Alyc Helms

After 12 years and editing close to a thousand different writers, I've learned there are two edits that will transform a perfectly pleasant human into a nearly homicidal figure:
- Suggesting that a non-grammatical comma used as a pause could be cut.
- Changing an American's use of "grey" to "gray."

the cover image of my spicy comic FAIR TRADE, with faded-purple text on a cream background. the title text's letters, in an antique-looking serif font, are jumbled in a composition resembling an intricately-carved wooden screen that frames a circular vignette of a caravel at sea.

cover image for my out-of-print spicy sketchzine. the image is of two overlaid monochrome images of young men, one in cyan and one in magenta; the overlapping areas of the image are a dark purple. centered overall is title text that spells "FLYBOY" in both Japanese katakana and English letters.

it's late enough to post about spicy comics somewhere, right? one week left to get the @cartoonist.coop bundle i'm in, if sales hit $3000 i'll add my out-of-print nsfw sketchzine for free again 👯‍♂️ itch.io/b/3495/the-c... #nsfwcomics #nsfwart

Ah, thank you so much (and for the blurb!) When we were first pitching, The Embroidered Book was one of our comps. I loved that book so much, so I'm so chuffed that you liked ours <3

Tagging onto this #HugoAwards thread: with the poetry award returning, let's talk about where to find poems to nominate! I know a lot of people last year felt a bit adrift on that front, so here is a (*very* non-exhaustive) list of suggestions, with links . . . 1/- #Hugos

If you're nominating for the #HugoAwards, may I rec to your attention our wonderful artists for the Rook and Rose pattern deck? I *think* the first two are eligible in the pro artist category and the third in fan (though if you want to be *really* sure, you can nominate them in both). 1- #Hugos

An awards eligibility graphic with one lonely book cover on and some arrows pointing to it for extra drama.

It's odd posting about awards eligibility & asking please consider me when my book's barely out so not many of you have read it.

But I have one sole eligible thing this year, and I'm proud of it in all its briny strangeness. So hey, please consider THE SALT ORACLE if you're nominating? 🖤🖤🖤

We *think* it might be pro artist? But it's really unclear. If you have the slots available and are so inclined, I'd honestly suggest nominating them for both categories and letting the Hugo admins figure out their own requirements. Argle-bargle!

Update on Hugo eligibility for the artists of the Rook & Rose Pattern Deck - the Hugo rules around Pro-artist and Fan-artist are very ambiguous and unclear, and when we reached out to them, not even the Hugo team could confirm which category Avery and A.C. fell into.

If you're nominating for the Hugos, I just want to point out that Lee Harris is my editor for both Witch King and Queen Demon, the recent reprints of my earlier books, and of all the Murderbot Diaries, from the time he bought All Systems Red for Tordotcom in 2016!

I’m a no on Cizeron.

I am eligible for Best Long Form Editor, but there are about fifteen editors I would vote for before myself 😁 Talented folk, in the SFF editorial field!

I would be very honoured if anyone wanted to nominate one of my eligible works for a Hugo.

'Tis the season! If you're a nominator I would love for you to consider Transmentation | Transience by @darklylem.com. Eligible in the Novel category.

1/2

It’s Hugo Nominating time again 👀👀👀

For those eligible to vote you can do so for my poem Cassandra published by Ucanny Magazine in 2025:

www.uncannymagazine.com/uncanny-maga...
www.uncannymagazine.com/article/cass...

Over on threads someone just use ai;dr and we all need to adopt that right quick

You can find out more about the Rook & Rose Pattern Deck and check out the beautiful, human-made art at www.macarrick.com/pattern/

Hugo nominations are open, so it's time to mention my eligible works: the Rook & Rose Pattern Deck is eligible as a related work! Our artists are also eligible for Best Fan Artist: A.C. Esguerra (thread & clan cards), Avery Liell-Kok (faces & masks), and Emiko Ogasawara (card back)

I made two vids for #Festivids! My assignment was a Hook vid for @winterevanesce.bsky.social. This movie is WEIRD and I just leaned into the pirate action.

archiveofourown.org/works/77365721

Picture of Elias Eells seated at a bar alongside a stack of COCKTAILS AND CONSOLES

I'll be at Barrow's Intense Ginger all afternoon for the inaugural @bklynbooksbooze.bsky.social Book Fair! Come snag a copy of COCKTAILS AND CONSOLES, try an Oregon Trail Buck and check out some really cool authors, and publishers. It's gonna be a great day!!

I'm going to say this again in case you haven't heard this one: I was a talented writer and it did *nothing whatsoever* because I hadn't put in the work, and I put in the work for ten years (subtracting the bit where I had to quit for my mental health) to write Witchmark

talent alone could *never*

YouTube video by Marie Brennan Bonus ARCs in the box!

And after ending that recording, we discovered that our lovely editor included bonus ARCs of books by @anuja-v.bsky.social, @mollyoneillwrites.bsky.social, and @oranjessie.bsky.social!

youtu.be/kS6ZZ4TF7ng

YouTube video by Marie Brennan Unboxing The Eye of Leviathan by M.A. Carrick!

We have ARCs! The Eye of Leviathan takes one step closer to being a real book!

youtu.be/mpCobQSGdkI

idk the last time i talked to someone who was on the 'but ai is the only way i can make an art, ai is democratizing art' bullshit, it only took like 2-3 responses to get them to admit that they don't want to actually make art, they just want to claim pretty pictures as their own

Anyone Can Vote in the Hugo Awards — And Here's How - Reactor You — yes, you! — can nominate work and vote for the winners of the 2026 Hugo Awards!

Did you know that you, yes YOU, can vote in the Hugo Awards??

@mollytempleton.com breaks down the process, including how to register before the January 31st deadline!

I don't want gen AI in my browser
I don't want gen AI in my pc
I don't want gen AI in my art
I don't want gen AI in my games
I don't want gen AI in my music
I don't want gen AI in my movies
I don't want gen AI in my books
I don't want gen AI in my cart
I don't want gen AI in my life

Bike rides are being organized all over the country for Alex Pretti this Saturday.
Find one in your city, and if nothing is planned, go for it!
bikepacking.com/news/alex-pr...

The Final Voyage of the Ouranos In this month’s fourth, free, story, Marie Brennan takes us on a poetically eerie voyage.

The Sunday Morning Transport departs for a cruise today with a story by Marie Brennan (@swantower.bsky.social) that wonders what happens when the tame becomes very, very wild. Free for everyone to read (as the last of our January stories.)

deadly ice within the city
murders good and murders pretti
pretty good turns ugly awful
villains claiming death is lawful
one was pretti, one was good
and both are dead because ice could

The Mask of Mirrors (Rook & Rose Book 1) Amazon.com: The Mask of Mirrors (Rook & Rose Book 1) eBook : Carrick, M. A.: Kindle Store

TODAY ONLY (12/21), The Mask of Mirrors ebook is discounted to $2.99 on Kindle as an "Editor's Pick Goldbox" deal! (US customers only; my apologies to the rest of the world.) Affiliate link:

www.amazon.com/Mask-Mirrors...