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Noel Cober

@noelcober.bsky.social
30 followers 30 following 111 posts

Researcher and academic of disability and the Bible, teacher of religious studies and English, and in my spare time I write books about weird gay people solving and/or committing crimes! They/him

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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
If you've been mulling over whether you want to submit, stop mulling! Only 13 hours left to enter!
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
It's insane that the Resident Evil movie is good. Like what the hell.
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Sharing this again just because I didn't say anything earlier when I shared it; this is a great contest for writers and readers to share and find new novellas, and it's a really fun space to be in as well, so if you've got an indie novella, consider throwing it in the ring!
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
It's time! :D I'm so excited to be judging again this year.
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
This one is quite a read that did things I wasn't expecting constantly!
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
My 7 year old student explaining the plot of the Odyssey to me: So at the start they were trapped in a sculpture and then their enemies stole it so they burned down this whole village
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Congratulationsssssssss
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Carrion Saints was such an unexpected ride! Delighted to be able to read it.
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
I've read this and can confirm that it's very fun and that everyone should read it actually
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
This was a super fun and energetic read, there was always something I didn't expect right around the corner!
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Teaching is so funny because you'll ask a totally innocuous question like "Do you consider your home country to be safe" and somehow that will encourage someone to say that they don't like that their country doesn't imprison children 💀
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 21/06/2026
It's very deserved, congratulations! :)
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 21/06/2026
So excited for this announcement. Big congratulations to all our authors, and special congrats to our finalist!
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
Writing a book set in Canada is impossible because nobody takes Canadian law enforcement or intelligence agencies seriously 🍁 "Oh no, CSIS is here" Everyone else: Who? Canadians: Lmao who cares
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Time to finally revise the book I wrote back in 2019! 🥳 Which I've just remembered is, for important plot reasons, set in 2021 😷
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Definitely the weirdest book I've read in SPFBO so far! Always lots of fun because of that!
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
I couldn't review this one because I haven't finished reading it yet (soon!), but I echo all of Steve's sentiments here!
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Steve Hugh Westenra 🕷️🧛‍♂️🏳️‍⚧️📚✒️ @stevewestenra.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Angela Boord reviews Songs of Broken Bells, our third #SPFBOXI cut of the day: beforewegoblog.com/spfboxi-revi... I abstained from judging this one, but I still plan to read it independently! #SPFBO #SPFBOReviews @marklawrenceauthor.bsky.social
beforewegoblog.com
SPFBOXI Review: Songs of Broken Bells – Lilly Lockwood
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Steve Hugh Westenra 🕷️🧛‍♂️🏳️‍⚧️📚✒️ @stevewestenra.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Our second #SPFBOXI cut of the day is Kevin Wright's Plague Maiden, which really impressed us at a craft level but didn't quite stand on its own. I'll for sure be going back to read Book One in the series! beforewegoblog.com/spfboxi-revi... #SPFBO #SPFBOReviews @marklawrenceauthor.bsky.social
beforewegoblog.com
SPFBOXI Review: Plague Maiden – Kevin Wright
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Steve Hugh Westenra 🕷️🧛‍♂️🏳️‍⚧️📚✒️ @stevewestenra.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Unfortunately, our first cut today is Angelika Rust's Downtown Selkie, reviewed here by Angela Boord: beforewegoblog.com/spfboxi-revi... Urban fantasy fans, and especially fans of contemporary takes on mythology should take a look! #SPFBOXI #SPFBO @marklawrenceauthor.bsky.social #SPFBOReviews
beforewegoblog.com
#SPFBOXI Review: Downtown Selkie – Angelika Rust
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Steve Hugh Westenra 🕷️🧛‍♂️🏳️‍⚧️📚✒️ @stevewestenra.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
Today's #SPFBOXI semi-finalist announcement is here! This time it's for W. E. Singh's A Djinnfernal Conspiracy--a fabulous comedy that grabbed my attention from its first page: beforewegoblog.com/spfboxi-revi... #SPFBO #SPFBOReviews @marklawrenceauthor.bsky.social #booksky #indiefantasy
beforewegoblog.com
#SPFBOXI Review: A Djinnfernal Conspiracy – W. E. Singh
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
I tricked them all into being socialists at the end of class 😅
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
Me: I will remain neutral in class because as the teacher that is my responsibility. (Thirty minutes later) Me, neutrally: The problem in this scenario is that capitalism is fundamentally corrupt and shouldn't exist.
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Steve Hugh Westenra 🕷️🧛‍♂️🏳️‍⚧️📚✒️ @stevewestenra.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
Last but not least, our final cut today is L. N. Holmes's twisty political fantasy, The Floating Castle. Political epic fantasy is a personal favourite of mine, so I was excited to dive into this one: beforewegoblog.com/spfboxi-revi... #SPFBO #SPFBOXI #SPFBOReviews @marklawrenceauthor.bsky.social
beforewegoblog.com
#SPFBOXI Review: The Floating Castle – L. N. Holmes
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N. E. White (Author) @nilaewhite.com · 25/05/2026
Sadly, I was cut from #SPFBO11 by @beforewegoblog.bsky.social but I got this quote out of it: "...a great book... for people who want a fantasy novel that comments very sharply on colonialism and racism. Review here: beforewegoblog.com/spfboxi-revi... Go buy it! Links in the comments.😎
