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Sword and Fiddle Productions Limited @swordandfiddle.co.uk · 02/04/2026

Great to have our first set of festival laurels to put on the poster. Thanks to Folkestone Film Festival for the Hono(u)rable Mention!

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Alyn Sparkes @sparkey.org.uk · 01/03/2026

It's taken three years, but it's great to see this finally out in the world. @simonalison.bsky.social @amysparkes.bsky.social you're the only people I can find on here!

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Sword and Fiddle Productions Limited @swordandfiddle.co.uk · 25/02/2026

Had a bit of fun this morning making a wide poster for our short film. It's released on Sunday afternoon on vimeo.com/swordandfiddle if anyone's interested. 1/3 #Film #FilmMaking #ShortFilm #Devon #Walking

Poster for the film "Booted" The main image is of a rough grassy area. A single brown walking boot with red laces on the end of a black-trousered leg is captured in the action of stepping to the right, going out of frame.
On the left from top to bottom are:
The production company branding for Sword and Fiddle Productions - a white circle with a blue fiddle, upon which a sword makes the strings and neck, with the company name in dark grey to one side.
The film title - "BOOTED"
Text - A film by Amy & Alyn Sparkes
Text - Starring Simon Alison & Olivia Edwards with music by Sound of the Sirens

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Amy Sparkes @amysparkes.bsky.social · 03/01/2026

Thank you so much for awarding 'The Players Act 1' 3rd place overall! And congratulations to all the other winners - fantastic titles!

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Amy Sparkes @amysparkes.bsky.social · 11/09/2025

A double-whammy in this month's (October) Writing Magazine: a feature about the story behind the story for my #historicalfiction novel "The Players Act 1: All The World's A Stage", and an article about the importance of voice in #picturebooks! @writersonline.bsky.social #writingcommunity #kidlit

Amy Sparkes smiles and stands in a small attic room holding a magazine open with an article titled 'Speak up!'

An autumnal cover of Writing Magazine October 2025 issue, next to an orange cup and saucer filled with tea!

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David Stevens @sarafand.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

Watched first 2 episodes. Splendid acting. Well done, Looking forward to the others.

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Holly Holdsworth @hollyholdsworth.bsky.social · 26/08/2025

Filmmakers, is your to do list like this?

To do list
- watch more short films
- meet collaborators for my next project
- connect with the commissioning team at Exeter Phoenix

oh... 😂 I'll just go to SWIF's short open mic and do that all in one go

🔥 Short film open mic
⏰ Fri 29 Aug at 7pm
📍 Exeter Phoenix
🎟️ Free

swif.club

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Amy Sparkes @amysparkes.bsky.social · 24/08/2025

🎭LAST DAY OF #Players1715 BLOGTOUR🎭 Thank you to @mjporterauthor.bsky.social for the review on this last stop. Thanks to all the bloggers for arranging interviews, reviews and guest posts. And a big thank you to @rachelsrandoms.bsky.social for organising the tour. #BookSky #histfic 🎭🥁🎻💀⚔️🎲

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Sword and Fiddle Productions Limited @swordandfiddle.co.uk · 09/08/2025

Incredibly tiring but rewarding two days just gone. As part of the biggest crew we've worked with so far (Director/Producer, Camera Operator, Sound Recordist, Drone Operator, Camera Assistant (me), Camera-Car driver, 2x "Hero" drivers and a Location Manager) 1/2

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Amy Sparkes @amysparkes.bsky.social · 31/07/2025

It's always nail-biting when you send something new out into the world, especially a 'first'. #Players1715 is my 1st book for adults & 1st #historicalfiction. Grateful for encouraging words from early readers. www.amazon.co.uk/Players-Act-... #Shakespeare #BookReview #BookSky Cover: Sarah Christie

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Amy Sparkes @amysparkes.bsky.social · 29/07/2025

🎼Listen to the Players Playlist and find out more about the book here: adults.amysparkes.co.uk 📚You can order from your local bookshop Or Amazon: www.amazon.co.uk/Players-Act-... Or Kobo: www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/... Thank you from me and the players. Here's a health to the company! 🍷 🎭🥁🎻🎲⚔️💀❤️‍🩹

adults.amysparkes.co.uk

Amy Sparkes Adult Fiction

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Amy Sparkes @amysparkes.bsky.social · 29/07/2025

Huge thanks to cover designer Sarah Christie, editor @catcamacho1.bsky.social proof-reader Ally Wilkes @unheimlichmanvr.bsky.social, sensitivity reader @pridereads.bsky.social, and everyone else who has given feedback or encouraged me with this book along the way. #Players1715

adults.amysparkes.co.uk

Amy Sparkes Adult Fiction

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Amy Sparkes @amysparkes.bsky.social · 29/07/2025

