iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Any property you live in and leave to your children and grandchildren is free of inheritance tax Lord Grantham approves. (The programme where you find in series 2 or 3 that they have another stately home they use for occasional holidays.)

Hugh Bonneville as Lord Grantham, the unbelievably sanitised twat from Downton Abbey

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

I love Top Tips For Loving a Lizard in Wiz-4 (preorder now, published at #Fantasycon) @wtpress.bsky.social "it just sings to me. “Joy joy joy”, it trills. “We can have good things.” I have written lots of m-m relationships, but this one really goes big. #books stephencox.co.uk/the-story-of...

The cover of Wiz-4 a novella anthology from Wizards Tower Press
The book shows the two novellas by dividing the cover into two triangles the line being top left to bottom right corners.
Left is Top Tips for Loving a Lizard. It shows a jolly green Godzilla holding a smaller ginger King Kong, with a big red heart. There’s a definite more than best friends vibe.
Right is Marooned off Ceres which shows a red moon, a space turtle and a female astronaut who is black. It’s not framed to feel like a threat.

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

@britfantasysoc.bsky.social #FantasyCon is your first chance to pick up Wiz-4, from @wtpress.bsky.social of which my Top Tips for Loving a Lizard is half Say hi Fri 5-6pm reading, Malin Sat LAUNCH 9.00am, Orkney 11.00 am Death to AI Panel (Panel Room 2) Sunday am, Around #books #aliens #shag

The universe was so old and so big, Harry quite accepted there might be intelligence out there somewhere but it would take them thousands of years to travel. He was also convinced that the tribal god of a small sandy plot in the Middle East had not created the world, let alone the universe. So, who knows what aliens would look like, or think, or how they would have sex? Maybe they’d reproduce by cutting pieces off and repotting them, like his Mum’s geraniums.
Normal people had no time for the idea that the aliens would turn up, then hide, so they could manipulate world zinc prices or something. And how long could they stay secret, really?

You, dear reader, know that Aiden is a lizard. Harry is shagging him and doesn't.

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Here are my four novellas (and the forthcoming Wiz-4 from Wizard's Tower Press, a two-novella collection.)

The Crooked Medium’s Guide to Murder by Stephen Cox
A striking book cover with the title and author name dominating.
A rich dark blue background, and a touch of mist. The text appears in gold in a gold rectangular frame, the font is old fashioned implying C19th century. The frame has three rondels or cameos each containing a picture. Top right is a golden bee brooch with the body and one wing streaked with red blood. Middle left is foxgloves, spires of small bell flowers in pink, white and purple. Bottom right is a dark brown medicine bottle, with a pale label. The word LAUDANUM is just visible.
There are pink highlights on some of the letters.
Taken together it is bold, mysterious, and Victorian.
The Crooked Medium’s Guide to Terror
A striking book cover clearly in the same series as The Crooked Medium’s Guide to Terror.
The lettering and detail are pale against a dark and sinister red-brown. The Title is in large Victorian lettering emphasising the word Terror by size of font and red added to letters – not dripping blood! - and framed by gold. Three roundels show icons related to the book; left, a half folded cutthroat razor streaked with red, top right, pearl jewellery with three pearls and a pearl effect locket; bottom right a burning railwayman’s lamp.
The effect is striking.

The Our Child of the Stars books
Our Child of the Stars and Our Child of Two Worlds, beautiful book covers. Both show a boy silhouetted against a mysterious sky. Our Child of the Stars shows a misty night, but many bright stars. Our Child of Worlds shows dawn breaking pink and blue, with yellow birds rising and a mysterious planet.

