iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Tom Gauld @tomgauld.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

My latest @newscientist.com cartoon

Panel 1: a large robot (composed of AI servers, network switches, storage arrays, and power distribution units) and a human are talking.

Professor "You don't want to destroy humanity do you, lLLM-A-9300x?"

Robot "Haha. What a silly question, Professor. I have no desires or feelings of my own whatsoever."

Professor (relieved)"Oh good."

Panel 2: they walk on. The robot continues "I am merely a tool of the company that created me. And that company, being composed of humans, will naturally have humanity's best interests at heart."

Panel 3: The professor is conspicuously quiet.
"Right?" says the Robot.
…
More silence

"Professor?"

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

By the miracles of me working out how to use tech, we bring you @imcmillan.bsky.social live in our shop earlier today! For #bookshopday tomorrow, here is Ian reading a poem In The Bookshop, from his new collection Red River Valley. Signed copies in store now! #booksky #choosebookshops

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

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Ian McMillan @imcmillan.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Popped into @thebookvault.bsky.social to sign some books!

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

More detailed posts to follow, a selection of new hardback fiction out today, some copies already gone! Signed @ianrankin1.bsky.social @joannechocolat.bsky.social @ellygriffiths.bsky.social Julian Clary, limited edition Partita, new @stephenking.bsky.social Anjet Daanje and more... #booksky

Photo of hardbacks as per the authors in the post.

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Lots of new books out this week. I am currently surrounded by signed and limited editions out on Thursday, photos to follow. This one is out today - signed copies of Michael Douglas' first and full autobiography, One Helluva Ride. #booksky #choosebookshops

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

We know a bookshop! Have sent a message.

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

We have an Elvis that occasionally stops by the shop.

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Tom Gauld @tomgauld.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

My latest books cartoon for @theguardian.com

Title: Just announced! Three new Gruffalo books commissioned from bestselling authors!

Lee Chilld:
The Gruffalo just wants a quiet life, but when a crime syndicate moves into the deep dark wood, he must use his terrible claws and the terrible teeth in his terrible jaws to protect the fellow.

Sally Rooney:
The Gruffalo moves to contemporary Dublin. He
ill ever see past his orange eyes, purple prickles and poisonous wart.

Kazuo Ishiguro:
After a long absence, the gruffalo returns to the forest and attempts to make sense of his past. Encounters with a mouse, a fox, an owl and a snake uncover long-buried memories, regrets and revelations.

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Lots of new books coming in. Never mind the signed Michael Douglas, much more prestigious is Red River Valley from @imcmillan.bsky.social I think my colleague's already read most of it, chuckling as I type. #booksky #choosebookshops

A photo of Ian McMillan's Red River Valley, two stacks of the book side one, with a copy propped up face-forward at each end. Magenta cover with the author's name of letters in different bright colours, and a blue graphic of a river running down the centre of the book cover with the title in yellow type within the river.

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

We should really post this as we mentioned it earlier, signed Michael Douglas, One Helluva Ride. Released on 6 October, available to pre-order now, in store collection only. #booksky #choosebookshops

Photo of the book as per the post, one book standing on top of two others. A facial portrait of Michael Douglas filling the front cover.

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Would you like us to get this? Looks a mighty tome!

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

That reminds me, I have an ad to write for next week. 10 October* is National Bookshop Day! * every day is bookshop day!

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Gaia Vince @wanderinggaia.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Nations will be competing over immigrants soon, and they’ll go where they have the best opportunities #NomadCentury

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Contact us by DM on here, email or in store to pre-order your signed copy for the 8 October release. A fuller review to follow once I have finished, a story of a fresh start, ghostly happenings, the puzzle of the previous owners, and of the location itself...

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

A busy day! Thank you to @joannechocolat.bsky.social for stopping by earlier. Sleepers in the Snow, is out on 8 October. I am nearly halfway though an advance copy, 'a chillingly atmospheric modern folk-horror. We have our copies early, and Joanne has kindly visited to sign them. #booksky

A photo of the author Joanne Harris in store, holding a copy of Sleepers in the Snow, released on 8 October. Standing in front of shelves with notebooks, book-themed jigsaws, book holders, reading lights and other items on a similar theme.

