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Ben Pester

@benpester

Novel The Expansion Project (2025). Story collection Am I in the Right Place(2021). Other work in Granta, London Magazine, Hotel etc

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23.08.2023
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Latest posts by Ben Pester @benpester

Last few days to stream this talk for FREE with the brilliant Ben Pester via Fane's website.

Book via the link below:

www.fane.co.uk/ben-pester

05.03.2026 10:39 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Saba Sams: β€˜I’ve no interest in reading Wuthering Heights again’ The Send Nudes author on rereading Lorrie Moore, finding Dodie Smith at the right time, and the enduring brilliance of Muriel Spark

'THE BOOK I'M CURRENTLY READING:
Sail Away Land by @benpester.bsky.social. It’s weird and soulful. I love ending my days with it.'

Come June, you too can end your days with these fabulous stories!

www.theguardian.com/books/2026/m...

07.03.2026 09:28 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Book covers of: The Expansion Project by Ben Pester; The Bones Beneath My Skin by TJ Klune; Tombstoning by Doug Johnstone; The Silver Wind by Nina Allan; A Line You Have Traced by Roisin Dunnett

Book covers of: The Expansion Project by Ben Pester; The Bones Beneath My Skin by TJ Klune; Tombstoning by Doug Johnstone; The Silver Wind by Nina Allan; A Line You Have Traced by Roisin Dunnett

Behold! The February reading round-up I was trying to publish for most of Sunday 😁 https://www.draliceviolett.com/what-i-read-in-february-2026 #bookstodon #BookMastodon

03.03.2026 07:50 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

You won’t be disappointed June - absolutely phenomenal

04.03.2026 15:13 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

The amazing Jo Lloyd here with quality radio broadcasting

23.02.2026 08:43 πŸ‘ 10 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

This is (literally) a fabulous storyβ€”a wry, sweet, comic tale of an Arthurian quest where the quarry proves elusive, time passes and life happens elsewhere. Also your socks get wet (spoiler, sorry).
Tone & word perfect. Find it on BBC Sounds. Recommended.

22.02.2026 20:29 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 1

Had such an amazing time talking to @hannahhg.bsky.social - I really hope you get a chance to listen

18.02.2026 14:05 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Thanks David!

16.02.2026 12:49 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Have you been able to buy from a UK outlet? Can’t find a way that isn’t shipping from NZ. Love Oscar’s work

15.02.2026 12:37 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

This was so great! Absolutely loved talking to and writing with this thoughtful and welcoming group of writers. it was a privilege

29.01.2026 13:42 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Some news 😌

28.01.2026 14:27 πŸ‘ 11 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 1

my Book has a considerably better wardrobe than I do.

So happy with the paperback cover!

27.01.2026 16:22 πŸ‘ 11 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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@benpester.bsky.social is visiting Colchester WriteNight for The Big Interview about writing, short fiction and his surreal novel, The Expansion Project, shortlisted for The Goldsmith’s Prize and the Nero Prize for Debut Fiction. We’ll all be interviewing/writing together, you’re welcome to join us

19.01.2026 12:43 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Thank you so much for the generous mention of The Expansion Project here @danhartland.bsky.social - learnt about some amazing books too!

08.01.2026 19:21 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Violence is too often sloppy; it spills over. Misogynists kill a lot of men, racists kill white people, ICE in its attacks on immigrants and anyone who looks like them just killed a white US citizen. When you're a hammer, everything looks like a nail; when you're a gun everyone is a target.

08.01.2026 16:09 πŸ‘ 1011 πŸ” 231 πŸ’¬ 14 πŸ“Œ 6

❀️❀️❀️

30.12.2025 23:58 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

I'm on my way to a Chanukah event. It should be a celebration but instead our community is once again mourning.

I will be thinking of everyone in Australia and those around the world in the Jewish Community who know this fear and loss.

We stand with you.

14.12.2025 12:10 πŸ‘ 3073 πŸ” 523 πŸ’¬ 44 πŸ“Œ 16
Ben Pester Reads From Guillermo Stitch's THE COAST OF EVERYTHING
Ben Pester Reads From Guillermo Stitch's THE COAST OF EVERYTHING Thanks to Ben Pester, author of THE EXPANSION PROJECT and AM I IN THE RIGHT PLACE, for reading this excerpt from Guillermo Stitch's THE COAST OF EVERYTHING. ...

Thanks to @benpester.bsky.socialΒ , author of THE EXPANSION PROJECT (Granta 2025), for this reading from @guillermostitch.bsky.social's THE COAST OF EVERYTHING.

08.12.2025 17:32 πŸ‘ 7 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1

We're watching the wholesale burning of every scrap of dignity afforded to trans people in the UK, their rights, their medical services, their employment, their place within society, their bodily functions.

It is a disgrace, and a disgusting stain on the government and media of this country.

03.12.2025 11:54 πŸ‘ 2624 πŸ” 822 πŸ’¬ 13 πŸ“Œ 19

Can’t wait Keith!

24.11.2025 10:49 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Don’t invest in AI, invest in the future of the book Why the publishing industry must back small presses, rather than LLMs.

wrote an article for @thebookseller.com outlining to the industry why small presses are the lifeforce & future of book production. Pls share esp w people who may not know what small press publishers do!

www.thebookseller.com/comment/dont...

18.11.2025 11:48 πŸ‘ 163 πŸ” 97 πŸ’¬ 5 πŸ“Œ 16
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So pleased to see @benpester.bsky.social's The Expansion Project has been shortlisted for the Nero Debut Novel Award. Richly deserved.

20.11.2025 12:12 πŸ‘ 9 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Renesha Dhanraj wins The London Magazine Short Story Prize 2025 - The London Magazine The judges ofΒ The London Magazine Short Story Prize 2025 award first place to Renesha Dhanraj for her story, 'Black Cake'.

After selecting a shortlist of six stories from thousands of entries, we are thrilled to announce Renesha Dhanraj as the winner of The London Magazine Short Story Prize 2025, for her story, β€˜Black Cake’.

Read more here: thelondonmagazine.org/renesha-dhan...

18.11.2025 15:34 πŸ‘ 8 πŸ” 6 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Solvej Balle: β€˜I thought that if I started to write this, I would spoil it’ Solvej Balle’s near-40-year project, On the Calculation of Volume, seems both outside time and yet immediately relevant

In honour of the eighteenth of November, here's my recent @irishtimes.com interview with Solvej Balle about seven books on the subject of being stuck in today's date.

www.irishtimes.com/culture/book...

18.11.2025 09:28 πŸ‘ 27 πŸ” 7 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0

(Avoided if for copyright reasons)

17.11.2025 17:44 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

β€œWhen you can envelope envelope envelope and envelope and treat those envelopes just the same, you’ll be an envelope my son”
Envelope Poppins

17.11.2025 17:43 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Here is an envelope - one day he loses everything - then he gets an envelope. everyone loves that story (envelope)

17.11.2025 17:31 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Honestly I’m so grateful. I love the way you have reviewed other books there on your site too.

17.11.2025 17:22 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Ah yeah lovely - as you can imagine. Mount Florida Books is such a brilliant venue too. Had a ball.

17.11.2025 15:49 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Ah wow - really loved reading this review of The Expansion Project. I know these things are not for the author really but you have to say thanks when someone is writing at this level about your work. Incredible. So grateful.

17.11.2025 15:25 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0