The Mai Queen
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maiqueen.bsky.social
The Mai Queen
@maiqueen.bsky.social
Bookshop woman. Guttersnipe. Chrysalid. Crone. She/her.
Be kind, babies.
Today’s five minute drawing, by Ben (11) and Mai (51)
November 20, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Reposted by The Mai Queen
I read this poem to my students today.
You wonder who they mean,
but then you see. Their poison hemlock? That
is you. Their brown tree snake. Their killer bee.

-Amit Majmudar, 'Invasive Species'
#everynightapoem
We flower where we flower.
November 19, 2025 at 4:48 PM
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This mural has gone up in Kingston, ostensibly for Christmas but AI has ensured it's actually to celebrate the return of our dark lord Cthulhu
November 18, 2025 at 9:44 AM
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These puffins and kings have also just been added to the following gallery/shop. Lots of interesting resonant ghosty kinda stuff there, if you’re interested. And you should be dammit

www.chloecumming.com/monoprintdra...
November 14, 2025 at 4:22 PM
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I've got a fresh batch of paperbacks in if anyone wants to buy directly from me for Christmas. Same deal as back in July: £13 each, or both for £25, including UK postage.

precastreinforced.co.uk/2025/07/25/a...
A rare chance to buy books direct from me
I’ve got a limited supply of paperback copies of both Municipal Gothic and Intervals of Darkness ready to ship to anyone in the UK who wants to buy one. They’re £13 each including delivery in the U…
precastreinforced.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 7:22 AM
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It's Remembrance Sunday and let's remember that the black and brown people fought and died as part of the Allies too.

In my new novel - Nate Yu's Blast From the Past
I feature a ghost from the Chinese Labour Corp because it was important for me to tell readers about this often untold history.
November 9, 2025 at 11:18 AM
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A floating skull being clumsily ominous
November 6, 2025 at 4:19 PM
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A sneak peek at the cover of next week’s issue, which celebrates Zohran Mamdani’s historic win. #NewYorkerCovers
https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/451hFM
November 5, 2025 at 3:15 AM
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Japan's "Mundane Halloween" costume contest is back!

Each year website DailyPortalZ holds a contest where people dress up as something super duper ordinary.

Here's a thread of some of my favorites from the 2025 contest!

#MundaneHalloween
November 2, 2025 at 9:15 AM
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🎃 HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!🎃

It's so brilliant to see reviews by The Igniting Writing creative writing group about POEMS FROM A WITCH'S POCKET by Laura Theis!

🔮Order a copy here:https://buff.ly/aUT2rfl🔮
October 31, 2025 at 12:02 PM
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FICTION: “This small monograph was compiled by members of the St Philips Folklore and History Society in order to record that which would otherwise be lost...”

precastreinforced.co.uk/2025/10/30/f...
FICTION: Local Legends
I’ve extracted the text from the booklet The Boiled Egg Lady and Other Local Legends of East Bristol which I found on an online auction site earlier this year. It doesn’t seem to have been reprinte…
precastreinforced.co.uk
October 30, 2025 at 6:35 PM
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Top of the Pops (29th October 1981). Altered Images open the show with 'Happy Birthday'.
October 29, 2025 at 6:02 PM
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BlueSky! We need your help. Sign up for our Kickstarter for a brand new audio horror anthology series: DEADVAULT!

Find out more here: www.kickstarter.com/projects/mik...
October 25, 2025 at 11:33 AM
Today’s 50p charity shop treasure:
October 28, 2025 at 4:25 PM
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Our Samhain horror 'zine is out now:

76 pages of fresh nightmares, haunted nostalgia, and British strangeness. A fine fireside read for the turning of the year.
#GeneralWitchfinders #Zine #HorrorZine #BritishHorror

Buy it here
tinyurl.com/gwZINE

Please repost
October 21, 2025 at 6:00 PM
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Today is Bookshop Day, a day to celebrate ALL bookshops on our high streets.

Bookshops are an integral part of an author's livelihood, and we celebrate all the talented booksellers who share their guidance and expertise.

Visit your local bookshop today and show them your support.

#bookshopday
October 11, 2025 at 9:24 AM
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Oh go on then. I’ve also added the skull and Corbett. To my shop. These are a bloody bargain, there’s 45 years of wisdom infused and contained within them

www.chloecumming.com
October 8, 2025 at 7:03 PM
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"What is at stake if we cannot continue?"

Simultaneously very happy and crestfallen to be part of this Open Letter (written to the industry, as well as readers, writers, and - well - everyone who cares).

Please read, and share:

www.thebookseller.com/comment/open...
Open letter on the future of small press publishing in the UK
The industry must work together to ensure the longevity of the UK’s independent presses.
www.thebookseller.com
October 10, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Very exciting book delivery 💀⚰️🪦
October 8, 2025 at 4:41 PM
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have they read so little & thought with such shallowness that they think the purpose of human life is "be a valuable cog in the productivity machine of your country, purchase an acceptable home, keep it filled with the usual items, consume media but don't get any ideas, raise your replacements"?
October 8, 2025 at 8:25 AM
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October 8, 2025 at 8:06 AM
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FICTION: The Newhamstead Goblin – “In the daytime it’s alright. You don’t see it, not a sign. Maybe the odd footprint. Maybe a big pile of shit. Maybe an upturned car. You ignore it, though. Well, you have to, don’t you? You just get on with your life.”

precastreinforced.co.uk/2025/08/21/f...
FICTION: The Newhamstead Goblin
You stop calling the police after a while, d’yer know worrimean? What’s the point? Either they don’t come at all, or by the time they turn up, the bloody thing’s gone to ground. They think we’re da…
precastreinforced.co.uk
August 21, 2025 at 6:52 AM
Today’s exciting book post:
August 15, 2025 at 3:35 PM
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every single woman I've brought it up with at some point has been sexually assaulted before, myself included, and not a single one of these men has ever cared about the reality of that, but now it's maybe looking like some black and brown men are moving to Britain and oh, suddenly women are people?
August 9, 2025 at 10:03 PM