Tessera

Lisa Eckstein

@lisaeckstein.com

Reader. Writer. Big fan of human rights for everyone. Pronouns: she/her. Pronounce: EX-teen. Physical location: Silicon Valley, CA. Digital location: lisaeckstein.com

798 Posts240 Follower 311 Folgt

Aaron Meyers @aaronmeyers.bsky.social · yesterday

"Today is August 4, 2026" There Will Come Soft Rains By: Ray Bradbury

John Kusters Jr @jkusters.bsky.social · 3d ago

For my Bay Area reenactment friends, this looks like it could be fun: sanfranciscohistorium.com

Home - San Francisco Historium

sanfranciscohistorium.com

Jennifer Crispin || Dancing Star Press @greeniezona.bsky.social · 4d ago

Get loud and weird about books you love! It's free! It's fun! And you never know when it will help someone find a new book they love, not to mention more sales for the authors!

Lisa Eckstein @lisaeckstein.com · 5d ago

Life gave me extra strawberries, so I made @smittenkitchen.bsky.social's Strawberry Summer Cake, and wow, it's good!

A cake crammed with halved strawberries, just out of the oven in a springform pan on a cooling rack.

A slice of cake with a top layer full of halved strawberries. In the background is the remaining half cake.

Lisa Eckstein @lisaeckstein.com · 6d ago

Complexities - A little update on writing and despair, inspired by a sentence in @slhuang.com's acknowledgments for the wonderful Language of Liars. www.lisaeckstein.com/2026/07/comp...

Complexities

Lisa Eckstein blogs about reading, writing, and revising.

lisaeckstein.com

Lisa Eckstein @lisaeckstein.com · 6d ago

I vote we replace the US Senate with this student senate, who did great and efficient work creating policy on an issue they all have to deal with daily.

NPR@npr.org · 6d ago

Should students be allowed to use AI on assignments? What about on tests? Who should teach AI literacy? About 100 teenagers got together to try to decide. n.pr/44SFjNs

Annalee Newitz @annaleen.bsky.social · last wk.

Did you know I have a new book coming out about a graduate student who is a slime mold from beyond the galaxy? Who comes to Earth to do fieldwork and meets a badass sex worker in ancient Pompeii? It's called "A Wall Is Also a Road." You should pre-order it now! torpublishinggroup.com/a-wall-is-al...

A Wall Is Also a Road

torpublishinggroup.com

Lisa Eckstein @lisaeckstein.com · 2w ago

#FridayReads The Language of Liars by @slhuang.com. Captivated by the alien cultures, the language-focused plot, and the unfolding mystery in this inventive scifi novella!

Cover of The Language of Liars by S.L. Huang. On a background of dark swirling colors, there are three tentacled creatures. The cover text includes a tagline, "Can words burn down an empire?" and a blurb by Rebecca Roanhorse: "Smart, razor-sharp, and absolutely devastating."

$Opening text of The Language of Liars by S.L. Huang: Nineteen Words for Doubt. Twenty-Six Ways to Lie. At first the Orro Primaries were skeptical. "Language causes the mind to jump?" they said. "No. Understanding causes the jump. Language is the tool," said the Master Linguist. "This ability would make us feared. It will only give us trouble from the conglomerate," said the Primaries. "No," said the Master Linguist. "It will give us spies." -Orro Internal Records, Dissolution Era (labeled for destruction) The day Ro jumped was the first day he doubted. Doubt. In his language, it meant uncertainty, apprehension, a lack of confidence or conviction. The feel-ing of a squiggle in his third and fourth stomachs. In Birjivina, the trade language of the Andu-Erjians, doubt meant a question-either a question raised or a question asked. Andu-Erjians said things like Ask your doubts or We have seventeen doubts to settle about this treaty with the Gendamese. The Gendamese had twenty-two common languages across three species. In one of them, everything could be made negative. You could have minus doubt, which roughly meant self-assurance or security. Another of their tongues used the word "doubt" as a slang question tag: You get me, doubt? Undoubt. The Koi people had only one language and didn't name it. Why did you need a name for something self-evident? The closest concept to "doubt" in their language roughly meant "miasma.” They didn't have words for abstract concepts; they had sensory metaphors. You weren't happy, you were the sound of trilling. You weren't in love, you were enveloped by warmth. "Sound" and "warmth" themselves were odd translations, since both species of the Koi had cell splinters that would break apart not very far above absolute zero-the literal translation of warmth was a numerical measurement a fraction of a degree above nothing. Warm to the Koi, perhaps, but a death sentence to most other species in the conglomerate. Except the Star Eaters. The…$

Lisa Eckstein @lisaeckstein.com · 2w ago

#FridayReads Foundling Fathers by @megelison.bsky.social, the story of a new American experiment gone wrong. Teenaged clones of Washington, Jefferson, Adams, and Franklin are raised in seclusion, until they discover the internet and learn all that's been kept from them about their intended purpose.

