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Matt Brown

@mattbrownwriter.bsky.social
641 followers 292 following 96 posts

Children’s author of Compton Valance, Kevin the Vampire, the Mab. Also lover of robot movies 🎥 My stuff ⏬ linktr.ee/mattbrownwriter

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Reposted by Matt Brown
The Folklore Podcast @folklorepod.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
Tonight! Still time to grab a ticket and join us for some folklore and Shakespeare
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Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Drama should be a core GCSE subject iandunt.substack.com/p/the-hellbo...
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Matt Brown @mattbrownwriter.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Delighted that the news is out. The Mab is coming to the stage in 2027... (there's a great video in the article of Steph from Taking Flight signing the news in BSL) nation.cymru/culture/majo...
nation.cymru
Major new production of The Mabinogion is to be staged in Wales
Nation.Cymru staff A mythical adventure through the Otherworld is promised as a major new production of The Mabinogion comes to the stage in Wales. Audiences are invited to journey through the magical...
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Tits McGee @scientits.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
‘Say yes and never do it’ Mel Brooks knew how to deal with the studios
You have some wonderful stories of basically getting away with stuff at the studios.

I’d learned one very simple trick: say yes. Simply say yes. Like Joseph E. Levine, on “The Producers,” said, “The curly-haired guy—he’s funny looking. Fire him.” He wanted me to fire Gene Wilder. And I said, “Yes, he’s gone. I’m firing him.” I never did. But he forgot. After the screening of “Blazing Saddles,” the head of Warner Bros. threw me into the manager’s office, gave me a legal pad and a pencil, and gave me maybe twenty notes. He would have changed “Blazing Saddles” from a daring, funny, crazy picture to a stultified, dull, dusty old Western. He said, “No farting.” I said, “It’s out.”That’s probably the most famous scene in the movie, the campfire scene.

I know. He said, “You can’t punch a horse.” I said, “You’ll never see it again.” I kept saying, “You’re absolutely right. It’s out!” Then, when he left, I crumpled up all his notes, and I tossed it in the wastepaper basket. And John Calley, who was running [production at] Warner Bros. at the time, said, “Good filing.” That was the end of it. You say yes, and you never do it.

That’s great advice for life.

