Lives in Scotland & writes books. Latest novel JUMP CUT published by Fledgling Press. Short story collection ATMOSPHERIC DISTURBANCES available from Swan River Press. Perthshire Gothic. M.R.James fiend. Represented by Fraser Ross Associates.https://bsky.app/profile/helengrantsays.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/helengrantsays.bsky.social/post/3mlarocqfo223In Northumberland. We just looked out of the back window and there is a sparrowhawk tearing the remains of a smaller bird to pieces and eating it, in the back garden. Um... bon appetit!07 May 2026 08:17 +0000at://did:plc:edis4jxm354ah4kwktehd76e/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlarocqfo223https://bsky.app/profile/helengrantsays.bsky.social/post/3ml6qbzitfs2nA friend's very old cat crossed the rainbow bridge today, and I reckon it thundered under his paws. He was a feral island cat who by all accounts chose his new gaff: he lurked about until invited in, like a vampire. He had 15 good years of chicken dinners and love. Adieu, Genghis Khan.06 May 2026 12:47 +0000at://did:plc:edis4jxm354ah4kwktehd76e/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml6qbzitfs2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/helengrantsays.bsky.social/post/3ml63vtbl422nAnyone else use the expression "looking like a dying duck in a thunderstorm" or is that just me?06 May 2026 06:42 +0000at://did:plc:edis4jxm354ah4kwktehd76e/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml63vtbl422nhttps://bsky.app/profile/helengrantsays.bsky.social/post/3ml4dbuexpc2cA friend of mine told me a while ago that people don't read all the other stories in anthologies their own work appears in. I gotta say, I mostly do. Other authors, what about you?05 May 2026 13:49 +0000at://did:plc:edis4jxm354ah4kwktehd76e/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml4dbuexpc2chttps://bsky.app/profile/helengrantsays.bsky.social/post/3ml3yyd356c22Amongst other things, my esteemed other half sometimes leads Duke of Edinburgh expeditions (NB I have often thought that doing this in Scotland must be a very different kettle of fish from doing it in, say, Devon, which is nearly 600 miles south. But I digress). 🧵05 May 2026 10:44 +0000at://did:plc:edis4jxm354ah4kwktehd76e/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml3yyd356c22https://bsky.app/profile/helengrantsays.bsky.social/post/3ml2a3iv4ys2iFor dinner we are having Caesar salad, roast potatoes (because roast potatoes) and brie-and-cranberry parcels. The dog got some of the offcuts of brie. She is ridiculously spoilt.04 May 2026 17:46 +0000at://did:plc:edis4jxm354ah4kwktehd76e/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml2a3iv4ys2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/helengrantsays.bsky.social/post/3ml27z4t4dc2yI'm slowly inching my way towards the halfway mark of WAR AND PEACE. I can thoroughly recommend tackling longer works one chapter a day.04 May 2026 17:45 +0000at://did:plc:edis4jxm354ah4kwktehd76e/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml27z4t4dc2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/helengrantsays.bsky.social/post/3ml27llo6jk2qToday I worked so much that my brains were practically running out of my ears, so now I am having a glass of pink prosecco. I think I blimmin deserve it.04 May 2026 17:37 +0000at://did:plc:edis4jxm354ah4kwktehd76e/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml27llo6jk2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/helengrantsays.bsky.social/post/3mkx5k6l6is2mThis reminds me of the time we were in Branklyn Garden and the tiny doggo saw a lily pad in the pond and thought it was solid ground. I saw her tensing to leap onto it and couldn't stop her in time. She went right under and came up wide eyed. [contains quote post or other embedded content]03 May 2026 12:23 +0000at://did:plc:edis4jxm354ah4kwktehd76e/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkx5k6l6is2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/helengrantsays.bsky.social/post/3mkwysspgf22jThis last week a friend of our daughter's was staying with us. She is in her late twenties. I was describing someone to her and I used the word "dishy" and she didn't know what it meant. Now I feel horribly, horribly old. https://media.tenor.com/v0cBeb_yBgUAAAAC/its-been84years-titanic.gif?hh=244&ww=24403 May 2026 10:58 +0000at://did:plc:edis4jxm354ah4kwktehd76e/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkwysspgf22jhttps://bsky.app/profile/helengrantsays.bsky.social/post/3mkwlxfdbqs2mTesco just sent me a promotional email introducing "Plumbert", their "friendly fruit and veg giant". They're doing a free fruit and veg initiative for schools. I don't know who came up with this character but I'm ancient and it gives me the meemies, so God knows what it would mean to schoolkids. 