Liz is back! We discuss a variety of topics including Worldcon finances and the fact that Alison is definitely doing the T-shirts for @easterconuk.bsky.social like, any day now. Really. No, YOU’RE overcommitted. Listen here! octothorpe.podbean.com/e/146-it-win...

October 20th is the order cut off for DIE: LOADED, sequel to the three-time Hugo-nominated DIE. I've pulled together a short primer it with all the info you need on it - what it is, previews, full cover details (check out our sketch variant!) and more. Go nose! Join our party. It's an experience.

Famine hits Kickstarter on the 14th of October. FOLLOW US NOW: www.kickstarter.com/projects/caesarink/doomsong2 #Doomsong #MedievalHorror #Horror #TTRPG #OSR

Octothorpe 145 is here! This episode we talk to Tommy Ferguson, chair of Reconnect, about conrunning with a Northern Irish slant. We record 146 in 4.5 hours at the time this post goes up, so listen quickly so you can loc 😉 octothorpe.podbean.com/e/145-james-...

So, I'm making a video game based on Palestinian folklore. It's called Thursday of the Dead, and you can talk to a Palestinian ghouleh. It will have branching narrative, and art all made by a human (me). I need exactly $100 to launch it on Steam when it's finished. ko-fi.com/soniasulaiman

As a bonus, in our Discord you may encounter friends from fabulous podcasts such as @hugospodcast.com, @octothorpecast.bsky.social, and @worldbuildcast.bsky.social, all in furtherance of my ultimate goal to create the megafancast, Hugoctothorpe Building There for Girl Masochists!

Ultimately, if the tabletop games community wants itch.io to have more capacity, I think they need to be asking itch to take a 30% cut and investing in staffing and infrastructure. It isn’t a coincidence that the site with the 8% cut is the site that has the most issues. #TabletopGames

Hello friends, we made a Discord server since the demise of the other site and the horrors of FB have made it tough to just chat about books. Comment or DM if you'd like an invite link!

This only happens to you once

Hi Internet! I'm Drew and THIS IS MY FACE. If this GIF has ever brought you joy in the past, I humbly ask you to consider making a donation to the National MS Society. It would mean a lot to me and to those I know affected by the disease! Donate at blinkingguy.com

OCTOTHORPE 144 IS THE LAW. As well as a pleasing rhyme, listeners will know this heralds the episode on 2012’s DREDD! We hope you enjoy the episode, and remember: until your assessment is formally over, you’re still entitled to dispense justice. Listen here! octothorpe.podbean.com/e/144-i-have...

Now that Kimmel’s been reinstated we’ve resubscribed to Disney+. Glad that the right outcome occurred.

I've never considered before now if Mario is in the club but I guess he wears the same clothes all the time, is bursting with joy & is mostly non-speaking except when he's jumping around on his own

In future if anyone asks me to explain autism, I'll say it's like the Mario games: multiple contradictory overlapping canons that nonetheless form a complementary, mostly coherent tapestry of archetypes & family resemblances. Which will at least avoid the follow-up question are you autistic yourself

"The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" just dropped its first response to ABC, FCC chair, and Disney firing Jimmy Kimmel. Trump ain't sleeping tonight. 🤣 This is a must-watch. 🔥🍿🥤

The government won't tell you that they are fascists, but they will tell you that anti-fascists are their enemies.

“Severance" actor Tramell Tillman has won the Emmy for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series. He is the first Black man ever to win the award #Emmys

Exclusive: Jeffrey Epstein’s estate has given Congress a copy of the 2003 birthday book, including the letter with Trump’s signature that he has said doesn’t exist.

So after three weeks, the "apology" from the Seattle Hugo hosts involves explanations contradict the literal video evidence. Two highly experienced and respected professionals claiming they "didn't know" they'd need a rehearsal before going on stage to deliver a high profile award ceremony. Please.

The conclusion to the Name-Mangling Hugo saga. (Link nested within.) tl;dr: -they blame the Worldcon organizers; -they deny having giggled (it's on video... www.youtube.com/live/py7MeV3... ); -the "apology" doesn't mention that the older host was "high as a kite on paid meds." (Their own skeet...)