It is. Don’t fight them. Don’t waste your time struggling with them and trying to make sense to them. They’ll never understand.
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Scott Bryan @scottygb.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
BBC: “So what advice did David Hockney give to you?” BBC Guest: “Fuck everyone.”
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Rachel @ewelamb56.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
Did you know that while libraries in prisons are a statutory requirement, libraries on schools are not? If you think that should change, please consider signing this petition petition.parliament.uk/petitions/76... #Libraries #booksky #NationalYearOfReading2026 #Literacy #Reading
petition.parliament.uk
Petition: Make school libraries statutory in all secondary schools
We think all secondary schools should have a school library with a dedicated full-time librarian, and that this needs to be compulsory for all secondary schools and not simply an optional "bolt-on" de...
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The Folklore Podcast @folklorepod.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
Announcing a BIG 2-day ONLINE magical history conference supporting @folklorelibrary.bsky.social Dianne Purkiss, Mark Stoyle, Marion Gibson, Jeremy Harte and more... Day tickets just £10, £15 for the whole event. Ticket holders get recordings if they can't be there live Book at bit.ly/flaevents
A poster advertising the details of the event listed in the post
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Louie Stowell @louiestowell.bsky.social · 02/03/2026
Amid the discussions about how to get kids reading, I am remembering how many comics and other periodicals I read as a kid - The Funday Times, Oink, The Puffin Post, Private Eye (I was a precocious little shit), The Beano, 2000AD etc etc. Reading in tiny little bits can be v appealing.
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Matt Brown @mattbrownwriter.bsky.social · 15/02/2026
I just got told off by my son for using the word “mobile” when talking about my phone. For context, I said, “where’s my mobile?” Apparently, no one says “mobile” 😂📞
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Olaf Falafel @ofalafel.bsky.social · 14/02/2026
Rose are red, Violets are blue…
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Dr Joanna Nadin @joannanadin.bsky.social · 14/02/2026
Bit chuffed to be Children’s Book of the Week in the Times. Been a lovely week in publishing (not so ace in higher education).
A banner headline in Times New Roman font reading ‘Children’s book of the week.’ Underneath is a photo of the cover of my book When the World Ends showing a cartoon ark with three children at the prow.
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Storyville Books @storyvillebooks.bsky.social · 14/02/2026
And I Hear Dragons edited by Hanan Issa is a collection of poetry for children between 8 and 12. Published by Firefly Press, this title is available in store in both a bilingual format and just English. Also available online via: uk.bookshop.org/p/books/and-...
uk.bookshop.org
And I Hear Dragons/Ac Rwy’n Clywed Dreigiau
Check out And I Hear Dragons/Ac Rwy’n Clywed Dreigiau - <p></p> <p>The facing pages English/ Welsh bilingual edition of the ground-breaking new anthology from diverse Welsh writers aimed at children ...
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Storyville Books @storyvillebooks.bsky.social · 14/02/2026
Signed copies of Ben Wildsmith's "Whose Song to Sing?" are now available in store!
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The Guardian @theguardian.com · 11/02/2026
‘Deaf people can’t hide behind words!’ Inside the first ever dating show to use British Sign Language
theguardian.com
‘Deaf people can’t hide behind words!’ Inside the first ever dating show to use British Sign Language
Hold My Hand focuses exclusively on signers – who can be refreshingly blunt and extremely revealing. Heroda and Hermon Berhane, the deaf identical twin presenters, say it reveals their community in a way never seen before
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Matt Brown @mattbrownwriter.bsky.social · 31/01/2026
Okay, I’ve made my mind up. I’m doing dry Jan
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Bookshop.org @bookshop.org · 26/01/2026
Fun fact: Your local bookstore is doing more to protect you and your neighbors than Amazon is.
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Matt Brown @mattbrownwriter.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
If anyone’s interested I’ve created a Letterboxd list of my favourite movies with robots in. The list - at present- only contains films between 1927 and 1977. Take a look here boxd.it/RKluw/detail
boxd.it
Awesome Robot Movies
As one half of the podcast 50 Years of Shit Robots, I've seen a lot of robot films. Whilst a lot of them are terrible, I thought I'd curate some of my favourites. Full disclosure, when I say "robot" I...
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The Guardian @theguardian.com · 04/01/2026
The cost of AI slop could cause a rethink that shakes the global economy in 2026
theguardian.com
The cost of AI slop could cause a rethink that shakes the global economy in 2026
Revenues may be rising rapidly, but not by nearly enough to cover the wild levels of investment under way
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P.G. Bell @pgbellwriter.bsky.social · 01/01/2026
The Big Bad Wolf Murder hits US bookshelves later this month, but if you pre-order it from @barnesandnoble.com TODAY, you'll get 25% off! Just join their free rewards program and use code PREORDER25 at checkout. Click here: bit.ly/BigBadWolfMu... @mackidsbooks.bsky.social #BNPreorder #KidLit
A promotional graphic from Barnes & Noble for the Big Bad Wolf Murder pre-order sale. Use code PREORDER25 at checkout to redeem the offer. Offer exclusive for rewards and premium members.
