All the internets to Bitter Kurella for actual Tolkien/Lewis/Jones lore here.

🎶 Hot ladder, hot ladder Neighbours want to move it? Make them madder Hot ladder, it's a hell of a find How could they leave this behind? 🎶

Human artists! use only one piece to convince people to follow you!

If you haven't picked up our Christopher Caldwell's anthology Call and Response -- what are you waiting for? It's one of Publisher's Weekly's '9 Books from 2025 You Shouldn't Overlook'! See the link below. @seraph76.bsky.social @publisherswkly.bsky.social www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/...

my main problem with the "british food is bad" jokes are that it's old and really dated material. it's not really true, but more importantly, it's hack

Because aspects of it are a paean to a world before which was better and nostalgia for a rose-tinted world is an engine of fascism; because very few people like to believe they're the evil empire; and because good vs evil narratives are a bedrock of propaganda. I love lotr; don't get me wrong! But.

I know this is what I get for trying to write mid-migraine/prodrome, but I am disgusted with how long it took me to pull together tonight's 500 words. Literally like 2 days. My brain is chewing gum.

Literally a publication for eight-year olds 40 years ago

For nonlawyers, it’s worth noting that statements like this have—as a formal matter—important legal effects as a matter of international law. If such statements are *not* made, and in volume, future arguments that Trump’s invasion sets a legal precedent will stand on much firmer legal ground.

Hard to see what facts Starmer expects to find out from talking to Trump. I imagine this is basically *frantic swimming motions intensify*. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Remember that there is a legitimately elected president of Venezuela: Edmundo Gonzalez. He won the election in 2024.

My first story of 2026, Magie Vol, Ogies Toe, is now live at @kaleidotrope.bsky.social, alongside work by @jennifercrow.bsky.social @jaydeholmes.bsky.social @amulderwrites.bsky.social @kmveohongs.bsky.social and others. kaleidotrope.net/winter-2026/...

How long before Trump orders a strike on London and the abduction of Keir Starmer? Or at least of Sadiq Khan?

This illegal invasion of another country while its citizens sleep is a cynical act of American imperialism. The fact that Venezuela has some of the world’s largest oil reserves makes this feel very familiar. Greens stand against this contempt of international law. www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c5...

So, when do we recognize the sovereignty of peoples above all and declare war on Trump, Netanyahu and Putin, eh? Or do we just admit that our rights can be taken away at any moment by a McDonalds-guzzling egocentric toddler and his handler, a poster boy for fragile masculinity?

We're calling for submissions to the Black Archive from disabled authors and authors of colour, who we know have been underrepresented in the range. Please spread this as widely as you can, as we want it to reach as many eligible authors as possible. Thank you. obversebooks.co.uk/blackarchive...

NEW: People are using Elon Musk's chatbot, Grok, to alter images to depict real women being sexually abused, humiliated, hurt, and even killed. futurism.com/future-socie...

This Saturday I'm starting my online short story writing workshop, which goes for six sessions, and is aimed at refining your storytelling skills and learning how to submit stories. Full and partial scholarships still available. Please spread the word! www.catrambo.com/classes/shor...

I just missed the Copilot button on keyboards, but my latest PC is still significantly worse than the one I got in 2018.

The 2020s continue to be a difficult decade, but we have love and art and good people in the world still. Health permitting, I'll be seeing in the bells at my computer, because I know where my heart still lies. See you on the other side.

You’re going to be okay. Someone will hate your book. You’re going to be okay. Someone will not get what you’re trying to do with your art and judge you. You’re going to be okay. You’re going to keep creating, in 2026, because you need it and because the world needs you to. Okay?

It's the final day to nominate stories for the BSFA awards. Here are my award-eligible works from 2025: @giganotosaurus.bsky.social @thepinkhydra.com @thisjulieday.bsky.social

THIS. Did you know sickle cell is curable, now? FULLY curable. If you're feeling down or despairing about what FEELS like technology/advancement/science "standing still" or being fully malicious, I have great news: You're not paying attention to actual science. Just tech industry marketing.

