At some point, for the love of God, will someone ANYONE at long last take the council funding crisis seriously?!? Because THIS is what will break down a society, not some poor soul escaping incredible dangers, arriving on our shores.

My haul from a visit to Hodges Figgis. Books from an English, a Scottish and an Irish publisher. (Sounds like the start of one of the terrible jokes my Dad used to tell in the 70s.) Meanwhile... what a bookshop, and what a showcase for Irish books

It's #buyastrangerabook day, and @loreleiking.bsky.social is offering to buy somebody a copy of Nobody's Child Virginia Roberts Giuffre. "In memory of Virginia Giuffre, who suffered so much and who showed such courage" If you'd like it, get in touch. UK only.

Convo last week -- Them: It's hard to talk about this stuff ("AI") without using anthropomorphizing language Me: It's really not, actually Some further reflections >>

"If you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Nietzsche

I actually think that it's a safeguarding risk to encourage children to conceptualise AI as 'a tutor', as though it's real and a possible substitute for their teacher. We've already seen the serious harm AI can do when people use it to 'have conversations' and start to believe what it tells them.

I'm here for this...

This needs fixing.

Train reading (en route to a funeral). Given my mood and the state of the world, I needed something with a thread of hope. Will report back.

Today, I will mostly be baking French apple cake. #StormAmy Had to pick fruit slightly before full ripeness: the wind took down one of the upright posts on the espalier frame. Thought we were going to lose three trees to being uprooted, so had to take the weight off.

Take note

TWO MONTHS TO GO 🎉 From household names to debut authors and spoken word artists we look forward to welcoming you to this celebration of Scotland’s writers in the heart of London. 📅 26th-30th November 2025 📖 See you there! 🎟️ Tickets: standrewsbookfestival.org/events

Have an idea you would like to develop into an academic book? Applications to the Bloomsbury Academic Writing Fellowship are open until Oct. 1st to Black, Asian or Ethnically Diverse early career scholars (UK only). More info: https://bit.ly/4mHlgcn

Conference organizers: If you want people who work outside of academia (or financially secure company), to give a talk at your conference bc you value their expertise, it's unreasonable to make them pay for registration. Artists/Nonprofit folks do not have the funding to pay you to share expertise.

[email protected] has done a brilliant job compiling a handy list of writing open mics across Scotland! In a quickly-evolving scene, that's no easy feat. Read it (and consider supporting her work) here: thegoodeggproject.substack.com/p/scotland-o...

Delighted to be 'back by popular demand', our Mastercalss Webinar series of getting your #poetry published starts again on Monday 17 November. Sign up for the course of three weekly sessions led by Jane Commane, for just £45. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/poetry-mas...

Watching All The Presidents Men. Well worth revisiting.

Paging @betarish.bsky.social www.linkedin.com/posts/push-t...

Reminder: there is beauty in this world.

Our democracy is too precious to be a plaything for foreign tech barons. Elon Musk doesn’t care about the British people or our rights. He only cares about himself and his ego.

A reminder: You can turn off autoplay on videos in your settings here.

Introducing AI Watchdog—The Atlantic’s ongoing investigation into the data sets used by the world’s most powerful tech companies to train their AI models. Search the data sets now: https://theatln.tc/0rT2FBnR

On hope, sleep, & much else from @michaelrosenyes.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

“You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.” ~Ray Bradbury Keep reading, friends. 📚

Migrant poets’ cultural labour is often overlooked in policy debates, yet they bridge gaps where integration falls short

Is there actually no-one in the UK Library landscape who wants to become Chair of the CILIP LGBTQ+ Network, or are we just not getting the message out. I can't continue - way to much going on, but without a chair, the network folds... If you've been mulling it over, now is the time to get in touch!

Good thing no one uses Microsoft Excel for anything related to legal, regulatory or compliance business functions www.theverge.com/news/761338/...

Excellent hybrid in-office/WFH position for a Chicago-based up-and-coming editor who knows their Chicago style and wants to learn about book editing. Be on the team that makes CMOS! I'm happy to answer any questions. @uchicagopress.bsky.social uchicago.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Extern...

Great comic on Luddites: thenib.com/im-a-luddite/

While the fossil fuel-funded Reform party campaigns against renewables, the BBC sees fit to run a headline on 260 people objecting to a small solar farm in Stroud. This directly bolsters the Reform narrative that renewables are unpopular, despite opinion polls showing the exact opposite.

It’s been said many times, but we must continue to repeat it: You may not believe in Climate Change, but your insurance company does.

An amazing opportunity for 10 writers to spend up to a month for free at seaside cottage to write. All details in the link below. Please share :)

Pleased to say that with fast support from LinkedIn I am back on the platform.

A lesson in why avoiding hyper-focus matters more than ever (tempting though it may be to avoid contemplating the sheer scale of what we face).

Update: a spike of traffic to my LinkedIn account as a result of the below has led to my LinkedIn account being suspended & locked. (🤦‍♀️). If anyone has experienced similar, and knows the quick route to getting this resolved, please do share. I've reverified myself with govt ID, but no response.

I know I've not been very "present" here recently. But for my publishing industry and book world friends, I have a little news... Sheila Pinder appointed new Publishing Scotland CEO share.google/hxYXX09TmH84...

This

AI lousy, overhyped; Wikipedia, amazing, taken for granted

Excited to share that my new collaborative book - Eco-communities - is now published with Bloomsbury + open access We examine eco-communities worldwide through questions of transformative possibilities, inclusion, collective governance + diverse economics Please read + share!

Wild how the Fed chair saying that *entire regions of the United States* won’t be able to get a mortgage in the next decade barely registered as a news event

Reading this AI guidance for schools again, it's wild how schools are being responsibilized for the irresponsibilities of the AI industry. Schools should ensure AI products “have been assessed” and allow schools “control over” them? You're talking about schools against Google, MS and OpenAI!

BTW, our new guide on protesting safely in the age of surveillance is unpaywalled. From phone safety tips to just how much law enforcement can track your movements, take a look at the guide:

Reading @clairekc.bsky.social & #ZoeVenditozzi How to Kill a Witch. The passage about obsequious flattery feels horribly contemporary in the US context. Loving the combination of serious research with wry tone. May not be helping me manage my rage at the patriarchy..

We are deeply disappointed that the Data Bill will not include the necessary provisions to keep creators' works safe from being used without their knowledge or permission by AI companies, despite clear and unified calls from across the creative industries. (1/3)

📚 Join the Bodleian Conservation Team as a Book Repair Technician! 📚 We’re seeking a Book Repair Technician to help preserve our collections. Working under the guidance of the Book Conservator, you’ll master the skills and techniques of modern book repair. Apply here: my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecru...

Delighted to be chairing a panel at Global Ink, the Edinburgh International Book Festival’s International Industry Day, on 12 August. The panel will be on "Web Novels and the Global Reading Revolution", a subject close to my heart and my PhD research. Tickets soon! www.edbookfest.co.uk/industry

Baroness Kidron is doing the work that so many politicians all over the world should be doing. She's using her position of power to stand up for the creative sector against AI companies and their belief that our work is there's to do what they want with. #supportartists #noAI

This

banger opening line alert