Paperback book, Foundling Fathers by Meg Elison. The cover illustration shows a Polaroid of a young George Washington wearing sunglasses and earbuds. A blurb from Sarah Gailey, author of Spread Me, says "Relentlessly, brutally, scathingly funny."

The first page of Chapter One of Foundling Fathers by Meg Elison. Text reads:

It took Benjamin Franklin twenty-seven minutes and fourteen seconds to discover there was pornography on the internet.

It was pretty impressive, considering the boy had started from zero. He had found the iPhone, still warm from someone's hand, sitting on a windowsill in his favorite privy. He did not recognize the object, having never seen anything like it before. The slick black glass was alien to him, so refined and smooth with beveled steel edges. He thought for a moment that it must be a large jewel. He hefted it in his palms, noticing the metal-frame setting bent around it. In the steel, he saw slightly raised areas and prodded one experimentally.

The jewel in his palm flamed to life, showing a vivid image of two people in front of an enormous waterfall. One of them he recognized-she was Mother, though as he had never seen her before. She wore breeches and... (page ends)

Annalee Newitz @annaleen.bsky.social · 3w ago

Only two more weeks to enter your sci-fi stories for the Protopian Prize, given to works that imagine positive futures for humanity, w/tech that serves the public interest. (I'm one of the judges!) Two winners get $5000 US each, and publication in an anthology from MIT Press! protopianprize.com

The Protopian Prize | The Fiction Contest

The Protopian Prize is a fiction contest inviting you to share your vision of people working toward liberatory futures, meeting obstacles, and making real change. “Protopian”—a word coined by Kevin ...

protopianprize.com

Tordotcom Publishing @tordotcompub.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Behold the cover of Forged in FIYAH edited by DaVaun Sanders, a celebration of Black speculative fiction unlike anything seen before! Coming September 29, 2026. Cover art by Ernanda Souzà Cover design by Christine Foltzer us.macmillan.com/books/978125...

A graphic featuring the cover of Forged in FIYAH edited by DaVaun Sanders, featuring two people with hammers forging a goblet surrounded by rays of light.

Lizzie Blackwood @lizzieblackwood.bsky.social · 3w ago

✨🌟✨OUT NOW!!!✨🌟✨ The Stars Will Be Our Ocean is available now in epub and paperback! All purchase and review links are available at lizzieblackwood.carrd.co Buyers guide in the thread below! 🧵

Graphic showing the cover of The Stars Will Be Our Ocean (The title texts floats among a starry background mingling with nebulous blue gasses with the author name “Lizzie Blackwood” at the bottom. Two figures float together at the center, holding hands as though dancing and smiling at each other. The figure on the left is a sharklike humanoid with a finlike crest off the back of his head wearing complex but form-fitting armor. The figure on the right is a human woman with pale skin and short black hair wearing a back jacket, shirt, pants, and boots.) with the caption "Out Now! Her world is dying. His world cast him out. Together, they can change a galaxy."

For fans of Mass Effect, A Memory Called Empire, and The Shape of Water comes a story of love between outcasts caught in the mire of intergalactic politics.

First contact with the vast spacefaring empire of the Reshketh seemed like a miraculous boon for Humanity, trapped on a dying Earth. But in pursuit of an alliance, something has gone terribly wrong, and it's up to cultural advisor Jenna Kalandra to figure out why before it's too late. The only problems are that she has no information, no connections, and her own Ambassador hates her just for existing.

Jenna isn't one to give up easily, but she'll need the help of a mischievous Al, an inventive Human tech, her no-nonsense ex-girlfriend, and one charmingly unprofessional Reshketh security guard named Tarek to survive her Ambassador's wrath. Can these misfits find a way to save the alliance (and themselves) before prejudice dooms Humanity? And can Jenna's friendship with the roguish Reshketh become something deeper when no one knows who to trust?

"There's hope yet, even if it's hard to see the shape of it. You taught me that. But no matter what happens, this time right here is ours."

Graphic with the caption "If you liked..." over the title images of Mass Effect: Legendary Edition, A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine, The Shape of Water, and The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers, followed by the caption "You may enjoy..." over the cover image of The Stars Will Be Our Ocean.

Worst Bestsellers @worstbestsellers.bsky.social · 3w ago

DID YOU KNOW: Bob Dylan's hit song "The Times They Are A-Changin'" was inspired by a raccoon burning down Kirsten's house. @mimimahoney.bsky.social, co-author of the book Dolls of Our Lives & host of the Landline podcast, joined us to discuss this fiery American Girl. www.frowl.org/worstbestsel...

