Katie Daysh || Queer histfic author ⚓🌈
@kdayshauthor.bsky.social
Katie (she/her) || ON SUBMISSION || Author of queer histfic set on the sea || LEEWARD (2023), THE DEVIL TO PAY (2024) and A MERCIFUL SEA (2025) out now from Canelo || rep'd by Francesca Riccardi ||
Pinned
I'm officially moving over from the bird app! Currently following as many people as I can here haha. Here are my babies, the queer Age of Sail Nightingale/Courtney series ⚓🌊🏳️🌈
Greenwich is incredible!
November 10, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Greenwich is incredible!
Had a great time last night at the Local Authors Showcase at the Play On Words Festival📕 A fantastic initiative and a great community feel of creative people. Also so pleased to find Leeward at Waterstones Lymington amongst some lovely company including Hornblower ⚓🌈
November 2, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Had a great time last night at the Local Authors Showcase at the Play On Words Festival📕 A fantastic initiative and a great community feel of creative people. Also so pleased to find Leeward at Waterstones Lymington amongst some lovely company including Hornblower ⚓🌈
From today, I'm officially on submission! 🌈⚓👻
October 22, 2025 at 9:39 AM
From today, I'm officially on submission! 🌈⚓👻
DOUBLE WINNER!!!
To say I'm shocked and so grateful is an understatement! I have notoriously bad luck with awards so to win the Fiction category and Book of the Year at the Isle of Wight Book Awards 2025 is amazing 😭😭😭😭🥰 I'm so appreciative to the judges ❤️
To say I'm shocked and so grateful is an understatement! I have notoriously bad luck with awards so to win the Fiction category and Book of the Year at the Isle of Wight Book Awards 2025 is amazing 😭😭😭😭🥰 I'm so appreciative to the judges ❤️
October 7, 2025 at 4:40 PM
DOUBLE WINNER!!!
To say I'm shocked and so grateful is an understatement! I have notoriously bad luck with awards so to win the Fiction category and Book of the Year at the Isle of Wight Book Awards 2025 is amazing 😭😭😭😭🥰 I'm so appreciative to the judges ❤️
To say I'm shocked and so grateful is an understatement! I have notoriously bad luck with awards so to win the Fiction category and Book of the Year at the Isle of Wight Book Awards 2025 is amazing 😭😭😭😭🥰 I'm so appreciative to the judges ❤️
Today is A Merciful Sea's paperback release day! There are a lot of mixed emotions today - excitement, sadness, gratitude... Mostly I am so appreciative of all the people who have supported this trilogy and given it a chance 🥰
October 2, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Today is A Merciful Sea's paperback release day! There are a lot of mixed emotions today - excitement, sadness, gratitude... Mostly I am so appreciative of all the people who have supported this trilogy and given it a chance 🥰
Press ganging my assistant into service to show off the paperback edition of A Merciful Sea!! The paperback is out on October 2, a week from today! 🌊🌈 It's amazing to see AMS in paperback, she looks gorgeous 😭😭😭
(Also representing my Leeward jumper 🤣)
(Also representing my Leeward jumper 🤣)
September 25, 2025 at 1:09 PM
Press ganging my assistant into service to show off the paperback edition of A Merciful Sea!! The paperback is out on October 2, a week from today! 🌊🌈 It's amazing to see AMS in paperback, she looks gorgeous 😭😭😭
(Also representing my Leeward jumper 🤣)
(Also representing my Leeward jumper 🤣)
My author copies of the paperback of A Merciful Sea are on their way!! 🌊🌈⚓
September 25, 2025 at 9:37 AM
My author copies of the paperback of A Merciful Sea are on their way!! 🌊🌈⚓
I'm starting a new series on Substack exploring the true history of the Nightingale and Courtney series! We begin with the Battle of the Nile, the extraordinary event which kicks off Leeward and haunts Captain Nightingale throughout the book.
open.substack.com/pub/kdayshau...
open.substack.com/pub/kdayshau...
