iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Sat in a sunny garden, listening to adults nearby as they entertain young children by making ghost noises. It’s quite a combination. I’m trying not to giggle too loudly. Yes, I am a small child too.

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Today has been truly lovely. In many unexpected, tiny but quietly momentous, ways.

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

The Bookshop Blog is out early this week. It's possibly one of the most personal blogs I've ever written, while still being focused on the wonders of @blackwelloxford.bsky.social. Also, how did I not know about The Norrington Room?! www.thebookshoparoundthecorner.co.uk/2026/09/for-...

A photograph of a row of shop fronts. From right, we have numbers 48 and 50, which are quite long and clearly show they are the deep blue front of the main Blackwell's Bookshop. Then there's a small pub called The White Horse. Then there's another blue Blackwell's front, for the music shop.

A shop front in a modern building. This time we see Blackwell's booksellers in dark letters on modern stone. The windows are large panes of floor to ceiling glass, and yellow letters on those windows declare: Posters, Manga, SF & Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Games.

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

I’ve often wondered how our ancestors first came up with the idea of making bread. I like this theory.

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Bunny Kingdom is a truly brilliant board game. I write this as someone who has just lost to @twpeople.bsky.social and still loved the game.

A close up photograph looking across the top of the board of a completed game of Bunny Kingdom. Little yellow or pink bunnies have been placed on squares representing fields, crops, woods or water. Some of the bunnies sit in castles.

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

This is amazing. I would guess it’s also a very good reason why the destruction of ancient woodland cannot be counteracted by planting new trees elsewhere.

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Reposted by Erica

Rossiter Books @rossiterbooks.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Anyone else who fancies visiting Rossiter Books shops we'd like you to know about "Rossitering" Ask for our special loyalty card to join our "Rossitering" community - visit each shop and buy a book, get a stamp on the card and when you've visited all 7 shops you will receive a goody bag!

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Comparing Cheltenham and Tunbridge Wells, and the familiarity of a visit to @rossiterbooks.bsky.social: www.thebookshoparoundthecorner.co.uk/2026/09/a-fe...

A photograph inside Rossiter Books in Cheltenham. A table filled with neat piles of books is in front of a wall of bookcases filled with more books.

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

I’m still thinking about this film and the poetry it’s led me to.

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Today I learned that copper mining and data centres are a threat to the Argentinian grape harvest: to malbec. If that isn't enough to stop everyone from using AI, I don't know what is. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.uk

'Every drop of water counts': Fear for Argentina's glaciers

A controversial law to ease protections for the glaciers has passed, opening the doors for mining.

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Does anyone know how to turn off automatically expanding windows on a Mac? Every time I move my internet window it expands to full size, which is really, really annoying when I'm trying to easily navigate between different applications.

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Today I ran in the Tunbridge Wells Hospice 10k, coming 2nd (to last). At the last minute I decided to run with a friend who was nervous about the distance. I’ve raised money for charity, supported a mate *and* had a lovely chatty morning. Sometimes it really is about the taking part.

A screenshot of a Strava map showing part of Tunbridge Wells. There’s a red line to mark my route. It includes text:
Distance 10.12km
Pace 8:34/km
Time 1h 26m.
And the title: Hospice 10k

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Paterson, starring Adam Driver and the most talented canine actor I’ve ever seen*. Beautiful, simple, weird, highly recommended.

A DVD case showing a man asleep next to a woman, they are cuddling. The film is called Paterson and I highly recommend that you watch it.

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

This week on the bookshop blog, I shamelessly share my love for Margate www.thebookshoparoundthecorner.co.uk/2026/09/i-lo...

The bright shop front of The Margate Bookshop.

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

I may have lost, but I answered something like four of the first six questions correctly *and* before any of the contestants. I’m nwver that accurate or quick. I’m taking that as a win.

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Reposted by Erica

The Whimsical Muse @whimsicalmuse.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

I still don't have a bookshelf with a rolling ladder, so no, I'm afraid your email did not "find me well."

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

This week's bookshop blog is short and sweet, like our trip to Bakewell a few years ago. www.thebookshoparoundthecorner.co.uk/2026/09/a-go...

The front of Maxwells Bookshop, along the top is a black banner with the name. This is above large shop windows framed in a red/orange colour. It's nice and welcoming.

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

This is an enjoyable read for those interested in bookshops from history.

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

I've submitted – but not paid – my tax return early, so I can keep on top of invoices etc in my new working life. Does anyone else instantly feel sick when they log into that website? The fear of getting it wrong haunts me.

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Scrabble in the garden. In September.

A table in a garden contains a large scrabble board, two racks with letters, some crisps and glasses of water. The tiles on my rack are visible: S I A U D I T. It’s a sunny scene.

A tabby cat is sat on a garden chair, looking towards a table. A rack for scrabble tiles is placed in front of her. She watches, intently contemplating her next turn.

