iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Revealing Cadence Timepiece’s latest signing, and it's our first series! Steve Cox is bringing his Tom Tyler English Civil War adventure epic over to us. Find out much more, including an interview with Steve on our substack, Timepieces. timepieces3.substack.com/p/reveal-of-...

Steve Cox about to sign the contract for his Tom Tyler series with Cadence Publishing director, Sophie Beal

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

I'll be back at the Romance Writing Festival Bournemouth with Cadence Publishing director Sophie Beal giving our bestselling fireside chat Organising Chaos: Turn a Messy Draft into a Publishable Novel. Meanwhile I've a lengthy post on Timepieces about writing, connection and creativity.

timepieces3.substack.com

Writing, Chaos, & Connection

Why the Human Connection Means Everything for Creativity; and Why You Should Come and See Us at the Romance Writing Festival Bournemouth

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

New post on Cadence Publishing's Timepieces Substack, reflections shifting from science fiction to historical fiction, memories of a novel I tried to write when I was 13, real life becoming indistinguishable from ridiculous SF, and a double twist ending. timepieces3.substack.com/p/mirrors-an...

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

For Timepieces as Cadence Publishing’s editor-at-large I reflect on my journey from science fiction to historical fiction, from judge of the Arthur C. Clarke Award, to editing Clouds Over Bowland by Rosemary Sturge. I think it's one of my best essays, so do take a look. substack.com/home/post/p-...

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 10/09/2025

@bmthwritingfest.bsky.social celebrates #RobertLouisStevenson - 175th birthday at his former home, where he wrote #DrJekyllandMrHyde and #Kidnapped. 13th November - performances, readings, poetry from Stevenson experts. @alibacon.bsky.social www.bournemouthwritingfestival.co.uk/networking-e...

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 04/09/2025

Organising Chaos: Turn a Messy Draft into a Publishable Novel originated as a talk I gave with Sophie Beal (Director of Cadence Publishing) at the Bournemouth Writing Festival. It proved so successful we are now doing an extended version for Writing Magazine: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/organising...

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 30/07/2025

Last night was the July Author Events' Books & Bubbles at Sobo:Sommelier. Bestselling psychological thriller writer @alexstoneauthor.bsky.social (The Quiet Sister) interviewed bestselling psychological thriller Jackie Kabler (The Revenge Plot). I adjudicated the fun and chaotic competition.

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 07/07/2025

I'm delighted that #WiildaAndTheTrollTrials by #LindaLiebrand, which I worked on last year, is now published. Linda says: 'I wrote Wiilda and the Troll Trials for curious kids who don’t quite fit in. For those who ask too many questions, or dream of adventures no one else sees.'

Author Linda Liebrand standing holding a copy of her novel for children aged 8-12, Wiilda and the Troll Trials, which was published on 2 July 2025.

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 06/07/2025

I've known about this for a while now, but am delighted to share the news that Andreina Cordani, bestselling, Crime Writers Association Daggar Award-nominated author of #MurderAtTheChristmasEmporium, will continue her seasonally-themed thrillers with #AScroogeMystery. And yes, there will be ghosts.

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 24/06/2025

Really looking forward to this crime writer panel with Andreina Cordani, TH Carrington, Alex Stone, and MA Hunter. @andreinacordani.bsky.social @alexstoneauthor.bsky.social authorevents.co.uk/2025/03/30/2...

social media graphic for Author Events crime writers panel, 24 June 2025.

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

New guest post on the #AuthorEvents Substack. From being asked to chair a panel at #RomanceWritingFestivalBournemouth via #Frankenstein to how for a brief while I thought I'd been published by #PrincetonUniversityPress and didn't even know it. #AlexStone authorevents.substack.com/p/the-write-...

Social media image for blog post Romance & Frankenstein by Gary Dalkin on AuthorEvents.

