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Philippa R. Francis 
@Philippa_writer
'Too much imagination and not enough common sense.' Inkspiller, Editor, Reader. #ViewsMyOwn (she/her) philippafrancis on Instagram.
Philippa R. Francis πβs Tweets
Etymology of the day: the use of 'strike' to mean a form of protest probably began with sailors in the 18th century. When unhappy with their working conditions, they would 'strike' or lower their masts to prevent their ships going to sea.
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This is Sally Wainwright who created and wrote Happy Valley. She was also one of its 3 directors and one of its 4 Executive Producers. She deserves an award for her remarkable achievement in a male-dominated industry.
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A desperate plea β¬οΈ from to on behalf of a coastal community facing an ecological disaster.
Dredging for Teesside Freeport MUST be halted until proper scientific answers are available to causes of the unprecedented mass die-off of marine life
#StopTheCoverup
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We are being a bit too clever today. Brick tombs for #BrickCelebrationMonday and #MomentoMoriMonday π
You don't see them often as people still preferred to use stone but they are attractive in their own way.
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This. Have to confess I couldn't watch it live last night - my nerves wouldn't take it. Not usually that invested in a drama.
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I hope the success of Happy Valley means there are currently loads of dramas being commissioned with 50-something women as the protagonists, especially if they aren't always completely likeable characters.
Sarah Lancashire is just stellar.
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Help to protect Britainβs fragile peat moors. If you spot heather burning, let us know by reporting it:
π Note the location
π₯ Count the number of fires
π± Report your sighting to us: bit.ly/reportburning
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I think you need to love it. Everything else follows.
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Replying to @Joannechocolat
How do you sit down and actually write things?
Sometimes my brain finds things like that insurmountable.
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My advice? Get as carried away as you like. But remember: only a fraction of your world building needs to end up in the bookβ¦,
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Replying to @Joannechocolat
Been watching some YouTube videos about getting started with story ideas and the main takeaway I have from this for novices like me is "don't get carried away with world building!!!" (Classic ADHD activity distraction trap in my case).
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You donβt necessarily need to. Some characters develop as you write them.
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Replying to @Joannechocolat
How to develop a character fully *before* you start to write?
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Precisely.
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Replying to @Joannechocolat
I retired early to write my novel. I discovered that I loved the research but not the writing! Iβm now doing a degree in Environmental Science and absolutely loving itβ¦ sometimes trying one thing you think you want to do, finds the the thing you really want to do instead 
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Absolutely. Think of it as the roll of fabric youβre going to make into a garment. You donβt expect to use it all.
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Replying to @Joannechocolat
And most of the research ends up on the floor too, but you still need to do it so you know you're writing it right. I have REAMS of v specific medical (and other) research for my WIP but only a tiny bit will be in the final product. HAS to be accurate though hence doing so much.
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The way into the woods today.
A brief but pleasantly sun-dappled walk through the birch trees.
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In Florida, you can carry a firearm without a permit. But a teacher carrying an βunvettedβ book is felony?
What kind of 1930βs Nazi Germany bullshit is this?
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I received a letter today from my friend in prison, but when I opened it, the only thing written on the paper was a full stop.
I think he must be getting to the end of his sentence.
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Nothing says 'primary teacher' quite like spending Sunday evening jumping between watching Happy Valley and making natural fruit and vegetable dyes for tomorrow's art project!
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Woke up this morning to find a spoon in my mouth, a tea bag in my left eye and milk in my right ear.
I'm sick of being treated like a mug.
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I saw an author on insta recently holding their brand new hardback and the fingerprints showed up even in a photo. Was such a shame. I know the idea of the jacket was to protect the book but I end up taking them off to protect the jacket!
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Oh yeah, thatβs another one. Itβs awful when people order on in to our bookshop because itβs coming out of the box with the packerβs fingerprints on and we have to then sell it at RRP when it already looks like itβs been handled by everyone at the chipper.
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Adjacent (though this is publishers not book shops), please stop making matt black slipcovers that only look nice if you can somehow read a book without picking it up? Or is it just me who leaves fingerprints on things immediately?
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If you expect people to pay extra to own a physical book the least you can do is let them have it the way the author, illustrator, and publisher intended them to have it. So ditch those stickers and support book buyers and everyone who worked hard creating beautiful things.
