Author Buzz | Matthew Brown | Group Activity https://authorbuzz.co.uk/members/lordmatt/activity/groups/ Public group activity feed of which Matthew Brown is a member. Thu, 03 Sep 2026 05:05:24 +0100 https://buddypress.org/?v= en-GB 30 hourly 2 281626aa93f8d7eb8167029cd9bd08c5 Matthew Brown wrote a new blog post The romance of two liars in the group Writing prompts and inspirations https://muse.authorbuzz.co.uk/prompts/him-and-her/the-romance-of-two-liars/ Thu, 27 Aug 2026 08:00:00 +0100 The romance of two liars Both of them were lifelong con artists. They met when they were both pulling similar fake romance scams on the same rich and obnoxious family. Neither expected to fall in love.

]]> 7d53ca5388acd3e7b8c9cdac70429606 Jason Latnar wrote a new blog post Nanna's last wish... in the group Writing prompts and inspirations https://muse.authorbuzz.co.uk/prompts/nannas-last-wish/ Wed, 26 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0100 Nanna's last wish…It was your great-grandmother’s wish for there to be one last family reunion before she passed. Everyone must attend. No exceptions. This was fine u […]

]]> 3a98f213beb7276a4379aaeba23eb0b3 Matthew Brown wrote a new blog post It was a perfectly ordinary day except all the cars in the world had vanished. in the group Writing prompts and inspirations https://muse.authorbuzz.co.uk/prompts/it-was-a-perfectly-ordinary-day-except-all-the-cars-in-the-world-had-vanished/ Tue, 25 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0100 6d1e921aade4d252b2f57143a42890ab Matthew Brown wrote a new blog post The romance author and the phone in the group Writing prompts and inspirations https://muse.authorbuzz.co.uk/prompts/him-and-her/the-romance-author-and-the-phone/ Sat, 22 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0100 The romance author and the phone Him He was a moderately successful romance author. If asked, he claimed to enjoy being single, but the truth was he wrote about romance because […]

]]> f1af8a67aa4111b0ff2e01336f0ef8ca Matthew Brown wrote a new blog post The phone with a time code in the group Writing prompts and inspirations https://muse.authorbuzz.co.uk/prompts/the-phone-with-a-time-code/ Fri, 21 Aug 2026 08:00:00 +0100 The phone with a time code You needed a replacement phone but were short of money, so you visited a nearby pawnshop. They only had one in your price range. It was old, but it […]

]]> eee70c514390f44c099534d0378d91a5 Matthew Brown edited the blog post Romance between immortals is tricky in the group Writing prompts and inspirations https://muse.authorbuzz.co.uk/prompts/him-and-her/romance-between-immortals-is-tricky/ Fri, 21 Aug 2026 02:51:14 +0100 Romance between immortals is tricky The thing about being immortal is that you live long enough to see all things end; love is no different. It doesn’t stop your heart from hoping, […]

]]> 76f9a9c8c4ddfca68fad51c1d1846acc Blog: Ukrainian publishers call for support after Russian attacks destroy 10m books from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/aug/20/help-ukrainian-publishers-russia-attacks-books Thu, 20 Aug 2026 15:37:57 +0100 The country risks ‘the collapse of the entire book ecosystem’ following destruction of warehouses in July and August, say Ukrainian publishersThe Ukrainian Book Ins […]

]]> 0 d7231bb32623bc782bc1737fe29b7176 Blog: All of Us Atoms by Holly Dawson audiobook review – an extraordinary self-portrait from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/aug/20/all-of-us-atoms-by-holly-dawson-audiobook-review-an-extraordinary-self-portrait Thu, 20 Aug 2026 14:00:52 +0100 Helena Bonham Carter narrates the playwright’s impressionistic memoir, written as she was experiencing the loss of her memoryPlaywright Holly Dawson’s memoir tel […]

]]> 0 171979ca8dc157754bbed315f680e6d1 Blog: The best books to read in August: new paperbacks from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Salman Rushdie and Werner Herzog from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews https://www.theguardian.com/books/ng-interactive/2026/aug/20/the-best-books-to-read-in-august-new-paperbacks-from-chimamanda-ngozi-adichie-salman-rushdie-and-werner-herzog Thu, 20 Aug 2026 13:30:00 +0100 Looking for a new reading recommendation? Here are some wonderful new paperbacks, from a short story collection by a literary great to razor-sharp criticism*** Conti […]

