Sam Humphreys
@sjheditor.bsky.social
Editorial consultant and freelance editor with 20+ years in-house experience including PRH & Pan Macmillan: sjheditor@gmail.com
Likes: books, birds, babies, sun, v weak coffee
Collects: doors, dogs, clutter
Opinions: mine
Pronouns: she/her
Likes: books, birds, babies, sun, v weak coffee
Collects: doors, dogs, clutter
Opinions: mine
Pronouns: she/her
Dear iPhone,
You are often very good at grouping together pictures of certain people and pets, but, no, none of these photos show my Jack Russell — although he was indeed mainly white with black spots…
You are often very good at grouping together pictures of certain people and pets, but, no, none of these photos show my Jack Russell — although he was indeed mainly white with black spots…
November 22, 2025 at 10:40 PM
Dear iPhone,
You are often very good at grouping together pictures of certain people and pets, but, no, none of these photos show my Jack Russell — although he was indeed mainly white with black spots…
You are often very good at grouping together pictures of certain people and pets, but, no, none of these photos show my Jack Russell — although he was indeed mainly white with black spots…
Sometimes you have to read a tweet aloud before it makes sense…
Right up until my 20s I wondered why I never saw a copy of Donkey Otie in bookshops or libraries, even though it seemed to be quite well known
November 15, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Sometimes you have to read a tweet aloud before it makes sense…
Was in town earlier today and saw a sobbing child, wailing plaintively to her (I assume) mum, “I’ll never, never, NEVER be that brave.” The heartbreak…
November 9, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Was in town earlier today and saw a sobbing child, wailing plaintively to her (I assume) mum, “I’ll never, never, NEVER be that brave.” The heartbreak…
Reposted by Sam Humphreys
As a lawyer I'm seeing a lot more redundancies in 2025. I can't stress this enough, if you are being made redundant - GET A FUCKING LAWYER. I keep hearing of people getting unfair consultations and being ripped off in their redundancy packages. We would have spotted them for you.
November 6, 2025 at 11:55 PM
As a lawyer I'm seeing a lot more redundancies in 2025. I can't stress this enough, if you are being made redundant - GET A FUCKING LAWYER. I keep hearing of people getting unfair consultations and being ripped off in their redundancy packages. We would have spotted them for you.
‘Narrative is a bit disjointed and it’s kind of a slow burn, but by the Qs I couldn’t put it down. Five stars.’
Loving this review!
Loving this review!
Not many career paths lead to being friends with the dictionary, but I’m happy to find myself in one. Thanks for the early copy of the Twelfth Edition, @merriam-webster.com!
Narrative is a bit disjointed and it’s kind of a slow burn, but by the Qs I couldn’t put it down. Five stars.
Narrative is a bit disjointed and it’s kind of a slow burn, but by the Qs I couldn’t put it down. Five stars.
November 6, 2025 at 8:33 PM
‘Narrative is a bit disjointed and it’s kind of a slow burn, but by the Qs I couldn’t put it down. Five stars.’
Loving this review!
Loving this review!
Have just asked for these for Christmas!
If you've ever experienced a rupture with a loved one, this #birddivination is for you. Find more of them and the story behind them at almanacofbirds.org
November 6, 2025 at 8:32 PM
Have just asked for these for Christmas!
Missing this beautiful boy still…
November 5, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Missing this beautiful boy still…
Was just telling my husband about the time I’d just started at Picador (2002) and I came in to work one morning to find Don DeLillo had left me a voicemail message. (I was BEYOND excited.)
Husband: who’s Don DeLillo?
Husband: who’s Don DeLillo?
November 5, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Was just telling my husband about the time I’d just started at Picador (2002) and I came in to work one morning to find Don DeLillo had left me a voicemail message. (I was BEYOND excited.)
Husband: who’s Don DeLillo?
Husband: who’s Don DeLillo?
Reposted by Sam Humphreys
Remember remember the 5th of November, which is traditionally the day we put that guy Faulks on top of the Bonfire (of the Vanities) 🔥🎇
#BonfireNight #GuyFawkes
#BonfireNight #GuyFawkes
November 5, 2025 at 10:24 AM
Remember remember the 5th of November, which is traditionally the day we put that guy Faulks on top of the Bonfire (of the Vanities) 🔥🎇
#BonfireNight #GuyFawkes
#BonfireNight #GuyFawkes
Reposted by Sam Humphreys
Books. No cookie preferences. No cookies. No GDPR. No pop ups. No bots. No floating videos. No AI. No ads. No trackers. No misinformation. No fascist techbros. No distracting animations. No paywalls. No influencers. How good are these things? Books are frickin awesome
October 23, 2025 at 7:55 AM
Books. No cookie preferences. No cookies. No GDPR. No pop ups. No bots. No floating videos. No AI. No ads. No trackers. No misinformation. No fascist techbros. No distracting animations. No paywalls. No influencers. How good are these things? Books are frickin awesome
Reposted by Sam Humphreys
A staycation is spending your holiday in your own home and visiting places. A vacation is staying away from home even if it is in the same country. I will die on this hill.