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 19/06/2025

My client Mark deMeza’s The Thirteenth Child, based on his family’s history in the Holocaust, was a bestselling success, with a 4.4 rating from over 2000 Amazon customers. Today the sequel, The Heroine of Auschwitz, for which I also provided editorial feedback during development, is published.

Cover of The Heroine of Auschwitz by Mark deMeza, sequel to The Thirteenth Child.

Cover of bestseling The Thirteenth Child by Mark deMeza.

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 18/06/2025

I've just reread the prologue of #TheSurvivor by #JamesHerbert, first reading it around 45 years ago. The gradual shift from normality to overwhelming horror in just six pages is masterfully done, while the 50 year old story could have been written yesterday... Let's see if the rest holds up.

Cover of The Survivor by James Herbert. The image of a crashing, burning jetliner is merged with that of a man's head.

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 23/04/2025

As an editor I can't help but be amazed that no one at Tyrrell's took a look at this packaging and said, 'Hold on a minute...' Because really, I'm not even 25% convinced that crisps made with recycled plastic is the selling point they think it is. #tyrrells #recycling #recycledplastic #editingfail

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 23/04/2025

Some new information about Shakespeare's domestic arrangements for his birthday. #shakespeare #annehathaway

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 21/04/2025

Last year I wrote an article for #WritingMagazine, Organising Chaos: How to Turn a Messy First Draft into a Publishable Book, to coincide with my talk with #SophieBeal of #CadencePublishing at the #BournemouthWritingFestival. On Saturday we are giving an updated version at this year's festival...

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 15/04/2025

In the light of publicity given to a nude writing workshop at the Bournemouth Writing Festival I must point out that Organising Chaos: Turn a Messy Draft into a Publishable Book will be fully clothed. That applies to the audience too. Even those right at the back. www.pdsw.org.uk/whats-on/org...

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 04/04/2025

Just three weeks until the #BournemouthWritingFestival, where I'll be co-presenting Organising Chaos: Turn a Messy Draft into a Publishable Book with #SophieBeal of #CadencePublishing. Happily the #BWF is far too nice to have anyone like the chap from this #PrivateEye cartoon in our audience...

Organising Chaos: Turn a Messy Draft into a Publishable Book, with Sophie Beal & Gary Dalkin at the Bournemouth Writing Festival, 26 April 2025

Literary festival cartoon from Private Eye

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

Members of the Society of Authors are protesting at Meta's London HQ today. societyofauthors.org/2025/04/01/s... #libgen #meta #dothewritething #bookthieves

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

Jane Goodall, the internationally renowned primatologist, environmentalist, activist and author celebrates her 91st birthday today. So here's wishing Bournemouth's most famous living author a very happy birthday. (Photos are from my collection of Jane Goodall's many books.)

The covers of six books written by Jane Goodall

Title page of In The Shadow of Man, with dedication to my wife and myself by Jane Goodall

Cover of In The Shadow of Man by, as she was at the time, Jane van Lawick-Goodall

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 02/04/2025

I wrote a piece with Festival Director #DominicWong about the #BournemouthWritingFestival for the May issue of #WritingMagazine. In shops 3 April, available as a print or digital edition online now. www.bournemouthwritingfestival.co.uk/home www.writers-online.co.uk/store/back-i...

Article by Gary Dalkin and Festival Director Domnic Wong about Bournemouth Writing Festival, published in the May 2025 issue of Writing Magazine

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

In Great Expectations Charles Dickens perfectly captures today. In the sun it feels like the first day of summer, and I have my office doors open for the first time this year. In the shade, that breeze still has a wintery bite.

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 18/03/2025

Come and see me and Cadence Publishing CEO Sophie Beal at the Bournemouth Writing Festival, where we will be Organising Chaos again. We sold out last year, so get your tickets for the finest editor/publisher double act in town. Meanwhile the festival programme has just gone live online.

online.fliphtml5.com

Bournemouth Writing Festival 2025 Programme

100 free and ticketed events over three days in Bournemouth Town Centre to inspire writers to write. 25th to 27th April 2025.

