As an on-paper woman who looks like a chap in a low light/on a good day, I give some thought and care to using single-sex facilities. From today (UK), the thoughts and cares multiplied: transactual.org.uk/know-your-ri... (5000+ words and I'm very grateful for it but what the hell.)

You can add noai.duckduckgo.com to your browser as your default search engine, if you are constantly having to switch off AI.

DuckDuckGo No-AI: Private Search Without AI

DuckDuckGo private search with all AI features turned off. The classic results you expect. Always private.

noai.duckduckgo.com

'You'll choke too' - an aerial embroidery landscape inspired by all the wildfires happening right now... I'm upset every time I smell smoke outside and somehow we have people starting them maliciously too! But we all breathe the same air so they'll choke too (1/2 - see thread for close-ups)

🎵 Happy birthday to me Happy birthday to me Black Doe is OUT TODAY Go and buy it, pleeeeease! 🎵 Grab it on kindle now, or order from your favourite bookshop in person or online. #newbook #kindlebooks #historicalfantasy #scottishbooks 🩵 📚 blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/pro... amzn.eu/d/0a0NApjt

Black Doe

Buy Black Doe by Smith, Cleland from Amazon's Fiction Books Store. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction.

amzn.eu

HWA not exactly covering themselves in glory here.

Holly Lyn Walrath@hollylynwalrath.bsky.social · 17h ago

There is a lengthy pro-AI screed in the latest HWA newsletter and it is . . . a mood.

BEHOLD!! MY STUFF!!! See you at #MCMBirmingham!

How do you tell stories when the possibilities are limitless? When time and place mean nothing and everything all at once? Join us at Writing the Occult: Time & Place on 5 September as we pose that question to some of the most accomplished writers to have set foot in the TARDIS... 🧵⬇️

This has made me wonder, what's your favourite swear that's not a swear? For me it's got to be 'clackers'. Right in the clackers, punched him in the clackers, it's all good. 😂

Louie Stowell@louiestowell.bsky.social · yesterday

Parents! What's the WORST swearword you'd be comfortable with your 8-12 year old reading in a story? Where do we stand on "arse"? (please be as prissy as you like, I'm trying to balance "word I want to use" with "can I be arsed with the complaints"?)

What, it caused more work? Who'd a thunk?

Trish Greenhalgh@trishgreenhalgh.bsky.social · 2d ago

This is a disaster. They MUST fire the break clause. giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... NHS England to revise Palantir platform data after staff concerns

This is a disaster. They MUST fire the break clause. giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... NHS England to revise Palantir platform data after staff concerns

NHS England to revise Palantir platform data after staff concerns

Changes to two most widely cited claims come as scrutiny grows over US tech company’s contract

giftarticle.ft.com

Oops. www.publictechnology.net/2026/08/03/h...

NHS apologises and admits Palantir engineers have access to identifiable patient data

The central health service body has acknowledged the inaccuracy of claims previously made in a transparency document which indicated that only NHS staff were able to see such sensitive information ...

publictechnology.net

But, as ever, their problem isn't actually other writers, or even the publishing industry, arbitrary and labyrinthine though it can often be It's capitalism. It's that myth of meritocracy. It's that, whatever you do professionally: the odds aren't in your favour Nobody wants to hear that (end)

The Pacific Island country of Nauru has changed its name to the Republic of Naoero, its president said, matching the spelling and pronunciation in the national language. n.pr/4wDrhLF

Nauru, the world's 3rd-smallest country, changes its name to Naoero

The Pacific Island country of Nauru has changed its name to the Republic of Naoero, its president said, matching the spelling and pronunciation in the national language.

n.pr

Graphic design is not my passion, but I’ll be at Worldcon

Get funding to run author events in your community from the Scottish Book Trust. www.scottishbooktrust.com/writing-and-... #books #author #Scotland

Apply for Live Literature funding

Our Live Literature programmes fund author events and residencies for schools and organisations across Scotland

scottishbooktrust.com

Did you know that the GSFWC (@gsfwc.bsky.social) is forty years old this year? Well it is, and as part of too much thinking about that, I bring you the first in a (slowly) building set of blog posts with my thoughts on it. www.munchkinstein.co.uk/index.php/20...

I'm enjoying exploring the thematic connections between these two stories as I read them. It's like a really good themed anthology that way. The combo of bone magic in @julietk.bsky.social's story & extreme body modification from @emfaulds.com has me pondering the boundaries of the human body...

Wizard's Tower Press@wtpress.bsky.social · 4d ago

Love novellas? How about two in one book? Wiz Duo #2 contains stories by Juliet Kemp & E M Faulds wizardstowerpress.co...

TWO DAYS TO GO…AAAAaAaAaAaH! And two more ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ reviews in the door, one ARC reader and the review site Reader’s Choice. Even so, starting to wonder at the wisdom of releasing a book on my birthday.😱 #historicalfantasy #historicalfiction #scottishfiction #preorders

Hmm, looks interesting! Love me some Michelle Yeoh youtu.be/0Dr8I_RyRCg

Blade Runner 2099 - Official Teaser | Prime Video

YouTube video by Prime Video

youtu.be

My #Glasgow2024 artwork "Jellyfish Over The Clyde" graces the cover of the latest issue of #Foundation magazine, which is lovely.

Science Fiction Foundation@sffoundation.bsky.social · last mo.

Proof that F152 exists - with a little treat for current UK members.

Lol Bond ones are good. "Feel a Bit Off Another Day" "Moontickler" "Monopussy" "The Man with the Aluminium Gun" "Dr Maybe" "Skystumble" "On Her Majesty's Weekly Shopping Run" ...

Dion Winton-Polak@dionwintonpolak.bsky.social · 2d ago

Downplay a book or movie: ‘Try to Refrain From Saying Never Again.’

Downplay a book or movie: Get-together Horizon

Brian M. Milton@munchkinstein.bsky.social · 2d ago

Downplay a book or movie: The Housecarl of the Rings.

The portal is open! 🕳️ We want horror stories up to 6,000 words, including flash. Originals and reprints. We pay $0.08 per word. Simultaneous submissions are accepted so long as you keep us informed. More details on our website (below).

feels like i should re-post this every few weeks

Marisa Kabas@marisakabas.bsky.social · 3y ago

NEW: Substack founders finally respond to Substackers Against Nazis. They say Nazis publishing and earning money on their platform is fine with them. Their full statement here: substack.com/@hamish/note...

What it's like being a woman, in 3 screenshots

As of today, the use of AI becomes more transparent in the EU. Here’s how EU law makes sure AI works for you, in full openness ↓

Our general submission window is now open! We want stories and poetry with a strong voice and a sense of adventure, stuff that makes us feel things, stuff that lets us use our hearts and our brains and leaves us wanting more! For our full guidelines and schedule, visit: www.havenspec.com/submit/

It has been my great honor to paint the cover and end paper artwork for Chloe Gong's "Flesh and False Gods" trilogy, published by @hodderscape.bsky.social in the UK. Here's all the artwork in one carousel! "Eyes of Kings" 2026 "Vilest Things" 2024 "Immortal Longings" 2023

Welcome to August! Only one month to go until our 9th issue drops. Edits will be going out to authors soon (probably today). In the meantime, we can finally reveal the absolutely gorgeous cover, slightly revamped from our previous style, with original art by Tobias Roetsch. Ain't it beautiful?

I can't GO to Worldcon in LA later this month, but I'll still be there! Catch me online (UK time) for two writing workshops (each nearly 90 minutes long), a talk on how cottage gardens are based on baloney history & a table talk where we can chat about writing to your heart's content! lacon.org