😱03 May 2026 07:08 +0000at://did:plc:edis4jxm354ah4kwktehd76e/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkwlxfdbqs2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/helengrantsays.bsky.social/post/3mkry2lbr4k2aOne from the vaults: May 1st https://helengrantbooks.blogspot.com/2013/05/mayday-mayday.html01 May 2026 11:01 +0000at://did:plc:edis4jxm354ah4kwktehd76e/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkry2lbr4k2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/helengrantsays.bsky.social/post/3mkpl4wzoyc2gAt this point so many Americans on the socials have referred to Charles as "The King of England" that I think Scotland can consider itself independent.30 Apr 2026 12:04 +0000at://did:plc:edis4jxm354ah4kwktehd76e/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkpl4wzoyc2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/helengrantsays.bsky.social/post/3mkmjnrbvkc26Nightmare Abbey 10 arrived and I went straight to Steve Duffy's Ça Grandit (because Steve Duffy). WOW - if you want to feel a horrible, vivid, creeping sense of dread, get this issue and read that story. It's brilliant. https://www.lulu.com/shop/tom-english-and-reggie-oliver-and-steve-rasnic-tem-and-steve-duffy/nightmare-abbey-10/paperback/product-p6n5g7j.html?q=%22nightmare+abbey%22&page=1&pageSize=429 Apr 2026 07:00 +0000at://did:plc:edis4jxm354ah4kwktehd76e/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkmjnrbvkc26https://bsky.app/profile/helengrantsays.bsky.social/post/3mklgalvu522pClearly, the damned spot28 Apr 2026 20:26 +0000at://did:plc:edis4jxm354ah4kwktehd76e/app.bsky.feed.post/3mklgalvu522phttps://bsky.app/profile/helengrantsays.bsky.social/post/3mkheqvwusc2wRemembering the time the local newspaper ran the headline LADY THE OSPREY IN FOUR EGG WONDER. Local papers, don't ever change.27 Apr 2026 05:49 +0000at://did:plc:edis4jxm354ah4kwktehd76e/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkheqvwusc2whttps://bsky.app/profile/helengrantsays.bsky.social/post/3mkfnapl4jc2hI spent a couple of days with my Dad this week, and amongst other things we got talking about WW2. Dad was 4 when it broke out, and 10 when it ended.26 Apr 2026 13:16 +0000at://did:plc:edis4jxm354ah4kwktehd76e/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkfnapl4jc2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/helengrantsays.bsky.social/post/3mkcp4sdmq22cIn all the years I have been driving up and down to see my aged folks, I have always passed signs for Tewkesbury but never been, even though I was fascinated by the pics of the abbey in the 2007 floods. Anyway, yesterday I stopped off.25 Apr 2026 09:11 +0000at://did:plc:edis4jxm354ah4kwktehd76e/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkcp4sdmq22chttps://bsky.app/profile/helengrantsays.bsky.social/post/3mkab3yap7s2jMy sis and I took our old Dad to a biker cafe yesterday (he's never been a biker but it was reachable by wheelchair). The staff and customers were SO kind and helpful. Honestly knights of the road. ❤️24 Apr 2026 09:55 +0000at://did:plc:edis4jxm354ah4kwktehd76e/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkab3yap7s2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/helengrantsays.bsky.social/post/3mkaaxlywt22iA knotty problem has resolved itself this morning and now I'm all: https://youtu.be/b0cAWgTPiwM?si=WBAVHh295ESmVsMM24 Apr 2026 09:53 +0000at://did:plc:edis4jxm354ah4kwktehd76e/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkaaxlywt22ihttps://bsky.app/profile/helengrantsays.bsky.social/post/3mjzfolwnw22wJust a reminder that this darling thing is still available from @swanriverpress.bsky.social ! Reviewer John Kenny said “One of the strongest single author collections of uncanny and supernatural tales I’ve read in a long time.” Link to buy to follow.21 Apr 2026 16:28 +0000at://did:plc:edis4jxm354ah4kwktehd76e/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjzfolwnw22w