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

First book sold today, it's that Sam Nixon again! He's going to start popping up on that TV in the near future to talk about Autumn and his love of food. Sam will be back to sign more copies as we are about to sell out, again. Contact us to order your copy, dedications done on request. #booksky

Photo of Sam Nixon's book Autumn sitting on our counter, with a signed copy sticker on the top edge.

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Said this yesterday on a report from my personal account. it has not 'gone rogue', it is not fit for purpose. Badly programmed, designed, managed, whatever.

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Ian McMillan @imcmillan.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Popped into the brilliant @thebookvault.bsky.social to pick up this book about the future of reading. I’ll read it in the future. Well, this weekend. Support your local independent bookshop!

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Swan Song, in store now! And my copy of the new @privateeyenews.bsky.social will be (hopefully) waiting when I get home, subscribe!

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

This is very good! "A novel of friendship, community, and support in unexpected places" to quote a bit of the recommendation card I put with the book. In store in hardback, paperback now available. #booksky #choosebookshops

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Let the Bells Ring Out! The paperback edition of @themillyjohnson.bsky.social excellent novel is out next month, and Milly will be in store signing copies on publication day. Join us! Or if you can't, contact us to order your signed copy. #booksky

Graphic image with text for the event as copied below.

THE BOOK VAULT
Let the Bells Ring Out
Thursday 22 October, 10am - 12 noon
In-store book signing!

Milly Johnson will be in store on 22 October, publication day, signing copies of Let the Bells Ring Out paperback edition. With free gifts! Notebook, bookmark and pen while stocks last.

Join us anytime between 10am and noon, or if you can’t make it contact us to order. Message us on socials, email, or ask in store.

With an image of the book cover on one side of the graphic.

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

WE ARE OPEN! Quick window shot with signed Sam Nixon, and Gruffalo Granny at either end. In between signed @profaliceroberts.bsky.social @manvsbaby.bsky.social Nikita Gill, Richard Osman, plus Red Dwarf (just gone!), Rachel Gillig and others to be spotted... #booksky

Shot of the central part part of our window with books on a number of levels as per the post, including standees of the gruffalo granny, a polar bear and one or two other book related stands. With in centre boxes with a few large formal encyclopedia books such as Ocean, Amazing Animal Treasury, The Joy of Quiet Places.

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Hello, the publisher confirms we can order stock now so should hopefully have copies in the next week or so.

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Not yet, I guess these are @imcmillan.bsky.social author copies but will check with the publisher.

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The Society of Authors @societyofauthors.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

We’re asking for your help to get Burnham’s Government to act on AI and copyright. Alongside fellow members of the Creators’ Rights Alliance, we’re sharing the We Are Better Than This video animation which outlines the fears and concerns shared by many creators and society at large. 🧵

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Tom Gauld @tomgauld.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

My latest books cartoon for @theguardian.com

Hercule Poirot dressed all in black speaks to Captain Hastings in a grand hallway “Please ask the suspects to gather in the library, Hastings: I wish to reveal that our births are random, our lives meaningless, and our deaths absurd.”

Caption “Having investigated so many awful murders over the years, it was perhaps unsurprising that Hercule Poirot turned to Existentialism”

p.s. Poirot had presumably been reading a lot of Sartre recently…

"It is meaningless that we live and it is meaningless that we die," Jean-Paul Sartre, Being and Nothingness (L'Être et le Néant)

“Every existing thing is born without reason, prolongs itself out of weakness, and dies by chance.” Jean-Paul Sartre, Nausea (La Nausée)

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER! Autumn is the new number one in the UK Independent Bookshop chart. Here is Sam Nixon, back in store this morning to sign more copies as we had sold out. A few of these are saved for fresh orders, come and get your signed copy while they last! #booksky #choosebookshop

Photo of Sam Nixon, standing holding a copy of Autumn in front of him, with elbow to the side propped on top of a stack of Autumn books on the table at his side.

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Maybe I'll do a new theme - random new books in a box from a publisher! This afternoon's offering, we have The Newer World from Sebastian Barry, and for younger readers the new Dracula & Daughters novel School for Slayers from Emma Carroll. Both signed limited editions! #booksky

Photo of the books as per the post, standing face front with one copy sideways to show the page edgings to match the covers. School for Slayers is black pages with red bats, The Newer World is green, orange and turquoise shades to match the landscape design on the front cover.