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Storyville Books @storyvillebooks.bsky.social · 27/12/2025
A number of fantastic manga series came to an end this year. Check out our list of manga that had their final chapter published in Japan in 2025. If you've been curious about any of these now is the perfect time to try! uk.bookshop.org/lists/manga-...
uk.bookshop.org
Manga That Ended in 2025
A list of great manga that had its final chapter released in Japan in 2025! If you've ever been curious about these series, now's the perfect time to start.
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Matt Brown @mattbrownwriter.bsky.social · 27/12/2025
Agree with this which is why you should listen to the Fifty Years of Shit Robots podcast. We are audio only and make a great listen. Latest ep is a Wizard of Oz Xmas spesh ♥️🤖https://open.spotify.com/episode/3h9bq6qdBMv95se37RZS85?si=h6NHHGRWSoWjzpv8sm2Q1g
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P.G. Bell @pgbellwriter.bsky.social · 14/12/2025
My final newsletter of 2025 has gone out to subscribers, filled with sneak peeks of stuff to come in 2026, including international Big Bad Wolf Murders and a possible TV project! Read it yourself at the link below and if you like it, please subscribe! us1.campaign-archive.com?u=e67759211a... #KidLit
The German cover for The Big Bad Wolf Murder, retitled Big Bad Wolf Games.
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Peter Geoghegan @petergeoghegan.bsky.social · 05/12/2025
🔴 Nigel Farage’s Reform is more reliant on super-rich backers than any major party in modern British political history 75% of *all* Reform donations *ever* have come from just three rich men Is this what democracy looks like? New on Democracy for Sale democracyforsale.substack.com/p/75-of-refo...
democracyforsale.substack.com
75% of Reform UK’s donations have come from just three rich men
Calls grow for donation caps as Democracy for Sale research reveals that three-quarters of Reform’s funding comes from a trio of wealthy donors
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The Folklore Podcast @folklorepod.bsky.social · 04/12/2025
New stock of my book ZOINKS! THE SPOOKY FOLKLORE BEHIND SCOOBY DOO arrived from the publisher today. But some of this is already allocated to orders. Hit my website now if you want to give the gift of Scoob this Christmas www.thefolklorepodcast.com/store/p185/Z...
thefolklorepodcast.com
Zoinks! The Spooky Folklore Behind Scooby-Doo (Paperback)
Foreword by Mitch Watson, Showrunner - Mystery IncorporatedAfterword by Scott Innes - Voice artist (Scooby, Shaggy and others)For over half a century, a gang of teens - Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy - a...
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P.G. Bell @pgbellwriter.bsky.social · 29/11/2025
If you're in range of Ponty and are looking for something for the readers in your life, you need to get them a @storyvillebooks.bsky.social gift voucher. They're a great local indie bookshop and deserve as much support as possible.
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Storyville Books @storyvillebooks.bsky.social · 29/11/2025
Kaden's Weekly Recommendations! Week Eighty Five: Uncanny: The Origins of Fear by Junji Ito Available online via: uk.bookshop.org/p/books/unca... A fantastic read for fans of Ito or those interested in the horror manga industry as a whole.
uk.bookshop.org
Uncanny: The Origins of Fear
Check out Uncanny: The Origins of Fear - <b>Another of Junji Ito's classics, the sci-fi masterwork <i>Remina</i> tells the chilling tale of a hell star.</b><br /><br />Something is rotten in Okinawa.....
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Matt Brown @mattbrownwriter.bsky.social · 29/11/2025
YA peeps please help. A 17YO in my life has said that they really want to read books but have never found books that they love. They were diagnosed with a processing issue when they were young and find it difficult(ish) to focus. Are there any great books that a brilliant attention-grabbers?
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Matt Brown @mattbrownwriter.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
@sturdyalex.bsky.social I’m sure you must have been sent this and I have zero idea of the context but it feels very wokey dokey
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Alex Andreou @sturdyalex.bsky.social · 10/11/2025
Honestly, I did NOT have "punching the air and going HELL YES to Chris Patten" on my bingo card today. But what he says is SO rarely said and needed saying SO badly! "How shall we treat Mr Farage's concerns? Shall we hail Brexit a tremendous success? Something that has cost the country billions?"
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Caitlin Moran @mscaitlinmoran.bsky.social · 11/11/2025
Love being reminded to do this every year. It's a win/win all round
Clear out toys now!
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Matt Brown @mattbrownwriter.bsky.social · 06/08/2025
A Publishing Nightmare (A story in three acts) open.substack.com/pub/mattbr0w...
A graphic that says the following... "Good evening, friends. There’s no way of dressing this up, so I’m just going to come right out and say it. On Friday, the publisher of The Mab ceased trading. The following will spill the tea (and butter the scones) on the demise of Boundless (née Unbound) publishing. This will be long, I’m sorry, and there will be some swearing, I’m more sorry. But there will be some news at the end of what will happen next to The Mab. So, keep reading, okay? Good."
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Bookshop.org @bookshop.org · 08/07/2025
You are cordially invited to our Anti-Prime Sale, where every purchase will financially support bookstores, NOT billionaires 🥳