The True History of Leeward: The Battle of the Nile
The extraordinary true story of the battle which begins Leeward and haunts Captain Nightingale
open.substack.com
September 21, 2025 at 11:44 AM
I'm starting a new series on Substack exploring the true history of the Nightingale and Courtney series! We begin with the Battle of the Nile, the extraordinary event which kicks off Leeward and haunts Captain Nightingale throughout the book.
open.substack.com/pub/kdayshau...
open.substack.com/pub/kdayshau...
Now my manuscript is complete, I have to do the worst part: the dreaded synopsis!! 😭
September 13, 2025 at 11:10 AM
Now my manuscript is complete, I have to do the worst part: the dreaded synopsis!! 😭
Always a strange feeling to send your manuscript off to your agent! It's hard to emphasise how intense and all-consuming this story has been. There were many times I wanted to abandon it all but it's finally done 😭😭
September 12, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Always a strange feeling to send your manuscript off to your agent! It's hard to emphasise how intense and all-consuming this story has been. There were many times I wanted to abandon it all but it's finally done 😭😭
Really excited to be talking at the Book Lovers' Lunch on Oct 22 at the Play on Words Festival this year! I'll be chatting about my books and writing and joining people for a lovely lunch 😋🍴 Tickets are available here:
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/book-lover...
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/book-lover...
Book Lovers' Lunch
Join us at the Cliff House for a literary lunch with a best selling author.
www.eventbrite.co.uk
September 10, 2025 at 11:43 AM
Really excited to be talking at the Book Lovers' Lunch on Oct 22 at the Play on Words Festival this year! I'll be chatting about my books and writing and joining people for a lovely lunch 😋🍴 Tickets are available here:
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/book-lover...
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/book-lover...
My thoughts towards this manuscript atm fluctuate between 'Nothing is unsalvageable' and 'This is the worst thing ever written' 😂 I cannot wait until it is done 😅
September 2, 2025 at 9:16 AM
My thoughts towards this manuscript atm fluctuate between 'Nothing is unsalvageable' and 'This is the worst thing ever written' 😂 I cannot wait until it is done 😅
Trying to channel the love I still have for Leeward as I struggle through my current (nightmarish) manuscript 😅😂
August 30, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Trying to channel the love I still have for Leeward as I struggle through my current (nightmarish) manuscript 😅😂
Suddenly, she did not stand on the Amalthea, but far away on the threshold of some white space with unseen eyes watching her.
#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
August 27, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Suddenly, she did not stand on the Amalthea, but far away on the threshold of some white space with unseen eyes watching her.
#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
Another bright flash and the terrible form of that ship flickered again, right off their starboard bow, lurching down the hills of towering waters. In the darkness, it appeared to be flying, and Hawthorne could see all its sails set on the ghostly masts, torn to ribbons like broken wings.
#WIPSNIPS
#WIPSNIPS
Welcome to a new week of #WIPSnips
The word for August 18th is "bow"
Will you tie a bow or take a bow? Use a bow and arrow or stand near the bow of a ship?
Your choice! And synonyms, variations or ✨vibes✨ for either choice is fine.
#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
The word for August 18th is "bow"
Will you tie a bow or take a bow? Use a bow and arrow or stand near the bow of a ship?
Your choice! And synonyms, variations or ✨vibes✨ for either choice is fine.
#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
August 18, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Another bright flash and the terrible form of that ship flickered again, right off their starboard bow, lurching down the hills of towering waters. In the darkness, it appeared to be flying, and Hawthorne could see all its sails set on the ghostly masts, torn to ribbons like broken wings.