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

#October is #spooky month. The Our Child of the Stars books have several #Halloween s in them, the one night the alien boy Cory can run among the other children. The Crooked Medium books are set in Victorian London, and have two distinctly dodgy spiritualist older women... #SFF #historical #books

Four books clearly two in each sequence
The Our Child of the Stars books
Our Child of the Stars and Our Child of Two Worlds, beautiful book covers. Both show a boy silhouetted against a mysterious sky. Our Child of the Stars shows a misty night, but many bright stars. Our Child of Worlds shows dawn breaking pink and blue, with yellow birds rising and a mysterious planet.
The Crooked Medium books
The Crooked Medium’s Guide to Murder by Stephen Cox
A striking book cover with the title and author name dominating.
A rich dark blue background, and a touch of mist. The text appears in gold in a gold rectangular frame, the font is old fashioned implying C19th century. The frame has three rondels or cameos each containing a picture. Top right is a golden bee brooch with the body and one wing streaked with red blood. Middle left is foxgloves, spires of small bell flowers in pink, white and purple. Bottom right is a dark brown medicine bottle, with a pale label. The word LAUDANUM is just visible.
There are pink highlights on some of the letters.
Taken together it is bold, mysterious, and Victorian.
The Crooked Medium’s Guide to Terror
A striking book cover clearly in the same series as The Crooked Medium’s Guide to Terror.
The lettering and detail are pale against a dark and sinister red-brown. The Title is in large Victorian lettering emphasising the word Terror by size of font and red added to letters – not dripping blood! - and framed by gold. Three roundels show icons related to the book; left, a half folded cutthroat razor streaked with red, top right, pearl jewellery with three pearls and a pearl effect locket; bottom right a burning railwayman’s lamp.
The effect is striking.

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

I don't know if I can self nominate but this is coming out from Wizards Tree Press on 8 Oct... featuring two queer first contact stories independently written but chiming beautifully. wizardstowerpress.com/books-2/nove...

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

One week to Wiz-4 launching. As well as @samarcand.northsky.social 's tender "Marooned on Ceres" with a world changing queer encounter... in "Top Tips for Loving a Lizard" Harry muses on the absolute unlikelihood of there being aliens secretly hiding on earth... ... while he's shagging one. #booksky

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Google Ngram reader for British English 1990 to 2010 shows mobile phone became more common than car phone in 1992 and grew rapidly thereafter. It's not everything but it is something. (It works from references across a wide corpus of texts)

Google Ngram reader for British England 1990 to 2010 shows mobile phone became more common than car phone in 1992 and grew rapidly thereafter

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Book Quote Wednesday BQW A noble wife writes "A century past, they say a servant girl hanged herself, perhaps from the shame that now falls close to me. How harshly men treat women, and how fierce is my husband’s anger. I must confess for the first time how truly frightened I am." #books #murder

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Looking forward to #Fantasycon in Glasgow. Here's my schedule and come and say hi, Around, Friday 5-6pm reading from “Terror“, Malin Saturday LAUNCH 9.00am (!!!), Orkney Wizards Tower Press Wiz-4 (“the story of my heart”) 11.00 am Death to AI Panel (Panel Room 2) Sunday am, Around #books #SFF

ALT
The Crooked Medium’s Guide to Terror
A striking book cover with the title and author name dominating.
The lettering and detail are pale against a dark and sinister red-brown. The Title is in large Victorian lettering emphasising the word Terror by size of font and red added to letters – not dripping blood! - and framed by gold. Three roundels show icons related to the book; left, a half folded cutthroat razor streaked with red, top right, pearl jewellery with three pearls and a pearl effect locket; bottom right a burning railwayman’s lamp.
The effect is striking and Victorian.

The cover of Wiz-4 a novella anthology from Wizards Tower Press
The book shows the two novellas by dividing the cover into two triangles the line being top left to bottom right corners.
Left is Top Tips for Loving a Lizard. It shows a jolly green Godzilla holding a smaller ginger King Kong, with a big red heart. There’s a definite more than best friends vibe.
Right is Marooned off Ceres which shows a red moon, a space turtle and a female astronaut who is black. It’s not framed to feel like a threat.

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

WTF is that quote? How the editors described my novella... Can a gay lizard alien find love? Or a trans woman astronaut? Wiz Duos Book 4 has some very intimate first contact stories by Stephen Cox and Ellen Mellor. On pre-order: [wizardstowerpress.co...](wizardstowerpress.com/books-2/nove...)

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Delighted to see another platform checking I am not under 16, excellent work guys, no notes. I get carded in pubs all the time* *actually I'm 6" 2" and had dark stubble by 16 and never got carded in pubs ever #AI #surveillance #orwell #dickheads #greypower

Stephen Cox in trademark rainbow braces and checked shirt. He has a grey beard and hair and looks over sixty because he is.

