neurospicy...
www.brunswickpub.co.uk/event-detail...
#comedy #poetry #diversity
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/neurospicy...
www.brunswickpub.co.uk/event-detail...
#comedy #poetry #diversity
March 3, 2026 at 2:58 PM
I am in Southwark tonight at The White Hart, The Brunswick in Brighton on Friday and then with @amnestyfeminist.bsky.social in London on Saturday afternoon
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/neurospicy...
www.brunswickpub.co.uk/event-detail...
#comedy #poetry #diversity
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/neurospicy...
www.brunswickpub.co.uk/event-detail...
#comedy #poetry #diversity
Reposted by Zena Barrie
Looking forward to being part of this -what a treat to read with @robinince.bsky.social, @zenabarrie.bsky.social, @anniesacre.bsky.social and more! Come let us entertain you, May 17th, Carlton Club, Chorlton! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/word-of-mo... @cafchorlton.bsky.social
Word of Mouth @ The Carlton Club
A fun evening of spoken word as part of Chorlton Arts Festival.
Featuring Dave Williams, Zena Barrie & headliner Robin Ince + more TBC
www.eventbrite.co.uk
February 20, 2026 at 12:08 PM
Looking forward to being part of this -what a treat to read with @robinince.bsky.social, @zenabarrie.bsky.social, @anniesacre.bsky.social and more! Come let us entertain you, May 17th, Carlton Club, Chorlton! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/word-of-mo... @cafchorlton.bsky.social
Reposted by Zena Barrie
This is the cover of my next poetry collection - it is out on 2nd April which also happens to be 3rd anniversary of my father’s death. A constant inspiration.
February 15, 2026 at 10:12 AM
This is the cover of my next poetry collection - it is out on 2nd April which also happens to be 3rd anniversary of my father’s death. A constant inspiration.
Reposted by Zena Barrie
Well this is just as it should be! We are tickled pink to see the uniquely brilliant Two Similar-Looking Men With Umbilical Hernias on the shortlist for Satire and Humour in the CIBAs!
#humorousfiction #shortlistedbook #comedywriting
@zenabarrie.bsky.social
#humorousfiction #shortlistedbook #comedywriting
@zenabarrie.bsky.social
January 19, 2026 at 6:48 PM
Well this is just as it should be! We are tickled pink to see the uniquely brilliant Two Similar-Looking Men With Umbilical Hernias on the shortlist for Satire and Humour in the CIBAs!
#humorousfiction #shortlistedbook #comedywriting
@zenabarrie.bsky.social
#humorousfiction #shortlistedbook #comedywriting
@zenabarrie.bsky.social
Reposted by Zena Barrie
I suspect it's the same kind of privilege misconception that makes men think a group containing 17% women is 50-50 and one containing 33% women is mostly women.
October 27, 2025 at 12:05 PM
I suspect it's the same kind of privilege misconception that makes men think a group containing 17% women is 50-50 and one containing 33% women is mostly women.
Reposted by Zena Barrie
as a keen sceptic, I put in over 27 mins of research into erasure of white faces in ads - due to this scrutiny, I discovered that there are SOME black faces in adverts - not all, not most - in fact there were almost as many vampires - no further discussion necessary
October 27, 2025 at 11:57 AM
as a keen sceptic, I put in over 27 mins of research into erasure of white faces in ads - due to this scrutiny, I discovered that there are SOME black faces in adverts - not all, not most - in fact there were almost as many vampires - no further discussion necessary
Reposted by Zena Barrie
We’re looking forward to this latest #authorinterview by @womenwritersnet.bsky.social with our very own @brethertonwords.bsky.social who will be discussing her writing journey and her award-winning novel The Fire In Their Eyes. Come and join in on Bluesky this Thursday at 6pm BST.
The fourth #AuthorInterview in our @womenwritersnet.bsky.social series takes place on Thur 23 Oct. Can’t wait to interview @brethertonwords.bsky.social about her new novel, The Fire In Their Eyes. Come and join us - you are welcome to ask the author your questions!
@breakthroughbook.bsky.social
@breakthroughbook.bsky.social
October 20, 2025 at 3:42 PM
We’re looking forward to this latest #authorinterview by @womenwritersnet.bsky.social with our very own @brethertonwords.bsky.social who will be discussing her writing journey and her award-winning novel The Fire In Their Eyes. Come and join in on Bluesky this Thursday at 6pm BST.
Reposted by Zena Barrie
This is impressive - solidarity with those women who performed the citizens arrest
www.citizensarrestnetwork.org/press/2025/1...
www.citizensarrestnetwork.org/press/2025/1...
BREAKING NEWS: Citizens arrest of Anglian Water CEO, Mark Thurston, made in London for Public Nuisance - CAN - Citizen’s Arrest Network
www.citizensarrestnetwork.org
October 16, 2025 at 10:22 AM
This is impressive - solidarity with those women who performed the citizens arrest
www.citizensarrestnetwork.org/press/2025/1...
www.citizensarrestnetwork.org/press/2025/1...
