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howtobe247.bsky.social
How To Be Books
@howtobe247.bsky.social
190 followers 110 following 480 posts
Podcast and site from journalist Suswati Basu, reading incredible books and interviewing authors to explore life skills and social change.

www.howtobe247.com
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howtobe247.bsky.social
LinkedIn's ladder - a workplace horror

Sometimes, you have to write into existential despair. This was inspired by Stephen King's Jacob's Ladder and Dante's Inferno in a very loose way.

If you know, you know.

open.substack.com/pub/suswatib...

#CreativeWriting #Writing #horror #linkedin
March 5, 2025 at 7:26 PM
howtobe247.bsky.social
Finally reading this given how apt the timing is.

#Books #FarRight #nonfiction
Image of book cover that says Liz Fekete's Europe's Fault Lines: Racism and the Rise of the Right Inside book cover is a personal message to Suswati from the author: "To Suswati, Keep on asking those difficult questions! In solidarity, Liz"
February 20, 2025 at 11:48 PM
howtobe247.bsky.social
Sometimes I tell stories... #CreativeWriting #Storytelling #disability #horror

suswatibasu.substack.com/p/chronic
An orange background with white text. The title reads 'Chronic' in bold, followed by the subtitle 'An average horror story.' Below, there is a quote: 'There has been a constant, creeping fatigue that's been clinging to my bones since that day.' At the bottom, the website 'SUSWATIBASU.SUBSTACK.COM' is displayed in lighter text
February 17, 2025 at 4:16 PM
howtobe247.bsky.social
I've just had the chance to read this masterpiece of a book – Jacqueline Harpman's 'I Who Have Never Known Men,' and I was wondering if you've read it and what you thought about it? #BookRecommendations
The image shows a hand holding a book titled "I Who Have Never Known Men" by Jacqueline Harpman. The book cover features a minimalist design with a profile silhouette of a human head in black against a grey background, divided by a vertical red strip that fades into a softer orange. The text on the cover is in white, and there's a quote from The Guardian describing the book as "a haunting post-apocalyptic tale." The top left corner labels the book as part of the "Vintage Classics" series.
February 7, 2025 at 10:48 AM
howtobe247.bsky.social
My first #booknook is from Cutebee on Amazon, called the Eternal Bookstore! Quite fiddly to do and not everything fits together that well, but I recommend getting a good craft glue. I used Flexibond.
January 8, 2025 at 12:13 PM
howtobe247.bsky.social
Happy New Year! I hope 2025 is filled with books for you.
Black board with the words "Happy New year 2025" in white
January 1, 2025 at 1:09 AM
howtobe247.bsky.social
Final read of 2024. @thebookerprizes.bsky.social winning novel Orbital by Samantha Harvey. What's yours?
Reading Samantha Harvey's Orbital, picture of book cover
December 30, 2024 at 4:08 PM
howtobe247.bsky.social
That was draining. @nationalbooktokens.bsky.social are next level sadists 😅 but we love them. #HiddenBooksGame
A screenshot of a webpage from National Book Tokens congratulating the user for completing the Hidden Books Game. The message states, "You've been entered to win a £500/€500 National Book Token – the perfect gift for booklovers!" The page features colorful artwork of a bookstore scene and a panda sitting with a bowl of items. The hashtag #HiddenBooksGame is included.
November 19, 2024 at 4:22 PM
howtobe247.bsky.social
📣 Calling all writers, translators, illustrators...

If you’ve published a book OR an equivalent number of articles, you are eligible to join the Society of Authors & vote to support a ceasefire in #Gaza.

Deadline is MIDDAY TODAY (Fri 26th).

Please share!
www2.societyofauthors.org/join/
This image features a vibrant yellow background with a central graphic that includes a pen and a watermelon slice, both illustrated with anthropomorphic qualities such as limbs. The pen appears to be writing or drawing, while the watermelon slice seems to be running. Above the graphics, text in bold letters reads "I’M VOTING FOR PALESTINE & PLANET" and below the graphics, additional text says "at the SOCIETY OF AUTHORS EGM on MAY 2ND sign up via @FOSSILFREEBOOKS." The text and illustrations are arranged in a compelling and colourful design to communicate a political or social message about a voting event related to Palestine and environmental issues.
April 26, 2024 at 10:02 AM
howtobe247.bsky.social
📚 IMPORTANT NOTICE

