Vicky MacKenzie
@vickymackenzie.bsky.social
Writer, cat lady, John Ruskin obsessive, wrote a novel about medieval mystics. Aspiring anchoress. https://victoriamackenzie.net/
Substack: https://victoriamackenzie.substack.com/
Substack: https://victoriamackenzie.substack.com/
Pinned
For Thy Great Pain Have Mercy on My Little Pain by Victoria MacKenzie review – a pocket epic
This electrifying debut compares the spiritual adventures of Margery Kempe and Julian of Norwich
www.theguardian.com
And as always a thousand thank yous to @frankcottrellboyce.bsky.social who wrote this astounding and thoughtful review of my book when it first came out, and sent it out into the world with a bang! 😍
www.theguardian.com/books/2023/j...
www.theguardian.com/books/2023/j...
If you'd like to dig down into 8 cracking short stories and discuss them with a lovely bunch of fellow short story fans, then I have the online reading/writing course for you! Starting Tues 13th Jan till 10th March (exc 10th Feb) 1830-2030 GMT, all welcome! Fee £250, incs feedback on your own story.
Short story writers! I am running my 8-week online course again in 2026: 'What can a short story do?', exploring the possibilities of this wonderful form. We'll read 8 contemporary short stories and use them as a launchpad for our own writing. More details ⬇️
December 31, 2025 at 9:08 AM
If you'd like to dig down into 8 cracking short stories and discuss them with a lovely bunch of fellow short story fans, then I have the online reading/writing course for you! Starting Tues 13th Jan till 10th March (exc 10th Feb) 1830-2030 GMT, all welcome! Fee £250, incs feedback on your own story.
Reposted by Vicky MacKenzie
One of the most memorable & enjoyable poems I read (for the 1st time) this year.
One of my new favorite prose poems has entered the chat
Hedgie Choi, from her debut collection Salvage (2025)
Hedgie Choi, from her debut collection Salvage (2025)
December 27, 2025 at 3:56 PM
One of the most memorable & enjoyable poems I read (for the 1st time) this year.
I enjoyed watching Adam Mars-Jones on University Challenge last night, what an utterly charming man! So it seemed high time I read his novel BOX HILL @fitzcarraldoeds.bsky.social. So far it's as charming as him... (and very rude for reading on the train 😉)
December 30, 2025 at 11:03 AM
I enjoyed watching Adam Mars-Jones on University Challenge last night, what an utterly charming man! So it seemed high time I read his novel BOX HILL @fitzcarraldoeds.bsky.social. So far it's as charming as him... (and very rude for reading on the train 😉)
Reposted by Vicky MacKenzie
"But we were not easily deterred. All night long, the theaters, clubs, & restaurants remained crowded with people. Fabulous sums were lost at cards.
In the morning, stupefied by wine, gambling, & cigar smoke, bankers & sugar manufacturers would emerge..." 💙📚
jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2025/12/28/m...
In the morning, stupefied by wine, gambling, & cigar smoke, bankers & sugar manufacturers would emerge..." 💙📚
jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2025/12/28/m...
Memories: From Moscow to the Black Sea by Teffi (tr. R Chandler, E Chandler AM Jackson & I Steinberg)
Born in St. Petersburg in 1872, Teffi (Nadezhda Lokhvitskaya) went on to become a celebrated writer in early 20th-century Russia, publishing poems, short stories, satirical sketches and plays to gr…
jacquiwine.wordpress.com
December 29, 2025 at 5:40 PM
"But we were not easily deterred. All night long, the theaters, clubs, & restaurants remained crowded with people. Fabulous sums were lost at cards.
In the morning, stupefied by wine, gambling, & cigar smoke, bankers & sugar manufacturers would emerge..." 💙📚
jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2025/12/28/m...
In the morning, stupefied by wine, gambling, & cigar smoke, bankers & sugar manufacturers would emerge..." 💙📚
jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2025/12/28/m...
Reposted by Vicky MacKenzie
"One of my favorite pieces of craft advice is that anything you’re told you should not (or should) do should just be taken as a challenge rather than a rule."
-interview with @aaronburch.bsky.social
ivygrimes.substack.com/p/interview-...