Today the curtain rises on my adult #histfict debut: THE PLAYERS ACT 1: ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE. These broken but beautiful players have been with me a long time. I've walked beside them, listened to their pain, chuckled at their antics and despaired at their decisions for many years now. #BookSky

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Sword and Fiddle Productions Limited @swordandfiddle.co.uk · 10/06/2025

A year ago today we filmed "Things We Do For Love" with @sarahlidstone.bsky.social, Josh Alexander, & Molly Jackson. It was a lot of fun, shot in half-a-day at @liznojanbooks.bsky.social and brings a little fun to a debate that still rages to this day. vimeo.com/965527235 #shortfilm #indiefilmmaking

vimeo.com

Things We Do For Love

A loving couple meet with a counsellor to resolve a seemingly insurmountable problem in their relationship.

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Sword and Fiddle Productions Limited @swordandfiddle.co.uk · 03/06/2025

This was an intriguing video to make. How do you communicate the feel and tone of a novel in a teaser video? "Totems" representing some of the characters seemed the easiest way but getting that stopwatch to spin at the right speed and face forward as it landed was a small exercise in frustration!

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Alyn Sparkes @sparkey.org.uk · 30/05/2025

It'd be lovely for more people to know about it, maybe sign up to the newsletter and perhaps even pre-order the DRM-free ebook. www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/... www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DY8CM3LX #booksky

kobo.com

The Players Act 1 ebook by Amy Sparkes - Rakuten Kobo

Read "The Players Act 1 All The World's A Stage" by Amy Sparkes available from Rakuten Kobo. How far would you go to save what you truly love? Devon, 1715. When society doesn’t understand you, and you...

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Film Stories @filmstories.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

Can you support Film Stories, and our independent work? We're clickbait-free, AI--free, and trying to do things the right way. We don't always get it right, but we give it a damn good try. Any help and amplification is hugely appreciated... buff.ly/E2VVrhQ

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Amy Sparkes @amysparkes.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

If you'd like a sneak-peek at my debut adult novel, "THE PLAYERS ACT 1: ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE", my next newsletter for readers is coming out in a few days and I'm sharing the opening chapter: buttondown.com/AmySparkesAu... Just over two months until the book is published! Yeek! #BookSky 🎭⚔️🥁🎻❤️‍🩹

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Alyn Sparkes @alyn.social.swordandfiddle.co.uk.ap.brid.gy · 09/05/2025

OK, realising I've done a few of these "this time last year posts," but I still find them educative to put together. So a year ago, we were filming some parts of our short film "Booted." Still in post-prod while we sort some sound and VO (we know who we want, but availability is the thing).

An actor and cameraman in the process of setting up an outdoor shot on short, rough grass. We can only see the actor from the waist down and they're wearing brown walking boots with red laces and black cargo trousers.
The cameraman (Me) is facing away from the shot and we're looking over his shoulder at the camera on a thick neckstrap with a shotgun mic mounted above it. The camera is pointed at the walking boots.

An actor lacing up walking boots viewed from above with the actor sitting and facing towards the camera. We can only see the boots, trousers, hands, and forearms of the actor. The boots are brown with red laces that have little flecks of black in them, the trousers are black cargo-style and the arms are bare - one thumb has the remains of some black nail polish on.

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The Longest Johns - NEW TOUR 2026 @thelongestjohns.bsky.social · 09/05/2025

That Sinners soundtrack's a bit good, isn't it? But then we've been fans of Rocky Road to Dublin (amongst others) for some time.. youtu.be/cQ5ZRRxO3O8 You can hear our version on C-Sides! #TheLongestJohns #RockyRoadToDublin #SinnersMovie #FolkMusic

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Amy Sparkes @amysparkes.bsky.social · 30/04/2025

A big thank you to Mary Ward and Bethany Malcolmson at Writers Online for inviting me onto the podcast today, talking about writing life, emotion, and what happens when you go digging up your Grandad's garden... Episode coming soon. Catch up with previous episodes here: rss.com/podcasts/wri...

rss.com

Write Club Podcast | Podcast on RSS.com

Welcome to Write Club, the ultimate podcast for anyone passionate about the written word. Brought to you by Writers Online, in each episode we'll give you an insight into the world of writing, creativ...

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Alyn Sparkes @alyn.social.swordandfiddle.co.uk.ap.brid.gy · 03/05/2025

This time two years ago I was doing pre-production information gathering on our first paid commission - a documentary short film celebrating 50 years of a horse-drawn canal barge offering passenger trips in Mid-Devon. While there were challenges […] [Original post on social.swordandfiddle.co.uk]

On the tow-path of a canal. In the background, a decorated canal barge is pulled up under a short, steel fabricated bridge with stone abutments. In the foreground (and slightly unfocussed) is a pushbike handlebar with an orange plastic case open in front of it. Visible inside the case is a small camera with a extended zoom lens, and a nylon carrying bag - presumably full of other equipment (I think it was my sound gear).