]]> 0 05916e24f65d09d563fbfc64f668eff2 Blog: How I’ve Tried to Change the World by Alexei Sayle review – does protest make a difference? from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2026/aug/20/how-ive-tried-to-change-the-world-by-alexei-sayle-review-does-protest-make-a-difference Thu, 20 Aug 2026 06:00:44 +0100 The comedian charts his life in demos from 1960s Liverpool to 2020s London in this fiery and addictive bookAt 74, the comedian Alexei Sayle is approaching a […]

]]> 0 c0dc1e3952638b07becbb1be0e076bb6 Blog: The Castle by Jon Ronson: Entertainingly leftfield look at the masculinity crisis from The Standard Book Reviews in the group Evening Standard's book reviews https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/books/jon-ronson-the-castle-review-b1293844.html Thu, 20 Aug 2026 04:58:11 +0100 Moving and full of the witty asides that make Jon Ronson one of the most entertaining writers in journalism

]]> 0 1e3ada226886f9b07385d7a4aace75c1 Jason Latnar wrote a new blog post Why is it that whenever you are about to propose to her, there's a dragon attack? in the group Writing prompts and inspirations https://muse.authorbuzz.co.uk/prompts/why-is-it-that-whenever-you-are-about-to-propose-to-her-theres-a-dragon-attack/ Wed, 19 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0100 10a5395137f9b2fd19fdaaa2421350c4 Blog: ‘Prolier-than-thou!’ Burnham accused of ‘desperate’ attempt to play up working class roots by novelist from The Independent Books in the group The Independent book reviews https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/robert-harris-andy-burnham-geordie-greig-working-class-roots-b3028877.html Wed, 19 Aug 2026 11:18:40 +0100 Robert Harris tells The Independent’s editor-in-chief Geordie Greig that the Labour prime minister’s ‘desire to be liked’ risks making him look ‘facile and glib’

]]> 0 84b1f98cbc64c2cddc25cd895377df77 Blog: The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State by Jill Lepore review – an ominous warning of tech takeover from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/aug/19/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-artificial-state-by-jill-lepore-review-an-ominous-warning-of-tech-takeover Wed, 19 Aug 2026 08:00:09 +0100 A historian charts the emergence of a democracy-crushing dystopia that is – in some ways – already with usPulitzer prize-winning US historian Jill Lepore’s new b […]

]]> 0 ed463fa489f042627de65d4a7e5236bf Blog: Where Are the Kings by Donal Ryan review – a timeless tale of family sorrows and joys from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/aug/19/where-are-the-kings-by-donal-ryan-review-a-timeless-tale-of-family-sorrows-and-joys Wed, 19 Aug 2026 06:00:07 +0100 A teenage boy navigates adolescence and the traumatic loss of his mother in this poignant coming-of-age novel set in rural IrelandSomething is happening to literary […]

]]> 0 30ae5b1bb82d8141e71f3ce7964876c3 Blog: Philip Pullman and Maggie O’Farrell among authors urging Burnham to cut business rates on bookshops from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/aug/18/philip-pullman-and-maggie-ofarrell-among-authors-urging-burnham-to-cut-business-rates-on-bookshops Tue, 18 Aug 2026 17:25:12 +0100 After pubs and clubs get rates relief, authors back open letter calling for similar support for bookshops, described as the ‘beating hearts’ of high str […]

]]> 0 12eca7c8d9be505d245f05223d11456d Matthew Brown edited the blog post The spy and the author in the group Writing prompts and inspirations https://muse.authorbuzz.co.uk/prompts/him-and-her/the-spy-and-the-author/ Tue, 18 Aug 2026 12:11:43 +0100 The spy and the author Him He’s a romance author searching for ideas for his next novel. His idea of a fun evening is a cup of hot chocolate, under a blanket with his […]

]]> 17b3ee49a1ab80a8e84fad26def87839 Blog: Cold Days at Castle Drax, Charlotte E. English from RogerBW's Blog: reading in the group Book Reviews by RogerBW feed https://blog.firedrake.org/archive/2026/08/Cold_Days_at_Castle_Drax__Charlotte_E__English.html Tue, 18 Aug 2026 08:00:00 +0100 2024 short horror-fantasy novel. Castle Drax is falling apart, and the
only way for the family to survive is to sell it, though nobody wants
to.

