Sara Paretsky

I was a sidekick, writing op-eds and letters when they needed text, but they did the heavy lifting that turned Illinois from red to purple to blue. Marcie is 87 now, Terry is 73, and neither of them is slowing down.

Around 1985 she saw that she had a real organization that needed a skilled organizer, so she hired Terry, who worked brilliantly - and tirelessly - for 35 years as a legislative terrier.

In the other photo, I’m with Marcie Love, the brains behind turning around the Illinois legislature, and Terry Cosgrove, brains and brawn. Marcie started Personal PAC at her kitchen table with a few friends back around 1980. Her goal was to start electing pro-choice legislators.

IL governor @jbpritzker.bsky.social and MN Lieutenant Governor @peggyflanagan.bsky.social were the speakers. They did not sugarcoat the dangers we are in but they spoke so powerfully and urgently that we were all inspired. I'm a total JB fan girl and so I shamelessly stalked him for a photo.

Personal PAC, the extremely effective organization that turned Illinois from having the most repressive reproductive healthcare laws in the country to having the most progressive, had its annual lunch last week.

In Grant Park, the crowd is enormous and we are exhilarated!

We handed out banned books, socks, and flyers with ways to support libraries & librarians. We drank wine and cider, and a good time was had by most--except Chiara, who was miffed at the paucity of treats.

p.s.: My t-shirt reads, “Fight Evil, Read Books”

Last night, I hosted a very fun block party to celebrate books. Among the people who stopped by was Deborah Caldwell-Stone, who heads the Freedom to Read Foundation (they’re filing SCOTUS briefs today in the Llano County censorship case).

Join Sara (virtually/online) in conversation with @anncleeves.bsky.social on September 30 at 3pm ET/2pm CT/1pm MT/Noon PT! Registration is required for this special event: bnthekillingstones.eventbrite.com
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Gunnar war in Kassel bei einer Lesung von @saraparetsky.bsky.social Sie las abwechselnd mit ihrer deutschen Verlegerin und Übersetzerin @elselaudan.bsky.social aus ihrem neuesten Roman #Wunderpunkt vor und erzählte in gutem Deutsch von der Entwicklung ihrer Protagonistin. Ein gelungener Abend.

Also everything we do has a big effect in the world and so they worry about that too.

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She said that there has been a lot of intense questioning about the US situation because the alt-right is on the rise in Germany and so they're very worried about what we're doing as their right-wing parties are copying us

At each event, she’s doing a joint reading with her publisher, @elselaudan.bsky.social, part in English and part in German, followed by questions from readers.

Sara is having an amazing time meeting readers in Germany in her tour there! So far she has visited Kassel with Brencher Buchhandlung and Hamburg with Buchhandlung Wassermann, and is looking forward to Munich and Berlin.

sadly - fake news

I never thought I’d see the cowardice that we’re seeing today. The heads of universities, media corps, law firms, elected officials … all afraid of a gaudy orange insecure liar. It’s just overwhelmingly shocking.

Auch im Urlaub hat Gunnar immer einen #Krimi dabei. Diesmal musste der neueste Roman #Wunderpunkt von @saraparetsky.bsky.social mit zum Strand, in dem die Privatermittlerin V.I. Warshawski einem Mordfall in Kansas nachgeht. #Thriller #Urlaubslektüre #Krimiserie @elselaudan.bsky.social

7 neue Titel haben es in die Krimibestenliste August 2025 von Deutschlandfunk und Deutschlandfunk Kultur geschafft und wie Gunnar #Wunderpunkt von @saraparetsky.bsky.social gefallen hat, erfahren wir bestimmt nach seinem Urlaub. Hier auf dem Blog! @elselaudan.bsky.social #Thriller #Krimi #Rezension

We were dumb enough to elect them

we are currently watching an entire political party run cover for the most notorious sex trafficking ring in modern human history

Oh so the president could release secret files if he wanted to, you say?

Not really an overstatement to say that the test of a free society is whether or not comedians can make fun of the country's leader on TV without repurcussions.

Governor JB Pritzker led an effort with governors from 16 states calling upon Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to release approximately $6.8 billion that the Trump Administration is withholding from schools and students across America, including in Illinois.

Trump's administration is not only openly flouting the law, but they're also abandoning their responsibility to our students.

Today, I'm joining governors across the nation calling upon Sec. McMahon to release $6.8B the administration is withholding from schools and students.

Thank you ♥️

UTAH… this is not a game…

She had time for a facial and spray-on foundation.

Nothing screams 'freedom' quite like arresting people in wheelchairs protesting Medicaid cuts.

This Jewish Chicago woman is 100 percent behind you. P.S. I often eat with my fingers

GOOD TROUBLE LIVES ON: Chicago, IL · John Lewis Actions Our rights are under attack. Our democracy is under siege. We’ve been here before, and we know what to do. On July 17, we honor the anniversary of the passing of civil rights hero John Lewis, not wit...

I'm attending John Lewis Actions's event, “GOOD TROUBLE LIVES ON: Chicago, IL” - sign up now to join me! www.mobilize.us/john-lewis-a...