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Alyn Sparkes @alyn.social.swordandfiddle.co.uk.ap.brid.gy · 28/04/2025

#bookstodon #booksky #IndiePublishing #Players1715 Well, it's taken a little time, but we've got pre-orders for Players Act 1 (out July 29th) working on Kobo now as well as Amazon. Both versions will be **DRM-FREE** for your convenience, and […] [Original post on social.swordandfiddle.co.uk]

A 3D rendering of the book "The Players Act 1 - All The World's A Stage" by Amy Sparkes.
Around the book are some key features of the text with curved and swirling arrows pointing towards the book.
The features are:
Found family
Grey villain
Uplifting
Strong Females
Vengeance
Marginalised Characters

A wide image of a wooden stage with a green curtain. A copy of the book "The Players Act 1 - All The World's A Stage" by Amy Sparkes appears stood on the boards on the right-hand. Also shown are four "totems" - drawn depictions of aspects of the book. A pocket watch, peacock feather, skull, and comedy/tragedy masks.
Aligned left, text reads:
England, 1715.
A theatre company about to collapse...
An ex-member seeking revenge...
How far would you go to save what you truly love?

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Alyn Sparkes @alyn.social.swordandfiddle.co.uk.ap.brid.gy · 28/04/2025

(6 images on original post) You know you get those notifications from some mobile apps "On this day..." and it shows you some photos you took? Well, it turns out that today, three years ago I was on a location scout for the (at the time) TV […] [Original post on social.swordandfiddle.co.uk]

A straight, tree-lined single-track metaled road. The trees are newly in leaf, so are very bright green. The verge either side of the road is covered in ground ivy.

An unmetaled track leading around to a yard gateway in an extremely old wall, covered in ivy. Just over the wall, the roof apexes and chimneys of a large, old house can be seen.

A village street, concentrating on a public house. It has a hanging sign on it with a red lion passent depicted facing left, while above that, mounted on the same bar, is a cutout of a red lion passent, facing right.
The pub (and all the visible buildings) is thatched, painted a creamy yellow and clearly very old. The windows nearest the camera on the ground floor are a set of four, shallow arched & mullioned - the others a multi-paned using small glass squares of about 10cm. An arched entry porch is under the sign, about half-way down the building with two benches for seating on either side.

And old bare stone building with a tiled roof (although with a thatched apex). It has a cobbled path just in front of it which used to be part of a yard that has been tarmaced over to make the road. The main house is rectangular with small windows and a doorway about half-way along the ground floor. On the gable-end nearest the camera, a stone-built lean-to with thatched roof is a low doorway into the end of it. Small bushes grow against the walls, and a larger rose climbs over the main doorway, although nothing is in serious leaf yet.

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Alyn Sparkes @alyn.social.swordandfiddle.co.uk.ap.brid.gy · 26/04/2025

Although I'm relatively adept at editing footage with #DavinciResolve I'm quite a neophyte when it comes to 3D compositing in #Fusion. I've been putting together some promo films for my wife's new book (available for pre-order now DRM-free on Kobo […] [Original post on social.swordandfiddle.co.uk]

A 3D rendering of a book on a wooden stage in front of a green curtain. The book is "The Players - Act 1" by Amy Sparkes and we're looking at the spine.
The wooden planks of the stage are created from a photograph of scaffold planks and in this image the stage is created simply by making the photograph into a floor.
There is also text on the image which is not important, but reads:
The Players Act 1
All The World's A Stage
England, 1715.
When society doesn't understand you,
and your family is out of the picture,
a strolling theatre company
could be your perfect home...

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Alyn Sparkes @alyn.social.swordandfiddle.co.uk.ap.brid.gy · 19/04/2025

#bookstodon #booksky #IndiePublishing We've been quiet for a while now, because while we're working on stuff, it's not really public, and indeed may never happen. However, one thing that's definitely happening is that we've made the decision to […] [Original post on social.swordandfiddle.co.uk]

A "what to expect" image. The book cover and spine for "The Players - Act 1 : All the world's a stage" by Amy Sparkes is shown with a series of short texts surrounding it describing aspects of the book with arrows pointing from the words to the book. Some curve gently, others do a loop.
The words around the outside are:
Found family
Grey villain
Uplifting
Strong females
Vengeance
Marginalised characters.

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Amy Sparkes @amysparkes.bsky.social · 12/04/2025

I used to be so ill with ME that I needed a wheelchair to get around and missed years of school. It had a profound effect on my life. Thinking of everyone affected by #MEcfs.

