Ollie
LightNews LightNews
banner
olliefern.bsky.social
Ollie
@olliefern.bsky.social
19 followers 18 following 72 posts
Fiction writer, literary translator and travelling pet sitter. 🏳️‍🌈🧘🏼‍♂️
https://ollieredfern.substack.com/
Posts Replies Media Videos
olliefern.bsky.social
Current read: a compelling, page-turning horror about lesbian cannibals in Cumbria. What else do you need to know?!
#TheLamb
November 17, 2025 at 12:52 PM
olliefern.bsky.social
At Curious Yellow Kafe, Hoxton, sipping on a hot chocolate and writing to one of my penpals. 😉
#SilentSunday
A cozy workspace at Curious Yellow Kafe viewed from a wooden table where Rivoli letter writing paper sits alongside a hot chocolate in a geometric patterned mug, notebooks, and a pen. The bright yellow-framed storefront opens to an outdoor seating area where people gather in the early evening light beneath bare winter trees. The café interior features eclectic décor with vintage tiled floors, a collage of posters and artwork on white walls, pendant lights, and a welcoming bohemian atmosphere. Interior view of Curious Yellow Kafe showing the full space with its glass display case of baked goods, espresso machine, wooden shelving units, and chalkboard menu on the wall. Rivoli letter writing paper and a hot chocolate in a geometric patterned mug sit on the rustic wooden table in the foreground. The café features mismatched vintage furniture, patterned tile flooring, exposed ceiling beams, and that distinctive bright yellow door frame. The eclectic, artistic vibe is enhanced by posters, plants, and warm lighting creating an inviting creative workspace.
November 16, 2025 at 5:10 PM
olliefern.bsky.social
#SilentSunday
A quiet London street corner in Shoreditch at dawn, showing the intersection of two roads with characteristic Victorian and Edwardian buildings. On the left is a white-painted building with 'The Duke' pub at street level and a Carhartt store, while on the right stands a handsome curved red brick building with white stone detailing and arched windows, housing a Pizza Pilgrims restaurant with green and white striped awnings at street level. Street lamps cast warm golden light onto the wet pavement, and the moody blue-gray sky creates an atmospheric urban scene typical of London. Bike lane markings and bollards are visible on the empty streets.
November 16, 2025 at 8:10 AM
olliefern.bsky.social
One hundred years of cat love.
#Caturday
A person's hand resting palm-up on their lap, with a small black cat paw gently placed in their open palm. The scene captures a quiet, cozy moment with a white coffee mug and a tarot or oracle card deck visible from the cover of 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez on a gray cushioned surface. The deck image is in Portuguese with colorful illustrations including blue hand imagery and traditional tarot card designs. The person is wearing a dark knitted sweater, and a tabby cat is partially visible at the bottom of the frame, creating an intimate moment of connection between human and feline companion.
November 15, 2025 at 12:21 PM
olliefern.bsky.social
Happy birthday to the lovely Sarah Jackson, whose collection of ghost stories, The Haunted Tea Set & Other Stories, is my Must Read this Xmas season. Wishing you all the best.
A person holds up a copy of 'The Haunted Tea Set & Other Stories' by Sarah Jackson in a bright, sunlit room with large windows. A black cat with alert ears stands on the table beside the book, appearing to look toward the camera with an intense, somewhat skeptical expression.
November 14, 2025 at 9:20 AM
olliefern.bsky.social
Louie's bedroom.
#SilentSunday
A first-person perspective view looking down at bare feet resting on a bed with cream-colored striped bedding and an elegant carved wooden headboard. A dark tabby cat is curled up contentedly on the person's lap wearing dark clothing. The bright, airy loft-style bedroom features tall frosted glass windows letting in natural light, a pendant lamp hanging from an exposed ceiling, light wood built-in cabinets and wardrobes, and white curtains, creating a cozy, peaceful morning or afternoon scene.
November 2, 2025 at 8:18 AM
olliefern.bsky.social
Been feeling tongue-tied, written-word-blocked. I still journal, just don't feel like sharing anything online. This is a new halfway attempt. "Blank", No.69 in my 100-word series on #Substack.

open.substack.com/pub/olliered...
Black cat sits on white windowsill looking at camera. Behind: grey London rooftops. On sill: embroidered frame reading 'he careth for you', stone, carved wood, classical bust. White text overlay reads 'Blank #69' and 'ollieredfern.substack.com'
November 1, 2025 at 9:53 AM
olliefern.bsky.social
Chances of getting any journalling done currently at 15%.
#BlueskyCats
A cozy living room scene viewed from someone's perspective with their bare feet propped up on a dark wooden coffee table. A black cat is lying contentedly on an open notebook or journal with handwritten pages. The coffee table holds various items including magazines, a coffee mug, a yellow scarf or throw, and what appears to be a Gabriel García Márquez book. The room features warm wood floors, floral upholstered furniture, a white fireplace with decorative screen, and traditional wooden containers or vessels near the hearth, creating an inviting atmosphere for reading and relaxation.
September 22, 2025 at 7:06 PM
olliefern.bsky.social
#SilentSunday in Minas Gerais, Brazil.
A serene meditation corner featuring two matching wooden chairs with geometric Asian-inspired designs flanking a small wooden side table. A bronze or brass Buddha statue sits centered on the table as a focal point. The space is framed by an elegant arched doorway with decorative amber and blue stained glass panels at the top. Natural light streams through French doors in the background, revealing a covered patio area and lush garden with palm plants. A decorative mirror hangs on the cream-colored wall, and the white tile floor is accented with a small area rug.
September 21, 2025 at 8:54 PM
olliefern.bsky.social
Kikita dreams.
#caturday
A black and white kitten curled up sleeping peacefully on a beige upholstered armchair with white floral pattern fabric. The chair sits in a bright, airy living space with white tile floors, featuring warm wood furniture including a tall display cabinet with glass doors and a blue ceramic vase. In the background, there's a dining area with yellow chairs and French doors leading to what appears to be a patio or garden area with colorful umbrellas visible outside.
September 20, 2025 at 4:25 PM
olliefern.bsky.social
There's a new princess in town.
#BlueskyPrincesses
A smiling man with silver-gray hair and beard wearing a dark navy t-shirt sits by a window with white frames. Someone wearing a bright pink/magenta sleeve is playfully placing an ornate silver crown with red jewels and decorative elements on his head. Lush green trees and garden landscaping are visible through the window behind him. The same man now wearing the decorative silver crown adorned with red heart-shaped jewels and ornate details, smiling warmly at the camera. The person in the pink sleeve is adjusting the crown on his head. The bright, sunny window setting shows the same garden view with mature trees and tropical plants in the background.
September 20, 2025 at 12:46 PM
olliefern.bsky.social
It's been 68 weeks since I started posting 100-word pieces on #Substack that explore my life between Brazil and the UK. They can be read in any order, or no order at all. Thank you to those of you returning every week to check them out!