]]> 0 896c65a94715a67883da9bdb9a2f3d7f Blog: Laura Wainwright shortlisted for the Laurel Prize from Seren in the group Seren Books https://www.serenbooks.com/2026/08/laura-wainwright-shortlisted-for-the-laurel-prize/ Mon, 17 Aug 2026 10:32:29 +0100 We’re delighted that Laura Wainwright’s debut collection The Storm’s Flora has received further recognition on the shortlist for the Laurel Prize. Supported by po […]

]]> 0 28ad1434ff2026d412c3e6a18260a849 Blog: The Ego Trip by Kimon de Greef review – a bizarre tale of psychedelic toads and hair-raising treatments from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/aug/17/the-ego-trip-by-kimon-de-greef-review-a-bizarre-tale-of-psychedelic-toads-and-hair-raising-treatments Mon, 17 Aug 2026 08:00:49 +0100 A journalist investigates the unsettling world of a charismatic shaman and the people who trusted himWhich, in your opinion, is the worst current cultural trend: […]

]]> 0 55e5508f9850a3d789d6082f3ff97d31 Blog: Agrippa by Robert Harris review – persuasive portrait of rivalry in ancient Rome from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/aug/17/agrippa-by-robert-harris-review-persuasive-portrait-of-rivalry-in-ancient-rome Mon, 17 Aug 2026 06:00:46 +0100 This fictional memoir by Octavius’s right-hand man shows us bloodshed, betrayal and hectic jockeying for powerIf you’re one of those people who thinks about the Rom […]

]]> 0 6f7c5b6b8e2704ccd2fdcb0b92516056 Blog: The Shape of Water by Andrea Camilleri from Dogwood Tales in the group Book Reviews by Dogwood Tales feed https://dogwoodtales.blogspot.com/2026/08/the-shape-of-water-by-andrea-camilleri.html Sat, 15 Aug 2026 12:45:55 +0100 When Silvio Luparello, a respected local politician is found dead in his car from a heart attack with his trousers down at a local dogging site, Inspector […]

]]> 0 18fc56fd8fb0409c376a6ddf1bcb4d73 Blog: Art Spiegelman: ‘The US needs a counter-revolution’ from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews https://www.theguardian.com/books/ng-interactive/2026/aug/15/art-spiegelman-the-us-needs-a-counter-revolution Sat, 15 Aug 2026 08:00:50 +0100 More than four decades after his Holocaust story Maus transformed the graphic novel genre, Art Spiegelman discusses Trump, the shadow of 9/11 and the rise of […]

]]> 0 6450be68f185bf00d86dc005423eadcc Blog: The Moth Catcher, Ann Cleeves from RogerBW's Blog: reading in the group Book Reviews by RogerBW feed https://blog.firedrake.org/archive/2026/08/The_Moth_Catcher__Ann_Cleeves.html Fri, 14 Aug 2026 08:00:00 +0100 2015 contemporary police mystery, seventh in Cleeves’ Vera Stanhope
series. In rural Northumberland, the house sitter for the local Big
House is found dead beside […]

]]> 0 a770f1ad1face7ca41b360ad59701b6e Jason Latnar edited the blog post The last year of your life was a dream in the group Writing prompts and inspirations https://muse.authorbuzz.co.uk/prompts/the-last-year-of-your-life-was-a-dream/ Wed, 12 Aug 2026 13:58:36 +0100 The last year of your life was a dream Today you woke up to discover that it is one year ago. Maybe the last year was “only a dream”? You have doubts. What do you do next?

]]> 43b583e1fa23db77a5d00b69c20ab83f Matthew Brown replied to the topic My status is vanishing in the forum Help and Support https://authorbuzz.co.uk/groups/help-and-support/forum/topic/my-status-is-vanishing/#post-5273 Wed, 12 Aug 2026 13:11:27 +0100 Something flagged it as spam. I’ve unspammed it.

]]> 0 186b70d6db78043b74ad995c009e19a8 Matthew Brown replied to the topic My status is vanishing in the forum Help and Support https://authorbuzz.co.uk/groups/help-and-support/forum/topic/my-status-is-vanishing/#post-5272 Wed, 12 Aug 2026 13:04:56 +0100 It shouldn’t do that.

Leave it with me, I’ll try to figure out what went wrong.

]]> 0 cacea5ae25b42c364716770e37c39590 Sam Smith started the topic My status is vanishing in the forum Help and Support https://authorbuzz.co.uk/groups/help-and-support/forum/topic/my-status-is-vanishing/ Wed, 12 Aug 2026 13:03:38 +0100 I’ve posted about my new book twice, and it is gone. Twice. Help!!