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Book Quote Weds #BookQW #BookSky #SFF "Aiden took Harry in his arms, and kissed, as the People do, with their big tongues. Who knew lips weren’t essential for a great snog? All that strength and power, and Harry felt safer in his arms than anywhere on the planet..." Top Tips for Loving a Lizard

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Book Quote Wednesday 'knew'. An inquest. "The coroner knew that the jury were much taken with Miss Svensson’s profound and dignified grief, and Mrs Gittens’s dreadful situation as a widow who had lost her son... The coroner charged the jury not to indulge in harmful speculation." #books #BQW #read

The Crooked Medium’s Guide to Terror
A striking book cover with the title and author name dominating.
The lettering and detail are pale against a dark and sinister red-brown. The Title is in large Victorian lettering emphasising the word Terror by size of font and red added to letters – not dripping blood! - and framed by gold. Three roundels show icons related to the book; left, a half folded cutthroat razor streaked with red, top right, pearl jewellery with three pearls and a pearl effect locket; bottom right a burning railwayman’s lamp.
The effect is striking and Victorian.

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

I wonder what proportion of people reading this could get to Turnpike Lane @allgoodbookshop.co.uk today as I'll be reading, Q+A, bar at the launch at 7pm of this baby. Bookish crowd. Or pop in for your signed copy after 3 and before 6pm #haringey #free #books #womensleuths #queer #indieauthor

Horror story - a book bent open and laid on a table. Shouldn;t be allowed

The Crooked Medium’s Guide to Terror
A striking book cover with the title and author name dominating.
The lettering and detail are pale against a dark and sinister red-brown. The Title is in large Victorian lettering emphasising the word Terror by size of font and red added to letters – not dripping blood! - and framed by gold. Three roundels show icons related to the book; left, a half folded cutthroat razor streaked with red, top right, pearl jewellery with three pearls and a pearl effect locket; bottom right a burning railwayman’s lamp.
The effect is striking and Victorian.

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

A quick unpolished video - what's the same in the Crooked Medium's Guide to Murder and what's different. Same much loved characters investigating a mysterious death, but a bigger, darker and different story. Main characters develop. #books #reading #mystery #womensleuths #queer #LGBT #Victorian

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

The Crooked Medium's Guide to Terror Out worldwide "An absolute page-turner that masterfully blends Victorian crime with unearthly menace" "Humane, tender and funny..." KDP print www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1068164425 Kindle www.amazon.com/dp/B0HD64PT4X and Kobo www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/... #books #SFF

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Thanks Alasdair. The Crooked Medium's Guide to Terror - my 2nd spooky sapphic mystery - "An absolute page-turner that masterfully blends Victorian crime with unearthly menace" More info and buy links here stephencox.co.uk/buy-terror/

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

The Crooked Medium’s Guide to Terror – A Spooky Victorian Mystery London 1882. A carpenter is killed by a train – an eerie, brutal crime. Flamboyant spiritualist medium Mrs Ashton and her sapphic partner Braddie seek justice for the widow. A charismatic rival medium takes London by storm... #books

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Publishing the Crooked Medium's Guide to Terror tomorrow, got some vids and reviews, but what do *you* want to know? #indieauthor #murder #mystery #Victorian #sapphic Q1. Where are advance reviews, the pitch, buying links? Q2. stephencox.co.uk/buy-terror/ NB Amazon print delayed to 18 Sept

Stephen - genial, grey hair and beard, glasses, grey short and rainbow braves with a copy of the first book. He is wearing a very small deerstalker that looks ridiculous.

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

My newsletter readers have been with me all the way. Why not pick up a free eBook of the Crooked Medium's Guide to Murder by subscribing? Free stories, chat, unique offers, reading, etc. It will always be free ...AI free ...unsubscribe any time ...not too often. #books #indieauthor #write #free

Stephen in garden a bush with purple flowers behind him. Grey hair beard and jumper he is looking mock-pensive hand to chin. He is showing off his first book, Our Child of the Stars where a boy is sillhoutted against a mysterious sky of yellow stars and wafts of mist.

