I finally have time to return to editing after a hectic teaching stretch, and I'm having such a fabulous time this morning reading @olinj.bsky.social's next paranormal romance. Jessica, I'll leave you with this comment from the first chapter, sans context—can you guess where I am?

Today in "gender means nothing to small children," we were sitting with our toddler niece and were identified as (correctly) "Unky Gordon" and then (less correctly but very adorably) "Unky Molly." Frankly a way more fun title than "Aunt Molly," so no complaints here.

Reminder to actually read through the contracts freelancers send you. The editorial agreement I send to clients isn't just gibberish; it includes relevant information about your project, including the fee, the delivery date, payment policies, and more. It's important to understand what you sign!

This is such a delightful series by the most delightful author! If you've ever felt frustrated that romance always seems to feature young adults, @brennabaileybooks.bsky.social has the cure for you!

I love the way Kickstarter makes projects like this possible, and this book looks like *so much fun.* Check out @trip.bsky.social's new book and consider helping to make it (and other books like it) successful because the readers want it, not just because a marketing department does.

Next week: opening sessions with our Agent GoH, @kurestinarmada.bsky.social! These 15-min 1-on-1 sessions are your opportunity to work with a top agent on your pitch or materials, to ask questions, to workshop your query, or even to pitch the project! Sign-ups will open on Mon, March 9th. 🔱🫡📚

This took about twenty seconds (it comes with a very eloquent pre-written letter), and I've already gotten a response from @claudiachenderns.bsky.social's office expressing their concern. Some suggestions included in the response are below: #HaliSky /1

One of my favourite little things about Canada is that the official name for the two-dollar coin is a toonie because it's two loonies (one-dollar coins), which are called that because of the loon on the back. It's just a little thing, but it never fails to please me.

Everything about this season of Bridgerton is a marked improvement from the last one. The costumes are better, the makeup is better, the story and character arcs are vastly more compelling, the sibling dynamics are great, and, best of all, someone threw away Collin's bronzer.

I mean, this sounds self-serving but I'm stating this as a person who reads romance, not only as a person who edits romance: YOUR INDIEPUB BOOK NEEDS TO BE EDITED. And, NO, HAVING YOUR SMART FRIEND READ IT DOESN'T COUNT.

My whole feed right now is just disappointment punctuated intermittently with Americans.

Shocking confession from a Bostonian turned Canadian, but I think this is the first hockey game I've ever watched.

I just wrote 'My publisher announced my book yesterday'. buttondown.com/joannemerria...

Aaaaaahhhhh it's happeninggggggg 💙📚 #BookSky #AetherAndEgo #JaneAusten #PrideAndPrejudice #RegencyEra #ExceptInSpace #Janeites #Austenites #romance #spacefantasy #steampunk #imcoolitscoolimtotallycalm

in which i discuss the reuben, a glorious sandwich and the pride of omaha and the patriarch reuben, disowned by his father for being a slut buttondown.com/theswordandt...

I hand over an invisible ‘Tree Of The Day’ award to the most charismatic tree I see on each of my walks. Here are just a few past winners of this esteemed but still largely unknown prize.

Updates! Kaffeeklatsches, Volunteers, more Blue Pencil sessions! buttondown.com/tricon/archi...

I don't care what the judges thought. They were the winners for me.

That Piper and Paul "Starry Starry Night" skate was the most beautiful thing I've seen this Olympics so far. Absolutely stunning; made me cry; was completely transfixed.

it's been a long time coming but we can finally sell ebooks through the shop, please help us spread the word! choose us as your favorite bookstore and then purchases you make support us! books are DRM free epub files www.booksellers.ca/catalogue?bo...

Every Olympic broadcast should be assigned one (1) statistician and one (1) poet to give us different ways to understand the mind boggling displays of athleticism.

Unsolicited writing advice, no. 107632: If you're writing a sex scene, beware of over-describing actions. Sensations, thoughts and feelings often work better, and won't end up reading like a biology manual.

When someone follows me and their bio includes: "I don't do the pronoun nonsense"

Was watching the Olympic figure skating this afternoon, and it was wonderful and excellent but it wasn't this particular video, so here's Tessa and Scott's Moulin Rouge routine for anyone else who might need it: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmjs...

Enjoy free coffee & casual conversation with a writer & 3-7 friends @tridenthalifax.bsky.social! We will be opening sign-ups for kaffeeflatsches ON TUE, FEB 17th! Space is limited with each writer & will be booked on a first-come, first-serve basis to registered attendees only.