-interview with @aaronburch.bsky.social
ivygrimes.substack.com/p/interview-...
Interview with Aaron Burch
fun, earnest, Tacoma!
ivygrimes.substack.com
December 29, 2025 at 2:30 PM
"One of my favorite pieces of craft advice is that anything you’re told you should not (or should) do should just be taken as a challenge rather than a rule."
-interview with @aaronburch.bsky.social
ivygrimes.substack.com/p/interview-...
-interview with @aaronburch.bsky.social
ivygrimes.substack.com/p/interview-...
Reposted by Vicky MacKenzie
Annual report 2025
BOOK OF THE YEAR
The Story of Tudor Art
@cjfaraday.bsky.social
Almost unforgivably brilliant. The erudition, the breadth of reference, the incisiveness, the prose, dammit: any one alone would make this unmissable. An inspiration & admonition to think, to look, to work harder.
BOOK OF THE YEAR
The Story of Tudor Art
@cjfaraday.bsky.social
Almost unforgivably brilliant. The erudition, the breadth of reference, the incisiveness, the prose, dammit: any one alone would make this unmissable. An inspiration & admonition to think, to look, to work harder.
December 29, 2025 at 9:29 AM
Annual report 2025
BOOK OF THE YEAR
The Story of Tudor Art
@cjfaraday.bsky.social
Almost unforgivably brilliant. The erudition, the breadth of reference, the incisiveness, the prose, dammit: any one alone would make this unmissable. An inspiration & admonition to think, to look, to work harder.
BOOK OF THE YEAR
The Story of Tudor Art
@cjfaraday.bsky.social
Almost unforgivably brilliant. The erudition, the breadth of reference, the incisiveness, the prose, dammit: any one alone would make this unmissable. An inspiration & admonition to think, to look, to work harder.
Reposted by Vicky MacKenzie
I had to change the link to my Substack publication The Garden of Delights, so old links invalid. Updated link below. Subscribe if you fancy some historically speculative and at times satirical short fiction (e.g a short story and three novellas) by yours truly.
open.substack.com/pub/noemikis...
open.substack.com/pub/noemikis...
December 28, 2025 at 10:15 PM
I had to change the link to my Substack publication The Garden of Delights, so old links invalid. Updated link below. Subscribe if you fancy some historically speculative and at times satirical short fiction (e.g a short story and three novellas) by yours truly.
open.substack.com/pub/noemikis...
open.substack.com/pub/noemikis...
My Christmas haul. 📚🥰 More modest than past years as I asked for other stuff too. Seem to be leaning in to a certain kind of comfort read. The times call for it, I suppose.
December 28, 2025 at 5:43 PM
My Christmas haul. 📚🥰 More modest than past years as I asked for other stuff too. Seem to be leaning in to a certain kind of comfort read. The times call for it, I suppose.
Reposted by Vicky MacKenzie
"Twelfth Night Till Candlemas"
The story of a forty-year book-quest and of its remarkable ending
My popular seasonal post from last year:
emptycity.substack.com/p/twelfth-ni...
Now with a couple of footnotes one year on:
emptycity.substack.com/p/twelfth-ni...
The story of a forty-year book-quest and of its remarkable ending
My popular seasonal post from last year:
emptycity.substack.com/p/twelfth-ni...
Now with a couple of footnotes one year on:
emptycity.substack.com/p/twelfth-ni...
"Twelfth Night Till Candlemas"
The story of a forty-year book-quest and of its remarkable ending
emptycity.substack.com
December 24, 2025 at 9:03 AM
"Twelfth Night Till Candlemas"
The story of a forty-year book-quest and of its remarkable ending
My popular seasonal post from last year:
emptycity.substack.com/p/twelfth-ni...
Now with a couple of footnotes one year on:
emptycity.substack.com/p/twelfth-ni...
The story of a forty-year book-quest and of its remarkable ending
My popular seasonal post from last year:
emptycity.substack.com/p/twelfth-ni...
Now with a couple of footnotes one year on:
emptycity.substack.com/p/twelfth-ni...
Reposted by Vicky MacKenzie
New on the blog this week, Part 2 of my BOOKS OF THE YEAR, 2025 - favourites from a year of reading.