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

The Bournemouth Writing Festival is offering a 15% off discount until the end of February, which includes the talk I am giving with Cadence Publishing director Sophie Beal - Organising Chaos: Turn a Messy Draft into a Publishable Book. Booking link: www.pdsw.org.uk/whats-on/org...

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 19/02/2025

Meet me, and lots of other publishing industry professionals and authors, at the Author Marketplace at the Bournemouth Writing Festival, 27 April. If you are looking for an editor, want some writing advice, or to chat about your writing, come along and say hello. authorevents.co.uk/2025/02/12/t...

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 24/01/2025

The audiobook of Mark deMeza's The Thirteenth Child, read by Maria Cusick, is published for #HolocaustMemorialDay (27 January). The print edition has a 4.4 score on Amazon from 1820 customer ratings, probably the most successful self-published book I have edited. www.amazon.co.uk/Thirteenth-C...

The cover of the paperback edition of The Thirteenth Child by Mark deMeza.

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

Spotted on this morning's walk, bringing an important question to mind. What if the CS Lewis' Narnia wardrobe was a TARDIS with a working chameleon circuit? #cslewis #narnia #thelionthewitchandthewardrobe #doctorwho #tardis #chameloncircuit

A photo of an abandoned wardrobe on a street corner. Or is it?

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 20/01/2025

Sue Barrow's SOLD ("compulsively readable" - The Guardian) is currently 99 cents as an e-book on Amazon US. The School Library Association (UK) picked SOLD as their recommended summer read for 13-16 year olds. www.amazon.com/SOLD-What-wi... #cadencepublishing #childtrafficking #suebarrow

Cover of SOLD by Sue Barrow, published by Cadence Publishing.

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 20/01/2025

Today, on the US public holiday held in his honour, I will be remembering the great civil rights campaigner, husband, father, Baptist minister, Nobel Peace Prize winner, racist assassin's victim, Dr Martin Luther King Jr.. thekingcenter.org/king-holiday... #MartinLutherKingJrDay

thekingcenter.org

King Holiday 2025

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 18/01/2025

Surely the world's first combined seven word existential time travel paradox story and advert for proofreading.

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 17/01/2025

I'm shocked by the speed of the complicity, but equally by the abandonment of decency and denial of truth which makes that complicity possible. Of course, for some, it was always just about hatred and power. #complicity

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 17/01/2025

#ElanorMcBay, #NickBeal, #AlexStone (The Perfect Daughter), #SophieBeal, director of #CadencePublishing, #SteveCouch (Foul and Fair) and myself at the 2025 #BournemouthWritingFestival launch. Photo by BWF director #DominicWong. @alexstoneauthor.bsky.social www.bournemouthwritingfestival.co.uk

ElanorMcBay, NickBeal, AlexStone (The Perfect Daughter), SophieBeal, director of Cadence Publishing, Steve Couch (Foul and Fair) and Gary Dalkin at last night's 2025 Bournemouth Writing Festival launch. Photo by BWF director Dominic Wong.

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 14/01/2025

It's the launch of the 2025 Bournemouth Writing Festival on Thursday. Here are some photos from past BWF networking events, including Sophie Beal of Cadence Publishing, Sar Mor, Curie Scott, Alex Stone and Festival Director Dominic Wong. @alexstoneauthor.bsky.social #bournemouthwritingfestival

Bournemouth Writing Festival networking meeting with Dr Curie Scott

Bournemouth Writing Festival networking meeting with Sar Mor

Bournemouth Writing Festival networking meeting with Festival Director Dominic Wong and crime novelist Alex Stone

Bournemouth Writing Festival networking meeting with Cadence Publishing director, Sophie Beal.