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Updated my popular blog on how I did my cover, to include the second book. TLDR - the issue was whether to stick rigidly to the first layout or emphasise the Terror. (Six word titles only different in the sixth word!!) #covers #NoAI #TheCrookedMedium #design @inkspiraldesign.bsky.social

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

The elements read better widdershins grumpy older sapphics brutal railway murder prophecy of vengeance TRUST NO-ONE Victorian spooky rival medium disgraced nobles Gilbert & Sullivan snarky dock-lass, #books #TheCrookedMedium #Victorian #terror #indieauthor #booksky stephencox.co.uk/buy-terror/

The Crooked Medium’s Guide to Terror
A striking book cover with the title and author name dominating. described below

The book cover is surrounded by elements clockwise from top:
Victorian spooky, rival medium, disgraced nobles, Gilbert & Sullivan, snarky dock-lass, TRUST NO-ONE, prophecy of vengeance. brutal railway murder. grumpy older sapphics
The lettering and detail are pale against a dark and sinister background. The Title is in large Victorian lettering emphasising the word Terror by size of font and red added to letters – not dripping blood! - and framed by gold. Three roundels show icons related to the book; left, a half folded cutthroat razor streaked with red, top right, pearl jewellery with three pearls and a pearl effect locket; bottom right a burning railwayman’s lamp.
The effect is striking and Victorian.

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Is the Crooked Medium's Guide to Terror #Gothic? Strong reasons why people are using the term - but it's also warm funny and engaging... #books #booksky #reading #Victorian #queer #womensleuths Some thoughts! Preorder and buy links here stephencox.co.uk/buy-terror/

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

1st September - my favourite month. The bookversary of The Crooked Medium's Guide to Murder - and we'll be having some new reviews! All with a thinly disguised agenda - sell more copies and -promoting The Crooked Medium's Guide to Terror out 14 Sept (preorder!) #books #mystery #spooky #indieauthor

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Wednesday's word 'question' #BookQW #BookSky Lord Hanbury has realised dodgy people are watching his house. 'They seemed particularly interested in whether there were big dogs in the house...’ ‘Dogs? That’s a burglar’s question, my lord!' [Chief Inspector Bullfinch]

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Two print offers: The Crooked Medium's Guide to Terror £10.99 post free stephencox.co.uk/product/the-... Buy both Crooked Medium Books from me for £19.99 - £3 off stephencox.co.uk/product/both...

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Three weeks till publication! More praise coming in for the Crooked Medium's Guide to Terror. "Humane, tender and funny … a rare gem among historical thrillers." Read more here? stephencox.co.uk/advance-prai... #books #indieauthor #Victorian #spooky #mystery #murder #reading #shop follows

Text Humane, tender and funny … a rare gem

absolute page-turner that masterfully blends Victorian crime with unearthly menace

I loved the story, I love these characters, and I much enjoyed the read. There’s great driving jeopardy

intrigue piled on intrigue...

COVER

The Crooked Medium’s Guide to Terror
A striking book cover with the title and author name dominating.
The lettering and detail are pale against a dark and sinister red-brown. The Title is in large Victorian lettering emphasising the word Terror by size of font and red added to letters – not dripping blood! - and framed by gold. Three roundels show icons related to the book; left, a half folded cutthroat razor streaked with red, top right, pearl jewellery with three pearls and a pearl effect locket; bottom right a burning railwayman’s lamp.
The effect is striking and Victorian.

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Sign up to my newsletter get The Crooked Medium's Guide to Murder eBook free. (Sequel out 14 Sept) My newsletter is only when interesting, AI and ad free forever, and not SSubstack. Unsubscribe at will. getmybook.com/lrxyyplqq2 #newsletter #SFF #warm #Victorian #spooky #queer #indieauthor #books

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

True Terror is a murderer you can't stop. Preorder the Crooked Medium's Guide to Terror. Non-Amazon UK print may land before 14 Sept publication "Stephen Cox has done it again. An absolute page-turner that masterfully blends Victorian crime with unearthly menace" stephencox.co.uk/advance-prai...