Featuring books by Rosamond Lehmann, Eileen Chang, Leonora Carrington, Barbara Trapido, Romain Gary & more! #BookSky #Books 💙📚
jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2025/12/21/m...
Featuring books by Rosamond Lehmann, Eileen Chang, Leonora Carrington, Barbara Trapido, Romain Gary & more! #BookSky #Books 💙📚
jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2025/12/21/m...
My Books of the Year, 2025 – Part 2
As in previous years, I’ve spread my Books of the Year across two posts. Part 1, published on Tuesday, highlighted my favourites from the first half of the reading year (roughly speaking), while Pa…
jacquiwine.wordpress.com
December 22, 2025 at 8:23 AM
New on the blog this week, Part 2 of my BOOKS OF THE YEAR, 2025 - favourites from a year of reading.
Featuring books by Rosamond Lehmann, Eileen Chang, Leonora Carrington, Barbara Trapido, Romain Gary & more! #BookSky #Books 💙📚
jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2025/12/21/m...
Featuring books by Rosamond Lehmann, Eileen Chang, Leonora Carrington, Barbara Trapido, Romain Gary & more! #BookSky #Books 💙📚
jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2025/12/21/m...
Reposted by Vicky MacKenzie
The snow penis wishes you a good Christmas week.
December 22, 2025 at 9:23 AM
The snow penis wishes you a good Christmas week.
Reposted by Vicky MacKenzie
Half Ma’am Half Brisket
December 21, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Half Ma’am Half Brisket
Reposted by Vicky MacKenzie
I said it and I meant it.
December 20, 2025 at 7:49 PM
I said it and I meant it.
Reposted by Vicky MacKenzie
Trump Still Polling Well With Working-Class American Pedophiles
theonion.com/trump-still-...
theonion.com/trump-still-...
December 19, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Trump Still Polling Well With Working-Class American Pedophiles
theonion.com/trump-still-...
theonion.com/trump-still-...
Reposted by Vicky MacKenzie
Tomorrow I am writing a post on "Twelfth Night Till Candlemas" - one year on.
My post last year was kindly received by many - and may well be my favourite post emptycity.substack.com/p/twelfth-ni...
cc @vickymackenzie.bsky.social @tambourine.bsky.social
My post last year was kindly received by many - and may well be my favourite post emptycity.substack.com/p/twelfth-ni...
cc @vickymackenzie.bsky.social @tambourine.bsky.social
"Twelfth Night Till Candlemas"
The story of a forty-year book-quest and of its remarkable ending
emptycity.substack.com
December 19, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Tomorrow I am writing a post on "Twelfth Night Till Candlemas" - one year on.
My post last year was kindly received by many - and may well be my favourite post emptycity.substack.com/p/twelfth-ni...
cc @vickymackenzie.bsky.social @tambourine.bsky.social
My post last year was kindly received by many - and may well be my favourite post emptycity.substack.com/p/twelfth-ni...
cc @vickymackenzie.bsky.social @tambourine.bsky.social
Reposted by Vicky MacKenzie
How should you live your life? www.themarginalian.org/2025/05/16/m...
How Should You Live Your Life: Marie Howe’s Spare, Stunning Poem “The Maples”
“Judging whether life is or is not worth living amounts to answering the fundamental question of philosophy,” Albert Camus wrote in one of the most sobering opening pages in literature.…
www.themarginalian.org
December 19, 2025 at 1:03 PM
How should you live your life? www.themarginalian.org/2025/05/16/m...
Reposted by Vicky MacKenzie
If you haven't read @jonathancampion.com's book, I really recommend it. Even if you're not into cricket, it's such a heartwarming and at times tearjerking story of an incredible community facing war and devastation, and still finding hope through sport and togetherness. Astonishing tale!