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Amy Sparkes @amysparkes.bsky.social · 12/04/2025

Really excited to share some key features of my new PLAYERS book, coming out in July. These are some of my favourite elements in storytelling. If it sounds up your street, you can pre-order PLAYERS here: www.amazon.co.uk/Players-Act-... Thank you! #BookSky

Green curtain as background. The book cover of THE PLAYERS ACT 1 ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE by Amy Sparkes is in the middle. Squirly arrows point to the cover, highlighting key features of the book: Found family, grey villain, uplifting, strong females, vengeance, marginalised characters.

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Amy Sparkes @amysparkes.bsky.social · 05/04/2025

My first newsletter for readers (adults & kids!) is going out tomorrow, and includes a cover reveal and a special giveaway! If you'd like to sign up and haven't yet, there's still time to do so: buttondown.com/AmySparkesAu... Thanks very much! #booksky

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Amy Sparkes @amysparkes.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

Over the moon to see The House At The Edge of Magic on the New York Times bestsellers list, debuting at number 10! Thanks to everyone who has cheered this book on, and to Ben Mantle & Chloe Tartinville for the cover, Simon & Schuster, Walker Books, and my agent Julia Churchill :) TEAM EFFORT ♥️

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Alyn Sparkes @sparkey.org.uk · 03/04/2025

So proud of my wife @amysparkes.bsky.social ! Book comes out half-way through the month (finally, in the USA), and still gets number 10 on the relevant NYT best sellers list. She's had over 30 books published in the UK, so this has taken some work! www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-house-...

barnesandnoble.com

The House at the Edge of Magic (B&N Exclusive Edition)|BN Exclusive

This Barnes & Noble Exclusive Edition will feature stunning deep-blue sprayed edges with a whimsical window pattern (feel as though you're holding the House in your hands!) and a bonus chapter from Th...

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Martha Wells @marthawells.com · 20/02/2025

I have been so excited since I found out this would be announced today! RIP any ability for me to concentrate: www.apple.com/tv-pr/news/2...

apple.com

Apple’s new sci-fi series “Murderbot” to make global debut May 16, 2025

Today, Apple TV+ unveiled a first look at “Murderbot,” created by Chris and Paul Weitz and starring Alexander Skarsgård

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Sword and Fiddle Productions Limited @swordandfiddle.co.uk · 11/02/2025

It's not often we can talk about what we're up to, but THIS was too good to pass up making some noise about! SotS is a fantastic pair of ladies, and we're so pleased they agreed to let us use their track. Their live show is so much fun, you really should go see them www.soundofthesirens.uk/web/#live

soundofthesirens.uk

Sound of the Sirens

Sound of the Sirens are an acoustic singer-songwriting duo based in Exeter, Devon comprising of Abbe Martin & Hannah Wood.

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Alyn Sparkes @alyn.social.swordandfiddle.co.uk.ap.brid.gy · 13/12/2024

Went to a great, intimate gig performed by local band Sound of the Sirens. New to us (literally this week), but they've been making brilliant music a good long time. Definitely seeing them again as soon as we can!

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Pileus Media @pileusmedia.bsky.social · 24/11/2024

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Ian Brumpton @ianbrumpton.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

Looking for a handy list of UK Writers on Bluesky? As they used say on Blue Peter "Here's one I made earlier". #Writing #WriteSky #WriterSky #Scriptwriters go.bsky.app/BTz2h1X

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Sword and Fiddle Productions Limited @swordandfiddle.co.uk · 23/11/2024

Here are some stills from the documentary pilot that I was filming this week. It was a long day in the cold, but the batteries held out and while I'd underestimated the storage requirement (more takes than I'd hoped), I had enough backup to keep going. social.swordandfiddle.co.uk/gallery/a0y0...

social.swordandfiddle.co.uk

The Ultimate [redacted]

Stills from the shooting of the Pilot for a potential documentary series Alyn's been involved with.

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Phil Clarke @philmscribe.bsky.social · 23/11/2024

Just glad I can be of some help to any screenwriter who feels they need someone with more than a little experience in their corner. If you've got a screenwriting question or query, DM me and I'll do my best to give you the benefit of my decades-long industry time and knowledge. #scriptsky

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Sword and Fiddle Productions Limited @swordandfiddle.co.uk · 19/11/2024

Gaffer & grip kit packed ready to be dropped off & set up prior to filming the pilot of a very special car doc tomorrow. Looks like there will be room for the return journey to include the camera & sound gear too. #filming #documentary #sportscar

The boot of a small car open viewed from behind. It's about three quarters full. Furthest in, to the left and right are two large red boxes with metal frames around them. Around and on top of them are various long black nylon bags containing long objects. A couple of other long objects are placed lengthways across the car.

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