I read about an owl sanctuary that took in an young injured male owl and after it was released it would drop by semi-regularly with mice and shrews for the owls being cared for there

The desperation by those on the Right to smear Angela Rayner is wearing thin🙄 And no - don’t bother replying UNTIL you’ve read the thread! I’ve trawled through multiple versions of this “story” in the Telegraph and Daily Mail to try and piece together what’s going on! 🧵1/17

That thread bemoaned the success of Fantasy's many subgenres. Then promptly criticised, dismissed or simply ignored SF's subgenre and genre-blending spaces. SF might be playing catch up rn, but its burgeoning growth beyond 'canon' forms is expanding audiences just as it did in Fantasy. Which, 🫶

Just stumbled on the 'SF is dead' thread and it is once again very much 'it's only Real SF for Real Fans if it's a direct descendent of the (white male) canon' And...no. Nope. Ye gods. SF in all its forms is looking arguably more alive and interesting now than it has for most of my life.

The game designer in me can’t get enough of how many wins they pulled off in a tiny package - removes kludgy gender sep - focus on utility - useful braille (lower than avg eye level) - great visual UX Mm mm. I just love good work

I talk some smack about Toronto but gosh we do get a lot of easy but thoughtful practical wins just right

I was sure that @seattlein2025.org would apologise for the Hugo Awards in the five days between recording @octothorpecast.bsky.social and now, and it’s absolutely baffling that they have not done so. A real lack of any awareness of or respect for the people hurt: it reflects poorly on all involved.

Octothorpe 142 is here with stunt Alison, Lori Anderson of @hugogirlpodcast.bsky.social! We discuss some of the pronunciation snafus at the Hugo Awards Ceremony before getting into a happier discussion of panels, the winners themselves, and books. Listen here! octothorpe.podbean.com/e/142-a-lot-...

Congratulations to the 2025 Hugo winners! If we'd won, I knew I had to say something about...all this. It's not deep or eloquent, but with four of us, it had to be to the point. As I've been encouraged to post it, here's The Acceptance Speech That Wasn't -written in Keep 5min before the ceremony

I have all reposts turned off, but quote posts left on. I'd like to do it on a person by person basis, but it's massively improved my experience here.

If you are posting to tell me that it is wrong to celebrate the things that are good in the world, you are getting very muted.

With the imminent removal of De Minimis in the US, we have now stopped advertising to the US. This is huge for us as currently about half our sales go there. Our latest crowdfunding campaign will be customs friendly though as we are shipping US orders in bulk via sea freight.

I do wish Bluesky was more like Mastodon in terms of features. I want to be able to turn off people’s reposts and I don’t want to see people replying to people I don’t follow. But the only recourse in both cases is to unfollow people entirely. Which I may reluctantly do, but I wish I didn’t have to.

@buttonshy.bsky.social Is there any chance of Seasons of Rice and/or Rove coming back in stock on the UK Store?

I am struggling with people who want drama to continue even when source of the drama has been dealt with. Yes. It would be lovely if mistakes were never made. Meanwhile on Earth 1….

I am genuinely happy and surprised to see a change and an apology. www.lacon.org/2025/08/21/s...

Two and half days later & I still don't have words So proud and happy for our team So thankful to the WSFS voters So honored to be in this cohort of finalists and past winners Live and drink 🚀🚀

i lost it

Congratulations to @eightdaysofdiana.bsky.social on their Hugo win! And commiserations to the other finalists, it was a plethora of riches.

The title of this episode is a barefaced lie, as we read your letters and then dive into discussion of the Business Meeting. But fear not! We also do mention science fiction! Well, John does; Alison and Liz hadn’t read any this week. Listen here! octothorpe.podbean.com/e/141-a-whol...

Posting about this a bit late, but this is richly deserved. What Michele has done for planetary science cannot be understated, and results from Cassini were a huge part of my time at Leicester and Southampton.

Earlier this week we held the @royalastrosoc.bsky.social Awards ceremony at the #NAM2025 conference dinner at the Newcastle Civic Centre. 🏅🍽️ Here are some more pictures of the event courtesy of Daniel Cole Photography...

Fowler Award (G): Dr John Coxon, Northumbria University Early Career Award (A): Dr Steve Cunnington, University of Manchester, and Dr Niall Jeffrey, University College London ⤵️

@kevinstandlee.bsky.social Hello! I think www.thehugoawards.org/campbell-his... needs updating but I’m not sure who to ask, there isn’t a Hugo Award account on Bluesky that I can see.

Winning a Hugo is my dream. I’m going to be posting some long, personal stuff here so please feel free to ignore.

Lower Decks’ win is the first time in 30 years that a Star Trek story has won a Hugo Award. The last one was “All Good Things” in 1995.

I think we need to start being okay with Hugo stats coming out after a few days, rather than instantly. As the number of awards and finalists has risen the amount of work for administrators has too. I think we need to be mindful of volunteer effort.