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 13/01/2025

Tickets are now on sale for the 3rd Bournemouth Writing Festival, 25-27 April. I will be teaming up again with Sophie Beal, director of Cadence Publishing, to present Organising Chaos: Turn a Messy Draft Into a Publishable Book. Our talk sold out last year... www.bournemouthwritingfestival.co.uk

bournemouthwritingfestival.co.uk

Bournemouth Writing Festival - 25th - 27th April 2025

Tickets now on sale! Three-day literary and writing festival across Bournemouth in Dorset, jam packed with talks, walks, panels, performances and networking. If you're a budding writer or looking to ...

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 07/01/2025

Gerald Durrell, celebrated conservationist and bestselling author, including of My Family and Other Animals, was born 100 years ago today. Durrell lived locally for a time, and 'My Family' was written in Bournemouth in 1955. Photo: my 1956 book club reprint of his modern classic. #thedurrells

1956 book club edition of My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell.

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 03/01/2025

JRR Tolkien and his wife Edith often stayed at the Hotel Miramar in Bournemouth in the 1950s and 60s. In 1968 they bought a house three miles away in Poole, at 19 Lakeside Road. Photo was taken in the early 70s in nearby Branksome Chine. Tolkien was born this day, 3 January, in 1892.

Photo of JRR Tolkien in Branksome Chine in Poole, taken in the early 1970s.

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 02/01/2025

The third book I have edited for Stephan Eicke, A Dream Come True: The Collaboration of David Lynch and Angelo Badalamenti is published by Bloomsbury Academic in September. tothelastword.com/blog/a-dream... #DavidLynch #angelobadalamenti #stephaneicke #BloomsburyPublishing #bloomsburyacademic

The cover of the book A Dream Come True: The Collaboration of David Lynch and Angelo Badalamenti, by Stephan Eicke, edited by Gary Dalkin, to be published by Bloomsbury Academic in September 2025.

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 30/12/2024

Given the dark and brooding weather, we decided to visit Netley Abbey, almost certainly an inspiration for Jane Austen's Gothic parody, Northanger Abbey. The bitter sea fret rolling off Southampton Water certainly added to the Gothic atmosphere. #janeausten #northangerabbey #netleyabbey

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 21/12/2024

Finds in two book exchanges in old telephone boxes in the New Forest this afternoon, The Confession by Jessie Burton, and There and Back Again, by Sean Astin and Joe Layden. Plus me checking out the stock in one of the exchanges. #jessieburton #seanastin #lotr #bookexchange #newforest #joelayden

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 19/12/2024

Why not to use generative AI 'art' for your book cover (aside from the fact that it is completely unethical). This edition of A Christmas Carol is currently on Amazon. Note the car, for a story written in the 1840s, and how the publisher has flipped the back cover, rendering the clock nonsensical.

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 17/12/2024

Delighted that the audiobook of Stephen Parker's #ThereIsNoFinish, which I edited, is now available on various platforms. If you have Spotify Premium or a Barnes and Noble or Kobo subscription you can stream it for free. runningforever.au?page_id=290 #stephenparker #backyardultra #audiobook

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Reposted by Gary Dalkin

Morgan J Freeman @mjfree.bsky.social · 21/11/2024

I'm going to post this video every day so we never forget

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 29/11/2024

Today marks the birthdays of Louisa May Alcott (1832) and C.S. Lewis (1898) - Little Women / The Chronicles of Narnia. While Alcott is mainly remembered for one classic, Lewis is still much more widely read, not just for his children's fantasies, but for his works of popular theology.

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Reposted by Gary Dalkin

Bournemouth Writing Festival @bmthwritingfest.bsky.social · 28/11/2024

A huge thank you to everyone who made it to our networking event last night at The Old School House, Boscombe. Lovely conversations so thank you all for being a part of the evening. #writingcommunity #writershelpingwriters #amwriting #authorcommunity #poetrycommunity

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Gary Dalkin @garydalkin.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

Today, 22/11/24, marks the 61st anniversary of the deaths of two great writers, C.S. Lewis and Aldous Huxley. At the time, their passings were barely reported, the news dominated by the death of US President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated from, of all places, a book depository.

Brave New World, by Aldous Huxey, and photo of the author

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