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Frances Hardinge @franceshardinge.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Thank you, and I'm so glad you like it! I'm looking forward to seeing it myself. :-)

Frances Hardinge @franceshardinge.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

These are splendid. :-) I think my favourite is the little bird luxuriating in a flower full of water, but tiny furious goldcrest is definitely a contender.

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M Meerkat @kackbro.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Naomi Klein Is Spot On.......

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Frances Hardinge @franceshardinge.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

I've now reposted from a different browser, and that seems to have done the trick. Sorry about that!

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Frances Hardinge @franceshardinge.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Last weekend, had a fantastic time at the Neev Literature Festival. (Photos taken before the arrival of the happy, buzzy, book-enthused crowds.) Wonderful to meet the young readers, the organisers and all the other delegates!

Photo of a wide hall with a glass roof, where a handful of people are shown walking away, with decorative tote bags over their shoulders. From the glass ceiling hang hand-made gold stars, red and blue planets made of painted balloons, and white fluffy clouds with strings of clear beads dangling from them to look like rain. Flanking this hanging display are swoops of gauzy purple fabric, and at the far end of the hall is a line of purple and white bunting.

A photo of Neev Academy's main building taken from a high window opposite. The building is modern and multi-tiered, mostly white with a brown upper roof. Immediately in front of it is a curved, paved space along the edge of which grow intermittent trees of different sizes. The foreground area is covered in grass.

Photo of a long, brown wooden desk which has been converted into a 'mystery corner'. The letters of MYSTERYiece of paper marked 'Cybersecurity challenges', the text of which is nearly all obscured by black censorship boxes, the only words remaining being 'Threat intelligence', 'murder', 'information released' and 'regards'. Propped on the desk is a card with 'Top Secr have each been printed large on individual papers and pasted on the desk's backboard in order, but mystery-themed elements have been added to each letter. The half-hidden M has been tipped with red at the top. A blue magnifying glass has been added to the Y. A trail of little footprints cross the S. Images and clues linked by string surround the T. Chains entangle the E. There is a scarlet jigsaw piece near the half-visible Y.Partially obscuring the M, a board hangs down, covered in scraps of paper. Some scraps have scribbled notes, such as 'Dead?' or 'murder weapon?' and others have hand-drawn images, including a gun, a bloodied knife, a simple mugshot, a crude map with a snaking road and two mysterious red marks, and a red fingerprint. There is also a pet' in red capitals. To the left of the photo, on the white wall above the desk is a hand-made paper analog clock with red numbers and the time given as half past eleven. The red words 'Running Out of Time' are arranged in an arc surrounding the upper half of the clock. Black paper question marks dangle from the ceiling above the desk. To the right of the clock a poster is attached the wall, with 'WANTED' written at the top in black capitals, and 'BY POLICE' immediately below in smaller, fainter capitals.There is a green chair to the right, mostly tucked under the desk.

A photo of two bookshelves at right angles that almost meet in a corner. Both are covered with brightly coloured children's books for a range of ages. Blue signs at the top of each bookshelf say 'Speaker Books'.

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Frances Hardinge @franceshardinge.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Hmm, something odd does seem to have happened! Sorry about that. I'll try to work out what has gone wrong, and if necessary I'll try posting again.

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Rockets on Tyne @rocketsontyne.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Let's try this one again: @franceshardinge.bsky.social's novel, as pictured, is of course Traitor's Nest; Heaven's Graveyard is by Grace Curtis; and I have no idea where that gate came from. Apologies!

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Frances Hardinge @franceshardinge.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

What a gorgeous ship! That looks fantastic!

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Frances Hardinge @franceshardinge.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

They're not as good as shop-bought peaches, but they do actually smell and taste like peaches. They're much nicer than they look, though that's a really low bar.

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Frances Hardinge @franceshardinge.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Thank you! :-) Thankfully they taste better than they look. I've frozen quite a few too.

