Jan Carson

Exiting the Old Masters Museum and proceeding to the nearest furniture shop with the explicit purpose of purchasing my own reading cupboard

Good grief. If I see the same six books on any more best reads of 2026 lists I am going to scream and it’s only October. We have another two months of this. Don’t be sheep. Try reading one of the gazillion great books the publishing industry isn’t trying to force down your throat.

Aren’t librarians brilliant? A gorgeous display of #FewAndFarBetween by @darkandlonelywater.bsky.social and all the library’s copies are now on loan

Oh how I have missed you beloved dancing stars of European cinema.

Best almond croissant of my young life… a photo story in three parts 🥐 🥐 🥐

I mean, I think there might be a few reasons why no one’s come up with this combo before…

It’s been a decade or so but I’m still pedantically working my way through every episode of the X Files. Hope to finish before the end of the world.

Job done. Wolf Hall trilogy complete. This definitely wasn’t my favourite of the three. It had its moments but, dare I say, it could’ve done with some editing. Still a monumental piece of writing #MyYearWithHM

Is it ok to go to bed at 5:30 (caveat I only have 150 pages of the Mirror and the Light to finish the trilogy and reading it in bed feels like the absolute best use of my Saturday evening)?

There is no admin left in the world that I have not done today. Am currently an admin puddle.

I had the privilege of doing a couple of gigs with Dónal a few years ago and he was such a lovely, generous man and great craic too. This is very sad.

One of those horrific days where it feels like the quicker you answer emails, the quicker your inbox fills up again. Roll on the weekend. Friday afternoon messaging frenzy is horrific

Well, this is nice… #FewAndFarBetween

Have had a brilliant time @ulbruxelles today discussing Northern Ireland literature. Exceptional students, lovely warm hosts, oddly shaped buildings and the best hot chocolate I’ve had in years.

Happy 10th anniversary of miracle day folks. Remember when I lost my laptop with everything I’ve ever written on it not backed up in Waverley Station. Then 2 days and hundreds of helpful people later it came back unscathed. Only good things happen on Oct 22nd www.jancarson.co.uk/blog/happy-m...

Not true. I’m currently reading and loving ‘Quickly, While They Still Have Horses’

Just finished the brilliant ‘Few and Far Between’ and really liking ‘No Vacancy’ #Irishbookweek

I’ve 10 US events in Nov, most with the added bonus of Lucy Caldwell talking more sense than I usually talk. They’re all but one up on my website now www.jancarson.co.uk If you’re in NYC, Miami, LA, Santa Barbara, Ojai, Washington DC, Philadelphia or Hoboken pop along and say hi. Please share.

What I’ve learnt from all the posts about #IrishBookWeek Zero people are reading my books.

Here’s some lovely snaps from the Dublin launch of #NoVacancy @booksupstairs.bsky.social Honestly one of the warmest, funnest book events ever. Very grateful to have all these amazing bookish women in my life. (Loads of signed copies in store at Books Upstairs)

What's so amazing about these old Irish Halloween turnip carvings is how accurately they also represent what it feels like to live in the 21st century

#DBFShelfies are back for another year! Kicking us off, as we take a sneak peek at some of this year’s authors’ own bookshelves, is @jancarsonwrites.bsky.social 🤩 Want to share your bookshelves at home? Take a snap, tag us, use the hashtag, and we’ll reshare it!

As ever, I can't see Hilary Mantel's final Cromwell novel appear on the timeline without humming "This is the Mirror & the Light" to the tune of "This is the Rhythm of the Night".

I have gone in… I may be some time #MyYearWithHM

We’d love to take this show on the road in the new year so if you’re a book festival, programmer or hotel who might be interested in hosting us just give me a shout for more details.

These last few months the brilliant singer songwriter Ciaran Lavery has been responding to #NoVacancy with a suite of five gorgeous new songs about hotel life. We premiered our collaboration of songs, tiny stories and hotel chat at a sold out gig as part of BIAF and it was a roaring success.

Her: "OK I'll go out but I'm not drinking" Also her, two hours later:

Listened to Celtic Christie- Hidden Treasures, Radio 4 Drama , written by @jancarsonwrites.bsky.social Perfect for my walk. Enjoyed it with the 1930’s setting.

Just letting you know… the lovely folks @chaptersbookstore.bsky.social have a stack of signed copies of #NoVacancy

Introducing my absolutely fantastic cohort of Stinging Fly writers for the year. So excited to be writing, learning and (I suspect) laughing a lot with this gaggle of excellent women for the next six months.

Introducing my absolutely fantastic cohort of Stinging Fly writers for the year. So excited to be writing, learning and (I suspect) laughing a lot with this gaggle of excellent women for the next six months.

Lovely job on #NoVacancy, @jancarsonwrites.bsky.social & No Alibis - and we enjoyed your @booksupstairs.bsky.social launch last night!

In solidarity with Sally Rooney’s commitment to a free Palestine, Books Upstairs in Dublin will be donating the rest of the weeks proceeds from the sale of all her books to Medical Aid Palestine #SpéirGhorm booksupstairs.ie/sally-rooney...

I have an inordinate amount of love for Dunnes. May it never expand beyond this island. It is the very best of us.

I have just listened to this; there is something in my eye or there are several things in my eyes. It’s so spot on, so tender, so human - bloody perfect in fact. Thank you Jan & the BBC NI team.

If you missed yesterday’s broadcast of my Agatha Christie drama on BBC Radio 4 you can listen back now on BBc Sounds via this link www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Brilliant display for #FewAndFarBetween in Ballyhackamore Library @librariesni.bsky.social Thanks so much @darkandlonelywater.bsky.social

It’s not everyday you get to visit your own portrait in the EU Parliament. Huge thanks to Conor Horgan for this stunning photo and to Literature Ireland for everything they’ve done to make the exhibition such a glorious success

Nice write up for #NoVacancy in The Irish News. Thanks to John Moriarty for the interview.

It’s broadcast day. My radio drama “Hidden Treasures” about Agatha Christie’s 1930 visit to the Isle of Man airs on BBc Radio 4 at 2:15 today.