Bearded Badger Publishing & Books

27/03/2025

I’m on a roll… another bloomin’ Substack post!!

This post is sending out some love to a few of my fave Midlands indie bookshops:






Go give ‘em some love!! ❤️ 📚

https://open.substack.com/pub/beardedbadgerbooks/p/from-the-midlands-with-love?r=34krtl&utm_medium=ios

25/03/2025

I’ve done a Substack thingy… go easy on me, I hadn’t a clue what I was doing!! The link is in my bio - I’d love you to have a read. 😊

https://open.substack.com/pub/beardedbadgerbooks/p/bearded-badger-v20?r=34krtl&utm_medium=ios

13/03/2025

One thing I always used to do was share what I was reading… so I guess I should start doing that again!

Currently I’m reading ‘Star 111’ by Lutz Seiler (trans. Tess Lewis), published by Sheffield based press .

Set (mostly) in Berlin around the time of the collapse of the Iron Curtain, it tells the story of a family and the different paths taken by the parents and the (adult) son following the fall of the wall.

I’m about 2/3rds in… it’s quite brilliant. 😊

12/03/2025

It’s been a long loooong winter. Def time to think about coming out of hibernation…

17/06/2024

🌈🦩🏩

24/12/2022

This is lovely! ❤️

A special little post to round things off just before Christmas Day. This is Marge, holding her copy of 'Step Forward, Harry Salt' that was delivered to her yesterday by her family in Tucson, Arizona, USA.

I met Marge in Berlin during the summer while she was visiting her daughter, a friend of ours who had worked with my wife. Pretty soon we were talking about our love of books, and she was telling me about her book club in America. As soon as I told her about my book she was fascinated, and so I promised I'd get a copy to her eventually.

Thanks to her relations in Plymouth, Devon, Harry Salt crossed the Atlantic and touched down yesterday, and as you can see Marge was pretty chuffed about the whole affair. I hope she enjoys the book, and I hope we stay in touch. She's lovely.

'Step Forward, Harry Salt' turned one year old this week, and it's been a really exciting and special year, for which I've been very grateful. Seeing my story exist as a real, physical book has been a huge thrill; the fact that people have enjoyed it and taken it all over the country, and the world, has been incredibly humbling. Something I'll never forget and always be proud of.

A huge thank you to Paul at Bearded Badger Publishing & Books for seeing something in there that he liked and publishing the book in the first place, and a heartfelt thank you to everyone who bought it, talked about it, and shared it – from my Mum in Derbyshire, all the way to Marge in Tucson.

Have a very Happy Christmas.

Harry Salt will return.

17/12/2022

We are here!! Pop down to for the best selection of indie books in the shire of Derbados!!

Here until 2ish, maybe a little later!

16/12/2022

It’s our last pop-up of 2022!! Come on over to and bag yer sens a bargain - buy one book, get one half price (cheapest will be half price!).

We’ll be there from 11am until around 2pm ish where there’ll be a Young Peeps Talent Contest starting!! Should be a good un!!

😊

12/12/2022

🛵💨

So, I'm happy to say that my debut novel 'Step Forward, Harry Salt' is now a year old! To celebrate, I've got a couple of copies to give away.

All you have to do is identify which town is depicted on the front cover. Clue: focus on the church with the crooked spire!

Huge thanks as ever to Paul Handley, my publisher at Bearded Badger Publishing & Books for making a long-held dream come true. Seeing my book exist as a real, physical thing still gives me goosebumps.
And the exceptional cover art you see above come from the super-talented Matt Oakley.

Finally, a huge and heartfelt thank you to everyone who has bought and read the book during the last 12 months, and those who have taken the time to review it, support it, talk about it and tell their friends.
It all means so very much.

Thank you.

Harry Salt will return...

(As for the competition, I'll draw two winners at random by the end of the week and notify them shortly afterwards. Open to entrants in the UK and beyond. Thanks!)

01/12/2022

Hi all - I’m so sorry but I’m going to have to cancel this Saturday’s pop-up due to illness. I’ve been feeling rough for a few days but hoped with a few nurofen and hot baths I’d be all good by the weekend… but I’ve had to admit defeat today, feeling dreadful.

We’ll be back on 17th - so hopefully see a few of you for our last one before Christmas!

Apologies,

Paul (aka The Bearded Badger) 🤒

24/11/2022

Get yer sens to in Arnold (Notts) - proud to have our books stocked in such a great shop!

Full to the brim with top class reading material, I defy anyone not to find something… (it didn’t take me long, see photo 2 - 😊🙌🏼)

19/11/2022

It’s not just books here y’know… ☕️ 😋

19/11/2022

The best selection of indie books this side of the celestial equator…

67 Bridge St, Derbados. 🔥 😎📚

19/11/2022

TODAY!! We’ll be selling the nicest slice of indie literature this side of the celestial equator today!

11-4pm, Bridge St, Derbados. 😎📚

18/11/2022

Tomorrow!! The forecast for the weekend looks proper grim… come down to for a nice coffee, pick up a new book from our selection of indie gems, then bunker down until Monday!! 😊📚

11-4pm tomorrow!!

Bridge St, Derby.

12/11/2022

Just a little reminder we’ll be popping up over at the marvellous again next Saturday (19th) with a plethora of indie lit delights!! 📚 😊

11-4pm, Bridge St, Derby.

06/11/2022

Me and my glamorous assistant at today! Thanks to everyone who came by for a chat and / or bought a book… we had a lovely day! 😊📚

06/11/2022

Well the Bearded Badger is all sett (see what I did there) up here at the lovely Museum of Making in Derby for - lots of other books and crafters around… come and say hello!!

Here 11-3pm 😊📚