Oh wow. Congrats to the finalists. Honored to be included with these authors. Thanks to World Fantasy Con, the judges, @clarkesworldmagazine.com, and @undertow.bsky.social. And thanks to readers who enjoyed and talked about these stories. Really means a lot.

2026 World Fantasy Awards Finalists

The World Fantasy Awards ballot for works published in 2025 has been announced. The awards will be presented during the 2026 World Fantasy Convention, scheduled for October 22-25, 2026 in Oakland C…

locusmag.com

you just don't go after bodily autonomy in Kansas- interestingly, the GOP doesn't seem to control the narrative on these kinds of questions, at all. their ads were like "don't you want democracy? that means voting for judges" and people mostly saw right thru it

hey so you should back this so I can read Esther Alter’s novella about housing horrors

Neon Hemlock@neonhemlock.bsky.social · 3d ago

Looks like we are one Club Serpentine paperback backer away from meeting our initial goal! www.kickstarter.com/projects/dav...

The Soviet animated version is set on Dec 31 2026, but it is also very much worth experiencing (thank you to @rblemberg.bsky.social who showed it to me!) - www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oxP... Possibly even more terrifying than the original story.

Будет ласковый дождь / There Will Come Soft Rains (1984) [Eng CC]

YouTube video by Алекс Кэрролл

youtube.com

Lisa DeBruine@debruine.bsky.social · yesterday

Today is the only day you can experience Ray Bradbury’s “There Will Come Soft Rains” on the day it is set. Audio: archive.org/details/brad... PDF: thephilosopher.net/bredberi/wp-...

Well, I guess Electronic Arts belongs to Saudi Arabia, private equity, and Jared Kushner now. https://kotaku.com/electronic-arts-officially-belongs-saudi-arabia-jared-kushner-now-2000721666

Electronic Arts Officially Sold For $55 Billion

With the closing of the market today comes the second-biggest acquisition in gaming history

kotaku.com

As I mentioned, I spent a lot of my down time on vacation doing data entry for a project to graph the number of StoryGraph reviews for all of the books I read in 2024, 2025, and this year so far. This was inspired by a friend on bookstagram and I just copied her graph format.

Oh, please do, take one full hour of my day!! Yes!

Bogi Takács / WE'RE HERE ToC announced!@bogiperson.bsky.social · 2d ago

I wasn't aware of this band and this is their 10th anniversary concert 😮 Moldovan Hungarian folk music, they play both traditional songs and their own world music spin on them (try this one for an example of the latter youtu.be/m0SvYWYhXuc?... ) Concert: youtu.be/uhVrAKu8_-c?...

I wasn't aware of this band and this is their 10th anniversary concert 😮 Moldovan Hungarian folk music, they play both traditional songs and their own world music spin on them (try this one for an example of the latter youtu.be/m0SvYWYhXuc?... ) Concert: youtu.be/uhVrAKu8_-c?...

Tindia // 10. jubileumi koncert // LIVE SESSION

YouTube video by Tindia Zenekar

youtu.be

🏳️‍🌈SOME QUEER SHORT SFF - JUNE 2026🏳️‍🌈 I round up over 40 works by @mruthrobinson.bsky.social @mdmcd.com @redscribe.bsky.social @ashvalewrites.bsky.social @sylvie-althoff.bsky.social @rukman.bsky.social @ernerker.bsky.social @marisca.bsky.social & MORE!!!! www.patreon.com/quicksiprevi...

Some Queer Short SFF - June 2026 | Charles Payseur

Hi all! I’m still a mess in general but the show continues, this month with works from June—and there are quite a few, thanks in large part

patreon.com

Before COVID, as an academic librarian, I often saw other staff and faculty angry at our students for not knowing how to use Microsoft Office suite or PowerPoint or a mouse. But no one ever taught them!! How do we expect these kids to know things they have never used or been taught?

Jess Calarco@jessicacalarco.com · 3d ago

I wonder if students today would be less likely to lean on AI for writing assignments if schools had made sure they could touch-type (at least 60wpm) before having them submit all their assignments online. 1/🧵

REMINDER that today is the last day of the month! If your library offers purchase request slots, they probably reset tomorrow, so make sure to put in those library requests today! Here are some intersex books for ideas -

Bogi Takács / WE'RE HERE ToC announced!@bogiperson.bsky.social · 2y ago

#IntersexAwarenessDay was on Shabbat... so this is me belatedly letting you know about some of my intersex book resources! Intersex books BY intersex authors: www.bogireadstheworld.com/intersex-own... All the books (any topic) by Black intersex authors: www.bogireadstheworld.com/a-list-of-bo...

When people say "negative feedback loop" for a positive feedback loop that's just bad / undesirable. Negative feedback loop has a specific meaning and that meaning isn't "this thing is bad". They are great! They maintain balance and attenuate disturbances. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negativ...

Negative feedback - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Sanjay Srivastava@sanjaysrivastava.com · 6d ago

What is an extremely nerdy/obscure/specific thing you hate with a white-hot wrath?

Worked on the bonus short for Wereconifer. Everything is getting there.

Every single policy that this administration puts in place is 100% consistent as long as you assume that their first and foremost goal is to increase death rates.