I see this every time a new Bridgerton season airs, so, a reminder: In a romance series, each book/season focuses on one main couple. The main couple from the last book/season will be absent or less present to allow the new one to take centre stage. They were not written out or forgotten about.

Style sheets are always essential for copyediting, but editing a book set in Nova Scotia really reminds you why. Is it "Peggy's Cove" or "Peggys Cove"? You'd think you know the answer, but in fact, there is zero consistency for this in any of the references, resources, or actual signage.

Blue Pencil Cafe sessions are now open for sign-ups! These 1-on-1 sessions with an editor are an opportunity for you to pitch a book, submit a small sample for review, or simply pick their brains! Spaces are limited, & will be assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis. tricon-halifax.com/events/

This is true enough. Hobbes was an arsehole who argued that everyone is selfish because if you lock them all in a room with no food and water, they'll eat each other, instead of condemning the experiment as a really bad way to organise society.

Groundhog Day never made sense to me as a kid in Boston (or an adult in Nova Scotia), because in what scenario could this possibly be the end of winter? This is deep midwinter: our snow tires will probably stay on through April, & my husband is out shovelling the latest snow dump as I write this.

REMINDER! We're opening signups for pitch & crit sessions on MONDAY (Feb 2nd)! Slots are first come, first serve, so make sure you are registered and ready! 🖊️

None of this will surprise anyone, but here are five of my favourite university courses: 1. Tolkien & Medievalism 2. Victorian Sensation Novels 3. 19th Century Novels 4. Montaigne seminar 5. An Early Modern sex and gender class where we read Taming of the Shrew, Dangerous Liaisons, & Vanity Fair

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TMr... Moira compilation

Why do I have the option to "Go live" here now? I don't want to go live. I don't want another platform where I have to be camera ready, to look perfect, to present myself visually to the world at all times. Let me write my little words in peace.

Just a reminder that all Canadian Poets and Canadian MFA students can pitch essays, personal or poetic, as submissions are always open, and it is always nice to hear other perspectives and to have a plethora of critical "voices" on The Woodlot.

Artist wanted! In conjunction with @tricon-hfx.bsky.social this May, we're looking to exhibit a Nova Scotia artist who works with fabulist, speculative, or otherwise fanciful themes! If you are interested, please email [email protected] with an introduction & link to your work.

Action for Canadians today: Contact your MP regarding this report regarding ICE wanting to use Hanover warehouse for immigrant processing (Hanover = Jim Pattison Group, aka Save On Foods) www.vpm.org/news/2026-01...

Heads up! We will be opening sign-ups for our Blue Pencil Pitch sessions on MON, FEB 2nd. These are 10-15 min 1-on-1 meetings for you to pitch, present a small sample, or ask questions. The limited slots are granted on a 1st-come, 1st-serve basis. You must be registered for the Con to sign up!

In the 2010s, the Icelandic tv station Channel 2 accidentally added subtitles from a gritty crime drama to an episode of Teletubbies. I have translated some of the highlights

I've said this a couple times in interviews lately but it's annoying that the lesson publishing will take away from this isn't "invest in more specific, niche, and/or weird books that cater to an under-served readership." It'll be "MORE SPORTS" bc that's a variable they can quantify.

Another element is that even Jews who scraped together the cash and documents to flee were often refused entry by ‘safe’ nations, including the USA and U.K. A lot of Americans are not eligible for foreign long term visas.

German Jews were citizens of Germany at the start of 1933. By the end of 1933, the Nazis had removed citizenship from naturalized citizen Jews. In 1935, all German Jews were fully stripped of their German citizenship. Citizenship under dictatorships is contingent for targeted minorities.

Technically I *could* do my writing workshops with my students virtually today, but school is closed so I've told them all to go play in the snow instead. ☃️

I haven't got a fucking clue where to find it and I'm not going to bother looking

Perennial.

Next Thurs, Jan 15th, come celebrate the (re-) launch of the Trident Roastery with an all-day Tasting Party! Come try a flight of our house roasts for $5, or take a bag of coffee home with your flight for $25! We will also be introducing our new loyalty cards. Buy 10 bags of beans and get 1 free!

This is complete horseshit and a huge blow to the Halifax games industry. Sending thoughts to all the good folks impacted by this.

Wealth should have a cap. Once you've made, I dunno, $100 million dollars, that's it. Congratulations, you won Capitalism. You benefitted from society so much, you'll never have a material worry again. We'll name a dog park after you. Everything past that goes into a "social benefit fund."

This opinion will not surprise anyone, but: Your ability to live a comfortable life should not be dependent on your ability to contribute to capitalism. Universal basic income is a good thing NOT because it benefits society financially (it does), but because it is good and kind and correct.