If you’re anywhere close to Aberystwyth, come along on Friday (12th). I’ll be talking all matters Sarn Helen in Waterstones from 7pm. It would be great to see you there…

I’ve been slack about this sort of thing lately. (Sorry, anyone concerned.)

Tomorrow, April 2nd, 10:30, I’ll be talking with Julie Brominicks at Amdani Festival, Machynlleth.

On Thursday, April 6th, 6:30pm, I’ll be talking with James Roberts at Stanfords Bookshop, Bristol.

That’s this next week anyway. Come along!

Am really happy to share this exchange of letters with Ben Rawlence, author of The Treeline and founder of Black Mountains College, on the Granta website. I got a lot out of the conversation – not least my focus on starling murmurations, which now seem to turn up in everything I say… Murmurations mean collaboration and it’s an honour to have such collaborators as Ben and, of course, Jay Griffiths. In fact, the three of us spent Saturday evening hunched over the table (where I’m typing now) dreaming up yet more plans.

The Open Book episode is here, if you’d like a listen.

This is on Sunday if you fancy a listen. As you can see, I’d been listening to something about Stevie Smith when I took this screenshot. I’ve had a run of literary listening lately. I particularly recommend Crafting with Ursula. Ursula K Le Guin is one of the two writers I’ve been rereading in the past year or two who has left me wondering where I’ve been. The other is Tove Jansson.

Simon Jenkins vs Sarn Helen…

Guardian Book of the Day today…

Number 4, would you believe! Five places above Prince Harry (though I don’t suppose he’s fretting about it…)

Here’s a Q&A with (the great) Toby Litt