Gary McKay
@garymckay.bsky.social
Irish speculative fiction writer. PhD researcher exploring Gothic fiction and trauma. He/Him.
Reposted by Gary McKay
Horror awaits in Irish bogland with The Wilderness by Ian McDonald www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2025/1/...
The Wilding by Ian McDonald — Runalong The Shelves
I would like to thank Gollancz for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review Publisher – Gollancz Published – Out now Price – £25 hardback £5.99 Kindle ebook Strange th...
www.runalongtheshelves.net
February 2, 2025 at 9:56 AM
Horror awaits in Irish bogland with The Wilderness by Ian McDonald www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2025/1/...
Reposted by Gary McKay
I realise I haven't actually shared any of my writing on Bluesky, so here's a Christmas short story that @podcastle.org kindly reprinted a few years ago: podcastle.org/2021/12/21/p...
PodCastle 713: Candy Canes, Comics, and Christmas - PodCastle
Candy Canes, Comics, and Christmas by Gary McKay I met Marlene atop Lily Hill on December 17th 1983, two weeks after my tenth birthday. The news of the Harrods bombing — the IRA’s crime against Christ...
podcastle.org
November 16, 2024 at 9:04 PM
I realise I haven't actually shared any of my writing on Bluesky, so here's a Christmas short story that @podcastle.org kindly reprinted a few years ago: podcastle.org/2021/12/21/p...
Looking forward to going to my first silent book club tomorrow! Though I haven't decided what I'll be reading yet...
November 20, 2024 at 9:09 PM
Looking forward to going to my first silent book club tomorrow! Though I haven't decided what I'll be reading yet...
Reposted by Gary McKay
Happiness isn't a realistic expectation for you! Become a writer!
November 19, 2024 at 2:24 PM
Happiness isn't a realistic expectation for you! Become a writer!
Reposted by Gary McKay
For the next few weeks, you can pick up a pretty incredible ebook bundle of Ursula's work—up to 30 books!—and support Portland's Literary Arts in the process
Humble Book Bundle: A Wizard of Earthsea and More by Ursula K. Le Guin
Explore the worlds and stories of Ursula K. Le Guin with this ebook library, featuring <em>A Wizard of Earthsea</em> and more. Pay what you want & support charity!
www.humblebundle.com
November 18, 2024 at 10:37 PM
For the next few weeks, you can pick up a pretty incredible ebook bundle of Ursula's work—up to 30 books!—and support Portland's Literary Arts in the process
I realise I haven't actually shared any of my writing on Bluesky, so here's a Christmas short story that @podcastle.org kindly reprinted a few years ago: podcastle.org/2021/12/21/p...
PodCastle 713: Candy Canes, Comics, and Christmas - PodCastle
Candy Canes, Comics, and Christmas by Gary McKay I met Marlene atop Lily Hill on December 17th 1983, two weeks after my tenth birthday. The news of the Harrods bombing — the IRA’s crime against Christ...
podcastle.org
November 16, 2024 at 9:04 PM
I realise I haven't actually shared any of my writing on Bluesky, so here's a Christmas short story that @podcastle.org kindly reprinted a few years ago: podcastle.org/2021/12/21/p...
Reposted by Gary McKay
This is still my advice: Become a writer anyway. Fuck it, do it, it won't save you, but it's still a beautiful dream to write novels and short stories and poems and mingle with other dreamers and make art and laugh in the face of death. And writing is constant death. Live más.
November 16, 2024 at 3:04 PM
This is still my advice: Become a writer anyway. Fuck it, do it, it won't save you, but it's still a beautiful dream to write novels and short stories and poems and mingle with other dreamers and make art and laugh in the face of death. And writing is constant death. Live más.
Reposted by Gary McKay
Welcome to #Eighthwell, a story-rich action-adventure game packed with humour and charm. Explore Eighthwell, a quirky town full of strange residents and even stranger secrets. Battle enemies in shooter style combat as you traverse unique dungeons with your new friends.
#indiegame #indiedev #gamedev
#indiegame #indiedev #gamedev
October 20, 2024 at 7:05 PM
Welcome to #Eighthwell, a story-rich action-adventure game packed with humour and charm. Explore Eighthwell, a quirky town full of strange residents and even stranger secrets. Battle enemies in shooter style combat as you traverse unique dungeons with your new friends.
#indiegame #indiedev #gamedev
#indiegame #indiedev #gamedev
Over halfway through November (somehow?) and I've managed to not buy any books for myself this month, which feels like a minor achievement. 😅
It won't last, but hey, baby steps...
It won't last, but hey, baby steps...
November 16, 2024 at 5:56 PM
Over halfway through November (somehow?) and I've managed to not buy any books for myself this month, which feels like a minor achievement. 😅
It won't last, but hey, baby steps...
It won't last, but hey, baby steps...
What a pretty book 😍
October 14, 2023 at 10:20 PM
What a pretty book 😍
Reposted by Gary McKay
Reposted by Gary McKay
My cartoon for this week’s Guardian Books. #books
p.s I have made five new prints of my cartoons, visit www.tomgauld.com for details.
p.s I have made five new prints of my cartoons, visit www.tomgauld.com for details.
October 7, 2023 at 5:04 PM
My cartoon for this week’s Guardian Books. #books
p.s I have made five new prints of my cartoons, visit www.tomgauld.com for details.
p.s I have made five new prints of my cartoons, visit www.tomgauld.com for details.
Ah, another grey and dreary morning... hello SAD lamp, my old friend
October 7, 2023 at 11:55 AM
Ah, another grey and dreary morning... hello SAD lamp, my old friend
Will I ever not cringe at mispronouncing Enda as Edna when introducing someone at a poetry event years ago (to much laughter from those in attendance)? 😧
Absolutely not.