beforewegoblog.com
#SPFBOXI Review: The Legend of Damndrake – N. E. White
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
They sure did! I loved use of shapeshifting as a way to explore themes of otherness in immigrant communities, and I really loved the nonlinear structure of this!
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
This was a pretty refreshing dark fantasy with a good helping of lightheartedness in the middle of its horrifying premise, and a cool look at dwarves that I enjoyed!
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Steve Hugh Westenra 🕷️🧛‍♂️🏳️‍⚧️📚✒️ @stevewestenra.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
Angela Boord reviews Darby Vernon's Madness of the Elder Vampire for #SPFBOXI!: beforewegoblog.com/spfboxi-revi... This one's giving me slight Underworld vibes! #SPFBO #SPFBOReviews @marklawrenceauthor.bsky.social
beforewegoblog.com
#SPFBOXI Review: Madness of the Elder Vampire – Darby Vernon
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
This one was such an interesting take on dragon mythology, despite saying it's "inspired by every dragon story ever" it had a lot in it that felt original and unique, and had a protagonist who I was never able to predict!
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
My favourite book in SPFBO so far. Actually my favourite book of 2026 so far. I'm so happy to have it progress as one of our semi-finalists!
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Steve Hugh Westenra 🕷️🧛‍♂️🏳️‍⚧️📚✒️ @stevewestenra.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
Here's the first of TWO planned semi-finalist announcements for today! #SPFBO Despite being announced now, Ashley's Capes's Knee-Deep in Cinders was my first #SPFBOXI read (my review's from that time) beforewegoblog.com/spfboxi-revi... Congrats! #SPFBOReviews @marklawrenceauthor.bsky.social
beforewegoblog.com
#SPFBOXI Review: Knee-Deep in Cinders – Ashley Capes
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Steve Hugh Westenra 🕷️🧛‍♂️🏳️‍⚧️📚✒️ @stevewestenra.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
Our last #SPFBOXI cut of the week is Joel Flanagan-Grannemann's fairy fantasy, Talia, reviewed here by Angela Boord: beforewegoblog.com/spfboxi-revi... Joel is a friend, so I abstained from reviewing this one, but I do plan to read outside #SPFBO! (: #SPFBOReviews @marklawrenceauthor.bsky.social
beforewegoblog.com
#SPFBOXI Review: Talia: Heir to the Fairy Realm – Joel Flanagan-Grannemann
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
I'm a huge fan of Godless! I found it to be a really compelling, fresh take on the genre with a lot of cool moments I wasn't expecting. It left me really excited for the sequel!
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Steve Hugh Westenra 🕷️🧛‍♂️🏳️‍⚧️📚✒️ @stevewestenra.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
Our third #SPFBOXI cut of the day! Catherine and I review L. Lyons's The Black Bane, which I read in basically one sitting: beforewegoblog.com/spfboxi-revi... #SPFBO #SPFBOReviews @marklawrenceauthor.bsky.social
beforewegoblog.com
#SPFBOXI Review: The Black Bane – L. Lyons
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
This was such an inventive and interesting take on the werewolf genre!
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Steve Hugh Westenra 🕷️🧛‍♂️🏳️‍⚧️📚✒️ @stevewestenra.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
Our second #SPFBOXI cut of the day is live! This time it's one from my own pile, Justin Greer's The Servant: beforewegoblog.com/spfboxi-revi... If you love Good vs. Evil type fantasy and The Wheel of Time, this one may be worth a look! #SPFBO #SPFBOReviews @marklawrenceauthor.bsky.social
beforewegoblog.com
#SPFBOXI Review: The Servant – Justin Greer
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Steve Hugh Westenra 🕷️🧛‍♂️🏳️‍⚧️📚✒️ @stevewestenra.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
I'm excited to announce Ben Moxon's The Redstone Rescue as BWGB's next #SPFBOXI semi-finalist! You can learn more about his secondary world fantasy mystery here: beforewegoblog.com/spfboxi-revi... Congrats, Ben! #SPFBO #SPFBOReviews @marklawrenceauthor.bsky.social #booksky
beforewegoblog.com
#SPFBOXI Review: The Redstone Rescue – Ben Moxon
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
Yes, but it'll take about 60-70 years to kick in.
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
I enjoyed this one so much! It's got some really cool characters in a really interesting world that kept making me read "just one more chapter" every time I picked it up.
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
I had fun reading this one! I'm a sucker for the concept (give me all the books about weird magical children) and I loved the voice in it!
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Steve Hugh Westenra 🕷️🧛‍♂️🏳️‍⚧️📚✒️ @stevewestenra.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
It's unfortunately time to say goodbye to another #SPFBOXI book! This morning, we're highlighting V. Ananya's The Young Foreigner, beforewegoblog.com/spfboxi-revi... I'll spread out our posts throughout the day, so this is the first of 5! #SPFBO #SPFBOReviews @marklawrenceauthor.bsky.social
beforewegoblog.com
#SPFBOXI Review: The Young Foreigner – V. Ananya
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
!!!
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
Though our team did make the decision to cut this book, I will say I quite liked it! It's a fast paced and witty feminist rethinking of not just Grimms' Fairy Tales, but the very logic that undergirds them. Very worth checking out!
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 03/05/2026
Woah, I'm a SPFBO judge! Looking forward to starting reading tomorrow 👀👀👀
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 10/12/2025
The Beach Episode...aka questions about how and where people relax
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
He wants food but he hates my nail polish.
A grey and white cat begging for food.The same cat fleeing a smell he doesn't like in a blur.
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 03/10/2025
Honestly this is not inaccurate! 😂 He kinda adopts several bugs all through the book
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 03/10/2025
Thank you it's, uh, mild compared to other parts of the book 😅
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Noel Cober @noelcober.bsky.social · 03/10/2025
This is so cooooool
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