Reposted by Zena Barrie
🎉🎉🎉 Huge congratulations to @brethertonwords.bsky.social for being recognised by the Chanticleer Global Thriller Awards and for winning the Medical Thriller category in the NYC Big Book Awards! Needless to say we are… thrilled! 🥳🍾
#NYCBigBookAward #GabbyBookAwards #AwardWinningPublisher #SmallPress
#NYCBigBookAward #GabbyBookAwards #AwardWinningPublisher #SmallPress
September 16, 2025 at 5:19 PM
🎉🎉🎉 Huge congratulations to @brethertonwords.bsky.social for being recognised by the Chanticleer Global Thriller Awards and for winning the Medical Thriller category in the NYC Big Book Awards! Needless to say we are… thrilled! 🥳🍾
#NYCBigBookAward #GabbyBookAwards #AwardWinningPublisher #SmallPress
#NYCBigBookAward #GabbyBookAwards #AwardWinningPublisher #SmallPress
Reposted by Zena Barrie
How A Publisher Almost Killed The Book I Waited My Whole Life To Write: a thread
My novel Villager came out in 2022. It was published by Unbound, who had little marketing/sales power. But I was excited & proud, since I worked so f-ing hard on it.
Here's an extract: www.tom-cox.com/the-village-...
My novel Villager came out in 2022. It was published by Unbound, who had little marketing/sales power. But I was excited & proud, since I worked so f-ing hard on it.
Here's an extract: www.tom-cox.com/the-village-...
October 10, 2025 at 9:15 AM
How A Publisher Almost Killed The Book I Waited My Whole Life To Write: a thread
My novel Villager came out in 2022. It was published by Unbound, who had little marketing/sales power. But I was excited & proud, since I worked so f-ing hard on it.
Here's an extract: www.tom-cox.com/the-village-...
My novel Villager came out in 2022. It was published by Unbound, who had little marketing/sales power. But I was excited & proud, since I worked so f-ing hard on it.
Here's an extract: www.tom-cox.com/the-village-...
Reposted by Zena Barrie
To mark the first #bookbirthday of The Portrait Girl by Nicole Swengley, the e-book is now at the very special price of 99p (on both Amazon and our own website) for a limited time! Why not help us celebrate and load your #Kindle with what the FT described as “a thoroughly engaging mystery”!
October 9, 2025 at 4:21 PM
To mark the first #bookbirthday of The Portrait Girl by Nicole Swengley, the e-book is now at the very special price of 99p (on both Amazon and our own website) for a limited time! Why not help us celebrate and load your #Kindle with what the FT described as “a thoroughly engaging mystery”!
Reposted by Zena Barrie
This should be a lot of fun!
Book lovers in and around the Rugby area, do not miss the Rugby Literary Festival this weekend, but especially the spoken word evening hosted by Word Of Mouth this Friday. A range of fantastic performers will be on stage including our own @zenabarrie.bsky.social!
#Books #LiteraryFestival
#Books #LiteraryFestival
October 2, 2025 at 5:06 PM
This should be a lot of fun!
Reposted by Zena Barrie
Book lovers in and around the Rugby area, do not miss the Rugby Literary Festival this weekend, but especially the spoken word evening hosted by Word Of Mouth this Friday. A range of fantastic performers will be on stage including our own @zenabarrie.bsky.social!
#Books #LiteraryFestival
#Books #LiteraryFestival
October 2, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Book lovers in and around the Rugby area, do not miss the Rugby Literary Festival this weekend, but especially the spoken word evening hosted by Word Of Mouth this Friday. A range of fantastic performers will be on stage including our own @zenabarrie.bsky.social!
#Books #LiteraryFestival
#Books #LiteraryFestival
I went to Rochdale Comedy Festival on Tuesday to see @robinince.bsky.social and Dave Williams in the beautiful town hall. What an amazing place. They do tours and there is a very nice looking restaurant in there, deffo worth a ride on the tram.
October 2, 2025 at 9:54 AM
I went to Rochdale Comedy Festival on Tuesday to see @robinince.bsky.social and Dave Williams in the beautiful town hall. What an amazing place. They do tours and there is a very nice looking restaurant in there, deffo worth a ride on the tram.
Reposted by Zena Barrie
Reposted by Zena Barrie
Fresh off the back of being recommended by @robinince.bsky.social, today’s #BookQW is taken from the short story anthology Two Similar Looking Men With Umbilical Hernias by @zenabarrie.bsky.social, and is a prime example of her ability to combine the absurd and the existential to masterful effect.
September 24, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Fresh off the back of being recommended by @robinince.bsky.social, today’s #BookQW is taken from the short story anthology Two Similar Looking Men With Umbilical Hernias by @zenabarrie.bsky.social, and is a prime example of her ability to combine the absurd and the existential to masterful effect.
Reposted by Zena Barrie
My brilliant friend @josielong.bsky.social is on tour - she is in Milton Keynes on Wednesday - her show is so funny and she has created so much that has changed comedy world for the better - tickets here
stables.org/event/josie-...
stables.org/event/josie-...
Josie Long: Now Is The Time of Monsters | The Stables
Josie Long: Now Is The Time of Monsters
stables.org
September 23, 2025 at 10:42 PM
My brilliant friend @josielong.bsky.social is on tour - she is in Milton Keynes on Wednesday - her show is so funny and she has created so much that has changed comedy world for the better - tickets here
stables.org/event/josie-...
stables.org/event/josie-...