Donald Winchester
LightNews LightNews
donaldwin.bsky.social
Donald Winchester
@donaldwin.bsky.social
190 followers 130 following 28 posts
Literary Agent at Watson, Little. Scotland/London https://www.watsonlittle.com/agent/donald-winchester/
Posts Replies Media Videos
donaldwin.bsky.social
Being part of the research and discussion behind this report was so interesting - and the picture continues to change almost daily. www.thebookseller.com/news/publish...
Published novelists believe AI will 'entirely replace' their work – Cambridge University study
More than half (51%) of published novelists in the UK believe AI is likely to end up replacing their work, says a new survey of 258 authors from the University of Cambridge.
www.thebookseller.com
November 20, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Reposted by Donald Winchester
alicevernon10.bsky.social
I'm on the front page of The Scotsman today with my article about why we still love to go ghost-hunting. All front pages should always have a designated spooky corner, I think.
scotsman.com The Scotsman @scotsman.com · 29d
📰 Good morning. Here is the front page of The Scotsman for Thursday.
October 23, 2025 at 8:28 AM
Reposted by Donald Winchester
gregjenner.bsky.social
Huge thanks to the organisers, the judges, our fellow nominees, the excellent host Bex Lindsay, all the wonderful people we met, our brilliant publishers @wfhowes.bsky.social and @walkerbooksuk.bsky.social, my agent @donaldwin.bsky.social, and everyone who has supported the book along the way
September 30, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Reposted by Donald Winchester
enortonhistory.bsky.social
I am thrilled that Kandake Amanishakheto of Kush has sent me this photograph of her and her friends enjoying my new book, Women Who Ruled the World: 5000 Years of Female Monarchy at their weekly book club. Thanks Amanishakheto!
@wearefootnote.bsky.social #womenwhoruledtheworld #bookclub
September 8, 2025 at 11:26 AM
Reposted by Donald Winchester
enortonhistory.bsky.social
A double page spread in the Daily Express! As well as looking at the life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth II, I also discuss some other reigning queens, including Ranavalona I of Madagascar and Margrete I of Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

#womenwhoruledtheworld
September 8, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Reposted by Donald Winchester
gregjenner.bsky.social
Looking forward to reading this new tome from Elizabeth Norton - it looks like a great global history of women in power
September 1, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Reposted by Donald Winchester
agathaandrews.bsky.social
Learn more about Bev, the haunted doll @alicevernon10.bsky.social bought on Ebay in my newest episode with her! We talk about her new nonfiction book GHOSTED too, about ghost hunting, the historical and cultural context of poltergeists, and more! She was so fun to talk to 😁
August 29, 2025 at 2:35 PM
donaldwin.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
ChatGPT has its uses, but I still hate it – and I’ll tell you why | Imogen West-Knights
It’s bad for the planet and could make many jobs – including mine – obsolete. But my loathing runs deeper than that, says writer Imogen West-Knights
www.theguardian.com
August 27, 2025 at 7:51 AM
Reposted by Donald Winchester
pikegrey1418.bsky.social
Today is the day! 😁The official release of Ring of Fire in the United States! @alexchurchill.bsky.social and I are super excited, and hope you'll all enjoy it! And if you are able to come, we will be in Kansas City on the 23rd to celebrate it! Details blow!😁

@donaldwin.bsky.social
August 5, 2025 at 6:00 PM
donaldwin.bsky.social
This terrific talk by Jackie Uí Chionna on the incomparable Emily Anderson (as featured in QUEEN OF CODES) to the International Spy Museum is free to view - and absolutely riveting www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8yu... @watsonlittle.bsky.social @headlinebooks.bsky.social
Queen of Codes with Dr. Jackie Uí Chionna
YouTube video by International Spy Museum
www.youtube.com
July 17, 2025 at 2:46 PM
donaldwin.bsky.social
Very excited about this! @watsonlittle.bsky.social
enortonhistory.bsky.social Dr Elizabeth Norton @enortonhistory.bsky.social · Jul 16
Female kings have always been a rarity, an oddity, or an undesirable outcome. Across the globe a male ruler was preferred to a woman, with female inheritance vanishingly rare and frequently disputes. In spite of this, women have secured crowns - or fought for them - over several millennia
Out 4 Sept
July 17, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Reposted by Donald Winchester
enortonhistory.bsky.social
Female kings have always been a rarity, an oddity, or an undesirable outcome. Across the globe a male ruler was preferred to a woman, with female inheritance vanishingly rare and frequently disputes. In spite of this, women have secured crowns - or fought for them - over several millennia
Out 4 Sept
July 16, 2025 at 4:00 PM
donaldwin.bsky.social
Amazing review of RING OF FIRE in The Observer! @watsonlittle.bsky.social @alexchurchill.bsky.social @pikegrey1418.bsky.social @headofzeus.bsky.social
June 17, 2025 at 10:40 AM
Reposted by Donald Winchester
alexchurchill.bsky.social
In the Observer today! @theguardian.com Thank you @alexlarman.bsky.social 🥰 @pikegrey1418.bsky.social @iainmacgregor1.bsky.social @donaldwin.bsky.social @headofzeus.bsky.social @watsonlittle.bsky.social