Changes for Kirsten by Janet Beeler Shaw

Kirsten & her family watch the destruction the raccoon hath wrought. At least she saved the chest though

Lisa Eckstein @lisaeckstein.com · 3w ago

Sunset last night was really spectacular. I meant to share these photos right afterwards, and I forgot, but no reason you can't enjoy them today instead.

Dramatic sunset clouds, richly colored, above a suburban street.

The silhouette of a large tree in front of sunset clouds.

Lisa Eckstein @lisaeckstein.com · 4w ago

Cloud waves.

Wispy white clouds that look a bit wave-like in shape, on bright blue sky. On the right is the edge of a conifer tree.

Valerie Valdes @valerievaldes.bsky.social · 4w ago

This weekend, I'll be at WriteHive's annual conference! It's free and virtual, check it out! www.writehivecon.org

Effie Seiberg @effies.bsky.social · 4w ago

US folks: Oppose terrible proposed rule threatening EVERY SINGLE FEDERAL GRANT incl Medicaid, Head Start, school lunches, housing assistance, food banks, & community health centers. Public comments close July 13 Comment scripts at ombcomment.netlify.app, and it'll link you to the commenting page.

ombcomment.netlify.app

Lisa Eckstein @lisaeckstein.com · 4w ago

Sidewalk shadows.

Four squares of sidewalk pavement meet at right angles. A jagged crack spreads across one square. Dappled shadow and light fall over it all.

A complicated shadow made from flowers on many thin stems, and something found on a thicker stem (maybe a light).

The shadow of a decorative fence with curved shapes, overlaid by the shadow of a bush or tree.

Lisa Eckstein @lisaeckstein.com · 4w ago

June Reading Recap - My reviews of Sublimation, Whistler, The Night Sweeps the Mountains Away, Yesteryear, and The Ride of Her Life. www.lisaeckstein.com/2026/07/june...

June Reading Recap

Lisa Eckstein blogs about reading, writing, and revising.

lisaeckstein.com

Lisa Eckstein @lisaeckstein.com · 4w ago

Finished Sublimation by @isabel.kim, and wow! I love the way the story starts out focused on the concerns of a couple of characters, then expands to discoveries with global implications. The plot becomes thrilling, but never loses the emotional core. Highly recommended!

Lisa Eckstein@lisaeckstein.com · last mo.

#FridayReads Engrossed in Sublimation by @isabel.kim. Premise is that immigration can bifurcate selves, with one instance staying behind while an identical person moves away and develops separately. The story is about two instances who reunite in Seoul and must figure out their futures. Fascinating!

Book cover of Sublimation by Isabel J. Kim (Nebula award-winning author). The title and author name are in bold white text on a background that shades from pink to orange to black. There's an illustration of two identical figures walking away from each other. Additional text reads, "The border cuts you in two."

Jo Miles @jomiles.bsky.social · 4w ago

The Final Chronicle of Yeneh is out today! A genre-bender full of sentient alien plants & portal fantasy adventure. A duke’s granddaughter rushes to discover the truth about her planet’s native life before her family's terraforming wipes it out. www.jomiles.com/yeneh #booksky #newrelease

The Final Chronicle of Yeneh - Jo Miles

Buy it on:

jomiles.com

WriteHive 🐝@writehive.bsky.social · last mo.

Why should you attend this year’s WriteHive Annual Conference? Because our free, virtual conference July 10-12 includes panels like In This Economy? How to Fund Writing on a Shoestring Budget! Get your ticket IMMEDIATELY 🐝 www.writehivecon.org/conference-s...

Lisa Eckstein @lisaeckstein.com · last mo.

#FridayReads Just getting started on Last Night in Brooklyn by Xochitl Gonzalez, and it's developing a portrait of a specific time and place, old school Brooklyn in 2007.

A hardcover book, Last Night in Brooklyn by Xochitl Gonzalez. The cover has large black text on a bright yellow background. Inside a pink circle is the silhouette of a building roof with people partying.

Janna Sophia 🏔️@jannaphia.bsky.social · last mo.

Please help me finish my thesis so I can finally be free of academia 🫶✨ aidetectionsurvey.carrd.co

Gautam Bhatia @gautambhatia88.bsky.social · last mo.

Half-way through the annual Strange Horizons fund-drive, we've just passed our next milestone of $17.5K. We can now release the next piece from our special issue, which is Paul March-Russell's Nonesuch: strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no... To get us to our goal: www.backerkit.com/c/projects/s...

Nonesuch by Francis Spufford

Spufford’s knowing synthesis may equally attract or discourage fans of occult fantasies.

strangehorizons.com

Gautam Bhatia@gautambhatia88.bsky.social · 2mo ago

The Strange Horizons annual fund-drive is now live! Support us to continue publishing free, weekly, online SFFH fiction, poetry, art, and non-fiction for our 27th year! www.backerkit.com/c/users/3516... For new supporters - welcome aboard. For the regulars - you’ll notice something different. 🧵

Romancing the Vote @romancingthevote.com · last mo.