Ask Santa for a copy of 'Getting Out', and keep some beautiful sporting stories alive into 2026:
🏏 The cricketing refugee kids
🏏 The sniper who used to keep wicket
🏏 The batter who saved lives in Bucha
Shortlisted @ this year's @sportsbookawards.bsky.social:
pitchpublishing.co.uk/shop/getting-out
🏏 The cricketing refugee kids
🏏 The sniper who used to keep wicket
🏏 The batter who saved lives in Bucha
Shortlisted @ this year's @sportsbookawards.bsky.social:
pitchpublishing.co.uk/shop/getting-out
Getting Out: The Ukrainian Cricket Team's Last Stand on the Front Lines of War
Getting Out tells how Ukraine's cricketers escaped from Russia's invasion in February 2022, including first-hand accounts of the war. As the foreign-born players fled the bombings, the team’s Ukrainia...
pitchpublishing.co.uk
December 18, 2025 at 9:25 PM
If you haven't read @jonathancampion.com's book, I really recommend it. Even if you're not into cricket, it's such a heartwarming and at times tearjerking story of an incredible community facing war and devastation, and still finding hope through sport and togetherness. Astonishing tale!
Reposted by Vicky MacKenzie
Just found out I won’t have a job come January. As well as starting the regular job hunt, I thought I’d reach out here to see if anyone knew of any proofreading/editing/compliance opportunities. Or just opportunities! Apologies if this is gauche, but if you don’t shoot your shot, as the kids say 🎄
December 16, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Just found out I won’t have a job come January. As well as starting the regular job hunt, I thought I’d reach out here to see if anyone knew of any proofreading/editing/compliance opportunities. Or just opportunities! Apologies if this is gauche, but if you don’t shoot your shot, as the kids say 🎄
Reposted by Vicky MacKenzie
The Grinch who stole the last fuck I could give x
December 19, 2025 at 1:11 PM
The Grinch who stole the last fuck I could give x
Reposted by Vicky MacKenzie
Stone-built Snake Bridge on the Macclesfield Canal, England
December 19, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Stone-built Snake Bridge on the Macclesfield Canal, England
Reposted by Vicky MacKenzie
Suspect some female Tory MPs are quietly dying inside at this. When you’re so desperate to get in a bit of gratuitous foreigner-bashing that you find yourself arguing *against* preventative strategies that try to prevent sexual violence, ffs, what have you become?
Dog-whistle and factually incorrect. Ladies, raise your hand if you were sexually assaulted by a boy at school? I’d wager this or a family member is most women’s first experience of sexual violence
December 18, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Suspect some female Tory MPs are quietly dying inside at this. When you’re so desperate to get in a bit of gratuitous foreigner-bashing that you find yourself arguing *against* preventative strategies that try to prevent sexual violence, ffs, what have you become?
Reposted by Vicky MacKenzie
My Book of the Year 🙃
I'm freakin obsessed. #BaxterDury
I'm freakin obsessed. #BaxterDury
December 18, 2025 at 4:06 PM
My Book of the Year 🙃
I'm freakin obsessed. #BaxterDury
I'm freakin obsessed. #BaxterDury
Reposted by Vicky MacKenzie
We don't need an elf on the shelf because we've got a
December 18, 2025 at 4:36 PM
We don't need an elf on the shelf because we've got a
Reposted by Vicky MacKenzie
“Saki’s mother was killed by a cow when he was a child. If that doesn’t turn you into a writer with a morbid fascination with, and deep-seated fear of, the natural world, nothing will”
— @naomialderman.bsky.social on Saki’s razor-sharp & merciless stories
💙📚
3/8
www.theguardian.com/books/2012/s...
— @naomialderman.bsky.social on Saki’s razor-sharp & merciless stories
💙📚
3/8
www.theguardian.com/books/2012/s...
Saki: my hero
'His stories are cut-glass beauties, pitiless and hard-edged and constantly poking fun at the pretensions of the middle and upper classes. Why not be cruel and hard? Life hadn't been especially nice t...
www.theguardian.com
December 18, 2025 at 1:18 PM
“Saki’s mother was killed by a cow when he was a child. If that doesn’t turn you into a writer with a morbid fascination with, and deep-seated fear of, the natural world, nothing will”
— @naomialderman.bsky.social on Saki’s razor-sharp & merciless stories
💙📚
3/8
www.theguardian.com/books/2012/s...
— @naomialderman.bsky.social on Saki’s razor-sharp & merciless stories
💙📚
3/8
www.theguardian.com/books/2012/s...