Top recent posts by Speculative Fiction Writers and Editors on Bluesky

This evening one of the very kind con organizers took us to the Vigeland Sculpture Park in Oslo, which is amazing and you should go and Gustav Vigeland was extraordinarily talented and probably does not deserve the narrative I constructed looking at his work. But Bluesky! You deserve EVERYTHING!

Empire always comes home. All the sins we have committed abroad were always destined to find us in our homes, on our streets. We're being haunted by the violence we allowed to thrive.

The grocery store Nettó is trying to find this thief, now caught on camera, who has repeatedly stolen bags of dry, salted fish, which per kilo is the most expensive product they stock.

The Oslo Botanical Gardens has a garden laid out by taxonomy called “the Systemic Garden” and the trellises are DNA spirals. I crave one desperately.

every day i am just floored by humans ability to do good. we have these choices before us and the terrible ones make headlines, but i have no doubt love is so much more potent when it counts. so blessed to be a human being, because all human beings trot with this potential and i hope to honor it

I wish to speak for a moment to my femme-presenting people. Do you like skirts and dresses? Do you enjoy the swish? Do you sometimes think "gosh this skirt is perfect except for its limited potential as a smuggling vessel?" Well, do I have the shop for you.

The Morning Monty is feeling it.

To make this a little easier I did a post with all the Murderbot cast and production interviews I've linked to recently: marthawells.dreamwidth.org/665781.html #murderbot

Canada: *confused but trying really hard to fit in* ... One king??

I just stumbled across a photo of the first time I was ever published. I was a weekly columnist for the Daily Illini when I was an undergrad at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. And people were reading it! First time I felt what it was like to make an impact with my voice.

Lately the sad is huge and the anger is huge and both are constant, so please take care of yourself. Exercise. Read more. Work on your art. Talk to someone. Check on your friends. Remember your meds. Sit in the car and listen to the whole song. Celebrate the little wins.

Some of you are remarkably judgy about an innocent man being set upon by rabid babies.

There's a great interview with Sabrina Wu, who plays Pin-Lee in #murderbot, here: www.autostraddle.com/sabrina-wu-i...

Dr. Carla Hayden may have been fired, but she’s not backing down. In her first local interview since being removed as Librarian of Congress, Hayden reflects on her career, community, and the growing threats facing libraries. bit.ly/45soIBH

This is one of my favorite dynamics enabled by Ranked Choice: that you can build a coalition with people you mostly agree with whose message is "maybe them, maybe me... but definitely not that fucking guy"

Kelpie is uncannily smart for a cat. I'm considering setting her up with a Twitch stream. Maybe Elden Ring is the challenge she truly craves.

Bloody hell but we are giving off Master and Doctor vibes respectively in these photos.

I can't tell you what to do, but I'm going to eat my vegetables, limit fat and sugar, exercise, and try to manage stress, so I have a better chance at outliving the fuckers.

anyway good night

Ooh, check this out!

Always remember what Porco Rosso said:

If you were unable to attend the Gaithersburg Book Festival and wanted to see my talk, or if you'd simply like to hear a discussion of sci-fi, worldbuilding, and suspense, the Festival kindly posted the entirety of the discussion here: www.mymcmedia.org/lady-astrona...

And also a great interview with Akshay Khanna, who plays Ratthi in #Murderbot: squaremile.com/style/akshay...

Democrats need to lean into some version of Project 2029 right now and slam down criteria of what they're going to do and how they're going to do it. We already have a general idea of a concept of a vague future. I want specifics to fight for.

BABY FOX! BABY FOX ON MY WALL! YAWNING!

*extremely cautious voice* Hey Friday the 13th you're gonna be cool today right Like very relaxed and chill About the whole luck thing Right

Oh, I still think about this panel every now and then. It was so much fun, the audience was amazing, they leaned into what we were doing and made the experience AMAZING.

goooood morning it is cool and overcast again, which was a good time for this little lady - because that’s her favorite weather apart from snow, so yep: Lucy Loved That Walk

Your Daily Affirmation: Today is my lucky day. I exceed expectations, break records, set new highs for a day that is looking to lay me low. I scoff at Friday the Thirteenth, the concept, the number, the threat, the omen. SCOFF! I laugh in its face and bits of waffle fly out.

ALSO arguably this is a good day to get ONE MESSAGE REMAINS, my mini-collection (one novella plus three novelettes) from @psychopomp.com ! Consider: - You support me - You support a cool indie publisher - You implicitly support gallows built out of human bones Everybody wins!

there is also so much beauty in the world

A nice interview setting up my event in Santa Cruz, Tuesday. www.goodtimes.sc/christopher-...

me: i’ve been working on this book all day, maybe i should see what—

Okay to be fair though I did have a bunch of highschool students/their teacher ask me once "We have all these theories! What does the dragon symbolize?" re: one of my stories and I was like "It's... it's a dragon. It's a real dragon. It symbolizes a dragon."