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Matt Brown @mattbrownwriter.bsky.social · 26/05/2025
Overheard a man on the train say, “Capri Suns are a five but if you chill them until they’re almost frozen, they become an eight”. Discuss.
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Matt Brown @mattbrownwriter.bsky.social · 13/05/2025
Whilst there are obviously massively important things happening in the world, I’m in the market for a new barbecue. Any recs? I’m thinking charcoal
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Matt Brown @mattbrownwriter.bsky.social · 23/04/2025
The Last of Us!! Bloody hell
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Matt Brown @mattbrownwriter.bsky.social · 17/04/2025
A very cheeky weekend idea if you’re near Pontypridd anytime soon ♥️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿
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Rick @rickylongthread.bsky.social · 08/03/2025
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Taking Flight Theatre @takingflightco.bsky.social · 06/02/2025
.@mattbrownwriter.bsky.social  & @eloisewilliams.bsky.social  have recently launched a paperback version of #TheMab. It's out today so here's a a #ThrowbackThursday post of silliness captured so far during R&D  with #TheatrauSirGar, Matt & Eloise to develop some of the stories for the stage.
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Unbound @unboundsocials.bsky.social · 25/02/2025
The Mab has been a Waterstones Book of the Month for February and what an adventure it's been! 📚🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @waterstones.bsky.social @mattbrownwriter.bsky.social @eloisewilliams.bsky.social #TheMab #TheMabinogi #books #kidsbooks #childrensbooks #Wales
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Boundless for Booksellers @boundlessbookshops.bsky.social · 25/02/2025
The Mab has been a Waterstones Book of the Month for February and what an adventure it's been! 📚🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @waterstones.bsky.social @mattbrownwriter.bsky.social @eloisewilliams.bsky.social The Mab is available from Macmillan, Gardners and your usual supplier (PB 9781789651850) #TheMab #books
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Dr Elizabeth Mackintosh @drelizabethmac1.bsky.social · 01/03/2025
#DyddGŵylDewiHapus #StDavidsDay #WelshShelf #WelshShelfie #WelshAuthors #WelshPassion #WelshTalent Be joyful, keep the faith and do the little things @stdavidscathedral.bsky.social @rsthomaspoet.bsky.social @clairefayers.bsky.social @eloisewilliams.bsky.social @mattbrownwriter.bsky.social
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Rina Gill book publicist & Arts PR @rinathepublicist.bsky.social · 01/03/2025
Celebrating Wales on St David's Day with events @swanseastones.bsky.social @waterstoneskids.bsky.social Cardiff with @unbounders.bsky.social authors @mattbrownwriter.bsky.social @eloisewilliams.bsky.social @pgbellwriter.bsky.social. Oh to see Welsh kids embrace a new version of #TheMab in Welsh.🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🌼
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Dr Joanna Nadin @joannanadin.bsky.social · 14/12/2024
It me. At 1.55, talking about ghostwriters getting proper credit - something the Society of Authors CWIG committee is campaigning for. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
bbc.co.uk
Today - 14/12/2024 - BBC Sounds
Including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.
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Matt Brown @mattbrownwriter.bsky.social · 14/12/2024
In many ways, he’s just too honourable 😂 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Prince Andrew says he 'ceased all contact' with alleged Chinese spy
Questions have been raised over the prince's relationship with a Chinese businessman alleged to be a spy who was later banned from the UK.
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Peter Geoghegan @petergeoghegan.bsky.social · 05/12/2024
Worried about #ElonMusk buying his way into UK politics? Think we need to take money out of our democracy? Help #DemocracyForSale's people-powered plan to #SafeguardDemocracy by taking this short survey: democracyforsale.co.uk/safeguard Please share. Thanks!
democracyforsale.co.uk
Democracy For Sale
A survey into people's attitudes to the health of British politics from leading investigative journalists who write about lobbying and dark money
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Dr Joanna Nadin @joannanadin.bsky.social · 13/12/2024
This is one of our current campaigns at Society of Authors, thanks to Chair of the Children’s Writers and Illustrators Group @abielongstaff.bsky.social In short: Credit ghosts. Pay ghosts. My experience with Sir Chris was only positive. Shame not all are. www.theguardian.com/books/2024/d...
theguardian.com
Society of Authors calls for celebrity memoir ghostwriters to be credited
Many celebrities’ books are actually written by others, the writers’ union says, and it’s time they were acknowledged
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Matt Brown @mattbrownwriter.bsky.social · 13/12/2024
WTF. The scandal!!!! amp.theguardian.com/food/2024/de...
amp.theguardian.com
‘Inequality street’: analysis reveals fewer favourites in Christmas chocolate selections | Chocolate | The Guardian
Guardian study confirms fan suspicions that show green triangle typically one of the rarest chocolates, with shrinkflation adding further insult to injury
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Matt Brown @mattbrownwriter.bsky.social · 12/12/2024
Has @nytimes.com Connections had a nervous breakdown today?
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Helen Lewis @helenlewis.bsky.social · 12/12/2024
This Kemi Badenoch quote is such a rich text. Steak at your desk? Sandwiches for breakfast? No moist bread?
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