]]> 0 27eb8e4e1b17d4926b1e657e0cc65efe Matthew Brown edited the blog post Is my idea good enough? in the group Thanet Creative: Writers https://thanetcreative.co.uk/2026/08/is-my-idea-good-enough/ Wed, 12 Aug 2026 10:58:11 +0100 Is my idea good enough? As you sit down to write that story that’s been burning in your mind, it is not unusual to ask, “Is this idea any good?” As questions go, few others […]

]]> fece87b3667de179b83f10ed4489cfa2 Matthew Brown edited the blog post Journaling prompt: The lie and the truth in the group Writing prompts and inspirations https://muse.authorbuzz.co.uk/prompts/non-fiction/journaling/journaling-prompt-the-lie-and-the-truth/ Tue, 11 Aug 2026 13:31:46 +0100 Journaling prompt: The lie and the truthIdentify a lie you believe and the truth that must replace it. For example: “I’m an imposter” must be replaced with “My work is valid and I […]

]]> 27e1004865901720b42e85d96515e655 Charles Maxwell replied to the topic How's the weather where you are? in the forum General Chat https://authorbuzz.co.uk/groups/general-chat/forum/topic/hows-the-weather-where-you-are/#post-5265 Tue, 11 Aug 2026 13:26:59 +0100 You can say that again.

]]> 0 2159baf8df56bfc1f35fd7645eff85a1 Charles Maxwell joined the group General Chat https://authorbuzz.co.uk/activity/p/18710/ Tue, 11 Aug 2026 13:26:41 +0100 0 4582914c16b2c25c5207850c104f448e Blog: Guest Post: Sarah Johnson reflects on the IPA Congress 2026 from Seren in the group Seren Books https://www.serenbooks.com/2026/08/guest-post-sarah-johnson-reflects-on-the-ipa-congress-2026/ Tue, 11 Aug 2026 12:52:00 +0100 Earlier this year, our Deputy CEO Sarah Johnson was selected to attend the International Publishers Association Congress in Kulala Lumpur with a group of delegates […]

]]> 0 15cfdb0999e078c4531c6c4b30234b36 Toni McHadden replied to the topic How's the weather where you are? in the forum General Chat https://authorbuzz.co.uk/groups/general-chat/forum/topic/hows-the-weather-where-you-are/#post-5264 Tue, 11 Aug 2026 10:38:58 +0100 Far too hot here too

]]> 0 00bc5246e8d62efe2dd29879ed89d743 Matthew Brown posted an update in the group Author Buzz HQ: We've got a lot of forum groups with very little activity. I […] https://authorbuzz.co.uk/activity/p/18708/ Tue, 11 Aug 2026 10:36:57 +0100 We’ve got a lot of forum groups with very little activity. I was thinking that I should maybe fold some forums into general chat for now. Thoughts?

]]> 0 3592cd78a14e0e0419bcac8fff01414b Matthew Brown started the topic You probably want THIS bit in the forum Writing prompts and inspirations https://authorbuzz.co.uk/groups/the-muse-of-last-resort/forum/topic/you-probably-wnt-this-bit/ Tue, 11 Aug 2026 10:34:11 +0100 The forum here doesn’t get used all that often, you might want the prompts feed:

https://authorbuzz.co.uk/groups/the-muse-of-last-resort/home/

]]> 0 eee5d887e146a85765bd415f595b6057 Matthew Brown started the topic How's the weather where you are? in the forum General Chat https://authorbuzz.co.uk/groups/general-chat/forum/topic/hows-the-weather-where-you-are/ Tue, 11 Aug 2026 10:31:59 +0100 I’m too hot.

How are you all doing?

]]> 0 f40118d76168cf0ffe30887731550640 Blog: Radiant Star, Ann Leckie from RogerBW's Blog: reading in the group Book Reviews by RogerBW feed https://blog.firedrake.org/archive/2026/08/Radiant_Star__Ann_Leckie.html Tue, 11 Aug 2026 08:01:00 +0100 2026 SF, set in the same universe as the Imperial Radch series but not
part of the trilogy. The Temporal Location of the Radiant Star is a
pilgrimage site on the […]

]]> 0 fa14ad4c0a467ce21810104a511e0d67 Blog: You Won’t Get Free of It by Rachel Aviv review – a subtle study of the mother-daughter bond from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/aug/11/you-wont-get-free-of-it-by-rachel-aviv-review-a-subtle-study-of-the-mother-daughter-bond Tue, 11 Aug 2026 08:00:07 +0100 The most complex of female relationships is thrown into sharp relief in this moving series of essaysRachel Aviv has a profound interest in the vagaries of human […]

]]> 0 679d483e2cf0519bb2898ab4edd8acba Blog: Barack Obama launches new podcast about books that have shaped him. How many have you read? from The Independent Books in the group The Independent book reviews https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/barack-obama-new-podcast-classic-books-toni-morrison-james-baldwin-b3030844.html Tue, 11 Aug 2026 06:38:48 +0100 The list includes works by Toni Morrison, James Baldwin, and John le Carré

]]> 0 d4857e84d7e4387798cc17bf9b194e59 Matthew Brown posted an update in the group Author Buzz HQ: So, I streamlined the front page because it looked nasty on mobile. https://authorbuzz.co.uk/activity/p/18675/ Mon, 10 Aug 2026 22:17:25 +0100 So, I streamlined the front page because it looked nasty on mobile.

