In case anyone needs yet another reason to despise Meta, let's not forget that they used pirated books to train their shitty AI. (Article by @ashleybelanger.bsky.social of @arstechnica.com) arstechnica.com/tech-policy/... #ashleybelanger #ai #fuckai #meta #fuckmeta #fuckfacebook #fuckzuckerberg

"The Sexual History of the World War," Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld, Falstaff Press, New York, 1937 #vintagebooks #unusualbooks #strangebooks #history #booksky #eroticism #nurses #naughtynurses #ihavesomeverystrangebooks

"Complicated," from "The Lioness Awakens," by Lauren Eden, Castle Point Books, New York, 2018. #laureneden #poetry #poets #womenpoets #poetrybooks #castlepointbooks #bookphotos #complicatedbylaureneden #complicated

"...I had helped him twice, and now I was a woman. It might take him a while to forgive me for that, no matter how grateful he was." - Octavia Butler, "Parable of the Sower" #octaviabutler #parableofthesower #earthseed #sexism #forgiveness #gratitude

"Bitches get stuff done." - Tina Fey www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3vA... #tinafey #amypoehler #funny #bitchesgetstuffdone #snl #saturdaynightlive #iavoidthewordbitches #but #hellyeah

Along Lessing Street. Model: Ardis #colorportraits #colorful #chicagomodel #chicagophotographer #chicago #beautifulwomen #goth #gothgirls #portraits #portraitphotography #ardis #graffiti

I copied the wrong post, but HERE is more on the 3.5% figure: www.bbc.com/future/artic...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUys... Brinna Kelly's "The Fare" is an unappreciated gem. I'm tempted to say "If you like (unnamed), you'll love this" - but if I told you what "unnamed" is, I would be risking a spoiler. #brinnakelly #thefare #mysteries #movies #films #underappreciated #smart

I couldn’t be prouder of how Chicago came together to support our neighbors. Greg Bovino may be gone, but the lessons of community support will live on as a model to push back against Trump’s extreme enforcement raids.

"There is no difference between Gods and monsters, child. Each in their own way wields their power to terrorize." Nikita Gill, from "Hekate" #nikitagill #quotes #hekate #poetry #verse #gods #monsters #religion

Dance with Death. Model: Van Helsing #tattoos #tattooedwomen #ink #inked #inkedwomen #ballet #blackandwhite #monochrome #monochromemonday #hiddenwomen #vanhelsing #dancewithdeath

Smile Like the Sun. Model: Sunshine #happiness #smiles #womenandbooks #monochromemonday #monochrome #blackandwhite #blackandwhitephotography #blackandwhiteportraits #beautifulwomen #melanin #smilelikethesun #sunshine #originalphotography #chicagomodel #chicagophotographer

From "Home Body" by Rupi Kaur, @andrewsmcmeel.bsky.social, 2021 #rupikaur #love #homebody #poetry #poetrybooks #poets #artists #books #booksky #andrewsmcmeel

By the Windows. Model: A.H. #photography #blackandwhite #blackandwhitephotography #monochrome #originalphotography #chicagomodel #chicagophotographer #hiddenwomen #beautifulwomen #naturallight #sansbook #bythewindows #a.h.

"First, I wish you noble like Zapata, because a man is one who guards those weaker than himself." Sandra Cisneros, from "Arturito the Amazing Baby Olmec Who Is Mine by Way of Water" ("Loose Woman," Vintage Books, 1994) #sandracisneros #men #nobility #zapata #heroes #poetry #poets #poetrybooks

Red Lips and Research. Model: Venus #womenandbooks #womenreading #hiddenwomen #kinsey #redlips #venus #originalphotography #chicagomodel #chicagophotographer

There must be a revised edition of this 1873 book on etiquette. The new version presumably explains that referring to women as "Piggy" is acceptable, for our very stable genius president would never behave in a manner contrary to common decency. #trump #fucktrump #piggy #vintagebooks #booksky

Casual Photography, Wicker Park. Model: @cassandra-fowler.bsky.social #blackandwhite #blackandwhitephotography #monochrome #streetphotography #portraits #photos #photography #womenwithcameras #streetphotographer #chicagomodel #chicagophotographer #originalphotography #cj #cassandrafowler

"He reads histories and mythologies and fairy tales, wondering why it seems that only girls are ever swept away from their mundane lives on farms by knights or princes or wolves. It strikes him as unfair to not have the same fanciful opportunity himself." Erin Morgenstern, "The Night Circus"

"I have never had a place. What do you think it is that gives me my courage?" - @nikitagill.bsky.social, from "Hekate" I think of this when I see Trump's thugs cowering beneath body armor as they try to kidnap immigrants and refugees. #nikitagill #ice #borderpatrol #fuckice #fucktrump #fuckbovino

The Key to Her Heart Is in There Somewhere #keys #secrets #love #longing #desire #hope

"She'll wish to talk with them, but she won't because any interest from her would be sure to be misunderstood. Her body as usual would get in the way of free speech." Margaret Atwood, "The Blind Assassin" #margaretatwood #literature #theblindassassin #sexism #atwood

"A woman they cannot control, whether Goddess or mortal, is a dangerous woman." Nikita Gill, from "Hekate" #nikitagill #quotes #dangerouswomen #hekate #hecate #myths #mythology #poetry #women #dangerous #witches #goddess #resist