I can confirm that this is true, and should be printed in the newspaper

Linda Blair asked me where she could find a bathroom

I love writing for children but one thing I find very hard is working out how old the parents and grandparents of an 11 year old are likely to be, and all the calculations involved and assumptions of average ages of fertility. They never told me there'd be maths and statistics in fiction. #KidLituk

I guess at least a medical professional has offered to visit my sickbed and run some tests but I'm not sure how the lick lick will help

but before you do: turn on your vpn. use an anonymous browser. don’t sign up for anything. no text messages, no newsletters, not the gosh darn event itself STFU Friday means on the internet, too

Hard to believe the Ignyte announcement was this week but this week has also been a thousand years long! 🙃 ANYWAY help keep my kitties fed and me alive and writing! Pick up the multiply award-nominated THE BUTCHER OF THE FOREST today! :D us.macmillan.com/books/978125...

It’s Friday the 13th and #FridayReads! Let’s boost all signals and put books in front of readers. Repost this and let us know what to repost for you. I’m sharing House of Bone and Rain because it’s almost half off right now! Get some. Go ahead, share what you love! www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0316...

Signing at Outland Books in Oslo for the next hour and change! Come on out!

I am starting to wonder if maybe the multiple medical professionals who told me the impacts of having pneumonia would take at least 3-6 months to resolve were perhaps... and I'm not saying they were... correct-ish

And now you know why I WRITE about art. (Flip side of my sign for tomorrow.)

In other news we have discovered World's Greatest Cat Toy Till They Lose Interest and it is: oops I accidentally lost a boba from my bubble tea

The world is on fire along multiple vectors, yes, and I am keeping my eye on that, as well as working hard (writing) and living my ordinary life, and meanwhile, my latest novel released this week, which I'm incredibly excited about. It's like a constant state of whiplash.

Herewith the formula for what a book means: [stuff on the page] + [what the author intended to say] + [stuff the author didn't actually intend to say but which bubbled out of their subconscious] x [the reader's entire engagement, conscious and unconscious ] - [reader fails] = ~~THE MEANING~~

Something I am working on: As someone with ADHD and dyspraxia, I am always the person that breaks something, drops something, spills something. I am starting to realise I have a VERY strong reaction to simple mistakes; as in a full-on self hatred spiral over knocking over a glass of water. 1/

When I tell you the release of The End of the World As We Know It is gonna be big, I mean it’s gonna be BIG. @briankeene.bsky.social. @cgolden.bsky.social. @stephenking.bsky.social.

Probably Iceland’s most impressive mountaintop 👌🏼

...anybody noticed if the guard and marines are wearing their name tapes and rank insignia?

This ghoul is running the country now. 12 hours after Felon47 said ICE would stop arresting farm workers they were still chasing workers in the fields

And this morning the Shed is the eye of the storm; calm and wide and open…

It would be pretty amazing if, say, @thebookseller.com and @societyofauthors.bsky.social got together to do a massive industry survey and made public: --which publishers escrow royalties and which don't --payment cycles offered (3, 4 or 6 months) --who pays late

Every pharma ad: “If you have X and want to treat it with a daily pill, ask your doctor if Fuckovia is for you.” 🎶 Fuckoooviiiaaa🎵 “Fuckovia’s side effects include insomnia, anxiety, depression, memory loss, blood clots, cancer, compulsive behavior, infections, and death.” 🎶 Fuckoooviiiaaa🎵

ADHD problems: I was diagnosed with ADHD in like 2005 but I don't remember my doctor's name or where I was when it happened, and because ADHD I didn't keep track of any paperwork that would let me know. So now I need to apparently get diagnosed again if I want to try stimulants???

The difficult thing with the current state of discussions around trans rights is you can say 'I think trans people are worthy of dignity and respect' and someone will reply 'So you're saying it's ok for John Cena to punch my grandma?!'

PEOPLE SUNBATHING: Please hold your books at such an angle that we can see what you’re reading. Thank you.

I'm preparing for my book launch next week! I think I've packed all the essentials. -A bottle of water -A packet of electrolyte powder -An ancient chest containing all my fears -My good signing pens Have I forgotten anything?

Love to do an A/B engagement test on Bluesky (left) vs Twitter (right). Someone said this place is dead?

Had enough hotel food. Got some enchiladas.

"But mom! We want PEAS!!! WHERE ARE YOU HIDING THE PEAAAAASSSSS????"

Happy Friday the 13th #horror

EDITOR: Did you get that picture for Fascist Monthly? PHOTOGRAPHER: Yeah, real Hitler-mustache like, just like you asked.

📚💙 This week, @carnegiecorp.bsky.social awarded grants of up to $500K to 11 public library systems as part of its Libraries as Pillars of Education & Democracy initiative. The money will expand ESL services, adult ed, and teen college prep—strengthening civic life. www.carnegie.org/news/article...

My errands today remind me what NYC is. A visit to my doctor in Chinatown to treat a nerve issue. Walking back through Little Italy (basically the same street) for a coffee, and then a block later, a New Mexican taco place for a bite. A city of immigrants taking care of and feeding each other.