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It hurts sales right down the line. Secondhand retail and collectibility is all damaged by ugly stickers on covers. You might say they are removable - but temperature and the passage of time all affect removability and most stickers canβt be easily removed by hand.
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Some people might think ruinous stickers on the cover are a trivial matter but authors and illustrators (and publishers) put a lot of work into the physical object that is the book on the shelf. To have it made far less appealing at the last hurdle is an insult. #saveourcovers
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Hereβs an idea. Instead of spending money on a plasticky sticker that everyone hates why not use a slip of paper that we can use as a bookmark & recycle? You can even put an ad on it for βyou might also likeβ and get a few extra sales. Come on #saveourcovers
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Hey, (and all other booksellers and publishers) a word in your shell-like. NOBODY WANTS STICKERS ON THE COVERS OF BOOKS. It ruins a beautiful cover and EVERYONE HATES THEM. Stop it. Stop it now.
Footnote - buy this book. Itβs excellent. #bookshops #amreading
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Northern Irish writers!
Come join the team and advocate for authors in Northern Ireland. I have loved working with the SoA team over the last year and being able to help make changes for writers is so, so rewarding. It's a great job and it could be yours!
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WORK WITH US...
Following the success of @HeatherParryUK's outreach in Scotland, we're looking for a Senior Policy and Liaison Manager for Northern Ireland (part time - 17.5 hrs) - advocating for authors' rights, building communities, and more.
societyofauthors.org/About-Us/Work-
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I donβt. My brand is βwrites the book she wants to write.β Works for me.
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Replying to @Joannechocolat
I'd be interested in your thoughts about identifying your author 'brand' (i.e. what's unique to your work) and how to use that to plan new projects.
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Be sincere. Donβt follow trends. Follow what you love.
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Replying to @Joannechocolat
How to be current without being trendy or too time/era specific? How to be timeless? #tentweets
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If any other schools are studying The Lost Words, I still have a few postcards signed by me and Rob I can send. Always try to write something interesting.
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Thanks for the wonderful postcard @JackieMorrisArt, P7 have really enjoyed looking closely at the Great Spotted Woodpecker and are loving reading The Lost Words @RobGMacfarlane aloud together. Today we had great chats about dreaming ourselves into animals. #readingforpleasure
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Funniest moment of my book signing today. Me trying to sell a white-haired lady a copy of one of my books. Her, wrinkling her nose, 'not really my sort of thing, love, I like a lot of blood and gore.'
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The thing that set Happy Valley apart from other police dramas was that it was essentially about a mother's love for her daughter. Fitting that #HappyValleyFinale ended with that love still at its core. And yes - ALL the awards, including 'best kitchen scene ever'.
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After watching #HappyValleyFinale it's worth reminding all TV execs/commissioning people that yes, you can write a brilliant three series show with a plain-speaking, normal-looking, fifty-something, northern female character at its heart and absolutely leading from the front.
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If you're suffering withdrawal symptoms after last night's #HappyValleyFinale, I've written 9 novels set in the real #HappyValley & you might want to start with The Richard & Judy Book Club pick The Last Thing She Told Me, just 99p on Amazon amazon.co.uk/Last-Thing-She
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And this morning the Shed is a shadow, shed-shaped, cast against a castle wall, where tales of sheds past are told to children in the firelight; with the air filled with sparks, and the scent of smoke, and the sound of wild wolves howling...
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Replying to
Analysts know nothing. People want quality drama, music, comedy regardless of the demographic. But then we all know that π
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As an American (that lived in the UK briefly), I can only speculate about the impact of hearing regional accents in a country where they change every few miles. To me, it makes it less βsomewhere in Englandβ and far more relatable.
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Revealing the stunning, and *very* hot pink, edges on the special edition of THE SHADOW CABINET (UK 8.6.23).
This is a limited edition and last year they did sell out so pre-order asap to guarantee this version.
Cover design by Holly MacDonald
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We are delighted to announce that James Catchpole is one of the judges for our Golden Egg Award for Picture Books 2023!
Learn more about the Award > goldeneggacademy.co.uk/award/
#picturebook #writingcompetition
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