Elon Musk’s AI tool Grok is pointing the finger squarely at its own creator, and the administration he once worked for, for the loss of life during this week’s tragic flooding in Texas.

Vance’s Bible citation as shiny and thin as old tin foil.

They should but won’t. Money will silence them like a sock in a gob.

WHAT KIND OF FUCKING COWARDS ARE HOLDING A VOTE IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT TO TAKE AWAY MEDICAID FROM MILLIONS OF PEOPLE??? HOUSE REPUBLICANS. MAY YOU ALL ROT IN HELL.

Actual factual verifiable simple truth, ya louts.

Yes it may be childish but I scowl at people driving them. Many of whom I’m sure are perfectly fine and decent. They just need to jettison their Tesla and get a new ride as soon as feasible.

This cause is close to my heart - please sign: sign.moveon.org/petitions/re...

Reminder! Join us Wed 1/22, 6:30, at McNally Jackson Seaport (4 Fulton St) for launch party of THE FORGER'S REQUIEM. Brief reading & talk with Nicholas Basbanes, Q&A...& wine reception. It's cold out but inside with fellow book lovers it'll be warm & comfy! mcnallyjackson.com/event/01222025_Seaport

The temperature at noon on Monday will be 22 degrees which is the same temperature it was in 1961 when Kennedy was inaugurated. The ceremony was held outside.

Today is pub day for both THE FORGER'S REQUIEM and my illustrated essay on lithub.com, "A Brief History of Literary Fakes and Frauds" which covers forgeries of everyone from Dante to Cormac McCarthy. Hope you enjoy the reads, and no fraudsters be. lithub.com/the-forgers-...

Jimmy Carter 1924-2024 Peace

This 14th Century door at Exeter Cathedral is thought to have the oldest existing cat flap.

Antidote to freezing rain and fog over the snowy fields was to make an insane quantity of chili this morning for New Years and to populate the freezer for down the line, 8-9 quarts, 17 ingredients, a black and white on right & classic on left. Should last for months but, if I’m honest, won’t.

Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, and joyful holidays to all my friends far and wide who believe and don’t believe and who don’t much think about it one way or the other. Blessings & kindness to you all—from Henry Poppet and his gentleman’s (sort of) gentleman (me).

Sound about right.

Don’t let us ghost. Double your donation with this holiday matching grant! Thanks to the generosity of one of our donors, we are able to double any tax-deductible donation up to $10K! https://buff.ly/4e0gbGU (Remember to write “Conjunctions” in the notes!)

Wow! What an unexpected honor for my essay, "In Search of the Rarest Book in American Literature: Edgar Allan Poe’s Tamerlane" to be selected as one of Lit Hub's "Favorite Lit Hub Stories from 2024: The Best Writing at the Site This Year, According to the Editors." lithub.com/our-favorite...

Cannot wait to read this!

Just received my first copy of THE FORGER'S REQUIEM and here it stands alongside its younger siblings on the kitchen table where the trilogy was written! Huge gratitude to everyone at @groveatlantic.bsky.social for their amazing & exemplary support. Publishes soon! Opening line: "We all die alive."

Rare books 101. Whenever a rare book dealer uses the phrase "A pleasing copy" you can be sure you won't be pleased.

🎉🎉🎉May all of your social media images be filled with a Wood Duck staring right at you! Spotted this morning on Central Park's Turtle Pond. 😍😍😍 #WoodDuck #CentralPark #birding

A capital idea that’s far too reasonable to ever become a reality.

A joy to edit & cool learning curve.

Many close friends experiencing these crazy denials. Half a year went by before Anthem reimbursed for sizable (covered) dental bill, and now they want the money back! “How much you guys suck”=spot on.

Real ghost encounters of the writers of ghost stories in the new issue of Conjunctions, Revenants edited by me and joycecaroloates.bsky.social. Unique look behind some very spooky writers’ veils & my favorite special feature at conjunctions.com today. You must have your own ghost encounters too, no?

“Leisure without books is death…” I love this Seneca, but all great selections:) never heard of that children’s gothic before….

The moon disguised as Saturn

With a black cat curled up by the fire, a dram of whiskey at hand, and a clamorous ghost in the attic. Perfection.

Calling the Revenants issue of @conjunctions.bsky.social a "Satan book" is as ringing an endorsement as we could ever hope for! To acquire a copy of Conjunctions:83, The Ghost Issue, co-edited by me and @joycecaroloates.bsky.social please get in touch & we'll be happy to send the accursed issue :)

the editors loved assembling this special issue of Conjunctions. cover illustration by Laurel Hausler

Back cover, Conjunctions

Amazing writer, always interesting.

Too much koffee on Katurday, a self-portrait.

Proud parents of the Revenants ghost issue of @conjunctions.bsky.social bsky.social, the two editors holding the first copy. A forever favorite issues of Conjunctions. Atwood, Machado, Stephen Graham Jones, Tremblay, Hand, Evenson, Can Xue, Ben Okri, the contributors are from all over the world.

“He who can persuade you to believe absurdities, can persuade you to commit atrocities.” —Voltaire

Just up at conjunctions.com! Jonathan Carroll's twisty brilliant story in the Revenants issue of @conjunctions.bsky.social which Joyce Carol Oates and I co-edited & is soon in the mail. Ghosts, spirits, specters by Atwood, Machado, Okri, Can Xue, Evenson, Tremblay, Straub, Ford...and many others.

One year ago today, Flaco returned to Central Park after a few weeks exploring the east side. I was so happy to see him in his favorite Oak tree on a blustery, beautiful November morning. 🦉🦉🦉 #Flaco #CentralPark

The name and acronym are much more accurate.

Under a floating alphabet in class a few Mondays ago, my students posed with Joyce Carol Oates, after discussing her collection ZERO-SUM. Having published 4 of the stories in CONJUNCTIONS, I still got fresh insights from students and author alike. Half the point (more?) of teaching is learning.

Let me get this straight. RFK's against fluoride in our water but is good with Dimethylpolysiloxane in the frying oil of his fries? Not to mention the other chems in his McDuck's fast food?

Go for it. You’ll never regret it. And if you do you can always give them to friends :)

Willa Bean above, Henry Poppet below, enjoying their Saturday like the next ringtails and floofies.

Say good morning to this stunning American Kestrel, spotted at first light today in Central Park. We have 2 million fewer Kestrels today than we did in 1970, so it's always a thrill to see one! 🥰🥰🥰 1/2 #Kestrels #CentralPark #birds

Simply impossible to imagine why. Wracking my brain over here...