]]> 0 8c4cdebe915734533de02e57af4b6ae7 Blog: Barack Obama launches podcast about books that ‘shaped his worldview’ from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/aug/10/barack-obama-launches-podcast-about-books-that-shaped-his-worldview Mon, 10 Aug 2026 16:59:13 +0100 The former US president will host six episodes of A Great Book for Audible, discussing work from Toni Morrison and John le Carré to James BaldwinBarack Obama is […]

]]> 0 54fa6cd2594da2dda3a166802bee25d1 Blog: Maggie Harris wins Guyana Prize for Literature Poetry Award from Seren in the group Seren Books https://www.serenbooks.com/2026/08/maggie-harris-wins-guyana-prize-for-literature-poetry-award/ Mon, 10 Aug 2026 13:46:52 +0100 Maggie Harris continues her winning streak having been announced as the winner of the 2025 Poetry Award in the Guyana Prize for Literature, announced during a […]

]]> 0 cb2dc44a01120fa09f2cb242184246b1 Blog: Sinking ships, dark humour and really good bad guys: Beryl Bainbridge – ranked! from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2026/aug/10/sinking-ships-dark-humour-and-really-good-bad-guys-beryl-bainbridge-ranked Mon, 10 Aug 2026 11:00:42 +0100 From the last days of the Titanic to desperate romantics, we rate the work of a British master of black comedyBainbridge’s novel of the last days on RMS Titanic w […]

]]> 0 8a1b256a79b363643bf77937ebd80116 Blog: Is Beauty Good by Rosalind Belben review – the literary equivalent of free jazz from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/aug/10/is-beauty-good-by-rosalind-belben-review-the-literary-equivalent-of-free-jazz Mon, 10 Aug 2026 08:00:38 +0100 Combining hilarious detail with harsh observation, this rediscovered novel takes the reader on an exhilaratingly strange journey ‘But after all, writing is n […]

]]> 0 ac708fb59a4a6d92bc9cc8a0aa18f168 Blog: John Berger: From Life by Tom Overton review – a vibrant biography of the pioneering critic from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/aug/10/john-berger-from-life-by-tom-overton-review-a-vibrant-biography-of-the-pioneering-critic Mon, 10 Aug 2026 06:00:37 +0100 This multi-layered portrait is a fitting tribute to the man behind Ways of SeeingThe cultural critic John Berger was still alive and kicking when he donated his […]

]]> 0 50e9914351f1cf28c96d8d679d46fdd7 Blog: 58. Every Time a Bell Rings from Becky's Book Reviews in the group Book bloggers https://blbooks.blogspot.com/2026/08/58-every-time-bell-rings.html Sun, 09 Aug 2026 22:39:39 +0100 58. Every Time a Bell Rings: The Legacy of It’s a Wonderful Life, America’s Most Beloved Holiday Film. Emily St. James and Lauren Theisen. 2026. 304 pages. [Source: […]

]]> 0 2ba31502485165b2d1add71945bf0e50 Blog: We know sleep, exercise and diet are vital for health. But why? from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/aug/09/we-know-sleep-exercise-and-diet-are-vital-for-health-but-why Sun, 09 Aug 2026 11:00:15 +0100 The benefits of all three come down to a crucial piece of cellular kitSleep. Exercise. Eat well. It’s the oldest recommendation in medicine, repeated so often i […]

]]> 0 cebe44d8286807b17c5ce9c472424b2c Blog: ‘Grief became my brand’: Freya Bromley on writing about personal tragedy from Books | The Guardian in the group The Guardian book reviews https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/aug/09/grief-became-my-brand-freya-bromley-on-writing-about-personal-tragedy Sun, 09 Aug 2026 11:00:13 +0100 Touring her memoir and talking to others helped the author come to terms with her brother’s death, but the book’s success left her feeling guilty. Had she com […]

]]> 0 6bde132023511c76e20bd69ce0e46408 Blog: Week in Review #33 from Becky's Book Reviews in the group Book bloggers https://blbooks.blogspot.com/2026/08/week-in-review-33.html Sat, 08 Aug 2026 16:15:05 +0100 This week I read eleven books! 50. The Knife of Never Letting Go. (Chaos Walking #1) Patrick Ness. 2008. 512 pages. [Source: Library]51. Rash. Pete Hautman. 2006. […]

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