Kerensa

An actual hot take: Too many authors are afraid of editors watering down their voice or whatever and not afraid enough of editors letting you put any old slop on the page.

i learned about henry viii's dissolution of the monasteries recently from an offhand mention in a nonfiction book about 19th century england and it has been really throwing me off ever since. how come no one told me about this. did henry viii at LEAST provide for all of the little redwall mice??

I'm particularly seeing a lot of romantasy books wherein women can ally themselves with men in powerful positions in oppressive regimes, and because of Love, they'll then be protected from oppression but will not have to sacrifice their own autonomy in any meaningful way.

having a sadgirl evening literally one day after i got a good grade in therapy literally feels illegal. worst of all, i'm supposed to show myself sympathy and care instead of just repressing my emotions after i figure out their sources? NO!!!!! (yelled like a cartoon villain)

This was a really great article!

Close up of the Murderbot helmet, being held by one of the props people. You can see the careful scarring and damage added by props, which I felt was one of the elements that highlighted the creativity of everyone who worked on the show.

I just thought this sign in the lunch area was cool. It says "Sanctuary" because that's the code word Apple was using for the show at the time. This area was also used for people who just needed a table to work on. When the unit publicist was interviewing me, there was a props person working on making the pieces of one of the weapons look like it had been blown apart in an explosion.

This is a run-through of the scene we got to watch filmed the day we were there. We were sitting on a bench inside the hopper. You can see Noma Dumezweni, Akshay Khanna, Alexander Skarsgård, and Sabrina Wu, some not in costume yet. There's also a crew member standing in the back.

This is part of the gigantic camera that extended through into the back of the hopper. Also you can see the two monitors, one for the big camera and one for (I think) the steadycam. This is where we sat for most of the day, in a little area in front of the monitors where the producers and guests sit. You have to be careful moving around the soundstage, especially when the lights are down. It was so big it was easy to get lost.

A few more photos, hopefully to brighten a sucktastic day. Some were taken by me and some by @troyce.bsky.social #murderbot Descriptions in the alt text.

i'm so stoked for the murderbot show for a number of reasons but chief among them is that it's pretty rare that SFF written by not-men gets optioned and then actually adapted and filmed and released and i want to see this succeed so that there can be more

Cory Booker just gave the longest speech in the history of Congress and concluded by apologizing to everyone who had to stay up all night keeping the chamber open and operating.

House Democrats Have Leverage— If They Use It Republicans Can't Pass a Budget Without Democrats: Any funding bill that passes the Senate must clear the 60-vote filibuster, meaning Senate Republicans will be forced to compromise with Democrats. That bill will not be the full MAGA wishlist-it will be a negotiated deal. And here's the problem for House Republicans: as soon as the bill looks even remotely reasonable, hardline MAGA extremists will revolt. The House Freedom Caucus will refuse to vote for anything that doesn't include extreme cuts and right-wing poison pills. That means House Republicans' razor-thin 218-215 majority won't be enough to pass a budget on their own. If just three Republicans defect, the bill dies. Their chaos and dysfunction have already divided them. Democrats must not bail them out. Republicans will need Democratic votes to pass a budget, and that gives Democrats enormous leverage. The GOP Civil War is a Gift-Exploit It: The House GOP is eating itself alive. The far-right Freedom Caucus is demanding draconian cuts, while vulnerable Republicans fear the backlash of a shutdown. Demoerats should let them fight and use it to extract real concessions. The Shutdown Deadline is the GOP's Problem to Solve: Government funding runs out on March 14. If the GOP can't pass a bill, they own the shutdown. Instead of letting Republicans ram through a terrible deal, Democrats should be demanding a budget that stops MAGA looting and protects working families. Trump and His Billionaire Buddies Want to Steal the Budget: Trump and his inner circle, led by Russ Vought, are openly planning to override federal spending decisions, funnel cash to their allies, and slash social programs. If the budget doesn't include safeguards-real, meaningful, and enforceable safeguards— they will rob the country blind.

Government funding runs out on March 14. Republicans can’t pass a bill alone, so Democrats have real leverage here. We’re calling on Democrats to commit to withholding their votes and insist on an end to the Trump-Musk coup rampaging across the government.

Women want me. Fish fear me. Fish want me. Women fear me. Women are fish, fish are fish. Phylogenetically, all vertebrates are fish.

go.bsky.app/EfsPBsj
If you’re looking for great diverse horror recs, this is your list! Follow and share. #booksky #diversebooks

Global Voices statement on the U.S. foreign aid freeze The abrupt halt in funding is already having devastating effects, with NGOs worldwide facing job losses, operational shutdowns, and critical service disruptions.