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Frances Hardinge @franceshardinge.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

These may be ugly and weird-looking, but for the first time ever I have edible peaches on my tree! (They're less green than they appear in the photo.) There are more still on the tree, plus others that have been claimed by gravity and wildlife.

Seen from above, a plastic tupperware box on a wooden table contains five greenish, pitted, speckled peaches.

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Frances Hardinge @franceshardinge.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Just returned from a week in New York, to coincide with the publication of TRAITORS' NEST in the US! Many thanks to Abrams Books for taking such good care of me, and the wonderful @booksofwonder.bsky.social for hosting the launch! It's been many years since I visited this lovely bookshop...

Indoor view of Books of Wonder bookshop after closing with no people visible. View from the back of the shop looking all the way to the distant front entrance, past shelves filled with brightly coloured children's books, card displays of picture book characters and comfortable-looking seats.

Indoor view of Books of Wonder bookshop after closing with no people visible. View between two long shelves filled with brightly coloured books. Short stepladders are visible against the right shelf. Behind the left shelf rise square columns covered with brightly coloured posters.

Indoor view of Books of Wonder bookshop after closing with no people visible. Photo shoes three upright bookcases filled with brightly coloured children's books side by side. Over the middle case is a poster in a gold-coloured frame advertising 'Still Life' by Alex London and Paul O Zelinsky.

Close up of two shelves of vintage children's books, mostly with leather bindings. A dark blue copy of Hans Christian's Fairy Tales is turned with the front facing out, as is a red-covered edition of George Cruikshank's Fairy Tales. A sticker says that the latter is inscribed by the author.

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Edmonds Scanner @edmondsscanner.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Don't hide your light from the world. Use it to draw unwary travellers to your lair in the catacombs beneath a crumbling castle, where you can devour them slowly over the next thousand years.

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Frances Hardinge @franceshardinge.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

It's a known side effect. Did any of them offer you a bargain? (Thank you for the kind words!)

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Anna Mazzola @annamazz.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

I am reading Traitors’ Nest at the moment and it is brilliant. However, somewhat unnervingly, I just went for a run and encountered 30 to 40 magpies flying around. Has this happened to other readers??

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JL Kaufmann @jlkaufmann.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

I do believe this is as close as you can get to actually M.R. James himself reading his stories to you. Highly recommended. (And if it were actually M.R. James reading to you it'd go beyond a pleasing terror and straight into AAAAAAARRRGH WTF territory).

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Uncle Duke @uncleduke1969.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

The cats graciously put on a magic show for us last night. I figured out how they did most of the tricks, but I didn’t say anything, because that would have been rude.

Two cats on a platformed tower. One is on the lower level, head hidden behind the middle section. The second is on the top tier with only their head showing.

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Frances Hardinge @franceshardinge.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

ICYMI, there's a limited edition version of TRAITORS' NEST with sprayed edges only to be found in independent bookshops. I've just received my own copy, and I can't stop admiring it. Isn't it pretty? Look at the magpie feather!

Photo of a hardback book lying down on a black, semi-diaphanous cloth with tiny sequins on it. The book has the title "Traitors' Nest" in white capitals over an image of a magpie feather picked out in purple, blue, gold and black. Behind the feather is a black castle outlined in gold and green, and behind the castle stylised green flames leap before a black background. The white tagline is "Your Next Move Changes Everything". The gold author name is given as "Frances Hardinge". All the gold on the cover is shiny foil. A sticker in the corner says 'Signed Independent Bookshop Edition'.
The book is seen from a slight angle, so that green sprayed edges are just visible.

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Frances Hardinge @franceshardinge.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

I rather like the fact that Youtube comments for an old, beautiful piece of music can sometimes give you snapshots of what it has meant to different people. A song that gave them strength, a long lost precious melody from childhood, or the soundtrack to meaningful moments in their lives.

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Matt is Just Trying His Best @thegrampus.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Whoever decided to promote Coyote vs Acme by letting Wile E do an AMA using only signs deserves all the praise.

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Patrick Ness @patricknessbooks.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Proofs exist! New adult novel out in February!

