Michael Skyner

27/10/2026

FOR A FUN, NOT-TO-SPOOKY HALLOWEEN READ:

Michaelskyner.co.uk

20/10/2026

'Lady Petunia Ho**er shot into the room like a rocket on boosters. ' With the arrival of the Ho**ers, the peaceful co-existence of the inhabitants of Blatherington Hall comes to an end. Faced with the complete annihilation of their way of life or should that be death? The residents of the Hall are given no choice – the Ho**ers will have to go. And thus, the battle for Blatherington Hall begins…

Why You Should Read This Book
You might think that this is a tale of a poor, lonely, orphaned child, abandoned by her parents, hated by her guardian with nobody to love or care for her. And if you think that, then you would be wrong. For this is a tale of a rather smelly old Hall – a large house for want of a better word – and the strange creatures who reside in it. And it is the creatures’ determination to rid themselves of the upstart new owners that is the basis of our story.

michaelskyner.co.uk
https://wix.to/AA8VMoB

13/10/2026

SPOOKY TALES OF BLATHERINGTON HALL

For a fun read for ghoules and ghoulies for Halloween.

Free on KDP Select or £1.99 Dyslexia Friendly.

06/10/2026

THE SPOOKY TALES OF BLATHERINGTON HALL

Buy your spooky copy now from Amazon. KDP michaelskyner.co.uk is £1.99 or free with KDP direct.

03/10/2026

THE SPOOKY TALES OF BLATHERINGTON HALL

Buy your spooky copy now from Amazon. KDP michaelskyner.co.uk is £1.99 or free with KDP Direct.

22/09/2026

I'm between publishers at the moment and the paperback editions are being listed as out of stock. I have a few copies of Yolonde, Spirit Wolf, Monkey's Fart and the Space Nutz Series plus Blatherington Hall and Chris Clotbo, I think. All of which can be purchased directly from my website: michaleskyner.co.uk The E-books are unaffected. Yolonde is also still listed as being available from the publisher and Amazon. Meanwhile, for a bit of fun, I've added an extract from the Monkey's Fart on Acrostics.

Acrostics
(sounds like across sticks)
Acrostics are a type of verse whose first letters spell out a name, word or phrase.

Beautiful sunsets
Over the hill
Green, green, grass
Everyone enjoys
Year after Year


Mm, the acrostic doesn’t quite go with the image of the poem. Here are some more…
Bug
Ugly
Lying
Little
Yob

Now don’t do that
And put that down
Unlock that door
Give me that
Have you not learnt?
Told you before
You’re horrible

You can have a lot of fun with acrostics; just play around and see what you come up with.
‘I’ve got one, I’ve got one!’
‘All right, monkey, go ahead.’
Poncey
Over the top
Egotistical
Twit

‘Oh, thank you.’
‘You’re welcome.’

18/09/2026

Michael Skyner and the Monkey have not posted for a while owing to a bout of the dreaded lurgy. Therefore, I have posted the cover of Mammoth Rider, the brilliantly written children's book from fellow dyslexic Sally Poyton. If you want a book that's educative, informative and a fantastic read, I strongly advise you to buy this book.

01/09/2026

THIS WEEK'S POEM FROM THE MONKEY

Mr Blob

Mr Blob was a bit of a slob
Who never could be tidy
He left his socks on the floor and his ties in meat pies
Which he ate every other Friday

Mr Blob was a bit of a slob
Who ate until he was fit to burst
He dined on lion and whale
And even worse, would belch and tell fishmongers’ tales

Mr Blob was a bit of a slob
Who would dribble all over his dinner
He would slobber and drool
And, as a rule, would wipe his mouth
With the back of the cat
And keep mince pies
Underneath his top hat

michaelskyner.co.uk

26/08/2026

20/08/2026

MAMMOTH RIDER REVIEW
Paid for copy.

Sometimes one comes across a book which stands out from the herd. Yes, the pun is deliberate. And this is very much the case with S.J. Poyton’s Mammoth Rider. A beautifully written and illustrated fantasy story of a young girl’s (Ash) quest to become a Mammoth Rider in the footsteps of her father. Set in a future Arctic where mammoths have been brought back into existence via cloning. Mammoth Rider brings into question the ethical debate surrounding cloning and the environment which the author addresses in the appendices.
Often the best stories are ones where the reader is transported to another world which is credible and believable. And here Mammoth Rider does not disappoint. Set in an arctic research station, MAC. Ash, the station director’s daughter, befriends one of the mammoths and her cute albino calf Nayala, whom I am certain will become a children’s favourite. From the start the action is fast-paced, and as the story unfolds, it is clear that someone is determined to undermine the project and only Ash and her friends are left to save the mammoths. The book is presented in a dyslexic-friendly format, reflecting the author’s neurodivergences. But this is a story which will appeal to all ages. Verdict: a Mammoth success.