Matt Betts

🕯️ The Phantom Pulse is open Jan 1–Feb 14, 2026!

Seeking speculative fiction that lingers in the grey corners of humanity - dread that seeps under the skin, strange obsessions, and the beautifully bizarre.

💰 $0.03/word (unpublished)
📖 horrortree.com/taking-submi...

@thephantompulse.bsky.social

No idea who that person is, but they’re wrong.

Barnard 150: The Seahorse Nebula

This is the Seahorse Nebula (B150) in Cepheus. It is about 1200 light years away. I took this image last weekend from Minnesota Astronomical Society's Cherry Grove Observatory.

There's no mysterious name to explain. This dark nebula really does look like a Seahorse.

#astrophotography

George Hardy, last of the Tuskegee Airmen's World War II combat pilots, dies at 100 Hardy, a lieutenant colonel, became the youngest Tuskegee fighter pilot at 19, and was among the first Black military pilots in the United States.

George Hardy, last of the Tuskegee Airmen's World War II combat pilots, dies at 100

ICE has erected a gate to keep protesters out. They are blocking a public street, despite the Broadview Fire Department ordering ICE to tear it down.

Join us at 1930 Beach Street. 7-9 AM. Tell Broadview to tear this fence down.

They just tear-gassed us. They tried to run us over in a van holding a peaceful protester. They shot us with pepper balls. They dragged another protester into the facility.

Still own a copy of that one!

By far the most important thing on my entire timeline today.

That's right. Jealous?

No brush, no pencil. Just a typewriter.

Artist James, using a 1930s Smith Premier typewriter, typed out this painting.

#art #printer #unique #typewriter #illustration

They booted you from Medicaid so they could build ICE Air.

Some Texas Democratic women have torn up their permission slips and will now be hosting a “slumber party for Democracy” on the House floor.

The beautiful Great Grey Owl.. 🦉

a group of construction workers are looking at a blueprint on a table ALT: a group of construction workers are looking at a blueprint on a table

Full truth. I always tell my writers this. Write the book, even if you know something is going to change later. You never know what will happen until you’re done. That one change may require a chain reaction of rewrites, or it might work out fine!

Mohawk Skywalkers: The History Stephen Miller Whitewashed The Kanien'kéhá:ka Haudenosaunee ironworkers were vital to building Miller's favorite monuments to modern America

Stephen Miller tried to claim only real "Americans" built the Empire State Building, but he left out the true stories of the Indigenous ironworkers who actually did. The Mohawk Skywalkers helped shape America's skylines—and shatter the lie behind Miller’s whitewashed nostalgia.

Super cool!

A Google alert announces Chappell Roan concert tickets, but the image is of Weird Al

You sure about this, Google?

The big problem with being an adult is that there’s no nurse’s office to go to when you just need a little break from it all

Screenshotting for posterity before I block them

Anyone have a favorite science fiction/speculative poetry editor or coach they’ve worked with for collections?

Thanks!

Awww! Lucky!

I did something like this in a book, only in reverse! These nations built war mechs, but they were so impractical for combat, the mechs were refitted as rescue and construction tools!

a cartoon of daffy duck writing in a notebook ALT: a cartoon of daffy duck writing in a notebook

I create a binder as part of my prep. I start with a page for each character which includes a picture, everything I know about that character. Then, as I write, I update each page with major things that happen to them. Same for locations, etc for exactly the reasons you pointed out!

YouTube video by CBS Mornings Pee-wee's famous bike sold for thousands. Here's where it might end up next

Guys, Pee-Wee Herman's bike was bought by The Alamo. It'll be on permanent display.
youtube.com/watch?v=tayw...

Scully!!!

Is the New York Times trying to wreck Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral bid? | Margaret Sullivan With their made-up scandal, combined with the pre-election editorial, the Times looks like it’s on a crusade against Mamdani

I love that former NYT public editor @sulliview.bsky.social is public-editing from the outside.

"With this made-up scandal, combined with the pre-election editorial, the Times looks like it’s on a crusade against Mamdani.

"And no lofty explanation about the mission can disguise it."

I was thinking about that the other day. We were discussing sequels that just ruined what should have been a slam dunk. That particular movie stuck in my mind.