Global Voices statement on the foreign aid freeze globalvoices.org/2025/01/29/g...

Meeting with Your Legislators 101 and 201 - Uncanny Magazine You’ve made your phone calls. You’ve rallied. You’ve begged for town halls. What else can you do? Your mission, should you choose to accept it: Make your legislators picture your face when they think ...

It occurs to me that this @uncannymagazine.bsky.social article may be useful again right now www.uncannymagazine.com/article/meet...

we wouldn't need "fast travel" if our game studios invested in accessible and affordable public transport infrastructure. skyrim should have a tram network. assassin's creed should have several regular bus routes. give ghost of tsushima a metro

Happy Black History Month! Here is my favorite story about a Black American you may not know about: Robert Smalls. He commandeered a confederate ship and sailed himself, his family, and the other enslaved crew and their families to freedom. THROUGH waters controlled by the Confederacy.

I honestly believe our most powerful position in a toxic time that feeds on cynicism, apathy,& despair is to genuinely care and act for a better world.

Cynicism is our enemy. We should check it, incl. on the left. It’s not intellectually superior. It’s the virus they’re trying to infect us with. NO

"Keep your activism concrete and effective": The single greatest predictor for ongoing moral injury is whether you have any form of agency over the horrors you are experiencing or whether everything you do to try to stop it keeps failing.

Now more than ever, it is important to read diverse books. Here are 10 book recommendations with trans/non binary rep. @readwithrhys.bsky.social has an extensive list of recommendations on his page! #diversebooks

re-upping this in case you or someone you know has a little money (I know many don't) to help the many legal cases that have started and are on-going. There are also volunteer options for those who have more time than money. And mostly, please, survive. We will outlast these motherfuckers.

Watercolor painting of 63 little bunnies in a grid like pattern they’re all unique

63 little bunnies 🐰

The Authors Against Book Bans statement about the DOE rollback on Book Bans is on our Instagram account now, and will be disseminated to media outlets tomorrow. AUTHORS AGAINST BOOK BANS RESPONSE TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION’S STATEMENT SUPPORTING BOOK BANS IN AMERICAN SCHOOLS Today, the Department of Education announced plans to dismiss eleven outstanding complaints against book bans, and to eliminate the position of Book Ban Coordinator at the Office of Civil Rights (OCR). This distortion of the intended work of the OCR–the protection of civil rights and students’ freedoms in our nation's schools–is negligent, grossly un-American, and in direct conflict with freedom of speech, a bedrock right enshrined in the Constitution. Authors Against Book Bans unequivocally stands against all such attempts at censorship and discrimination. We stand with families, students and educators across the country who exercise free speech every time they open a book, and with the 71% of Americans who are opposed to book bans. Book bans do not protect children; history teaches us that they are a terrifying step toward tyranny.

Authors Against Book Bans responds to the DOE statement supporting book banning in American public schools

It’s official: In the USA The Gulf of Mexico is now the “Gulf of America,” and Denali, the Alaska Native name for North America’s tallest peak, has been reverted to Mount McKinley. But we refuse to accept this change—Denali will always be Denali to us. #IStandWithDenali

Undue Medical Debt Homepage Undue Medical Debt makes it easy for donors to make an impactful difference in the lives of those struggling with medical debt.

I wanted to mention it's also a good time to donate to Undue Medical Debt unduemedicaldebt.org They used to be called RIP Medical Dept, and are a 501(c)3 organization, and have a 98% rating on Charity Navigator. You can mark your donation for a specific state, or just leave it at nationwide.

This thread, all of this, what Ann said:

YouTube video by Stray Kids Lee Know "Youth" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]

as expected, i am in fact obsessed with this music video

youtu.be/NI2NBjZGYfM?...

A digital painting of a gray cat stepping into the sun. The cat is turned to face the left. The colors are deep red, silver, purple, and saturated peach. The fur and ear are illuminated brightly in the sun

Cat in the sun ☀️

Never, ever put off buying book one of something because book two isn't out. That's a good way to ensure book two is dropped by the publisher. Sure, a couple of big noisy boys have let you down. Most of us can, do, and are burning to in fact finish what we started, given half a chance.

and for the record i actually don't think this needs to stop entirely (some cute posts would in fact be cute kids' books or whatever), but i do think we need to be more discerning. ask yourself if you're really ready for the consequences, if a book gets made and is garbage. yknow? 👍

sorry to be the hater that has to say this, but i NEED people to stop saying "omg this should be a children's book!" on every vaguely cute post. guys, sometimes publishers listen and make those books, and they're almost always TERRIBLE. please. as a children's bookseller i'm begging you. no more.