Yes, I'm taking a much needed vacation, all the way in California! So posts will be sporadic this week and automated. See you on the otherwise after February 12th. We'll have some amazing content from here later on this month!
#vacation
We're away this week on annual leave hence there will be fewer posts. See you soon.
February 3, 2024 at 2:13 AM
howtobe247.bsky.social
KidLit for ceasefire: thousands urge Biden to stop Gaza war

“As children’s publishing professionals, we create our work for the sake of all the children in the world—without exception"

#Gaza #KidLit4Ceasefire #CeasefireNOW #KidLit
howtobe247.com/kidlit-for-c...
KidLit4Ceasefire campaign post says: "I've just signed the KidLit4Ceasefire letter to Biden. Spread awareness on behalf of Gaza’s 1 million Palestinian children in dire need a #ceasefirenow," with a QR code to add your name
January 23, 2024 at 6:51 AM
howtobe247.bsky.social
It's a brand, spanking new year! And of course, we wanted to bring you up to speed as we're about to finish our third season of the podcast. Join our #newsletter! #HappyNewYear

mailchi.mp/d12c7effa1fb...
Join our newsletter image. "Subscribe to our newsletter to get our latest news and updates - sign me up!"
January 1, 2024 at 8:20 PM
howtobe247.bsky.social
🎄🥳 Happy holidays, merry Christmas and Happy New Year from us to you as we take a short break.

ID: We wish you a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year green writing on top of yellow background and holly leaves.
December 24, 2023 at 12:47 PM
howtobe247.bsky.social
NEW PODCAST EPISODE! (Inc. TW: suicide)

It was absolutely vital speaking to Totally Fine author Tiffany Philippou about how grief, loss, suicide, and shame become intertwined.

Listen to the episode: tinyurl.com/5fzk299e
Watch the interview: tinyurl.com/jy3yddue
Tiffany Philippou smiles at the camera in a sideways profile, She is wearing a black turtleneck top and earrings. She stands behind a microphone with a yellow, blue and beige background that says How To Be Books Podcast
December 24, 2023 at 10:22 AM
howtobe247.bsky.social
NEW PODCAST EPISODE!

It was fantastic speaking to Vagina Obscura author Rachel E. Gross on the #shame and stigma associated with women’s #anatomy.

Listen to the episode: tinyurl.com/2evcnayb
Watch the interview: tinyurl.com/2wfam629
Rachel E. Gross is a mixed race woman of Chinese and Jewish descent, wearing sleeveless green shirt, a nose stud and short black hair while holding an orange model of the vagina. She stands behind a microphone with a yellow, blue and beige background that says How To Be Books Podcast
December 10, 2023 at 9:27 AM
howtobe247.bsky.social
NEW PODCAST EPISODE!

It was an honour speaking with Climb Your Mountain author Sir Ranulph Fiennes on lessons from an extraordinary life.

Listen to the episode: tinyurl.com/2nw77x9h
Watch the interview: tinyurl.com/2cbcn8f3
Sir Ranulph Fiennes wears an orange thermal ski jacket with hood up and covered in ice and snow. He stands behind a microphone with a yellow, blue and beige background that says How To Be Books Podcast.
November 26, 2023 at 12:10 PM
howtobe247.bsky.social
Great to be at tonight's Black to the Future Festival at the British Library - they did an amazing job despite the crazy situation! Truly inspirational to see bright people breaking the ceiling in this genre. @chellaramanan.bsky.social @riverssolomon.bsky.social @coreybrotherson.bsky.social
Leah Muwanga-Magoye, Chella Ramanan, Rivers Solomon and Corey Brotherson on stage at the British Library for the Black to the Future festival
November 3, 2023 at 11:42 PM
howtobe247.bsky.social
At Kings Place for the Independent Podcast Awards after being nominated under the books category! What a night! Didn't win but great to see such amazing talent being honoured.
Colourful stage lit in pink with green and yellow highlights for the Independent Podcast Awards
October 30, 2023 at 9:52 PM
howtobe247.bsky.social
We've made it here! A big hello to everyone. This books channel looks at the intersection of literature and society - therefore hard-hitting subjects.

Everything we look at comes from an intersectional perspective, and the aim is to showcase how everything around us impacts our mental wellbeing.
Yellow background with three blue circles, and the words "How To Be..." written and an icon of a person with ellipses as the brain.
October 30, 2023 at 4:25 PM