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

4 wks till The Crooked Medium's Guide to Terror. Buy/preorder link below (for this AND the first book!) #Victorian #spooky grumpy older #sapphics brutal railway #murder. rival medium prophecy of vengeance. disgraced nobles Gilbert & Sullivan snarky dock-lass TRUST NO-ONE #booksky #books #queer

The Crooked Medium’s Guide to Terror
A striking book cover with the title and author name dominating.
The book cover is surrounded by elements clockwise from top:
Victorian spooky, rival medium, disgraced nobles, Gilbert & Sullivan, snarky dock-lass, TRUST NO-ONE, prophecy of vengeance. brutal railway murder. grumpy older sapphics
The lettering and detail are pale against a dark and sinister background. The Title is in large Victorian lettering emphasising the word Terror by size of font and red added to letters – not dripping blood! - and framed by gold. Three roundels show icons related to the book; left, a half folded cutthroat razor streaked with red, top right, pearl jewellery with three pearls and a pearl effect locket; bottom right a burning railwayman’s lamp.
The effect is striking and Victorian.

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

#books #indiebooks #bookshop @allgoodbookshop.co.uk a bad summer and needs some love to make rent. Cooperative, volunteer led, books and arts space, supports indies music zines, you name it. Woke AF. This team supported newbie me when I walked into the writing group in 2013. Now 5 books!

Three people in ALl Good Bookshop - stephen cox is big genial fat grey Catherine West MP short bright scarfdark suit, Social Media intern (my daughter) a cheery young woman in glasses and a grey sweatsuit.

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Amazing news this week Right now I have three books out. In a fairly short period it will be five... or as my partner insists, four and a half?! I also had a review which I want to sing to you. "Terror" is on preorder now #books #booksky #spooky #murder #mystery #indiebook

Stephen, grey hair and beard, in check shirt, holds up The Crooked Medium's Guide to Murder and The Crooked Medium's Guide to Terror - Victorian typography heavy covers, showing an elegant similarity of style. Rainbow braces (suspenders)

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

I gave confident interviews for work and lots of other things, debated Richard Littlejohn live on TV once. My own stuff I stumble and trip over words. Anyway, short #crappyvid on The Crooked Medium's Guide to Terror in a Bluesky Minute (c 58 s) #books #reading #TheCrookedMedium #spooky

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Preorder now! Out 14 Sep. “An absolute page-turner that masterfully blends Victorian crime with unearthly menace” “a rollicking good time” Standalone sequel to The Crooked Medium’s Guide to Murder #indeauthor #womensleuths #Victorian #sapphic #LGBT #spooky #mystery stephencox.co.uk/buy-terror/

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Cover reveal! The Crooked Medium's Guide to Terror London 1882.True terror is a murderer you can’t stop. A carpenter murdered, a family threatened. Flamboyant spiritualist Mrs Ashton and sapphic partner Braddie seek justice – and face a reckoning from beyond the grave. Preorder now #books #read

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Where do you get your ideas from? Wrong answers only Eric Proizet, Unsplash (this is why you don't need AI) #writing #inspiration #novel #author #books #brainstorming #timewasting

A cheese shop close up on various artisanal cheese, mostly round and varying from grey-green to almost white. The labels, white on black, are in French and explain which animal's milk was used.

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

Hot news! I'm about to send my newsletter subscribers a big book giveaway, a Zoom call to discuss all things writing, and hold the date for launch party. It's always #free, not too often, subscribe any time, Beehiiv not Substack. #books #LGBT+ #crime #CWA #murder #fantasy #reading #indieauthor

The Ballad Singer by David Macklise, 1858. Richly rendered, an attractive woman in a red cloak has a baby on her back and carries a basket of fruit. A rose pinned to her yellow blouse, she is clearly about to do a hard sell on the long thin printed ballad in her hands

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

As I am getting numbers on Net Zero (ending burning coal) and beating children as metaphor, I will mention my "warm, witty and queer-hearted' spooky Victorian mysteries, which comtain burning coal and we assume, beaten children. The second one is out in 14/9 #murder #crime #indie #spooky #books

The Crooked Medium’s Guide to Murder by Stephen Cox
The book cover is surround by its elements matching Victorian lettering - spooky / Vicious Baronet / Spiritualist Scammers/ Hidden Crimes / older grumpy sapphics / snarky dock-lass/ twisty mystery / Lady in Danger/Queer Found Family

A striking book cover with the title and author name dominating.
A rich dark blue background, and a touch of mist. The text appears in gold in a gold rectangular frame, the font is old fashioned implying C19th century. The frame has three rondels or cameos each containing a picture. Top right is a golden bee brooch with the body and one wing streaked with red blood. Middle left is foxgloves, spires of small bell flowers in pink, white and purple. Bottom right is a dark brown medicine bottle, with a pale label. The word LAUDANUM is just visible.
There are pink highlights on some of the letters.
Taken together it is bold, mysterious, and Victorian.

