Jess Popplewell
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jesspopps.bsky.social
Jess Popplewell
@jesspopps.bsky.social
420 followers 920 following 200 posts
I know writers who use subtext, and they’re all cowards.

Author: THE DARK WITHIN US.
Rep’d by: Louise Lamont at LBA.

See also: Careers Consultant; views own & not representative of employer, obviously.

See more of my nonsense at jesspopplewell.com
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jesspopps.bsky.social
(It’s not really a challenge, it’s not like I keep it a secret how much I love this place)
The text says “wrote a new book recently. Wanna guess where it’s set?” And the background has four vertical panels, each showing a sliver of a photograph of a grey, cloudy (but still beautiful! That’s the best weather!) northern English seaside town. One picture is of a church at the top of a cliff. One is the arches of a ruined abbey. One is of the moorland you’d have to drive across to get to this town. And one of them is of a series of rooftops visible if you stand halfway up the 199 steps up to that ruined abbey.
May 29, 2025 at 5:42 PM
jesspopps.bsky.social
Never let it be said I don’t know how to organise a party.
An Instagram message that reads Hello - I’m doing b a couple of days in Whitby over my birthday next month, would you be interested in a day out to eat chips in the freezing cold on a pier?
February 26, 2025 at 10:25 PM
jesspopps.bsky.social
Alexa, play “Heaven” by DJ Sammy.
My gorgeous black rescue cat, Allie, stretched out fast asleep on my lap like the longest boi. I’ve also got a sort of Scandi-inspired patterned blanket on my legs because his claws are sharper than sin, so he’s having the cosiest time in the world. There’s a little flash of tummy as well (he has an over-grooming issue) but his little PAWS and his little FACE just look so sweet and peaceful! Honestly, I am so toxoplasmosis-brained.
February 18, 2025 at 11:34 AM
jesspopps.bsky.social
Keep the people who get you (this is why I dedicated a book to her).
An Instagram messages screenshot. I sent my friend an article titled “if your friendship lasts more than 7 years, studies suggest it will last a lifetime” with the caption “unlucky, nobhead”. She replied “ah damn - wouldn’t have it any other way.” And then she said “if it was 6 years and 364 days then I’d lock you in the cupboard overnight” to which I replied “it’s not kidnapping if I like it.” My god, I love her.
February 5, 2025 at 4:52 PM
jesspopps.bsky.social
Awkwardly heartfelt & genuine post alert:

I started writing this book when I was 16, before I ran away from home. So, it means an awful lot to me, being about youth homelessness, belonging, and finding your people against a backdrop of - well, Hell.

People have been kind, and I’m so grateful.
A faded image of the book THE DARK WITHIN US by Jess Popplewell, overlaid with the following text: thank you everyone who bought, read, reviewed and talked about THE DARK WITHIN US in 2024. This book means a LOT to me, thank you for being LOVELY to share it with. Then there are three emojis, a black heart, fire, another black heart.
December 30, 2024 at 12:42 AM
jesspopps.bsky.social
Happy Boxing Day!

Looking for a cheap read in these weird days between Christmas and New Year?

Well, Amazon have pushed the Kindle price of my book to a ✨bargainous✨ £1.09 again!

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0D5...
A screenshot from Amazon.co.uk showing the cover of THE DARK WITHIN US by Jess Popplewell is currently £1.09 on Kindle. It also shows that the book is sitting on 4.5 out of 5 stars, which I think is pretty good and maybe you might decide to give this a read?
December 26, 2024 at 2:00 PM
jesspopps.bsky.social
Popped into Waterstones Cardiff today and signed their copy of TDWU - the gorgeous team there had already put it face out so it was nice and easy to find! 🖤🔥❤️✨
A Waterstones book shelf with lots of excellent teen lit on it - including, face out, THE DARK WITHIN US by Jess Popplewell. It’s a red cover with white writing and black and grey illustrated versions of the main characters, Luc and Jenny. Jess Popplewell’s hand (wearing a ring made from Icelandic lava) pulling back the cover of THE DARK WITHIN US to reveal it’s been signed by the author!
December 21, 2024 at 5:50 PM
jesspopps.bsky.social
There’s nowt Christmassy about my book, and yet here I am, promoting it at Christmas. I mean, it’s got trees in it - they’re not Christmas trees, but they do have secrets? If that helps?

Maybe you’re after a gothy, Hieronymus Bosch, Dante Alighieri, but make it 2006, sort of Christmas?

Maybe?
December 15, 2024 at 7:05 PM
jesspopps.bsky.social
People say nice things about my book: Christmas edition! (I braved my Amazon reviews for this, and was pleasantly surprised! You’re all lovely, aren’t you?)
People say nice things about my book: Christmas edition - also an image of some Christmassy holly on a red background, and the cover of THE DARK WITHIN US by Jess Popplewell, which is also a Christmassy red colour with white, black and grey illustrations of the main characters Jenny and Luc. Christmassy background of holly with the following text: Just the right amount of thrills, scares, and celestial bureaucracy. Wicked, funny, full of feeling - from an Amazon reviewer. Christmassy background of holly with the following text: The book reminded me of myself as a teen attending ramshackle house parties, stuck in the monotony of school… from an Amazon reviewer. Christmassy background of holly with the following text: a beautifully observed story about the emptiness we can all feel inside, and the surprising things that can fill the darkness once we stop running from them - from an Amazon reviewer.
December 2, 2024 at 2:16 PM
jesspopps.bsky.social
Show me a picture on your phone that has your energy but isn’t a selfie.
A comic strip square with an older lady telling a little girl called Mari that something she has written is really good and she should be a writer, with the caption underneath: and thus, little Mari’s life was effectively ruined.
November 25, 2024 at 11:26 PM
jesspopps.bsky.social
Hello! I’m Jess, I wrote a book called THE DARK WITHIN US. It’s a YA portal fantasy inspired equally by Dante’s INFERNO and 2007-era SKINS.

Jenny is looking for a way to fix her life so when a demon tells her she doesn’t have a soul, she agrees to go with him on a journey to Hell to get it back.
A red book cover with an illustration of a teenage boy and girl in black and white. Title: THE DARK WITHIN US. Author: JESS POPPLEWELL.
November 19, 2024 at 3:49 PM