#WIPSNIPS
#WIPSNIPS
If there is one thing you can be assured of in my writing, it's a shipwreck. In naval fiction, there is nothing better to describe 🌊
August 15, 2025 at 11:16 AM
If there is one thing you can be assured of in my writing, it's a shipwreck. In naval fiction, there is nothing better to describe 🌊
I'm sure my Feathers McGraw has a mind of his own 🤣 Every time I sit down at my computer in the mornings, he's turned to look another direction 🤣🤣
August 13, 2025 at 11:21 AM
I'm sure my Feathers McGraw has a mind of his own 🤣 Every time I sit down at my computer in the mornings, he's turned to look another direction 🤣🤣
Living on the Isle of Wight always feels like you've got to be a millionaire to travel anywhere on the mainland 😅 Trains are already expensive, then I've got to pay a billion more on the ferries 🙃🙃🙃
August 13, 2025 at 10:11 AM
Living on the Isle of Wight always feels like you've got to be a millionaire to travel anywhere on the mainland 😅 Trains are already expensive, then I've got to pay a billion more on the ferries 🙃🙃🙃
He seemed to be looking at something far beyond the boat. A dark place, a rotten banquet, and a dead man at the head of the table. That was what he had said to Frances. His terrors had stepped out of the night and become real.
#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
Welcome to a new week of #WIPSnips
The word for August 11th is "real"
#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
The word for August 11th is "real"
#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
August 11, 2025 at 10:14 AM
He seemed to be looking at something far beyond the boat. A dark place, a rotten banquet, and a dead man at the head of the table. That was what he had said to Frances. His terrors had stepped out of the night and become real.
#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
#WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
The reminder of home gave him no comfort. He looked again at the watercolour sketch and for a moment, felt the flowers beneath his fingers. He feared he would never touch them again.
#WIPSnips #WritingCommunity #WriteSky #WritingPrompts
#WIPSnips #WritingCommunity #WriteSky #WritingPrompts
August 10, 2025 at 12:22 PM
The reminder of home gave him no comfort. He looked again at the watercolour sketch and for a moment, felt the flowers beneath his fingers. He feared he would never touch them again.
#WIPSnips #WritingCommunity #WriteSky #WritingPrompts
#WIPSnips #WritingCommunity #WriteSky #WritingPrompts
🍒 A not so brief post about why I love Apsley Cherry-Garrard and why you should love him too🍒
substack.com/@kdayshautho...
substack.com/@kdayshautho...
Katie Daysh (@kdayshauthor)
‘No matter what we think of ourselves, we would not be Amundsens or Scotts or Shackletons or any of the famous men in these situations.
We are more likely to be a Cherry.’
A not so brief piece on on...
substack.com
August 10, 2025 at 11:30 AM
🍒 A not so brief post about why I love Apsley Cherry-Garrard and why you should love him too🍒
substack.com/@kdayshautho...
substack.com/@kdayshautho...
How I periodically feel while writing 😱😂
August 9, 2025 at 7:07 PM
How I periodically feel while writing 😱😂
This is who runs this account.
August 9, 2025 at 2:48 PM
This is who runs this account.
Reached Part 3 of my WIP, the final part!!! (I accidentally wrote Part 43, and that is definitely how it's felt 😂 It's been a humbling experience re-reading this, and has been a devil to edit and rewrite haha)
August 7, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Reached Part 3 of my WIP, the final part!!! (I accidentally wrote Part 43, and that is definitely how it's felt 😂 It's been a humbling experience re-reading this, and has been a devil to edit and rewrite haha)
If you fancy reading about my thoughts on queer rep in historical fiction (specifically historical naval fiction!), come read my latest Substack post 🏳️🌈⚓🌊
open.substack.com/pub/kdayshau...
open.substack.com/pub/kdayshau...
Rum, sodomy and the lash?
Exploring historical naval fiction through a queer lens
open.substack.com
August 4, 2025 at 8:56 PM
If you fancy reading about my thoughts on queer rep in historical fiction (specifically historical naval fiction!), come read my latest Substack post 🏳️🌈⚓🌊
open.substack.com/pub/kdayshau...
open.substack.com/pub/kdayshau...