Hi there – my name’s Simon. Lovely to meet you!
I’ve been blogging about books since 2007, with a focus on novels by women from between the World Wars, though I’ll dart a bit around other genres and periods. But basically, if you imagine a housewife in 1930, then you can probably picture my reading taste.
I love Jesus, cats, napping, the soap opera Neighbours, and baking. And, yes, of course books. I live in a little village in Oxfordshire, and am almost at book-capacity in my one-bed flat.
I also co-host the podcast ‘Tea or Books?’, where Rachel and I debate the difficult decisions of books and reading. Find it in your podcast app of choice!
Would love to hear from you, so do jump into the comments – or you can find me in any of these places:
Email: simonthomasoxford[at]gmail.com
Twitter: @stuck_inabook
Instagram: @simondavidthomas
p.s. feel free to get in touch to talk about review copies, though I tend not to review self-published authors or books that fall outside my preferred genres. If you are a publisher at a reprint publishing house then EMAIL ME RIGHT NOW PLS. I don’t take paid reviews and I’m unlikely to take part in book tours, though there are exceptions.
Lovely to meet you too!
Dear Simon,
I enjoyed your blog very much and will be tracking down some of the books on your list.
My reason for contacting you (I do hope you don’t mind) is that I have been trying, without success, to track down the illustrator of Shirley Jacksons’ Haunting of Hill House Corgi edition 1977. The gorgeous book cover with the demonic face morphing into the shape of the mansion. Blue and black, huddled in its landscape. ISFDB does not have the illustrators name.
On a Science Fiction subreddit I found a book cover that greatly resembles it in terms of concept and layout (but not colour.) I tried to track down that illustrator but no luck again. (In case you’re interested that book was by Katharine Briggs ‘A Dictionary of Fairies, Hobgoblins, Bogles and Brownies…’ published by Allen Lane 1976.)
I was wondering with your lifelong experience in all things bookish you might be able to steer me into the direction of finding this amazing (unsung) illustrator.
If you find you do not have the time I will understand.
All the best, Leigh