ollieredfern.substack.com/p/reincarnat...
Social media card featuring the title 'Reincarnation #68' over a bedroom scene with a ginger cat on a bed beside a person's legs, facing an open window with white shutters and green foliage outside. Text excerpt reads 'Lying in bed, listening to an online nondual teacher. Staring out of an open window—a sunny autumn day.' Bottom shows 'OLLIEREDFERN.SUBSTACK.COM'
September 17, 2025 at 7:27 PM
olliefern.bsky.social
Sweet Amora.
A smiling man with silver-gray hair and wire-rimmed glasses wearing a burgundy striped t-shirt sits relaxed on a couch with a black and white cat curled up on his lap. The cozy indoor setting features floral-patterned cushions and a decorative glass block window in the background, creating a warm, homey atmosphere.
September 16, 2025 at 5:37 PM
olliefern.bsky.social
The latest LRB has an article on Dorothy Parker that you might enjoy, @rachelondon.bsky.social
September 14, 2025 at 1:43 PM
olliefern.bsky.social
"I died yesterday quite suddenly. It wasn't from COVID-19 in case you were wondering..." A 100-word meditation on letting go, originally written during the pandemic.

ollieredfern.substack.com/p/death
#LettingGo #Substack
Black background with white text reading "Death #67" at the top, a single illuminated window with horizontal blinds in the center, and "OLLIEREDFERN.SUBSTACK.COM" at the bottom.
September 6, 2025 at 8:02 AM
olliefern.bsky.social
Central Café is tucked inside a labyrinth of small shops and stalls, deep within the old Stratford Shopping Centre in East London. No music blasting, no hoards, no branded advertisement all over the place. Just some regulars and me, with my journal & cards, sipping on a £1.80 hot chocolate.
A latte with cocoa powder sits on a white table next to a digital drawing tablet displaying a colorful illustration of a yellow cat with gardening tools and red tulips, with the text 'I dig you.' A stylus pen rests on the tablet, and envelopes are scattered nearby. Interior of a casual restaurant with white metal chairs and light wood tables. A person in a dark hoodie sits alone at a table. The walls display framed food photos and menu items, with an optical services shop visible in the background. The service counter of Central Cafe showing blue menu boards mounted on the wall above a stainless steel food service area. White metal chairs with black seats are positioned at light wood tables in the foreground. The cafe has white ceiling tiles and a casual dining atmosphere.
September 1, 2025 at 6:20 AM
olliefern.bsky.social
The kiskadees build
their nests high on the pine trees
too high for my cats.

#caturday #haiku
A ginger and white cat perches confidently on a thick branch of a large pine tree, surrounded by dense green needles and smaller branches. Sunlight filters through the canopy above, creating dappled light on the cat's fur and the lush foliage around it.
August 31, 2025 at 8:23 AM
olliefern.bsky.social
A journal entry from last year, 29th May 2024, when I was still living at my family's guesthouse in Brazil.
#substack #memoir

ollieredfern.substack.com/p/mornings-i...
A graphic featuring the title 'Mornings in the Mountains' and date '29th May 2024' overlaid on a photograph of a sunlit guesthouse interior. The image shows an open French grammar textbook on a wooden table with a red thermal coffee carafe, alongside magazines and books. Through large windows, lush Brazilian gardens are visible, with traditional wooden chairs and bookshelves in the background. The Substack URL 'OLLIEREDFERN.SUBSTACK.COM' appears at the bottom.
August 26, 2025 at 9:00 AM
olliefern.bsky.social
This is your friendly reminder that we have 31 days left until the release of Jenny Uglow’s new book, "A Year with Gilbert White".
August 19, 2025 at 2:53 PM
olliefern.bsky.social
Ghosts, shadows, the sudden desire to deep clean, plus a cat that occasionally causes anxiety.

open.substack.com/pub/olliered...
February 6, 2025 at 2:18 PM
olliefern.bsky.social
Morning coffee and writing @ Café Coho in Brighton.
February 1, 2025 at 10:26 AM
olliefern.bsky.social
Let's do this.
January 20, 2025 at 1:52 PM
olliefern.bsky.social
“Through the darkness of future past, the magician longs to see, one chance out between two worlds, fire walk with me!”

Rest in peace, David. Thank you for your art and vision.
January 17, 2025 at 8:27 AM
olliefern.bsky.social
Messalina approves of The Salt Path.
#amreading
January 14, 2025 at 10:49 AM
olliefern.bsky.social
Meet Messalina, my new copy editor.
January 8, 2025 at 8:18 PM