I've been trying to figure out how to write a fan letter to @adapalmer.bsky.social for weeks. I'm half way through the fourth book in the Terra Ignota series by Ada Palmer, and it's been the most ambitious, thrillingly-narrated, politically brilliant Sci-Fi series I've read in... maybe ever? TY Ada!

Just very thrilled to make it to @acwise.bsky.social excellent list of Favorite Short Fiction of 2025 acwise.net/favorite-sho... In case you want to read the mentioned story, Idle, Inc is at Bourbon Penn @bourbonpenn.bsky.social www.bourbonpenn.com/issue/35/idl...

Newest issue of Bourbon Penn is an instant classic. If you like reading, like dark stories, and don't know Bourbon Penn, you're losing out. @bourbonpenn.bsky.social Check out the opening story, an amazing story from Benjamin Parzybok www.bourbonpenn.com/issue/35/idl... #booksky #indiepublishing

Thanks Gavin!

Enshittification! Not just for tech corporations anymore. My roundup of the shitbomb video, wrecking of the White House, Trump's deterioration, and broader destruction at:

Astoria, Oregon

The war zone in Portland is out of control.

Can't go on like this

Andry José Hernández Romero, I remember you, even if I do not know how to articulate my horror, rage, & sorrow at your treatment by my government. No one has heard from you in 53 days. As vigil, I’m posting a photo of you every day until you are returned from El Salvador.

Congratulations to past BTC guests Percival Everett for winning the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction and Danez Smith for being a finalist in Poetry! ICYMI, here are the conversations with each of them: Percival: tinhouse.com/podcast/perc... Danez: tinhouse.com/podcast/dane... @graywolfpress.bsky.social

History always has a lesson.

I invented a new phone to help save time in the morning

MMR vaccine doesn’t just prevent measles, mumps, and rubella. It also prevents RFK Jr. from showing up at your child’s funeral to exploit your grief at your most vulnerable moment.

Oh wow: Portland Oregon is NOT KIDDING #handsoff

Spectacular view of 100,000 people attending the #HandsOff march in NYC

Thousands of protesters gathered at the Japanese American Historical Plaza on Portland’s waterfront before they started marching south down Naito Parkway onto the Morrison Bridge. #HandsOff protest live updates: www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

Laura made a sign for the protests in Portland

Thank you!

Two of my books and two short stories got eaten by the AI borg.

My month in Istanbul/Turkey was incredible. Thank you Türkiye, I’m sad to go! I hope you can navigate the politics and tendencies toward fascism. I know I was taking lessons from it. This was last night at the Metropolitan Municipality Authority. #imamoglu

I have a new story in the fantastic journal Bourbon Penn. “at first it was cool i guess, 15 mins extra free time a day, like magic. nap time! But after like 900 crashes i can honestly say this is by far the worst app I have ever used in my entire life bar none” www.bourbonpenn.com/issue/35/idl...

Thrilled to be in this issue of Bourbon Penn.

It is perfectly legal to know your rights and to educate others about them, too. EVERYONE in the United States, citizen or not, has rights. I will not allow this administration to intimidate us from helping you know about them. Here’s our shareable guide ⬇️: (pt. 1/2)

..your writing. We're talking about your writing. Current events got you feeling inspired, for better or worse? Yeah. Us too. We're always looking for #submissions of most any kind (especially zines!), but especially #writing about... (1/3)

I think a lot about this quote from Anaïs Nin’s diary from 1939-1944: “America is in even greater danger because of its cult of toughness, its hatred of sensitivity, and someday it may have to pay a price for this, because atrophy of feeling creates criminals”.

HEY BLUESKY PEOPLE: Are you currently fundraising for a charity or for your own needs? Here is a thread for you to tell other people about it. Please explain your thing and put in a link (Legit 503c(3) charities and/or established fundraising sites preferred). 'tis is season!

oh AI can write books now? fine but can it constantly self-promote on multiple social platforms while still feeling bad about itself?????

bird sounds

“Ancient Athens made a mess — but the Antigone stands up. Renaissance Rome made a mess — but the ceiling of the Sistine got painted. Art… is the one orderly product which our muddling race has produced. It is the cry of a thousand sentinels…” EM Forster www.themarginalian.org/2024/11/06/t...

Imma need some of you to think about thriving out of spite. I had big plans for 2025 and I’m definitely not gonna pre-derail them for likes of Elin and Tromp. I’m getting more involved. Loving harder. Writing hornier. Having more fun. I’m gonna be so kind to my neighbors, bitch.

Is everybody believing in the servers? If you don't believe in the servers they don't work

Started a starter pack!

This is still my advice: Become a writer anyway. Fuck it, do it, it won't save you, but it's still a beautiful dream to write novels and short stories and poems and mingle with other dreamers and make art and laugh in the face of death. And writing is constant death. Live más.

Yes but maybe with the fill-in scab writers during the writers strike.

Now this is good news for a change

Thanks Jed! Psyched to read your new book, it looks amazing.

I spent a fantastic weekend there, but must have missed the main horn section

I can't think of a more appropriate time to re-read this masterpiece. Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. #BookSky 💙📚 #Books #BookChallenge Day 1

It’s been 10 years since the water shortage got so bad that parts of Portland, OR, seceded. Go back and see how it all happened in @sparkwatson.bsky.social’s SHERWOOD NATION smallbeerpress.com/books/2014/0...

New post for my journal of interactive fiction: Plotopolis: How it started, how it's going. Included is a wishlist of stories we'd love to see explored. open.substack.com/pub/plotopol...

Somehow....flash fiction

A log of my github contributions over time. As my father used to say about my constant projects, busy busy... And before git/github, there was subversion.

I have both a game as well as a new interactive fiction platform (for publishing IF) debuting in this contest. Check it out here. ifcomp.org/ballot#entry...

Well, I know what I’m doing this weekend…

Gustave Doré, The Gnarled Monster, 1870

The Between the Covers Patreon, like many creators, lost a bunch of patrons this week due to a payment bug on the site. If you are a supporter, do check that BTC is still a creator you support, & now is a great time to consider supporting the show too! https://www.patreon.com/betweenthecovers