For the next two days, Twitch is giving viewers 35% off on 5+ gift subs to your favorite streamers. If you enjoy independent media and creators, I’d love your support in the new year. I’ll be streaming games like Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Mass Effect, The Witcher 3, Rogue Trader, and Marathon in 2026:

Happy Jools Holland applies Boogie Woogie piano to any piece of music no matter how inappropriate-eve to those who celebrate.

Authors! Readers! The grand Barnes & Noble pre-order sale is now upon us. Use the code PREORDER25 to save 25% off basically every pre-ordered book for next year. Authors: please reply to this post with your upcoming book title, a link, and at least one cool thing in your book!

Me doing any clearing of my childhood bedroom.

Focusing on the futuristic tech that appears in sci-fi without paying attention to the actual point of the story is a big mistake, says Annalee Newitz

Apparently I'm doing this -- my open letter to that open latter about AI in writing and publishing. I emerged from Hibernation Week to write it, so god only knows how much sense it makes. But at least a human wrote it, so that's nice. Bonus: picture of my "cat," sweet baby Boomba.

‘Hope isn’t a plan.’ Yeah? Neither is ‘this is really hard so let’s not even try.’

May I suggest that, as with all 'users' of genAI and its ilk, if you just don't wannaaaaaaa do the work you're being asked to do, go do something else! The world will not stop spinning! You have infinite choices in what to do with your time! And if you find you are useless at everything: oh well!

Put free book in e-reader. Very safe, very nice, e-reader perfect place to put free book to read, user not join cult if put book in e-reader.

There's a story going around about Joanna Lumley dismantling Laura Kuenssberg on live TV. While a lot of us would love that to have happened, it appears to be AI slop. There will be more and more of that on our timelines, and eventually it will simply kill social media that don't take prevent it.

Friends, if you or someone you know has published awesome work in disability studies (defined *broadly*), please let me know! I'm updating my "Disability: A Democratic Dilemma" course and would love to include some newer work (both academic and otherwise).

Make a Bond movie casual. The Spy Who Thought I Was Alright, Actually

If you’re in the UK & are so inclined, from Dec 25 to Jan 5 you can get the Kindle edition of THE RIVER HAS ROOTS for 99p as part of their 12 Days of Kindle event! This means in the UK you can also get that price matched at other etailers, like Kobo! Merry Christmas! www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/...

Quite a lot can be explained by the plain fact that our leaders and their hangers on are *enraged* that they can’t send people to prison for doing things that aren’t illegal, and they see this as a very serious problem that needs to be resolved, urgently.

Have a Good.

Have a Good.

Rain has fallen, flooding our tents once again. As the clouds show no mercy, we hope to find mercy within your hearts. Your compassion lets us know we are not alone or forgotten. We are forever grateful for the humanity of others. gofund.me/a39d9fda #PrayForGaza #StandWithGaza #WinterInGaza #Gaza

And Tiny Tim, who did NOT die, but slumbers eternal until the stars are right.

As folks who celebrate may be busy later and tomorrow: Merry Christmas / Nadolig Llawen / Joyeux Noel / God Jul / Buon Natale / Frohe Weihnachten!

Best of luck to everyone affected by the signal failure on the east coast line, especially train and station staff.

Unsolicited writing advice, no. 71616: If you're struggling to stay creative during the dark part of the year, go back to what you love. Re-read, re-watch, rediscover old favourites. Remind yourself why you're doing this. Find your joy.

RIP Chris Rea, Teeside songwriter of both Driving Home for Christmas and Road to Hell, thus proving himself Laureate of all possible driving moods.

Regular reminder that the majority of the people who dreamed up the stories you love are, like, BROKE broke, and that most of the money spent on their work was given to Some Guy™️ instead.