Important safety tip: don't rub your eye while eating BBQ jerk chicken.

Internet can I have $3500 for a Haflinger mare and her mini buddy? reno.craigslist.org/grd/d/virgin...

this horrible thing of wondering whether or not this man is aware he sounds like a scripted villain vs whether he's actively trying to be that, aspirationally

Made a new friend last night. Strange animal. Hybrid? Norwegian rat X domestic cat? 🧐 If any of you recognize this peculiar species, please share a few facts about it. Thanks! ***WRONG ANSWERS ONLY***

One of my friends who lives near LA participated in some of these and said it's DEEPLY SATISFYING and she highly recommends it.

HAPPY FRIDAY the 13th! Stay safe out there, friends!

"Welcome to everything falling apart." AppleTV+'s Murderbot improvises on the books, bringing all the chaos and some of Alexander Skarsgård's best acting so far. We're unpacking episode six: "Command Feed"! reactormag.com/tv-review-mu...

I know the dots are eyebrows and the lines are eyes, so the fox is happy, but my first take was the dots were eyes and the fox was looking up appalled at some sort of impending doom.

Thank you to some of my amazing friends for coming to support me and @jordanharper.bsky.social at Vromans Bookstore in Pasadena last night for our event celebrating KING OF ASHES Btw...LA is not on fire, California is not a wasteland FUCK ICE NO KINGS IN AMERICA!!!

Still on the fence about this but as the parade is going to be nothing but dolphins and Greensboro's protest has been cancelled (???????why???????) I'm taking it as a bit of a sign.

Good morning. It is Independent Bookshop Week. If you are able please do support your local bookshop. They pay their taxes and support the community! @bookcornerhx.bsky.social @sevenoaksbookshop.bsky.social @forumbooks.bsky.social @drakebookshop.bsky.social @grovebookshop.bsky.social

Today is the start of #IndieBookshopWeek and to celebrate you can get yourself a £5 National Book Token! All you have to do is spend £25 on bookson the website or in the shop and we’ll send one with your order. (Excludes subscriptions)

Who here can do birds? *raises hand* Who here can do birds that aren’t just fish with wings? *lowers hand* At the Met Museum.

#caturday #GNUPeterMorwood

‘Even academics with secure jobs don’t feel secure. Meanwhile, those of us on fixed-term contracts sit and wait for our funding to run out.’ Ed Kiely on precarity in higher education: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...

I have had people find stuff in my work I did not put there on purpose and I think that is SUPER COOL, actually. Like a gift from the Muse to careful readers.

The mysterious daylilies are finally blooming! As predicted, orange. As not predicted..a face only a mother could love? #flower #flowers #gardening #BloomSky #bloomscrolling

Yay! I finished final edits on a Thing! Now to finish *check notes* final edits on eight more Things.

Time to introduce my teens to #Farscape!

I hate that advice about going to places with bad wifi to make teenagers read. What about giving them books that they can actually enjoy? Most writers I know, including me, grew up reading Sweet Valley High and Virginia Andrews. Jilly Cooper is full of good poetry as well as bad puns and wild sex.

I could make a zine with post-it notes...

The clock sheds numbers every other moment but fewer in the silences #vss365 #shed

The start of indie bookshop week has got to be Sir Terry, right?

Do people forget that the Presidunce of the United States is a convicted felon, and was found liable (confirmed on appeal today) for sexual assault and defamation? Well done, voters who thought he’d be good for anything, including the price of eggs. Senescent sociopath who would be king.

‘Today, “fascism” is useful as a political concept only in so far as it enables us to spot its destructive potential before it fully discloses itself. As Primo Levi wrote,“‘it happened, therefore it can happen again.”’ @trillingual.bsky.social on far-right populism: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...

oh hey it's Friday which means a new episode of Murderbot, thank goodness!

In an act of Wildly Reckless Abandon we are going to the World’s Largest Butter Tart Festival tomorrow. 50,000 attendees in a town in Ontario. 230 vendors. And, well, us. (NOT my idea! Sam’s! Fatherhood leads you into … trouble? Joy? Wild reckless abandon?) (50,000!)

Got a joke about Echo. Subtle. May need to hear it twice.

I am being OPPRESSED by the ENEMIES OF SCIENCE

How 🧊 funding is affecting IMLS library funding 🔗: linktr.ee/tomesandtext...

Penelope Spheeris passed me toilet paper under the bathroom stall when I needed it.

love it when I get a "your order has been delivered!" picture of a place I have never seen before I just want some pillows that won't hurt my neck lol RURAL LIFE IS REALLY RURALING THIS WEEK

Dear advertisers: Please stop with the ads that can be summed up as Cool Millionaires Get Free Shit While I Watch. What am I supposed to buy here? I can't have the experience or the privilege; why would I want the soda that makes you fart? And you never show the part where the soda makes them fart.