You can buy from a variety of outlets (or preorder in US for August) here: geni.us/RingOfFire
June 15, 2025 at 11:28 AM
donaldwin.bsky.social
Great to see RING OF FIRE featured in Edinburgh Waterstones! @waterstones.bsky.social @alexchurchill.bsky.social @pikegrey1418.bsky.social @watsonlittle.bsky.social @headofzeus.bsky.social
May 23, 2025 at 2:41 PM
donaldwin.bsky.social
Congratulations, Ian!
drianfriel.bsky.social Dr Ian Friel @drianfriel.bsky.social · May 16
Delighted & honoured to hear that I have been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society! @royalhistsoc.org @donaldwin.bsky.social @ospreypublishing.bsky.social Image: the c 1300 town seal of Dover. It depicts a ship about to get under sail & reflects some of my work in #MaritimeHistory.
A red wax impression of the town seal of Dover, c 1300. It shows a ship about to get under way: the bow is to the left, the stern to the right. Inside the hull, two men stand in front of the mast, working the bars of a windlass in order to raise the anchor. The steersman is near the stern, his hands on the large side rudder, while above him a sailor is climbing up the standing rigging behind the mast to unloose the sail. The ship has three crenellated defensive structures - the forecastle at the bow, the aftercastle at the stern and a small topcastle near the head of the mast. Dover is one of the Cinque Ports and a flag hangs from a staff in the aftercastle, bearing the arms of the Cinque Ports - the front halves of three lions, each with a back that consists of the stern of a medieval ship. There is also a streamer or vane at the head of the mast, blowing left, which would have revealed the wind direction. Two trumpeters stand in the forecastle, their trumpets evidently announcing the ship's imminent departure.
May 19, 2025 at 7:57 AM
Reposted by Donald Winchester
alexchurchill.bsky.social
Read early reviews here:

www.netgalley.com/catalog/book...

Order from multiple vendors here:

geni.us/RingOfFire

@iainmacgregor1.bsky.social @pikegrey1418.bsky.social @thehistoryguy.bsky.social @donaldwin.bsky.social @headofzeus.bsky.social @watsonlittle.bsky.social @drlindseyfitz.bsky.social
April 27, 2025 at 9:37 AM
Reposted by Donald Winchester
alexchurchill.bsky.social
Don’t forget our Saturday keynotes come from self and @pikegrey1418.bsky.social as we celebrate the release of our book “Ring of Fire” and we will also be signing copies @iainmacgregor1.bsky.social @headofzeus.bsky.social @donaldwin.bsky.social
April 10, 2025 at 4:15 PM
donaldwin.bsky.social
Looking forward to reading the pitches today for #scotwriterpitch2025 !
March 28, 2025 at 10:24 AM
Reposted by Donald Winchester
societyofauthors.bsky.social
We are disappointed but not surprised that Meta has used millions of pirated books to develop its AI systems.

As a matter of urgency, Meta needs to compensate the rightsholders of all the works it has been exploiting.

But what can authors do? Read here:
societyofauthors.org/2025/03/21/t...
March 21, 2025 at 5:04 PM
donaldwin.bsky.social
The Atlantic's report on LibGen, the pirated book database which Meta has used without permission from authors, is essential reading. See if your book is included here:
www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
Search LibGen, the Pirated-Books Database That Meta Used to Train AI
Millions of books and scientific papers are captured in the collection’s current iteration.
www.theatlantic.com
March 25, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Reposted by Donald Winchester
alexchurchill.bsky.social
Also, anyone who is registered with Netgalley can request to review an early copy… @pikegrey1418.bsky.social @iainmacgregor1.bsky.social @donaldwin.bsky.social @watsonlittle.bsky.social @headofzeus.bsky.social

www.netgalley.co.uk/catalog/book...
March 24, 2025 at 10:36 PM
Reposted by Donald Winchester
clemicollett.bsky.social
I've written a piece for The Bookseller on the AI and Copyright consultation, discussing why the opt-out model is completely unsuitable for protecting our creative industries and calling people to action through three simple steps! Please take a read!

www.thebookseller.com/comment/a-ca...
A call to AI action
The government's consultation on AI and copyright must inspire action from everyone in publishing.
www.thebookseller.com
January 29, 2025 at 11:18 AM
donaldwin.bsky.social
It was a fascinating, invigorating morning, exploring the possibilities and dangers of AI to the future of the novel. And lots of excellent company there too!
lunapress.bsky.social Luna Press Publishing @lunapress.bsky.social · Mar 20
About to spend the morning in a focus group on AI. I’ve already done two consultations in February on the issue. It feels like an insurmountable mountain to climb, and we are only a small press, but thankfully we are not alone. 💙
Edinburgh Future Institute
March 20, 2025 at 3:34 PM
donaldwin.bsky.social
This feels absolutely spot on www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
March 19, 2025 at 9:22 AM