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Also, with this week's bookshop can we now appreciate that I've finally managed to add Scotland to the Bookshop Blog: www.thebookshoparoundthecorner.co.uk/p/geographic... 🥳

thebookshoparoundthecorner.co.uk

Geographical index

A geographical index of bookshops visited by bookshop blogger Erica

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Re-living a lovely trip to @goldenharebooks.bsky.social, almost exactly one year and one week later. Also, I purchased two very good books, one of them a mystery: www.thebookshoparoundthecorner.co.uk/2026/09/gold...

The front of Golden Hare Books is painted a warm, dark, grey. Golden paint tells us the bookshop's name, as well as showing a picture of a hare and the words "fine books". To the right, a railing and steps lead to the front door. In the middle, railings and plants are in front of a window filled with books.

A book is wrapped in black and white Golden Hare Books branded tissue paper. On top of it is a brown paper luggage tag, on it we can read handwriting: £10.50. Continent wide religious upheaval finds its way into the lives of a couple, devoted to what they consider eternal. Passionate, skillful, and... (here the text turns onto the other side.)

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

There’s a new film adaptation of Sense and Sensibility coming out?! How did I miss this? Please will someone watch it and then let me know if it’s safe to see? I’m so wary of bad adaptations.

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

In relation to my previous, I will happily write in all my books, because they’re my books and I like to appreciate and remember passages that move me. Pristine books are for bookshops.

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

I consider @writersandartists.bsky.social a reference book, to be annotated, corner-folded and generally pick up the scars of use. In contrast, The Boy is horrified by the use of this pencil as a bookmark. What do you lot think?

A photo of the red paperback doorstop of a book that is Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook 2027. It’s lying on its back and we’re looking at the top, where a bookmark sticks out. Above the bookmark, marking a different page, is a pencil acting as a bookmark.

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

This is a random chain I can get behind: Off the top of your head, six great things. Books Crisps Freshly picked blackberries Saying hello to random people on a walk Tea The Boy (it is a personal list) Wild flowers

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

This week on the bookshop blog, I visit St Leonards-on-sea and witter on about deja vu and the importance of the emergency tenner www.thebookshoparoundthecorner.co.uk/2026/08/deja...

Looking through the window of a bookshop. It's dark outside and so all the books inside appear golden.

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Countryside walk complete with bull-prompted u-turn, on what we’d thought was meant to be a cooler day. Now relaxing in a beer garden. #TeaUp time for me.

A photo of a wooden table in a pub beer garden. From left it contains: a pair of sunglasses, a white cup and saucer with tea and a biscuit, a small metal milk jug, a pint of beer, white tea pot, and a small paperback book of Kent 40 favourite walks.

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Hurlingham Books is crammed with bookish wonder, much like my head as I was writing this week's blog www.thebookshoparoundthecorner.co.uk/2026/08/cram...

A photograph of the front of a bookshop. The main focus is a series of three windows, all filled floor to ceiling with books neatly piled up on shelves.

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Approx three hours to get home from the Proms (usually 80mins). A lovely evening ruined by train chaos, caused by what looks like a quite frankly terrifying fire. Thank you to the firefighters for their efforts to battle it, and thank you to the train staff for doing their best to get us all home.

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Michael Sheen’s documentary, Buried, is shocking. This isn’t America.

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Reposted by Erica

Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

In which I witter on about a lovely bookshop in Exeter and a very enjoyable science fiction novel from the 1950s: www.thebookshoparoundthecorner.co.uk/2026/08/perf...

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Rankle is particularly rankling today. Don’t waste your time with the utter pointlessness. Consider yourselves warned.

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Simply sat in the garden enjoying the changing light, the sky is suddenly full of dragonflies. Flitting back and forth between ours and the neighbour’s garden. We’ve never had them here before. It’s beautiful.

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Reposted by Erica

Ramin Nasibov @nasibov.me · 12/08/2026

If you missed the solar eclipse, this is what it looked like:

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

I'm conscious my chatter is very much wittering. But I've only ever seen it written down by me, so my question is: is it wittering or whittering? Answers on a postcard please.

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

In which I witter on about a lovely bookshop in Exeter and a very enjoyable science fiction novel from the 1950s: www.thebookshoparoundthecorner.co.uk/2026/08/perf...

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Spotted on a countryside walk earlier today.

A photo of a small sign by a road, bearing the words: SLOW. Free range children & cats.

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

🥳 I can now follow people I’d been wary of because of reposts.

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

A beautiful moment of feeling ever so slightly cold while sat in the garden. More of this please.

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

How far back in time is too far for me to write about? My visit to The little bookshop in Cookham took place just over two years ago but still seems accurate so far as I can tell www.thebookshoparoundthecorner.co.uk/2026/08/the-...

A photograph of the pale blue shop front of The little bookshop. A series of big panes of glass is filled with books.

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Erica @briteeyedviolet.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

I'm trying to remember a small independent bookshop I visited somewhere in (I think) southern England. It was tiny and had a board over a closed staircase going down in the middle of the shop. Interesting fiction recommendations were displayed on that board. Does this ring any bells with anyone?

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