My weekend alone continues. I’ve opened the windows for fall morning air and because one of the dogs pooped in the office. I lit a candle. I have tea and a somewhat warm croissant from Costco. I’m wrapped in an oversized fleece hoodie decorated with strawberries. Time to write! #writingcommunity

My husband and sons just left to go fishing for two days. I just cracked a crisp white claw and I’m about to turn on a British murder show and work on a needlepoint project. I’ll probably be in bed by 9 with a book. I may have another white claw. I may let the dog sleep with me! THE NIGHT IS MINE!

In bed with a book at 9 pm on a Saturday—old.

MEMPHIS’ @repcohen.bsky.social on the shutdown…

Durham county has municipal primary elections this coming Tuesday, the 7th and it’s crazy how difficult it is to find info on candidates with a simple search.

Morning, writers! Let’s get it done. #5amwritersclub #writingcommunity

I just signed up for this. It’s a steal! #copyediting #writingcommunity

To the brave women who spoke today about the horrors of Epstein/Maxwell, I say this: For any legal concerns about speaking the names of people who sexually abused you and others, have no fear of legal expenses; I'm sure plenty of angry Americans will help fund you. Count me in. Get it done.

I think reading this regulated my nervous system.

Whiskey, needlepoint, baseball on tv, and then a book before bed. Guess how old I am.

Sometimes, I read through my Dictionary of Southern Appalachian English and find gems like this.

Searching for this immediately

love this new york times clip. they recently did a story about how sesame street's set has changed over the years, along with our urban politics. IG nytimes

I was a at safety-net hospital today and the NP told me that their outpatient clinic no-shows has sky-rocketed because of ICE. And as a result, sicker patients are showing up the ER close to death's door. This just makes me so sad. #medsky

ATTENTION MILLENNIALS: This man got Conor Oberst for his campaign kickoff.

Release the Epstein list. Blur out names to protect victims but release the list. I don’t care who the hell's on it. If someone hurt and traumatized kids, it's one of the worst crimes against humanity and those monsters need to be exposed. The victims deserve justice.

"Try as he might, he cannot get any of the women in his circle to see him as a romantic prospect. Has he done something wrong?...What gives? You see where this is going. The feminist eventually completes his transformation into another shibboleth: an incel." www.thebulwark.com/p/hilarious-...

Nachos are the perfect meal.

Brilliant

God dammit

I tell my kids this all the time

WATCH: check your rings ME: YOU check YOUR rings

Virginia Giuffre was first trafficked by Epstein in 2001. Within one year, Trump would tell NY Magazine of Epstein, "It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side." Meaning he clearly knew who Epstein was and STILL exposed these girls to him.

I was reminded yesterday that in some states, if you’re on Medicare, you can get help with school supplies. I just spent $300 for 2 kids. We’re fortunate that I can do so while helping teachers with other classroom needs.

Going to my sons’s high school freshman orientation this morning. I graduated from high school just yesterday…right?? 😳

Just started my third novel 🙃 #writingcommunity

The Queen of Night (Epiphyllum oxypetalum) blooms just once a year at night and only for a few hours.

This is how it happens: I’m reading old interviews for research. A man mentions a play written in 1924. I look it up. I’m now (an hour later) on the internet archive page reading this play. WHY CANT I GET ANY WRITING DONE #writingcommunity

It was 84 degrees upstairs in the library today. So my group of writers went downstairs where it was much cooler and worked at tables and in chairs meant for preschoolers.

I am offering a free “paid” membership to Mourning Pages (my Substack newsletter) for one full year to anyone who pre-orders Doll Parts, my debut novel, before August 26. You can order from any store, in any format. Thank you to everyone who has pre-ordered! open.substack.com/pub/pennyzan...

Another day, another inexperienced but hopeful writer, announcing that they have “been offered a book deal” for £20,000. Turns out that the author is being expected to PAY THIS to the publisher, not the other way round. Folks, no publisher does this.

Just received another regency romance to edit. This one has a Scottish male protagonist 😏 #bookediting

This whole piece is 💓💓💓 but especially: "after making his way through 10 books, the Spaniard realised that he’d only read male writers and made a conscious decision to read more women." www.theguardian.com/books/2025/j...

Every time I read an article like this, I think, if male novelists are so endangered, how do I know so fucking many of them? Apparently the answer is, because we're all in "genre," which is the One Simple Trick for still getting published when you're a dude. www.the-independent.com/arts-enterta...

Book people: I dare you NOT to zoom in on those titles.

Dawn Staley is mother! 🎥 ttopazfc | X

This is just magnificent. Absolutely perfect. @thedailyshow.com

I got permission to share this, and I'm extremely grateful for that. The Onion got this letter from one of our subscribers in Alaska. She works with dementia patients and decided to leave a copy in the car for each one. This email made my year. Read it and you'll see what I mean. People are good.

Reading this for some research and I’m even more upset now by this admin’s treatment of these federal workers and our national parks. #booksky

It’s a good thing Congress isn’t alive to see this

Chatbots — LLMs — do not know facts and are not designed to be able to accurately answer factual questions. They are designed to find and mimic patterns of words, probabilistically. When they’re “right” it’s because correct things are often written down, so those patterns are frequent. That’s all.

The Trump administration is kidnapping and trying to deport American citizens who look “foreign.” No warrant. No due process. No rights. Americans voted for cheaper eggs, not for a night of broken glass. #MAGAKidnappers

Lavora Vincent speaks truth to power book her to speak at events then elect her to office - www.youtube.com/watch?v=xycN...

Happy #FathersDay!

Trump’s parade in D.C. will feature more than 5 million pounds of the government’s machinery. The No Kings gatherings across America will feature more than 5 million of the country’s people.

If you can't attend the rallies today for whatever reasons, something useful you can do is scour your local news outlets for coverage and share the coverage on social media and pump it out to all of your networks. Amplify what's happening locally so others in your communities are aware.

Doll Parts in the Seattle Times! So thrilled: 7 Thrillers to send a chill down your spine this summer. www.seattletimes.com/entertainmen...