I have a habit of marking favorite passages in the books I'm reading. I've just finished "Hekate" by Nikita Gill (@nikitagill.bsky.social). Expect to see quotes. MANY quotes. #nikitagill #hekate #hecate #poetry #poets #verse #mythology #booksky #beautifulbooks #beautifulwriting #lovedthisbook

Books are a sanctuary where identities bloom and truths unfold. Each page whispers tales of resilience and courage, inviting us to embrace our authentic selves. Let's celebrate our stories together! #booksky #books

Sexual Criminal (Demure). Model: Mia Book: "Woman as a Sexual Criminal" by Dr. Erich Wulffen, American Ethnological Press, New York, 1934. #womenandbooks #photography #chicagophotographer #portraits #mia #erichwulffen #dangerouswomen #hiddenwomen #unusualbooks #vintagebooks #womanasasexualcriminal

Love women who won't tolerate bullshit.

Okay, Rumi.

You cannot take a poet outside on the night of the full moon. It’s a terrible plan. You will feel like a third wheel the entire time.

"Darkness shakes us, kindles desires we never knew we had." Masatsugu Ono, "At the Edge of the Wood" Translation by Juliet Winters Carpenter #masatsuguono #literature #japaneseliterature #darkness #desire #night #attheedgeofthewood

In honor of Halloween: Model @cassandra-fowler.bsky.social with her own brand of witchcraft. #photography #halloween #happyhalloween #witches #witchcraft #bewitching #womenandbooks #originalphotography #strangeportraits #chicagomodel #chicagophotographer #cj #cassandrafowler #beauty #redhead

In "The Testaments," describing the fall of Gilead, Margaret Atwood mentions "successful attacks from within certain parts of the former United States, such as the Missouri hill country, the areas in and around Chicago and Detroit..." This is a vote of faith. Margaret, I love you. #chicago #atwood

THIS.

At one point today 50+ neighbors followed agents’ unmarked cars down the block. So federal agents tear gassed a residential street. In Lakeview. Which again is affluent and majority white. Think you're safe? What's happening in Chicago can & may happen everywhere in the US.

"Meanwhile I'll have savored you like an oyster memorized you held you under my tongue learned you by heart So that when you leave I'll write poems" Sandra Cisneros, from "Once Again I Prove the Theory of Relativity" ("Loose Woman," Vintage Books, 1994) #sandracisneros #poetry #poets #poetrybooks

Racist? Rapist? They aren't mutually exclusive. No Kings Protest, Chicago, October 18, 2025 #nokings #nokingsprotest #nokingschicago #originalphotography #protests #chicago #trump #fucktrump #believethewomen

Wandering around sunny Madrid after a boozy lunch and ran across someone who fits in nicely with the ladies on Bluesky.

I dream of a world where we abide by the simple axiom: Be excellent to each other. Also, a world where we can edit Bluesky posts to correct typos. #dreams #billandted #empathy #goldenrule #beexcellenttoeachother #kindness #wantallofthat #plus #bluesky #features #wishlist #want #need #please #edit

He said, "Books or me?" Sometimes I remember him when I am buying new books. #books #booksky #readers #lovebooks #bibliophile #vintagebooks #beautifulbooks #oldbooks #silly #funny

Divided. Model: J. #blackandwhite #monochrome #blackandwhitephotography #originalphotography #portraits #strangeportraits #j #chicagophotographer #sansbook

"But you can't _make_ people listen. They have to come 'round in their own time, wondering what happened and why the world blew up under them." #books #censorship #bannedbooks #literature #fahrenheit451 #raybradbury #bradbury

Wistful. Model: @cassandra-fowler.bsky.social #photography #blackandwhite #monochrome #portraits #longing #love #wistful #sansbook #chicagomodel #chicagophotographer #originalphotography #personalfavorites #cj #cassandrafowler

Earnest post, but: a thing I like here is it’s okay to have moments of happiness in public without being broadly scolded, and I believe that sustaining this kind of humanity will be very important as we resist fascism. We have to sustain each other. Making joy isn’t denial, it’s how we will survive

#badwriting #selfpublishing #writercommunity #indieauthors #authorslife

My working definition of "successful book"

"Why do we make ourselves so fierce that we scare hearts away once we have invited them in?" Detail of a mural by Rachel Slotnick (Chicago, 2015) #rachelslotnick #artists #art #publicart #murals #chicago #logansquare #chicagomural #colorful

The first line of "Fahrenheit 451" is: "It was a pleasure to burn." This is the essence of Donald Trump's appeal. Truly making America great would involve hard work. Keeping America angry? That's easy. #bannedbooks #bannedbooksweek #trump #maga #raybradbury #fahrenheit451 #booksky

"In the pewter mornings, the cat, a black fur sausage with yellow Houdini eyes, jumps up on the bed and tries to get onto my head. It's his way of telling whether or not I'm dead. If I'm not, he wants to be scratched; if I am he'll think of something." Margaret Atwood, from "February" #cats #poetry

"Books can be dangerous. The best ones should be labeled 'This could change your life.'" - Helen Exley #helenexley #bannedbooksweek #bannedbooks #bookbans #censorship #books #booksky

Tina Was Here. Chicago, 2018. #graffiti #tinabelcher #bobsburgers #silly #butts #iheartbutts #istandwithtina