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

#IndependentBookshopWeek. All hail @allgoodbookshop.co.uk a coop owned bookshop cum community arts space. The writing group nurtured my getting published. The Crooked Medium's Guide to Murder has sold over 50 copies there (they handle my signed copies) #books #reading #bookshop #indieauthors

The Crooked Medium's Guide to Murder. Quote: A romp of a Victorian murder mystery. Good characters, pacy plot, all the twists and turns you could ask for, a foul mouthed parrot, a satisfyingly menacing villain, a mismatched but loyally loving pair of sapphic sleuths and a superbly written street urchin. Loved it, hoping for more adventures from this intrepid crime solving trio.

VISUAL A book cover surrounded by the following aspects in matching Victorian lettering - spooky / Vicious Baronet / Spiritualist Scammers/ Hidden Crimes / older grumpy sapphics / snarky dock-lass/ twisty mystery / Lady in Danger/Queer Found Family

The Crooked Medium’s Guide to Murder by Stephen Cox
A striking book cover with the title and author name dominating.
A rich dark blue background, and a touch of mist. The text appears in gold in a gold rectangular frame, the font is old fashioned implying C19th century. The frame has three rondels or cameos each containing a picture. Top right is a golden bee brooch with the body and one wing streaked with red blood. Middle left is foxgloves, spires of small bell flowers in pink, white and purple. Bottom right is a dark brown medicine bottle, with a pale label. The word LAUDANUM is just visible.
There are pink highlights on some of the letters.
Taken together it is bold, mysterious, and Victorian.

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Subscriber newsletter out... free forever, not Substack, free short story set in spooky Victorian sheenanigans of the Crooked Medium books. Update on the second book. Unsub any time. #historicalfiction #mystery #spooky #books #Victorian stephens-newsletter-69af79.beehiiv.com/p/the-crooke...

The Greek sorceress Medea in some sort of strop doing spooky stuff with an altar, frog, and fire. She is young beautiful, long black hair and white clothing with red necklass. Ships behind her. Oil painting by Frederick Sandys, v mid Victorian.

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

Copyedits back. Finding a green moth whose kin have presumably been hanging out in our garden for generations as it is exactly leaf coloured. The Norway football team photo.

The Norway football team dressed as Vikings all looking splendid in front of a dramatic fjord under a cloudy sky and two longboats in the water. Round shields, swords, spears, all looking very serious

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StephenCox Wiz-4 "funny raunchy romantic, satisfyingly twisted" @stephencoxauthor.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

National #Crime Reading Month and #Pride What better way to read queer and solve crimes than an outrageous dodgy medium and her long time woman "servant" (cough!) up against a wicked baronet who wants to murder his wife... It was for two milliseconds #9 in LGTB Crime. #books #reading #murder

A book cover surrounded by the following aspects in matching Victorian lettering - spooky / Vicious Baronet / Spiritualist Scammers/ Hidden Crimes / older grumpy sapphics / snarky dock-lass/ twisty mystery / Lady in Danger/Queer Found Family
The Crooked Medium’s Guide to Murder by Stephen Cox
A striking book cover with the title and author name dominating.
A rich dark blue background, and a touch of mist. The text appears in gold in a gold rectangular frame, the font is old fashioned implying C19th century. The frame has three rondels or cameos each containing a picture. Top right is a golden bee brooch with the body and one wing streaked with red blood. Middle left is foxgloves, spires of small bell flowers in pink, white and purple. Bottom right is a dark brown medicine bottle, with a pale label. The word LAUDANUM is just visible.
There are pink highlights on some of the letters.
Taken together it is bold, mysterious, and Victorian.

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