Shady Characters on Alan Alda’s Clear and Vivid podcast

I’m still pinching myself, but recently I had the distinct pleasure on appearing on Clear and Vivid podcast, hosted by the great Alan Alda. I knew of Alan’s work as an actor and writer from the likes of M*A*S*H , of course, but I hadn’t known that in recent years he has moved int … | Continue reading


@shadycharacters.co.uk | 1 month ago

Shady Characters at MacGuffin magazine: interrobang!

The following was published in issue 13 of MacGuffin Magazine. It recapitulates some of the contents of my interrobang series and adds some new details to boot. I think — I hope! — it’s a little more Enjoy! The Speckters lived in a postwar apartment near Gramercy Park in Manhatta … | Continue reading


@shadycharacters.co.uk | 4 months ago

Shady Characters advent calendar 2023: the Sinclair Executive

It’s the final day of the first ever Shady Characters advent calendar! I’ve been counting down to Christmas by way of a collection of beautiful, clever, important, and/or outright odd calculators and calculating devices. I hope you’ve enjoyed the series, and happy holidays to you … | Continue reading


@shadycharacters.co.uk | 4 months ago

Shady Characters advent calendar 2023: the HP-35

Welcome to day eleven of the first ever Shady Characters advent calendar! I’m counting down to Christmas by way of a collection of beautiful, clever, important, and/or outright odd calculators and calculating devices. Some come from the pages of Empire of the Sum, some are part o … | Continue reading


@shadycharacters.co.uk | 4 months ago

Shady Characters advent calendar 2023: the Canon Pocketronic

Welcome to day ten of the first ever Shady Characters advent calendar! I’m counting down to Christmas by way of a collection of beautiful, clever, important, and/or outright odd calculators and calculating devices. Some come from the pages of Empire of the Sum, some are part of m … | Continue reading


@shadycharacters.co.uk | 4 months ago

Shady Char­ac­ters advent calendar 2023: the Curta

Welcome to day nine of the first ever Shady Characters advent calendar! I’m counting down to Christmas by way of a collection of beautiful, clever, important, and/or outright odd calculators and calculating devices. Some come from the pages of Empire of the Sum, some are part of … | Continue reading


@shadycharacters.co.uk | 4 months ago

Shady Char­ac­ters advent calendar 2023: the E-6B

Welcome to day eight of the first ever Shady Characters advent calendar! I’m counting down to Christmas by way of a collection of beautiful, clever, important, and/or outright odd calculators and calculating devices. Some come from the pages of Empire of the Sum, some are part of … | Continue reading


@shadycharacters.co.uk | 4 months ago

Shady Char­ac­ters advent calendar 2023: the addiator

Welcome to day seven of the first ever Shady Characters advent calendar! I’m counting down to Christmas by way of a collection of beautiful, clever, important, and/or outright odd calculators and calculating devices. Some come from the pages of Empire of the Sum, some are part of … | Continue reading


@shadycharacters.co.uk | 4 months ago

Shady Char­ac­ters advent calendar 2023: the Comptometer

Welcome to day six of the first ever Shady Characters advent calendar! I’m counting down to Christmas by way of a collection of beautiful, clever, important, and/or outright odd calculators and calculating devices. Some come from the pages of Empire of the Sum, some are part of m … | Continue reading


@shadycharacters.co.uk | 4 months ago

Shady Char­ac­ters advent calendar 2023: the arithmometer

Welcome to day five of the first ever Shady Characters advent calendar! I’m counting down to Christmas by way of a collection of beautiful, clever, important, and/or outright odd calculators and calculating devices. Some come from the pages of Empire of the Sum, some are part of … | Continue reading


@shadycharacters.co.uk | 4 months ago

We have audiobook winners!

Congratulations to Piotr, William, Roslyn and Ian, winners of the Empire of the Sum audiobook giveaway! Their names were picked at random from the set of all entrants who replied to the original post about the competition. Thank you all for taking part!Read more → | Continue reading


@shadycharacters.co.uk | 5 months ago

A Coronavirus Conundrum

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@shadycharacters.co.uk | 4 years ago

Emoji, part 10: state of the nation

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@shadycharacters.co.uk | 4 years ago

Emoji: in the beginning

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@shadycharacters.co.uk | 5 years ago