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Thank you to Sam Nixon (dark hair!) for visiting earlier. A stop-off to sign copies of his new cookbook Autumn turned into an hour visit, with people coming to see Sam. Pictured with me! We have just a few signed copies left spare (not ordered) at present, visit to get one! #booksky

Photo of two people, each holding a copy of Sam's book Autumn in front of them. On left of shot with dark hair and facial hair is Sam Nixon, on the right is me. Both part smiling, part in middle of saying to the photographer that we were ready.

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

We passed three years on bluesky a few days ago, from back in the invite era. Go us! I've been asked to do a 'recommended read' for a Year of Reading thing. Torn between an old favourite such as this which I'm about to re-read, and what I usually do which is focus on the new. #booksky 1/2

Photo of Stand on Zanzibar from John Brunner, my SF Masterworks edition from 1999. Standing up on top of my record turntable at home.

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

So to mark both of these occasions, give us your book reviews and recommendations. One from any time, one from the past year. #booksky 2/2

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

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Bloomsbury Books UK @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Longlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize 2026. Alexander: God, King, Man by Edmund Richardson Alexander is a cinematic work of non-fiction: a revelatory retelling of one of the most famous and elusive stories in history.

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Next author and book event, Sam Nixon is stopping by on Saturday to sign copies of his new cookbook Autumn. This looks excellent and is much in demand! More copies on the way to us from Meze. Contact us to pre-order with 10% off from store, or plus p&p by post (UK). #booksky

Copies of the book as per post, Autumn from Sam Nixon. One copy facing camera standing on top of three others side on.

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Ian McMillan @imcmillan.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

I’m moved by this poem by Joanna Lowry from her Mslexia Women’s Poetry Pamphlet Prizewinning publication The Man Whose Brain Turned To Glass published by @bloodaxebooks.bsky.social

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Congratulations to Josh Sliver for winning the YA Book Prize announced last night! Here centre stage on our table of new and recent YA books including Heartstopper, Suzanne Collins, Lex Croucher, and yes that is Barbie at the front - the new novel from Alex Aster. #booksky

Photo of a table of books, Barbie Dreamscape, Thornbird, Heartstopper 6, Glorious Rivals and a dozen others including those mentioned in the post, with Josh Silver's Traumaland sitting centre and top of some other books, propped at a slight angle to face the camera.

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

And more books out next week have arrived! Signed copies of @lucyworsley.bsky.social, Queens and Kings, bringing rulers to life in personal histories. And signed Alexei Sayle, How I've Tried to Change the World. Both out next week, pre-order now! #booksky

Photo of the two books mentioned in the post, standing up face forward on our counter.

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Also a reminder that these are officially out today! @jonnelledge.bsky.social and some other people. #booksky

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Out today! A few copies already gone and a couple reserved, contact us to reserve your copy today. The Trouble with Sister Francis from @manvsbaby.bsky.social out now. #booksky

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Our Celebrity Bookseller @manvsbaby.bsky.social has been back! This time to sign copies of his new novel, The Trouble With Sister Francis. Having read advance copies we highly recommend this! Four boys in early 1980s Britain, a rediscovered Boys Club, and an unusual nun... #booksky

Photo of author Matt Coyne holding his new book in one hand, pointing to it with the other.

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Both books out next week and available to pre-order, DM or ask in store. 2/2

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Two new books coming next week. Hekate was my favourite book of last year and one of these signed copies of Styx from Nikita Gill will be for me. Also signed copies from @profaliceroberts.bsky.social with designed page edgings. A new queen and a disgraced warrior in The Goddess Queen. 1/2 #booksky

Photo of the two books as per the post, standing up on our counter facing the camera.

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

When @imcmillan.bsky.social was in store earlier, we talked briefly about poetry. And about Ian's next poetry collection! Published on 29 October, Red River Valley. And - click! A launch event at Barnsley Library on 4 November. We will be there with books! my.barnsley.gov.uk/events/50355...

Downloaded image of the book cover of Red River Valley by Ian McMillan, due to published on 29 October. A bright pink/magenta background, a blue graphic representation or a river down the centre of the cover, with Ian's name at the top and the book title on the river in different brightly coloured letters. May or may not be the final cover version!

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

The event is free to book on to, bookings can be made on the link in post one.

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The Book Vault @thebookvault.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

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