Tyler King@tyleraking.com · last wk.

I dunno but it should probably be a bigger deal that the White House announced it wants to slap a 100% tariff on drug imports at the same time it is eliminating Medicare drug subsidies. And we’re talking about critical life-saving drugs like insulin, blood thinners, antibiotics, and heart meds.

really funny how stories told here it seems companies reporting high AI workflow are probably cooked stats from being lied to by their employees as they keep doing work as usual without it but it's also alarming bc it gives AI the veneer of competency. AI can't stop stealing credit from human labor

Aftermath@aftermath.site · 6d ago

Welcome to the resistance: meet the workers dodging (and sabotaging) their employer's AI mandates: aftermath.site/ai-resistance-...

Yeah and the other half is in a massive fight about how to correctly interpret the Bible

Half the planet is having a massive fight about how to correctly interpret an Ancient Greek poem but go ahead, close some more humanities departments.

also, WHERE DO THE POETRY PEOPLE talk about and find new poetry books? Because it seems like it can't be on StoryGraph — the review numbers for 95% of poetry books (at least the ones I read) are ABYSMAL.

Speculative short story people! Has anyone read any recent thoughts on the craft of writing speculative short stories, especially in e.g. introductions, speeches, etc, where they might not be easily findable?

I am in this article. (Not literally, but I am very much one of the displaced in this phenomenon.)

Liberal Currents@liberalcurrents.com · last wk.

“There has been persecution in the form of increased social scrutiny, harassment and violence. And there has been persecution in the undercutting of access to vital, lifesaving gender-affirming medication despite the overwhelming medical consensus for it.” www.liberalcurrents.com/the-american...

You get isekai'd but it turns out the laws of physics are too different and your atoms tear themselves apart, causing you to detonate. The fantasy kingdom's mages investigate and determine the cause. Soom isekai nukes are the dominant interdimensional weapon.

In 2026 so far, the Trump admin has bombed: —Iran—14,000+ strikes; 1 JSOC mission —Somalia—strikes on 66 days —Caribbean/E. Pacific—31 strikes —Iraq—strikes on 26+ days —Syria—strikes on 18 days —Arabian Sea—9 strikes —Nigeria—strikes on 3 days; 1 JSOC raid —Venezuela—strikes on 2 days; 1 JSOC raid

Wesley Morgan@wesleymorgan.bsky.social · 7mo ago

Year-end tally of Trump admin combat actions in 2025: —Yemen—1,000+ strikes* —Somalia—140+ strikes, 1 ground raid** —Syria—78+ strikes, 3 ground raids*** —Iran—3 B-2 strikes —Iraq—1 strike —Nigeria—1 set of TLAM strikes —Caribbean—11 strikes —Eastern Pacific—20 strikes —Venezuela—1 known CIA strike

My latest Words for Thought column for @apexmag.bsky.social is now available to read online! Discussing stories of transformation by Suzan Palumbo, @angelaliu.bsky.social, @bogiperson.bsky.social and @bethgoder.bsky.social. Happy reading! www.apexbookcompany.com/blogs/apex-m...

Words for Thought: Short Fiction Review

Welcome to another Words for Thought! The weather is warming up here in the northeast and the days are getting longer. It’s a time of change and transformation, so fittingly, these stories are all abo...

apexbookcompany.com

This thread is heavy, but 1) historically interesting and 2) worth noting terms in the news today like “visa” and “passport”

P. Y. Mund@pymundgenealogy.com · last wk.

I am helping sort my late grandfather's effects for clearing out + preservation and boy this 1939–1945 stuff is dark Novel, I know

THE FIFTH INFLECTION is now on NetGalley! www.netgalley.com/catalog/book...

The Fifth Inflection

NetGalley helps publishers and authors promote digital review copies to book advocates and industry professionals. Publishers make digital review copies and audiobooks available for the NetGalley comm...

netgalley.com

TELL ME YOUR 🏳️‍🌈QUEER SHORT SFF🏳️‍🌈 OUT IN JUNE 2026!!! Originals only pls, up to novella in length, indie okay. Just reply with the author, title, and a link to read and/or buy and I'll get them on the list. Here's May's list for context & more info: www.patreon.com/quicksiprevi...

Some Queer Short SFF - May 2026 | Charles Payseur

Pride Month might be wrapping up for many people, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to stop paying attention to awesome queer short SFF. Now,

patreon.com

PSA: Do not store anything nonperishable in a biodegradable bag in your kitchen cabinet! There is a chance the bag will biodegrade IN your kitchen cabinet. Can't believe it happened to me a second time... (FWIW, the first one created 1000000 flakes, the second one created a gooey mess.)

also don't use them for slowly drying your freshly made pottery pieces in like you would in a regular plastic grocery bag, because they will simply devour all the moisture out of the piece and then collapse horribly

Also do not store anything in a biodegradable bag in your freezer! The bag will degrade and get stuck to the inside freezer surface! And it will be impossible to fully remove without defrosting

PSA: Do not store anything nonperishable in a biodegradable bag in your kitchen cabinet! There is a chance the bag will biodegrade IN your kitchen cabinet. Can't believe it happened to me a second time... (FWIW, the first one created 1000000 flakes, the second one created a gooey mess.)