October 20, 2025 at 2:55 PM
A staycation is spending your holiday in your own home and visiting places. A vacation is staying away from home even if it is in the same country. I will die on this hill.
Said goodbye to the best boy yesterday.
October 16, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Said goodbye to the best boy yesterday.
Reposted by Sam Humphreys
For anyone in Bath tomorrow (Tues 14th) come along to Topping Books to hear me & @odavies9.bsky.social talk #Folklore www.toppingbooks.co.uk/events/bath/...
Folklore: A Journey Through the Past and Present at Topping & Company Booksellers of Bath
www.toppingbooks.co.uk
October 13, 2025 at 7:14 PM
For anyone in Bath tomorrow (Tues 14th) come along to Topping Books to hear me & @odavies9.bsky.social talk #Folklore www.toppingbooks.co.uk/events/bath/...
Reposted by Sam Humphreys
My favourite grasshopper fact: Grasshoppers first appeared on the planet 250 million years ago.
Grass did not appear on the planet until 40 million years ago
Imagine it: 210 million years, hopping around on any random surface you can find, waiting for the grass that will make you truly yourself.
Grass did not appear on the planet until 40 million years ago
Imagine it: 210 million years, hopping around on any random surface you can find, waiting for the grass that will make you truly yourself.
June 23, 2025 at 10:04 AM
My favourite grasshopper fact: Grasshoppers first appeared on the planet 250 million years ago.
Grass did not appear on the planet until 40 million years ago
Imagine it: 210 million years, hopping around on any random surface you can find, waiting for the grass that will make you truly yourself.
Grass did not appear on the planet until 40 million years ago
Imagine it: 210 million years, hopping around on any random surface you can find, waiting for the grass that will make you truly yourself.
Reposted by Sam Humphreys
Woodland Study IV, 21cm x 14.9cm, pen on paper. Giclée prints available at claireleach.com/shop. Last few remaining. Use code FREESHIPPING and the postage is on me.
October 2, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Woodland Study IV, 21cm x 14.9cm, pen on paper. Giclée prints available at claireleach.com/shop. Last few remaining. Use code FREESHIPPING and the postage is on me.
Reposted by Sam Humphreys
The poem's relationship to its ostensible subject is not always straightforward
September 29, 2025 at 6:54 AM
The poem's relationship to its ostensible subject is not always straightforward
So, both dogs are wearing a cone of shame (one has a wound on his neck; the other’s had surgery today to remove a lump). Neither are very happy about it but the retriever, exhibiting the stubbornness for which the breed is known, is simply refusing to move until it’s removed.
September 23, 2025 at 4:14 PM
So, both dogs are wearing a cone of shame (one has a wound on his neck; the other’s had surgery today to remove a lump). Neither are very happy about it but the retriever, exhibiting the stubbornness for which the breed is known, is simply refusing to move until it’s removed.
Reposted by Sam Humphreys
Egg boxes don't get enough credit. Only a thin bit of cardboard and yet you hardly ever find a broken egg in one. Buy a pen online and it comes in a massive box wrapped in bubblewrap.
September 18, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Egg boxes don't get enough credit. Only a thin bit of cardboard and yet you hardly ever find a broken egg in one. Buy a pen online and it comes in a massive box wrapped in bubblewrap.
I’ve coined a new term: BYT (pronounced bit) Lit — novels about Bright Young Things who are all beautiful and brilliant and very VERY intense (and prone to brooding silences, dramatic exclamations and/or occasional acts of self sabotage)…
September 17, 2025 at 12:55 PM
I’ve coined a new term: BYT (pronounced bit) Lit — novels about Bright Young Things who are all beautiful and brilliant and very VERY intense (and prone to brooding silences, dramatic exclamations and/or occasional acts of self sabotage)…
Am thinking of returning to X… Anyone else considered it?
September 14, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Am thinking of returning to X… Anyone else considered it?
The dogs both pretended to be dead earlier…
September 7, 2025 at 8:32 PM
The dogs both pretended to be dead earlier…
Yesterday, M & I drove 35 miles to pick up a mirror that did not fit in our car. How was your weekend?
September 7, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Yesterday, M & I drove 35 miles to pick up a mirror that did not fit in our car. How was your weekend?
This has made me strangely happy.
I was 30 miles from home when I realised there was a bee stuck in the car. I felt strangely guilty and drove all the way back home to let her out so she didn't get stranded with no hive.
August 31, 2025 at 8:05 PM
This has made me strangely happy.