Absolutely not.
September 28, 2023 at 10:47 AM
Will I ever not cringe at mispronouncing Enda as Edna when introducing someone at a poetry event years ago (to much laughter from those in attendance)? 😧
Absolutely not.
Absolutely not.
The Kickstarter for INFUSE, my local tea bar, is live! Tea bar 1.0 was a wonderful place run by wonderful people, so it'd be fab to see them get the support they need. There's loads of great rewards (including a virtual tea tasting session for those further afield), so do check it out!
Help Us Launch Tea Bar 2.0
Be Part of the INFUSE Revolution: Elevate Your Tea Experience, Empower a Local Business, and Create a Community Haven
www.kickstarter.com
September 11, 2023 at 9:36 AM
The Kickstarter for INFUSE, my local tea bar, is live! Tea bar 1.0 was a wonderful place run by wonderful people, so it'd be fab to see them get the support they need. There's loads of great rewards (including a virtual tea tasting session for those further afield), so do check it out!
Eating a whole tub of ice cream was a (delicious) error of judgement
(ow, my poor stomach)
(ow, my poor stomach)
September 8, 2023 at 11:29 PM
Eating a whole tub of ice cream was a (delicious) error of judgement
(ow, my poor stomach)
(ow, my poor stomach)
Reposted by Gary McKay
I've been helping some friends and colleagues block some of the site scraping bots that are feeding "AI" models. Decided to take some of my notes and make something others could use too. It's a work-in-progress. Happy to add to or correct things.
neil-clarke.com/block-the-bo...
neil-clarke.com/block-the-bo...
August 23, 2023 at 10:43 PM
I've been helping some friends and colleagues block some of the site scraping bots that are feeding "AI" models. Decided to take some of my notes and make something others could use too. It's a work-in-progress. Happy to add to or correct things.
neil-clarke.com/block-the-bo...
neil-clarke.com/block-the-bo...
I've been doing a lot of thinking recently about my creative future (and life in general), particularly when the PhD is over. Insightful posts from other writers and an excellent talk I attended recently have added fuel to this.
August 24, 2023 at 11:39 AM
I've been doing a lot of thinking recently about my creative future (and life in general), particularly when the PhD is over. Insightful posts from other writers and an excellent talk I attended recently have added fuel to this.
Reposted by Gary McKay
OUR WEBSITE IS LIVE AND WE ARE OPEN FOR SUBMISSIONS!
🦀 crabtalesmagazine.com 🦀
Please see our submissions page for guidelines on what we are looking for.
We pay 3c a word.
We are a new SFF magazine and we love crabs.
*clicks claws*
@rachelhandley.bsky.social is our EIC (and everything else).
🦀 crabtalesmagazine.com 🦀
Please see our submissions page for guidelines on what we are looking for.
We pay 3c a word.
We are a new SFF magazine and we love crabs.
*clicks claws*
@rachelhandley.bsky.social is our EIC (and everything else).
August 23, 2023 at 2:48 PM
OUR WEBSITE IS LIVE AND WE ARE OPEN FOR SUBMISSIONS!
🦀 crabtalesmagazine.com 🦀
Please see our submissions page for guidelines on what we are looking for.
We pay 3c a word.
We are a new SFF magazine and we love crabs.
*clicks claws*
@rachelhandley.bsky.social is our EIC (and everything else).
🦀 crabtalesmagazine.com 🦀
Please see our submissions page for guidelines on what we are looking for.
We pay 3c a word.
We are a new SFF magazine and we love crabs.
*clicks claws*
@rachelhandley.bsky.social is our EIC (and everything else).
Reposted by Gary McKay
The biggest enabler for creativity is stability. I wish that was made more central to the creative narrative. Figure out what your specific needs are to limit stressors and enable "boring" time and work to achieve that as hard as you're practicing your art.
August 23, 2023 at 1:24 PM
The biggest enabler for creativity is stability. I wish that was made more central to the creative narrative. Figure out what your specific needs are to limit stressors and enable "boring" time and work to achieve that as hard as you're practicing your art.
"We would like to extend a warm invitation to you to become a product reviewer and have the opportunity to experience this cutting-edge toilet brush firsthand."
I get all the cool email offers, huh?
I get all the cool email offers, huh?
August 23, 2023 at 10:54 AM
"We would like to extend a warm invitation to you to become a product reviewer and have the opportunity to experience this cutting-edge toilet brush firsthand."
I get all the cool email offers, huh?
I get all the cool email offers, huh?
I realised I may have played too much Pikmin 4 lately when I looked at a grape at lunchtime and wondered how many Pikmin it'd take to carry it 😅
August 22, 2023 at 2:04 PM
I realised I may have played too much Pikmin 4 lately when I looked at a grape at lunchtime and wondered how many Pikmin it'd take to carry it 😅
Today's editing got off to a great start when I managed to choke on a cup of tea and spray it over my writing desk. What a waste of good tea...
August 20, 2023 at 3:34 PM
Today's editing got off to a great start when I managed to choke on a cup of tea and spray it over my writing desk. What a waste of good tea...
Hi everyone! Great to see some of my buddies from The Other Place (and RL) here; looking forward to connecting with other writers and creative folk. :)
(Thanks to @theangrynoodle.com for the invite!)
(Thanks to @theangrynoodle.com for the invite!)
August 19, 2023 at 4:19 PM
Hi everyone! Great to see some of my buddies from The Other Place (and RL) here; looking forward to connecting with other writers and creative folk. :)
(Thanks to @theangrynoodle.com for the invite!)
(Thanks to @theangrynoodle.com for the invite!)