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Pilar Ramírez Tello @pramireztello.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

For all the non-Spanish speaking authors out there - please be aware that my name, along with that of several other Spanish literary translators, is being used by one or more persons, presumably with nefarious intent.

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Frances Hardinge @franceshardinge.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

A lovely review of TRAITORS' NEST included in the @theguardian.com's children's book round up! "Humane, complex and inimitably inventive, this magnificent 12+ fantasy is yet another barnstormer from the Costa-winning Hardinge." www.theguardian.com/books/2026/a...

theguardian.com

Children’s books roundup – the best new picture books and novels

Poetry with wonder and wit; a heartwarming tale for horse lovers; a portal to the future; a brilliant YA wartime romance and more

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Professor Peter Matthews @urbaneprofessor.bsky.social · 07/09/2025

This frontispiece in my book just made me laugh a lot. Is this Buddhist reincarnation, or some other form of afterlife?

Bram Stoker
1847-1912
A PENGUIN SINCE 1979

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Frances Hardinge @franceshardinge.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Thank you - I'm so glad you're enjoying it!

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Mike Trinder @chthonicionic.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Many years ago I thought mixing cream into a setting strawberry jelly would make a nice creamy desert for the then toddlers. And meat-baby was born. For the same toddlers 17th birthday, they’ve asked that I make another one…

A strawberry jelly with curdled cream set into it in the shape of a happy sloth. The curdled mixture has set to look just like shiny meat.

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Caroline Fielding @cazapr1.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Publication day for the latest #KidLitUK title from one of my favourite authors of all time! Traitors' Nest by @franceshardinge.bsky.social is as brilliant as you'd expect from her, and I was really pleased to ask a few questions of her for teenlibrarian. teenlibrarian.co.uk/2026/08/27/t...

teenlibrarian.co.uk

Traitors’ Nest by Frances Hardinge

Castles traded places sometimes. Everyone knew that. It was always something that might happen, except that it never had.Until all of a sudden it did. Far above the valleys and villages o…

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Frances Hardinge @franceshardinge.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

In other news, water appears to be falling from holes in the sky. It just keeps falling and falling. I'd almost forgotten what that looked like.

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Frances Hardinge @franceshardinge.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

TRAITORS' NEST has now been released into the wild! Teleporting castles, mysterious ancient entities, strange beasts, betrayal and revolution await! www.hive.co.uk/product/fran... www.amazon.co.uk/Traitors-Nes... www.waterstones.com/book/traitor...

hive.co.uk

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Toss @stevenspoints.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

I really cannot think of a greater honor than to have the Muppets say this about you upon your passing

Instagram post from the official Muppets account: Few humans have earned the title of honorary Muppet more than the legendary Tim Curry. As a performer he was unparalleled - witty, charming, unnerving, and deeply funny. We will always consider it one of our greatest treasures to have been part of Long John Silver’s crew. Thank you for everything, Tim.

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Frances Hardinge @franceshardinge.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

I'm also a very bad thrower, as all my past games teachers can testify. :-)

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Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

The Library is devastated to learn of the passing of Dolly Parton, a music legend and titan of children's literacy. Her Imagination Library program has earned multiple Library Literacy Awards and, in 2018, she visited us to donate its 100 millionth book to our collection and host a story time. 🦋❤️

Dolly Parton reads to children in the Library’s Great Hall in 2018. Photo by Shawn Miller.

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Frances Hardinge @franceshardinge.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Sorry about the delayed reply, I was trying to find out the answer! It looks like the illustrations won't appear in the US edition.

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Frances Hardinge @franceshardinge.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Thank you! I'm so glad you liked it!

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Frances Hardinge @franceshardinge.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Thank you! You will survive too! We can do this!

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Frances Hardinge @franceshardinge.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Thank you, that's very kind! Hope you like it, and that you don't throw rocks at me! :D

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Frances Hardinge @franceshardinge.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

I'm at the 'My book comes out in two days, at which point everybody will see me for the imposter I am, and throw rocks at me' stage.

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