A new pinned post for Auction Launch Day! Find us on the internet: Website & Contact Form: www.romancingthevote.com Auction Site: auction.romancingthevote.com Donate to our orgs: donate.romancingthevote.com Sponsor us: secure.actblue.com/donate/spons...

Heather Greye @heathergreye.bsky.social · last mo.

IT'S ALIVE! I mean, it's live! The @romancingthevote.com 2026 auction is now live. It runs July 1 - July 5 and helps support voting rights! There are all sorts of amazing offering, although I'm partial to the ones I donated.

Paz Pardo @pazsays.bsky.social · last mo.

and also happy pub day to JULY SUN 🌞

Paz Pardo@pazsays.bsky.social · last mo.

Aamina Ahmad's collection JULY SUN is everything I could want from a set of short stories: deeply felt & compellingly described places filled with complex characters. Each piece is like the climax of its own tiny novel. Out 6/30

Lizzie Blackwood @lizzieblackwood.bsky.social · last mo.

My final print proof of the paperback version of #TSWBOO arrived yesterday, and I'm so happy with it! A million thanks to @aowna.bsky.social for the beautiful wrap-around cover illustration. Physical preorder links should be available soon!

Book sitting on white faux fur backdrop.

Front Cover:
Book cover for The Stars Will Be Our Ocean:
The title texts floats among a starry background mingling with nebulous blue gasses with the author name “Lizzie Blackwood” at the bottom. Two figures float together at the center, holding hands as though dancing and smiling at each other. The figure on the left is a sharklike humanoid with a finlike crest off the back of his head wearing complex but form-fitting armor. The figure on the right is a human woman with pale skin and short black hair wearing a back jacket, shirt, pants, and boots.

A white person's hand holds a book spine-up against a white faux fur backdrop.

The spine reads "The Stars Will Be Our Ocean: Lizzie Blackwood" in white text against a blue, starry background.

A book sits on a white faux fur backdrop.

Back Cover:
"Survival can be an act of love..."

For fans of Mass Effect, A Memory Called Empire, and The Shape of Water comes a story of love between outcasts caught in the mire of intergalactic politics.

First contact with the vast spacefaring empire of the Reshketh seemed like a miraculous boon for Humanity, trapped on a dying Earth. But in pursuit of an alliance, something has gone terribly wrong, and it’s up to cultural advisor Jenna Kalandra to figure out why before it’s too late. The only problems are that she has no information, no connections, and her own Ambassador hates her just for existing.

Jenna isn’t one to give up easily, but she’ll need the help of a mischievous AI, an inventive Human tech, her no-nonsense ex-girlfriend, and one charmingly unprofessional Reshketh security guard named Tarek to survive her Ambassador’s wrath. Can these misfits find a way to save the alliance (and themselves) before prejudice dooms Humanity? And can Jenna’s friendship with the roguish Reshketh become something deeper when no one knows who to trust?

A white person's hand holds a book open to Chapter One against a white faux fur backdrop.

Chapter header image shows some glowing orbs floating among stars.

Page text:
Chapter One

As the ship containing Earth’s first interstellar diplomatic envoy approached the lonely station floating in deep space, most of us stood crammed like livestock in the cargo hold. Only the Ambassador and his top aides were permitted in the control room with the captain, the crew, and their beautiful panoramic viewscreens. The rest of us were told to gather what meager belongings we’d been permitted to bring and stand swaying in uncertainty, ready to disembark. We may have all been there to secure the future of Humanity beyond our drowning, burning planet, but only some of us were meant to have our faces remembered by history.

Not that most of us had the capacity to feel insulted right then. Despite everything the promise of new tech and trade could do for our world, our salvation still came in the form of a species—the Reshketh—who vastly outranked us not just in power, reach, and technological advancement, but in physicality as well. They were tall, strong, descended from obligate carnivores complete with fearsome teeth. The joke that we were sacrificial offerings for our new acquaintances made the rounds more than once, and each time the laughs became a little sharper, a little more forced. I knew better, I hoped. I had been studying Reshketh culture religiously for the past two months after it had become my job to make sense of it, and I was reasonably sure they had no interest in devouring human flesh.

Lisa Eckstein @lisaeckstein.com · last mo.

I've registered for Flights of Foundry, a great online convention for writers, artists, and other creators in speculative fiction! flights-of-foundry.org/registration/

Registration – Flights of Foundry

flights-of-foundry.org

Dream Foundry@dreamfoundry.bsky.social · last mo.

📅 Mark your calendars!! Flights of Foundry returns September 18 - 20, 2026. See you there!

Cuddle pile of Flights of Foundry gryphons including a harpy eagle, a bald eagle, a barn owl, and a cockatoo.